Jim Martinez is the Vice President of Communications and Business Intelligence of the Detroit Regional Chamber, overseeing the communications and research work, which provides business thought leadership to Southeast Michigan and beyond. Martinez leads efforts to raise awareness about the Chamber’s impact in driving economic growth while communicating to its members and the public about the important issues, trends, and opportunities before the business community and region.
As a strategic communicator, Martinez has written and produced premium content and messaging with a focus on economic development, public policy, and government for more than two decades. Serving as a communications director and consultant, he has developed and amplified voices in the C-suite across industries and political parties throughout Michigan.
In a prior stint with the Chamber, Martinez served as Communications Director, overseeing media relations, leading writing efforts, and editing Detroiter magazine while helping brand the Mackinac Policy Conference as Michigan’s Center Stage. Over the years, he has also supported the Chamber through his content creation consultancy, CraftWord, where he helped redesign the Chamber website and created the TalentEd brand to elevate the organization’s talent and education work.
In addition to CraftWord, Martinez has previously served as Communications Director for the Wayne County Executive, who leads Michigan’s most populous county and the 19th largest in the nation. He has also written for the Michigan House of Representatives and covered local government and sports for The Oakland Press, Gaylord Herald Times, and Clarkston News. He lives in Clarkston with his wife and two sons.