Mark Ackerman

Mark Ackerman — beloved husband, father, friend, son, and brother — passed away on August 9, 2021, at home in Winter Park, Florida, surrounded by his loving family. Mark was a builder in every sense of the word. A builder of fine homes. A builder of family and friends. A builder of bridges between people. A builder of faith and community. Throughout his all too brief 64 years, Mark exhibited an irrepressible lust for life, grabbing every moment as eagerly as he did a hammer and a nail and building them into a life of meaning, love, and purpose. Mark was born to Hy and Freda Ackerman in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he met his wife and lifelong love, Jodi Annoni, when they were just 15 years old. Jodi and Mark got married in the fall of 1977 shortly after Mark graduated from the University of Minnesota, and it wasn’t long before the newlyweds headed south to the Sunshine State to break ground on a new adventure. Soon came daughter, Jamie, and son, Michael, for whom Mark lived each day and devoted his whole heart. Mark’s compassionate and charismatic spirit extended to everyone in his orbit — to family, to friends who became family, and to the family construction business that he transformed into an industry leader. For his more than 40-year career at the helm of Tiffany Construction Corp., Mark — a licensed general contractor and one of the area’s first LEED-certified builders — developed, built, and sold thousands of single and multifamily residences across the state of Florida, approaching each project with his signature eye for design and attention to detail. Mark went on to expand his portfolio when he founded Tiffany Property Group in 2012, a highly successful venture that leveraged his expertise into the world of commercial real estate. Never was Mark more in his element than when he was on a construction site (although a good case could be made for a Gator game). Building was his passion. He’d spot flaws in the design of a structure or shoddy work from a contractor where most of us would only see concrete blocks and wood beams. And if you were in earshot, he was ready to regale you with the technical intricacies of his craft. Ever a man of integrity with a moral compass that pointed due north, Mark did right by people, earning the unrivaled respect of clients, colleagues, and city officials alike and taking great honor in giving families pride of ownership in one of life’s most important investments. In the moments Mark wasn’t on a construction site, he craved experiences and sharing them with those he loved — preferably alongside a top-shelf gin-and-tonic or a glass of nicely aged red wine. Whether he was exploring Italy with his beloved family or closest tribe of friends, skiing down the most challenging slopes in the Rocky Mountains, cheering on his kids at dance recitals and karate tournaments, or diving the Caribbean reefs, Mark showed up for life. He was a deeply faithful man who lived out the values of Judaism, held close his heritage, and built deep connections in the community as one of the sustaining members of Temple Israel and Congregation of Reform Judaism. It was Mark’s faith, fearlessness, and tenacity that spurred him on in the face of a devastating cancer diagnosis that he never let define him. Through the pain and uncertainty, Mark never quit. He was a soldier in this fight, defying odds at every turn and never losing hope. What Mark built so artfully and generously during his life will continue to live on in the craftsmanship of his homes and in the lives that take place between those precisely framed walls. Mark will live on in the spirit of his wife and children and in the hearts of all those who were lucky enough to know and love him. Mark is preceded in death by his father, Hy Ackerman. He is survived by his mother, Freda Ackerman; wife Jodi Ackerman; daughter Jamie Ackerman and son-in-law Jon Snell; son Michael Ackerman and daughter-in-law Daniela Ackerman; brothers Robert and Lon Ackerman; and many beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mark’s memory can be made to the American Cancer Society or Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County. The family of Mark Ackerman invites you to leave a message of condolence on the Tribute Wall created in his loving memory.

Mark Ackerman

December 26, 1956 - August 9, 2021