Mark Stricker
Mark Stricker was born in 1963 to his parents, Anton “Tony” Sticker and Shirley Jane (Planzer) Stricker. Mark grew up in Harvard, Illinois, as one of six sons (Kurt, Paul, Mark, Eric, John, and Todd) in the family that operated the locally well-known Swiss Maid Bakery. The bakery had been a fixture of the community since the mid-twentieth century and served as the foundation upon which all the Stricker brothers, laboring alongside their parents, learned the values of hard work and entrepreneurship. Their duties included unloading delivery trucks, measuring ingredients, preparing products, and helping maintain the bakery's daily operations. The experience exposed all of them to both the practical and business sides of a family enterprise and instilled habits that would influence the course of their respective careers.
After graduating from high school, Stricker attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he eventually earned a bachelor's degree in Urban Land Use Economics. His education provided him with a foundation in real estate development, land planning, and economic growth strategies. But before entering the development business, Stricker spent three years working at the Chicago Board Options Exchange, an experience which exposed him to financial markets and commercial investment at a high level. Although his time there was relatively brief, it broadened his understanding of business and finance before he returned to northern Illinois to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities closer to home.
In 1988, Stricker founded MAS Development. Through the company he became involved in commercial and industrial real estate projects, most notably the development of Harvard's Arrowhead Industrial Park. The project played a significant role in attracting businesses and investment to the community. Over the following decades Stricker established himself as one of the leading figures in Harvard's economic development efforts. His work was not confined to private enterprise. He became a founding member of the Harvard Economic Development Corporation and served as its treasurer from its creation in 2001 until 2017. He also served on the local school board, participated in the Harvard Lions Club, and contributed to the Harvard-Woodstock Enterprise Zone Advisory Board. By the late 2010s, Stricker had become one of the community's most recognizable business leaders.
Mark’s personal life also remained similarly rooted in Harvard. He has been married to local girl Kimberly (Kruckenberg) Stricker for over 30 years, and the couple raised four children, all now adults, in Harvard.
But the venture that eventually brought Stricker into the whiskey industry began with a simple conversation among friends. Around the middle of the 2010s, Mark, his brother Todd, former Harvard mayor Jay Nolan, and Jeff McCarthy were discussing possible business opportunities associated with a real estate project. They considered several ideas, including a wedding venue and a microbrewery, before someone suggested opening a distillery. Stricker's initial reaction was reportedly, "Is that a thing?" Yet the more the group researched the industry, the more attractive the concept became.
The four partners shared several advantages. All were Harvard natives. Their families had longstanding ties to the community. They also brought complementary skills to the venture. McCarthy developed expertise in distillation and production. Todd Stricker contributed engineering and packaging experience. Nolan offered business and civic leadership experience. Mark Stricker supplied development expertise, business management skills, and a network of local relationships developed through decades of community involvement.
So Rush Creek Distilling officially opened in Harvard during 2017. The distillery was named after Rush Creek, whose headwaters originate near the city. Consistent with the founders' desire to create a locally-focused enterprise, much of the grain used in production came from nearby farms. The company embraced a "grain-to-glass" philosophy and emphasized local sourcing, community engagement, and handcrafted production methods. Stricker became one of the public faces of the business and frequently discussed the company's commitment to quality over quantity. One of the themes that repeatedly appeared in Stricker's comments was the connection between distilling and his family's baking heritage. The processes are obviously different, but both depend upon grain, fermentation, precise measurements, and consistency. Stricker often pointed to the lessons learned in the bakery as preparation for the discipline required in manufacturing premium spirits. The transition from bread and pastries to whiskey and vodka may have seemed unusual, yet he viewed it as a natural extension of skills his family had practiced for generations.
For Stricker, the project combined many aspects of his professional life: entrepreneurship, economic development, manufacturing, hospitality, and local pride. His story illustrates how local roots, family traditions, and community commitment can shape an entrepreneurial career that ultimately leads from a small-town bakery to the whiskey business.
Sources:
Northwest Quarterly, “A Family Business Story ‘Maid’ in Harvard”, July 12, 2018, northwestquarterly.com
At The Lake Magazine, “Their Products Reflect Their Passion”, Dennis Hines, August 27, 2018, atthelakemagazine.com
Rush Creek Distilling official website, rushcreekdistilling.com
Shaw Local News Network, “Harvard’s Rush Creek Distillery a Labor of Love for Former Mayor, Partners”, Lindsay Weber, June 9, 2019, shawlocal.com
ABV Network, “The Bourbon Show #230: Mark & Todd Stricker of Rush Creek Distilling”, February 15, 2026, abvnetwork.com
Contributed by Tracy McLemore, Fairview, Tennessee
