Honoring the Legacy of Mike Daniels

A Foundation of Character

Daniels grew up in the small town of Cape Girardeau in southeast Missouri. An active member of the Boy Scouts, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout and was later recognized with the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award — a reflection of his lifelong commitment to service and leadership. His early experiences in scouting left a lasting impression, instilling in him a deep appreciation for civic involvement and a love of the outdoors.

Before rising to prominence in technology and national security, Daniels held a wide range of unassuming jobs. An ambitious young man, he worked as a janitor and was a truck driver in his father’s business. Through each of these roles, he developed a strong work ethic and a belief that any job done with integrity is something to be proud of. Along this same thread, perseverance and commitment were values he carried with him throughout his life.

His friends and colleagues often speak about his “legendary down-to-earth, Midwestern work ethic” as a defining quality that served as the baseline for every accomplishment that followed.

The Early Spark of Innovation

Daniels earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Northwestern University, attending as an undergraduate on a debate scholarship. Always intellectually curious, he sought out technology courses to better understand the digital revolution taking shape around him. That decision would lay the foundation for a lifelong career at the forefront of innovation.

While studying at Northwestern, Daniels also served as a Naval Reservist. In 1969, he was called to active duty during the Vietnam War and assigned to the Office of Naval Research in Washington, D.C., the Navy’s hub for advanced science and technology. There, he was selected by the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPA) — now known as DARPA — to join the inaugural user group for ARPANET, the earliest iteration of the internet.

ARPA had activated the ARPANET system just two months before Daniels’s arrival. He and his fellow users sat at terminals, sending electronic messages across locations, which was a revolutionary concept that marked the first known use of email. Among the government contractors he interacted with during this time was CACI, where he first met members of the technical team.

After completing his active-duty service in 1971, Daniels returned to Missouri to pursue a law degree at the University of Missouri School of Law. Ten months before graduation, a former contact from CACI, Dr. J.P. (Jack) London, who had since become the company’s CEO, reached out with a job offer in their technology business. Daniels completed his degree and accepted the role, moving back to Washington to join CACI in January 1974.

First Steps in Leadership

At the time he joined, CACI was a small company occupying just a floor and a half of office space in Rosslyn, Virginia. But Daniels believed in the promise of humble beginnings. “Great people can build great companies that last for long periods of time,” he said. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that great companies usually start with a small handful of people. Those people have a vision; they have a dream.”

One of the first people Daniels met at CACI was co-founder Herb Karr. He worked closely with Herb, admiring his dedication to the company and his determination to make a lasting impact in the technology space. Daniels stayed at CACI for five years, gaining firsthand experience in what it took to grow a mission-driven business. Eventually, he made the decision to follow his own entrepreneurial instincts.

In 1979, he founded Computer Systems Management, a government contracting firm supporting the defense and intelligence communities as well as DARPA. By 1986, the company had grown to a team of 200 technical professionals. That year, Daniels began exploring what might come next.

He met with Dr. Robert Beyster, the founder and CEO of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and came away from the meeting convinced he had met one of the sharpest technical entrepreneurs in the business. Later that year, Daniels sold Computer Systems Management to SAIC, and the entire team joined the company in December 1986. This marked the beginning of his journey as a senior executive with SAIC and the start of a successful business partnership with Beyster.

For Daniels, one of the most important lessons in growth and success was knowing when it was time to move on. Each step forward created new space for opportunity — and this next chapter would prove to be his most defining yet.

Seeing the Future Before It Arrives

In early 1987, shortly after selling his first company, Daniels received a call from the same lawyer who had helped him close the deal. A small, relatively unknown firm named Network Solutions was seeking an acquisition partner. Daniels met the founders, saw promise in their vision, and began awarding them subcontracts to better understand their work. Over time, that relationship deepened and positioned the company for a breakthrough opportunity.

In 1992, Network Solutions secured the National Science Foundation Cooperative Agreement, a competitive contract that any U.S. company could bid on. The agreement made Network Solutions the official registrar of domain names ending in .com, .org, .net, and .edu, placing them at the heart of the internet’s commercial infrastructure during a pivotal moment in its development.

Daniels closely followed the company’s growth. While the broader market remained unaware of its potential, he saw what others didn’t. In 1995, acting on that insight, he orchestrated SAIC’s acquisition of Network Solutions for $4.7 million. Just two years later, the dot-com boom began. By 2000, SAIC sold the company to VeriSign for $19.3 billion, which was one of the most extraordinary returns on investment in business history.

