When Dan Seals ran for Congress in 2006, it was the first time the then-Director at GE Capital had ever run for office. An unknown at the beginning of the campaign, Dan and his local supporters built a strong grassroots organization with thousands of volunteers and raised almost $2 million—all with little help from the national party. However, he did receive support from national figures such as Senators Barack Obama and Dick Durbin, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and former Tenth District Congressman Abner Mikva. After a short 11-month campaign and a lot of hard work, Dan shocked the pundits and incumbent Mark Kirk by winning 47 percent in the election. Dan is vying for the seat again in 2008, and this time with even more support.
The youngest of three boys, Dan was raised in Hyde Park, and grew up attending public schools and JCC camp. His parents divorced when he was young, so he was raised primarily by his mother, a social worker of almost thirty years. Dan credits her with teaching him the value of working hard to make a better life for others.
Dan began his career as a teacher—teaching English to high school students overseas in Japan. Dan returned to the United States to continue his education by pursuing a master’s degree in international economics and Japan studies from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Upon completing his master’s degree, SAIS nominated Dan for—and he won—the prestigious Presidential Management Fellowship. Dan served as an Aide to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and as an Economics Fellow in the U.S. Senate. Dan tracked exports of U.S. technology to foreign markets at the Department of Commerce, and worked on tax, budget, economic development and international trade issues in the Senate.
After completing his fellowship, Dan returned home to pursue an M.B.A. at the University of Chicago. Dan began work as a manager at Sprint and then as Director of Marketing at GE Capital. Currently, Dan is a business consultant and public policy lecturer at Northwestern University.
Dan and his wife Mia have been married for 10 years and live in Wilmette with their three daughters.
