Dan graduated from Virginia Tech in 1971 with a B.S. Degree in Business Education. After teaching various business subjects at Dublin High School in Dublin, VA for four years, Dan entered the Insurance Business as a Life & Health Insurance Agent. He became a sales manager in April 1977 with a National Company. On March 1, 1979 Dan founded Carper Insurance Agency as an Independent Agent selling Life, Health and Property and Casualty Insurance from his home in Christiansburg, VA. Dan moved his office to downtown Blacksburg on August 1, 1980; and, then relocated to its current location on January 1, 1997. On September 1, 2017, Dan sold Carper Insurance to Scottie Wyatt and has remained active in the agency on a part-time basis. Dan and his wife, Pam have two children, seven grandchildren and live in Blacksburg.