The father of four Ridleians, Daniel had over 20 years of association with the school, which culminated in his serving as Chairman of the Board of Governors from 1996 to 2000. He practiced civil litigation in St. Catharines from 1960 to his retirement.
At the time of his accession to the Chair, it was almost exactly one hundred years since Ridley had been led by a citizen of St. Catharines. Thomas Merritt, the founding chairman, served for the last years of the nineteeth century, as did Daniel for the twentieth. He guided the school through the technological changes of the decade.
Daniel was bestowed the Queen's Council, was a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and was called to the New York State Bar. He also served on the Niagara Parks Commission, was President of the St. Catharines Golf & Country Club and the Golf Association of Ontario, and served on the Royal Canadian Golf Association from 2007-10. Daniel died in St. Catharines on December 24, 2013.