Daniel Allen Gillett

Daniel Allen Gillett, beloved husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, colleague, and friend, passed away on August 19, 2025, in New York City at age 63 after unexpected complications following a complex surgical procedure.

Dan was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma on December 8, 1961, and was lovingly raised in Rolla, Missouri, where he learned the value of hard work and independence through early ventures like raising chickens and selling their eggs. He excelled in both academics and athletics—football, basketball, baseball, track, golf—and spent his summers riding ponies, exploring on his motorcycle, working odd jobs from hauling hay to office work, and attending Little Prairie Bible Camp. His faith, discipline, and sense of adventure began young and carried him throughout his life.

At Harding University, Dan thrived, pledging TNT, singing tenor with the Harding A Cappella Chorus, and traveling abroad to sing across Europe with the Chorus, study the arts in Florence, and share the gospel through Campus Crusade for Christ. Dan graduated from Harding with a BBA in Accounting, passed the full CPA exam in a single attempt with ease, and began his career in public accounting. Dan later earned his MBA from Harvard Business School, setting the stage for an extraordinary career in investment banking and corporate leadership.

Professionally, Dan was a consummate deal maker, with a rare gift for bringing clarity to the most complex situations, building consensus among disparate groups, and finding value for stakeholders where none was thought to exist. His meticulous attention to detail, relentless drive, and ability to connect people made him an admired leader and trusted advisor. Dan co-founded Speyside Partners, co-founded Blackhill Partners, served as an executive officer and director for numerous public and private companies, and held roles at Credit Suisse First Boston and Price Waterhouse. His career spanned nearly four decades and more than $20 billion in transactions. Those who worked with Dan remember not only his business acumen, but his kindness, his problem-solving spirit, and his contagious laugh.

Beyond his professional achievements, Dan was a man of faith who found strength in God through every season, including his illness. He prioritized spending time with his family and serving others. Dan was generous with his time and his resources, often quietly and humbly helping those in need. Dan delighted in both big adventures and small family moments. He planned family vacations and celebrations with the same meticulousness as a corporate transaction, complete with detailed itineraries and checklists. He enjoyed singing, cooking, reading, learning, traveling, spending time in nature, and following every sport imaginable, from football to horse racing. To his family, he was a rock, a problem solver, and a man whose hugs could make everything feel okay.

Dan is survived by his devoted wife, Leigh, with whom he shared a deep and steadfast love, his four children, Katharine and her husband, Michael Seyman, John, Joseph, and Elizabeth, and two grandchildren, Miles and Margaret Clarke, all of whom he adored. He also leaves behind his parents, Bill and Clara Gillett, who he loved and respected, and his two sisters, Kristie and her late husband, Richard McKinnon, and Laura and her husband, Kenny Light, along with in-laws, nieces, nephews, many extended family and friends, and his two beloved Australian Shepherds, Ansel and Theo.

Dan had an ineffable strength and a way of making everything seem possible. He lived with purpose, generosity, and joy—and he will be remembered as a man who loved the Lord, loved his family, and lived life to the fullest.

A memorial service will be held Friday, August 29, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Red Rocks Church Austin. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Red Rocks Church (www.redrockschurch.com/austin), Mobile Loaves & Fishes (www.MLF.org), Eastern European Mission (www.EEM.org), or the charity of your choosing.