Dan Mahoney
Dan Mahoney
Outstanding Alumnus
As a student at East Tennessee State University, Dan Mahoney became involved with Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi – Business Fraternity, and the “T-Club.” He also lettered in track and was commissions as a 2nd Lieutenant in ETSU’s ROTC program. After graduating in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in business management, Mahoney entered the United States Army, where he worked with the Transportation Corps in Thailand for one year. He then served as Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve for ten years.
After completing his time in the military, Mahoney returned to Johnson City to help with the family business – an Army-Navy supply store on Knob Creek Road, which has become a landmark over the years. Now, as president of Mahoney’s Outdoor Outfitters Store, he has seen the original enterprise grow from 1,800 square feet to 20,000 square feet, with an additional outlet in Abingdon, Va. In an era of mega-stores, Mahoney’s stands out for the advice and experience of staff members in sports such as backpacking, fly fishing, kayaking and hunting.
His wife, Katie, an ETSU graduate, manages the ladies’ department and his son, Sean, also an ETSU alumnus, manages the hunting department and handles operations. Mahoney has been called an “unofficial ambassador” for the city of Johnson City. He has devoted countless hours of service to the place he calls home. He was elected to the Johnson City Commission for a total term of 12 years, as well as serving the city as mayor in the early 1990’s.
He currently serves on boards with the Mountain States Health Alliance Foundation, the Sequoyah Council Boy Scouts, the Salvation Army, Tri-Cities Airport Commission (one of the longest standing members serving since 1986), Foreign Trade Zone #204, and the Advisory Committee of Sun Trust Bank. He is also active in Nations Best Sports, a sporting goods buying group with more than a thousand members.
Mahoney was President of the ETSU Alumni Association from 2004 until 2006, as well as serving on the board in a variety of roles for 13 years. Mahoney is one of the founders and creators of the ETSU PRIDE program…lending his expertise in running campaigns in a grassroots efforts. He is a member of the ETSU Foundation, as well as the ETSU College of Business and Technology Board of Advisors, He and his wife are also members of the ETSU Distinguished President’s Trust.
Knowing the importance the military played in his success, Mahoney has sponsored an ETSU ROTC award which is given to a second year cadet. Mahoney and his wife were also strong supporters of the creation of the ETSU Foundation carillon. In fact, the couple purchased one of the 26 carillon bells, which play music daily and can be heard throughout the campus.
In 2006, Mahoney was recognized by the ETSU’s College of Business and Technology Hall of Fame for his outstanding achievement in business. In 2001, he received the Junior Achievement Laureate Award. He received the Spirit of Johnson City award from Mountain States Health Alliance in 2000 and the Jim Spradley Award from the State of Tennessee in 1999 for furthering economic development in the Volunteer State.
Being well known for his civic pride, Mahoney previously served as chairman and board member of the Johnson City Board of Education and the Johnson City Planning Commission. He also served as vice-chair and board member of the Johnson City Medical Center Hospital. He is a former chairman of the Salvation Army Board, First United Methodist Church, the Tri-Cities Regional Airport Commission, the Johnson City/Washington county Economic Development Board, the “No. 1” Tri-Cities Tennessee/Virginia campaign, and the Johnson City Convention & Visitors Board.
In addition, Mahoney has served on the boards of the Johnson City Heart Association, the Tennessee Resource Conservation and Development Council, the Dawn of Hope, Rocky Mount Historical Association, and the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association. He has also served as chairman of the executive board of Nations Best Sports.
In the future, Mahoney hopes to help the ETSU College of Business of Technology one of the top 100 business schools in the U.S. He also plans to continue his support of alma mater to make making ETSU one of the top regional universities in the country.