About Your Delegate - B. Daniel Riley

1. Parents

My parents met during WWII when my father, an American, met my mother while stationed in London, England. When the war was over my father moved the family to the U.S. (I was born in England). My parent's marriage became rocky around 1952. I feel it was due to my mother's separation from her family. My parents were divorced in 1960. My mother wanted to take all of her children to England, but none of us wanted to leave the U.S. My mother taught me dedication to family. She stayed in the U.S. even though she still was homesick and needed her family support to raise us after the divorce. She made great sacrifices to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads. She worked several jobs to make ends meet. In 1978 when all of her children were grown, she moved back to England and lives there still. From her I have learned that family does come first. My father believed we live in a "do-it-yourself' world. It was up to all to do something about a problem not just sit back and complain. He taught me commitment to causes.

2. Childhood Experiences

Every so often I get together with the old gang from my Baltimore neighborhood where I was raised. No matter what memory we recall we always come to the same conclusions. That we never realized when we were young that we did not live in the greatest neighborhood or had the best clothes to wear or a big backyard because we were too busy having fun building forts, playing sandlot ball and just hanging out together.

I did have medical problems as a child. I had a touch of the polio virus when I was five. When I was six I started to have epileptic seizures due to a brain tumor. Doctors predicted I would be blind by my teenage years as the tumor was inoperable. The tumor died and I'm not blind and have not had a seizure since I was 13.

3. Heroes/Heroines

Gandhi - Human spirit over oppression
Winston Churchill - Determination for victory against the odds
Jimmie Carter- Character above one's position
E. Roosevelt - Take a position no matter public criticism
B. Gaddy - The joy of helping the less fortunate

4. Values

Always have respect for others and their opinions. This, along with honesty, are the values I have taught my own children and those in my classroom. A person's word should be their bond. Probably the most important value is to be accountable for one's actions - to take responsibility no matter the outcome.

5. Adult Life Experiences

I feel my largest success is being a good father and husband above anything else. My biggest setback was starting college at a late age.

6. Family Life

My wife is my lover, mother of my child, my best friend and companion through life. I would not want to be without her. My daughter is a great individual displaying the values her mother and I have instilled in her. Her caring and concern for others is admirable. I also have two stepsons who, although have had hard times, are truly good people and have been a great help to me over the years. My family is a blessing.

7. Professional Life

I started out as a union construction worker. Through my wife's encouragement, I went to college part-time on and off for 9 years and finally earned a Master's Degree in Education. After 28 years of teaching, I retired on July 1, 2006. I have truly enjoyed working with kids. I have been inducted into "Who's Who in Teaching" six times. What makes this such an honor is that a student must be a senior in high school and in the top 2% of the nation academically to nominate a teacher. Many of these students I taught in the 7th or 8th grade which was several years before they nominated me.

Because I was a teacher with my summers off, it enabled me to work for 10 years with kids in the Maryland Conservation Corps doing environmental projects. Most of the kids were 14 to 16 years old. To qualify for the program they had to be mentally or physically challenged or be in a low income category. I liked the program so much that I raised an additional $100,000 over the 10 years to get more kids into the program.

There are many wonderful constituent stories but, in general, it is always a pleasure to be able to help others. I encouraged two of my constituents to run for public office and they both were elected to the Aberdeen City Council.

8. Tell us something about you that most people don't know!

I don't like most politicians. It is an honor to serve in public service. Too many in politics are in it for what I feel are the wrong reasons.