Maria Martinez

Upped to Chief Human Resources Officer in June of 2014, Martinez has since hired key executives and launched a new career site for HSNi that streamlined the hiring and recruiting of new talent—to name just two of her many accomplishments. In the coming year, Martinez will focus on succession planning, talent development and revamping the company’s performance management system. Outside of work, she is active with the community organizations Girls Inc. of Pinellas and Metropolitan Ministries, which offer after-school programs for girls and care for the homeless. “Girls who are deciding who they want to be when they grow up need mentors and teachers who can open doors they otherwise wouldn’t know are available,” she says.

What’s your biggest professional accomplishment in the past 12 months?

Being promoted to CHRO within a company that has given so much to me in terms of opportunity and the ability to grow and succeed.  I’ve built an amazing team of talented HR professionals and together, we’re reimagining the future of HR for HSNi and focusing on initiatives that support growth and development of our employees.

Best business advice you’ve received?

During my first professional role in HR, right out of graduate school, my leader at the time told me that any time I was invited to a meeting, regardless of my level of experience on the subject, I was required to add to the discussion.  She taught me that anyone, at any level in the organization can add just the right idea or ask just the right question that can lead to breakthroughs.  That lesson stuck with me and I’ve tried to pass it along to others just starting out.  Knowing you’re required to add to the discussion goes beyond having your voice be heard, it also teaches you to actively listen, ask questions, take risks and learn.

How do you define diversity?

For me, diversity is about having respect for what makes each of us unique and unleashing that individual talent we each bring.  Beyond the traditional definition of diversity, I believe that the real impact comes from figuring out that people of different backgrounds and with a multitude of experiences and thought processes can enrich any discussion and develop significantly more creative solutions.  Building people up vs. shutting them down is an important way in which we can celebrate diversity of thought.

How can cable better support diversity?

Understanding the value that comes from valuing diversity and extending that to creating inclusive programs is the best way that cable can support diversity.  From a cultural diversity perspective, truly understanding cultural differences and showcasing those in a way that is uplifting, educational and respectful can be incredibly powerful.   Mentoring women already in cable as well as those who don’t even yet know what opportunities may exist for them in cable is also a great way to support diversity.  Young girls aren’t always able to make decisions about certain careers because no one is making them available to them or showing them the possibilities.  Girls who are deciding who they want to be when they grow up need mentors and teachers who can open doors they otherwise wouldn’t know are available.  I’m on the Board of Girls Inc of Pinellas and this is a concept that’s taught in all regularly.

What’s been the biggest story in cable this year?

I cannot speak for others in the industry, but I know that at HSNi we continue to elevate our live show and content experience by shifting our production model to support a boundary-less retail experience. We are having success with our seven weekly destination programming shows currently in production, available anywhere, anytime to our channel-agnostic customers.  Our content development has increased exponentially over the past year and points to an evolving and bright future for retail and commerce-driven programming.

How do you define success?

Professional success, like personal success to me, is about living with integrity and taking actions that serve a greater purpose than my own personal gain.  Raising responsible, respectful, and adaptable children who will go on to do great things as adults is the pinnacle of personal success for me.  Professionally, I hope that I leave things better than I found them by building on the successes of those who came before me through personal and team accomplishments.