Yan Martinez, CFO Connexus Energy
For Yan Martinez, CFO of Connexus Energy, a positive outlook is a stance that has served him well throughout his career. He is a respected team leader who brings the best out of individuals while also executing complex financial strategy. Yan’s infectious energy lends well to leadership in the energy industry during this time of profound shifts to renewable sources. His track record of success and reputation as being well liked wherever he goes made Scouts Talent curious to learn more….
If you could try a different job for a day, what would you choose?
If I had to choose for one day a different job it would be a professional baseball manager. I am huge baseball fan. I grew up playing baseball and currently play softball. For years I coached my son’s baseball team. Coaching was a good way to stay engaged. I appreciate the game’s history and the strategy involved before and during each game. Just one bad pitch can cost you the game.
What advice would you give someone starting out in your industry?
What I have found very useful to get up to speed with industry practices has been to read industry journals, ask questions, listen to industry experts and colleagues, and go out and spend time in the field. We encourage new employees to go out to the field, go out on a route to learn about what our field employees do, our assets, as well as the type of services we provide our members.
What is your mantra?
Live a balanced life, do your best, and try to make a difference in all you do. I believe that having a positive attitude has served me well throughout my career.
How do you get yourself out of a slump?
For me staying positive or seeing the positive side of the situation or issue is key to getting out of a slump. I truly value and appreciate my morning routines. It helps me to prepare physically and mentally for the day ahead.
What companies or leaders do you admire?
I admire companies and leaders in different industries. I follow and pay close attention to those companies that embrace change and are constantly adopting new technologies and being innovative. You can see that evolution taking place in many industries, but primarily in the technology, energy, and auto industries with the expansion of electric vehicles.
What has been the biggest shift you’ve noticed in your industry in the last decade?
The biggest shift has been moving towards renewable sources of energy like wind and solar, and away from coal and other fossil fuels power generation. We have seen significant advances in battery storage technology that allows us to store renewable energy. At Connexus, we continue to look for ways to embrace new technologies and expand our renewable sources of energy. This year we’ll have new solar gardens come online adding additional capacity to our existing solar generation portfolio.
Who has been most instrumental in your career?
My family. My parents were instrumental by inculcating in me the values of hard work, responsibility, and accountability. My wife and kids have been instrumental in supporting me throughout my career. They have had to deal with multiple family relocations, long days at the office, frequent travel, and time away from them while pursuing my higher education goals. Their support has been extremely valuable and key to my success.
How has your strategy or approach to business changed due to the pandemic?
I’m extremely proud of how our finance team and company was able to quickly transition to remote work during the early days of the pandemic. Our office personnel for the most part has been working remote; however, our frontline employees have been in the field providing service to our members all along. We as leaders needed to be more flexible and provide the necessary tools for our teams to do the work. I see the business continue to change and we as leaders need to be able to pivot and adapt to new ways of doing things.
What is your go-to celebration meal, drink, or tradition?
It all depends on the occasion, but I would say the go-to drink is craft beer. I enjoy visiting micro-breweries around the cities and outstate. It makes for great and fun road trips.
