About The Grand Haven Offshore Challenge

Board Members

Karen VandenBosch (aka Fish) - She has been the Executive Director of the GHOC since 1999 but has been involved with the Tournament since it started in 1996. She has a degree in environmental water quality and spent time working for Michigan Sea Grant here in Grand Haven but changed careers and is mortgage consultant for The Home Lending Center. She fishes with both the pro teams Thunderduck and My Tiara II and has been on the winning ladies team in 2002 in the Grand Haven Offshore Challenge with Thunderduck and the 2005 Muskegon Ladies Tournament with My Tiara II. In her spare time she is a competitive sporting clays shooter and enjoys duck hunting with many of her GHOC board members.

Captain Willis Kerridge - One of the founding members of the GHOC and has served the board in a variety of positions currently as President. He has been in the charter business for 35 years and this will be my 28th season as Captain of the Thunderduck Charters. He has fished tournaments for many years and has had a fairly good tournament record the past few years with major wins in several ports in Lake Michigan including Holland's Salmon Slam, Saugatuck's Waypoint Tournament, Grand Haven Offshore Challenge, Muskegon's Cabela's shootout, Ludington's Gander Mountain, and Manistee's Big Boys as well as the Big Dogs. He has served as President of the Grand Haven Charter Boat Assoc. and Chinook Pier Inc. and a board member on the Michigan Charter Boat Assoc. and the Governors Lake Michigan Task Force.

Karl Chapel - He is also been on the GHOC board for six years and is currently our Vice President. In his professional life he is Vice President/General Manager of Grand Haven Plastics. Karl's fishing time is spent with the pro team My-Tiara II fishing with his dad, Al Chapel and brother, Bob Chapel & GHOC Board member Bill Rodgers and longtime friend Mike Goldman. They have fished most of the Lake Michigan tournaments from Michigan City to Manistee throughout the past years. In 2005 they won the Manistee Big Boy's Tournament as well as 2005 Muskegon Ladies Tournament with his wife Jill Chapel, sister in law Karen Chapel, Karen VandenBosch, Sarah Goldman & Deb Hengst. He fishes other ladies tournaments with many of his co-workers at Grand Haven Plastics.

Bill Rodgers - One of the founding members of the GHOC he currently is the Treasurer of the GHOC. Bill fishes in the amateur division of our tournament and won AM division of the Kids and Ladies event in both 2002 & 2004 . He also fishes on occasion with the PRO team of My Tiara II with fellow GHOC board members where they won the 2005 Big Boys tournament in Manistee. He is a pharmacist for Walgreens in Grand Haven.

Captain Ken Melvin - Newest Member of the GHOC Board of Directors. Captain with Tammy Too Charters for 18 years based at Chinook Pier in Grand Haven. Ken recently bought the boat and business. When not charter fishing Ken owns and operates Ken's Taxidermy Service which he has been doing for the past 25 years.

Captain Mark Veurink - He has been a longtime board member with the GHOC. He has been in the charter fishing Business for the past 21 years and currently is the Captain of Reel Action Charters in Grand Haven. He owns Reel Action Products which manufacturers Action Fly, Spin Doctors and Fuzzy Bear Lures. He is also a marine surveyor doing inspections for Captain Mark's Surveying. He is a past port Captain & past President of Chinook Pier & The Grand Haven Charterboat Association. He enjoys being a competitor in many of the tournaments on Lake Michigan and making the lures that help people increase their catches.

Bob Chapel - Bob Chapel a 2 year board member has worked on the waterfront stage and equipment . Bob also fishes on the My Tiara II with his brother and Dad who compete in the pro division. When the My tiara team is not fishing a tournament Bob also has fished with the Sea flea and Thunderduck II. When Bob is not fishing he Works at Grand Haven Plastics as a account manager.

At Large Members:
Gary Seckler
Brian Butts
Jody Craig
Mike Goldman
Kendall Steigenga