Board Highlight: Dan Hardman, Continuing a Family Legacy

Being a YC trustee is more than just a title or role for Dan Hardman, it’s honoring family legacy.

Dan’s grandfather, Dave, started Youth Challenge’s Race Day tradition when he was president of the Board of Trustees in the 1980s.  This tradition has evolved into Where Will Color Take You? 5K and 1-Mile Walk & Roll, now hosted by the Sherwin-Williams Women’s Club. Dan’s father, Doug, served on the Board of Trustees in the 2000s and is still a strong supporter of YC to this day.

“My family’s multigenerational connection to Youth Challenge makes it deeply personal for me,” Dan said. “It reinforces how special this organization is to me and how proud I am to be a part of it.”

When Dave Hardman started Race Day, it was a small gathering of YC supporters at Lakewood Park. Today, Where Will Color Take You? 5K and 1-Mile Walk & Roll is a major community event boasting around 1,000 attendees each year. Sherwin-Williams is another organization Dan Hardman has a meaningful connection with. He is celebrating 25 years of tenure at Sherwin-Williams this year and is currently the Vice President of Executive Compensation.

It goes without saying that Race Day and Where Will Color Take You are close to Dan’s heart. However, another YC event that stands out to him is a much newer one—Awards Night.

“Seeing the joy on the faces of award-winning participants, and sharing that moment with the teen volunteers, is incredibly powerful,” Dan said. “Sitting alongside families and witnessing that impact firsthand really brings the mission of YC to life.”

Youth Challenge has grown tremendously since Dan started attending Race Day as a boy almost forty years ago. However, the core of Youth Challenge has remained the same.

“Youth Challenge has always been about creating a true sense of belonging for young people with physical disabilities,” Dan said. “That consistency is what makes Youth Challenge so special.”