Daly Announced as ‘26 Commencement Speaker

POUGHKEEPSIE – Former President and CEO of Foot Locker Keith Daly will serve as the keynote speaker for Dutchess Community College’s Class of 2026 Commencement ceremony.

Daly, a retired executive and 1972 DCC graduate, has remained actively engaged with the College as a member of the DCC Foundation Board, where he currently serves as Chair of the Finance Committee and is a member of the DCC Alumni Hall of Fame.

Daly cites DCC as the place where he got his start. As a struggling high school student, Daly had aspired to play college basketball but was told by his guidance counselor that his dreams were unlikely based on his academic performance.
Then, the opportunity to play for DCC’s men’s basketball team opened up. With academic requirements for all student-athletes, Daly knew he had to take college seriously if he wanted to continue playing on the court.

“I often say I went to DCC only as a basketball player, and I left as a student,” said Daly. “Dutchess obviously meant a lot to me. If it wasn’t for them, who knows what I would have done, and certainly, who knows where I would have ended up?”
Daly graduated from DCC in 1972 with an associate degree in liberal arts and transferred to Springfield College in Massachusetts, where he continued playing basketball and earned a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education. After several years of teaching, Daly made a career shift into business, working for Kinney Shoe Corporation and later moving into the company’s new Foot Locker division.

His career eventually took him to senior roles with Foot Action and Foot Locker, including President and CEO of Lady Foot Locker, President and CEO of Foot Locker Europe, and ultimately President and CEO of Foot Locker Worldwide, Foot Action and Kids Foot Locker. He previously served as Chairman and a member of the Board of Directors for the National Sporting Goods Association for several years and served on the board of the Two Ten Foundation, an organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of those in the footwear industry. He also played an integral role in supporting the Foot Locker Foundation, whose purpose is to support opportunities for today’s youth through sports and educational initiatives.
Now in retirement, Daly said he is motivated to give back to DCC — the institution that believed in him and helped set him on a path toward a brighter future.

“I had a very successful career, so I’m in a position to be able to give back. Not everybody can,” he said. “So, I continue to give back. I enjoy it. I enjoy seeing students grow, develop, progress and graduate.”

DCC President Dr. Peter Grant Jordan emphasized how success stories that Daly’s drive community members to consider college, move students to work hard and inspire graduates to continue working toward their dreams for the future.

“We are thrilled to welcome Keith Daly as our Class of 2026 Commencement speaker,” said Dr. Peter Grant Jordan, president of Dutchess Community College. “Mr. Daly’s journey from DCC to the highest levels of business leadership is a powerful example of where a DCC education can lead. His story speaks to the talent, determination and promise of our students, and we are grateful for his continued advocacy as an active member of our Foundation Board. We look forward to celebrating with him and our graduates on May 15.”

DCC will hold its Class of 2026 Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 15 at 4 p.m. at the Majed J. Nesheiwat Convention Center in Poughkeepsie, NY.