Biography

William Alan Donius’ first book, Thought Revolution: How to Unlock Your Inner Genius (March 2012, Changing Lives Press) debuted in a dramatic fashion making all the major Best Seller lists including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and Nielsen lists.

The book begins where other books in the field end, offering a proven, easy methodology for finding one’s own creativity by tapping into the right brain; literally, in order to pull out the information needed to make better decisions in life. The mystique of creativity and intuition are dispelled in this groundbreaking book based on Dr. Roger Sperry’s Nobel Prize winning discovery in 1981 about the independence of brain function between the left and right hemispheres. Donius, was a left brainer for most of his life.

The left hemisphere is known as the place where linear, analytical and logical thinking take place. Twelve years ago, he discovered how to tap into his right brain. It revolutionized his life. He gained important insights about his personal life and was also able to apply it to his professional life.

Curious if the methodology he learned could apply to others, Donius spent the past three years, with some assistance from the psychological and neuro scientific communities, interviewing hundreds of test subjects to determine if they could apply the methodology to tap into their right brains to help break them break through barriers and obstacles to gain insights into their inner geniuses.

The journey resulted in many of the stories that make up the book. Thought leaders agree that in order to compete in the global economy of the 21st Century, it is imperative that we think creatively to boost innovation. The problem: Neither the neuroscientists nor the thought leaders are giving us what we really need — the how to — how to think differently — how to use our innate creativity — how to tap into our inborn intuition.

The process in Thought Revolution is simple. It involves using an individual’s non-dominant hand as the neural pathway to right brain. But, it’s not as simple as a writing exercise because it’s actually a thinking exercise disguised as a writing exercise. Thought Revolution becomes the guidebook for all those who become paralyzed at hearing the word “creative.”

Nearly twenty of Donius’ thirty years were engaged in the corporate world Donius where he rose through the ranks of corporate America to become Chairman and CEO of Pulaski Bank in St Louis. He led the bank through a successful initial public offering in 1998.

During his tenure the bank grew eight-fold in size to $1.4 billion in assets. It was ranked one of the top performing small banks in the country by SNL, voted Best Place to work in St. Louis in 2007 by the St. Louis Business Journal, and received a Torch Award in 2008 from the Better Business Bureau for excellence in ethics and customer service.

He stepped down from the CEO role in 2008, but stayed on as Chairman, serving on the board of directors for an additional three years. Donius was appointed to a two-year term on the U.S. Federal Reserve Board-TIAC Council in Washington, D.C. in 2008 with Ben Bernanke as Chairman.

He attended Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business and the Kellogg School’s CEO Program at Northwestern University. He spent thirty years working in both California and Missouri in the corporate world in the areas of management consulting, public relations, health care, television production and banking.

In 2007, the St. Louis Business Journal cited Donius as one of the Most Influential St. Louisans. He also received the prestigious Volunteer of the Year Award in 2007 from the National Association of Philanthropy. He was named the 2009 Equality Award winner from the Human Rights Campaign in St. Louis, and the 2009 award recipient from the National Conference for Community and Justice. Donius has also served on a number of community boards, including those of the St. Louis Art Museum, Barnes Jewish Hospital Foundation, Maryville University, Forest Park Forever and ARCHS (Area Resources for Community Human Services).

Donius was involved in chairing numerous community events and fundraisers, and served on the Regional Business Council, the board of the Missouri Bankers Association, and as Chairman of the national trade group, America’s Community Bankers (profit subsidiary). He was a frequent speaker at national banking industry conferences and a contributor to an industry publication, America’s Community Banker. He also served as an adjunct faculty member at the National Banking School in Fairfield, CT.

At age 50, Donius chose to depart from the corporate world in order to devote full-time energies to his passions for writing, serving on community boards and advocating for human rights issues.

He currently serves on the Human Rights Campaign Board in Washington, D.C.,  writes for the Huffington Post and is working on a second book.

Broadening the perspective from his first book, this time the focus is on corporate America.  What happens when organizations  apply the methodology for tapping into the right hemisphere of the brain as a means for disrupting complacency and conventional thinking? The early results are very encouraging, including: substantial bottom line increases,  boosting the company to a new level and an entirely re-imagined entity.

Donius is working with both small and global companies using his Innovative Ideation sessions to first teach and then lead management teams a process for producing breakthrough, transformational business insights.