James Martin

James G. Martin is the former governor of North Carolina who served from 1985 until 1993, following six terms as a member of the U.S. Congress. He holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from Princeton University and taught chemistry at Davidson College for twelve years. 

As governor, Martin focused on roads and education, helping to finish Interstate 40 in June 1990, and urging tax increases to fund North Carolina’s schools. During five years of Martin’s administration, North Carolina led the nation in economic development. His tenure also witnessed the net creation of 500,000 new jobs, an unprecedented increase in the percentage of the state budget committed for education, the introduction of foreign languages into the K-5 public school curriculum, and total immersion language training for elementary teachers. 

Governor Martin left office in 1993 and began a career at the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. From 1993 through 2000 he was vice-president for research, and during the period 2000-2008, he served as vice-president for Government Relations. He became senior adviser of the firm, McGuireWoods Consulting, and in 2016, the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal took on his namesake.