Salisbury, Maryland-based ERA Martin Associates, the largest locally owned real estate firm on the state’s Eastern Shore, announced the passing of founder Bill Martin on March 27 at the age of 75.
Born May 9, 1950, in Hackensack, New Jersey, Martin was the eldest of seven children. He attended Ohio Wesleyan and after graduation became a bookstore manager at Salisbury State College. At his mother’s encouragement, he entered the real estate profession, launching Bill Martin Associates in 1985. In 1996, Martin franchised with ERA, renaming the company ERA Martin Associates.
During his career, Martin served two terms as president of the Coastal Board of Realtors and was twice honored as Realtor of the Year. He received the Coastal Association of Realtors Lifetime Achievement Award and was honored as Realtor Emeritus by the National Association of Realtors in 2019.
Outside of real estate, he was a founding member of the Wicomico Rotary Club and an active fundraiser Alzheimer’s Association. In 2024, the city of Salisbury declared Sept. 4 as Bill Martin Day and named the crossroads by his office as “Bill Martin Way.”
Martin is survived by his wife, Cindi, and their two daughters, Joni Williamson and Andrea Martin, along with four grandsons and six siblings.
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