Dr Michael Martin to step in as interim lead of Collaboratory
Dr. Michael V. Martin, outgoing president of Florida Gulf Coast University
(FGCU) will step in as interim president and CEO of Collaboratory on July 1,
2023.
Martin served as the institution’s fourth president since July 1, 2017.
Before joining FGCU, Martin served as Chancellor Emeritus and Senior Fellow at
Colorado State University. Prior to this, he was Chancellor of Louisiana State
University; President of New Mexico State University; Vice President for
Agriculture and Natural Resources at University of Florida; Vice President for
Agricultural Policy at University of Minnesota; and served 15 years on the
faculty, including a term as Faculty Senate president, at Oregon State
University.
A native of Crosby, Minnesota, Dr. Martin earned a bachelor's degree in
business and economics and a masters degree in economics at Mankato State
College (now Minnesota State University). He received his Ph.D. in applied
economics from the University of Minnesota in 1977. His areas of
specialization are prices, international trade, public policy, transportation
and business logistics.
“Dr. Martin’s involvement in local, state and national boards and
organizations spans decades of service,” said Gail Markham, vice chairman of
Collaboratory Board of Trustees. “We are incredibly fortunate that he has
decided to stay active in local boards and vital issues. We are looking
forward to him guiding the Collaboratory team with his experience and
leadership while we secure our next CEO.”
“I hope to assist the great crew at the Collaboratory to continue their
important work during this period of transition,” said Martin.
In late March, current CEO Sarah Owen announced her plans to step down nearly
12 years after she joined Collaboratory in 2011 when she was recruited to
create a community foundation of the future. Under her leadership,
Collaboratory’s assets have grown by $130 million, the organization has
shifted from transactional to transformational giving, creating a new identity
committed to coordinating the solving of all the region’s social problems on a
deadline.
Dr. Martin will work with the Collaboratory Board over the next few months as
they continue to search for the organization’s eventual new leadership.
ABOUT COLLABORATORY
Collaboratory is committed to coordinating the solving of all of Southwest
Florida’s social problems on an 18-year deadline including homelessness,
poverty, mental illness, illiteracy and more. We plan to do this with the
entire community working together including people of all ages, colors,
beliefs and imaginations across all five counties. We’re committed to
coordinating all of this on a massive scale, in the way NASA coordinated the
hundreds of thousands of businesses, universities, institutions and people to
get us to the moon in nine years. We’re not oblivious to people saying this is
ridiculous, insane and crazy but we’re driven by the inspiration of all those
great figures in history who have come before us to achieve things no one ever
thought remotely possible. Steve Jobs’ observation sums it up for us: “The
people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones
who do.” We’re building the largest, most democratized living laboratory for
community problem-solving in history.
Collaboratory was founded in 1976 as the Southwest Florida Community
Foundation. It has made over $100 million in grants since then and is home to
more than 400 philanthropic funds. It is upon that legacy of a commitment to
community we plan to fulfill our mission at the level of its greatest
expression. As Collaboratory, we will finish what we started.
To learn more and get involved, call 239-274-5900 or visit
www.collaboratory.org.
