Dan was born on February 18, 1929, in Joliet, Illinois, as the youngest of five siblings. He completed his education at Joliet Catholic High School, graduating in 1947. In 1953, Dan married his beloved wife, Elizabeth, who also hailed from Joliet, and they enjoyed 62 wonderful years together. He furthered his education at Kent State University and the University of Detroit, ultimately earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from West Virginia State College.
In 1954, Dan embarked on a remarkable 50-year journey in the automotive industry, starting at General Motors. His career also included positions at Volkswagen, American Motors, and American Axle, but he spent the majority of his time with Chrysler Corporation, where he rose through the ranks to hold significant managerial roles, most notably as the Corporate Manager of Material Handling Engineering.
Throughout his illustrious career, Dan was granted numerous patents related to automotive containerisation and packaging innovations. In July 1985, he gained recognition in a cover story for Modern Materials Handling Magazine and was featured in various articles that highlighted his pioneering contributions to containerisation. He was listed in several Who’s Who publications and received the title of Man of the Year in Plastics in 1986 from the General Electric Corporation – Plastics Division. Dan was an active member of both the American Production and Inventory Control Society and the Society for Packaging and Handling Engineers.
His professional achievements allowed him to travel widely across the United States and internationally to countries like Japan, Germany, Brazil, and Mexico. During the formative years of their four children, Dan dedicated time as a Scoutmaster and coached various sports teams in Bloomfield Hills. He was not only a skilled golfer but also a passionate baseball enthusiast and a keen student of the game.