The College of Business hosted Dennis Donovan, President and CEO of Beacon Advisors International LLC, on Thursday, April 3, at the inaugural Deans’ Business Forum, where he delivered compelling insights on leadership excellence to an audience of aspiring business professionals, faculty, and staff.
Drawing from his extensive experience across multiple industries and prestigious executive roles, Donovan emphasized that effective leadership is rooted in genuine passion for one’s work and organization. When leaders demonstrate authentic enthusiasm for their role and their company’s mission, it creates a positive ripple effect throughout the organization. “Passion, enthusiasm, and self-motivation are traits that hiring managers look for and organizations value,” said Donovan.
As a former Executive Vice President at The Home Depot and Senior Vice President at Raytheon, Donovan also shared practical strategies for navigating organizational change. He stressed that successful change management requires clear communication, stakeholder engagement, and leaders who can articulate a compelling vision for the future.
“In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the ability to lead change effectively is perhaps the most valuable skill executives can possess,” said College of Business Dean Sharianne Walker. “Mr. Donovan’s message to our students—from a globally experienced business leader—that the most successful organizations are led by those who inspire their teams through periods of transformation truly resonated with the audience.”
The presentation offered students rare access to insights from Donovan’s global career spanning private equity, manufacturing, technology, healthcare, and other sectors. His experience includes roles as Vice Chairman and Executive Officer at Cerberus Operations and Advisory Company LLC, as well as various corporate officer positions at General Electric across multiple business divisions.
“Mr. Donovan’s presentation offered our students invaluable perspectives on leadership that simply can’t be found in textbooks,” added Dean Walker. “He was the ideal speaker to launch our Deans’ Business Forum—his emphasis on passion and change management as core leadership competencies aligns perfectly with our mission to prepare students for the complex business challenges of tomorrow.”
The Deans’ Business Forum is part of the College’s ongoing commitment to connecting students with accomplished business leaders who provide real-world insights and inspiration for their future careers.
About Dennis Donovan
Dennis Donovan is President and CEO of Beacon Advisors International LLC. His distinguished career includes executive positions at The Home Depot, Raytheon, Cerberus Operations, and General Electric. He has served on multiple corporate boards globally, advised private equity firms, and provided guidance on government initiatives, including appointments by the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs and a White House advisor. He has also testified before the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
