“Own it, take care of it, move forward with it”- the Mark Motors story

Stopwatch in hand, young Liza Mrak stood trackside with her father Louis, timing laps and absorbing the pulse of automotive passion. Those Sunday afternoons watching Formula One charted the course of her future. Little did she know those moments were the first steps of a remarkable career in the automotive world.

Four Mrak siblings, four corners of automotive passion one family legacy. The story of Mark Motors is not just about cars; it’s about passion, perseverance and the journey to excellence across generations.

Mark Motors by Agrani Tiwari

Imagine a young man jumping off a moving train in Ottawa, his luggage thrown after him. This scene, straight out of a movie, marks the beginning of the Mrak family’s Canadian presence.

Louis Mrak, fresh off the boat from Austria in the early 1950s, found himself in this predicament as he arrived in Ottawa.

“Back in the day, the trains used to have mailbags; they would slow the train down, hook the mailbag up, and then the train would keep going,” said his daughter, Liza Mrak. “So, they didn’t slow down the train; they threw my dad’s luggage off and he had to jump off.”

But Louis came with a purpose and a specialized skill set. Sponsored to work in Canada, Louis brought with him an engineering degree specific to the automotive space.

Louis began working at a shop in Rockland, but his entrepreneurial spirit that had brought him across the ocean soon led him to open his own business: small Eastern European-style garage that serviced high-end vehicles like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and Porsche.

However, as the business grew, Louis faced an unexpected challenge: the name of his business.

Liza explains the decision behind the now iconic name: “Everyone asks why it’s called Mark Motors. My dad met with his banker and lawyer, and at the time, they decided it would be best to change the last name and make it Mark. Because back in the ’50s, being an immigrant, it would be a little easier for people to identify with the name Mark as opposed to Mrak.”

Meanwhile, another story was unfolding. A young woman named Margarete from Germany was also making her way to Canada. In Ottawa, she and Louis would meet, forming a partnership that would change the face of Ottawa’s automotive landscape for generations.

“In that time frame, he met my mom; they got married, and my mom started to work at the store as well,” said Liza.

Margarete and Louis had four children: Andreas, Michael, Vincent and Liza.

As Louis and Margarete built their business and family, their children grew up immersed in the world of high-performance automobiles. From an early age, Liza was exposed to the sights, sounds and excitement of the industry.

“Growing up, you’re just in the scene, you’re in the business,” she said. “You don’t realize that this is normal life.”

As Liza reached university age, she initially pursued a different path.

“I loved the idea of being a doctor, so I decided to go to McGill, and I have a science degree in physiology, which was the first step in moving towards med school,” she said.

However, after completing her degree, she found herself at a crossroads.

During her year off, she took business courses at the University of Ottawa and discovered her passion.

“I found that business was very colourful,” she said. “Med or science was very black and white. Not that that’s a bad thing. It was just very structured, and business has more colour and flexibility.”

Seeking independence and personal growth, Liza chose not to immediately join the family business.

“I really wanted to work somewhere where my parents or brothers weren’t coddling me or telling me how to do things,” she said.

She joined Enterprise Rent-A-Car, where she worked for nearly a decade, starting as a rental agent and working her way up to manager.

Throughout her time at Enterprise, Liza kept the possibility of returning to the family business in mind, but she was cautious of the timing.

“The moment I went down the path of working on the business side, I could maybe see myself coming back to the family business,” she said. “But it had to be the right time. I had to be ready for that transition.”

As she contemplated her next career move, the family business was expanding with a new store in the west end. This coincidence presented Liza with an opportunity to reconsider her professional path.

Her brother and father approached her about joining the family business. Liza took time to consider this opportunity carefully.

When Liza decided to join Mark Motors, she did so on her own terms.

“I came back and I literally said, ‘Here’s how I want to see it: I’d love to join the family business, I’d like to do it a certain way. I want to learn from the ground up,’” she said.

She didn’t fulfill every role in the store. Her approach was methodical.

“I liked to be in the service department as a service writer, so I could learn that side of the business,” she said. “I want to be a regular employee working with the customers, whatever the case might be, so I could understand what our customers and employees go through in a given day.”

Liza was adamant about not receiving special treatment. This comprehensive experience has proven invaluable in her current role.

