Christened Daniel Patrick, I was the seventh and last child born to James and Virginia Madden in July 1959. Born at Evanston Hospital, and raised in Wilmette, I attended St. Joseph Catholic School and New Trier West High School, in Northfield (Class of 1977).

I had always planned to be a firefighter, but after working at a gas station and, briefly, as a security guard at Northbrook Court mall, I took what I thought would be another short-time job, this time in the delivery department at Schaefer's. That was quite some time ago.

Given all the time I had spent cruising with my buddies, when I was 16 and 17, I knew the streets of the North Shore like the back of my hand. So the delivery department job at Schaefer's seemed tailor-made. Before long, I was promoted to delivery department manger, although that may have been more a matter of expedience than qualification for the job. After several moving violations and minor traffic accidents, George Schaefer figured it was the quickest way of getting me off the streets. Nevertheless, I managed the delivery department for several years until I became Schaefer's events and party planner, a job I've been able to hold onto because it's one that I truly enjoy doing and because it costs George a lot less money and aggravation than having me at the wheel of a delivery truck.

I'm happily married to Maureen, my high school sweetheart (the only woman who would go out with me more than once), and we have two great children: Virginia, who graduated in 2005 from Northern Illinois University with a degree in elementary education, and Sean, a junior at Mundelein High School. In my free time I love to fish, get together for some great laughs with good friends, and, most of all, spend quality time with my family.