Becoming a Better Leader

When Orlando Martinez (EMDC '19) thought about becoming a better leader, he never envisioned himself doing that as a salesman.

That was in 2014, and it's no surprise. After all, he was a structural engineer with no sales experience. But the vice president of sales for PERI Formwork Systems — a global manufacturer and provider of formwork and industrial scaffolding — thought Martinez had unique potential.  

“I remember clearly telling him, ‘Well, I'm an engineer,’” Martinez said. “I didn’t know anything about sales.” 

The executive’s response surprised him. That lack of traditional experience is what made Martinez so appealing. The thought was he could sell solutions, rather than products.  

And that's just what he did.  

Martinez integrated engineering support into his sales process, providing contractors with schematics and visual concepts alongside proposals. The approach shifted conversations from price comparisons to solution possibilities. 

In 2016, just two years after starting at PERI, Martinez was promoted to manager. But as his responsibilities grew, Martinez recognized he needed formal management and leadership training. He had initially applied to Northwestern Engineering’s Master of Science in Executive Management for Design and Construction (EMDC) program in 2012 but was told then he needed more industry experience. This time, he had the same drive – and more experience. He was accepted in 2017.  

The program’s focus on executive leadership in the built environment sector aligned perfectly with his career goals. 

“The unique part that EMDC was offering was an executive management program for design and construction,” Martinez said. “That sold me completely.” 

The EMDC program’s collaborative structure proved invaluable for Martinez’s leadership development. Ample interactions with classmates, both in the classroom and out, brought multiple perspectives on team dynamics, which is essential when ascending into management roles. 

Martinez leaned on his EMDC lessons in subsequent positions, including his current role of vice president of sales for North America at STEN Formwork Systems. Today, he leads a team across multiple regions.  

The EMDC program reinforced the importance of empathy in leadership, recognizing that team members face personal challenges outside of work that can impact their performance.   

“We all have daily struggles and hurdles that we are encountering,” he said. “You always have to step back and have a conversation first about them, not about the job and what I need from them. It's about taking the time to really listen to them and see if there's something else that may be going on that might be affecting their performance.” 

Martinez credits the EMDC program and his cohort for giving him that insight and the wisdom to make him a better leader. 

“I still talk to all those guys to this day,” he said. “I'm very grateful for the program, the opportunity, and the friendships that I made.”