Former Deckers CEO Angel Martinez Running for Mayor

Angel Martinez isn’t interested in tinkering a fast or easy fix for State Street, the critical but sputtering engine of Santa Barbara’s economy. He wants to get his hands dirty and reengineer the whole machine so the city’s commercial corridor is back to firing on all cylinders. “We need a major re-visioning, or people are going to go bankrupt,” he said. “Let’s really understand what’s at stake here.”

It’s this mission, along with a desire to make Santa Barbara generally more embracing of business, investment, and its younger workforce, that inspired Martinez to join the mayoral race. He’s been quietly gathering support for months and will file his nomination paperwork August 8.

As the recently retired CEO of Deckers Brands, and still the chair of the board of the billion-dollar footwear empire, Martinez says he has the retail experience and business acumen to drive the State Street recovery and steer the city in a more sustainable direction. Otherwise, he worries, it will evaporate into a “geriatric wasteland.” “And I’m not trying to be derisive,” he said. “I’m soon going to be one of those geriatrics myself.” To do so will take take creative thinking and a clear plan of attack, he said, things that are missing among current City Hall leaders and his competition.