Effective school leaders have a subtle yet direct way of inspiring a room full of supporters. Those leaders who inspire an already dedicated parent and alumni audience often find meaningful ways to connect with them emotionally. Here is a story of one such leader.
On a recent, cold February evening in Nashville, my wife Debbie and I had the pleasure of joining 500-plus friends and supporters of Father Ryan High School at its 47th Annual Legacy Gala, celebrating 100 years of Father Ryan. (Father Ryan has been a Kalix Marketing client since 2024.)
What made this evening all the more remarkable was that, as we gathered in Nashville’s downtown Music City Center, the entire city had been brought to a halt for over a week by an intense ice and snowstorm. School was closed for the week before the Gala, and much of the city was without power. Imagine if your advancement team had to pull off the single largest donor event of your fiscal year under similar conditions? To their credit, every last detail, down to the beautifully decorated tables, was perfect.
Father Ryan’s President, Paul Davis, is a quiet leader who commands respect with his words and vision for the school. He is a Father Ryan Class of 1981 graduate and part of a legacy family that includes his father, brothers, sons, and wife. He has spent 41 years at Father Ryan as a teacher, dean, principal, and, since 2022, president. He is warm, funny, respectful, serious, deeply religious and a wonderful soul.
As I’ve gotten to know him through Kalix’s ongoing collaborative work with him and his advancement, enrollment and communications staff, I’ve been increasingly impressed with his leadership style. He lets others on his team speak first, he asks an occasional clarifying question, and then once everyone in the room has spoken, he will share his thoughts and insights. He clearly values his team’s insights and reflections, and as a processor, uses them to inform his own thinking. It’s a brilliant strategy that builds trust, respect and solid decision-making. It also means that he usually has the last word.
Paul Davis addresses supporters at Father Ryan High School’s Annual Legacy Gala in Nashville.
With that in mind, when Paul took the podium that Saturday night, the crowd grew quiet in anticipation of hearing from its respected leader. After welcoming everyone and sharing a short vision for the school’s next 100 years, he told a remarkable story.
He makes it his practice to visit student families just before Christmas who might need an extra gift or two under the tree. He told a story of visiting one such family this year and the remarkable thing he saw. The family had tables set up in the living room as they were making gifts for other family members. He was incredibly moved by what he saw. The student’s mother explained that things were hard this year, especially in terms of paying tuition, as she was dealing with a serious medical issue.
Paul then explained that after the visit, a school donor called and asked what he could do to help those in the Father Ryan community in need this holiday season. Paul mentioned the family he had recently visited, and this donor offered to cover that student’s tuition for the balance of this academic year.
It’s a beautiful story, and the way in which Paul told it was all the more powerful. Here he was, president of a dynamic, incredibly caring Catholic high school, speaking in front of 500-plus supporters who had gathered to raise money for operating support and academic scholarships. His words were met with applause and gratitude. It set the tone for the community’s giving, and was the perfect introduction to the live auction part of the evening.
Paul showed the entire room that cold Nashville evening that the spirit of taking care of others was alive and well at Father Ryan High School. He practices what he preaches and leads from his heart. It’s an effective and authentic way to lead and was greatly appreciated by his audience that night. I am sure his words and example continue to speak to each person in attendance that night, as they have with me.
Photo courtesy of Father Ryan High School.
