Daniel Wellehan Jr. ’55

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Dan Jr. graduated with honors from Holy Cross with a bachelor of arts degree in economics and a concentration in Latin and Greek—courses that were mandatory for a bachelor of arts degree when he was a student.

“That was a great strength of the curriculum,” he says. “It was maybe an unbalanced approach, but the amount of time we spent in philosophy developed a sense of being able to logically approach certain things. That was of great value.”

Holy Cross’ influence stayed with Dan Jr. After graduation, he did his military service in the Navy on a destroyer out of Norfolk, Va., that took him to places like the Persian Gulf, Bazra, Saudi Arabia and Greece.

“Visiting these places reacquainted me with all the things I’d been exposed to at Holy Cross,” he says—“All the windows to the world that were opened to us there, particularly the ancient worlds.”

After the Navy, Dan Jr. found himself with experience of the bigger world, a fading interest in the cities, and a renewed sense of what he loved about Maine.

“When all was said and done, Maine had the year-round four seasons,” he says. “Recreationally it was just great. You could easily move from one place to the other. You had wonderful summers sailing and the winter was spent skiing. Maine had a lot of appeal.”

In 1948, Sebago developed the world’s first leather boat shoe. By 1952, a second factory opened to keep up with the demand for 2,000 pairs a day—and, in 1954, Sebago produced its millionth pair of shoes. By 1960, shoemaking was the largest employer in Maine. With the company’s identity reflecting Maine’s reputation for outdoor adventure, Sebago was initially famous for “the most comfortable shoes for the world’s sailors”—it then evolved into producing quality indoor/outdoor footwear that combined the comfort of a leather loafer with the solidness of a recreational shoe.

By the time Dan Jr. returned to Maine, his father’s shoe factory was part of a big boon to the state, succeeding with hands-on manufacturing, classic styling and a product line whose identity was linked to the “salt water, sea air and Maine’s rugged coastline.”

“Back then, shoes were a Maine business,” says Wellehan. “It was a big part of the culture, shoe factories and tanneries. There was something very unique about leather. It was a substantial transformation—taking the raw material and converting it into a useful, aesthetic product. I wasn’t a particularly scientific guy, but it was understandable. You could see the result of your work.”

Known for quality hand-sewn leather and classic styling, the company’s biggest shoe was the Docksides© boat shoe, which Sebago launched globally in 1970. Docksides became popular well beyond beaches and the decks of sailboats, hitting it big as a casual, fashionable shoe.

“They were great products,” says Wellehan, “well-made and commercially acceptable.”

Dan served as president and chief executive officer of Sebago and his brother, Jim, still serves as chief executive officer of Lamey-Wellehan.

“The company grew at a steady pace over many, many years,” says Wellehan. “People were good to us—the folks who worked for us, those who sold the product, and the suppliers. We had some excellent relationships all the way through.”

In 2003, the decision to sell Sebago to Wolverine World Wide was a well-thought out choice with mixed emotions, considering what the business meant to the Wellehan family, and the overall dramatic change in American manufacturing that saw the closing of many independent businesses. But Dan Jr. believes Wolverine is a good company.

Noting that he continues to put his “recreation and avocation to good use,” Dan refers to his involvement with the Multiple Sclerosis Regatta Harborfest—a Maine benefit sailing event that Dan and his friend and organizer, Merle Hallett, launched back in 1980. This effort, which is still going strong today, has evolved into a three-day affair that raises $200,000 annually.

His gift of a scholarship to Holy Cross comes from a similar blend of generosity and service, enabling him to contribute something of his beloved Maine to an enduring cause that will continue to benefit others.

“Holy Cross opened so many doors,” says Wellehan “It had a lot of influence in various stages of my life. You just want to make some of that available.”

Maria Healey is a freelance writer from Northampton, Mass.