Ray Martinez is dedicated to the Fort Collins, Colorado community in which he grew up and has over 30 years experience in public service. He served three years in the United States Army in Thailand and stateside duty — also earning the Army Commendation Medal. Ray began his career in the Fort Collins’ Police department in 1974. During his tenure, he worked closely with Hispanic community leaders, youth and athletes to improve the relationships between the community and the Police. He also became an expert witness in the field of identification, recognition, and investigation of dangerous drugs. Mr. Martinez was the lead investigator in an international terrorist investigation involving the attempted assassination of a Libyan student. The magnitude of this criminal episode is the subject of two published books: “Death Merchant” by Joseph Goulden and “Man Hunt” by Peter Maas. Historically, Mr. Martinez was the first Hispanic Sergeant in Fort Collins police service (appointed 1982 by Police Chief Ralph Smith) and retired from Police service in 1996 after twenty-five years of law enforcement service.

Ray served as the Mayor of Fort Collins from 1999-2005.  He also ran for office as City Councilor for District-2 in Fort Collins in 2015, which said term will expire in 2019.

Public safety is one of the primary concerns of Mr. Martinez. He was dedicated to it as a police officer; it was the subject of his first book; and, as Mayor he served on two public safety boards. The United States conference of Mayors appointed Mayor Ray Martinez as Co-Chair of the Mayors and Police Chiefs Committee for the year 2002. He also presided over the National League of Cities Steering Committee for Public Safety and Crime Prevention. Mayor Martinez was elected to the Advisory Board of the United States Conference of Mayors in June 2003. In November 2016, Ray was selected to serve again on the National League of Cities Steering Committee for Public Safety and Crime Prevention.

In 1997, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, Ray Martinez was a nominee for the Nineteenth Annual Conrad L. Ball Award and recognized for “Outstanding Contribution to the Quality of Justice” presented by the Larimer County Community Corrections Board.

Mr. Martinez is an active member of several local advisory boards. With a particular interest in working with youth, he co-founded an organization known as Neighborhoods United. Volunteers work directly with at risk youth to provide them with positive educational and recreational experiences along with activities that will unite these young people with their neighborhoods and the community. Since 1988, Mr. Martinez served as Chapter Advisor for the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at Colorado State University. He was selected as Regional Chapter Advisor of the Year (1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999), as the quarterly National Chapter Advisor of the Year (1997), and Colorado State University’s Greek Chapter Advisor of the Year (2000).

Other community boards on which Mr. Martinez serves or has served include:

• Centennial Chapter of the American Red Cross
• Larimer County Office on Aging Advisory Council (term ended December 2005)
• Partners Advisory Board of Directors
• Team Fort Collins Advisory Council
• Neighborhoods United
• Poudre High School Foundation Board of Directors
• The School Effectiveness Team (SET) at Poudre High School
• The School Improvement Team (SIT) at Lincoln Junior High School
• Colorado Youth Corps Association
• Governor Owens’ appointment as Chair of the Minority Business Advisory Council and under Governor Ritter

  • Governor Hickenlooper appointment to the Colorado Mesa University Board of Trustees in December 2013
  • Community Foundation of Northern Colorado Board of Directors
  • CSU Distinguished Member of The National Society of Collegiate Scholars for Outstanding Scholarship, Leadership and Service on April 13, 2001.
    • Member and past Chair of the Colorado Municipal League Policy Committee, and a member of the Crime Prevention steering committee (currently on CML Policy Committee 2015-current)
    • Downtown Development Authority Board (alternate)
    • Poudre Fire Authority Board of Directors
    • Chaired the Longs Peak Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Breakfast Fund Raising Event (2002)
    • Institute of Business and Medical Careers (IBMC) Advisory Board Paralegal Division (started November 2003)
    • The Boys and Girls Club past Board of Directors of Fort Collins
    • Northern Colorado Alzheimer Association Advisory Board (effective January 1, 2006)
    • Larimer County Crime Stoppers Board of Directors (effective March 1, 2006)
    • Open Door Mission past Advisory Board member
    • Honorary Chairperson for the Fort Collins Character Council Advisory Board
    • National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Board of    Director member (expired 2010). Membership still current as of 2017.
    • Governor of New Mexico, Acting Governor Mary Herrera, awarded Colonel Aide-De-Camp of the Governor of the State of New Mexico on February 26, 2007
    • Gideon member, President of the Fort Collins South Camp as of June 1, 2007-2009
    • Project Smile of Fort Collins as presiding Board of Directors member
    • Cystic Fibrosis Board of Directors for Colorado (2009)
  • Family Center/La Familia of Fort Collins Board of Directors (2009) Currently Honorary Board Member.
  • South Fort Collins Business Association Board of Directors (2010-2015)

Larimer County Crime Stoppers Board of Directors/Treasurer (2006-current)

On January 11, 2003, Mayor Ray Martinez was appointed to the Board of Directors for Capitolwatch in Washington DC. This organization has access and contacts with the U.S. Senate, The House of Representatives, and the White House. Capitolwatch focuses their attention on national issues surrounding education, agriculture, Medicare, Hispanic affairs, and other Midwest financial issues.

