Meet the Team

Mike Higgins, President
Mike came on board in 2005. With a background in commodities trading, he saw an opportunity to combine his passion for fishing, the environment and all things outdoors to an industry that has been mostly fragmented in practices and procedures. He has quickly applied the skills of moving products efficiently on schedules that can make or break a product’s quality and market value, to streamline The Fish Guys for future growth.
 
Brent Casper, Co-Owner & Founder
Brent started The Fish Guys in 1993 after starting his career in wholesale seafood over 25 years ago on the famous Randolph Street in Chicago. He heads up the research and development, product acquisitions, and vendor negotiations. He is proud to have built such an organization built upon the highest standards and best practices. He is a leader in developing standards for sustainable fish sourcing.
 

Rick Ihli
Rick has been with The Fish Guys in the role of Sales Manager since 2001. He had previously worked closely with The Fish Guys since their business inception on the client side as the buyer from Westlund Meats (now Stockyard Meats). Rick brings both industry buyer experience, as well as business ownership acumen to the sales team as he owned a successful catering company for six years as well.
 
Curt Carter
Curt brings a strong Chef background to the sales team blend. He has been with The Fish Guys since 2003.  Curt has over 15 years in the food industry. This experience includes Curt's tenure as owner and Executive Chef of his own Minneapolis restaurant for 5 years. This experience allows him to easily relate to his target clients in the restaurant industry. Curt is a graduate of The University of Minnesota, with a degree in marketing.
 
Chad Carruthers
Chad joined the sales team in early 2008. He brings to the company 12 years of experience working under nationally renowned Minneapolis chef Tim McKee at local fine dining establishments such as Solera and La Belle Vie. Chad focuses his sales energy in working with upscale restaurants around the Twin Cities metro area. Chad graduated from the Culinary Institute of America.
  
Jaci Hauth
Since 2005, Jaci has taken on many roles with The Fish Guys. Her primary responsibility is teaming with Brent in the sales department to service the Lunds and Byerly’s account. She also provides leadership in managing the front office support staff and is a valuable asset to the billing department.