and the people within them successful. It’s
about gaining wisdom and integrity, and it’s
about moving from ‘good to great.’
”
James M. Danko
THE HELEN AND WILLIAM O’TOOLE DEAN
VILLANOVA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Dean James Danko understands entrepreneurs
—because he is one. At age 19, he started
his own medical supply company, using money
he had saved throughout high school, along
with a loan from his parents. By age 25, he had
added new locations throughout the Cleveland
area and transformed a small shop into a
multimillion dollar medical and fitness
equipment enterprise.
“Entrepreneurship is about imagining ways
that people and organizations can do new
things, rather than focusing on the reasons
they can’t or shouldn’t,” says Danko. “It’s about
thoughtfully taking risks— and putting apprehension aside —in order to achieve excellence.”
Success in his 20s meant Danko was managing
people who were more experienced than he.
Despite his relative youth, his leadership
style was based on integrity, humility and
respect for the capabilities of others. He was
rewarded with the esteem of the local
business community and the loyalty of his
employees, many of whom still keep in touch.
“Managing others probably came a little more
naturally to me because growing up, I had
observed my father—the youngest truck line
manager in Cleveland—manage and maintain
the respect of his employees through some of
the toughest years in the city’s history,” Danko
says. “He never missed work, even during
labor disputes when workers were throwing
rocks at managers’ cars. He taught me that
when you’re a leader, it’s your job to listen
and to be there for the people who depend
on you —no matter what.”
At age 36, Danko sold his company and went
on to earn an M.B.A. at the University of
Michigan. After graduation, he served as a
lecturer of entrepreneurship and an administrator at Michigan, then filled leadership roles
at schools including the University of North
Carolina-Chapel Hill and Dartmouth College
before his deanship at Villanova. At each institution, he had the same overarching priority:
transformation. This is part of what attracted
him to Villanova.
“Transformation is a key part of educating
students in the Augustinian tradition, and
there’s a reason I wanted to be a part of that,”
he recalls. “Transformation is what makes
organizations and the people within them
successful. It’s about gaining wisdom and
integrity, and it’s about moving from ‘good
to great.’”
Looking ahead, Danko’s priority for the coming
year is to further increase the momentum of
the Villanova School of Business by refining its
strategy. Through this process, the school will
update its vision and initiatives in tandem with
the University overall. Danko will continue the
implementation of new curricula at both the
undergraduate and graduate program levels.
Danko’s two daughters, both of whom are in
college, already show signs of the leadership
talent shared by their father and grandfather.
“They work hard, they care about others and
they definitely have minds of their own,”
he laughs. “This bodes well for their futures
as leaders.”
