Origins of Shepler’s Safety Program
Safety remains at the forefront of our operations at Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry. From the company’s founding in 1945 to the present day, Shepler’s continues to ensure that safety remains our top priority. With this document and great pride, we share the tradition and trajectory of our Safety and Security Program.
After serving as a Merchant Marine in World War II, William “Cap” Shepler founded Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry in 1945. From his years of experience on the Great Lakes, Cap wisely applied a simple safety message to the business, when something goes wrong, “nobody is there to save you.”
Even Lakers were “salty” in those days. However, Cap’s sailor’s quip boils down to three simple lessons; never take any course of action that compromises safety, always remain attentive to the conditions, and know what action(s) to take in an emergency because “nobody is there to save you.” This is a lesson Bill Shepler, Cap’s son, learned poignantly as a young man.
One Summer, Bill’s cousin Jim visited him in Mackinaw City. With the best of intentions, Bill decided to take his cousin out on a sixteen-foot skiff. However, the two teenagers embarked with only one oar (substituting the other with a board from an orange crate), the wind conditions changed (not unusual for the Straits of Mackinac), and it did not take long before the two were in a precarious position (ie the wind and sea conditions continually pushed the vessel further from the shore). Fortunately, someone saw the two youths struggling to paddle back and went out to save them as well as the skiff. Bill and Jim were incredibly lucky as someone was there to both see and save them. Bill ruefully recalled the incident, “I caught hell, and I deserved it. Jim couldn’t even swim.”
Now, Bill went on to become one of the youngest captains ever on the Great Lakes – earning his license at sixteen years of age. Further, he applied that near-miss to our operational model at Shepler’s; “proper selection, modern equipment, and a well-trained staff” – appropriately building upon and expanding Cap’s terse but wise advice. The lesson served the company well as this model allowed Shepler’s to operate even when other ferry lines shut down. Yet, as Bill would remind us, “Safety always comes first. If we think it’s not safe, we don’t operate.” During his time at “the Helm” of the company, Bill Shepler cultivated Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry from a small, charter operation into a nationally recognized passenger ferry.
Under the guidance of Bill’s children (Chris, Patty, and Billy Shepler), Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry continued this tradition of safety by implementing robust policies, a safety department, and an executive position dedicated to safety and security. As the company continued to grow, the third generation of leadership transformed the family business into a modern corporate structure. With business savvy and pure class, Chris, Patty, and Billy, provided the company with a rare duality; the body and mind of a Fortune 500 with the heart and soul of a family business.
Looking to the future, and with the support of our new ownership (Hoffman Family of Companies), Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry continually seeks different methods to build, expand, and improve our safety program, policies, and procedures. Memberships with professional organizations, attending safety centric conferences, and participating in local security councils serve as our navigational beacons to ensure that our safety and security program’s best practices are exactly that.
The safety of our guests, cast members, and marine ports remains paramount as only in a safe environment can people enjoy the experience we provide on the Straits of Mackinac. Shepler’s business philosophy, company culture, and service model all begin with safety. With over 80 years of service, safety continues to define our operations as well as our guests’ expectations, our company standards, and our professional commitments.
c:| Derek Bell, CSO