Profiles

PROFILE: Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz '89

University of Evansville President Christopher Pietruszkiewicz ’89 getting to know some students in Ridgway University Center at Evansville.

Educating for the Future

One alumnus draws on his experience at this University to lead another.

While Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz cherished his undergraduate years at The University of Scranton, he left with little intention of pursuing a career in academia.

Life, though, had other plans for him.

Last year, Pietruszkiewicz ’89, became the 24 th president of the University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana. The former government lawyer arrived there after serving as dean and professor of law at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida.

“So far, my time at Evansville has been fabulous. When they talk about Midwest values, it’s a true statement,” said Pietruszkiewicz, who moved there with his wife, Siobhan, and sons, Ryan and John.

Pietruszkiewicz has no trouble citing some of the 2,500-student, Methodist-affiliated university’s recent accomplishments. Its accounting and finance programs are both nationally recognized, 96 percent of its students do internships before graduation, and its theater program claims Academy Award-winning actor Rami Malek, who played Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in the film Bohemian Rhapsody, among its esteemed alumni.

In addition, Evansville has been designated an Ashoka Changemaker campus, thanks to its commitment to social justice and community outreach in the greater Evansville area, Pietruszkiewicz said. Evansville faculty and students have collaborated with government and nonprofit organizations on a number of projects, from looking for ways to combat Indiana’s high infant mortality rate to establishing micro-financing programs for women and minority entrepreneurs.

A Piece of Scranton

Besides its purple colors, Evansville shares a lot in common with the University in terms of its ethos, Pietruszkiewicz said.

“Even though we’re Methodist-affiliated, it’s much the same as the Jesuit model,” he said. “The University of Scranton played an enormous part in how I think about educating students for the future, both in terms of the classroom experience and in terms of educating the whole person. That solid liberal arts foundation really gets you to think about problem solving. That foundation has really carried me forward.”

Pietruszkiewicz grew up just miles from the University in Throop, Pennsylvania. He went to Bishop O’Hara High School and developed a lifelong obsession with Revello’s Pizza in Old Forge — today, he often gets par-baked trays shipped to his home.

At the University, Pietruszkiewicz studied accounting while playing on the golf team and working full time. One of his jobs was at the former Third National Bank, where his regular dealings with attorneys inspired him to pursue his law degree at another Jesuit institution — Loyola University New Orleans College of Law.

Upon passing the bar, he went to work for the federal government, first at the Department of Education, then as a trial attorney in the Tax Division of the Department of Justice. In between, he also found time to pursue his master’s degree in taxation at yet another Jesuit institution — Georgetown University Law Center.

“It’s About the People”

At the Justice Department, Pietruszkiewicz was assigned to the southern United States and spent a good part of his time jetting off to courtrooms in Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida and Mississippi.

Pietruszkiewicz still wears purple. Here he is, standing, second row, far right, sporting UE purple, supporting UE’s annual Freshman Service Project. Kneeling in the front row, far right, is his wife, Siobhan, alongside volunteers and students at the Boys and Girls Club in the Evansville community.

“I couldn’t think about a better way to practice law than to represent the citizens of the United States in litigation,” he said.

As if his life wasn’t hectic enough already, he then received an offer to become an adjunct professor at George Mason University’s law school.

“I got a call from the associate dean. He said, ‘Classes start in 10 days. Are you available to teach?’ I said, ‘Absolutely,’” Pietruszkiewicz said. “And I loved it. Had I said no to that, I wouldn’t have had a conversation with you as president of the University of Evansville.”

“The University of Scranton played an enormous part in how I think about educating students for the future, both in terms of the classroom experience and in terms of educating the whole person.”

— Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz ’89

From there, he received an offer to teach full time at Louisiana State University’s law school. Six years into his tenure there, he became the school’s vice chancellor for business and financial affairs. Then came the dean’s job at Stetson, where he strengthened its enrollment management system, increased student diversity and grew its alumni and fundraising networks. And he still managed to teach.

“And I will eventually teach at Evansville, too,” he said. “If I say it’s the most important thing we do, I ought to do it, too.”

Currently, though, Pietruszkiewicz is still acquainting himself to the demands of his new job. He’s made it a point to be a highly visible part of campus life, whether he’s having lunch with students or filming his Purple Friday Wrap, a weekly video about campus happenings that he records using an iPhone and a selfie stick.

“It’s important to me to make those connections on campus,” he said. “Ultimately, at the end of the day, it’s about the people, and the more time I spend outside of the office, the more I think I’m doing the job the right way.”

“So far, the University of Evansville has been a great fit for my family and me,” he added. “It feels like home.”

PROFILE: Jennifer Kelly Dominiquini ’93

A marketing executive strategizes for top brands such as Crayola, all with an eye toward “making the world a better and brighter place.”

