Board Member

Pete Robbins has practiced law since 1995, first for a major Washington, D.C. law firm, and subsequently in the General Counsel’s Office for a Cabinet-level agency, where he specializes in matters relating to Federal administrative law, energy and the environment.  He is also a Senior Writer for Bassmaster Magazine, a prolific blogger and has written for numerous other magazines, websites and outdoors television programs.  Furthermore, he consults for numerous companies endemic to the fishing industry and leads trips on behalf of Anglers Inn International to Mexico for largemouths and to Brazil for peacock bass. He joined the Board of the BFHOF in 2018, and currently utilizes his vast legal experience as the Chair of the Bylaws Committee. He often dreams of adding new species to his “life list” and frequently obsesses about giant trevally, bluefin tuna and golden dorado in addition to double-digit bass. Pete and his wife Hanna operate www.halfpastfirstcast.com, a website devoted to fishing travel.

Clifton is a proven industry leader and executive with over 35 years of experience in numerous restaurant companies throughout the U.S. Clifton is a visionary leader with extensive experience in communications, product development, strategic oversight and planning, financial analysis, contract negotiations, franchising, key partnership development, operations management, mergers and acquisitions, human resources, and organizational restructuring. Prior to joining GameIQ, Clifton was COO at Jack’s Restaurants, President and CEO at Bojangles’s Chicken and Biscuits and COO and Senior Vice President at Whataburger Restaurants LLC, and VP of Operations at KFC.

Mr. Rutledge is also a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University and was a 4 year letterman on the Tigers Baseball Team.

Kevin VanDam is the standard by which all other professional bass anglers are measured. The lofty bar set by the Kalamazoo, Mich., native in terms of accolades and earnings perhaps will never be challenged. The numbers are simply staggering.

Over his 25-plus year career, VanDam has amassed seven Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles, four Bassmaster Classic victories, 25 Bassmaster wins, four Major League Fishing Cup titles, one MLF Bass Pro Tour triumph, one FLW Tour Angler of the Year title and more than $7 million in earnings between Bassmaster and FLW and MLF. When you’re that successful, it’s only fitting that fans and fellow competitors refer to you by only your initials – KVD.

Though VanDam is well versed in all fishing techniques, power fishing became his signature approach in tournaments. Since making his debut in the Bassmaster Invitationals in 1990 at the age of 22, KVD’s unique fishing style has been defined by speed, reaction and extreme efficiency. He pioneered an up-tempo, offensive strategy in competitive fishing that forced his quarry to react instinctively to fast moving lures like spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits. Using fast-paced lures allowed him to cover much more water than his competitors.
Off the water, KVD brings a similar winning formula to the business side of his brand. His dedication and loyalty to his sponsors is the gold standard of being a true professional bass angler. The way he immerses himself to promotions, appearances, seminars and product design could only be described as tenacious. The time he spends with outdoor media is unparalleled, providing genuine, honest content backed by proven results and insight. In all, KVD’s intensive input to fishing products and information has helped thousands of people catch more bass across the globe.
At home, VanDam is also the model family man. As a husband to his wife Sherry and a father of two boys, Jackson and Nicholas, there is nothing VanDam relishes more than family time in the outdoors, taking his boys hunting and fishing. He also has worked hard in recent years to build gateways into fishing for aspiring anglers and give back to worthy organizations through his KVD Foundation, which launched in 2015, and his support of college fishing events in the Midwest.

Upon turning 50 in 2018, VanDam was inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. Now a competitor on the MLF Bass Pro Tour, VanDam has shown no signs of slowing down as he continues to add to his track record of excellence.

Keith’s first paycheck came from packin’ leeches and maggots at The Fishin’ Hole in Winnipeg.
Canada… what began as a kid’s job quickly grew into a lifelong passion that shaped every chapter of his life. His career as a professional fishing guide helped pay his way to an Honors Degrees in
Outdoor Recreation, Geography and Environmental Assessment — a foundation that would guide
his work at the intersection of people, water, and wild places.
Today, Keith is recognized as “the fishing guy” at Kayak Angler, where his work connects readers,
brands, and the kayak fishing community through storytelling, gear innovation, adventures and a
deep respect for the sport. He’s also the creator of the YakOff Awards, the most popular and
entertaining social program in the kayak fishing world — a fan-driven celebration of creativity,
rigging ingenuity, and community spirit.
His recent appointment as the live ‘on-the-water’ Host for the USAngling Saltwater Kayak Fishing
Team will be leading Keith on even more adventures — from North, Central, and South America for
the Nationals and PanAm Championships to Europe for the Worlds — capturing the stories, spirit,
people and places behind the fastest-growing movement in fishing.
As a member of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame Board of Directors, Keith brings decades of experience spanning guiding, hospitality, media, sales and community development. His focus is on growing the sport through education, inclusion, and storytelling — inspiring the next generation to discover the same joy he found all those years ago, knee-deep in bait buckets.
Because no matter where his career takes him, Keith’s still happiest where it all began — on the
water, rod in hand, chasing the next adventure.