Daniel J. Curtis, president of the Dayton-Wright Chapter, passed away on Wednesday, January 16, at the age of 55. As president of Curtis Consulting and before that at BearingPoint (now Deloitte), he was a tireless advocate for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Curtis was a dedicated volunteer and philanthropist, giving generously of his time, expertise and financial resources to make a difference in the lives of individuals in the Dayton community. One of the original employees of the Dayton Development Coalition, where he was on staff from 1995 to 2002, Curtis played an especially vital role in protecting Wright-Patterson during the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure process.
Curtis had a long passion for politics and public policy that began when he was a page and then a legislative aide in the Ohio House of Representatives in the 1970s. Ultimately, he rose to become the executive assistant to the legendary Vern Riffe, former speaker of the Ohio House.
Curtis was about to embark on a second year as president of the Dayton Wright Chapter when he was so quickly taken from us. He held numerous positions throughout his years of involvement in the chapter and was known for his insistence on accountability and responsibility for the chapter's financial funds. He worked closely with others to create an infrastructure that would ensure future growth. Under Curtis' leadership, the chapter launched a new internship program in March 2012 aligned with the region's defense and aerospace sectors to support work force development. Partnered with the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE), the program aims to fulfill defense and aerospace work force development capabilities and reduce university and college recruiting costs for participating corporate partners, while at the same time benefiting the AFCEA chapter scholarship fund. Curtis is survived by his wife Amy (Snyder); his children Kevin, Chelsea and Matthew; and a nephew, Michael. Contributions in memory of Dan Curtis can be made to the AFCEA Educational Fund at the Dayton Foundation, 500 Kettering Tower, Dayton, Ohio 45423. |
