About Representative Mark Martin

Representative Mark Martin grew up on a small family farm in Eastern Arkansas. He is the son of Russell and Joyce Martin, has one brother, Greg, and one sister, Sheree. His family worked to raise soybeans, rice, and winter wheat on the same plot of land that his father grew up on. The family farm suffered like many such farms in the eighties. In order to support the family, his father became an over the road truck driver for Roadway until his retirement.

Mark graduated from Hughes High School in 1986 and began taking engineering courses at the University of Arkansas while working full time. This became quite difficult, so he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Shortly after joining the Navy, Mark married Sharon Tilley, a graduate of West Fork High School. After serving on submarines as a Nuclear Engineering Laboratory Technician, he was honorably discharged and resumed pursuit of an engineering degree. Mark received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1998. He is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Arkansas.

While in college Mark was awarded the Robinson Armament Graduate Research Scholarship, the U of A Teaching Academy Academic Excellence Award for Technology Application, two Research Fellowships from Idaho National Engineering & Environmental Laboratory, and qualified for Outstanding College Students of America. He was selected for membership in Pi Tau Sigma, the Mechanical Engineering Honor Society.

After graduating from college, Mark began a technological entrepreneurial business that was honored by admission to the Genesis Technology Incubator at the U of A Engineering Research Center. His company, PsyberSimula, provided computational bio-mechanical modeling and simulation services. In July 2002, PsyberSimula was acquired by Renfroe Engineering, Inc. where Mark joined their senior management as Vice President of Research & Technology and was later promoted to Chief Technology Officer of the Engineering Institute.

Representative Martin has also been involved in a number of charitable, civic, and professional associations.  Mark has served on the Board of Directors of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), the Board of Trustees for the NSPE Political Action Committee, was the chairman of the NSPE Young Engineers Advisory Council, as well as served on the NSPE Legislative and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Leadership Development Task Force, the Vice Chair for NSPE Southwest Region Professional Engineers in Private Practice, and the Chairman of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Engineering Public Policy Committee. He served as the Chairman of the Arkansas section of ASME where he was also the Arkansas Government Relations Chair.

Representative Martin is a member of the Prairie Grove American Legion Post 146 and serves as their Charter Representative for Prairie Grove Cub Scout Pack 94.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Coalition, is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), and an honorary lifetime member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).  He also is a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), Arkansas Sportsman Caucus, the State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus, Engineering Ministries International (EMI), and the Association of Christian Design Professionals (ACDP). Martin is a Charter Alumni of the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) and has participated in a diplomatic-cultural exchange to Pakistan, an interfaith cultural exchange to Turkey, and a short-term mission trip donating engineering services to a Christian orphanage in Guatemala.

Mark is the recipient of numerous awards, including Northwest Arkansas Young Engineer of the Year, Arkansas Young Engineer of the Year, National Young Engineer of the Year Runner-up, and the Arkansas Republican Party Reagan Award for Outstanding Legislator of the Year. He is also a recipient of the National Defense Service Medal for his service on a ballistic missile nuclear submarine in the U.S. Navy during the Gulf War.

Mark currently attends Legacy Baptist Church of Northwest Arkansas (formerly Immanuel Baptist Church of Fayetteville), where he and his family have been members for thirteen years.  Mark and Sharon have been married for over nineteen years. They have three children, Rachel (11), Joshua (9), and Rebekah (5). He and his family currently reside in the beautiful and pleasant community of Prairie Grove.