As the Mrak siblings navigated their roles within Mark Motors, they faced industry-wide challenges.

“I value businesses with a heritage; this in essence is the foundation of the luxury goods market,” said Candace Sutcliffe, a local businesswoman and motorsports fan. “Brands such as Porsche, Louis Vuitton or Moet & Chandon, for example, have a unique history of craftsmanship and innovation which have made them thrive for decades while navigating the industrial and technological revolutions, while still being the most sought after.”

Marc Brazeau, the former president of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada, provides a broader perspective on the industry’s evolution. He notes that the industry’s biggest challenges have remained consistent over time, including “attracting young people to consider trades as a good means of building a career, making sure that the industry keeps up with technological changes, so training as well.”

Adapting to changes in technology is another challenge Mark Motors faced head-on, particularly with the rise of electric vehicles (EV). While brands like Porsche are investing heavily in EV technology, Liza notes that consumer adoption remains uneven due to infrastructure issues like charging availability. To bridge this gap, Mark Motors ensures its sales team is well-prepared by encouraging them to drive EVs themselves.

“We say ‘Drive it for the night or weekend so you can give feedback to the customers,’” Liza said.

Brazeau highlights how this approach aligns with broader industry trends: “Transparency is critical, customers expect seamless experiences whether it’s online or on-site.”

For Mark Motors, addressing these issues while maintaining commitment to customer service and community involvement has been key to their continued success.

This commitment extends beyond the showroom floor and into the world of motorsports, where the company’s passion for racing has deep roots in their family history.

The Mrak family’s love for racing naturally evolved into active participation.

“We raced ‘944s, we raced ‘911s,” said Liza. “The Porsche brand has a huge history of motorsports and I think that was parallel to what my parents put in front of us as we grew up.”

Their involvement in motorsports has allowed them to support and nurture young racing talent.
“The Mrak family have long been involved in motorsports, since founder Louis Mrak began racing his native Austrian Volkswagen in the North American market,” said Sutcliffe.

Zacharie Robichon, a young driver, approached the company with his determination and skill.

“He had a plan. He said, ‘I can’t pay for the car, I’m a really good race car driver, can you support me?’ and he was young, about 19 years old,” said Liza.

Mark Motors took a chance on Robichon, adding him to the Mark Motors racing team, and it paid off.

“He got in the car and he did extremely well,” she said.

The company’s support didn’t stop with Robichon. They later brought in Roman De Angelis, who was so young he didn’t even have a driver’s license at the time.

“Today their Mark Motors Racing team are made up primarily of trophy-winning Porsche drivers across various countries,” said Sutcliffe.

The success of these young drivers, along with the experienced racer Marco Cirone, led to an impressive run for the Mark Motors racing team.

“We literally would win seasons of first and second place because of those two,” said Liza. “Marco was with us at the time as well, winning the master series.”

Cirone is now the Mark Motors Racing team’s main driver.

“They love to see young talent develop,” he said. “I think they get a lot of satisfaction by getting young drivers in race cars and seeing them progress.”

Arthur Fortin-Brunet, a local street racing club owner enjoys watching racing the most.

“What I enjoy the most about these racing series are the elements of pure determination, skill and coordination of the entire team,” he said. “Racing in general is brutal, on the car, on the drivers, on the crew, and on the engineers.”

Both Robichon and De Angelis have since moved on to higher levels of racing, with Robichon becoming an authorized Porsche driver, competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD class. He won the IMSA WeatherTech Sprint Cup Championship in 2019 and the overall GTD class title in 2021.

De Angelis won both the GT3 Cup Platinum Class Canadian & USA Championships in 2019. Both drivers have competed at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, with De Angelis winning the event in 2023.

Fortin-Brunet adds, “Endurance races have brought countless legendary cars to life and has always been a source of innovations and new technologies that ultimately trickle down into everyday cars. IMSA and its many series is the best place to see what a manufacturer is really all about.”

As Liza puts it, “We see ourselves as part of their journey to get to their final stage in motorsports.”

This sentiment is echoed by Cirone. “I felt very, vert proud to represent the family,” he said. “The Mrak family has a long history. The very first time we put that Mark Motors logo on the car and on my race suit, and I was representing them, I think that had to be one of the best feelings I’ve ever had as a race car driver.”

