Born and raised in the heart of Cajun country, Crowley native Dan Gardiner was the youngest of four children. His parents were teachers, and as such, their top priority was to ensure their children would get a good education.
“They also instilled a strong work ethic in me from the beginning,” Gardiner says. “It did not matter to them what I did, as long as it had a positive impact and was done to the best of my ability.”
In May, Gardiner took over as CEO and managing director at Postlethwaite & Netterville. To prepare for the transition, he worked alongside longtime CEO Bill Balhoff—now a director of the company—for nearly three years on a strategic succession plan.
“Bill has been a great mentor to me. In leading our firm, Bill never faced an obstacle he could not overcome,” he says. “His positive attitude and tenacity in overcoming obstacles is incredible and contagious.”
In his free time, Gardiner enjoys playing sports and spending time with his wife, Shawna, and three daughters.
Read the full Executive Spotlight Q&A with Gardiner. Here’s a sample of what you’ll find:
What is one of the luckiest things that has ever happened to you?
Aside from being introduced to Shawna, the luckiest thing that has ever happened to me was on the golf course. I actually hit a hole in one on a par 4. I’m not sure what the odds are for that, but if you’ve seen me play golf, you’d know that for me they are astronomical. It was definitely all luck.
