Dan co-founded Softworks in November of 1983 with $600. The initial software they produced was a DOS shell for the Commodore 64 called ‘Softfiler’. In 1985, he dropped out of college to devote his full time efforts to the company. In 1986 he helped to develop a line of personal computers called ‘Citus’, which was sold through a VAR network. The company was twice named to Inc 500 list (in 1990 & 1991 as #11 & #29 fastest growing private company in the United States). In 1992 the company acquired an engineering firm, Micro Linear Controls, from Racine, Wisconsin. The team transformed the business to focus on OEM customers exclusively and rebranded itself as Granite Microsystems. As a result of a focus on OEM assemblies outside of computers, Granite Microsystems was then rebranded as GMI Solutions in 2015. In 2005 he and the team set up an overseas WOFE in Shanghai China envisioning duplication of the successful Low Volume high Mix (LVHM) philosophy. The Asia division continues to be a successful part of the GMI Solutions strategy. He continues to give overall direction to the company & team, sits on several boards and has received numerous industry awards and recognition. To help mentor other budding entrepreneurs he also founded and funded a successful top-15 startup accelerator gener8tor, which he successfully exited.
