Nicholas Martinelli is a Program Manager at CCEI. In this role, he coordinates and manages the day-to-day administrative activities of and provides program support to the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans (EBV) and the Family Business Program. Administrative management for both of these programs includes supervising, training, evaluating and assigning work to lower level and student staff. Nicholas also recruits qualified program participants through promotional activities and contact with target population, and assesses educational need of target population and recommends courses of action to meet those needs. Specifically in his EBV role, he recruits mentors, guest speakers, and entrepreneurs in residence to support veterans in starting their businesses.
Military Background
Nicholas enlisted in the Army in November of 1999, attended Army Basic Combat Training, and went on to serve for 22 years on active duty. He has been stationed in numerous locations, such South Korea, Washington State, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Maryland, and North Carolina. He retired in June of 2022 at the rank of First Sergeant (1SG).
While stationed at Washington, Nicholas was deployed to Iraq where his unit was assigned the Counter Rocket, Mortar, and Artillery (C-RAM) mission. He served as a Land-based Phalanx Weapon System (LPWS) Section Sergeant for the duration of his deployment to the CENTCOM Area of Responsibilities (AOR). Upon his redeployment 1SG Martinelli was reassigned to the Noncommissioned Officers Academy, Fort Sill, OK, where he served as the Senior Small Group Instructor for the Advanced Leader Course from 2009-2011.
In 2011, he was assigned to E Battery, 4-5 AMD, where he served as the Battery First Sergeant and a Platoon Sergeant from 2011-2013. In 2014, he was reassigned to C Battery 5-5 ADA, JBLM, WA where he served as an LPWS Platoon Sergeant from 2013- 2014. His unit was deployed to Camp Dahlke, Afghanistan where they performed a C- RAM mission. He returned to JBLM in March of 2015, where he was reassigned as the unit First Sergeant for B Battery, 5-5 ADA.
In October of 2016, six months after just returning from Afghanistan, he and his unit were deployed to two locations in Iraq, where they performed C-RAM missions at each location. His unit was selected as the Knox Award winner, which is given to the top ADA unit in the Army for their performance throughout 2015.
Nicholas' Corner
Nicholas has a B.S. in Business Management and Human Resource Management. He earned a Master’s Business Administration from Columbia College in 2014, and a Masters in Higher Education Administration from University of Louisville in 2018. He is also a graduate of the Senior Leader Course, Advanced Leader Course, Cadre Foundation Faculty Course, Foundation Instructor Faculty Course, Small Group Instructor Training Course, Army Basic Instructor Course, and other various military education.
Nicholas is a native of West Hartford, CT. He is married to the former Theresa Exner of Fort Worth, TX and they have a 18-year old son, Andrew, and a 16-year old daughter, Alyssa. His hobbies include reading, watching sports (especially hockey), and spending time with his family.
Article Features:
New UConn EBV Program Manager: ‘We’re Like a Family…Helping Accomplish Each Other’s Missions’