When you’re a leader, you set the tone, said Eric Martinez, vice president and associate general counsel at AssuranceAmerica during Harris College of Business’ Ethics Institute. “Tough times come and tough decisions must be made, and you must be true to yourself and transparent when those times come.”
Modeling ethical behavior and discussing ethical dilemmas can better prepare students to lead ethically in today’s market. This belief led Faulkner University to create the Ethics Institute, where students hear from speakers contributing to the world of ethical business.
The Ethics Institute recently hosted Anne Ostholthoff, vice president of corporate social responsibility at AssuranceAmerica, and Martinez. “Your reputation is important. Are you trustworthy? Are you making wise decisions?” Martinez said. “Those are ethical choices. Make a moral code for yourself. Corporate America is building that trust, building that brand people look to. It all boils down to trust and your moral code.”
Ostholthoff discussed the 1982 Tylenol cyanide tampering tragedy in Chicago that left seven people dead. At the time, tamper-proof bottles didn’t exist because such an event had never occurred before. The CEO of Johnson & Johnson immediately informed the public of what had happened and what the company’s next steps would be. “They went straight to the consumer. This is a company that’s known as ‘The Family Company,’” Ostholthoff said. “They had built their brand over the years, and now public trust was shaken. But they reacted appropriately, quickly, and went beyond what was legally necessary.”
Ostholthoff earned a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Georgia State University, a Master’s in Advertising from Northwestern University, and a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She helped establish the new Risk Management Program at Faulkner, working closely with CEO Scott Pitrone and Martinez.
Martinez holds bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration and Philosophy from Hanover College and a Juris Doctor degree from Florida International University. He is a member of the Florida Bar and a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP). Martinez joined AssuranceAmerica in 2019, after serving as Senior Regulatory Counsel at Assurant, specializing in insurance compliance, electronic commerce, and privacy matters. He currently oversees compliance and legal affairs for AssuranceAmerica’s operating entities.
Martinez said, “Ethics is maintaining honor when it’s inconvenient. When things go well, everything is good, but ethical character is stepping up and making the right decisions when things are not going well.” Through these seminars, Faulkner hopes to inspire the next generation of business leaders to embrace ethical behavior.
Learn about Faulkner’s partnership with AssuranceAmerica to offer the new Risk Management and Insurance degree.