Awards
- IU Indianapolis Spirit of Philanthropy Award - 1989
Mitchell E. Daniels, Sr. was born in Monessan, Pennsylvania. He attended Allegheny College, graduating in 1944. When World War II broke out, Daniels enlisted in the Army Medical Corps. After the war, he did post-graduate work at Temple University.
Daniels joined Pitman-Moore Pharmaceuticals, where he worked in sales. He continued working at Pitman-Moore until it was acquired by Dow Chemical Company. He retired from Dow in 1988 as the Director of Governmental and Public Affairs for DowBrands.
In his retirement, he joined The Executive Service Corps, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting stability and prosperity in developing countries through private enterprise development. He was President of the American Marketing Association, a board member of the Rotary Club of Indianapolis, a member of the Indianapolis Economic Club, on the Indiana Legal Foundation board of directors, the Service Club of Indianapolis and the Greater Indianapolis Republican Finance Committee. He particularly enjoyed serving on the Dean's Advisory Board for the Purdue School of Science. His dedication and commitment to community service earned him many awards, among them the Sagamore of the Wabash, given in 1988. Daniels was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Purdue University in 1990.