What do an airline pilot, attorney, paralegal, farmer, yoga teacher, massage therapist, photographer, and a nurse have in common?

They have all owned and operated White Eagle Resort at some point in the last century.

This unlikely group of hosts has spent the past hundred years nurturing this resort on the rocky shores of Vermilion into the family haven it is today.

In 1914, Ellie and Robert Rutherford, a cook and photographer, purchased the property with the vision of creating a 200-bed hotel called “Magic Rocks.”

By 1939, three generations of depression-weary farmers (the Vos family) from Iowa acquired the resort, seeking an escape from the farming industry in pursuit of a better life for their family.

In 1990, an attorney and his social worker wife (Mike and Bonnie Lantry) bought the resort, longing for an escape from the concrete jungle of Chicago and a life immersed in nature for their young family.

Fast forward to 2013, when a pilot (Tom), massage therapist (Anne), yoga instructor (Ranae), and nurse (Steph) took ownership from their parents and in-laws, becoming second-generation resort owners.

Following a buyout in 2019, Tom and Steph are now the sole owners and operators of the resort. As second-generation owners, they’ve benefited from guidance from Tom’s parents. However, being stubborn, they’ve often learned the ropes the hard way—through experience. While their diverse professions provide overlaps that make them better hosts, such as their ability to handle high-pressure situations and remain calm, they primarily learn as they go. Challenges and pressure have pushed them to evolve into better resort operators and ultimately, better humans.