Meet our Members | A Spotlight on Trailblazing Vocational Success
Saturday, January 7, 2023
By Amanda R Groover


District 6190's Meet our Members Series for January introduces you to Martha Martin who has spent decades serving others both professionally and philanthropically.  Her willingness to work hard to find success in her vocation became the pathway to her ability to serve others. Take a moment to meet Martha in this quick introduction. 

 
As Rotary turns its focus to Vocational Service and Excellence during the month of January, we want to introduce you to a long time District 6910 Rotarian who has excelled in their vocational field against all odds to make their community a better place. This month’s member spotlight introduces you to Braselton Rotarian Martha Martin.

Who is Martha?

Martha is a Braselton, GA resident and member of the Braselton Rotary Club who attends Center Church and has been an active member of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce.  Her long-haul trucking company has led to professional success and provides a lot of your food that you eat locally.  She would also love to sit down and tell you all about her 22-year-old grandson among the many, many blessings she knows she has had in her life.

Martha Martin has owned and operated Phil-Mart Transportation service that has probably delivered food to your table for some of the larger food distribution firms in the area such as PFG Milton and one of her first professional contracts was with Joe Hatfield who put the “Field” in Fieldale Farms.

Martin started working in the trucking business over 50 years at a time when women did not work in transportation.  “I got into the trucking business at a time when it was hard for women to be in that industry," Martin said. "But my mama always told me that I could be anything and do anything, and I believed her."

“I was raised on a farm and learned early that if you set your mind to what you really want to, you will figure out ways to do it” said Martin.

She said that when she stated out in the trucking business and was running loads to Chicago she would have to work 5 or 6 times harder to prove herself. But once she did, the men in the industry stood right beside her.  

During her professional career to she not only gained mutual respect but gained the respect of local and state leaders who sought her advice in transportation matters.  Martin has been appointed to transportation boards for the state of Georgia by four different active governors and still currently makes trips to Atlanta to serve in advisory roles.  

Rotary Impact

As a Rotarian, my first encounter with Martha was a joint club Rotary Means Business experience between the Braselton and South Hall Rotary clubs.  Martha knew that there were probably not many people in the room that could use her transportation services, but she was quick to offer up her decades of connections and her recommendations of others in the room. 

I left that meeting enamored with her trailblazing passion to be so successful in a male dominated industry before it was “trendy” to pursue such endeavors.  For a professional female in the middle years of my career, she was a vocational inspiration that reminded me that you can be successful professional, carves new paths in society, and give back philanthropically while still remember to be a wife and mother.

Personal Success

It is quite easy to see that even with the long list of accolades that have been awarded to Martin, it is her family that she is most excited to share with others.  As a matter of fact, when I asked her what she considered her biggest accomplishment, she quickly told me that it was being married for 62 years to her late husband.  She pointed out that her marriage required just as much work to be successful and everything else in life and had lasted the longest.  That marriage resulted in her other biggest accomplishments – her children and grandchildren.

Why Rotary?

When I asked Martha about why she joined Rotary her answer was quite simple. “I enjoy doing for other people.  It opens opportunities to help other people and broadens our possibilities to impact more.  I love the opportunities we provide students through GRSP and in our local communities.  I love the different opportunities around the world,” stated Martin.

Of all the things Martin has participated in as a Rotarian, one of her favorite things is the Braselton Rotary’s annual reverse raffle that has generated millions of dollars to provide clothes and presents to over 100 kids a year at Christmas.  The raffle which has now been active for the past 23 years has been successful enough that she has assisted clubs in St. Simons and Clayton with replicating the event.

In addition to the raffle, she also loved the clubs recent donation from their foundation to Peace Place- a local woman and children’s shelter.  The club’s donation helped to expand their facility to be able to house more families. She loves to contribute to these types of organizations who help support women in the community improve their lives.   

She also really appreciates the opportunity to hear speakers and get to know their missions and organizations so that she can help be a connector of people. “I love Rotary. I can’t think of another organization where I can go around the world and see a symbol and know the impact,” said Martin. “I love seeing the Rotary sign and pin around the world and know I’m a part of the organization. “

Service above Self       

When I asked her what her biggest advice would be to those looking to learn from her experiences, she was quick to sum it all up by saying it was all about giving back.  “Whether it is through my church, the chamber of commerce, Rotary, or anything else it is about being a member of something that makes the community better.  Even on the transportation boards, I’ve always just wanted to make a difference. 

Martin knows that she is only where she is today because people helped her along the way.  She hasn’t forgotten that she didn’t get to where she is on her own and wanted to recognize how often we forget to say things like thank you for how lucky we are as Rotarians. We are blessed and remembering that is so important.  

When I asked Martin for her one take away to leave for others she stated that “It’s a responsibility to teach others that you have choices, and you can set your mind to do anything you want to do.”

Other than that, her goal is to leave a legacy of being involved, helping others succeed and helping her family.  She came from a family that didn’t have money but has so much love.  She wants people to remember how she loved others and that we should all remember that to have real friends you have to be a real friend.

It is no surprise to me that Martha Martin would leave a legacy impact on an organization that didn’t even let women join when she started blazing a path on her vocational success.  She used that same tenacity to make sure that her Rotary club would leave a mark helping others in her community.