WHAT'S NEW AT SHEPLERS?:

Meet one of our captains! In 2007, the Detroit Free Press website, freep.com, ran a series of interviews about summer jobs in Michigan and Shepler's Captain Kevin Coe was one of the people featured in July. See his interview about the life of a ferry captain and working on the Straits of Mackinac.

Who knows? Perhaps you will be inspired to join us and work here in beautiful northern Michigan.

MARTINCHEK ELECTED PRESIDENT OF CIRCLE MICHIGAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

MACKINAW CITY, MI. (January 18, 2008) - Bill Shepler, President of Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry, announces the election of Misty Martinchek as President of Circle Michigan's Board of Directors.   The term of President will be for one year and began January 1 st of this year.   Martinchek is Shepler's Group Sales Manager and will take on this position in addition to her duties at Shepler's.   She has served on the Circle Michigan Board for the past three years.

Circle Michigan was founded in 1981 as a statewide association of packaged travel suppliers that helps tour operators, group leaders, schools, and other tour planners arrange successful Michigan group tours.   Circle Michigan members include operators of attractions, casinos, destination marketing organizations, hotels/motels, receptive operators, restaurants, transportation providers and their allied partners.   It was the first statewide association in the nation exclusively dedicated to addressing the tour industry's unique marketing challenges.

Martinchek has been a member of the Shepler's cast, as Group Sales Manager, for five years.   She previously worked for two years in advertising sales at the Petoskey News-Review and was a corporate travel consultant for three years.   Martinchek holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from Kelly School of Business at Indiana University.

Just Horsin' Around!   Shepler's hosted some VIHs (Very Important Horses) when the Budweiser Clydesdales participated in the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Parade in 2007.   Our freight department did a great job transporting two trucks with five horses each to help the parade go off without a hitch.

CBS meets CBS!   Shepler's received some national press this past year when we were featured on the CBS Early Show in August.   Dave Price traveled throughout the United States with a Winnebago, visiting popular vacation destinations. The show did a taped segment where our very own Christopher Brian Shepler gave Dave Price of the Early Show a captain lesson.   We were again featured in their live broadcast the morning of August 23 rd , where they mentioned Shepler's several times throughout the broadcast!   You can visit cbsnews.com and do a search for "Dave Price Mackinac" to see all of the related videos and stories.

Coming Soon!

US Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw Finds a Home

An old friend has come to live in Mackinaw City. An iconic fixture on the straits for over 60 years, the USCG Cutter Mackinaw has been decommissioned and will live out its days as a historical museum, permanently moored at the Railroad Dock in Mackinaw City.

The Mackinaw was built and commissioned in 1943 to help maintain the flow of iron ore throughout the winter months and proved essential to the World War II military campaign.

Captain McGuiness remarks, "Some folks think she won the war for us."

She has served the Great Lakes nobly ever since.

Mackinac Island ferry owner Bill Shepler stepped forward to spearhead an effort to purchase the USCGC Mackinaw and convert it to a floating historical museum. Shepler, along with seven other prominent Mackinaw area supporters created the Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum committee to oversee its management. Bill Shepler also provided mooring space at his historic Chief Wawatam Railroad Dock in Mackinaw City.

On June 21, 2006 the Cutter Mackinaw made its final voyage taking about 5 hours to complete the trip from her home port in Cheboygan, Michigan. Upon arrival in Mackinaw City, her 600+ passengers were greeted by a large crowd and brass band.

The USCG Cutter Mackinaw isn't going anywhere. As the newly minted Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum, she'll stay right here where she can tell her own story in fascinating detail for generations to come.

SHEPLER WINS BOB EVERIDGE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

William R. Shepler was presented with the 2004 Bob Everidge Lifetime Achievement Award at the Gala Dinner on the final night of Annual Convention. This was the second time that the award -- which recognizes individuals who have made outstanding, ongoing contributions to the association, its members and the industry as a whole -- has been given.

MACKINAW CITY TOURISM PROFESSIONAL RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS.

MACKINAW CITY, MI. (JANUARY 4, 2005) - Bill Shepler, President of Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry has been named a recipient of both the Bob Everidge Lifetime Achievement award from National Tour Association (NTA) and Travel Michigan's Outstanding Achievement in Tourism award.

The NTA Lifetime Achievement award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding, ongoing contributions to the association, its members and the industry overall. Bill Shepler is just the second person to ever receive this honor.