Daniel Gardner

As mayor and president of Oberlin City Council from 2004 to 2008, Daniel Gardner engineered a landmark tax sharing agreement with a neighboring township, completed the first update to the City’s Comprehensive Plan since 1974, partnered with the Oberlin Schools on a wholesale, progressive reform of the local tax system, and developed many policies and initiatives to make Oberlin a carbon-neutral community. Under his guidance, the City moved from running a budget deficit to annual surpluses and achieved the highest possible bond rating for a city its size.

From 1995 to 2003, he was Assistant to the President for Community Affairs at Oberlin College. Previously, Daniel was an executive with the Education Commission of the States (ECS), an organization that assists governors, state legislators, and state education officials develop policies and programs to improve the quality of education at all levels.

Currently, Daniel is training to be a Certified Financial Planner with the intent of serving social entrepreneurs, enabling “people who do good to do well.” He has also established a consulting firm, Communergy, to aid in the development of the market for energy efficiency products and services. He lives in Oberlin with his wife, Ellen Sayles, and children Lucy and Henry.