Allen Martin ’69*

Respected professional. Caring friend and mentor. Definition of “a Clemson gentleman.”

Allen Martin, an Anderson native, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History from Clemson in 1969, following in the footsteps of his father, James R. Martin Jr. ’39, and brother, James R. Martin III ’65.

In 1977, Allen began 22 years of service as chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Bob Livingston (R-LA). In 1999, he co-founded The Livingston Group with the retired congressman and other former Livingston staff members. The firm represents non-profit institutions, municipalities, international corporations and foreign governments.

Allen is lead partner for matters related to healthcare, pharmaceuticals, science, technology and telecommunications. He specializes in international affairs and has represented Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Azerbaijan, Ecuador, Curacao, Cayman Islands, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Turkey and currently represents Iraq.

He has strong working relationships with a wide variety of national and international leaders and officials and is well respected for his in-depth knowledge of governmental decision-making processes. He has been involved in successful political activities and elections throughout the United States.

Among his many volunteer roles for Clemson, Allen is a longtime leader of the Baltimore/Washington, DC Clemson Club, which also serves northern Virginia. He is a former board member for both the Clemson Alumni Association and the Clemson University Foundation. He is a current member of the Clemson University Foundation’s Order of the Oak, a select group of supporters and ambassadors who provide guidance and engage in philanthropic efforts to further Clemson’s long-term goals.

Allen has hosted numerous Clemson events in the Washington area and regularly makes his office available for meetings, lunches and other gatherings. He employs at least one Clemson student intern at The Livingston Group each year and mentors Clemson alumni interested in working in government, public policy or politics.

He is a member of the Clemson Legacy Society, which honors donors who have included Clemson in their estate plans, and he supports Clemson athletics as a member of IPTAY. He has made annual gifts for academics since he graduated and has been recognized as a member of the President’s Leadership Circle.

Allen’s community service activities include running marathons for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. He is a member and former deacon of the McLean (Va.) Baptist Church. In his home state, he has received the Order of the Palmetto for his service to South Carolina.

He and his wife, Suzanne (Suzie), have fully funded a needs-based scholarship in memory of Suzie’s mother and endowed a professorship in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Management at Penn State, Suzie’s alma mater. Their sons are John Allen Martin Jr. and Adam Strickler, and their daughters are Jennifer Louise Martin Roberts, a 1998 Clemson graduate, and Allison Hendricks.
* This information was taken from the Clemson Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award website.