Undefeated provides an engaging and thorough picture of how a family owned business developed, overcame challenges, and interacted with the rich context of the northern Michigan tourism industry. It is a very rare story of a three-generation family-owned and family-operated business that has had to fight for survival for nearly seventy years. Fierce competition from other ferry lines, treacherous weather conditions, costly maintenance on passenger and freight vessels, changing governmental regulations, and depressed economic conditions in the State of Michigan are but a few of the challenges the Sheplers have faced over the years.
This book reveals how, operating in the historically rich Straits of Mackinac waters of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry exploits the beautiful scenery, military forts, lighthouses, and the world famous Mackinac Bridge by conducting tours accompanied by expert narration sharing both fact and fiction about the native American culture of the region, the missionaries, fur trading, and ships lost to the rough waters of the Great Lakes. In this book the reader will also get some interesting insights into Mackinac Island and St. Ignace, with their very divergent cultures and offerings that can inspire and entertain visitors.
Jean R. Beach holds a BA degree from Ohio Wesleyan and has pursued further study at Delta College, Mott College, Northwestern College and in Europe with Dr. James Chillman of Rice University plus intensive workshops with Dr. Frederick Francke and Edward Weiss. She is the author of several books of Michigan History. Including "A Century on Canvass" volumes two, three and four of "The Saginaw Hall of Fame" "In Times of Sorrow and in Times of Joy" "Savoring Saginaw" a historical cookbook and "The History of Pit and Balcony" Saginaw's community theater. She has been a frequent lecturer at Saginaw Valley State University's Humanities lecture series. As an advertising copywriter, account executive and freelancer, she has been the recipient of several prizes for successful ad campaigns including Best of Show. Dr Don Steele earned his PhD from The Ohio State University after obtaining his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Central Michigan University. He served as Superintendent of Schools for the school districts of Saginaw, Michigan; Toledo, Ohio; and Seattle, Washington. He is an entrepreneur who has built several successful coaching and consulting businesses. He has coached professional athletes, entertainers and business executives on five continents. He has authored three books on "State Level Educational Policy Making" and another entitled "Anticipating and managing the Future" He is an accomplished speaker, humorist and entertainer. He resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.
