Adam Martin is not your typical entrepreneur.He’s dedicated his life to making sure Felons get a fair shot at
theirs.
If you met Adam, you would know within minutes that he has a keen business mind, a pulse on what the future
will hold, and a strong passion for criminal justice reform. If you were to look into Adam’s background, you
would find a lengthy trail of breadcrumbs that would lead you to the community driven man he is today. Five
felonies, multiple misdemeanors, and too many infractions to speak of. A career criminal, a trouble maker, and
a nuisance. That is, until a few business leaders, mentors, and friends, saw potential instead of a criminal
record. They saw someone who had Hustle and humility, instead of a risky person to be associated with.
Named after the F5 “reset” button on a computer, it reminds us all “hit the reset” when we think about people
with a criminal background. That button is a powerful tool, and
an inspirational mentality. Adam Martin founded F5 Project in
2016, after he was asked to be the keynote speaker for the United
Way fundraising campaign in Fargo, ND. Through his personal
story of homelessness, moving from job to job, criminal
activities, and being a “product of the system,” he had first hand
knowledge of gaps when it came to services offered by local
communities for people wanting to make a positive change in
their lives. Especially when it came to people transitioning from
incarceration.
The 5-time Felon, turned professional salesman, decided to be
the catalyst that his local community needed. Adam quit an
amazing job in the technology sector, to start a non-profit. F5
Project sought out to help people that were coming directly out
of jail, and prison. Having been in the viscous cycle of the system, he knew that people had serious roadblocks
as soon as they took their first step out of being locked up. Adam has been able to help countless Felons
successfully have a second chance at a better life. “With the smallest of help, these men and women have
enough drive and energy to make an astounding, positive, impact on their community” Martin Says. Adam
views the world from a positive lens. He sets out to prove the impossible - possible. From homelessness, to
helping enterprise-level customers make strategic technology decisions on the daily, is part of the impossible.”
Adam Martin is doing everything he can to ensure that felons get a fair shake. F5 Project is in 8 cities over 2
states, 30 staff, and looks to continue the mission of helping felons across the U.S.. Changing the world’s
perception of Felons, one day at a time.
Appointed by the Governor to sit on the Recovery Reinvented Advisory Council
2017 Phoenix Award recipient from Recovery Reinvented and ND Department of Human Services
City of Fargo Human Relations Commission Member