Northern Nevada Business Weekly: Tell us about Dermody Foundation and the duties of your position.
Carol Martin: The Dermody Property Foundation was established and is managed by the employees of Dermody Properties to benefit the citizens of the communities in which we do business. I act as the resource person for DPF and answer questions from organizations looking for grant funding. I read every grant submission and check for completeness, then categorize the submissions for the director’s review. Generally, I oversee the process and from start to finish, working with organizations and directors to make the process as smooth as possible.
NNBW: How does your work for the foundation differ from your work at Dermody Properties?
Martin: Industrial development is about proposals, leases, deals and coordinating the marketing efforts for Dermody Properties. We work hard to help make the community a more successful place to live. With my work for the Foundation, I have the opportunity to interact with the people that are working hard to make our community a better place by helping the citizens of the community, whether it is a child that needs help with reading and math or a senior that needs transportation to a medical appointment. I see the differences as two sides of the same coin.
NNBW: What methods do you use to sort through the many applications Dermody Foundation receives?
Martin: I date stamp each application when it is received and start out reading them as they arrive. Before too many weeks into the cycle, I devote one afternoon a week to reading the applications received during the week. By the deadline, I hide myself away from the world with my highlighter and Post-it pad and just keep reading, making notes for the directors, and when needed I contact applicants for clarifications. The applications are separated into several categories: Arts; basic family needs and medical; education, scholarship and literacy; seniors and elderly; disabled, substance abuse and homeless.
NNBW: What criteria do you scrutinize the closest? How does the foundation set its priorities?
Martin: I like to look at how close these dollars get to the clients of the organization … we do focus on the smaller organizations so the dollars stay local to our regions. We do not support salaries and request that organizations clearly and specifically indicate how the dollars will be used.
NNBW: How do priorities change between the different markets Dermody serves?
Martin: Our focus is mostly on children and the elderly; that said we support arts, education and basic family needs. We have tried to address areas of the country that have experienced hardships due to national disasters such as tornados, earthquakes and floods.
NNBW: What do you like most about working for Dermody Foundation?
Martin: I love to see and know that our citizens locally and nationally give of their time and money to help their community and those in need.
NNBW: Is this the career path you had envisioned for yourself?
Martin: Not really, but I love it.
NNBW: What was your first job?
Martin: I filed checks and helped bank clients balance their checking accounts.
NNBW: How do you like to spend your time away from work?
Martin: With my daughters and grandchildren when possible, but they all live out of state. My daily/weekly therapy is singing. I sing with the praise band at my church.
NNBW: What did you dream of becoming when you were a kid?
Martin: A full time wife and mother … I never thought I would work outside the home other than volunteer work at the school, etc.
NNBW: If you had enough money to retire right now, would you?
Martin: I’d travel first, and then when the dust settled I’d become more involved in the volunteer work within our community — there are many needs and many hands needed.
NNBW: What’s the last concert or sporting event you attended?
Martin: Point of Grace.
NNBW: What’s your idea of the perfect vacation?
Martin: I just had one last year; I went to Israel for 10 days with a group from my church.
NNBW: Why did you choose a career in northern Nevada? What do you like most about working/living here?
Martin: I landed in northern Nevada almost by default. I was raised in Sacramento and moved to Fallon 30 years ago to take over a “Mom-n-Pop” business. In 1993 I moved to Reno because it was as close to my family in California as I could get without living in California. I was hooked on the community the first time I saw the city lights from a hill, and when I moved here I did not know one person. However, the Reno/Sparks venue has so much to offer, the weather has four seasons, and I love that, and the airport is terrific so I can get to wherever I want easily.
To suggest a candidate for NNBW’s weekly question and answer column, look at our editorial calendar (http://apps.nnbw.com/utils/pdfs/9683736R.pdf) and contact reporter Rob Sabo at rsabo@nnbw.biz or call 775-850-2146.
