From an article in Tampa Bay Online:
Renslow, an Iowa native, developed a passion for flight when he was 5 years old. He had several careers but began his piloting career in 2003 as a pilot for Gulf Stream International Airlines.
As a pilot, he had no prior accidents, incidents or enforcements, according to
Roland Herwig of the Federal Aviation Administration. He joined Colgan Air, which operated the flight, on Sept. 9, 2005,
Gulfstream International, another Continental Connection feeder airline based in Florida, only uses Beech 1900s so it looks like the captain moved up from those to Saab 340s and then to Q400s.