Leading Innovation

To most, innovation may seem like an ephemeral quality, some fleeting spark of inspiration exchanged between the apple and Newton. Those people, however, probably haven’t met Jennifer Kelly Dominiquini ’93, the chief marketing and digital sales officer at BBVA Compass who has made a career out of leading innovation during moments of disruption.

“My career has always been about helping companies go through a transformation as the world is disrupting around us,” the Sugar Land, Texas, resident said.

Most recently, she helped lead BBVA Compass’ foray into the financial industry’s ongoing digital wave by incorporating an agile mindset and methodology into its culture and relying more heavily on digital channels such as SEM, SEO, programmatic display, email and affiliate marketing. The strategy has led to a transformative marketing plan that focuses not only on strategic partnerships, but also on promoting digital capabilities to help people take better control of their financial lives.

How does one lead innovation? According to Dominiquini, it involves questioning a company’s orthodoxies, focusing on its strengths and expanding it into new territory. For instance, she helped Crayola get into the toy market by combining its reputation for artistry with restaurant “glow board” technology. She also helped Best Buy see how its then-newly acquired Geek Squad could add value to its customers’ experiences.

“I’ve always believed that industries and companies that don’t disrupt themselves are going to be disrupted by someone else,” she said.

Expanding into New Territory

Throughout her life, Dominiquini has kept herself open to new, transformative experiences. While growing up in Westchester County, New York, she was inspired to travel internationally by her father, who traveled often to South America as a commodities trader, and by her mother, who taught school in the Bronx to children from many diverse backgrounds and cultures.

“I got the international bug very early on because of my family background,” she said.

When researching colleges, Dominiquini visited several Jesuit universities, but something clicked for her when she first came to Scranton.

“Believing in people inspires me to give back, because people make the world a better and brighter place.”

— Jennifer Kelly Dominiquini ’93

“I felt such a warm welcome,” she said. “I saw the hills and pretty much fell in love.”

At Scranton, Dominiquini joined the Debate Team, ran Cross Country, covered sports for The Aquinas and participated in Campus Ministries while double-majoring in international studies and Spanish. During her senior year, she interned at Monitor Group, who hired her as a strategy consultant and sent her to Colombia. She spent the following year as a Fulbright Scholar in Uruguay. At the end of that year, she backpacked across Latin America and met her future husband, Daniel Dominiquini, a Brazilian, on the Inca Trail. When she returned to Monitor, the company sent her to Brazil, which gave her relationship with Daniel the chance to flourish.

In Brazil, Dominiquini eventually left Monitor and co-founded Solutions For Business, which offered English, Spanish and Portuguese training and strategy solutions to its clients. Afterward, she began working in innovation consultancy at Strategos, first

Jennifer Kelly Dominiquini ’93 pauses for a picture while riding across the state of Wisconsin with the Pursuit Ride, a cross-country ride that raised $13.5 million for The Center, a non-profit organization that serves adults with disabilities.

in Brazil, and then in Chicago, where she earned her MBA at The University of Chicago. Next, she worked at Prophet, a global brand consultancy. She then went on to Sears Holdings Corporation, where she became the chief marketing officer (CMO) for the Sears and Kmart Seasonal Division, and later, the Toys, Fitness and Sporting Goods Business Units. She then became CMO of Evite and BuySeasons, and, soon after, began working in her current role at BBVA Compass. All the while, Dominiquini’s focus on the big picture allowed her to see the places where the little picture could use a touch-up.

“Having the ability to work across many industries allowed me to see that there are patterns,” she said.

Today, the mother of two uses that same macro focus to assist her fellow CMOs as co-president of the CMO Club Houston Chapter and by serving as a board member at The Center, a nonprofit organization that serves adults with disabilities. In 2016, she rode her bicycle across the state of Wisconsin as part of the Pursuit Ride, which raised much-needed funds for The Center.

“Believing in people inspires me to give back, because people make the world a better and brighter place.” Dominiquini said. “That’s definitely something I learned when I was at the University.

“Everybody, it seems, at The University of Scranton cares about each other, and I think that’s something that I’ve taken away as my M.O. for life.”

PROFILE: Marty Holleran ’64

A CEO transforms tragedy into resolve, documenting the highlights in his recent memoir.

The Determined Mentor

In his senior year at Scranton, Marty Holleran walked into a small conference room in the Estate to face five Jesuits for an oral philosophy exam. An engineering major, he learned the technical skills that would take him to General Electric (GE), where he eventually led numerous operating divisions. But back then, in 1964, long before his successes in business, his task was to discuss the ambiguities of philosophical thought. He was confident with numbers and data, but not this. This was daunting.

“That particular exam scared the bejesus out of me,” said Holleran ’64, one for Irish exclamations. “But it helped me. You come out of Scranton as a well-rounded person, not just a technician.”

