Our Founders Dan Beaudoin, Fred Fry, and Mike Beaudoin immersed in their work
The DMF Family
Here at DMF Bait Co, we firmly believe that the key to our success has been our luck in luring talented individuals to be a part of our family. Over the years, we’ve managed to reel in more than our fair share of keepers.
Owner/President/CEO/Visionary Dan Beaudoin
Son of cofounder, Dan Beaudoin, Dan Jr has done nearly every job in the company…even the unpleasant ones. He studied Production Operation Management at THEE Central Michigan University, with responsibilities including customer relations, forecasting, sales analysis, planning, product development, and much more. Happily married, Dan is a father of four, and enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, fishing, boating and for some unknown reason, Detroit Lions football games.
Owner/V.P./Business Intelligence Officer Chris Fry
The son of original co-founder Fred Fry, Chris started working at DMF Bait part time in 1993. Chris became full time after he graduated from Michigan State University in 2001 with a degree in general business. Chris is the worm buyer. Chris is happily married with two boys and a girl. Chris enjoys activities such as paddle boarding, boating, fishing, softball, attending sporting events such as watching the best football team in the state play (Michigan State), and traveling to northern Michigan.
Owner/ V.P./Integrator Nolan Smith
Operations Manager Frank Peppers
When Frank joined DMF in 1990, he never realized his high school summer job would turn into his career. After putting himself through college working summers at DMF, Frank joined DMF full-time in 1996 with a degree from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. When he is not playing with the worms, Frank enjoys spending time with his wife and 3 daughters, either outdoors, on the soccer field, or traveling.
H.R. Specialist Caitlin Gilroy
Caitlin started at DMF in 2007 and is in charge of hiring and managing its rapidly expanding workforce. She enjoys adding great people to DMFs fun-loving environment. Caitlin graduated from Oakland University with a bachelor’s degree in human resource development and a minor in employment systems and standards. She loves music and heading up to northern Michigan in the summer.
CFO Brian Scheuring
After 14 years in public accounting, Brian joined DMF in 2011 bringing his finance and accounting expertise. He holds a Business Administration Degree in Accounting from Central Michigan University. When not counting “worms,” Brian enjoys hiking, bird dog hunting, Detroit Sports Teams, and most of all spending time with his wife, three children, and two dogs.
SA/Software Developer Adam Grudzien
Adam has been tech savvy since his days at Michigan State University. With DMF since 2003, he can usually be found buried in the DMF Bait server room, solving problems. Adam has four children, including a set of triplets, and is also a licensed builder, “mainly for the discount at The Home Depot.”
Accounts Receivable Sara Hildebrand
After starting at DMF Bait as a seasonal employee in 2011, Sara soon became a full-time employee in January of 2012. After joining DMF, Sara has enjoyed the challenge of sorting out customer related billing questions and concerns. Sara is a big fan of anime, board games, and crossword puzzles. Sara is married to Kyle and they wish to start a family soon.
Order Processor Denise Williams
Denise joined DMF in the spring of 2017. After a few years of working DMF customer service, she advanced into the fast paced order processing position. Denise enjoys golfing, travel, and spending weekends at the cottage with her husband and fur babies.
Director of Engineering and R&D Bill Pompili
Bill is passionate about cars and spent 26 years in the Automotive industry in Product Design, Engineering, and Advanced Development and R&D. In 2021 Bill brought his creativity and problem-solving expertise to DMF where he is responsible for production efficiencies and process improvements. Married with 3 boys, he stays active by playing sports with them including fishing, soccer, biking, and skiing. He holds degrees in Vehicle Design from MCC and Mechanical Engineering from Lawrence Technological University.
Office Manger and Customer Service Manger Cristina Burns
Cristina joined DMF Bait in November of 2021 with a rich background in customer service spanning more than 10 years. She leads a team of professionals in seamlessly taking and processing orders while adeptly troubleshooting customer inquiries. As the office manager she takes pride in the smooth function of our workspace. Beyond the professional realm, her hobbies include painting, reading, and listening to music. She aspires to obtain a degree in Psychology which is driven by a passion for understanding and helping others on a deeper level. Cristina also loves to spend time with her dog, Bella, who often makes an appearance at the office. Some say she is the unofficial mascot of DMF Bait.
Sale Associate Luke Smith
Luke started working at DMF Bait during his summers while in high school. He worked in the Film Industry for 10+ years before moving back to Michigan, to come back to work for the company he has always loved. Luke spent his first 2 years back at DMF training under Eric Smith to mastering his knowledge with sales and marketing to the DMF team. His goal is to help grow DMF with new distributors daily. Luke’s hobbies include boating, photography/video, hockey, golf, and fishing.
Retired President Mary Smith
Sister of original cofounders Dan and Mike Beaudoin, Mary has been an integral part of DMF’s success during her long tenure with the company. Her oldest son, Nolan, is also a valued member of DMF’s staff. Mary’s hobbies include boating, travel, exercising, and spending time with family and friends.
Retired Sales Manager Eric Smith
Eric joined DMF in the fall of 2008 after spending 28 years in the auto industry. He brings a seasoned passion for sales and marketing to the DMF team and is focused on the continued growth of the company. Eric’s hobbies include boating, golf, snow skiing, and fishing (obviously).
Our Story
In 1977, twin brothers Dan and Mike Beaudoin along with lifelong friend Fred Fry, started DMF Bait Company. By 1994, DMF Bait had become the world’s largest wholesale bait dealer.
Our Partners
Here at DMF Bait Co, we pride ourselves on our eco-conscious commitment to help keep the sport of fishing sustainable for future generations. That means partnering with companies that care as much about responsible fishing as we do.