Daniel F. Evans

After his retirement from Ayres in 1976, Mr. Evans remained active in many civic roles. Former Gov. Robert D. Orr, who appointed Evans to a statewide task force on utilities in 1984, said “He was a very competent business person and chief executive and, maybe because he was in the retail business, he understood the human nature better than lots of business people do. He understood the fact we’re not all perfect.”

In June 1994, Mr. Evans was inducted into the Indiana Academy, which recognizes individual achievement and philanthropy. He also served as the first president of the Indiana Retail Council.

Mr. Evans served on the boards of dozens of organizations, including the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, Midwest National Bank, the Urban League and the Indianapolis Day Nursery Association. He was a life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and a three-time recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash.

In 1994, a Faculty Chair was established by Trustees of Wabash College in honor of Daniel F. Evans. The Evans Chair, which is presented every three years, "recognizes an individual whose teaching and scholarship are admirable and effective, and whose intellectual leadership promises to affect the quality of instruction in his or her discipline and across the College." The Chair honors Evans’ devotion and commitment to excellence in teaching and learning.

The Daniel F. Evans Center for Spiritual and Religious Values in Healthcare was established in 1996 in honor and memory of Daniel F. Evans. Mr. Evans was a longtime champion of the integration of religious values into healthcare through his service on the Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital Board of Directors.