Plummer to retire from historical society; Berringer will take on executive director role.

August 15, 2018

Dr. Rick Plummer

Plummer to retire from historical society; Berringer will take on executive director role.

PERE MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP — Dr. Rick Plummer, executive director of the Mason County Historical Society has announced that he will retire, effective Sept. 1. Plummer will be replaced by Rebecca Berringer, who is currently the managing director of the historical society’s Historic White Pine Village and Port of Ludington Maritime Museum. Plummer has served as the society’s executive director since 2015.

“I will be forever grateful to MCHS for the opportunity it has given me to foster my abiding love of history and for the chance it provided me to help grow the organization,” Plummer said. “Although I am retiring, I hope to continue my support of the organization and its mission to preserve and protect our rich agricultural, lumbering, and maritime history as a volunteer.”  

Plummer credited the accomplishments made during the past three years to the society’s staff and the fiscal management and vision of its board of directors. Plummer said he is leaving MCHS in order to spend more time with his family, to travel, and to pursue playwriting and acting-directing projects for which he states he has always planned since his retirement in 2015 from West Shore Community College, where he served for several years as the college’s director of performing arts.

“During his tenure as Executive Director of the Mason County Historical Society, Rick Plummer contributed significantly to the growth and enhancement of the society,” said Dr. William Anderson, past MCHS board president and chief fundraiser for the society’s Maritime Museum Development Campaign. “First and foremost, he managed the development of a first-class maritime museum for which we should all feel community pride. We are going to miss Rick’s special creative talent and leadership ability but fortunately his successor, Rebecca Berringer, has already demonstrated her leadership skills and brings her impressive national park experience to the organization.”

Berringer, a native of Davison, where she attended Mott Community College, was formerly employed at Yellowstone National Park where she supervised a staff of 12 employees. In 1996, she became the family reunion/wedding coordinator for Yellowstone National Park and worked daily with tour operators from multiple countries around the globe, as well as tourists from around the United States. Because of her love of history and her desire to be involved in the community she began working for the Mason County Historical Society in 2014. Berringer has served the organization in multiple capacities, starting as the Administrative Assistant.  She was promoted first as the financial manager, then to managing director of both museums in 2016.  

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