January 2004 -December 2005, Mayor Martinez received a White House appointment to the Defense Advisory Board for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (WWW.ESGR.COM ).

October 24, 2002, Ray Martinez was recognized by the  107th Congress, Second Session, and placed into the Congressional Record by U.S. Congressman Bob Schaffer of Colorado for being instrumental in transforming Fort Collins, Colorado into a City of Character, and for outstanding leadership.

Mr. Martinez is also a writer. He has published ten books. The first is entitled A Matter of Survival: Your Fight Against Burglars, Saturday’s Opinion, Baby Boy-R, a true story about his new discovery—a memoir, (2010) From Darkness to Light; the Mai Tran journey of passion, which is a compelling story about two young teens escape from Vietnam—they were some of the thousands of boat people that escaped during the 1970’s. In February 2010, Growing Daily; a forty day journey book, Jesus Said (late 2010), Saturday’s Opinion, and Just Another Opinion, and the latest book, The Truth About Marijuana; America’s Snake Oil that came out in July 2012. Mr. Martinez was also featured in National Geographic show called “American Weed” in 2012 that is rebroadcasted nationally and internationally. In addition, he wrote a weekly column, for nearly two years for the local newspaper that addressed a wide range of subjects. Most of his stories are on his website: www.raymartinez.com. Ray was also a talk show host (2005-2011) of a Saturday afternoon two hour radio talk Show on KFKA Radio, 1310 AM called Saturdays Opinion, www.1310KFKA.com . Currently he is an occasional guest radio show host for KCOL/Fox network at www.600kcol.com .

While Mr. Martinez has written about others, He is featured in a book about notable men in northern Colorado. In 2002 Arlene Ahlbrandt, an historical author who has written several books, published 101 Memorable Men of Northern Colorado, which Ray Martinez was recognized as one of the 101 Memorable Men.  Other books that Ray is mentioned or quoted in are:  Modern visions along the Poudre Valley, by Phil Walker, ISBN 1887982132; Hit from behind…out of perfect timing came perfect chaos…, by Jim Heckel, ISBN 9781607910343; and The Greedy Race Car Driver, by Michael D. Campana, ISBN 9780981779102, and Legendary Locals of Fort Collins, by Barbara Fleming, ISBN 139781467100618.

Elected to the Mayor’s office in 1999, and re-elected in 2001 and 2003; Ray is the first Latino mayor elected by the people in Fort Collins. He maintained a rigorous schedule of meetings with citizens and community groups. His past board memberships include the City Councils Legislative Review Committee and on the Board of Directors of the Platt River Power Authority. For the first time in Fort Collins, he initiated monthly public meetings in various parts of town, i.e. coffee shops, restaurants, banks, and The Senior Center, which is now a common practice with city council members today.

In September 2001, he spearheaded a community commitment to establish Fort Collins as a City of Character. The City Council approved a resolution initiating this effort. Simultaneously, the Larimer County Board of Commissioners and the Poudre School District Board of Education endorsed the character initiative by approving resolutions and committing their organizations to building character. Since, Colorado State University has initiated the character initiative and created their website: http://www.campusofcharacter.colostate.edu/ . Additionally, Ray initiated the Character Fort Collins council as well.

On October 5, 2002, Mr. Martinez was one of five people in Colorado honored by the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for Leadership, Professionalism, Pride and Unity as a first in his field a pioneer of Fort Collins and the State of Colorado.  Additionally, he has received the Rotary Paul Harris Fellow award.

Ray left office in April 2005 because of term limitations. View Ray’s exit interview from office here.

He is currently providing consulting services regarding:

  • Business coaching
  • Facilitator for retreats/conferences
  • Writer/Publisher
  • Business Development-Marketing
  • Public Relations
  • Political campaign adviser/consultant
  • Governmental affairs
  • Public speaker

If you have any questions, or if you are requesting a speaking engagement, call Ray at 970-690-3686 or through email: raymartinez31@comcast.net .