“Chief Change Officer” Presents Student Workshop

“If competitive advantage is the end game, change is the common denominator,” said Dennis Donovan, an alumnus of Isenberg’s undergraduate and MS in business analytics programs, during a workshop he presented on campus on October 6. “Organizations that change effectively win, and those that don’t, lose—it’s that simple.”

Donovan is president and CEO of Beacon Advisors International, LLC, a global advisory and consulting firm focused on achieving strategic, operating, and financial objectives to improve performance and create value. His multi-industry global experience includes private equity, manufacturing, industrial, automotive, distribution, health care, power systems, energy, technology, aerospace, defense, government services, consumer, retail, transportation, banking, financial services, executive search, analytics and AI, materials, chemicals, engineering, construction, maritime, infrastructure, and building products. 

Over the course of two-plus hours, Donovan explained to Isenberg students that change must be systemic and sustainable. He presented his short formula for change: VA = Q x A x E. The Value Add to the organization is a function of the Quality of the work times the Acceptance by the stakeholders, times how well you Execute.

“So, if you want to add value, you need to be high Q, high A, and high E,” he said.

Donovan then introduced a case study featuring a Fortune 100 company whose earnings and growth had materially stalled following years of successful performance. He discussed the potential drivers for this downturn and market opportunities going forward if the business transformation was successful. He then assembled the students into groups and asked, “If you were on my job, what would you do, and how would you get it done?”

After a very lively group interaction, Donovan guided the students through his comprehensive and fully integrated framework that drives systemic and sustainable change to achieve competitive advantage. He explained how he has deployed this transformation process at many companies and firms around the world. For the case study company, he explained, sales doubled, earnings per share increased by 150 percent, and dividends increased by 300 percent within six years.

Donovan spent the next morning at the Office of Career Success conducting practice interviews with students to develop their skills.

“What made this experience so extraordinary wasn’t just the lessons on leadership,” said a student participant of Donovan’s visit. “It was the depth of perspective, the real business world wisdom, and the authentic storytelling that challenged me to think more critically about change, purpose, influence, and growth.”

Donovan said he found the Isenberg students impressive. “Their enthusiasm, level of engagement, and thoughtful contribution during the presentation, workshop, and interview sessions were outstanding,” he said. “I have done a lot of guest lecturer sessions at many colleges and universities. This is a very talented group of students, with a bright future ahead of them. I know their experience at UMass Isenberg will be a meaningful differentiator in their careers—as it has been in mine.”

Widely admired as a corporate change agent, Dennis Donovan has made his mark as a corporate officer of General Electric, senior vice president of Raytheon, executive vice president of Home Depot; vice chairman and executive officer of Cerberus Operations and Advisory Company, Cerberus Capital Management; and advisor to the North America entity of Lone Star Funds, headquartered in London. Donovan has also served on more than 20 boards in Europe, Cayman Islands, Canada, and the United States as a board advisor, director, and advisory board member.