Danny Maggard – 2015 Mining Engineering Foundation Distinguished Alumnus

Danny is a native of Hazard and Perry County.

Danny is a 1972 Graduate of Hazard High School and a 1976 Graduate of the University of Kentucky where he received a Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering with mining emphasis, which makes him one of Ted’s boys, referring to Professor Ted Haley who kept the mining program alive during the late 60’s and early 70’s. Danny is a lifetime member of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association and a UK fellow.

Danny is a Kentucky Registered Professional Engineer and a Registered Land Surveyor.

Danny is employed as Chief Engineer for Kentucky River Properties where he was first employed in 1973 while a student at UK. Upon graduation, Danny helped with the engineering of approximately 25 small “mom and pop” deep mines that were on
Kentucky River properties.  In 1977, he began work for Elmon Corporation where he was in charge of permitting and reclamation for two large surface mines and engineering for two deep mines. Danny rejoined Kentucky River Properties in 1979 and has served as Chief Engineer since 1990. Danny’s duties have included engineering audits of Kentucky River’s lessees, land dispute settlements, and lease management. Danny was instrumental in helping to formulate the Unmined Minerals Tax legislation when it was reinstituted in the early 90’s.

Danny is a 1992 graduate of Leadership Kentucky and has chaired several energy and environmental sessions for various classes of Leadership Kentucky.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Coal Association and a member of the University of Kentucky Mining Engineering Foundation Board where he currently serves as Vice Chair. He serves as Secretary for the Presbytery Child Welfare
Agency which is more commonly known as the Buckhorn Children’s Home; He is a member of the Hazard Independent College Foundation Board.

He has been an active Member of Hazard Lions Club for 30 years. Danny is an ordained elder, serves as Clerk of Session for First Presbyterian Church of Hazard, where he teaches Sunday school and is a member of the choir; Danny was selected as the Chamber
of Commerce’s “Man of the Year” in 2003; he is also Charter and current board member of the Challenger Learning Center of Kentucky.

Danny is the founding chair of the Foundation of Appalachian Kentucky which is in its 7th year and is currently managing community foundations for Perry, Leslie, Jackson and Clinton Counties.

More recently, Danny has helped the Kentucky Coal Association begin the Mining Camporee for troops of the Blue Grass Council of the Boy Scouts. Last year’s Camporee saw more than 500 campers.

Danny has been married to Margaret Sigmon Maggard for 39 years and has three Daughters – Elizabeth Raye Hurley, Margaret Danielle Johnson, and Dr. Molly Paulette Maggard. Danny has two granddaughters – Logan Elizabeth and Ella Charles Hurley and
one step-grandson – Austin Johnson.

Danny’s hobbies include nature photography, travel and sports.

An usual fact about Danny is that he sang with an acapella choir which performed the music for mass at St. Peters Basilica in the Vatican in July 2013.