The Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce announces the hiring of its new Executive Director, David Martin, who will assume the leadership role on October 2nd.
Martin, a native of Western Pennsylvania, started his career in corporate and community event planning and also spent several years in the cruise industry as a Cruise Director with Holland-America Line, a division of Carnival Corp. His non-profit career began as Executive Director, followed by the role of Regional Chief Development Officer with the Arthritis Foundation based in Washington, D.C. He also held Executive Director roles with the Bethany Beach-Fenwick Island Chamber of Commerce in Southern Delaware and recently from 2013 to 2017 with the Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands tourism-focused region. While there, membership grew by over 40% and he opened a new Visitor Center with assistance from member Arnold Palmer and Fred Rogers’ family foundation in Latrobe, PA. He also hosted a weekly radio show and podcast focusing on the local business community, non-profits and area events. Martin attended Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA and has a degree in broadcasting and communications.
“I am thrilled to be coming to Nantucket,”said Martin. “After visiting the island over the years, it is very exciting to be a few weeks away from calling it my home. I am excited to work with the staff and board to grow the Chamber and to build added value and opportunity into memberships.”
“David will make a positive impact on the island and on the Chamber,” said Leslie Woodson Snell, President of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. “His marketing and event experience will benefit our membership and his proven ability to build relationships will grow the organization.”
Martin recently worked in a contract role building a newly branded environmental foundation bearing the name of former Pennsylvania Governor and Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge in Erie, PA in a public-private partnership with the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The role saw him coordinate the opening and funding of a new Visitor Center with Erie’s tourism bureau to provide visitor services to the over 4.3 million people visiting the Presque Isle Peninsula, State Park and Lake Erie.
“My career has taken me from event planning to fundraising to membership development and tourism promotion. If there was one constant, it was building relationships and connecting people,” said Martin. “Members need to feel a Chamber is a true partner in their success and in telling their stories. I can’t wait to get started.”
Martin will be introduced at the Chamber’s Annual Fall Member Dinner on September 14th at the Great Harbor Yacht Club.