Cirone’s appreciation for the Mrak family extends beyond their professional relationship. “Not only are they good sponsors and representatives, but they are also my very close friends. I consider them family,” he said.

Their dedication to supporting emerging talent surpasses just motorsports, influencing their business philosophy of customer care and community involvement.

Drawing from the spirit of automotive passion, Fortin-Brunet recalls how car communities once thrived, bringing passionate people together to socialize and support each other’s love for cars, with nightly events and shared experiences that went beyond the cars themselves.

Liza’s approach to service and business is deeply rooted in her upbringing.

“Mark Motors have built a lasting and dominant legacy in the Ottawa region and beyond, by leveraging some of the best luxury car brands, with a unique history in the motor sports world, combined with a clear vision for the future,” Sutcliffe said. “They pride themselves on quality, performance and service which has made them a winner on the road and on the track.”

“My parents had a family philosophy that we have to stick together,” she said. “And we had to have dinner at the end of every night. If we didn’t, then we would have to talk about whatever happened in the day.”

For the Mrak family, being neighbourly isn’t just about their physical neighbours.

“At the original store, people would walk through the lot or hang out on it, and instead of saying ‘hey, get off the lot!’, it was to give them a nice wave,” she said.

Liza finds herself grateful that her parents worked hard to put food on their family’s table. Because of this, they support organizations for those who aren’t as lucky, for example, the Boys and Girls Club, Montfort Hospital, the Ottawa General Hospital and the National Arts Centre.

To maintain this community-focused culture, Liza explains, “We really lean in on our general managers today to ensure they drive the culture that we believe in: work hard and take care of our customers.”

This business evolution mirrors the philosophy behind Porsche’s own development. Just as Porsche meticulously enhances its cars through subtle modifications to components like the lights, the fins, and the wheels, Mark Motors has cultivated its family dynamics and business practices.

MARK MOTORS by Agrani Tiwari

“That evolution, I would say, is the same as what our family has undergone as far as our relationship and business,” said Liza.

Working in a family business brings many rewards. With them come a number of challenges.

“I work with my brothers every single day,” Liza said. “We’re no longer in our living room at home fighting over the remote control. We have to actually work together in this space, and we have to be united. That’s the only way we’ll be successful.”

As a woman in the automotive industry, Liza brings a unique perspective particularly in understanding and addressing the needs of female customers. She recognizes that many women may feel intimidated when dealing with automotive issues.

“To some women, it may feel like they want to know more about their issue but are too shy to ask those questions because they don’t want to look like they don’t know what they’re talking about,” she said. “And then to have to worry about being taken advantage of.”

However, Liza emphasizes that this approach extends to all customers, regardless of gender.

“Some of our customers, even though they’re male, they may know nothing about cars and that’s okay,” she said. “That just means I have to change how I’m explaining things.”

When asked about advice for young women considering a career in the automotive industry, Liza offers encouraging words: “I think as long as you have the right attitude and you’re open to learning, the sky’s the limit. Any woman can be successful here.”

Clarifying that passion is crucial for success, regardless of gender, Liza also said that “you must love what you do.”

The Mrak siblings all share a love for the automotive industry. They have learned to divide responsibilities in a way that encourages their individual strengths, while keeping the unity encouraged by their parents.

“We are partners, we are investors in the brand, so obviously we want to make sure we’re on the same page,” said Liza.

Liza oversees areas such as marketing, human resources, and infrastructure. Her brothers manage other aspects of the business including operations and the collision center.

As the next generation of Mraks begins to come of age, the family’s passion continues to manifest in various ways. Liza mentions her niece is currently pursuing a business degree. However, Liza brings attention to the importance of gaining experience first: “She has to go through her journey, right?”

The family’s love for motorsports also seems to be passing down to the younger generation: Liza’s 14-year-old nephew is already making waves as a go-kart racer.

Reflecting on the family’s journey, Liza credits their parents: “My parents were the glue as we grew up, to make sure we kept going in the right direction, and that success has allowed us to be where we’re at today. We just need to make sure to own it, take care of it, and move forward with it.”