Tech entrepreneur. Civic leader. Change agent. Mario Morino is all of the above. He’s also a straight shooter who doesn’t particularly care for the word “philanthropy.” “It’s a highfalutin term,” he says. “At the end of the day, you’re just trying to help other people.” 

You’ve had a remarkable career with impact in the private sector as well as the social sector.1 How did it all begin?

I’m a kid from Cleveland, Ohio. I grew up on what they called the other side of the tracks. It was a blue-collar, low-income world. But communities cared about the kids. That’s my imprimatur. I look back today and think: A kid growing up in that same house today, maybe even with two good parents, doesn’t have a thousandth of the chance that I had. That stuck with me. 

Who shaped your values?

It goes back to my parents, my brother, my sister. The value set of my family grounded me. I also had an uncle I was very close to, probably one of the most brilliant minds I’ve ever met. Relationships are my life. They’re everything.

How did you develop your approach 
to social impact? 

After retiring from business, I entered the social sector not knowing a thing. I spent a year and a half meeting over 700 people to form my ideas. I had a framework: youth, community, learning. Not education, but learning. Youth is our future. Community is the web that supports a child’s life. And learning is how kids grow into capable adults — not just learning in school, but learning how to live, how to build a life, how to adapt. That was the foundation for Venture Philanthropy Partners.2

When did Cleveland Clinic enter the picture?

When I was recruited to the Case Western Reserve University board, I said, “I’d like to get some connections in Cleveland.” They said, “You don’t have connections?” I said, “Yeah, but a few of them are serving time.” It was a joke — but not entirely. I came to Cleveland Clinic through Bruce Loessin. Over time, I became a trustee, then a board member. What impresses me most is the culture. Dr. Mihaljevic brings a genuineness that shapes the whole organization.3

In particular, you’ve been a staunch supporter of Cleveland Clinic Children’s. Why?

Umberto Fedeli4 is a good friend. He knew how much my wife, Dana, and I care about children.5 So the children’s hospital was a natural for us. It has shown tremendous growth in terms of its effectiveness and its reach. I think Cleveland Clinic Children’s will become much better known globally for what it does to serve children. It will be one of the top institutions in the world.6 

Do you have advice for others who want to give back?

Start with something you care deeply about. Then dig deep. Don’t go by what people say is a good organization. That’s mostly marketing. Do your due diligence. Look at leadership, culture, impact. Lift up the hood. See what’s really there.

I’m not necessarily a fan of how philanthropy is often practiced. Sometimes donors get in the way. What I’ve learned is that you have to be honest, and you have to earn the respect of the people you’re supposedly out to help. It’s not given. You’ve got to be there. You’ve got to listen, learn, serve.7

What do you hope your legacy will be?

My life mission is simple: I’d like to be remembered as a good father, husband, son, sibling, family member and friend who did big and small things to serve other people. If there’s one thread through my life, it’s the impact I’ve had on people — how they grew because of how we worked together, shared together, supported each other. And hopefully, along the way, they picked up tools — real tools — for how to live and keep learning through life.

 

 

Notes

  1. Mario co-founded the Legent Corporation, a leading software and management services firm. He later was a co-founder of Venture Philanthropy Partners, dedicated to improving the lives of children from low-income families. 
  2. Launched in 2000, Venture Philanthropy Partners invests in nonprofit leaders to help them grow their impact. 
  3. CEO and President Tom Mihaljevic, MD, who holds the Morton L. Mandel CEO Chair, has led Cleveland Clinic since 2018.
  4. Umberto Fedeli, who joined Cleveland Clinic’s board in 2000, is the driving force behind the Cleveland Clinic Children’s annual gala. 
  5. Mario and Dana Morino were inducted into Cleveland Clinic’s 1921 Society in 2012 and feted at the 2025 Derby Day Soirée. They have three adult children.
  6. Cleveland Clinic Children’s is consistently ranked among the best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. 
  7. In his book Leap of Reason: Managing to Outcomes in an Era of Scarcity, Mario lays out a plan for creating meaningful and measurable good through bold action.