Meet Raymond- KAC Owner/Manager!

Raymond is a lifelong Michigander who was born and raised in the Detroit area by first-generation German immigrants.  Starting at a young age he was interested in staying active and soaking up all that life has to offer.

As a child Raymond joined Cub Scouts and quickly gained interest in all manner or outdoor adventures.  This continued through his teen years as he stayed with scouting and eventually earned his Eagle Scout rank.  It was during scouting that Raymond first experienced the majesty of the Upper Peninsula with a visit to Tahquamenon Falls with his troop.  From that moment on Raymond made a point to get up to the Upper Peninsula as much as possible to explore all that it has to offer.

This love of the outdoors continued through college where Raymond earned his BS in Chemistry from Oakland University.  While at the university he joined student government and was very active in the Student Program Board which was responsible for planning a wide variety of events for students.  These events would entail everything from lectures and comedians to bands and trips.  It is as this point that Raymond realized his love for leading teams to great accomplishments.

After college he found a job as a Chemist with an environmental company while simultaneously pursuing his ever-expanding range of interests.   These encompassed everything from historic home restoration and classic car collecting to antiquing and spending many weekends scrounging thrift stores and garage sales for unique items for his old home.  When not exploring the great outdoors Raymond likes to stay as connected to the earth as much as possible by spending time in his garden he has also raised many backyard chicken flocks.  Additionally, Raymond enjoys cooking and loves trying new foods and meeting locals whenever he visits new parts of the world.

Raymond’s continued trips to the UP and specifically Lake Superior led to his desire to buy a place up north on the greatest of Great Lakes.   After many years of traveling all around Superior he most enjoyed the Keweenaw and all the adventure that it offered.  This all culminated in 2019 when he purchased some land on Keystone Bay at the tip of the Keweenaw with the plan to build an off-the-grid cabin. Raymond has enjoyed spending time there in the summer, so much so that he was interested in establishing a presence in the Keweenaw that was more than just as an occasional visitor.

This feeling of connection to the land and people was most evident on his many trips between his home in Detroit and Copper Country.  Every time he crossed the Mackinaw Bridge heading north the excitement he felt never waned from his first crossing years ago.  This fact reinforced the big decision that Raymond was about to make to go all-in on Copper Harbor and be part of the community that had welcomed him so warmly on his numerous vacation visits.

This decision was to purchase the Keweenaw Adventure Company and to continue the legacy of Sam and Shelby and all the work they put in to build KAC to what it is today.  Through both his professional and personal life, Raymond has always believed in being an active part of the community that he is in and views this as the next step on this journey.  Raymond is excited to be the third owner of KAC and shepherd it through its next phase of life and is truly humbled by the support and words of encouragement he has received from everyone he has met in Copper Country!