Dan Austin has worked at Thrivent Financial for the past 25 years and first joined the newly chartered Stapleton Airport Rotary Club in 1984.  He then joined Centennial Rotary in 1986 after he moved to Greeley.  He was sponsored by Ralph Kreitler.  Dan has served on RYLA and World Community Service.  Presently, he serves on the Cowboy Ethics committee.

When asked what Dan likes best about being a member of Rotary he said, “International friendships plus entrees and friendships wherever we travel.  While on a business trip to England I met Nick Findlay, a Rotarian from Edinburgh Scotland.  Nick and Julia hosted us in their home, and have become lifelong friends.  We have visited their homes in Scotland, Vancouver, and England 3-4 times, and they have visited us 3-4 times.  Our children even know each other, as our son and his wife have stayed with Findlay’s in England, and Olli, Nick’s son, has stayed with our son.”

In addition to Dan’s involvement in Rotary he has shown cattle in 4-H at county fairs, Colorado State Fair, and National Western Stock Show.  He was a National Award winner for agriculture.  Dan and Marlin Frank are both FarmHouse Fraternity brothers.  Dan and his wife, Deb, chaired Cattle Barons Ball for the American Cancer Society in 2008, the year a microburst tore the tent down 2 days before the event.  They successfully moved Cattle Barons to a new venue, and still raised a record amount of money that year for the American Cancer Society. 

When asked to define success Dan said, “A wonderful family—wife Deb; son Jordan (who is also my business partner) and his wife Diana and grandsons Seth and Tucker; daughter Lindsey, her husband Jason, and granddaughters Lily and Nora.  I have also been blessed to be able to build a successful financial planning and investment practice with a wonderful faith-based Fortune 500 company—Thrivent Financial.”

Dan defines his 3 “secrets of success” as integrity, honesty, and to treat people how you would want to be treated.  Dan feels the Rotary 4 Way Test brings all of these into play on a daily basis.

Dan is most influenced about success in his life by Jesus Christ, his mom and dad, his wife Deb, and some wonderful mentors in the insurance industry.  Dan shared that to be successful one should give of yourself, pray 2-3 times per day, and treat others how you would want to be treated.  With all of Dan’s success he is most proud of now being a Paul Harris + 7—one for himself, Deb, Jordan, Lindsey, Seth, Lily, Tucker, and Nora.