Later Danny would pursue other ventures in his life by becoming one of the first registered E.M.T.'s in the state of Ohio. He would also become a fireman, due to his ambulance company he worked for being transferred over to the fire department. During his tenure as a fireman, he collected awards for his valor in rescues. Even to this day, his humanitarian outlook reflects on him during a NAWA fishing tournament with Pro fisherman Dan Stier on Lake Sakakawea, North Dakota in the summer of 1999. While fishing with Dan Stier in a secluded bay, Dan thought he could hear a cry for help. Looking out across the bay, he could see what looked to him like ducks on the water, and hearing the cry again on that windy day. Dan told Stier he thought someone was in trouble; they brought their lines in and went to investigate. What they found were a couple of boys who had lost control of their overturned canoe and were rapidly getting separated from each other in the bad weather. Both Dans rescued the youngsters, their canoe and their belongings and took them in. Later at the weigh-in, both joked about how they could of taken the lead easily if the youngsters could have been weighed as well. The press dubbed the two heroes as the "Double D" team.

One of Dan's favorite interests includes construction, in which he became a contractor. Some of Dan's favorite projects were ones that a normal contractor would not attempt. Often time's friends would stop to see what he had gotten himself into. Dan enjoyed doing the impossible; one customer wanted an addition added to his older home, but it had to look as if it had always been a part of the original design. This would include making the structure look like it was leaning with the rest of the house, while making the inside plumb. He got so good at that type of work, that he was approached by historical societies to tear down, rebuild and repair historical buildings.

Dan then decided to pursue a dream of his, and with the encouragement of family and friends Darryl and Don (Gatlin) Ellis, Dan went to Nashville to audition for "You can be a Star." Dan was told; they could not use him because he sounded too much like Elvis. Years later, Dan used that voice to become fourth in the world in the 1994 World-wide Elvis Competition held in Memphis, Tennessee. Over the years, Dan has performed many concerts as well as performing in Las Vegas as the "King".

Dan's life changed yet again. After his father's death, the family decided to move the manufacturing part of the business home. Dan was then asked to be the Director of Operations, after building the facility that was needed for production of the lures. In November of 1996, Captain Dan's Manufacturing is founded in honor of the late Captain Dan.

Dan's other duties, besides the Director of Operations is to develop ideas for new products. Erie Dearie sponsored the Sportsman's Quest Pro/Am NAWA tournaments and sent Dan on a mission. Dan enjoyed the challenge and fished with some of the biggest names in the Pro Walleye Fishing circuit. The hard part for Danny was learning to troll (the mission), for his father had taught him to cast. Danny learned to troll and came in 6th place overall in the amateur field for 1999.

To learn more about Danny's experience fishing in the NAWA Tournaments go to