Don was originally from Canton, Ohio and is the president of Jasper Company. He arrived in Ely during the April '83 thaw, where he started working at an outfitter and through out the following years he worked at various resorts and outfitters until opening his own freelance guide business in 1988. Don specializes in trophy smallmouth bass angling. The Jasper Company offers a wide range of trip options and packages, for both overnight and day trips, and either guided or self guided; into the Quetico-Superior (BWCA) wilderness. In the off season, he enjoys wood working, as can be seen in the re-construction of A Stay Inn Ely, or by visiting Jasper Guest House, Bay House, and Bakeshop; plus Don enjoys hunting ducks & grouse with his labrador retrievers and hiking the vast Northwoods in November after whitetail deer. 

Joan is originally from Minneapolis, and is employed by the St. Louis County schools as a school psychologist and high school counselor. She has a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. Her hobbies include scrapbooking and she thoroughly enjoys gardening at the Jasper Lake homestead where she tends to many raised beds of garden vegetables and flowers.

Don and Joan's daughter, Cindy, graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a  degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Hospitality Management.  In 2014, Cindy completed a Master's degree in Sustainable Tourism Development from Arizona State University.  Her studies included internships with the Biltmore Estates in Asheville, North Carolina, The StockFarm Club in Hamilton, Montana and The Hotel Sofitel in Bloomington, Minnesota.  She also studied Wine and Food Pairing at the Universitat de les illes Balears of Palma de Mallorca, Spain.  Among her highest honors, was being selected as the 2012 American Hotel and Lodging Association's Student of the Year. In her free time Cindy enjoys camping, fishing and hunting; some of her most treasured memories are from BWCA and Quetico canoe trips.