Bio

Don was born in Chicago and was raised on the city’s industrial Southeast side a mile from Downtown Whiting. His working-class family taught him the values of hard work and commitment to the community. His grandfather worked for U.S. Steel for 45 years, and his father was a Chicago police officer for 23 years while his mother was involved with their grade school parent organization. He attended St. George grammar school and St. Francis de Sales high school, graduating in 1977. As a two-sport athlete he won varsity letters for both baseball and football and was a member of his high school’s 1976 State of Illinois summer champion baseball team. In the fall of 1977, Don enrolled at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. While at DePauw, he majored in Communications. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1981, thus becoming the first member of his family to graduate from college. Don also participated in all aspects of campus life while attending DePauw University: he was a member of the baseball and football teams for four years and won varsity letters in both sports three times. After his graduation, he began a 30-year career in advertising sales and marketing that took him from Leo Burnett Advertising Agency to the NBC Network News Division. Intertwined with Don’s business career is his passion for volunteering. In addition to working with and mentoring youth since 1977, he has spent many hours serving his alma mater and other worthwhile organizations.