J. Donald Sheets Executive Biography
J. Donald (Don) Sheets currently serves as principal of his consulting firm, focusing on strategic advising and board service in the fields of materials science, finance and accounting, health care and higher education. Don brings his extensive executive leadership experience, business knowledge and financial expertise to billion-dollar organizations as well as selected non-profit and philanthropic organizations. He is a recognized expert in corporate and non-profit governance.
Don completed a 34-year career with Dow Corning Corporation in 2017, retiring as Vice Chairman. Don’s career with Dow Corning included 14 years as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and global leadership of key businesses, including electronics, aerospace & defense and industrial materials. Don also led the development of the widely-lauded XIAMETER internet business, which for a decade stood as the world’s largest B2B internet business platform.
Don serves on the board of directors of Covia Holdings LLC, Tri-Star Trust Bank, The Dow Chemical Company Foundation, TempleArts Foundation, CMU Medical Education Partners and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation. He also served a number of years on the boards of Business Leaders for Michigan, Albion College, MidMichigan Health System, American Zinc Recycling, Hemlock Semiconductor, Inc., the Midland Center for the Arts and the Dow Corning Foundation.
In his extensive non-profit practice, Don has served in critical board positions, including chair of the board, executive committee member, treasurer and investment committee member. He has led and or participated in numerous capital campaigns for a variety of organizations.
Don earned a BA from Albion College, majoring in Economics, Management and Accounting and was a member of the prestigious Carl A. Gerstacker Institute for Business Management. He has an MBA from the University of Michigan-Flint, with a concentration in Operations and Quantitative Systems.