In 1993, as a sophomore at Rutgers University, Marc Milecofsky dropped out of school to focus on his expanding clothing business. Although he had no business plan or funding there was high demand at shops and street fairs for his spray painted T-shirts, sweatshirt, and jackets. With a dream, persistence, and savvy marketing, this Jewish kid from Lake Wood, New Jersey went on to create Ecko Enterprises, the biggest company in the global urbanwear market, topping Diddy’s Sean John and Jay-Z’s Rocawear with revenues of over $1.5 billion per year.

Sixteen years after dropping out of college, Marc Ecko will finally complete another important chapter in his life, obtaining his college degree as Rutgers is set to honor the mogul with an honorary degree this spring.

Marc Ecko is profiled in the March 2009 issue of Inc. Magazine, it is an interesting (and inspiring) must-read for anyone interested in a good rags-to-riches business story.