Dan Palmquist graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1982 and attended Medical school at the University of Minnesota. He finished a residency in family practice in 1989 while in Duluth. He is currently a family practitioner in Cloquet since 1989.

He is married to his wife Naomi, and has three children.

Dan is the principle trombonist with the Twin Ports Wind Orchestra.