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He's gone in June 2014 A real shame
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tigertom Offline
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He's gone in June 2014 A real shame

Martin says he won't stay at University of Memphis longer than a year



Brad Martin is a slight, soft-spoken and civil 63-year-old Memphian.

On a wintry morning, he says sorry for the cold fireplace in the oak-paneled parlor of Oaksedge, the graceful East Memphis mansion he acquired to house his investment firm’s offices.

And then he amiably walks to the kitchen and fetches bottled water for a guest, rather than task an assistant with the humble chore.

Martin is cordial, smart, rich, ambitious, a friend of the governor — good traits for someone intent on a massive task: Restructure the University of Memphis.

Seven months ago, Martin left retirement for the job of U of M interim president.

Back then, he promised he would serve one year, until the university hired the retired Shirley Raines’ successor.

From the start, many Memphians believed Martin would break the promise and stay on permanently.

After all, he had amassed and sold a retail empire whose flagship was Saks Fifth Avenue. Then, philanthropy and family took his time, and seats on boards of companies that form a Tennessee Who’s Who:

FedEx Corp. (Tennessee’s largest company); First Horizon National Corp. (owner of the state’s largest bank, First Tennessee); Pilot Travel Centers LLC, owner of Pilot Flying J — the Knoxville truck stop chain is considered the state’s largest private business (and owned by the family of Bill Haslam, governor of Tennessee).

Anyone at this stage of life, busy, accustomed to CEO perquisites, the reasoning went, would step in at U of M only if he intended to stay.

Martin insists he meant what he said. One year is it. Then he leaves.

“This was clearly a departure for me from my regular life,” Martin said.

Nearly every great city has at its center a great university.

It’s where ideas are shaped, personal connections made, priorities changed, for students and cities.

A robust tech economy would have struggled to emerge from the faded seaport of Boston, once known mainly for history, a couple of colleges and the U.S.S. Wasp aircraft carrier battle group, without MIT’s prowess.

Now, Martin is trying to alter U of M’s arc.

Is one year sufficient to accomplish anything?

“I would argue there is a cultural evolution underway that is here to stay,” Martin said. “We’re tieing our fate to the fate of this community. I think the wake-up call has been made. It is not going away.”

When reform money poured into Memphis City Schools a few years ago, U of M was not on the leading edge.

Teachers were recruited from throughout the nation.

And enrollment in the engineering school slumped even as Memphis corporate headhunters scoured the country for able engineers.

Now, long-range plans are rolling out for departments throughout the school.

“We’ll know we are great if 10 years from now, we look back and say the University of Memphis is producing the best teachers for urban schools in America,” Martin said. “Or we’ll see U of M is the place to go to school if you want to thrive in a bio-engineering career. You can help create the next life-changing medical device.”

He’s rallied local corporations to fund scholarships, which puts the focus on business, science and math.

And the school now recruits bright kids throughout the nation to stem U of M’s enrollment decline.

But changing the arc has riled some faculty. Martin insists metrics determine funding for their departments.

He shrugs off the dissent.

“The noise around it is from those who want to avoid the experience” of change, Martin said.

“The response from the community about the need of the University of Memphis to grow has been terrific.”

Martin concedes he does not directly run the university.

He left administration in the hands of university counsel Sheri Lipman and provost David Rudd.

“When people talk about me as the administrator I have to chuckle,” Martin said. “I’m not the administrator.”

He’s the CEO.

He makes the battle plans. Committees and administrators fight the war.

And sometime around June he’ll step away. Can his strategy prevail when he’s gone?

