<h2>John Martinson - '75 MBA</h2><h3>Founder - Edison Venture Fund - Lawrenceville, N.J.</h3><p>John H. Martinson had a lifelong passion for all things related to math and science. He was a Distinguished graduate at the U.S. Air Force Academy, earning a B.S. in aeronautical engineering before going on to earn an M.S. in astronautics from Purdue University. While Martinson was in the Air Force, he enrolled in SIUE’s weekend off-campus MBA program at his military base in California, earning an MBA after two years.</p><p><img height="227" border="0" width="172" alt="john martinson" src="/id0904f67a805709a9" align="left" />“I was so pleased with the education that I received through SIUE’s weekend off-campus MBA program,” says Martinson. “The program is truly comparable to any ranked business school program in the country. Plus, the two- to three-day immersion program was an ideal format to better learn and retain the teachings.”</p><p>With the support of his incredible educational accomplishments, Martinson began a career in management and marketing at American Cyanamid. He got his first taste of entrepreneurial ventures working at Exxon Enterprises. In 1979, Martinson joined InnoVen Group, a national venture capital firm in Saddle Brook, N.J., which boasted three major St. Louis-based corporate investors — Monsanto, Emerson Electric and Anheuser-Busch. In 1986, he decided to start his own venture capital firm, Edison Venture Fund, in Lawrenceville, N.J. with a little encouragement from one of his neighbors. Martinson liked the idea of working with multiple companies.</p><p>Martinson has been working as a venture capitalist for the past 31 years. Edison Venture Fund has experienced tremendous growth and success, investing more than $620 million in 155 companies throughout the East Coast. The company specializes in software, communications and information technology, helping companies grow from $5 million to anywhere between $25 and 100 million in five to eight years. Additionally, Martinson has served as the Chairman of the National Venture Capital Association for three years, where he headed the membership and research committees. He also has served on the Board of Directors of 45 companies in diverse business industries.</p><p>The venture capitalism industry certainly has its challenges. “Today’s entrepreneurs are our greatest asset and greatest challenge,” Martinson concedes. “Their excitement is inspiring, however, our job as business advisors is to help guide them to ultimately reach their goals.”</p><p>Although Martinson continues to work as the managing partner at his firm, he has been spending more time focusing on his passion for math and science. He and his wife, Margaret, a former English teacher, have embarked on a philanthropic mission in education. They have funded more than 20 education programs at U.S. colleges to better orient aspiring teachers with teaching math and science to their future students. Martinson is concerned that fewer students are pursuing math and science careers today. He hopes this initiative will help change that.</p><p><em>Article originally appeared in the Spring 2008 edition of bWORLD.</em></p><p><a href="/id0904f67a8056f746">Back to School of Business Alumni Profiles</a></p><p></p>