‘Recent Alumni’ award recipient emphasizes service

Abigail "Abby" Danis, an Orlando-based market development manager for endourology at Boston Scientific Corp. and a noted champion of FSU’s professional sales students, has been selected to receive the College of Business’ 2025 Recent Alumni Achievement Award.Click to enlarge

As she prepares to accept another award, Florida State University College of Business alumna Abigail “Abby” Danis reflects not on triumph, ambition and attitude but on purpose, service and gratitude.

All continue to mark her professional journey, with modesty guiding the way.

“That’s been a key theme throughout my career — always maintaining humility and focusing on trying to be of service to others,” she said. “When that’s the leading theme for my life, doors seem to open.”

Danis, an Orlando-based market development manager for endourology at Boston Scientific Corp. and a noted champion of FSU’s professional sales students, has been selected to receive the College of Business’ 2025 Recent Alumni Achievement Award. 

The award recognizes extraordinary FSU business alumni, particularly those who graduated within the past 15 years. Danis earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing in 2011. She will receive her award at the college’s Alumni Hall of Fame Gala in October.

“I feel so honored and humbled,” Danis said. “I’m excited and delighted to be recognized in that way.”

The award follows a stream of accolades she has received during her 5½ years at Boston Scientific, a developer and manufacturer of innovative medical devices. Her recognition includes Rookie of the Year, Peak Performance Award, Sales Endurance Award and Territory Manager of the Year. She also remains involved in the urology division’s Young Professionals Network, serving as a founding board member. In addition, she is a company Global Executive Council member and FSU Ambassador.

Before joining Boston Scientific, she served as a top sales performer in various positions at ADP, VIRA Insight and Laird Plastics.

“I think early in my career, I probably was a lot more self-serving, focusing on what was going to make me the happiest, and I think I was more money-motivated,” Danis said. “But every job I took got me a little closer to my life's mission of being of service to others.”

“Every job I took got me a little closer to my life's mission of being of service to others.”

– Abby Danis

As Boston Scientific’s market development manager for the southeastern U.S., Danis focuses on products that surgeons use to diagnose and treat problems in the urinary tract, including kidney stones. Her work spans inception to market release.

That gives her a connection to patients and purpose: improving quality of life.

“A lot of what we do is OR-based,” Danis said, referring to operating rooms. “And I always ask myself how I can help make anybody's life that I come into contact with, including the person who cleans the OR between surgeries, a little easier and better.”

Danis attributes her commitment to service to what she learned at the FSU Sales Institute, especially from Pat Pallentino, the center’s founder and former director who passed in 2022. 

A friend suggested that Danis, then a young FSU student, join her in taking a sales class with Pallentino. Danis always wanted to become an actor and embraced the FSU Sales Institute’s buyer-seller role-play scenarios, including their filming. 

“I got to lean into that,” Danis said, “and it ended up transforming my life.”

With appreciation and emotion, she emphasized the legacy of Pallentino, dubbed “The Godfather of Sales,” who remains widely beloved for his raspy Brooklyn accent and unwavering presence, leadership and service to students. 

“Pat really changed my life,” Danis said. 

She recalled that her father, Ed Danis, who passed in 2019, would ask about Pallentino and encourage her to stay in touch with him, which she did.

“He did so much for me,” Danis said softly. “Pat introduced me to so many people and opened so many opportunities.”

A few years ago, Danis told Pallentino it was time she started giving back: She established a scholarship, the Abby Danis Sales Performance Award, for the FSU Sales Institute. Pallentino came up with the name, and the institute awarded the first scholarship in fall 2022.

“I enjoyed seeing how I was able to help change other people’s lives, and I started to get more involved,” Danis said.

Her passion and servant leadership led Michael Hartline, dean of the College of Business, to invite Danis to join the college’s Board of Governors, on which she serves today. She also serves on the board of the FSU Sales Institute. 

In addition, Danis regularly mentors students and appears as a guest speaker in sales classes.

“Abby is very committed to the students, and she’s very engaging with them,” said Chuck Viosca, director of the FSU Sales Institute. “And they absolutely love her.”

She loves them too, saying her commitment to the institute and college aligns with her intention to be of service.
“It has been an incredible experience,” she said.