Mitch Daniels is one of the few Americans to excel as a leader in the private, public, and education sectors, within the span of a decade having been called both "America's best governor" and its "best university president."

Elected Indiana's governor in 2004 in his first bid for public office, Daniels was reelected in 2008, earning more votes than any candidate in state history.

During a decade as Purdue University's president, Daniels exemplified the role of public intellectual and thought leader in poignant speeches, provocative opinion pieces, and national interviews on topics of great currency to American society. He captured the country's attention by prioritizing student affordability and investment in faculty and research.

Daniels held senior positions in two U.S. presidential administrations as well as top executive posts at Eli Lilly and Company. In 2015, he was named to Fortune magazine's World's 50 Greatest Leaders, and in 2019, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2023, Purdue University named its business school for him.

Daniels earned a baccalaureate from Princeton and a law degree from Georgetown. He is a contributing columnist to the Washington Post.