Our Story

Our History

  • February 1949 – Sheboygan Naval Reserve Training Center is commissioned.

  • May 1983 – The Naval Reserve Training Center moves to Wisconsin Ave in Sheboygan.

  • March 1984 – The City of Sheboygan acquires the Naval Reserve building from the US Government.

  • May 1986 – The Harbor Inn opens, built by Darrel Mand of Plymouth, Wisconsin.

  • 1998 – Harbor Inn closes after a foreclosure.

  • August 1998 – Following the floods of August 1998 the Harbor Inn become a temporary home for numerous families. The property is managed during this time by the Salvation Army.

  • May 1999 – The Zipperer family acquires Harbor Inn and begins a significant renovation.   The family also owns the Holiday Inn Express in Sheboygan, and later, they acquired the AmericInn of Sheboygan.

  • August 1999 – The property reopens after renovation as Harbor Winds Hotel

  • 2001 – The breakfast room overlooking the river is added to the property

  • May 2023 – The Zipperer family sells Harbor Winds Hotel to a group led by Luke Pfeifer.   Luke is a native of Sheboygan County and previously worked for Mark Zipperer at Holiday Inn Express Sheboygan/Kohler and Harbor Winds Hotel.

The former Naval Reserve Training Center - Sheboygan, Wisconsin

The former Naval Reserve Training Center

Harbor Inn view from the across the river

About the Owners

In 2023, Harbor Winds Hotel was purchased by a partnership between Luke & Monica Pfeifer and Chad & Meagan Markovich.  The Pfeifer’s, the majority and operating partners, are proud natives of Wisconsin, and both graduated from nearby Lakeland University with degrees in Hospitality Management.  In 2020, the Pfeifer’s purchased Maxwell Mansion in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  The 28-room boutique hotel property has a rich history dating back to 1856 and features two craft cocktail bars, including one of the top 10 Speakeasy bars in the US. The Pfeifers combined have over 40 years of hospitality experience ranging from operations to sales to technology roles.  In Wisconsin, we have worked at properties including Holiday Inn Express and Blue Harbor Resort both in Sheboygan, and Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan.  You can read more about our background at adventurehospitality.com.

Chad and Meagan Markovich are longtime friends of the Pfeifers, having met while the Pfeifers worked with Chad at Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio.  Meagan brings her Doctor of Pharmacy degree to the team along with a business minor. She has 20-plus years of pharmacy experience, which includes retail, inpatient, and outpatient hospital, as well as project development and management.  Meagan and Chad’s recent move to WI has brought an opportunity for her to bring her skills of organization and connecting with patients to hospitality.  This unique perspective has added tremendous value to the team.  Chad’s more than 20 years of hospitality experience grew out of working and supervising ride operators on the shores of Lake Erie.  Other notable roles include working in Human Resources on the opening and expansion teams of an 800+ room waterpark resort, as well as Housekeeping Director, Guest Services Director, and Executive Director of Operations for various resorts.