Charlotte Alumnus Demond T. Martin Launches His Book, “Friends Of The Good”

UNC Charlotte will welcome esteemed alumnus, philanthropist and WellWithAll CEO Demond T. Martin ’97 to campus on Tuesday, March 31, for the launch of his new book, “Friends of the Good.”

The event, which starts at 5 p.m. in the Popp Martin Student Union, will feature a series of narrative conversations with those who shaped Martin’s personal and professional journey — including former roommates, fraternity brothers and mentor Erskine Bowles — highlighting the power of mentorship, community and shared purpose. A reception will follow.

Martin’s life and work are shaped by the mentors, teachers and “chosen family” who guided him from his early years through his professional ascent — insights he explores in “Friends of the Good.” Through the Martin Family Foundation, he and his wife, Kia ’98, focus on eliminating racial and social inequities in education and healthcare. Martin serves on several nonprofit boards, including the Berklee College of Music, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Grammy Global Venture Board and the Obama Foundation.

A longtime champion of UNC Charlotte, Martin has served on the UNC Charlotte Foundation Board, funded the Martin Scholars program for high-achieving low-income students and was awarded the University’s highest honor, the Doctor of Public Service, in 2023.

The “Friends of the Good” book launch coincides with the 11th annual Niner Nation Gives campaign, a 49-hour celebration of collective generosity. Beginning Tuesday, March 31 through Thursday, April 2, Niners everywhere are invited to help build Charlotte’s future by supporting programs, scholarships and initiatives that strengthen the university community.

A successful entrepreneur, UNC Charlotte and Harvard Business School graduate, and devoted husband and parent, Demond Martin ’97 is, by all accounts, a self-made man. But when Demond stumbled across Aristotle’s theory on friendship—friends of the good—he learned about the three types of companionship at the center of our orbits: convenience, pleasure, and virtue. As Demond considers his past and his present, he realizes how much goodness has helped him along a path of intention.

In Friends of the Good, Demond reflects on how it wasn’t simply by luck, or chance, that he found the courage to leave a violent environment as a preteen; it was thanks to a supportive teacher who taught him to lean into his gifts. His “Chosen Family” immersed Demond in the importance of service and kinship as part of Alpha Phi Alpha. Being raised by “Givers” such as his beloved Grannie, surrounded Demond in foundational love for himself and others. And the “Second Fathers” and “Guiding Lights” helped Demond build his entrepreneurial and industrial spirit, fast tracking him to roles in The White House, a major investment firm, and later to co-found a company delivering wellness solutions to underserved communities. 

Demond not only introduces readers to the individuals, he explores how these connections and lessons offered mentorship, leadership, and personal reflection, providing the foresight to recognize his dreams and the fortitude to pursue them. Complete with applicable insights and personal reflections, Friends of the Good is a practical guide on what success can look like at all stages of life.

Investor and philanthropist, Demond Martin is Co-Founder and CEO of WellWithAll, an innovative health and wellness company that pours 20% of its profits into health equity. Prior to becoming CEO of WellWithAll Demond was a senior partner at Adage Capital Management where he invested in the consumer sector for 21 years.

Demond joined Adage after graduating from Harvard Business School and received his undergraduate degree in accounting from UNC Charlotte. He subsequently worked as the assistant to President Clinton’s White House Chief of Staff, Erskine Bowles.

Demond and his wife Kia ’98 through their family foundation focus on erasing gaps created by racial and social injustice in the areas of education and healthcare. Demond serves on a number of non-profit boards including as a trustee at the Berklee College of Music, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Grammy Global Venture Board, and the Obama Foundation