South Central Kentuckians
of the Year {2024}
The South Central Kentuckian of the Year Award annually honors an individual or organization for excellence in leadership as demonstrated by outstanding initiative, impact of work and inspiration of others. The purpose of this award is to honor people in the community who are making significant contributions through their life’s work. Every day people in our community make a difference. We want to celebrate these people who make giving back a priority for themselves, their family or their business.
Jim & Eva Martens
Jim was born on August 8, 1950 in Battle Creek, Michigan and was raised on a farm near the community of Bellevue, Michigan by parents Clarence and Beverly Martens and is blessed to have two younger sisters, Susie and Cindy. Their Mom and Dad were hard workers, having lived through the depression. Clarence worked five jobs to make ends meet. Their Mom and Dad always taught them to work hard and be honest—traits that have served their children well throughout life.
After graduating from high school Jim’s intention was to attend Michigan State University, get a degree in Agriculture and get a job with Kellogg’s in Battle Creek upon graduation. But all those plans changed when Jim was encouraged by his High School Industrial Arts teacher Mr. Don Hoebeke, who had graduated from WKU, to visit WKU during his spring break. The people he met at WKU were all wonderful, friendly and welcoming and not at all the “hillbillies” that he had stereotyped. That visit to Western Kentucky University changed his life forever!
Graduating from WKU in 1972, Jim became the first in his family, with a BS in Agriculture. It was time for him pursue his goal and return to Michigan, but he realized that he loved Bowling Green and didn’t want to leave. He never applied to Kellogg’s. After working 15 months as an Agronomist with the KY Highway Department, he was offered an opportunity to sell mobile homes at a dealership. Not exactly his career goal but financially it made sense. Starting with no money, in May 1974 with a bank loan of $2,500, Jim purchased his first mobile home as a rental property. Jim’s mentor had five mobile homes so he set a goal for himself to own ten mobile homes to supplement his income, never dreaming of where it would lead. Soon he matched his mentor, then he passed him; Jim was on his way! By 1978 Jim had 26 mobile homes and bought his first rental house. In September of 1980 Jim and a partner, former WKU professor Billy Adams, bought Greenwood Estates Mobile Home Community. Since 1985 Jim has been a full time real estate investor, owning apartment complexes, mobile home communities, and office buildings. In 1994, Jim purchased his first shopping center and his focus since 1996 has been on retail shopping centers, with properties in Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana.
Jim has been blessed with a wonderful family. He married his dear wife, Eva, in 1985. Between them they have four children. Brad Martens, Cassie Turner, Kevin McCoy and Tammy Sheets. All four are graduates of Western Kentucky University. Jim and Eva are also proud grandparents of seven wonderful grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
Since November of 1995 Jim and Eva have attended Hillvue Heights Baptist Church. He has served on the Business Administration Team for over 25 years, and served as Chairman since 2002. Jim has been honored to chair a 10 million dollar campaign and Reach Center construction project currently being built on Hillvue’s campus. Serving Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has been one of Jim’s greatest joys.
GOD, Bowling Green and WKU have been such a blessing to Jim, Eva and their family. Jim serves his community in other ways as well.
At Western Kentucky University Jim is currently serving on the College Heights Foundation Board, the WKU Real Estate Corporation Board, and WKU Hilltopper Athletic Foundation Board, having served as Chairman.
Jim also currently serves on the WKU Fellowship of Christian Athletes Board and the Olde Stone Advisory Board.
Jim’s wonderful childhood, as a farm boy in Bellevue, Michigan, built a foundation that has taken him a long way in life.
Since Jim and Eva came to realize that every good gift that we have is from above, and that God has blessed them with a wonderful family, financial blessings and in so many other ways; they have lived with a legacy goal of sharing with others the Blessings that God has given them and to leave this world in a better place.
CHARITIES
- ARTS OF SOUTHERN KY—ELM STREET SOCIETY
- AVIATION HERITAGE PARK
- BG CHAMBER ORCHESTRA KY
- COMMONWEALTH HEALTH FOUNDATION
- COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTH CENTRAL KY
- CURBSIDE MINISTRY
- DREAM FACTORY
- FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES
- FOUNDRY CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CENTER
- HOSPICE OF SOUTHERN KY
- JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT
- LOST RIVER CAVE
- MASON GOODNIGHT FOUNDATION
- OPERATION PRIDE—BEAUTIFY I-65
- SALVATION ARMY
- SHERIFF’S RANCH
- UNITED WAY
- WKU COLLEGE HEIGHTS FOUNDATION
- WKU HILLTOPPER ATHLETIC FOUNDATION
- WOUNDED WARRIORS
- W.R.O.T.E. FOUNDATION
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
- 2014 WKU Distinguished Service Award
- 2016 United Way 60/60 Service & Giving Award
- 2018 BG Housing Authority Roast Honoree
- 2022 WKU Alumni Center Dedication: Eva & Jim Martens Alumni Center
The History Behind the Limestone Award
FOUNDATIONAL BEGINNINGSFour Irish immigrants, John J., Peter J., Thomas J. & William J. Murphy established a limestone business in Bowling Green, KY, circa 1886. They were stone masons and engineers known as the MURPHY BROTHERS COMPANY. The brothers operated a stone quarry where they removed and cut limestone for many of the initial infrastructure projects in South Central Kentucky and other parts of the Commonwealth.
Many of the buildings, first constructed more than a century ago, remain today as a testament to the foundation upon which they sit. Some of the most notable are State Street Methodist Church and the Burton Memorial Baptist Church. In addition to buildings, the Murphys quarried and cut the stones for the street curbing for many communities including Bowling Green.
When John J. Murphy’s grandson, G. Michael Murphy began his career in construction in 1976, any opportunity to salvage these “stones of the foundation of our community” was preserved as a memory of their family’s business beginnings in South Central Kentucky.
Just as the philanthropic work of the individuals who receive this award are foundational to their community, the base of this award is salvaged limestone and is intended to represent the purpose of The Community Foundation of South Central Kentucky.