My husband Peter and I moved to Sister Bay in 1983 where we owned and operated Bay Ridge Golf Course. The business required that I do landscaping, marketing, cooking, catering and occasionally operate large machinery. In 1990 we built Cherry Hills Lodge and Golf Resort in Sturgeon Bay. Now my resume included a fine-dining restaurant, 31 room lodge and 18 hole golf course with a driving range and golf school. The highlight of the Cherry Hills experience were the 51 Gourmet Club dinners, special event weekends and our great Sunday Brunch. We sold Cherry Hills in 2004 and “downsized” our lives.

My wonderful blended family includes four married daughters and a son and eight grandchildren. I graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Journalism, Radio and Television Production and Political Science. After a year with ABC I enjoyed a graduate fellowship to produce the University of Minnesota Television Hour on Public Television. I dabbled in graduate work in the geography, urban planning and environmental studies while living in Chicago.

One of my most rewarding and challenging experiences was founding and leading the Asian Refugee Care Corporation, an Illinois non-profit from 1976-1983. We were able to relocate and successfully acclimate an extended family of 23 Cambodian refugees. I also served as an elected Park Commissioner in Deerfield, Illinois, for five years and after moving to Door County was elected to the Gibraltar School Board long enough to dramatically and proudly build an auditorium at Gibraltar. I served on the Board of United Way of Door County for ten years, three as Campaign Chairman. I was on the Board of the Peninsula Music Festival for many years and was president of the PMF Sustaining Committee four years. In 2014 I received the Golden Heart Arts and Culture Volunteer of the Year award.

A year ago I retired from the business of golf and my son Erik and I are working on turning the 48 acre property in Sister Bay into an environmentally improved innovative resource. Many exciting projects are being considered. My husband Peter died from complications of Parkinsons in 2015 and I could certainly use his creative energy now.

Special note: Midsummer’s first concert was held at Dianne & Peter’s home.