Triangle Business Journal honors Marks Clearing & Grading chaplain Alberto Valderrama
The company says Pastor Alberto Valderrama has served the Triangle's Hispanic community for years. The paper's 2026 Community Champion class has 16 individuals and 15 organizations, another honoree said.
Employees at Marks Clearing & Grading see Pastor Alberto Valderrama, the company chaplain, on jobsites and in the shop. Valderrama shares encouragement and faith with them, the company says.
Now the Triangle Business Journal has named Valderrama a 2026 Community Champion, the Wendell sitework company announced on Oct. 14, 2026. The awards honor people whose service makes a lasting difference in the communities around them, Marks wrote.
Marks says Valderrama has served the Triangle's Hispanic community for years, "leading with faith, compassion, and a genuine commitment to serving others." The company did not name a congregation or describe specific programs.
Another 2026 honoree, the law firm Womble Bond Dickinson, said in August that this year's class includes 16 individuals and 15 organizations. The firm said the winners would be honored at a luncheon on Oct. 8 at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary. The photo Marks posted shows Valderrama holding a 2026 Community Champion Awards winner's trophy, engraved with Valderrama's name and the company's.
The Journal also named Gregg Marks, the company's executive chairman and chief growth officer, a 2026 Corporate Leadership Award winner in September.
"Faith is the first word in Faith, Family, Dirt," the company wrote, referring to its motto. "It's not there for decoration. It shapes how we treat our people, how we treat our clients, and what we believe a company owes the community it works in."
About this story
By Sotwire Desk. Written by Sotwire Desk from the sources below. Not a company attestation.
Sotwire Desk. Written by a named Sotwire editor from the sources cited below. Not a company attestation. Sotwire corrects errors publicly.
Key facts
- Marks Clearing & Grading
- Wendell, NC
- Company news
- Desk reported
- Sotwire Desk
- Pastor Alberto Valderrama, company chaplain, Marks Clearing & Grading
- Triangle Business Journal 2026 Community Champion
- 16 individuals and 15 organizations
- Oct. 8, 2026, The Umstead Hotel and Spa, Cary
- Marks Clearing & Grading, Wendell, NC
- Faith, Family, Dirt
Key events
- Womble Bond Dickinson announced its own Community Champion award and the size of the 2026 class
- The Triangle Business Journal named Gregg Marks a 2026 Corporate Leadership Award winner
- Community Champion honorees were set to be honored at a luncheon in Cary
- Marks announced Valderrama's Community Champion award
Sources
- Pastor Alberto Valderrama Named a 2026 Triangle Business Journal Community Champion · Marks Clearing & Grading · accessed 2026-10-17
- Womble Bond Dickinson's Raleigh, Research Triangle Park Offices Honored with Triangle Business Journal's Community Champion Award (Aug. 25, 2026) · Womble Bond Dickinson · accessed 2026-10-17
- Gregg Marks Named a 2026 Triangle Business Journal Corporate Leadership Award Winner · Marks Clearing & Grading · accessed 2026-10-17