Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (October 17, 2022) – Each Fall, Winter and Spring, the Door County Maritime Museum hosts experts and interesting characters from around the country for the Maritime Speaker Series (presented in partnership with series sponsor the Door County Medical Center).
The Maritime Speaker Series offers an assortment of monthly programs – from historical topics to current issues affecting the Great Lakes and the economy that relies on them.
The Door County Medical Center Maritime Speaker Series programs are held the first Thursday of each month, October through May, beginning at 7pm, on the second floor of the Museum in Sturgeon Bay, as well as online. There is no cost to attend; we suggest bringing a donation of a non-perishable food item, or if watching online, we ask you to donate to your local food pantry.
The next presentation of the 2022-2023 Door County Medical Center Maritime Speaker Series will be held both in person and online on Thursday, November 3 at 7pm,featuring “Aboard the Great Lakes Maritime Academy Fleet”, presented by Jerry Achenbach, Superintendent of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy.
The Great Lakes Maritime Academy at Northwest Michigan College was established in 1969 with the mission of educating and training future generations for careers in the commercial shipping industry. Skills taught shoreside are reinforced through sea time aboard the 224-foot T/S State of Michigan, a former Navy submarine surveillance ship, and three other training vessels including a 1916 tug. Join us as we get some insight into training programs at the Academy and learn more about their fleet.
Jerry is a 1986 graduate of the State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College. He sailed as a licensed officer in the U.S. Merchant Marine for three years before being accepted into the Coast Guard’s Officer Candidate School. Upon graduation, he served as a Deck Watch Officer aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Yocona in Kodiak, Alaska. Jerry had many domestic assignments and held abroad assignments in support of Operation Desert Storm.
Commander Achenbach retired in August of 2010 after more than 21 years of service to become the Superintendent of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, a division of Northwestern Michigan College.
In addition, Rear Admiral Achenbach has earned a Doctorate in Education from Texas Tech University and an MBA from the University of Alaska (Southeast). He also holds a U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Marine Officer’s License endorsed for service as a Chief Mate (unlimited), Master (1600 tons).
More information, and a link to register for online presentations, is available at www.dcmm.org/maritime-speaker-series .
2022-2023 Speaker Series Lineup
- December 1: Hope for Sturgeon in the Great Lakes and Sturgeon(less?) Bay, presented by Titus Seilheimer, Fisheries Outreach Specialist with Wisconsin SeaGrant.
- January 5: The Berylune: Journey of a Door County Boat, presented by Brennan Christianson, Door County Maritime Museum Collections Coordinator and Gills Rock Site Manager.
- February 2: Love and Life on the Great Lakes with Mr. and Mrs. Captain, presented by Peggy O’Connell and Captain Raymond Sheldon, Captain of the Joseph L. Block.
- March 2: Stories of Maritime Mayhem on Milwaukee’s Waterways, presented by Matthew J. Prigge, Wisconsin Historical Society.
- April 6: Captain Dan Seavey: A Pirate Behaving Badly on the Great Lakes, presented by Samantha Engel and Aaron Guylas, historians and creators of Great Lakes Lore Podcast.
- May 4: Between Boats and Brews: Captain Pabst’s Interesting Career Switch in Wisconsin, presented by Dave Fehlauer, President of the Pabst Mansion Volunteer Council.
Additional in-kind support for the Door County Medical Center Maritime Speaker Series is provided by Bridgeport Resort.
For questions about the Maritime Speaker Series, please email Andrea Stromeyer, Educational Programs Coordinator, at astromeyer@dcmm.org.