Danielle Keim, ‘15
Dan McMahon, a graduate of the University of California, has worked his way to become Senior Vice President of Hannon Armstrong. Hannon Armstrong is an energy efficiency investment company based in Annapolis, Maryland. In this position, Mr. McMahon has taken on the responsibility of managing his company’s environmental financing division. Within this division, Mr. McMahon funds energy-saving performance contracts. Mr. McMahon has combined his business knowledge and skills with his interest in environmental issues.
Mr. McMahon says that much of his job involves coming up with a story that makes his company’s services appealing to the customer. In this respect, Mr. McMahon exemplifies Dwight D. Eisenhower’s quality of leadership, referred to as the Power of Persuasion. Eisenhower stated, “A trait always noticeable in a successful leader is his ability to persuade others.” Through his stories, Mr. McMahon takes the science behind a project and introduces it to his customers in an appealing economic manner, which encourages them to commit to that project. Mr. McMahon is comfortable articulating the plan of his company and he is capable of assuring his customers that these projects will be economically successful. This quality has allowed for the success of Mr. McMahon and Hannon Armstrong.
