95 Years of the Luedtke Engineering Company

Founded in 1930 by E.R. "Duke" Luedtke, in Frankfort, Michigan, the Luedtke Engineering Company would grow to become one of the largest marine engineering companies working in the Great Lakes. In their 95 years of operation they worked on over 1000 projects covering everything from breakwaters, bridges, dredging and other work in almost every major port on Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Superior, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario.

In this presentation, Alan Luedtke, grandson of Duke Luedtke, shares the story of the founding of the company, several early projects and the building of Derrickboat 16 in 1968. A short film about the construction of this amazing vessel is included in Alan's presentation.

Alan was born and raised in Frankfort, MI, and graduated from Frankfort High School in 1978. While in high school and attending college at Valparaiso University, IN. During the summer, he worked for the family business on various marine construction projects on the Great Lakes.  After receiving a business degree with 3 years of civil engineering in 1983, he worked for Scherer Electric Company, Indianapolis, IN, Giffels Associates Architecture firm in Southfield, MI, and Morrison-Knudsen Company construction firm, Boise, Idaho.  In 1989, he returned to the family business and worked as a superintendent for the next 3 years.  Alan returned to the home office in Frankfort in 1993 and became Vice President in 1995 after the passing of his Father, Karl, in December 1994.

He left the family business in September of 2002 and has spent the past 23 years in the Banking industry as a Mortgage Loan Officer for Honor Bank – 12 years, Chemical Bank – 6 years, and my current employer, State Savings Bank – for 5 years.  His wife, Jean, is a comptroller for Floor Covering Brokers, Traverse City.  Alan also has a stepdaughter named Jamie and a stepson named Aaron, who worked for Luedtke Engineering Company for 10 years as a project superintendent from 2013 until January 2023, when the business closed.  He also has another stepdaughter named Christina.  Alan and Jean also have three grandchildren.

Currently, Alan is the President of the Willoughby Rotary Foundation and chair of the Frankfort Rotary Club's annual Kurt Luedtke Memorial Golf outing fundraiser event that has raised $80,000 in the past four years to support the scholarship program for graduating seniors at both Benzie County school districts attending college.  Also, a board member of the Frankfort Elberta Education Foundation.   

To learn more about this and other Academy Lectures, visit the Benzie Area Historical Society’s website: www.benziemuseum.org