COMMUNITY • WELLNESS • PURPOSE

DELLWI and chairman/co-founder of Improbable Media and ESPN host Jay Williams, during a visit to UNC Charlotte, spoke to students about the importance of resilience.

Demond Martin ’97 harnesses core values of service, gratitude and purpose to drive success for himself and others

BY Michael J. Solender

Demond Martin ’97 was barely six months into his job as assistant to the White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles, when his car broke down. It was 1997. Martin was a fresh graduate from UNC Charlotte with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, distinguished service as SGA president in his sophomore year and a tenure of academic achievement and student advocacy.

The previous summer, Martin held a position in the White House supporting Vice President Al Gore’s finance director. It was his standout performance that led him to the coveted new full-time role in the West Wing — a position that required him to be first into the office daily — regardless of the cooperation of his ill-tempered economy car.

“I was living in Alexandria, Virginia, on a fraternity brother’s couch,” recalled Martin. “I had no money, zero. And Erskine heard about it later, and came to me and said, ‘Come on, I'm living in this big house in Georgetown by myself. Why don't you just move in with me?’ And initially, I of course said no, but I soon realized I had no other options.” The unlikely roommates formed a deep bond of friendship. Bowles became a close mentor to Martin and often introduced him to others as his own son. The connection was so close and special, Martin saw how it shifted others' perception of his capabilities and talents. In his new boss, Martin saw how the values of dedication, community and impact influenced the trajectory of others.

Martin reflected on how the relationship cemented the way he’s come to support others, especially young people, who cross his path. “The way he treated me and spoke about me to others signaled to those who would’ve believed the false narrative of what a Black kid was to look at me more closely. It endeared them to me in a way that I couldn't have by myself. That mentorship and sponsorship of my life is unlike anything I could have imagined. I know with great clarity that opportunity is not evenly distributed, but talent is.”

“Inequities in health care access and services, particularly in impoverished communities, contribute to undesirable results. We have the assets that put us in a position to access the wisdom and knowledge of some of the greatest minds and the greatest health care in the world. These resources should be available to all, regardless of their economic situation.”

-Demond Martin

WELLWITHALL

For Martin, the notion of making available equitable opportunities for others is a driving force in his personal mission and purpose.

Drawing upon relationships and experience built over his years at the White House, a subsequent Harvard MBA, and two decades of success at a Boston-based investment management firm, Martin co-founded a special venture, WellWithAll, in 2023. The purpose-led health and wellness consumer products brand is established on the premise that everyone deserves healthy lives and the opportunity to thrive. With community as its heartbeat, WellWithAll is investing 20 percent of its profits to lead the fight for health equity in Black, Brown and underserved communities.

Three years ago, during a family health trauma, Martin's direct interaction with emergency health care resources made him realize how access and means available to him and his family made all the difference between a positive and an unfavorable outcome.

“It became clear to me that inequities in health care access and services, particularly in impoverished communities, contribute to undesirable results,” Martin said. “We have the assets that put us in a position to access the wisdom and knowledge of some of the greatest minds and the greatest health care in the world. These resources should be available to all, regardless of their economic situation.”

Martin acknowledged research showing Black Americans face markedly higher mortality rates due to health issues like strokes, diabetes and heart disease compared to white Americans. Black and Brown youth are grappling with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation at increasing rates.

“We are going to do whatever it takes and use whatever resources we have to pour into these communities,” Martin said. “We believe everyone needs an advocate. We want to use WellWithAll to close the access gaps, educate folks and lift them up.”

Several hundred students and other campus community members were in the audience during Demond Martin’s visit in April where he discussed mental health issues facing youth today and why resilience is important.

The company launched with two product collections. The first specifically targeted health — with supplements supporting blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol — which disproportionately affects communities of color. The second focused on everyday wellness for a healthier lifestyle — Vitamins D3+K2, omega-3 fatty acids and sleep support. Martin promises significant announcements in the coming months about expanding into new better-for-you-categories.

