Bill Daniels to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

Bill Daniels from Quincy, IL, Class of 1971, and a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, received a Westminster College Lifetime Alumni Achievement Award on Saturday, April 29, during the college’s Alumni Weekend.

He has been a member of the Westminster Board of Trustees since 1991 and was the recipient of the Student Government Alumni Service Award from the College.

Since 1998, Daniels has been a member of the Harborstone Company, LLC, a privately held company concentrating on capital investment, consulting and business administration. The company owns Abbott Supply, LLC and Melrose International, LLC.

“When I came to Westminster, I did not have a clear idea of what I wanted to study or what to do with my education,” says Daniels. “I always liked math and took every math course I could. My junior year I took my first accounting class with Dr. Hill and discovered I could focus my love of math on accounting. In almost any type of competition you have to keep score to know if you are winning or losing.  I learned that accounting is how to keep score in business.”

The Lifetime Alumni Achievement Award is presented annually to alumni whose accomplishments reflect the Westminster mission and who have distinguished themselves through personal achievements, professional achievements and /or have made significant contributions to society.

Previously to his work for Harborstone, Daniels spent 26 years working his way up the ladder of Penn-Daniels, moving from Comptroller to Vice President to President and finally CEO, until the company was sold to Shopko Stores, Inc.

He has served on the Board of the Mississippi Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America since 1985, including a term as its President, and was awarded the Silver Beaver Award and the Winthrop Rockefeller Award from the organization.

He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing for seven years and rejoined the Board in 2014. He served on the Board of Blessing Corporate Service for 13 years, including four years as its Chairman.  He also served on the Board of Blessing Hospital for 16 years with four of those years as Chairman.

Daniels was elected to three terms on the Board of Education of the Quincy School District #172 (2001-2013) and was Vice-President for six of those years and President for two.

“Outside of the classroom, I learned leadership,” says Daniels. “I learned that a good leader sells people on what to do and does not tell people what to do. The principles and values I learned at Westminster provided the foundation for the reasoning and decision making process I practice today.”

Daniels and his wife Chris have three children: Spencer and Lauren, who both attended Westminster, and Connor, who attended the University of Missouri.

Daniels received his award at a special Alumni Honors Convocation Ceremony on Saturday, April 29, in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury on the Westminster campus in Fulton, MO. The award was approved by the Alumni Council and requires a motion and vote from the Board of Trustees for approval.  Up to six alumni can receive the award annually.