Dan Corley
Since 1999, the year he graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato, Dan Corley has been designing and building enterprise data systems, and he has run his own consulting practice since 2012. Over that time his work has grown from reporting and warehousing into the full architecture of a data estate, and now into the AI solutions that a well-built foundation makes possible. Companies in logistics, insurance, manufacturing, and hospitality have relied on that work, from SQL Server and Analysis Services through Azure Synapse and Microsoft Fabric, and today across whatever platform best fits the client.
Every engagement we take on has his involvement. He shapes the approach at the outset and reviews the architecture before anything is built, whether he or another member of our team leads the day-to-day work. He is also the author of How to Implement AI into Small Business, published in October 2026.
Outside the work
Married for 27 years, he and his wife have eight children and two grandchildren, and their Christian faith sits at the center of their family and of how this firm is run. He serves as board president of House of Heritage, a transitional housing nonprofit in Faribault, sits on the board of Hope Fieldhouse, co-directs Crossfire Youth Sports, and coaches girls varsity basketball. Helping nonprofits get more from their data and their limited time is work he counts as part of the job, not apart from it.
The same four stages, every engagement
The order is deliberate. We start by establishing the decision you are trying to make and who has to defend it. We review the estate as it actually is and name the real constraint rather than the obvious one. Then we build — alongside the people who will own the solution, in reviewable checkpoints, in your tenant rather than ours.
And then we finish: working solutions, written documentation, and a team that does not need us. An engagement that cannot end has not succeeded.
We call this the Decision-First Method, and it is the same on every project regardless of size.
Common questions
What kind of organizations do you work with?
Mid-to-large enterprises whose numbers have to hold up under scrutiny — from an auditor, a regulator, or a board. The sector matters less than the shape of the problem: complex operational data, real margin pressure, and reporting somebody has to defend. The principles translate across industries, and the constraints usually rhyme.
Do you work with companies new to AI or data strategy?
Yes. Whether you are starting from scratch or optimizing existing systems, we meet you where you are. We focus on practical business outcomes, not complexity for its own sake.
How does dAIta Partners stay current?
We work in production client environments every week, on current platforms rather than the ones we learned on. Our recommendations come from hands-on delivery, not from vendor briefings or outdated frameworks.
How do I get started?
Contact us for an initial consultation. We will discuss your data challenges, business objectives, and how we can help. There is no obligation, and we will be clear about scope and next steps from day one.
Ready to talk?
Schedule a 30-minute consultation to discuss your data challenges and see if dAIta Partners is the right fit. No obligation, no pitch deck.
Schedule a consultation