Martin Rose '69MBA

Martin is an accomplished marketing executive and entrepreneur with a global career spanning advertising, fashion, and consumer products. He earned a degree in Advertising from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School and an MBA in Marketing from Iona.

He spent over two decades at J. Walter Thompson in senior leadership roles, including Management Director, Director of Operations, and New Business Director, with four years in Tokyo managing international accounts. He later served as Executive Vice President at Calvin Klein Inc., overseeing the in-house agency, global brand expansion, and retail visual strategy, and subsequently as Global Marketing Director at Warnaco, with responsibilities in New York and Hong Kong.

After Warnaco’s bankruptcy, he founded M.J. Rose Associates L.L.C., a women’s footwear import and distribution company he has successfully grown for more than 20 years. He has greatly enjoyed the challenges of establishing and growing a small business that competes with major brands.

He is known for creative, out-of-the-box thinking and collaborative leadership. His board and committee service includes the Westchester Conservatory of Music, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s Music Education Committee, Greenwich Country Day School fundraising leadership, and Old Oaks Country Club.

Why did you choose Iona to pursue your MBA?

Iona had a good reputation and located in New Rochelle where I was living at the time. In 1967 and 68 it was wartime and my age group could not find great jobs because of the draft possibility. It was a good use of my time to get an MBA, then join a reserve unit and then with my obligations satisfied I could start my career search with confidence.

How did it help you in your career?

During the late 1960s, management training programs required an MBA degree for a candidate to be considered seriously. I was able to get interviews quickly and landed my best offer within 1 month of starting a job search. Having the MBA showed me how to think at a higher level and look at problem solving with more confidence.

What is your advice for current students?

Education should be treated seriously. I did not appreciate the values of higher education until I reached the IONA MBA program.

What is your proudest professional achievement?

After building a career in advertising and marketing within the corporate world for nearly 30 years I decided to not retire but rather to use my well-developed skills to become an entrepreneur. I started my own importing and distribution business in 2005, and it is still operating successfully 20 years later.

What is your fondest memory/favorite faculty member of Iona? 

I fondly remember the group of marketing professors because most were actual businessman, living and breathing what they were teaching. They enjoyed the business world and wanted to share their real-life knowledge with their students.

What is your favorite movie, book, TV show or podcast?

Too many to select one, but I enjoy most the novels about the history of American business world and living during the growth periods of the US. A novel such as 1876 or Empire by Gore Vidal excited my imagination.

What do you feel are your secrets to success?

I learned to listen and to remember what people say, I also learned to not be satisfied by the obvious solution, I learned to dig deeper, ask questions and think in an unexpected way. Also, most importantly I worked much harder than the next guy because I was fortunate to enjoy my work.

Any other information that we should include?

During my business career I was fortunate to be offered positions internationally, first in Japan for 4 years during 1980s and then again in the late 1990s for 2 years in Hong Kong.