MBU Welcomes New CFO, Mr. Don Donovan
We’d like to welcome our newest staff member and his family to the MBU team. MBU News recently interviewed Mr. Don Donovan, who joins us from New England and officially steps into his role as Maranatha’s Vice President of Business Affairs and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in January.
Where are you from originally?
I was born and raised in Connecticut. I am thankful for my Christian education, having attended and graduated from Emmanuel Christian Academy. I attended college locally, graduating from Central Connecticut State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.
What are some highlights of your professional career?
I began my career at KPMG, one of the “Big Four” independent accounting firms, where I earned my CPA designation while working on a variety of audit engagements including clients in the real estate, banking, government, and not-for-profit sectors. Then, after several years at an insurance company, I worked for the last 21 years for UBS Realty, a real estate investment management firm based in Hartford, Connecticut.
Please introduce us to your family.
My wife Birgitta grew up in Finland, and we met while she was in Connecticut working as an au pair. The Lord has blessed us with six children. Our oldest daughter Elisa attended MBU for one year and is now married to Uriah Atwood and working for an insurance company in Connecticut. Krista is currently a sophomore at MBU studying business. We also have two sets of twins! Sara and Joanna will officially begin their college careers at MBU in January, while Joshua and Rebekah are high school freshmen and are homeschooled.
Do you have any hobbies?
I enjoy traveling. I’m active in various outdoor sports including running, hiking, and canoeing. And I’m a big Boston Red Sox fan. A “bucket list” goal is to visit every MLB stadium—9 down, 21 to go.
Why did you choose MBU?
While I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working in the real estate investment management space, the Lord has given me a desire to align my professional skills with my heart for service to the Lord. Serving the Lord in this capacity at Maranatha Baptist University is an exciting and challenging stewardship opportunity for me.
What are you looking forward to most about working at MBU?
While there are many interesting facets of this new role for me, I’m most eager to be immersed in the energetic, positive, youthful, and spiritual environment found at MBU. I am very much looking forward to getting to know the staff, faculty, and students and having a role that supports their training as ambassadors for Christ.