Mike Hull is Executive Chairman and Partner at Donaldson Capital Management, where he’s been serving clients since 1997. DCM is the fourth business Mike has led successfully, and fortunately for us, the one he’s decided he likes best.
Mike was trained at one of the best management schools in the country – Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management, where he graduated with a degree in Industrial Management in 1974. He earned an MBA in Finance and International Business from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in 1976. In 2024, Mike earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Converse University, demonstrating his commitment to lifelong learning. During his early college years, Mike began his leadership and management experience by starting up a successful house painting business. Even today, he’s one of the few people we know who looks forward to that periodic repainting job at home.
Following IU, Mike gained first-hand experience in “big league” financial affairs at Irwin Management in Columbus, Indiana. In 1982, Mike left to lead his second successful business as he became President of Blairex Laboratories, a small but nationwide marketer of eye care and respiratory therapy products. Through his experience in house painting and at Blairex, Mike learned the critical importance of satisfying individual customers with customized service.
From Blairex, Mike moved in 1988 to Mead Johnson Nutritionals, a $3 billion global subsidiary of Bristol-Myers Squibb. While there, Mike directed the marketing for several important products and also launched a new product. His most important contribution, however, proved to be leading Mead Johnson’s initial entry into mainland China. Moving his family to Guangzhou, Mike guided every aspect of building the business, from the factory itself to hiring the staff, to developing the business plan, & finally mastering the delicate politics of partnering with the Chinese government.
As a result of this great experience, Mike has a deep understanding of a broad range of businesses, from very small to Fortune 50, from domestic to emerging market, from consumer to industrial to financial. He applies that knowledge to helping DCM choose the right quality companies for our clients’ portfolios. He also carries with him one of his earliest lessons…the critical importance of understanding each customer as a unique individual and giving them the excellent service they deserve.
Mike also serves as an Investment Advisor at DCM, guiding his clients through each stage of their financial journeys. He is a former member of TD Ameritrade’s National Advisor Panel and also serves as a member of the Welborn Baptist Foundation’s Board of Directors. Mike and his wife, Carol, have four sons and three grandchildren. They attend Christian Fellowship Church in Evansville and Sadieville Christian Church in Scott County, Kentucky.
