Wasabi Nights: Interview with Cameron Martin: A Successful Wealth Portfolio Manager

Mr. Cameron (Cam) Martin was referred to me by Manner of the Month founder Mindy Lockard. She described Cam as a young, successful businessman who is always smartly dressed and recommended I invite him for an interview. Cam agreed and I discovered there is more to his story than just a nice outfit.

For the first 15 minutes of the interview, Cam essentially interviewed me. I was flattered and taken off guard. Sad, but true, people have become so disconnected they don't ask more than a name and title. Cam was genuinely interested in knowing more about me, Wasabi Nights and the Trunk Club. Perhaps he was assessing my wealth potential?

When it was my turn to ask the questions, I quickly discovered Cam's success isn't just financial. As he proudly showed me a framed photo of his gorgeous wife Nicole, and their two, angel-blonde daughters, it was obvious his success is equally balanced between his personal and professional life.

Cam grew up in Eugene, OR and began his adult life as a professional golfer before entering the "working man's world." He is a former state amateur champion and an All Pac-10 Conference selection. He attended UNLV's golf program, but missed the college atmosphere and transferred to the University of Oregon; graduating with a degree in Sociology. Soon after, he went pro for a brief period.

Competitive golfing runs in the family; his brother is Casey Martin, the former golf pro who sued the PGA Tour and won. Cam still loves golfing, but unlike his brother; who stayed in the golfing business, Cam went to find a different green.

As a Portfolio Manager for IMS Capital Management, Inc., Cam's green is managing money. Lots of it. He and his firm are responsible for managing over $300 million for private clients and institutions.

Working in the investment world, Cam's dress code is business formal. He jokingly said "I'm one of the four men in Eugene who wears a suit every day to work." He described his work-clothing style as "traditional" and said he likes to look "right" at work. He mostly wears navy and gray suits and has bought his dress shirts from a tailor in Irvine, CA for the last nine years.

Does your wife help you buy your clothing?
I pick out my own clothes. I don't enjoy it though. I have to be at work by 6:00 AM and to be honest, I don't want to have to think about my clothes.

What do you like to wear when you are off work?
My favorite is jeans and a T-shirt. I only wear that at home though. I don't feel comfortable out in public without a collared shirt on.

I notice you are wearing pleated pants. Tell me why you like to wear them?
I always associated pleated pants with a conservative look. I'm not really sure why I wear them though.

Some men in suits, look like "men in suits." You have a style that is uniquely your own and I love that you aren't afraid to mix different patterns and textures together.
Thanks. Practically everything I own is patterned. I sometimes worry that I mix and wear patterns too much!

Most wives I know would LOVE for their husband to dress more professionally. Does your wife comment about your clothing?
She is very kind and says I "look nice," but she doesn't comment much. I do value her input.

In an super-casual town like Eugene, I know you receive compliments from people about the way you dress. Tell me a few you remember.
My daughters notice I look different from most of the other men here, probably because I wear a suit. They are very complimentary. It's very sweet.

A recent compliment I received was from woman in her early twenties at the Downtown Athletic Club. I was there for a business lunch and as she walked past me on the stairs, she said "Oh my God!!! You look so nice!!" It was so unexpected. It made my day.

I know you wear a suit to work everyday, but do you always wear a tie? What about cuff links?
If I am meeting with clients, I always wear a tie. I wear cuff links once every few weeks. When I am not meeting with clients on a particular day, I might leave the tie off, I just have to make sure I wear a v-neck undershirt that day since the top of my dress shirt will be open.

Living in a small, casual town like Eugene, what hopes do you have with regards to men's clothing?
I would love to see people care more about how they look. I think it would be a positive move for our community; especially downtown.

Everyone has secret fashion peeves. What are your men's clothing peeves?
When I see men wearing suits that don't fit well, shoes that don't match the belt and when men don't button the right buttons on their jacket.

During the last part of our interview, Cam turned the tables on me and he became the interviewer again!

Cam: I know pleated pants aren't in, but I don't want to invest in a bunch of new suit pants just to find out the trend changed again.

Lisa: The issue with pleated pants isn't so much about trend or fashion. It's more about what looks best. Flat front pants are more flattering in general. Back in the day, Carey Grant was well known for his pleated pants. However, back then, men's pants had a much higher rise and the waistband nearly touched the bottom of the ribcage. Men wore suspenders to hold their pants in place and wore a longer jacket that covered up their hips (and the pleats) so the overall look was better. Since then, men's pants have become lower waisted and jackets shorter or just not included. This makes the pleats very obvious as they puff out into a pear shape creating "hips". Pleats can also give the man a saggy looking rear end. Worst of all, while I understand pleats may feel more comfortable, when men sit down, their pants puff up into Mr. Elephantitis! I referred him to my post about pleated pants for more information.

Cam then asked me for advice on some specific belts, accessories and clothing etiquette. He is obviously a man who cares about his appearance and is interested in keeping his style appropriate and up to date. I think it would be refreshing for other men to know that even nicely dressed men have style questions and ask for advice.

I admired Cam's comfortably, elegant manner and his understanding of some of the essentials many men naively overlook. For example, he knew to plan ahead and wear a v-neck undershirt on days he wasn't going to wear a tie (or might remove the tie). Otherwise, his undershirt would show. Simple things like this, especially in a business formal office, make a big difference in your overall appearance and impression.

Lastly, Cam described his style as "traditional" but when I commented on his enormous Nike watch, he laughed and said "you can't take the sportsman out of me!" Despite Cam's gentlemanly manner, I can tell he is a driven man. He is in it, to win it. I see lots of green in his future.

Thank you Cam for your time and genuine interest in our interview. It was such a pleasure to meet you!

-Lisa Bruckner Trunk Club Expert