“We’re seeing a lot of great things,” Martin said in his calm tone. “I think that’s going to accelerate.”
(This post was last modified: 02-09-2014 07:57 PM by tigertom.)
02-09-2014 07:55 PM
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tigerjeb Offline
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Post: #2
RE: He's gone in June 2014 A real shame
hes held firm all along that this would only be a temporary gig & he has other things to move onto. i take comfort though in that he is driving the boat on finding the permament guy and has the govenors green light to do so, so the TBOR wont be shoving another shirley raines type down our throat, we will get the great, ambitious and aggressive president we will need over the next decade. there are big things on our horizon and we will be attractive to candidates nationwide.
02-10-2014 08:03 AM
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3601 Offline
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Post: #3
RE: He's gone in June 2014 A real shame
I assume that he'll remain very active behind the scenes in supporting the university and the new president.

I saw Governor Haslam at the Gonzaga game in the vicinity of Martin's skybox.
02-10-2014 04:34 PM
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21-17 Best Time I Ever Ha Offline
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Post: #4
RE: He's gone in June 2014 A real shame
We are extremely blessed to have had his vision, guidance, and creativity during this change of presidents. We are finally on the right track, and we owe him a great debt of gratitude for taking time out of his life and family to give us this year. He understands the importance of both athletics and academics. He sees clearly our urban univerity's role in this city and sees wonderful opportunities for our university to fill niches here in Memphis, producing skilled graduates for our strongest businesses.

Thank you, President Martin!
02-10-2014 10:44 PM
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supertiger Offline
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Post: #5
RE: He's gone in June 2014 A real shame
If this timeline holds up, we'll probably have a short list of new president candidates in March and an approved candidate by the end of April...


http://www.memphis.edu/pressearch/
(This post was last modified: 02-11-2014 11:30 PM by supertiger.)
02-11-2014 11:29 PM
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tigergreen Offline
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Post: #6
RE: He's gone in June 2014 A real shame
http://www.memphis.edu/pressearch/Presid...20Plan.pdf

does anyone know the firm that conducted the search for Shirley Raines?
02-12-2014 01:17 PM
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tigertom Offline
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Post: #7
RE: He's gone in June 2014 A real shame
Brad is working on getting the ear of the TBOR for more $upport. You can count on him obtaining that.

TIGERJEB's right too. No more Shirley Raines types. The future is looking bright. 04-rock
02-12-2014 05:51 PM
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tigertom Offline
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RE: He's gone in June 2014 A real shame
(02-12-2014 01:17 PM)tigergreen Wrote:  http://www.memphis.edu/pressearch/Presid...20Plan.pdf

does anyone know the firm that conducted the search for Shirley Raines?

No more ficticious "Heery Reports". The U of M was really misled on that adventure.
02-12-2014 05:52 PM
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MemTigerFan Offline
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Post: #9
RE: He's gone in June 2014 A real shame
(02-12-2014 05:52 PM)tigertom Wrote:  
(02-12-2014 01:17 PM)tigergreen Wrote:  http://www.memphis.edu/pressearch/Presid...20Plan.pdf

does anyone know the firm that conducted the search for Shirley Raines?

No more ficticious "Heery Reports". The U of M was really misled on that adventure.

?? The U of M wasn't misled on that at all. The fans were. The U of M knew exactly what they were doing.
02-13-2014 08:45 AM
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Tiger46 Offline
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Post: #10
RE: He's gone in June 2014 A real shame
(02-09-2014 07:55 PM)tigertom Wrote:  
Martin says he won't stay at University of Memphis longer than a year



Brad Martin is a slight, soft-spoken and civil 63-year-old Memphian.

On a wintry morning, he says sorry for the cold fireplace in the oak-paneled parlor of Oaksedge, the graceful East Memphis mansion he acquired to house his investment firm’s offices.

And then he amiably walks to the kitchen and fetches bottled water for a guest, rather than task an assistant with the humble chore.

Martin is cordial, smart, rich, ambitious, a friend of the governor — good traits for someone intent on a massive task: Restructure the University of Memphis.

Seven months ago, Martin left retirement for the job of U of M interim president.

Back then, he promised he would serve one year, until the university hired the retired Shirley Raines’ successor.

From the start, many Memphians believed Martin would break the promise and stay on permanently.

