Bill Martin, RCE
CEO, Michigan Association of REALTORS®

Bill Martin is the chief executive officer of the Michigan Association of REALTORS®.
He also sits on the board of trustees at Western Michigan University, his alma mater,
and the state board for Habitat for Humanity. He was also named to the Board of
Directors of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce in 2006.

Martin served in the U.S. Army with the famed 101st Airborne Division. In 1978, Martin
became a trooper with the Michigan State Police, where he was awarded a Meritorious
Citation. Also in 1978, he married the former Denise Andrews.

In 1987 voters elected Martin to the Michigan House of Representatives, serving
Calhoun County. Over his four terms, he served on several committees, chairing the House
Committee on Insurance where he sponsored more than 25 bills that became law. Martin
retained a perfect attendance record for all eight years he served.

In 1995, former Gov. John Engler appointed Martin to commissioner and CEO of the
Michigan State Lottery. Under his leadership, the lottery was recognized by International
Gaming and Wagering Business Magazine as the top performing lottery in the country and the
second most efficient.

Martin became the director and CEO of the largest state department in 1999—the
Michigan Department of Corrections—again at the request of Gov. Engler. In this position he
managed 19,000 employees and operated a $1.7 billion budget. Martin worked closely with
the legislature for statutory changes and budget priorities, reduced employee grievances from
1,900 to under 100 in just three years, worked with the Attorney General’s Office settling law
suits, and was honored as a finalist in the Council of State Government 2001 Innovations
Award Program. He dealt with media frequently, including a nationally broadcast special by
Geraldo Rivera featuring women in prison.

In 1999 Habitat for Humanity named Martin Public Official of the Year. On the
national level, Bill Martin was inducted into the 2007 Dr. Almon R. (Bud) Smith, RCE, AE
Leadership Society which recognizes REALTOR® association executives who have
demonstrated themselves to be leading contributors to the industry and the profession. This
induction is most rewarding since it is peer-based, meaning his fellow association executives
view him as a professional who makes a difference in the REALTOR® organization.