Donald Doudna, Member

Donald J. Doudna is well known as a business and financial consultant. He combines the analytical ability of a researcher with practical management skills and people sensitivity. He has been advising people for three decades. As a Professor of Business in both Michigan and Iowa, he set up special advising teams for retired people and worked closely with young families. He taught all aspects of Financial Planning including investments, insurance, real estate and employee benefits.

From Education, Dr. Doudna moved to various positions with Equitable of Iowa, a diversified financial corporation.  After he created their first retail financial planning store, Equitable promoted him to Vice President and Director of Marketing. As the chief marketing officer, he managed the sales force, product development, employee benefits and the stock brokerage firm.

Next, Dr. Doudna helped create a sixty-person financial consulting business which served many clients including the State of Iowa, Toyota, Better Homes and Gardens, and numerous small businesses. Iowa’s Governor Branstad appointed him to be Director of Insurance Development for the State of Iowa. He worked closely with insurers and other business organizations worldwide on their major strategic and management challenges. The Iowa insurance industry became the fastest growing segment of the Iowa economy.

In 1994, Dr. Doudna joined Toyota Motor Insurance Services as National Insurance Manager. He led the development of new dealer products, investment policies, systems and government relations. He was promoted to Corporate Manager in 1996 with responsibility for long-range planning, product development, systems, actuarial and regulatory affairs.  He was also heavily involved in designing new retail programs, including the electronic marketplace, for Toyota Motor Sales. In 1999, he was named general manager of Toyota’s largest Customer Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He and his team provided high tech, high touch service to 20,000 customers a day.

Since 2000 Dr. Doudna founded the Charitable Giving Resource Center, was a Partner of the Family Business Resource Center, and a Senior Business Coach for Syverson Strege and Transition Point Business Advisors.  His work in strategy and succession planning has helped over 100 families and organizations maximize their resources and prepare for the future.

Dr. Doudna serves on numerous boards including Values Based Holding Company, Iowa College Foundation, CBE Group, LDJ Manufacturing, and the Daytona Beach Area Community Foundation.  His past board service includes Early Childhood Iowa, Broadlawns Hospital, Shivvers Manufacturing, Faulkner Automotive Group, and Liberto Food Services, and numerous nonprofit boards involved in health care, arts, music and social services. Dr. Doudna serves on the Executive Board of Food Brings Hope.org