Dajan Ninic, Director, Cleveland Clinic Laboratories (CCL), began his journey to Cleveland in Tuzla, Bosnia, where he was born. He and his family, who are of Croatian descent, moved to the United States in 1996, first to Houston, and then two years later to Cleveland.  

“In Houston, we would run into someone from our country in a grocery store, and they said, ‘we’re moving to Ohio for a better opportunity,'” he says. “So, my parents decided to move to Cleveland, because there was a large Croatian population here, as well as better job opportunities for my family.”

A 180-degree turn

Dajan attended Cleveland State University and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He then learned from a friend of a job opportunity at Cleveland Clinic in the Robert Thompson Pathology Laboratory Medicine Institute (now the Diagnostic Institute). He admits that he approached this position with some reservations.  

“As a business major, I wasn’t sure that I wanted to work in a lab,” he says. “The whole time I was pursuing my degree, I envisioned myself in more of a business role, and nothing even remotely like a laboratory position.” 

However, the chance to join Cleveland Clinic was a great incentive. “To be able to gain employment with Cleveland Clinic, a world-renowned organization, was just too great an opportunity to pass up,” he says. “So I took the job, and I’ve been a Cleveland Clinic caregiver for 16 years.” 

An upward trajectory 

Dajan’s first job in the Cleveland Clinic lab was as a Lab Tech, processing specimens. “This is where I developed my laboratory operational skills,” he says. “It’s also where the love for laboratory operations began to develop for me.” 

Dajan was promoted frequently (Technical Sales Consultant, Sales Manager), all the time gaining new skills. This eventually led to his current role as CCL Director. Cleveland Clinic Laboratories process and analyze laboratory specimens from non-Cleveland Clinic organizations. Dajan and his team promote these services world-wide.   

“We have work nationally from different hospitals and different pathology groups,” he says. “We even have international clients. We get specimens from all over the world.”  

Since assuming the Director’s position in September 2022, Dajan has overseen a continuous rise in CCL sales and operations. “In 2023, we had a record year and grew about 25%,” he says. “In 2024, we are well on our way to another record year.” 

Opportunities for growth 

During the COVID pandemic, Dajan returned to school and received a Master of Healthcare Administration degree from Utica University. He attributes his success at Cleveland Clinic to the many opportunities offered him. “Every single role, whether it was a lateral move or a continuous improvement project or any kind of leadership opportunity, was provided by Cleveland Clinic and contributed to my growth and to me being where I am today,” he says.  

In addition, Dajan credits the previous CCL directors for their mentorship. “Part of what makes up a successful career is cultivating all the skills you gain, but for me, it also required luck in regard to mentorship,” he says. “I was fortunate to learn from many leaders, including the three directors who held this role before me. I knew the operational aspects of the lab, but I really didn’t have any experience in sales. Interacting with the previous directors, developing our service line, I was able to learn about the business of sales and how laboratory sales works.” 

Learning to become a leader 

Dajan has also taken part in the Cleveland Clinic Emerging Leader program, which was developed for young and upcoming leaders to participate, learn and grow within a clinical organization. “That program was filled with opportunities to develop various mentorships, and then just apply that knowledge,” he says.  

“That’s where I learned that we had the ability to reach out and ask for mentorship opportunities. You can send an email to any director within Cleveland Clinic, explain what you would like to learn and ask if you could shadow them, and everybody’s very open to that. I feel that’s an amazing thing to have at your fingertips in an organization. 

“So one thing I always say about Cleveland Clinic is that the tools and resources are there for you to be successful.”