Gregory Martin

Team Leadership

Project Management

Sales Management

Operations Leadership

Strategic Leadership

Financial Planning & Analysis

Company Startups

Gregory Martin

Team Leadership

Project Management

Sales Management

Operations Leadership

Strategic Leadership

Financial Planning & Analysis

Company Startups

About Me

With a distinguished executive leadership career spanning over four decades, I have cultivated a rich legacy of transformative business achievements and strategic insight.

  • Age: 68
  • Education M.B.A.
  • Current Position: Retired
  • Address: Newport Beach, California

My professional journey is characterized by substantial roles, from spearheading major divisions in the grocery, logistics, and maintenance industries to founding and leading Challenger Industries, Inc. and driving unprecedented growth at Concentric, Inc.
Throughout my career, I have demonstrated a profound ability to scale operations, enhance profitability, and lead through periods of significant transformation.

My academic background laid a robust foundation for my financial oversight, strategic planning, and corporate governance expertise. My entrepreneurial venture, Challenger Industries, outsourced critical maintenance functions for major clients like Michelin and Coca-Cola. After achieving substantial market influence and disrupting the maintenance industry, Challenger merged operations under C.I. Capital. 

At Concentric, Inc., I was instrumental in tripling sales organically and elevating EBITDA from single digits to 22% of revenue, contributing to a strategic acquisition by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

As a board member, I bring a visionary leadership style underscored by a pragmatic understanding of market dynamics and operational challenges. My contributions are not just in overseeing governance and fostering sustainable growth and resilience within enterprises but in developing and training future leaders at all levels of business. I am particularly adept at navigating companies through complex acquisitions, technological shifts, and market expansions.

I am now looking to bring this wealth of experience to boards that benefit from seasoned leadership, keen analytical insights, and a proven track record of operational excellence. My commitment is to leverage my expertise to guide companies through strategic decision-making processes, ensuring they survive and thrive in the evolving business landscape.

Fun Facts
80+
Books read per year
40,000+
Hours leading teams
20+
Countries Visited
Favourite Quote
The harder I work, the luckier I get.
William Baumann
Father-in-Law
Clients
Pricing
Popular
$ 22 hour
  • Web Development
  • Advetising
  • Game Development
  • Music Writing
  • Photography
Premium
$ 48 hour
  • Web Development
  • Advetising
  • Game Development
  • Music Writing new
  • Photography new
My Services
Web Development

Modern and mobile-ready website that will help you reach all of your marketing.

Music Writing

Music copying, writing, creating, transcription, arranging and composition services.

Advetising

Advertising services include television, radio, print, mail, and web apps.

Game Development

Developing memorable and unique mobile android, ios and video games.

Resume
Experience
April 1st, 2024 - Present
Retired
Senior Management Committee Member & Maintenance Division Leader
June 2019 - April 2024
Senior Management Committee Member & Maintenance Division Leader
Concentric, Inc.

Leadership & Strategy: Led the Maintenance business unit, demonstrating strategic leadership by aligning business goals with market opportunities, leading to robust organizational growth and operational excellence.  

 

Business Growth: Successfully grew sales by over 300% through organic strategies, optimizing operational efficiencies, and enhancing service delivery to exceed market expectations. 

 

Profitability Enhancement: Improved EBITDA from single-digit performance to 22% of revenue. Tactics included cost control mesures, innovated business control measures related to contract pricing, and delegating responsibilities to holding accountable functional leaders.

 

Acquisition Integration: Played a pivotal role during the acquisition of Concentric by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Prepared operation leadership team to set new strategic goals under the objectives of the new acquisition. 

 

Leadership Development: Fostered a culture of leadership and accountability. Mentored senior managers and developed a strong leadership pipeline to sustain future growth. Implemented an in-house professional leadership academy to train leaders to foster empowerment and autonomy, encouraging them to ask insightful questions and enable their teams to independently resolve issues

President, CEO, & Founder
September 1999 - May 2016
President, CEO, & Founder
Challenger Industries, Inc

Entrepreneurial Leadership: Founded and led a pioneering company specializing in outsourcing forklift maintenance services within fortune 1000 companies across the U.S. Managed and expanded business operations over 17 years.  

 

Client Relations & Business Expansion: Developed and sustained long-term partnerships with major clients, including Pier 1 Imports, Michelin Tire USA, Johnson & Johnson, Excel Logistics, IKEA, Coca-Cola, Sanyo, and Sony. Significantly expanded the company's market footprint across the United States.

 

Operational Excellence: Directed all aspects of operations, including labor, parts supply, consulting, and providing critical information to clients, enhancing their operational and financial effectiveness.

 

Strategic Sales & Acquisitions: Navigated the company through a highly competitive acquisition interest from major industry players like Raymond Corporation, Toyota, and C.I. Capital. Successfully sold and integrated Challenger into C.I. Capital's portfolio, merging operations with two other companies to optimize market position and operational synergy.

 

Innovation in Service Delivery: Implemented cutting-edge technologies and process improvements that revolutionized client service delivery, resulting in increased efficiency and reduced costs.