After all, he had amassed and sold a retail empire whose flagship was Saks Fifth Avenue. Then, philanthropy and family took his time, and seats on boards of companies that form a Tennessee Who’s Who:

FedEx Corp. (Tennessee’s largest company); First Horizon National Corp. (owner of the state’s largest bank, First Tennessee); Pilot Travel Centers LLC, owner of Pilot Flying J — the Knoxville truck stop chain is considered the state’s largest private business (and owned by the family of Bill Haslam, governor of Tennessee).

Anyone at this stage of life, busy, accustomed to CEO perquisites, the reasoning went, would step in at U of M only if he intended to stay.

Martin insists he meant what he said. One year is it. Then he leaves.

“This was clearly a departure for me from my regular life,” Martin said.

Nearly every great city has at its center a great university.

It’s where ideas are shaped, personal connections made, priorities changed, for students and cities.

A robust tech economy would have struggled to emerge from the faded seaport of Boston, once known mainly for history, a couple of colleges and the U.S.S. Wasp aircraft carrier battle group, without MIT’s prowess.

Now, Martin is trying to alter U of M’s arc.

Is one year sufficient to accomplish anything?

“I would argue there is a cultural evolution underway that is here to stay,” Martin said. “We’re tieing our fate to the fate of this community. I think the wake-up call has been made. It is not going away.”

When reform money poured into Memphis City Schools a few years ago, U of M was not on the leading edge.

Teachers were recruited from throughout the nation.

And enrollment in the engineering school slumped even as Memphis corporate headhunters scoured the country for able engineers.

Now, long-range plans are rolling out for departments throughout the school.

“We’ll know we are great if 10 years from now, we look back and say the University of Memphis is producing the best teachers for urban schools in America,” Martin said. “Or we’ll see U of M is the place to go to school if you want to thrive in a bio-engineering career. You can help create the next life-changing medical device.”

He’s rallied local corporations to fund scholarships, which puts the focus on business, science and math.

And the school now recruits bright kids throughout the nation to stem U of M’s enrollment decline.

But changing the arc has riled some faculty. Martin insists metrics determine funding for their departments.

He shrugs off the dissent.

“The noise around it is from those who want to avoid the experience” of change, Martin said.

“The response from the community about the need of the University of Memphis to grow has been terrific.”

Martin concedes he does not directly run the university.

He left administration in the hands of university counsel Sheri Lipman and provost David Rudd.

“When people talk about me as the administrator I have to chuckle,” Martin said. “I’m not the administrator.”

He’s the CEO.

He makes the battle plans. Committees and administrators fight the war.

And sometime around June he’ll step away. Can his strategy prevail when he’s gone?

“We’re seeing a lot of great things,” Martin said in his calm tone. “I think that’s going to accelerate.”

I wish he would/could stay.

That bio is a little deceiving isn't it?
02-13-2014 10:00 AM
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tigertom Offline
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RE: He's gone in June 2014 A real shame
(02-13-2014 08:45 AM)MemTigerFan Wrote:  
(02-12-2014 05:52 PM)tigertom Wrote:  
(02-12-2014 01:17 PM)tigergreen Wrote:  http://www.memphis.edu/pressearch/Presid...20Plan.pdf

does anyone know the firm that conducted the search for Shirley Raines?

No more ficticious "Heery Reports". The U of M was really misled on that adventure.

?? The U of M wasn't misled on that at all. The fans were. The U of M knew exactly what they were doing.

You're 100% correct... I meant the fans/alumni were. The report supported building an OCS. I have a copy, hard copy version and the digital one. JMS knows a lot about this matter as does Harold Byrd. He was livid and he had cause to be.

Yep, you're 100% correct. Thanks. 04-bow
02-13-2014 11:03 AM
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poppaslaw Offline
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Post: #12
RE: He's gone in June 2014 A real shame
This is exactly why I haven't changed my sig. That's a lot of work.

To all you hard asses who kept telling me to do so.

#getbent
02-17-2014 12:55 PM
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