November 2001

Jack Davies was born in Meadville, Pennsylvania, home of Allegheny College and the original zipper. From that small town and its Midwestern breeding, Jack became an international executive and, as of last month, he also became part owner of Washington, DC’s basketball and hockey teams.

“ It’s every guy’s dream to be involved in a sports team,” he says. But he also believes that successful sports teams and venues are a good investment for himself and for the metropolitan region. Along with fellow VPP investors, Raul Fernandez, Richard Kay, Ted Leonsis, and VPP advisor George Stamas, the investment in Lincoln Holdings LLC “is like managing a public trust.”

It’s also part of the reinvention of Jack Davies –“Jack, version 5.0.” He began his career in consumer marketing at General Electric and leveraged those marketing skills internationally at RCA Records, Citicorp and AOL. The best time in his career was “the unprecedented rocket ride that was AOL.” In 1995, he launched the international division of AOL, which has grown to 7.8 million customers outside of the U.S. in less than six years. Jack says the job offered lots of excitement, great personal satisfaction, and the opportunity to meet and make good friends and business partners like Ted Leonsis and Len Leader, who introduced him to VPP founder and chairman, Mario Morino.

“ The development of VPP is probably the most significant thing that has happened to me since leaving AOL day-to-day,” says Jack, who is still a senior advisor to the company. He was attracted to VPP’s business-like approach to philanthropy and has welcomed opportunities to roll up his sleeves and get involved. As an advisor to Heads Up, VPP’s first investment partner, Jack has been able to find computers and office furniture for the after-school program and helped the organization start a partnership with Scholastic (where he is a board member) to provide books and other assistance.

Jack believes the association with VPP also benefits his family. He has taken them to visit Heads Up, which made an impression on his 14 year old son (an avid Caps fan). This exposure is one way to “teach him the importance of giving to others.”