Corporate Officer, Corporate Vice President, Distribution and Manufacturing
December 1990 - December 1999
Corporate Officer, Corporate Vice President, Distribution and Manufacturing
Smart & Final Stores, Inc.

Strategic Operations Management: Oversaw all aspects of distribution, manufacturing, and perishable procurement for a major grocery chain with revenue exceeding $2 billion, enhancing logistics efficiencies and profitability across 374 stores.

 

Team Leadership & Development: Managed a staff of more than 2,000, including direct oversight of seven functional leaders, fostering a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.

 

Business Integration: Led the successful integration of many acquired food service distributor, aligning each with corporate strategies, financial reporting, and operational frameworks to ensure seamless service delivery and operational continuity.

 

Expansion Initiatives: Instrumental in the geographical expansion of the company into new markets, including Florida and the Pacific Northwest, significantly increasing market share and customer base.

Various Management Positions
March 1977 - November 1990
Various Management Positions
Lucky Stores, Inc.

Career Development: Advanced through a series of increasingly responsible positions, culminating in strategic roles focused on operational oversight, strategic planning, and new division startups.

Divisional leadership: Played a key role in the strategic planning and execution for the Midwest Division, contributing to robust divisional growth and operational optimization.

Innovative Project Leadership: Showcased strategic vision and project management skills on several high-impact project teams, including the start-up of Advantage Stores and the sale of the Midwest Grocery Division to Odyssey Partners.

Leadership and Training: Gained invaluable management experience at a young age through mentorship from some exceptional leaders. Earned a place in a prestigious postgraduate program where Chairman/CEO served as the executive in residence.

Education
1986
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

Postgraduate Certificate – Marshall School of Business

1982
Bradley University
Peoria, Illinois

M.B.A.

1979
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois  

B.S., Finance 

B.S., Business Administration

Experience
April 1st, 2024 - Present
Retired
Maintenance business
June 2019 - April 2024
Maintenance business
Concentric, Inc.

Leadership & Strategy: Spearheaded the Maintenance business unit, demonstrating strategic leadership by aligning business goals with market opportunities, leading to robust organizational growth and operational excellence.  

Business Growth: Successfully grew sales by over 300% through organic strategies, optimizing operational efficiencies and enhancing service delivery to exceed market expectations.  

Profitability Enhancement: Improved EBITDA from single-digit performance to 22% of revenue, implementing cost control measures and innovative business practices that significantly boosted profitability margins.  

Acquisition Transition: Played a pivotal role during the acquisition of Concentric by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Managed a seamless 6-month transition, ensuring continuity and stability in business operations and preserving key customer and vendor relationships.  

Leadership Development: Fostered a culture of leadership and accountability, mentoring senior managers and developing a strong leadership pipeline to sustain future growth.

September 1999 - May 2016
President, CEO, & Founder
Challenger Industries, Inc

Founded Challenger Industries in 1999, providing forklift maintenance services to major clients like Pier 1 Imports, Michelin, and IKEA.

 

Offered labor, parts, consulting, and critical information to optimize material handling fleets. In 2014, sold the business to C.I. Capital, which then merged with two other portfolio companies.

December 1990 - November 1999
Corporate Vice President, Distribution and Manufacturing
Smart & Final Stores, Inc.

Led a team of 2,000, reporting directly to the CEO. Consistently exceeded operational objectives and integrated a foodservice distributor into Smart & Final operations.

 

The company operated 374 non-membership stores across several states and Mexico, offering wholesale prices to both institutions and retail customers, contributing to over $2 billion in sales by 1998.

December 1990 - November 1999
Corporate Vice President, Distribution and Manufacturing
Lucky Stores, Inc.

Began career at Lucky Stores, Inc. in Peoria, Illinois, while attending Illinois State University. Over thirteen years, advanced through ranks, earning two degrees and an MBA, and receiving a Graduate Fellowship to USC.

 

Led strategic planning for the Midwest Division and relocated to California in 1987 to launch a new operating division. Left the company in 1990 following its acquisition by American Stores.

Education
1986
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

Master’s Certificate – Marshall School of Business

1982
Bradley University
Peoria, Illinois

M.B.A.

1979
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois  

B.S., Finance 

B.S., Business Administration

Skills
Leadership and Management
  • Strategic Planning and Implementation
  • Team Leadership and Development
  • Operational Integration
  • Business Growth and Expansion
Financial and Business Acumen
  • Financial Analysis and Optimization
  • Sales Growth and Revenue Enhancement
  • EBITDA Improvement
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
Industry and Market Knowledge
  • Retail and Grocery Industry Expertise
  • Forklift Maintenance Services
  • Distribution and Manufacturing
  • Wholesale and Institutional Sales
Knowledge
  • Strategic Leadership
  • Financial Analysis
  • Corporate Governance
  • Risk Management
  • Operational Efficiency
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Succession Planning
  • Change Management
  • Technology Adaptation
  • Team Leadership
  • Strategic Planning
  • Sales Management
  • Maintenance Services
  • Business Startups
Testimonials
Get in Touch
  • Address: California, USA
  • Email: info@gregmartin.us
Contact Form