Gordon G. Martin is the inaugural Director of the James C. Kennemer Center for Innovation and Social Impact in the Honors College at The University of Alabama. He has been in that role since October 2023.

Prior to joining the Kennemer Center, Gordon worked for Alabama Power Company (APC) and Southern Company for 28 years, serving in a variety of roles, including Senior Vice President of Corporate and Administrative Services, General Counsel and Division Vice President. He held management positions in Generation Planning and Development, Fuels and External Affairs. He also served as the company’s lead government affairs representative in Washington, D.C.

Before joining Alabama Power, Gordon was a legislative lawyer with Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells), one of Washington D.C.’s largest law firms, and a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Howell Heflin and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts.

A native of Birmingham, Gordon graduated cum laude from The University of Alabama, where he was President of the Student Government Association.  He also earned a law degree from The University of Alabama, and a Master of Public Administration degree from George Washington University.  He studied international law in London and has completed executive coursework at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and Oxford University in England.

In the area of economic development, Gordon served for eight years as Chairman of the Board of the Montgomery Riverfront Development Foundation, where he was instrumental in the revitalization of Montgomery’s downtown, which includes Riverwalk Stadium, the Montgomery Biscuits baseball team, an entertainment district and a four-star convention center and hotel.  Gordon is also past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce.

In the area of education, Gordon serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the A+ Education Partnership and Past Chairman of Board of Trustees of the McWane Science Center.  At The University of Alabama, Gordon is a member of the President’s Cabinet and serves on the Capital Campaign Committee as well as past Chairperson of the Board of the Blackburn Institute.  Gordon previously served on the Board of Trustees of Huntingdon College and advisory boards at Auburn University, Auburn University Montgomery and Birmingham-Southern College.

Gordon has played a leadership role at numerous charitable and civic organizations.  He recently served as president of the Rotary Club of Birmingham, the largest Rotary Club in the United States. He is Past Chairman of the Board and current board member of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Leadership Alabama and The American Village.  Gordon is also Chair of the Board of Directors of the Friends of Alabama Heritage and on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Alabama Archives and History Foundation.  He is also a past President of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama.  In addition to his past board service at the United Way of Central Alabama and co-chairing the Health Care Bold Goals Coalition, Gordon led the 2012 campaign, which raised more than $37.5 million, making it the 12^th largest United Way campaign in the nation. 

Gordon is a graduate of Leadership Alabama, Leadership Montgomery and Leadership Shelby County.  He was named Montgomery Advertiser’s Citizen of the Year in 2006. Gordon and his wife of 30 years, Margret, have five children.