Patrick J. Martin engineer puts PH.D. in storage.

• Author: Chavez, Lorenzo
• Position: Executive Edge - StorageTek Network Systems Group

Pat Martin speaks rapidly with more than a hint of a New York accent, pausing to explain technical computer specifics, industry trends, or a tidbit of computer law. Martin, who holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from George Washington University, enjoys spreading the gospel of sophisticated digital storage technology--essential for the financial industry, hospitals, government and large corporations.

He's not a rocket scientist, but he could have been one.

"We have technology now that will store 100 Libraries of Congress into a unit the size of a large coffee table," says Martin, the CEO, chairman and president of Louisville-based Storage Tek, a $2 billion data storage company with 7,100 employees. "Trying to locate and correlate specific bits of information," he adds, "becomes a daunting task."

Martin's academic pedigree commands respect, but it's his business savvy that speaks loudest in high-tech circles. His confidence suggests the streetwise kid from the Bronx that he once was. Martin's strategy has been to diversify and stay competitive by offering software solutions and partnering with Hewlett-Packard, Dell, and Sun Microsystems.

Despite operating in Colorado's worst economy in decades, he has helped drive growth for two straight years since taking the helm in 2000. That year he cut costs and boosted production.

To keep abreast of swift market trends and customer needs, Martin keeps a strict daily regimen. He gets up at 5 a.m., e-mails clients and associates for an hour, heads to the gym, grabs a snack, and is at his desk by 8 a.m., staying until the evening. He logs thousands of air miles each month meeting face-to-face with vendors, partners and clients.

Despite advanced degrees in math, science and engineering, not all things are academic for Martin, who clings to age-old values of hard work, perseverance and dedication. The work ethic and high expectations have paid off for the company and for Martin, the son of Irish immigrants. Two years ago StorageTek was named to Fortune magazine's list of most admired companies, and in January the company ranked eighth in a Denver Business Journal survey of Best Places to Work in Denver.

Searching for and finding solutions have driven Martin since he earned a mathematics degree from Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y. A few years later, he and two college buddies launched Computer Symbolic, a...