RETURN ON DISABILITY - Key Persons
Jenn Donovan joined The Return on Disability Group as Chief Operations Officer in September 2014 and transitioned to Chief Customer Officer in 2017, marking a cultural shift to focus on our Customers. Jenn is excited to apply her expertise in delivering for customers, marketing, and brand management to this role. She is responsible for ensuring that our customers are delighted. She partners with our CEO/Founder to establish Disability as the #1 emerging market globally.
Ms. Donovan is an accomplished customer-facing executive with leadership experience in jewelry, watches, handbags, footwear, and apparel with focus on product development, merchandising, sourcing and marketing. She has led operations and product development for new breakthrough brands Betsey Johnson Jewelry and Chloe + Isabel jewelry. She has led mature businesses such as Avon jewelry, watches and footwear and built the then emerging brand of Nine West jewelry. Ms. Donovan began her career in the Management Trainee program at Lord & Taylor, learning her craft as a Buyer. Ms. Donovan has competed in Olympic-length Triathlons in 2013 and 2014. She brings her background in Retail and the Consumer to The Return on Disability Group.
Ms. Donovan has a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing Management from Syracuse University.
Rich Donovan is CEO of The Return on Disability Group and is a globally recognized subject matter expert on the convergence of disability and corporate profitability. He has spent more than 10 years focused on defining and unlocking the economic value of the disability market. Rich created the Return on Disability concept and model. The Barclays Return on Disability ETN listed on the New York Stock Exchange on September 11th, 2014 under the ticker RODI.
He has been named one of the Top 50 Most Influential People with Disabilities in the world by UK-based Powerful Media and Shaw Trust in October 2016.
Mr. Donovan was appointed to Chair of Ontario's Accessibility Standards Advisory Council by the Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure in January 2016.
Rich provides corporate and government clients with insights and tools to frame disability as a global emerging market. His proprietary and proven process translates disability success factors into specific actions that create sustainable value. He is sought by businesses and governments for advice when acting on the disability market.
Rich founded Lime (2006), the leading third party recruiter in the disability space, where he worked with Google, PepsiCo, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, IBM, TD Bank and others to help them attract and retain top talent from within the disability market. Identified as a best practice by the U.S. Department of Labor and featured in the Wall Street Journal, Lime does one thing very well-find great talent. Rich has a combined 20 years of experience in portfolio and investment risk management. As a Proprietary Trader and Portfolio Manager at Merrill Lynch, Rich delivered consistent performance results focused on macro strategies with an event-driven overlay, using equity indices as a primary tool.
Rich holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BBA from Schulich School of Business at York University. Rich is an avid sailor and proud father of his son, Maverick, along with his wife, Jenn. He also happens to have cerebral palsy.