Hi there, we are Tom and Steph Lantry, the husband + wife team that owns White Eagle Resort, a second generation, top rated, lake vermilion family resort in Northern Minnesota. Our family has been rocking it since 1990, since then we have hosted more than 3,600 families! We are a Minnesota family resort with cabins, lake vermilion pontoon, boat and jet ski rentals. Like your favorite song on the radio, the blue jeans that fit you just right and a good hair day, we are the real deal!
The back story.
When Tom was six years old, his parents Mike and Bonnie Lantry decided to purchase White Eagle Resort (formally Vos Resort). They moved their family of five from Homewood, IL to Cook, MN in search of the “good life.” Tom’s father was an attorney in Homewood, and moved his practice to Cook and for about a decade he continued to balance managing the resort and serving as the district attorney for the small town of Cook. Meanwhile, Bonnie kept busy cleaning cabins, doing all laundry on site and raising three small children, Tom (6), Anne (4) and Ranae (1.5) as well as homeschooling them during the winter months.
A day after the initial purchase of the resort, the main lodge burnt to the ground. This was a devastating fire because not only did they lose a beautiful, historic lodge, but they also lost all of the guest departure and arrival records! Saturday check ins were very stressful that first Summer because guests would just show up on Saturdays and they had to hopefully remember to come during the right week, and second remember what cabin they had booked! Thankfully, Mike and Bonnie made it work and developed a loyal following of repeat guests who have continued to enjoy vermilion and support our small business for generations to come. For that, we are truly grateful!
In 2013, Tom’s dad Mike decided that after 17 years of operation, it was time to sell the family business. Tom and his sisters had all completed college and were spread throughout the United States. Tom was in his sixth year flying as a pilot for Mesaba airlines/ Delta connections. Steph was working as a registered nurse at Hinsdale Hospital in IL. They were newly married (2011) and were considering starting a family and thought now would be the time to make a huge move. Looking back at it, Steph (25) and Tom (29) were still kids, but were ready to continue the family business. During that year they, alongside Tom’s sisters, purchased the resort and worked together for six years. In the Summer of 2019, Tom and Steph bought Anne and Ranae out and became the sole owners of the resort.
As we all know, 2020 ended up being a very challenging time. Tom and Steph were tasked with operating the resort while navigating a global pandemic. Everyday, there were huge cancellations. At times, it felt like everything was going wrong and that the resort may not be open or worse, lost. As Summer approached, the phone began to ring. Guests started booking and Lake Vermilion cabins became the idyllic setting amidst a global pandemic. The serenity and solitude of nature was a perfect place to get away from it all.
Since becoming sole owners, Tom and Steph have kept busy adding new cabins and renovating properties to have more options for guests. Since 2019, they have added: Falcon (5 bedroom, 5 bath), The Island (3 bedroom 2 bath) and Black Bay Lodge (7 bedroom 4 bath). In addition to adding new properties, they continue to put emphasis on maintaining beautiful, modern, clean and comfortable cabins onsite to ensure that we offer our guests the best family cabins and boat rentals in northern Minnesota on lake vermilion.
