At the 2025 Annual Retreat banquet on Tuesday, July 29, Planetary Science Institute scientists, staff and their families and friends gathered to celebrate the former director Mark Sykes‘ 21 years at the helm. They shared stories, words of thanks and gifts with Sykes.
Enjoy the gallery below of the event!
Sykes was hired to lead PSI in 2004 and over the decades he has ushered in enormous growth. Revenue has more than quintupled from $3.3 million to nearly $18 million today, while net assets increased from just under $200,000 to more than $3.4 million. Projects increased from 76 to 283 active projects in fiscal year 2024.
The number of employees increased from 47 to over 170 – roughly 130 of whom are principal investigators – living in 32 states, Washington D.C. and several countries. Also, during his time at the helm, Sykes oversaw the opening of the PSI Lakewood, Colorado office located west of Denver in 2016 to accommodate the burgeoning Institute.
