From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry)

Martin, Cornelius

(born: 1949  -  died: 2006) 

Cornelius Martin was born in Greenville, KY. In April 1985, he purchased a Bowling Green Oldsmobile/Cadillac dealership. By 1997 he owned, in addition to the Oldsmobile/Cadillac dealership, a Dodge/Jeep/Eagle dealership, a Chevrolet/Geo dealership, and four Saturn dealerships, totaling seven stores in four states. Today Martin Management is the second-largest African American dealership group in the U.S. and annually sells more than 10,500 new Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Hummer, Jeep, Kia, Lincoln-Mercury, Oldsmobile, Saab, and Saturn vehicles at dealerships in Arizona, California, Iowa, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. The company also sells more than 6,800 used cars each year and runs a Harley-Davidson dealership in Kentucky. Co-Mar Aviation provides aircraft service, hangaring, and fueling. For more see C. Hayes, "Selling into the stratosphere: B. E. auto dealer of the year - Cornelius Martin and his four Saturn dealerships, Martin Automotive Group - 25th Anniversary of the B.E. 100s - Cover Story," Black Enterprise, June 1997; and R. Minor, "A community loss, Martin, Mitchell killed, Leachman injured in accident," Daily News (Bowling Green, KY), 06/03/2006.

Item Relations

Cited in this Entry

NKAA Source: Black enterprise (periodical)
NKAA Source: Park city daily news (newspaper)

Related Entries Citing this Entry

NKAA Entry: Mathis, Howitt C., Sr.

Cite This NKAA Entry:

“Martin, Cornelius,” Notable Kentucky African Americans Database, accessed November 30, 2023, https://nkaa.uky.edu/nkaa/items/show/129.

Last modified: 2018-01-30 01:57:50