Born and raised in a small southeastern Indiana town; I was a tennis player and dreamer. I attended Indiana University and Ball State I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of structure and creativity—whether I’m leading teams, sketching ideas, cooking dinner, or rebuilding a garden bed. That curiosity led me through an unconventional academic path: an MBA, BGS, and AA, plus continuing studies with Harvard, Franklin Covey, and the Center for Creative Leadership. I believe learning doesn’t end when the degree is framed—it evolves as you do.

In 1997, I met Debbie Buell, and a new kind of adventure began. We were married in 1999 and soon welcomed our children—Alex in 2000, and Flynn in 2003—into a world we hoped to make a little more thoughtful, beautiful, and grounded. They’ve since grown into my favorite people and my most honest teachers.

Through all of it—my work as a software executive, my art, my time in the kitchen or behind a camera—there’s been one throughline: I like to build things that last, that matter, and that make life feel more alive.

My first role in tech was at Ontario Systems, where I worked as a Senior Systems Analyst. I later joined Ontario’s largest client, OSI, stepping into the role of Senior Director of Information Services. There, I designed financial models and algorithms that are still in use today by some of the world’s largest financial services institutions.

After earning my MBA, I took on the role of Chief Operating Officer for a major Colorado-based law firm and asset purchasing organization. I raised significant private and institutional capital to fund a business model that was ultimately acquired at a strong multiple.

From there, I served as President of U.S. Operations for Teleperformance, a French-based, publicly traded global leader in customer experience, where I led operations across multiple continents. I also held the role of COO for an early-stage fintech company, helping shape its foundational strategy.

In 2005, I joined Experian, the world’s largest credit reporting agency, where I led product and marketing for the financial services division. I went on to found and lead Experian Health, growing it from a startup concept to a business generating $350 million in annual revenue.

In 2016, I moved to Wolters Kluwer as General Manager of the Healthcare division, and in 2021, I became Chief Operating Officer at Decision Research Corporation (DRC) in Honolulu. I led DRC through its acquisition by Majesco, and currently serve as Senior Vice President of Operations, guiding integration and strategy.

Throughout my career, I’ve also:

• Raised and deployed over $1.4B in acquisitions

• Led exits totaling $500M+

• Generated over $1B in product revenue from original concepts—some of which are patented

• Served on several Boards and Advisory groups

• Most importantly, had the privilege of working alongside truly remarkable people across what feels like a fairytale of a career

I hadn’t taken an art class since 7th grade, and I wasn’t exactly a natural. But somewhere along the way—mostly in quiet museum halls—I fell in love with the 19th-century Impressionists. Their ability to capture light, emotion, and fleeting moments moved me in a way I didn’t expect.

On a trip to Europe, Debbie and I decided to start collecting art. That collection has since grown to more than 150 pieces, now split between storage and our walls. Debbie had taken classes for years, and I was looking for something we could do together. So when I turned 50, I picked up a brush and started experimenting—first with watercolor, then gouache.

Since then, art has become a central thread in my life. It’s my way of translating what I see and feel into something tactile. While I primarily work in watercolor and gouache, I’ve also played with acrylics, oils, casein, and pastels. Over the past few years, I’ve sold more than 90 pieces, and my work now hangs in six countries.

Time is always tight, but the vision remains: to keep showing the world as I see it—one brushstroke at a time.

Over the years, I’ve immersed myself deeply in the world of art—not just by painting, but by studying it. I’ve taken a variety of online art history courses, read countless books, and visited nearly every major art museum around the world. That time has shaped not only how I paint, but how I see.

My style today leans expressive and impressionistic, and wherever possible, colorful. I’m more interested in the energy and feeling of a subject than exact precision. Color is how I speak emotion, and brushwork is how I try to breathe life into a scene.

I draw inspiration from an ever-growing list of artists—thousands I admire, honestly—but a few modern favorites include Buffalo Kaplinski, Erin Hanson, and Stephen Quiller. As for historical influences, I always come back to the masters: Van Gogh, Pissarro, Monet, Renoir, Dufy, and Cross. Their work continues to inform how I think about light, movement, and mood.

Art doesn’t come to me naturally, but when it comes, it comes gloriously!

I’m not the best talking about my feelings, preferences, personality, etc., though I’m better than I was when I was much younger.

I don’t put 100% credence into those personality tests, but the one that I feel that has read me the best is the Myers Briggs test, which says that I am an INTJ-A. And according to them, this is what that means:

I am an imaginative and strategic thinker, with a plan for everything. These thoughtful tacticians love perfecting the details of life, applying creativity and rationality.

I embrace rationality and impartiality, excelling in intellectual debates and scientific or technological fields. I am fiercely independent, open-minded, and strong-willed.

I deploy strategies based from confident individualism, which means that I tend to like doing things alone, choosing to rely on my skills and instincts instead of seeking contact with other people. I know what they are good at.

As an INTJ (Architect), you possess a rare combination of vision and pragmatism. Your analytical mind constantly seeks to understand the world around you, driven by an insatiable curiosity and a desire to improve systems and ideas. You approach life with a strategic mindset, always looking several steps ahead and planning for various contingencies.

