A Toast to your success!

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Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Juan got his first taste of the restaurant industry at just 10 years old—scrubbing floors, cleaning bathrooms, chopping onions, and selling popcorn and cotton candy to help support his family. In 1997, at age 16, he came to the United States chasing the American dream—and never looked back.

With hustle in his DNA, Juan worked full-time while going to school full-time, eventually graduating from the prestigious Walt Disney Leadership & Hospitality College Program. From there, he entered the banking world, joining Bank of America as a management trainee at just 22. He quickly climbed the ranks, overseeing the launch of new branches, managing operations, leading teams, and growing business units from the ground up.

But Juan’s true passion was still calling, so in 2010, he and his wife Melanie opened their first restaurant, State Café & Grill. Not long after, Don Juan Mex Grill was born. Today, Juan is the founder of Martinez Hospitality, a multimillion-dollar company with locations across Northeast Pennsylvania.

Juan is also a dedicated real estate investor, with holdings in both Lehigh and Northampton Counties in Pennsylvania and Palm Beach County, Florida. When he’s not building businesses, you’ll find him reading, eating, or traveling with his family.

A firm believer in giving back, Juan and Melanie created the Juan & Melanie Martinez Scholarship Fund to support underprivileged, high-achieving high school seniors pursuing college or trade school education in the communities they serve.

💡 “The future belongs to those who prepare for it.”

Follow Juan’s journey and insights on business, real estate, and entrepreneurship right here on his blog—and don’t forget to share!

Education & Affiliations

Active Commercial/Residential Real Estate Professional

Associate degree in Business Administration, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Schnecksville, PA 

Bachelor’s in business administration, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA 

Master’s in business administration, DeSales University, Center Valley, PA 

Entrepreneurship & Scaling, Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Palo Alto, CA 

Board Member, National Restaurant Association, Washington DC

Director, First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union, Lehigh Valley PA

Family of Businesses

https://martinezhospitality.com

 https://www.williampennstorage.com