Roberto Martínez: Alumnus impacts community

Like many who settle in Knoxville and begin a new life, Roberto Martínez came here to further his education, starting at Pellissippi State.

A Mexico City native and a Knoxvillian since 1996, Martínez studied Business Administration at the College, then went on to the University of Tennessee and graduated in finance and international business.

Martínez, now an assistant branch manager at SunTrust Bank, is known throughout Knoxville as both a business leader and a community activist. He serves as the 2009 Latino committee chair for the SunTrust Diversity Council in East Tennessee and is a member of the East Tennessee Civil Rights Working Group, which strives to detect and prevent civil rights violations, including hate crimes.

Martínez is a 2007 graduate of Knoxville’s Leadership Plenty Class, as well as a 2008 graduate of the FBI’s Citizen’s Academy. Volunteer activities include work with Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee and Junior Achievement in Nashville.

Much of his time is devoted to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of East Tennessee, of which he is president for the second term. HCCET, established in 2004, is a nonprofit organization that works to increase the opportunities for success of Hispanic-owned businesses while simultaneously enhancing East Tennessee.

Martínez and HCCET organize networking events, provide technical assistance to Hispanic entrepreneurs, present educational seminars and promote job opportunities through e-mails, Web site postings and job fairs.

An April job fair hosted jointly by HCCET and Pellissippi State’s Heart of Knoxville Career and Resource Center served more than 500 job seekers, many of whom were bilingual. Martínez continues through his volunteer activities to build connections between his varied interests. 

He says of Pellissippi State: “I can honestly say that the education and the attention dedicated by all instructors to all the students are like no other in the area.

 “Pellissippi State gave me the tools and the knowledge to become a community leader in East Tennessee, and I am proud to be a Pellissippi State alumnus.”