THE LONG ISLAND BUSINESS NEWS ‘30 UNDER 30’ AWARDS HONOR THE BRIGHT & DYNAMIC YOUNG PROFESSIONALS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE LONG ISLAND COMMUNITY THOUGH PUBLIC SERVICE AND HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN BUSINESS.
Early in his career, Michael Marnell is carving out a career of significance, connecting his strengths with his personal purpose to
positively impact his clients, his colleagues and his community. As a financial professional with Forest Hills Financial Group, Marnell is passionate about bringing clients and resources together to help them protect what they have while achieving their financial goals.
Marnell brings his past experience as a division 1 hockey player to his business relationships and work ethic. A natural leader with a team mentality, he is also leading the way for young business colleagues to connect and collaborate. Looking to forge stronger, long-lasting connections with like-minded business professionals through networking, Marnell created and founded Edge Networking Group, a platform for motivated young professionals to connect and grow their business. With an interactive website, golf outings, charity events, get togethers and meetings where members can engage both virtually and in person, Edge Networking Group has grown to five chapters with over 60 members, and is currently developing into a national organization.
In 2012, Marnell was the recipient of the Hobey Baker High School Character Award, which honors high school hockey players who exemplify the Hobey Baker ideal that
“Character builds excellence.” He is now the New York State coordinator for the award. Marnell also sits on the Boomer Eisiasin foundation’s young professional board and works to plan events for the foundation. His active involvement in the community positions him as a resource to his clients, his peers and centers of influence for their professional and personal needs.
Marnell credits his hockey experience as a strong factor in getting him to where he is today, explaining, “My experience playing both division 1 and professional hockey helped me develop a strong work ethic. I learned how to develop a routine and set goals for myself. It also forced me to be very self-disciplined and competitive.”
His advice for companies seeking to hire young professionals is to create a support system for new employees. “Starting a new career can be daunting and having a group of people going through similar situations can make the transition so much easier. I also believe early career professionals are seeking purpose in their work. They want to know that their work makes a difference in people’s lives. Showing them the importance of their profession and the impact they have will allow them to build a strong connection with their new career.”