Our Team
Chase Crum
Meet Chase Crum—the face behind the counter and the heart of Crum & Co. A Panhandle native and avid outdoorsman, Chase lives for duck season, time outside, and running dogs with his Labs, Daisy and Mallie. He founded Crum & Co. to create the kind of shop he always wanted—knowledgeable, honest, and built for the local outdoor community.
Founder
Zach Ward
Meet Zach Ward, co-founder, store manager, and resident chaos coordinator at Crum & Co. Zach keeps the numbers in check, the orders flowing, and the operation moving forward. As an FFL holder and firearms ordering guru, he’s the guy making sure the right inventory shows up at the right time. Outside the shop, Zach enjoys being outdoors, running, and time with family.
Manager
Vendor RelationsKatie Ward
Katie Ward plays a vital role at Crum & Co., serving as the connective tissue that keeps everything aligned and moving forward. With a focus on vendor relationships and product sourcing, she helps ensure the best possible gear makes it into the shop. A lifelong Apalachicola native, Katie values community, quality, and relationships—both in business and at home. When she’s not keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes, she’s enjoying time outdoors with her husband, Zach, and their two children.
Purchasing SpecialistPayton Ward
Payton Ward serves as the purchasing specialist at Crum & Co., bridging vendor relationships with day-to-day inventory management. She handles ordering, processing, and point-of-sale accuracy—making sure the right products arrive, are accounted for, and are ready for customers. As Chase’s sister, Payton is deeply invested in supporting his vision and the long-term success of the store. A mother of three, she enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time outdoors with her husband, Seth.
Mallie
Mallie is a red Labrador retriever and Chase’s go-to hunting companion. With an unmatched drive for hunting and retrieving, she embodies the working-dog spirit that inspired the Crum & Co. logo. Focused, energetic, and always ready to work, Mallie takes her role in the field—and in the shop—seriously. Listed as Customer Relations, she can be found greeting customers and keeping an eye on things most days at the store.
Customer Relations | Lead Retriever
Daisy
Daisy is a yellow Labrador retriever with a calm, easygoing personality. While she enjoys retrieving, she’s just as content relaxing at home or hanging out in the shop. A true family dog, Daisy is laid back, friendly, and happy no matter what’s going on around her. Like Mallie, she’ll be in the shop most days, quietly reminding everyone that Crum & Co. is built around family, loyalty, and a love for the outdoors.
Customer Relations