Don Finucane

Don Finucane joined the Belk College of Business as an adjunct professor in 2024 and became a full-time lecturer in August 2025. With more than 30 years of executive experience and as a current scholar in the Doctorate in Business Administration program at UNC Charlotte, he integrates real-world insights with theoretical frameworks to prepare students for leadership roles in business and innovation.

Finucane’s professional background includes leading global functions in product management, marketing, strategy and innovation across a range of organizations—from hypergrowth startups to Fortune 500 companies. His career spans industries including fintech and payments, intellectual property, agribusiness and maritime. As an executive, he has presented multimillion-dollar investment plans to C-suite and board-level audiences, executed those plans to bring new capabilities to market and led strategic acquisitions through mergers and acquisitions.

In the classroom, Finucane transforms industry experience into practical learning opportunities. By discussing current business news and trends and exploring their implications, he helps students connect theory to practice, making complex concepts tangible and relevant. His teaching emphasizes problem-solving, critical thinking and strategic decision-making, equipping students with the skills and confidence to navigate today’s dynamic business environment.

Finucane’s doctoral research explores the intersection of entrepreneurship, family business and human resources, examining how organizational signals in job advertisements influence job seekers’ perceptions of organizational attractiveness.

He is a board member and academic engagement lead for the Carolinas Chapter of the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA), where he oversees the chapter’s annual Student Innovation Competition.

Degrees:

• Bachelor of Business Studies, University of Limerick, Ireland
• MBA, Pace University, New York