John has been a staff member of this advertising agency for 37 year; 20 of those years have been spent at the helm of the organization. During his tenure the company have been recognition for their savvy marketing expertise and cutting edge creative work. John plays a key role on the team that continues to bring national attention to Martin, which represents such brands as GEICO, Pizza Hut, American Cancer Society, Walmart, Hanes, Discover Financial, BF Goodrich and Tylenol. In 1997 he became one of a very few advertising people to be inducted into the VA Communications Hall of Fame. He and partner, Mike Hughes, were named as Virginia's Outstanding Industrialists of the Year. Additionally, The Martin Agency was named Agency of the Year by Adweek and it is the only agency that Advertising Age has selected for its "A-Lists" every year since the lists have been published.

John serves on the Board of Directors of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and is on the Board of Trustees of Hampden-Sydney College. He has also served on the boards of Longwood University, the American Cancer Society, the Salvation Army, Boy Scouts of America and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

In addition to his position as director, Tom teaches in the Jepson School of Leadership Studies and is chair of the graduate program in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Richmond. He has published articles in Academic Exchange Quarterly, Journal of Black Studies and Politics and Policy and his opinion pieces have appeared in the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Richmond Magazine.

For nearly 20 years, Tom has been engaged in a variety of issues in the greater Richmond community, focusing mainly on those pertaining to education and good government. He has been a member of many local commissions and committees, including the Anti-Poverty Commission, Richmond Public Schools Charter Review Commission, Search Committee for the superintendent of the City of Richmond Schools, Strategic Planning Committee for Henrico County Public Schools, Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce Subcommittee on Education and Commission for Richmond's Government.

Tom is a graduate of the University of Scranton, where he majored in History. He received his master's degree in Teaching and doctoral degree in Public Policy and Administration from VCU.

Richmond First Club meets at the Willow Oaks Country Club, 6228 Forest Hill Avenue., Richmond, VA. For more information or to make reservations for the luncheon meeting, call 804-264-8613) or email membership@richmondfirstclub.org . Lunch for members is $18 and $20 for guests. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month unless otherwise noted. The public is welcome to attend meetings.