BEDFORD — A Bedford father, small business owner, and school administrator is stepping into the national spotlight after being officially named a competitor in the 2026 Super Dad competition.
David Vanlandingham, a Bedford resident who serves as the Director of Communications for North Lawrence Community Schools and operates a local video production firm DVmedia, learned recently that he was chosen to compete for the national title. The competition, sponsored by Ace Hardware, offers a grand prize of $25,000 and a featured role in a national television commercial.
David and Megan are the proud parents of 7 children:
- Kenton – oldest son
- Marlee – oldest daughter
- Hadley – 2nd oldest daughter
- Gibson – 2nd oldest son
- Lyla – daughter
- Skyla – daughter
- Nash – youngest son
For Vanlandingham, who raises a blended family of seven children alongside his wife, Megan, the nomination came as a complete surprise. An anonymous friend submitted his name to the competition before organizers reached out to conduct interviews, review family photos, and finalize his official candidate profile.
“I was honestly pretty surprised!” Vanlandingham said. “As a dad, you don’t really go through life thinking of yourself as a ‘Super Dad.’ You’re just trying to show up every day, take care of your family, be there for your kids, and hopefully get more things right than you get wrong. In fact, I grew up with ‘dad issues’ … So knowing that someone in my life saw something in me that made them take the time to nominate me was probably the most meaningful part.”
Balancing Family, Work, and Community
Vanlandingham leads a fast-paced life. Outside of his career in public education and managing his media business, he is active in music and local ministry, all while tending to his family’s small farm and homestead.
“My life is definitely busy,” Vanlandingham said. “Between my career in public education, running a growing media business, music and ministry, taking care of our little farm/homestead and raising seven kids, there aren’t many quiet days in our house. But being a husband and dad is still the role that matters most to me.”
While the grand prize would be life-changing for his large household, Vanlandingham views the platform as an opportunity to highlight the daily dedication of parents everywhere.
“As you can imagine, with seven kids, winning $25,000 would be pretty incredible for our family!” Vanlandingham noted. “But I think what makes this opportunity especially meaningful is the chance to represent our community and the everyday dads who are simply doing their best to balance family, work, and everything else life throws at us.”
“Then, when I found out I had actually been selected to compete nationally for $25,000 and the opportunity to appear in an Ace Hardware national television commercial, it became pretty exciting for our whole family. With seven kids, you can only imagine!” he added. “Regardless of how far I make it, though, being nominated and having the opportunity to represent dads and families from our community is something I’m really grateful for!”
How to Vote
The winner of the 2026 Super Dad title is determined through nationwide public voting.
- Voting Launch: Public voting officially opens on Tuesday, September 8, at 1:00 p.m. and continues each day, and you can vote every 24 hours for the dad you want to advance. The voting process will narrow down the dads between now and November as voting results come in. The winner will be announced in December.
- Where to Vote: Community members and supporters can view his official profile and cast their votes by visiting yoursuperdad.org/david-vanlandin-BPjC.
