Boomers, Broadband & The Road Ahead

JOHN MARTIN
RVA57connects
President & CEO

John Martin has been called a futurist, a strategist—even a storyteller—but what sets him apart is his ability to turn insight into action. As president and CEO of RVA757connects, he’s leading an ambitious effort to unite Richmond and Hampton Roads into a single, globally competitive region. The organization’s agenda includes promoting the I-64 Innovation Corridor, supporting passenger rail, expanding broadband infrastructure, and positioning the region as a global internet hub.

John is a seasoned speaker and co-author of Boomer Consumer: Ten New Rules for Marketing to America’s Largest, Wealthiest, and Most Influential Group. Based on research from the Boomer Project (which he co-founded), the book was named a Top 10 business title by Corbis and widely cited in national media. It helped shift how marketers view Baby Boomers—not as aging out of relevance, but as influential consumers still shaping the culture. His co-author and partner in the Boomer Project was Matt Thornhill, the speaker at Encorepreneur’s first meeting in 2013.

John also leads SIR, a Richmond-based research and consulting firm that has guided hundreds of organizations through complex change. Whether working with businesses, nonprofits, or public agencies, his focus remains the same: helping people see what’s coming—and build what’s next.