Markus R. F. Sleuwen (Guerrero),

"I care about making this world a better place for all. I believe that persistent actions, no matter how small, are catalysts for big results."

Business and International Lawyer – 25+ years
Business Owner – 15+ years

Markus serves in multiple roles for the IQ Companies.  He brings 25+ years of legal experience to SFG. In his role as Executive Vice President, Markus actively participates in the strategic development of SFG. As Chief Compliance Officer, he is responsible for administering the policies and procedures of SFG and for monitoring the firm’s compliance with regulatory requirements.  As General Counsel, Markus serves as chief legal officer.  As VP of Business Services of StrategIQ Tax and Business Services, LLC, a company that is an affiliate of SFG (“STBS”), Markus assists clients with diverse business related matters, including business successions, business due diligence, business sales or purchases, business reorganizations, business financings and general contract negotiations. Markus likes working in multiple roles - his work is diverse and he interacts with many colleagues, professional partners and clients.  

As a lawyer, Markus embraces the importance of identifying and minimizing potential risks, identifying and maximizing potential opportunities and, generally, rational, meticulous and comprehensive research, analysis and decision-making.  Markus enjoys the peace of mind that he derives from this preventative, proactive and thorough approach.  One of Markus’ favorite features of StrategIQ’s services is the ability to help clients visualize, on an ongoing basis, their periodically updated present financial situation and projected future financial situation.  By having continuous access to such financial situations, all based on actual financial data and reasonable assumptions, clients are able to make short, medium and long term decisions grounded on actual facts, reasonable assumptions and professionally developed intelligent comprehensive strategies. Markus likes our clients’ ability to make decisions built on good information, competent analysis and comprehensive strategy. “It beats decisions based on emotional reactions to current events, stale or incomplete information or deficient strategies.”
 
Markus graduated from Valparaiso University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and three minors in Math, Engineering (Production Operations) and International Business. He then went on to Saint Louis University School of Law, where he earned a Juris Doctor law degree (graduating Cum Laude and being inducted in the Alpha Sigma Nu Honor Society). Markus worked for one decade at two of the world’s largest international law firms, with a focus on corporate, commercial and international law, particularly buying and selling businesses. He has been trained to pay close attention to detail, but also to think strategically and outside the box. 

Markus’ care for the community around him has lead him to serve as an AYSO soccer coach for 10 years and as a member of the board of elders of his church for 6 years. He is also involved with Oak Park and River Forest High School, first, as a member of the school’s Community Council and, second, as a member of the Accountability Oversight Committee of the school’s Board of Education. 

Markus is happily married and has two children, a daughter and a son. He enjoys alpine snow skiing, and has skied in four continents. His other hobbies include traveling, food, wine, photography, music and sports. 
 

Markus’ Qualifications

• Education
  • Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Valparaiso University, 1992 (Three Minors: Mathematics, Engineering and International Business)
  • Juris Doctor, Saint Louis University School of Law, 1995 (Cum Laude and Alpha Sigma Nu Honor Society)

StrategIQ Financial Group, LLC ("SFG") and StrategIQ Tax and Business Services, LLC ("STBS") are affiliated entities under common ownership of StrategIQ Financial Group Holdings, LLC ("SFGH").  SFGH and all companies in which SFGH holds, directly or indirectly, any ownership stake sometimes are referred to by such affiliated company group’s trade name "IQ Companies".  STBS is referred to sometimes as STBS or as its trade name StrategIQ Tax and Business.

LEGAL SERVICES
Neither SFG nor STBS, nor any of the other IQ Companies, provides legal services or is a law firm. No member, officer or employee of any IQ Companies that is a lawyer provides any legal services to any clients of SFG or STBS through any IQ Companies and no services to any clients of SFG or STBS provided by any such member, officer or employee of any IQ Companies that is a lawyer are, or shall be deemed, legal services of any type whatsoever by any IQ Companies. 

In the event that a client of SFG or STBS is or becomes a client of, or receives legal services from, any lawyer who serves as a member, officer or employee of any IQ Companies, whether directly or through such lawyer’s law firm, (for example, in connection with a sale or reorganization of such client’s business or in connection with trust or estate related matters of such client,) all IQ Companies hereby disclaim any involvement in any legal services to any such client.