Your independent nature is one of your defining characteristics. You value your autonomy and often prefer to work alone, trusting your own judgment and abilities above all else. This self-reliance, combined with your intellectual prowess, allows you to tackle complex problems with confidence and innovation.

While your rational approach to life serves you well in many situations, it can sometimes create challenges in your personal relationships. You may find emotional expressions and social niceties puzzling or unnecessary, preferring direct communication and logical discussions. This tendency can make you appear aloof or detached to others, even when you care deeply.

Your pursuit of knowledge and improvement is relentless. You have high standards for yourself and others, always striving for efficiency and effectiveness in all areas of life. This drive for perfection can be both a strength and a weakness, pushing you to achieve great things but also potentially leading to stress and burnout if not managed carefully.

In your professional life, you thrive on intellectual challenges and the opportunity to implement your innovative ideas. You excel in roles that allow you to utilize your strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, often gravitating towards fields like science, technology, or business strategy. Your ability to see the big picture while also attending to crucial details makes you a valuable asset in any organization.

However, your preference for working independently and your dislike for office politics can sometimes hinder your career progression. Learning to navigate social dynamics and communicate your ideas effectively to others is crucial for your professional growth. Your unique insights are most valuable when they can be implemented, which often requires collaboration and buy-in from others.

Strengths

• Innovative Mindset

• Independent Worker

• Conceptual Thinking

• Continuous Improvement

• Objective Judgement

• Reliable Performance

Weaknesses:

• Frustration with Constraints

• Discomfort with Networking

• Reluctance to delegate

• Impatience with Routine

Armed with powerful intellects and strategic minds, people with the INTJ personality type (Architects) can outmaneuver obstacles that seem unbeatable to most. But these strengths, when misunderstood, can turn into weaknesses – and keep them from reaching their full potential.

Those misunderstandings end here. What you have read so far is just an introduction – we have a great deal more to tell you about the INTJ personality type.

I have voted R, I have voted D - I vote D more than R, not sure if that fully encapsulates me, but it is factual nonetheless.

Economic

I’m a Moderate Capitalist with a Social Lean. I support markets but value fairness and ethical regulation.

Social/Cultural

Progressive, but with respect for tradition. I believe in equality and inclusion; I favor thoughtful reform.

Global vs. National

Internationalist/Globalist - it’s just a reality, we’re one planet floating in space. I support international cooperation and the U.S. leading global issues.

Liberty vs. Authority

Civil-libertarian leaning. I have a strong belief in personal freedoms, but recognize some collective responsibility such as public health measures.

Civic Mindset

Engaged & Responsible. I value civic duty, participation, and the democratic process, mostly…

I asked the Internet to come up with some random, interesting, possibly quirky questions for me to answer.

What is the weirdest compliment I’ve ever received?

Hmmm…. One I get sometimes these days is that I’m a handsome guy, for my age. I’m not, and the qualifier kind of ruins it.

What was my first creative project that I remember being proud of?

When I was young, maybe ten, I wrote this ongoing saga about an off-wall, back-country, farcical family that was pretty zany - I was always surprised when the other kids in the neighborhood would gather on my front porch every week for a reading - I never “marketed” or told anybody to be there, it just kind of happened.

Why do I make the kind of art that I do?

It’s a combination of what I like, what I can actually do from a talent level (most of the time, I do stretch or challenge myself a good bit); I don’t love photorealism, I respect it, but I love art that allows a viewer to insert themselves in order to catch the emotional power of a single moment in time.

What is a hill that I will absolutely die on?

I’m less rigid than most people realize but I am generally locked in on my moral and integrity principles - two I can think of: (1.) I really don’t like bullies - I don’t tolerate them - I generally treat people with kindness and respect and (2.) I’m sure I lie to protect people’s feelings and things like that, but I would gather that I lie a lot less than most people - I don’t do it other than to protect someone who is vulnerable.

What is my go-to comfort food and what’s the story behind it?

Either breakfast (eggs, bacon, fruit, vegetables, potatoes, etc.) or some sort of shellfish (lobster, crab, scallops, shrimp, etc. Not sure if there is a story behind it; I do associate breakfast with a sunny, fresh new summer day with a world of possibility and I tend to associate seafood/shellfish with either a celebratory end of a productive day or one where I got my butt kicked and I want to wallow in the taste of something fantastic.

What do I think that people misunderstand the most about me?

Pretty much everything - and I wish I were being rhetorical or joking in some manner - I am one of those people that others just can’t seem to read for whatever reason. I would say that most people misunderstand how tender my heart is and how empathetic I am.

What do I dislike the most about politics?

Most everything - they are disingenuous, networks exist to foment rage, we’ve politicized everything in society like it is some sort of dim-witted sporting event; I dislike the bullying, name calling, vilifying - it’s ugly theater that illuminates the worst qualities in humanity.

What’s the most “Dan” thing I’ve ever done in public?

Either when I take the lead or the spotlight to try to make people feel comfortable and welcomed or when I’m exercising my charitable side by helping strangers out. Sometimes, I tell a good joke, or give a big smile to people to and try to make their day a positive one.

When in my life have I felt the most myself

Funny question, every single minute of every single day, I am me, simple as that, I never live outside of that lane - I’ve known who I was an a very early age.