Centerstone’s John Markley awarded Transformational Leadership Award by Marion Chamber

John Markley, regional chief executive officer of Centerstone, has been named the 2021 recipient of the Marion Chamber of Commerce’s Live2Lead Transformational Leadership Award. This award will be presented at the Live2Lead: Changing Your World event on October 29, 2021, at The Pavilion in Marion.

Markley is responsible for the leadership and operational oversight of Centerstone’s clinical divisions, specialized services, as well as strategic business development and fiscal accountability. Centerstone is the largest community-based behavioral healthcare provider in Southern Illinois and one of the top five largest nonprofit behavioral health organizations in the state, employing more than 700 staff in Illinois and serving more than 14,000 individuals across the state annually. Centerstone helps children, adolescents, adults, seniors, and their families who suffer from a myriad of behavioral health challenges, providing a full range of mental health services, substance use treatment, intellectual and developmental disability services, housing, educational services and community supports for people of all ages.

“I am very grateful to be selected for this award,” said Markley. “I have been blessed in my career to be surrounded by extraordinary people who are passionate about delivering care that changes people’s lives, and serving in leadership and as a colleague has been my honor.”

The criteria for the award is:

• Go above and beyond what is required in service of others
• Are committed to lifting and building people
• Enroll other people in her/his vision
• Lead right where they are – at home, at work or in their community
• Are making a difference and inspiring others to make a difference

“I truly believe in John Maxwell’s quote that ‘The single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development. There is almost no limit to the potential of an organization that recruits good people, raises them up as leaders and continually develops them.’ I am surrounded by great people who always strive to do better,” Markley said. “I dedicate this award to all our staff and Board members who I have had the pleasure of working with over the past 36 years.”

During Markley’s leadership, Centerstone in Illinois has grown from an agency primarily serving two counties, to an organization expanding across eight primary Southern Illinois counties and has services across five other states. The most recent expansion of services occurred with the merger of Fellowship House in January of 2020.

Markley has served on several national and statewide boards and is currently a member of several state and national associations.

Markley began his behavioral health career in 1985 as a staff accountant, and was promoted to Director of Financial Services, then to CFO in 1987, and finally Regional CEO in 2006.  He received his bachelor’s of science in criminal justice and in accounting from Murray State University, and master’s in business administration from Century University in New Mexico. Markley has been married to his wife, Tracey, for 38 years and they have four children.

This is the fourth year that the Marion Chamber of Commerce has bestowed the Live2Lead Transformation Leadership Award. Past recipients include Tina Carpenter of the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Illinois in 2020, Mary Moreland of Moreland/Bishop McDonald’s in 2019, and the 2018 award recipient was Loretta Graham of The Girls Scouts of Southern Illinois.