Briana Pace | Southern Indiana Business Report
Last week, INvets announced the appointment of their newest CEO, Roy Martin. He is dedicated to continuing the non-profit’s mission, helping veterans transition into civilian life, through his 20 years of active service in the Marine Corps, economic development background and prior experience working at INvets.
“I’m excited to work alongside the INvets team, our employers, state and local partners, and communities across Indiana to expand that impact,” Martin said.
I spoke with Martin about what his plans look like for the future of INvets and attracting veterans to build their lives after service in Indiana.
“We’re trying to upskill Hoosiers,” he said. “I would like to strengthen our relationship with the Indiana Department of Veteran Affairs.”
Martin’s vision for the future of INvets is still in its early stages, but right now, he sees an emphasis on community development and being part of growing areas. He believes by bringing veterans to communities, you bring people who are good patriots and who love the country and the state. Those types of people are wanted in towns, according to Martin.
Veterans are also wanted in towns due to the potential to bring federal money with them, maybe through a retiree pension or federal insurance.
“It’s a way to inject federal dollars into local communities,” Martin said.
Currently, INvets works with the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC), but Martin hopes to expand INvets’s connections to include the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), where he worked for about one year, and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD). All three departments are under the Secretary of Commerce, easily aligning them.
As director of business retention and expansion for the Central Indiana region at the IEDC, Martin saw Indiana’s workforce and talent challenges from a different perspective than when he was at INvets. He worked directly with employers, economic development organizations and communities, learning what businesses needed to grow.
“That experience reinforced something I already believed: attracting veterans and their families to Indiana isn’t simply a veteran-services issue,” Martin said. “It’s a talent attraction, workforce, community development, and economic development opportunity.”
Having transitioned from service to civilian life himself, with the help of INvets, Martin has a unique understanding of what the process is like. He spent three years planning his retirement from the Marine Corps., creating a plan of action focused on the end state and how he would achieve it. INvets was a key resource in that.
“I think knowing what the transition is like is absolutely critical,” Martin said.
He wants to bring those practices into his new role, asking what the task, purpose and end state is, and apply all his experiences in the Marine Corps to the job. Martin will take into account all the different cultures, missions, tasks and lessons learned.
Chair of INvets Board of Directors Kristal Painter summed up the capabilities Martin brings to the position from all his previous experiences in a press release statement.
“Roy brings a powerful combination of military leadership, hands-on employer engagement, and strategic economic development experience to INvets. He understands the perspective of the transitioning service member, the talent needs of Indiana businesses, and the broader economic vision of our state,” she said. “We are thrilled to welcome him back to lead INvets.”