Mark MacKinnon graduated from the University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada) in 1996 with a BSc in Applied Chemistry. The next year while working on a Master’s Degree in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Mark founded Guardians Of Order, Inc. to design and publish his first commercial game, Big Eyes, Small Mouth: the Japanese anime RPG. BESM debuted at GenCon 1997 to tremendous critical acclaim, earning him an Origins Award nomination for the Best RPG of the Year. Having found his calling, Mark changed his course and focused on running Guardians Of Order full-time. Since then, Mark has firmly established his company as an industry leader in both game development and graphic design.

In addition to many product and game design credits -- including the Origins Award winning Sailor Moon Collectible Card Game -- Mark has been an active industry volunteer as well. He sat on the committee that oversees the Origins Awards, and is currently serving a term on the Game Manufacturers Association Board of Directors. Mark’s passions outside the game industry include poker, the works of Shakespeare, Japanese culture, and anime.

Mark lives in Guelph, Ontario, with his best friend and wife, Karen, and his adorable two-year-old son, William.