The Craft of a Veteran: Insights from Founder Gordon Martin on Veterans Day – Veterans Day Tribute
They were just regular guys. Not heroes in the making. Not the best athlete, not the smartest kid in school, not the guy everyone knew, just young Americans. Some were husbands, sons, brothers, farm boys, mechanics, and students. Then came the draft, or they enlisted, and suddenly they were in Vietnam, Iraq, or maybe Afghanistan. Whoever or whatever they had been back at home didn’t matter anymore. They accepted the call, stood their ground, and did their duty. I served in the US Army from June ’69 through Jan ’72. My last duty station was the Republic of Vietnam. The fear of going to Vietnam was greater than the fear of being there. The anticipation, uncertainty, and stories we heard created a fear that in many ways was greater than the reality we encountered once we arrived. The fear re-manifests itself the last remaining days in country.
What is your current position?
I am a semi-retired business executive and spend my free time drawing and painting. Much of my artwork is donated to charitable organizations focusing on animal rescue and organizations finding a cure for debilitating diseases.
What would your dream job be and why?
If I were asked what my dream job would be, I would say it is the role I still hold as a business executive. I thrive on solving problems, developing strategies, and navigating the peaks and valleys that come with managing a business. Discovering ways to turn challenges into opportunities and witnessing these “risks” become successful endeavors is very rewarding.
But what I find most rewarding is building character. Watching employees grow in confidence. Watch them develop their skills, take on greater responsibility, and become stronger individuals that develop into professionals gives me a tremendous sense of satisfaction. For me, leadership was never about focusing on the bottom line. That metric is very dynamic. It was about building a team, developing character, and creating an environment where people could succeed. That combination of strategy, problem-solving, resilience, and developing character is what made that role my dream job.
Favorite Childhood Memories
I was the “Boy in the Bleachers”, literally. I rode my bicycle to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds on Saturdays to watch both boys and girls race around the oval dirt track in quarter midgets. I never got beyond clinging to the cyclone fence. My job as a batboy for the SRJC baseball team was the epitome of duty. I never got beyond the dugout however and that duty failed to become reality. Lastly, watching aircraft takeoff and land at Coddingtown airport developed into a dream come true. Through strict grit and perseverance I earned a pilot’s license and today I fly a jet aircraft throughout the US for business and pleasure.
Favorite Holiday and with whom
Hands down, the favorite holiday is Christmas with my wife and two children. I loaded the VCR when they were old enough to walk to film them racing towards the packages under the tree. Patience was strained waiting to open them because Mom made the rule that stockings were first. Thanksgiving at our home for 40 years included everyone, even some whos families were too far away of no family at all.
Favorite thing about Healdsburg
The community and the enduring small town feel. We moved here in 1985 from St. Helena and watched Healdsburg grow into a five-star destination. The Healdsburg Country Fair parade on Thursday and the fairgrounds opening the doors for a three days of activities and culminating with the 4H and FFA livestock auction. Today we gather to watch our friends grandchildren represent 4H and FFA.
Who would be the choice to walk with along the beach
That is difficult. I am inspired by too many to list. The likes of Abraham Lincoln, Ayn Rand, Ronald Reagan, Martin Luther King, Rosalind Franklin, James Watson and Francis Crick, Neil de Grasse Tyson, and finally ISHI, the last known member of the Native American Yahi People.
Who have been your mentors
Too many to list. Two who come to mind immediately are: Rosa Parks. Her quiet defiance became an enduring symbol of courage. Warren Buffet. “It takes twenty years to build a solid reputation and five minutes to ruin it:
In
Interview originally by Teresa Mangiapani, Healdsburg Living Magazine. Thank you Teresa!