Don McDonnell is a “character” indeed, a multidimensional man whose core interests and values permeate his professional life and impact most anything else that comes his way. The company that McDonnell and his wife, Charlotte, created, The McDonnell Group (TMG), unabashedly reflects their approach to life — something McDonnell calls “servant leadership.”

Everything is approached from a service perspective — serving clients, employees and community with respect for their diverse needs.

“To keep to that goal, we made a commitment to support and marshal support in the energy community for vital service efforts in our region,” said McDonnell.

TMG, located in Roswell, Georgia, U.S., provides proprietary research, strategic advisory services and public relations services primarily to companies in the energy-related technology sector. But TMG is not your typical consulting company.

“At its core, the utility industry is a service industry,” McDonnell explained. “I wanted the McDonnell Group to remain focused on a culture of service to our customers, to our partners, to the community and to the industry at large. All our work aims to support efforts to increase efficiency across our electric power systems as an essential benefit to society.”

McDonnell certainly has the right background for the industry leadership part. He earned a BA degree and an MBA, and received extensive training in engineering, communications, and intelligence gathering and analysis in the U.S. Navy. As a lieutenant on board a destroyer, he completed tours in the Persian Gulf and Somalia in 1993.

Prior to starting up TMG in 2005, McDonnell built technology companies in the energy and enterprise software sectors, dealing with everything from nuclear generation to advanced customer metering. He served as CMO of CES International, now the core of Oracle's utility network management services. There he helped pioneer utility distribution system concepts that underpin today's smart grid programs. His international experience includes an executive position at KWI in London, where he gained knowledge of European utilities and the European Union CO2 marketplace.

Acknowledging McDonnell's extensive energy industry background, it's interesting to note that about 15% of TMG business comes from the health industry. It even turns out that Charlotte, CEO of TMG, is an attorney with extensive health advocacy and nonprofit experience. In a way, the McDonnells and the entire McDonnell group are focused on “health” — not just the business and financial health of clients, but also the physical, emotional and spiritual health of individuals. All in keeping with the company's value of servant leadership.

And that brings us to what really gets McDonnell excited: the Goshen Valley Boys Ranch (www.goshenvalley.org) in Waleska, Georgia. The 300-acre working cattle ranch is an innovative foster care facility that ministers to young men between the ages of 8 to 20. During its 10 years of service, Goshen Valley has helped over 125 young men, offering them physical and emotional safety, life skill enhancement and hope.

“We've enthusiastically supported the work of the Goshen Ranch since it opened its doors to the first six boys in 2001,” said McDonnell. “We're firsthand witnesses to the amazing, positive impact it has had on the lives of the boys, their families and the community.”

In 2006, TMG helped launch the annual Goshen Valley Classic charity golf tournament, which has been the primary fund-raising event for the Boys Ranch ever since and has grossed over $250,000 in revenue. The ranch is looking for sponsors and players for the 2011 tournament, which will be held in Atlanta on Oct. 17 (www.goshenvalleyclassic.org).

TMG also strongly supports The Heating Energy Assistance Team Inc. (HEAT), a statewide nonprofit organization that raises funds to help Georgians who need temporary financial assistance with energy bills. Since 2005, TMG has made donations to HEAT in the name of utilities participating in TMG benchmarking research programs. This practice has been warmly received by the energy industry, and through it, thousands who have participated in TMG's proprietary research have supported HEAT's important mission to help low-income Georgians meet their energy needs.

“Economic hardships present hard choices for many,” stated McDonnell. “By tying our research work to HEAT donations on an ongoing basis, we're enabling industrywide support to provide stopgap funding for those who find themselves in financial need.”

A top-drawer consulting firm, a solid record of community service — pretty impressive accomplishments for such an unpretentious guy. But he's not consumed by his professional and volunteer work. McDonnell enjoys spending time with his wife and children, gardening, golfing and volunteering at church.

So, there you have it. Don McDonnell is a character with a lot of character and a lot of heart.