Our Family

Dale Donat – CEO
Dale is the younger brother of Dean and Donna, and is wiser beyond years for this. Prior to starting Mid America Metals, Dale worked in the Nissan Motor Corporation as Director of Parts & Service for the largest Nissan dealer in Chicago. He attended Wyoming Technical Institute after high school, before joining Nissan. Dale loves business and working, having worked in 3 jobs since the age of 12. He’s also passionate about sports and competing, along with the great outdoors. He has been married to his junior high sweetheart for over 30 years and they have 2 sons and a granddaughter. He currently lives in Southwest Missouri.

Dean Donat – CEO

Dean started scrubbing metal in 1976 with another company based in Houston, TX. After 2 days on the job he told his foreman “I suspect this will be the industry I’m in for the rest of my professional career”. After having traveled all over the country scrubbing metal Dean and his brother Dale started Mid America Metals July 1st, 1985. In January of that same year Dean and his wife Janice welcomed their first child and then had 3 more over the next 3 years. Dean credits his parents for his strong work ethic who he says taught all 6 of their children how to work hard, smart and from the right moral compass. Dean’s faith gives him a passion for each day as well as the future and whatever it has to offer. Dean lives by two of his favorite phrases, Put your heart in God’s hands and then follow your heart and Life is a hoot!

Donna Smith – President

Donna is Dale and Dean’s (older and wiser) sister. Donna joined MAM on day one in 1985 after working for the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare for several years in Chicago. Donna has a gift when it comes to numbers and reports which makes her a perfect fit as the President and Director of Finance. Oh and here’s a fun little known fact, she graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Anthropology! Donna lives with her husband Mick on 75 acres in Cedarcreek, MO and enjoys spending time with her family which includes a son, daughter, stepdaughter and several grandchildren.

Dodi Whitmire – VP Southwest

Dodi is the youngest of the 6 Donat siblings (which explains a lot) and can’t imagine life without her family. She grew up in Chicago and Forsyth and then moved to Texas in 1984 to work for a metal refinishing company where she met her future husband Don. Then in September of 1985 she and her husband joined MAM and became the first refinishing crew in Dallas. As VP of the Southwest Dodi is responsible for all of the sales and operations in TX, LA, AZ and NM. She is a longtime board member for BOMA and has served on several committees. Dodi now lives in Coffeyville, TX and enjoys fishing and working on projects with her husband.

Randy Rowland – VP Southeast

Randy was born in Wichita, KS in 1969. His family then moved to Minnesota when he was four where his dad was a school principal. When he turned 12 his family moved back to Kansas where he spent the rest of his childhood years. Randy started his career at MAM on Feb. 19th 1990 in Tulsa, OK as an apprentice. He soon worked his way up to Foreman and then moved to Dallas where he worked with Dodi as the Operations Manager. In 1997 Randy moved to Atlanta, where he still lives today, and is currently the Vice President of the Southeast region. Randy and his wife Gabriela have one son named McGregor.

Brandon Donat – VP Midwest

Brandon is the son of Dale and Mary Donat. He was born in Chicago, IL but grew up in Springfield, MO. Brandon has always had a strong passion for the family business. He started learning about the company from an early age as he traveled around from jobsite to jobsite with his father. After college he joined Mid America Metals as an apprentice in our St. Louis office and soon worked his way up to the Operations Manager then the Regional Director of Operations position. Brandon is an animal lover and someday wants two big dogs at his home in St. Louis, MO. He is married to his lovely wife Dominie.