In Memoriam: Former Dexter Shoe Executive Daniel Miller Dies at 91

Jan. 8, 2024: Daniel A. Miller of Falmouth, Maine, passed away on Dec. 30, 2023, at the age of 91. Born in Lynn, Mass., in 1932, Miller’s lengthy career in the footwear industry spanned more than six decades.

After graduating from Bowdoin College and serving as a commissioned officer in the US Army in 1956, Miller joined his father, Hyman Miller, at Moxie Shoe Company and spent years traveling the world for the business until it was sold to Shoe Corporation of America. In the early 1970s, Miller and his father founded TransAmerica Footwear in Maine, importing dress shoes from Europe and Latin America.

Then in 1975, his career hit a major turning point, when his maternal uncle, Harold Alfond — founder of Dexter Shoe Company — offered him the position of territory sales manager for the Pacific Northwest, based in Seattle. After transforming the Northwest region into Dexter’s top sales territory, Miller assumed the role of president of sales and marketing for the company and relocated back to Boston in 1985.

Under his tenure as president, the business grew to more than $250 million in revenue, with a base of wholesale customers around the world. Though he retired from Dexter in 1993 following its sale and reorganization, Miller continued to advise U.S. and international manufacturers, particularly in Hong Kong and China. He only fully retired at the age of 89.

According to his family, Miller will be remembered for “his dedication, integrity, professionalism, humor, and love for his family, as well as the many warm relationships he fostered in the footwear industry around the world.”

He is survived by his wife, Diane; sons Andrew (Gym), Thomas (Susie), Matthew (Julie) and Jonathan (Joy); grandchildren Benjamin, Sofia, Mya, Ari and Gabriel; former wife Vivian, and many dear cousins and friends.