Arthur C. Martinez (born September 25, 1939) is an American businessman and executive who formerly served as chief executive officer (CEO) of Sears. He is best known as the person who led a turnaround of Sears, Roebuck, and Company in the 1990s.
Arthur C. Martinez | |
|---|---|
 Martinez, c. 2010s | |
| Born | Arthur Caulfield Martinez September 25, 1939 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Polytechnic University (BS) Harvard Business School (MBA) |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, executive |
| Known for |
|
| Spouse |
Elizabeth Dorothy Rusch
(m. 1966) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Richard Dupont (son-in-law) |
| Awards | CEO of the Year (1996) Alumni Achievement Award (1999) |
Early life and education
editMartinez was born September 25, 1939 in New York City, the only child of Joseph Martinez (né José Martínez; 1900-1987) and Agnes Martinez (née Caulfield). His father was born in Mexico with Spanish ancestry and worked as a fish wholesaler.[1] His mother was an Irish immigrant who worked part-time as department store clerk.
He was raised in Brooklyn where he attended Catholic schools. He graduated from Polytechnic University in 1960 and later completed a MBA at Harvard Business School.
Career
editPrior to joining Sears, Martinez worked for several companies, including RCA Records. He entered the retail business in 1980 when he became the chief financial officer for Saks Fifth Avenue. In 1992 Martinez became the head of the Sears Merchandise Group and three years later he became the chief executive officer of Sears, Roebuck, and Company. During his eight-year tenure at Sears, Martinez initiated a major overhaul of the company's operations and made the company profitable again. He is best known for changing the company's marketing strategy to focus on women as well as men.
Martinez retired in 2000, although he continues to serve on the boards of directors for several businesses. He graduated from New York University Tandon School of Engineering with an undergraduate degree and also received an MBA from Harvard University.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] In 1995, Arthur Martinez was honored with an Edison Achievement Award for his commitment to innovation throughout his career.
Personal life
editOn July 30, 1966, Martinez married Elizabeth Dorothy Rusch, a daughter of Forrest B. Rusch of Cleveland, Ohio, at St. Vincent Ferrer Roman Catholic Church in Cleveland.[18] They had one daughter and a son:
- Lauren Martinez (born 1970), who married Richard S. DuPont, Jr. (born 1968), a son of Richard DuPont, Sr., a private investor of the DuPont family, and Emily T. Frick, trustee of the Frick Collection and Old Westbury Gardens. Her husband is a direct descendant of Éleuthère Irénée du Pont, founder of the Du Pont company.[19]
- Gregory Arthur Martinez (born 1974), who married Caroline Leventhal, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart A. Leventhal, of New York City, who formerly owned the Franzus Company, and was president of Clermont Capital Partners.[20]
Martinez and his wife are residents of Greenwich, Connecticut, where he also served on a variety of nonprofit boards.[21][22]
References
edit- ^ United States Census, 1940, 1950
- ^ "Arthur C Martinez, Greenwich Health Care Services Inc: Profile and Biography". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
- ^ "Martinez, Arthur C.: 1939—: Businessman | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ http://www.foxbusiness.com/business-leaders/2014/01/28/abercrombie-appoints-industry-veteran-to-chairman/ Foxbusiness.com
- ^ http://people.equilar.com/bio/arthur-martinez-abercrombie--/salary/594565 Archived July 21, 2015, at the Wayback Machine Peopl.equilar.com
- ^ "News from California, the nation and world". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ "Q4 2013 Exhibit 99.1". www.sec.gov. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ http://nacdny.org/bio/bio_martinez.html Archived 2015-07-21 at the Wayback Machine Nacdny.com
- ^ "Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) Announces Compensation Award for Chairman Arthur Martinez". StreetInsider.com. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ Dobrzynski, Judith H. (January 7, 1996). "Yes, He's Revived Sears. But Can He Reinvent It?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ Abrams, Rachel (December 9, 2014). "Michael Jeffries Retires After Career Overseeing Abercrombie's Rise and Fall". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/martha-stewart-living-omnimedia-inc-elects-arthur-c-martinez-to-board-of-directors-76082902.html Prnewswire.com
- ^ "ANF | Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Profile". MarketWatch. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ "LittleSis: Arthur C Martinez". littlesis.org. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ http://finance.thetimes-tribune.com/pep/executive/arthur-c-martinez/arthur-c-martinez.htm Finance.thetimes-tribune.com
- ^ "Arthur C. Martinez - Pay Pals". The Huffington Post. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ Chicago Tribune Articles.chicagotribune.com
- ^ "Miss Rusch Is Wed To Arthur Martinez". The New York Times. July 31, 1966. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ "Lauren Martinez, Richard duPont Jr". The New York Times. July 27, 1997. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ "WEDDINGS; Caroline Leventhal, Gregory Martinez". The New York Times. August 5, 2001. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
- ^ greenwichfreepress (May 6, 2022). "Arthur and Elizabeth Martinez Family and Dr. James Brunetti to Be Honored at Benefit for Greenwich Hospital". Greenwich Free Press. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
- ^ "Arthur Martinez' house in Greenwich, CT (Google Maps)". Virtual Globetrotting. March 30, 2008. Retrieved April 27, 2024.