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 Kentucky 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 Festival Pins--going from a few thousand a year to 600,000 a year--or instituting a Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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 that the Kentucky Derby is about the fastest horses in the world; but for Kentuckians, it's also about showing the world the Kentucky Commonwealth at her finest. Thanks to Dan Mangeot, that's what the world saw.

The Daniel A. Mangeot Memorial Scholarship continues his legacy and desire to see our industry evolve by providing support toward the core curriculum registration fees necessary to attain the IFEA's Certified Festival & Event Executive (CFEE) professional designation.