Mark Epstein A'76

Mr. Mark Epstein

Mr. Mark Epstein is the Founder of the IZMO Family of Companies. He is also the owner of Dara Partners, LP and Ossa Properties Inc, real estate ownership and management companies of commercial and residential properties. He was a co-founder of King Graphic technologies, Inc, which innovated production of super large format digital outputting.

Mr. Epstein is a member of the Board of Directors of The Humpty Dumpty Institute, the Board of Trustees of Exit Art, and the Advisory Committees of the New York String Orchestra Seminar and the Alexander Schneider Concerts at The New School.

Mr. Epstein is Chairman of the Board of Trustees at The Cooper Union. He is a former President and Secretary/Treasurer of the Alumni Association and has served on the Nominating Committee, as a Career Counselor and as Class Representative for the School of Art class of 1976. As a past Co-Chair of Phonathon, Epstein has been—and continues to be—instrumental in garnering support for the Annual Fund. He was also the New York City Art Regional Chair for the Campaign for Cooper. In 2002, Mr. Epstein was awarded the Alumnus of the Year Award by The Cooper Union.

Chairman of the Board since 2009
Vice Chairman of the Board: 2007-2009


last updated: December 2010

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.