Danette McGilvray on Turning Data into Business Value

In this edition of The Executive Outlook , we had the privilege of speaking with Danette McGilvray , President and Principal Consultant of Granite Falls Consulting, Inc. With more than three decades of experience, Danette is known worldwide for her work in data quality and governance. She has guided organizations of all types to see data not as a by-product, but as an asset that drives value and reduces risk.

During a conversation, Danette recounted how her career began at a large high-tech company. Managers across the world were struggling with problems in customer data, and a council was formed to address them. Danette was asked to help. “That was when everything changed for me,” she said. “I began working directly on customer data quality and had the chance to learn from Larry English, who many call the father of information quality.” 

She explained that working with Larry and other early pioneers like Tom Redman and Rich Wang gave her a foundation in data quality. She added by sharing, “I became the enterprise customer information quality program manager, and later, when the company split, I carried the program to the new company. My focus expanded from customer data to all types of data across the enterprise.”

Danette continued by saying that those years were crucial in building her understanding of how deeply organizations depend on reliable information. Eventually, she took her expertise further and founded her own firm. “This year Granite Falls Consulting is 20 years old,” she said with pride. “I’ve had the privilege of working with many kinds of organizations: non-profit, government, healthcare, education, and business. No matter the industry or country, every organization relies on data.” 

She spread light with her words about her mentors. “I consider myself a second-generation pioneer,” she explained. “I learned from Larry, Tom, and Rich, and then developed my own approaches to carry the work forward. I owe them so much.”

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When asked what message she would like to give executives, Danette’s advice was direct. “As leaders, you set the priorities. You already ask about money, about people, about products. But how often do you ask about the state of your data? Data should be treated at the same level.” 

She further explained that data is often seen only as a technological problem, but in reality, it requires its own management system. “Invest in your data,” she said. “Hire people who understand it. Provide training. Make it a priority, the same way you do with finances or human resources. Without strong data, none of Your goals, whether growing revenue, managing risk, or serving customers, can be reached easily.” 

She added by sharing that smaller companies often tell her they don’t have much data yet. Her answer is simple: start early. “Even if you’re small, get one data person in place. As executives, educate yourselves. Research shows that 15 to 35 percent of income is wasted because of poor-quality data. If you say you don’t have the money to spend on data, ask yourself, “Do you have the money to lose because of bad data?” 

During the conversation, Danette also defined the link between data governance and data quality. She explained, “Governance is about accountability, knowing who is responsible, who makes decisions, and how those decisions are shared. Data quality is about having the right information, in the right place, at the right time, so people can trust it. Governance supports quality, and quality relies on governance.”

To bring this to life, she shared a story from the financial sector. A company already had governance in place but wanted to improve data quality. Danette introduced what she calls the data quality program. “Think of it as a triangle,” she said. “The base is the program itself. One side is projects. The other side is operational processes. You need all three.” 

Their first project was to create a dashboard showing the quality of the company’s most important data. That dashboard was tied directly to their operating budget, so leaders could see the costs of poor data. When the project ended, the practices became part of daily operations, turning into a sustainable system. “That program lasted more than 10 years,” she recounted. “It proved its value again and again.” 

For Danette, the real measure of success is not how long she works with a client but what remains after she leaves. She explained, “My business model is to put myself out of a job. I prepare the internal teams so they can carry the work forward. I may not be there for years, but they will be. Sustainability is the goal.”

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She also reflected on how the field has evolved. “When I began, the term ‘data governance’ didn’t even exist,” she said with a smile. “But we were already doing it because it was needed for data quality. Years later, new terms came up, like data mesh, and I realized much of it was work we were already doing. Sometimes people tell me after my class, ‘I’ve been doing this already now I finally know what it’s called.’ That recognition gives them confidence.” 

Danette shared that her days are never the same. Running a small firm means balancing writing, speaking, client projects, and daily business needs. But variety is something she enjoys. Alongside her consulting work, she has always been committed to building up the profession, teaching, mentoring, and helping others understand why data matters. 

Before the conversation ended, she reminded us of her well-known methodology, the Ten Steps to Quality Data and Trusted Information. She explained, “There are many moving parts when it comes to data. My Ten Steps methodology is a roadmap for anyone wondering how to begin. It’s all explained in my book Executing Data Quality Projects, which is already available in Chinese and Japanese and soon in Spanish.”

As the discussion closed, Danette left us with a thought that summed up her life’s work, “Data is my favorite subject. I love helping people understand it, manage it, and trust it. And I’ll continue doing everything I can to show organizations just how valuable their data really is.”

Her story is a reminder that data is not simply a technical detail or background task. It is trust, clarity, and the backbone of every decision. From her early years learning alongside pioneers, to founding Granite Falls Consulting, Inc., to shaping sustainable practices that last for decades, Danette McGilvray has shown the world what it truly means to treat data as an asset. For executives, her message is clear, take care of your data today, because it will decide the strength of your tomorrow.

Stay tuned for more inspiring stories from leaders around the world in The Executive Outlook.