Martin says the company has an ambitious community investment goal of $300 million over the next 10 years and is already engaged in community partnerships and alliances in delivering on health equity in both Boston and Charlotte.

“A year before we launched the brand,” Martin said, “we started our philanthropic work. I put my own capital into ensuring that we got that piece right, because that's why we exist.”

One example of equitable outreach WellWithAll is supporting is through Boston’s Dimock Center, a low-cost, high-quality health care and human services provider for the underserved. Through WellWithAll’s support, the Dimock Initiative focuses on improving heart health through prevention, education and treatment.

“Adjacent to the Dimock Center,” Martin said, “is a housing project for 900 that we work with. We brought in medical professionals and listened to residents address heart, maternal and mental health concerns. We trained youth as health educators and enacted them to become ambassadors within their community. We set up pop-up, heart-health monitoring stations where we've done blood pressure screenings, held community sessions and provided health intervention education.

“To solve the problems we face, we have to forgo tradition — both in our purpose and our business model,” said Martin. “In creating a purpose-led consumer products brand, we will be able to invite and activate our community through a giveback model that will impact health care inequities immediately and for generations to come.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Martin is building a legacy through being a difference maker for others.

In the spring of 2023, UNC Charlotte recognized his philanthropic contributions and community service with an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree. “Demond Martin has distinguished himself as a leader committed to bettering the lives of those around him through inclusiveness and connectivity,” said Dontá Wilson ’97, chief retail and small business banking officer for Truist and a member of the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees.

Martin’s connection to the University remains extraordinarily close and is felt in many ways. The Martin Scholarship, established together with his wife, Kia Martin ’98, is one of UNC Charlotte’s leading merit scholarship programs, investing in the educational journeys of deserving, high-potential students from underserved populations. In addition to funding the scholars’ unmet financial needs, the scholarship includes participation in the Honors College, and study abroad and professional development opportunities. Since its inception in 2016, the Martin Scholarship has benefited nearly 50 participants.

Demond and Kia Martin are making a difference at UNC Charlotte and in Boston, their home, where they were involved in the development of “The Embrace,” the work of public art that honors the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Giving back, particularly to young people who show potential but may lack financial means, is a mirror to Martin’s youth. Along with Jay Williams, chairman/co-founder of Improbable Media and ESPN host, Martin recently visited campus to lead a conversation with students on the importance of reimagining resilience in their lives. During the conversation, Martin announced a $100,000 investment by WellWithAll in student mental health at UNC Charlotte.

“Given where Demond has come from and the adversity he's had to overcome,” said Kevin Bailey, vice chancellor for student affairs at UNC Charlotte, “he could have very easily taken a different path. But he has taken that which made him vulnerable and turned it into a strength. It's very personal and deep to him and his family and who he is at his core. I don't recall engaging with another alum like Demond. There are alums who have amassed some fortune and have given back financially to the institution, but they're not engaged with the institution and the student body the way Demond is.”

Martin’s commitment to leading with empathy made for a natural progression in creating WellWithAll. Recognizing the significance of collective effort, Martin continues to connect with various communities — including customers, partners and ambassadors who all play pivotal roles in this journey, connecting and sharing experiences no matter where they are.

“A purpose of service is in everything I do. This is an improbable position that I'm in,” said Martin. “Every day, I'm trying to just do a little something for somebody else because there's so many people along this journey that have poured into my life. I’ve had these incredible teachers, and I had a mother and a father that constantly reminded me of my worth. And when you have that ingrained in you and then it's reinforced by moments of excellence that you're able to produce, it begins to build on itself and allows me to be who I am today.”

Michael J. Solender is a features writer in Charlotte, michaeljwrites.com.

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For more than 30 years, Kia Martin ’98 has built upon shared values with her husband Demond to strengthen Black and Brown communities, create opportunities for others and lead a purposeful life.