Fast 15: Martin Ojeda
by May 9, 2022 8:14 am 1,042 views
Martin Ojeda learned work ethic and servant leadership as a carhop at his family’s Sonic restaurant in Pensacola, Fla. His parents did not graduate from high school but achieved success, teaching Ojeda, “If you’re too big to serve, you’re too small to lead.”
President of the Enactus chapter at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla., Ojeda received the Unilever/Retail Industry Leader Association scholarship.
His college internship at Unilever translated into a job and a spot in Unilever’s executive management training program. He graduated with marketing and business management degrees in 2016.
Working on the global development team of the Dove Men’s brand, Ojeda helped develop the brand’s social mission of parental rights. He realized that business could bring positive change to people, the environment and culture.
In 2018, Ojeda joined Kimberly-Clark’s Walmart team in Rogers as a business development associate. He delivered forecast accuracy of 99.2% on the $635 million bath tissue business, the company’s largest account.
Promoted to category strategy manager in 2020, Ojeda helps develop the company’s $1.1 billion Family Care portfolio, delivers digital thought leadership on omnichannel sales growth and advises the North American executive leadership team on revenue growth management opportunities. He enjoys developing products from insight to the shelf.
Because he’s passionate about making a difference, he hopes to run for office at the local, state or federal level. He knows he has a lot to learn and is trying “to build my tribe of mentors over the next few years to help guide my path.”
When Ojeda thinks about his accomplishments, he fears “being on my deathbed surrounded by the ghosts of all the ideas I never brought to life.” That motivates him to be a person of action.
Ojeda is Kimberly-Clark’s liaison for Big Brothers, Big Sisters and project chair for their Women Inclusion Network. He’s also the LatinXNA performance chair and serves on the Children’s Advocacy Center and Signature Bank of Arkansas boards. He received 2020’s LatinXNA Trailblazer Award.
Ojeda is getting married on May 29. He enjoys running, golf and pickleball.