John J. Donovan

John Joseph Donovan
John J. Donovan
Born	February 12, 1942 Lynn, Massachusetts
Nationality	American
Citizenship	United States
Alma mater	Tufts University Yale University Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Occupation	Entrepreneur, Professor at MIT (Retired)
Known for	Entrepreneurship, Information technology, Philanthropy
Net worth	$100 million USD (2005)
Spouse(s)	Linda Donovan
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Website
Professor John J. Donovan

John J. Donovan (born 1942) is a retired professor of electrical engineering and management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,^[1] was a professor of pediatrics^[2] at Tufts University, and is an executive training guru. In September 2010, Donovan announced that he has formed a partnership with The Andrews Institute and Baptist Health Care in Pensacola, Florida. In his press release, Donovan says Harvard Medical School Professor and Economist Thomas McGuire will undertake research regarding the medical work at the Andrews Institute.^[3] He is researching medical fraud.^[4] He is a member of Hamilton Thorne's Scientific Advisory Board.^[5] Since his MIT retirement, he has become a successful entrepreneur, founding many technology companies and amassing an estimated fortune of $100 million. He has co-founded seven public companies, including Cambridge Technology Partners and Open Environment Corporation. He developed innovative solutions for some 200 institutions, including Oracle,^[6] Boeing, American Airlines, Aegon, BP, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Samsung and SAP.^[7]

Education

Donovan attended Lynn English High School. He received his bachelor's degree in engineering from Tufts University. He holds two masters degrees - one in engineering and one in science, and a PhD - from Yale University.^[8] He was a Ford Postdoctoral Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).^[8][9]

Academic career

While at MIT, Donovan received the David A. Schultz Award for Execellence in Teaching in 1969 and the Student Teaching Award for years 1970-72.^[10] In 1977, he became one of the youngest tenured professors at MIT.^[11] In 1998, Donovan retired from MIT following 31 years as a professor at the institution.^[12]

He authored multiple computer science textbooks, including Systems Programming and Operating Systems, and his research focused on early work in operating systems, databases, and later applications of IT to business.^[13][14] He has also wrote business textbooks such as Business Re-engineering with Information Technology and Business & Technology: A Paradigm Shift.^[15][16] Donovan and his son John Jr. co-authored The Second Industrial Revolution.^[17][18]

Donovan also served as an assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medicine. He received two awards for his work at the Center for Birth Defects.^[19][20] Donovan later lectured on Strategic Computing in Government while at Harvard University.^[21]

Public service

Jay-Yong Lee, George H. W. Bush and John Donovan at the opening of Samsung's chip factory in Texas.

Donovan served on National Academy of Sciences Advisory Committee on Technology reporting to President Jimmy Carter. Donovan also worked with President George H. W. Bush's administration on the impact of the internet and applications for a program sponsored by DARPA.

Donovan worked with Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff General Richard Myers to develop the Joint Protection Enterprise Network (JPEN), a system developed in response to the September 11 attacks.^[22][23]

Donovan also worked with Tip O'Neill and Ted Kennedy on birth defect legislation, which was, based on Donovan's work at Tufts University School of Medicine Birth Defects Center.^{[24][25][26][27]}

John J. Donovan and Tip O'Neill working on birth defects legislature.

John J. Donovan and Ted Kennedy.

Business career

Donovan started his business career by providing technical training for AT&T computer business personnel.^[28][29] Later courses shifted towards sales and strategy training to executives.^[6] This led to Donovan devising a method of helping companies meet their customers' needs through workshops. Key sponsors and partners of those workshops were British Telecom, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle, IBM, Digital Equipment Corporation and SAP.

These workshops were the origin of many companies, including: Cambridge Technology Group,Business@Web(which later was renamed One Wave), Open Environment Corporation, Cambridge Technology Partners,Cambridge Executive Enterprises, Cambridge Technology Enterprises, C-Bridge and CellExchange.^{[30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41]}

One of the companies Donovan co-founded, Knoware, despite winning several awards, ran out of venture money and had to file for bankruptcy.^[33][42][43] He sold Cambridge Technology Partners (CTP) for $20 million, and CTP's market capitalization soon jumped to $1.3 billion.^[33] He sold his share in Mitrol for "very little.”^[33] Mitrol was subsequently sold to GE for $10 million.^[33]

In 2010, Donovan began working with The Andrews Institute and Baptist Health Care of Pensacola as part of his technology company Cloud Industries.^[44] Donovan announced the partnership with James Andrews of the Andrews Institute and Al Stubblefield, CEO of Baptist Health Care Pensacola.^[45]

Philanthropy

Donovan has done a lot of charity work personally and through his companies.^[46] Along with his son John Jr., Donovan established the John J. Donovan Family Scholarship at Yale University.^[47] He also estalbised a scholarship at Boston University in his father’s name with Jay-Yong Lee.^[48] In 2004, Donovan and his family donated the use of athletic fields to the town of Hamilton, Massachusetts for use in the town’s youth sports programs.[50] Donovan has major contributions to Education Outbound, a public charity founded by his son John.^[49][50]

Through his charitable organization Children’s Potential Unlimited, he donated computers to Connery Elementary School in Lynn, Massachusetts.^[51]

During his tenure at MIT, Donovan also lectured at the Lowell Institute, an educational foundation that gives public and advanced lectures for free.^[52]

Bibliography

• The second industrial revolution : reinventing your business on the web^[53]
• Business re-engineering with information technology : sustaining your business advantage : an implementation guide^[54]
• Business and technology : a paradigm shift : strategic weapons and tactics for executives : handbook for implementing strategic advantage through technology^[55]
• Crisis in technology : the solution, strategic weapons and tactics for executives : handbook for implementing strategic advantage through technology^[56]
• Software projects : pedagogical aids for software education and research^[57]
• Operating Systems^[58]
• Instructor’s manual to accompany Operating Systems^[59]
• Systems Programming^[60]
• Instructor’s manual to accompany Systems Programming^[61]

Awards

In 1982, Donovan was honored by Congressman Harold Ford for contributions to the field of information technology.^[62] Donovan was appointed Kentucky Colonel and New Mexico Colonel, Aide-de-Camp for his information technology and charity work.^[63][64] Donovan was honored by Senator John Glenn for contributions to birth defects information systems and advancing the development of technology.^[65] Donovan holds Honorary Doctorate of Economics from University of Economics, Prague, first doctorate in economics since the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia.^[66][67]

Personal life

Donovan was born in Lynn, Massachusetts to John J. Sr. and Madeline Donovan. John J. Sr. was an elementary school teacher and part-time police officer. Madeline was a social worker.

In August 2007, John J. Donovan was fined $625 for filing a false police report following an incident where Donovan was shot twice in the stomach in the parking lot of his office.^[68][69][70]

Donovan is married to Linda Donovan. He has five children. He works closely with his youngest son, John Donovan, Jr.

In 2009, Donovan was recognized by the Essex County Trail Association for his land conservation work.^{[71][72][73][74]} Donovan has also done land conservation work in Vermont.^[4] Donovan has also done land conservation work in Vermont.^[4]

References

External links

• Resume and brief biography on his website.
• MIT website
• Profile on list of Bermuda's rich residents.
• Hamilton Thorne's Scientific Advisory Board
• Donovan's profile on Oracle's website
• Donovan's workshop for Grand River Hospital
• General Myers on JPEN