Holleran learned that with hard work and a bit of humor, he could succeed. His tenacity helped him to survive hardships down the line and come out the other side to call his life “well lived.” In fact, Well Lived is the title of his recent memoir, in which he details everything from his aspirations to become a singer to the founding of the Children’s Pompe Foundation. He set out to write the memoir for his family, “a bit of heritage,” he said, but the book, which also covers his broad career in business, is now inspiring others thanks to its message of resilience.

Transforming Tragedy

Holleran grew up in Scranton. His house, he said, was often full of his Irish relatives, some of whom stayed for long periods of time. He remembers his mother teaching a couple of critical lessons during those hectic years.

“She said, ‘Marty, I’m going to give you two gifts in your life. The first is my love because that’s free. The second is the gift of self-confidence. You’ll sing and dance. We’ll do anything to get you up on the stage in front of people. That’s going to be a gift that will help you the rest of your life.’ And it did,” he said.

Holleran dreamed of becoming a professional singer, but his father convinced him to apply to college so he would have a “backup plan.” After he was initially rejected from Scranton, Holleran lobbied the dean of admissions for a spot in the class. He was accepted on probation; the tenuous nature of his acceptance inspired him further. Nevertheless, he was stressed about his grades during his freshman year. Still in his family home at the end of his first semester, his mother stopped into his room to tell him how he’d done — he’d made the dean’s list, she said. It was one of the last things she said to him. She died later that day.

His mother’s death weighed heavily on the family. Soon after, they were forced out of their home and into public housing. Holleran helped take care of his younger brothers during his remaining years in college.

“I was more determined because of that tragedy,” he said. “We all were.”

After obtaining his master’s degree in electrical engineering, he went on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Army during Vietnam. He was stationed stateside and, among other duties, was assigned the task of informing parents that their sons were killed in action.

“I grew up big time in my 20s, telling parents that their sons died,” he recalled. “It put real life in perspective and propelled me forward in my professional career.”

Having “grown up,” he began working at GE and, including an assignment on the Presidential Executive Interchange Program, sponsored by the White House, spent 10 years in engineering and manufacturing roles before he moved into marketing and sales positions, which led to senior management positions.

Later in life, when his infant grandchildren, Megan and Patrick Crowley, were given three months to live after receiving a diagnosis of a rare disease called Pompe, he knew he’d again have to ward off tragedy with determination. As detailed in a 2010 movie called Extraordinary Measures starring Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser, the Crowley and Holleran family fought back. Holleran and his son-in-law, John Crowley, founded the Children’s Pompe Foundation, which funded a company eventually bought by Genzyme, which developed the life-saving, federally approved drug for the disease. Megan and Patrick are now in their early 20s, and Megan attends The University of Notre Dame.

“In addition to your chosen field of study, a Jesuit education exposes you to religion, history, philosophy, foreign languages, etc. These are things you will never forget as you go through your life.”

— Marty Holleran ’64

“When you are faced with a tragedy such as Pompe, you either go in a corner and cry, or you get so angry you do something about it. And then you end up moving mountains,” said Holleran. “You are often reminded that life is delicate, but you gotta get through it. You can’t let it tear you apart.”

Telling the Story

Holleran hands out personal and professional advice at every turn, including, “There’s no substitute for hard work — you work your tail off. If you do, you’re going to succeed; if you don’t, you’re going to wander.”

It is just this sort of advice that makes Holleran the ideal mentor to CEOs and other top executives. After more than three decades in CEO and other top executive positions at GE and other companies, he joined Merryck & Co., which matches experienced

Holleran and his family

CEOs as mentors with new CEOs or C-suite executives, helping them and their teams “lead more effective lives and build more successful businesses.” So far, he has mentored 15 CEOs.

When he mentors a client, he gets to know them during a two-and-a-half-day retreat to discuss everything from strategy to business. He gets started by asking the client to create a “lifeline” by plotting the degrees of their happiness and sadness over their lives on a chart.

“The chart usually ends up with a sine curve,” he said. “And when they begin to talk about those highs and lows, they often won’t stop. It’s very powerful.”

Effective storytelling is also important in creating deep connections, said Holleran, which is why his personal story is not off limits.

“There’s no mystery to mentoring,” he said. “When you tell your story honestly, that leads to an in-depth discussion. You don’t preach. It’s not a religious thing. This is a real discussion about your life and your business, and it leads to significant improvements going forward.”

Writing his own story helped him reflect on how his Jesuit education helped him along the way.

“In addition to your chosen field of study, a Jesuit education exposes you to religion, history, philosophy, foreign languages, etc. These are things you will never forget as you go through your life. It’s the secret sauce of a Jesuit education.”

Holleran (right) with his brother Charles ’67 (left) and Bernard McIlhenny, S.J. (center), at the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick’s Dinner.