Solero Technologies CEO Dr. Donald James Leads with Purpose

Donald James earned a Master of Business Administration ‘06 and a Doctor of Business Administration ‘11 from Lawrence Technological University’s College of Business and Information Technology and has a vision for Solero Technologies. He envisions the company—which manufactures valves, actuators, and solenoid technologies—to be a top three global player in the mobility controls sector.

“Specifically, our company’s controls expertise positions us to win business across active suspension, thermal management for BEV applications, smart actuation, engine, and transmission applications,” said Dr. James, who has served as Solero’s CEO for three years. “We are globally balanced for growth and fit for the future of mobility.” He cites active suspension, a computerized system that adjusts a car’s response to driving conditions, as an example of the type of solution Solero provides.

“To put it simply, one of the technologies we offer helps to control your vehicle’s ride comfort using sensors and actuators so you don’t feel all the bumps on the road or, in the case of Michigan, potholes,” he said.

Solero’s vision for the sales of their technology is expansive, targeting cars, light trucks, and agricultural and off-road vehicles, regardless of whether they are powered by gas or electricity.

“We’re even looking at future technologies around hydrogen fuel,” Dr. James added. “Solero has a sound strategy that is well-positioned for capitalizing on global opportunities that support the industry transformation to electrification and sustainability.”

While Solero’s goals are ambitious, they follow the company’s core values of respect, integrity, collaboration, empowerment, and success—ideals that align with Dr. James’ leadership style, which he describes as authentic servant leadership.

“My job as a CEO is to serve the employees. I try my best to make sure the employee experience is there, that folks are fully engaged, and that I’m very visible by practicing executive presence,” Dr. James said.

His accessibility is especially notable when he travels from their Rochester Hills headquarters to the company’s global manufacturing sites—two in the U.S., three in Germany, one in Romania, and another in the Czech Republic—meeting with employees at all levels, including those on the production floor.

“I get so many great ideas from the employees who are actually doing the job every day,” an approach that seems to be appreciated by the employees as well. “It’s not about rank or title. It is about working together, side by side, to get the work done.”

While he considers his wife of 22 years, Neena, and their 13-year-old son, Alexander, “his heart and the reason why I get up every day and do what I do,” he’s learned it’s unrealistic to completely separate work from home. Instead, he adheres to a concept he likes to call work-life integration. “As I rose in my leadership journey, I learned not only are my employees a very important part of my life, I am an important part of theirs as well; therefore, I do not look at separating the two,” he said. “And that comes back to the authenticity piece: I’m the same person at work that I am at home.”

“It’s not about rank or title. It is about working together, side by side, to get the work done.”
-Donald James, MBA ‘06, DBA ‘11

He continued: “I have the pleasure of living out my purpose, and part of that is having the privilege of leading every day. I take it to heart that I have all of these folks that I am responsible for, and I am truly honored to serve every day in the organization.”

He also believes in the value of giving back. In fact, Dr. James voluntarily returns to LTU to share the eight leadership imperatives he’s developed over the years with students in CoBIT’s classrooms. “The most precious thing we can give back is our time, and for me, I love spending time with students because I have been in their shoes,” said Dr. James, who grew up in Pontiac and lives in the Detroit area. “I came from humble means to a high level of achievement in my career and that lets students know what is possible.”

Dr. James’ imperatives for impactful and effective leadership are to be purpose-driven, use emotional intelligence, inspire trust, coach and develop others, build relationships and networks, drive performance, execute and navigate change, and attract, nurture, and grow talent. These traits will be part of a future leadership book that Dr. James is developing with LTU professor Jackie Stavros, Ph.D., who encouraged him to enroll in the DBA program the year it debuted.

“Pursuing the degrees at LTU was a really good time of exploration, learning, and collaboration,” said Dr. James, who also remains connected to CoBIT dean Matt Cole, Ph.D.; Cole was on the dissertation committee that Stavros chaired the year he graduated with a DBA.

Dr. James also encourages students to learn all that they can to grow and develop as employees and leaders, especially as they are rising up through entry and junior-level positions.

“If I look at my journey, I went step-by-step to get where I am now,” said Dr. James, who started his career as a customer service agent taking orders over the phone for Federal Mogul. “I am thankful I got all of that experience. I did not skip a step along my leadership journey, which made me, I think, a more effective leader.”