Bios

John G. Daniel
Deputy Executive Director
Louisiana Spirit Hurricane Recovery
Office of Mental Health
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
7th Degree Black Belt
Karatenomichi World Federation, USA
President and Founder, DK Group, & Unity Day Youth and Family Zone
Karate Commissioner, Louisiana Governor’s Games

John G. Daniel is Deputy Executive Director, Louisiana Spirit Hurricane Recovery, former Vice President of Father Flanagan’s Boys Town National Operations, and award winning economic developer for the PECO Energy Company. John G. Daniel’s strengths lie in his ability to articulate relevant messages that engage people in collaborative efforts.  He has the ability to bring out the best of human hopes and aspirations in those from diverse cultures and agencies.
Mr. Daniel’s diverse career accomplishments have empowered youth, adults, families and communities to close the well being gaps in health, education and wealth creation. This is exemplified in four ways:

• First, in 2005 he accepted appointment by Louisiana state officials to participate in the reconstruction of Louisiana, post hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Gustav and Ike. Currently he serves as an executive team member of a $200 million dollar crisis counseling outreach program where he functions as the Deputy Executive Director for Louisiana Spirit Hurricane Recovery. The program has outreached to over three million hurricane survivors since 2005.
• Second, in 2000, Mr. Daniel left a successful corporate career to become the Vice President of Father Flanagan’s Boys Town national operations, which offers help, healing and hope to 40,000 children that are abandoned abused and neglected nationwide. In his tenure there he increased the number of children served, decreased cost, increased revenue streams and also created the “Youth Empowerment Forum©” which is a process that unfolds a suite of life skills to disadvantaged youth.
• Third, from 1984-2000, John G. Daniel climbed the corporate ladder to serve as an economic development leader for a Fortune 500 utility company--PECO Energy. In that role he created and implemented regional economic development initiatives in partnership with business, civic, and political leaders, non-profit organizations, and local economic developers in the Greater Philadelphia Region. In his tenure he was awarded the Edison Electric Institute Award for Marketing & Sales for the sale of the first urban commercial geothermal application in Philadelphia and also successfully promoted transforming existing Philadelphia office buildings into e-commerce business incubators. These facilities created many high tech jobs, attracted new business and served as the foundation to Philadelphia becoming a “wireless” city.
• Fourth, Master Educator (Shihan) John G. Daniel is a 7th degree black belt, Karatenomichi World Federation USA, and has been involved with Shotokan karate since 1971 when his training began under the tutelage of Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki of the Japan Karate Association (JKA). Other instructors include: Osamu Ozawa, Traditional Karate International and John R Mc Clary, Karatenomichi, USA.  A short list of accomplishments include: being the captain of the Cornell University Karate team then under the instruction of Sensei David Morgan Daniel; becoming an ISKF/AAU College Champion in 1979; ISKF East Coast Champion, 1989; USA Team member @ the 1985 JKA World Championships (Shoto-Cup), double Bronze medalist at the Pan American Championship, 1993, and the first African American USA Team Coach at the Japan Karate Association World Karate Championships in Interlaken/Bern, Sweden, 1998. Shihan Daniel coached the USA team to win seven gold medals at this world championship and is the current Louisiana Karate Commissioner for the 2009 Governor’s Game. In the tradition of his community outreach, the Governor’s Games, and Boys Town national, Mr. Daniel has taught karate in Baton Rouge for four years at BREC without charge, and at the East Baton Rouge Detention center. His unique brand of instruction uses karate as a hook to teach youth and families the value of health, education and wealth creation in building a quality of life. This unique approach gave birth to the Unity Day Youth and Family Zone and in response to its success, Melvin L. Kip Holden, Mayor-President of the City of Baton Rouge and the Parish of East Baton Rouge stated that “Karate is a great teacher of self esteem and discipline” and proclaimed May 2, 2009 as the Louisiana Governor’s Games Unity Day in the Parrish of East Baton Rouge. Like wise the City Council of the City of Philadelphia, along with, Mayor Michael A Nutter indicated in a 1994 citation to John that:

 
“As teacher, you embody the highest ideals and traditions of karate. You have learned the timeless lessons of determination, perseverance, self –control, respect for oneself and one’s superiors. Now you impart that those concepts to an ever expanding roster of students at the school.  As they become more limber and fit, they gain increased focus and self –confidence. Thus they are, body and soul, enhanced in a permanent and positive way.”
 
John holds a double Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, Government and Psychology, 1979. Indeed, in 2009, the Cornell University Class of 1979 Alumni Association named Mr. Daniel, as a “Distinguished Classmate”.   He also was the co-founder/chair of the Arnold Schwarzenegger Inner-City Games Philadelphia Chapter 1998-2002.  In November 2003, John facilitated a workshop on Crime in America, articulating crime prevention best practices of Girls and Boys Town, at the US Congressional conference on The State of African American Males. In early 2009, Mr. Daniel was appointed by Jo Pine, Assistant Secretary, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospital, Office of Mental Health, to the Council on the Status of Blacks Boys and Men. In that capacity John elevated from Health Committee member to Chair of the Family and Community Committee. Recommendations from the Council will be submitted at the Legislative Session in 2010.