1992
While thousands of people work to make the Kentucky Derby and the festival events a success, Kentuckians know that for 17 years one man stood out in his commitment and drive to nailing down every last Derby Festival detail. That man was Dan Mangeot, the Kentucky Derby Festival's long-time President. Although no longer with us, Dan leaves behind a legacy and equally important, many, many devoted friends and colleagues.
Described by some as a `legend' and by others as a `father figure,' Dan did the impossible. He took a legendary event and somehow made it even better. Under his management, attendance at Derby Festival events doubled to 1.5 million, while the economic impact on the community grew from $17 million to $53 million.
When Dan decided to focus on something, the outcome was inevitably a huge success. Whether it was selling more Derby Pins--going from a few thousand a year to 600,000 a year--or instituting a Derby Festival poster--a regular award winner--he knew how to deliver. But Dan was about more than ringing up financial successes. He knew how to create a sense of community ownership in an event. Every year the entire community not only had a sense of pride in the festival activities surrounding the Derby, but a stake in seeing them succeed. Dan couldn't imagine doing things differently. Community ownership translated into a Board of Directors truly representative of Louisville's diversity.
It's true the Derby is about the fastest horses in the world. But for Kentuckians it's also about showing the world the Commonwealth at her finest. And thanks to Dan that's what the world saw. Source: Senate - March 03, 1997 Editor's Note: Dan Mangeot, CFEE, passed away in 1997.