Mike Doner ’82 didn’t set out to become an entrepreneur. His career was shaped by recognizing opportunities, solving problems, working hard and taking calculated risks. A graduate of Shippensburg University’s Communications, Media and Journalism (CJM) BS program, Doner has carried those lessons through a career that ultimately led him to build Flagger Force, a professional short-term traffic control company.
When Doner addressed graduates at Shippensburg’s 2026 undergraduate commencement ceremony, his message was grounded in something he has believed throughout his career: give your best effort, have confidence in what you can accomplish and do not place artificial limits on yourself.
Doner first recognized the traffic control opportunity while working for a temporary staffing company. In 1989, an electrical utility client needed flaggers to help keep its crews safe.
“It was a niche no one was supporting at the time, so I created the training, found the proper personal protective equipment and started supporting them,” Doner said.
A few years later, he saw an opportunity to expand the service to include professional work zone setup and presented the idea to his boss, John Way. By 1996, Mike had risen to president of Way Services in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Way began considering downsizing. Doner and his family decided to invest in themselves and pursue the traffic control opportunity. In 2002, the idea became Flagger Force.
As the company grew, Doner remained focused on the values instilled in him by his parents and other adults throughout his life. Those values remain embedded in Flagger Force’s values, vision and mission today.
He also learned that leadership cannot happen only from a distance. Mike regularly spends time with field employees, helping with daily tasks, listening, coaching and identifying opportunities to make the work safer and more efficient.
“It’s my best days at work when I’m out in the street with our teams,” he said.
When Doner meets employees in the field, he often shares three pieces of advice: be on time, “do what you know is right even when no one’s watching” and raise your hand for opportunity.
That final point is especially important to him. Raising your hand does not guarantee an immediate yes, but it creates an opportunity to learn, build confidence and prepare for what comes next.
Doner applies that same thinking to entrepreneurship. His advice to students is not to rush into owning a business, but to learn, build strong relationships, recognize opportunities and be willing to put in the work.
“The relationships that I had built in nearly 20 years of running a business for someone else were the exact relationships that I was able to count on when I started Flagger Force,” he said.
He also encourages future leaders to expect mistakes and learn from them.
“I don’t have regrets because I learn from every one of those,” Doner said. “I make mistakes every day.”
For Doner, entrepreneurship is less about a title and more about a mindset: work hard, keep learning, give your best effort, act with integrity and be willing to raise your hand when opportunity presents itself.
As Shippensburg celebrates entrepreneurship through its “America the Entrepreneurial” campaign and the renovation of the Charles H. Diller Jr. Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Doner’s story offers students a practical example of how patience, relationships, confidence and lifelong learning can shape a career.
