Patricia Haney, who grew up in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia and graduated from Mount Saint Joseph Academy in Flourtown, is the Vice President of Finance and Investor Relations at Ellucian, a software company with a location in Malvern that develops solutions that power the essential work of colleges and universities.

Haney, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh, said her proudest professional achievement has been leading her organization through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Like many leaders, I’ve invested a tremendous amount of time shaping my team’s culture and set a high bar for excellence,” she said. “In my field, corporate finance, it’s critical to the business to operate with a high level of accuracy, diligence, and business acumen. When Ellucian went fully remote, it was truly up to each team member to carry out their job function with the same high bar. The stakes were even higher as we, like many companies, faced financial headwinds. My team’s support in the decision-making process during those very uncertain periods was exemplary. Looking back, I’m so proud of their efforts and my contribution to shape and develop such a high-performing organization.”

Haney, who inspires others by “walking the talk,” offered her thoughts on what makes a successful leader.

“I think a successful leader focuses on developing other successful leaders,” she said. “Professional success is multi-faceted and multi-disciplinary. It depends on your ability to lead your team, your function, your company, your industry. Many professionals begin by focusing on functional excellence. It’s the job of leaders to expand their perspective. It’s my job to give my team opportunities to be excellent at people management, to understand the broader company imperatives, to understand the industry dynamics. I talk about this with my team a lot — that career development isn’t about the title on your resume, it’s about the bullets you add underneath. Walking the talk on career development inspires others.”

Haney said that the leaders on her team have been successful at having meaningful development discussions and bringing talented people together with relevant business challenges.

“That’s when the magic really happens — when people are motivated to work on something meaningful and impactful to the business,” she said. “That’s inspirational when people’s talents are fully utilized and on display.”

Of the 12 Principles of the Scout Law — Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent — Haney believes that “Courteous” has had the greatest impact on her career and life.

“When you approach a situation with courtesy, it sends a message to others that you will be respectful and willing to engage earnestly,” she said. “In most cases, this leads to meaningful dialogue and genuine engagement. Sometimes, we run into challenging situations. It’s hard to be kind or cheerful or friendly or even patient when we’re in those scenarios. The least I can do is to be courteous. It’s a way of setting a bar for myself. I find that if I can hold my position of courtesy for long enough, the tension will eventually break, and good dialogue will ensue. Courtesy is the foundation for empathy, which can become understanding, which can become respect, kindness, even friendship.”

The Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America will honor Haney and the 11 other VISTA Leadership Megastars at a hybrid awards ceremony on Sept. 14 at its new Program, Activity, and Resource Campus (PARC) in Exton. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, contact Sarah Ponzio at sarah.ponzio@scouting.org or 610-696-2900 x 121.