A colleague recalled, “Mike was a chairman who was always bringing out the best in his team, inspiring a diverse set of talent, backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.” That leadership helped Network Solutions become a cornerstone of the early internet age.

The full story was later chronicled in Names, Numbers, and Network Solutions: The Monetization of the Internet, a book Daniels co-authored with Beyster. Their account captures a critical era in digital history and the foresight that helped shape it.

The Work of a Lifetime

Some described Daniels as having the Midas touch, but he would be the first to say that success never came without grit, foresight, and the courage to take calculated risks. Following the sale of Network Solutions, Daniels entered a period marked by sustained success in the private sector. He became known not only for his business instincts but for his ability to guide companies through moments of transformation.

“Mike has succeeded in every situation I’ve seen him in, and he has done so with grace and integrity,” one colleague reflected.

He served on the boards of high-growth firms including Mobile365 and GlobalLogic, helping guide both to transformative exits. At Invincea and later Two Six Labs, Daniels provided not just leadership but mentorship, guiding CEOs through complex transitions. He saw value others overlooked and championed long-term vision over short-term gain.

“Mike is a true leader with an exceptional reputation amongst his peers given his extraordinary success as a board member, and he is someone who has clearly demonstrated the best corporate governance practices, from Fortune 500 companies to cutting-edge, high growth tech companies to community-leading non-profits.”

Daniels also served as Chairman of LMI, a company dedicated to supporting national security missions through logistics innovation. Through every role, he remained a calm, strategic presence, and was someone sought after not just for what he knew, but for how he led.

Guiding CACI’s Next Chapter

Daniels rejoined CACI in 2013 as a member of the Board of Directors, bringing with him decades of experience across the technology and national security sectors. From his first meeting, it was clear he brought both strategic vision and a steady hand.

Following the unexpected passing of longtime Chairman Dr. Jack London, the Board unanimously elected Daniels as his successor. In that role, he became a trusted advisor to leadership and a cultural touchstone for the company.

“Mike’s values and priorities set that tone — honesty, integrity, strategy, and character,” one executive noted. “He brings out the best in people.”

“Not only is this a great company, but it has the right mission: to help the United States of America,” said Daniels. “I want to thank every one of you at CACI for all you’ve done, and all those who came before us who helped build this great enterprise.”

A Legacy of Mentorship and Service

For Daniels, leadership was never just about business outcomes, it was about investing in people. Known for his candor, patience, and clarity, he earned a reputation as a compassionate mentor who told people what they needed to hear — not just what they wanted to hear.

“Personally, and professionally, Mike Daniels is an outstanding corporate citizen, business leader, innovator, husband, father, and friend of the highest caliber. His care and concern for individuals and the greater good continue to highlight his remarkable achievements.”

He served as a senior advisor to the National Security Council and the White House on defense technology and held advisory roles with Blue Delta Capital Partners and the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. He also remained closely involved with the Boy Scouts of America, serving on the National Capital Area Council’s Executive Committee and as Chair of its Board.

In recognition of his remarkable career, Daniels received numerous honors, including two lifetime achievement awards in 2024: the B. Kenneth West Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Corporate Directors and a Virginia Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Life is about the people you meet. If you really get to know and befriend a few extraordinary people over time, you’re fortunate. Mike’s simply extraordinary.”

A Life Well-Lived

Outside of his professional accomplishments, Daniels found his greatest joy in the life he built with his wife, Bonnie. The two met as students at Northwestern University in the 1960s and were married for more than 50 years. Their partnership was a constant — grounded in love, mutual respect, and a shared sense of adventure.

Bonnie nurtured Daniels’s love of hiking, skiing, and travel. Together, they sought out some of the most remote and awe-inspiring places on earth. Among his favorite destinations were the Mount Everest Base Camp and Svalbard, the northernmost tip of Norway. For Daniels, standing on a quiet ridge with nothing but the wind and the view was a reminder of perspective — a sense that life was much bigger than the day-to-day, and that humility was essential to understanding it.

The Daniels family gave generously of both their time and resources, always with the goal of making the world better, and never with a need for recognition. Their impact has been felt quietly, but meaningfully, across the communities and causes they cared about most.

To those who knew him personally, Daniels was a devoted husband, a proud father, and a steadfast friend. His life was not only one of remarkable achievement, but of deep integrity, enduring love, and true presence with the people who mattered most.