Mark Riddell, an Oakton High School and George Mason University alumnus who spent much of his career doing public-relations work for entertainment firms, died Feb. 12 in Fairfax at age 55.
Mark William Riddell was born in Richmond on Jan. 15, 1968, and grew up in Vienna with his mother, Bernadine, and his father, Gordon Riddell, now deceased.
Mark Riddell graduated from Oakton High School in 1986 earned a bachelor’s degree in English writing from George Mason University in 1991. While at Mason, he belonged to radio station WGMU’s on-air staff and was a founding member of the Green Machine Pep Band.
Riddell spent his career in public relations. He worked for the first six years of his career with Feld Entertainment Inc. – first as public-relations and communications coordinator, then as a digital-marketing-services specialist. The work involved marketing for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey, which contributed to his love of the circus, his family said.
After spending three and a half years as marketing-and-communications manager for Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., he went back to Feld Entertainment Inc. for a 13-month stint as national director of public relations for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. This was followed by nearly three and a half years as marketing-and-communications manager for the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NOVA Parks).
Riddell was a “great guy” who was “very creative and just a very nice and fun person to be around,” said NOVA Parks executive director Paul Gilbert.
This was followed by another period as national public-relations director for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and then, after time spent freelancing, holding the same job at Elvis Presley Enterprises in Memphis, Tenn.
“As an enduring Elvis Presley fan, Mark was overjoyed by the opportunity to work for Elvis Presley Enterprises at the Graceland estate,” his family’s obituary notice read. “But ever the lover of roller coasters, Mark ultimately returned to Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. [in September 2022] as the director of communications at Kings Dominion. This was the park that he had visited so many times in his youth, and where he took his daughters as soon as they could follow in his footsteps as coaster-fanatics.”
While Riddell’s time back at his old firm was brief, “he was instrumental in re-energizing our marketing team and he will be sorely missed,” wrote Bridgette Bywater, vice president and general manager for Kings Dominion at Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., in a LinkedIn tribute.
Riddell avidly collected vinyl records and enjoyed exploring record shops everywhere he went, his family said.
“Mark also loved playing pinball, whether it was the classic Batman ‘66 machine or the Willy Wonka Collector’s Edition that became a family favorite on a trip to Gatlinburg, Tenn.,” they said.
Riddell was an accomplished keyboard player and over the years played in several rock ’n’ roll bands. Ever since he was 14, he also serve as a pianist/organist with the 11 a.m. choir at St. Mark Catholic Church.
Riddell is survived by his mother, Bernadine Riddell, and daughters Sammi and Rachel.
Funeral services for Riddell, including a Catholic Mass, will be held Feb. 27 at 11 a.m. at St. Mark Catholic Church, 9970 Vale Road in the Vienna area.
