A small businessman, corporate trainer and research scientist, Dan Elder lives his vision to assist servicemembers as they return to the workforce. He formed a start-up company in July 2013 coming from McLane Advanced Technologies where he was the Senior Director of Business Development. Prior to, he was a Knowledge Consultant with Computer Sciences Corporation after a highly successful 26-year career as a U.S. Army noncommisioned officer. A graduate of the Sergeants Major Academy, Dan served as the Army’s most senior enlisted logistician as the command sergeant major of the Army Materiel Command.

Selected as the first Senior Enlisted Fellow for the Association of the United States Army office of Educations and Programs, he serves the Speakers Bureau and as a consultant. A military historian, Dan has authored and edited numerous books including Soldier for Life, the NCO Guide and Sergeants Major of the Army. A 4-time hall of fame member, he has been inducted to the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy "Wall of Honor" and the Halls of Fame for the Army Materiel Command, the Ordnance Regiment, and the 13th Sustainment Command. He was a 2018 General and Mrs. Matthew B. Ridgway Military History Research Grant awardee.

Military Service

CSM Elder entered the Army in Jan 1982 and served as a mechanic, recovery vehicle operator, squad leader, motor sergeant, instructor and lesson developer, drill sergeant, first sergeant, and on the staff of the Sergeants Major Academy. With more that 11-years as a senior enlisted advisor, he served as a depot sergeant major and as a command sergeant major at the battalion, brigade, sustainment command, and Army Command levels.

He served the 2-star command of the 13th Corps Support Command at Fort Hood, TX. before his selection as the 12th command sergeant major of the U.S. Army Materiel Command, Fort Belvoir, Va. His overseas assignments include three tours to Germany and deployments to OPERATION Joint Endeavor in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia and OPERATION Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.

Elder's military and civilian education include the Primary Leadership Development and the Primary Technical Courses; Basic and Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Courses; Instructor and Small Group Instructor Courses; Battle Staff NCO Course; Drill Sergeant School; and the Garrison Sergeants Major Course. He is a graduate of the Sergeants Major course, the Command Sergeants Major course, the Command Sergeants Major Force Management course, and the KEYSTONE Command Senior Enlisted Leader course. Earning a Master of Science degree in Corporate & Organizational Communication from Northeastern University, Boston, MA, and a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Touro College, New York, NY. Dan also completed post-graduate studies in Organizational Behavior and Executive Coaching from the University of Texas-Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management. He is a certified executive coach by the International Coach Federation and is a Wiley DiSC certified trainer.

His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters; the Army Commendation medal with five oak leaf clusters; the Army Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters; the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; the Iraq Campaign Medal; the NATO Medal; the Mechanic's Badge; the Drill Sergeant Identification Badge, and other service medals and ribbons.