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Call 616 490 2487 for a free estimate to restore your Lake Michigan property
Our mission: We partner with lakeshore owners to help them protect and enjoy their unique properties while mentoring young builders through real responsibility and challenging work.
Our mission: We partner with lakeshore owners to help them protect and enjoy their unique properties while mentoring young builders through real responsibility and challenging work.
"I am incredibly grateful to you -- not only for the amazing help you have given us in saving our beloved slice of Michigan heaven, but also for the opportunity to get to know people of such high integrity and kindness. I am delighted to introduce & recommend DRS to anyone, any time."
-- David, Sawyer MI
Nick & Sherri Lantinga with their children
The DRS Story: More Than Shorelines
The DRS Story: More Than Shorelines
We didn’t set out to own a shoreline restoration company in Michigan. In fact, most of our lives were spent in classrooms and conference rooms far from home. But after 35 years away, we found ourselves wanting something different.
Our story (Nick and Sherri Lantinga) begins in Michigan—Nick from Grand Rapids, Sherri from Grand Ledge -- where we both grew up with a deep love for the creation, a desire to fix what’s broken, and a drive to nurture growth in others. We met, married, and earned our college degrees in Grand Rapids —Nick in political philosophy, Sherri in psychology—then earned our PhDs in Chicago before building our careers as educators and leaders. Working in places from Iowa to South Korea, we wore lots of hats: professors, parents (three now-grown children), expats, sales executive, academic dean, nonprofit director, and mentor. Along the way, we bought some Lake Michigan property, built community gardens, and talked a lot about faith, culture, and our place in the world.
When the pandemic finally flattened our classrooms into small screens of masked and isolated students, it was time to return home and start a new adventure. DRS was born, and after a steep learning curve, we created a successful business committed to restoring Lake Michigan shoreline properties. We slowly realized that our mission is about more than just land: it’s about people. We adapted decades of experience into mentoring young builders, helping clients appreciate their unique properties, and creating a strong team. We're excited to be together on this winding journey, working toward a common goal: restoring natural beauty while strengthening the people around us.
At DRS, every project is personal. Every team member and client becomes part of a bigger story of renewal and growth. And that is a mission worth supporting.
Thanks for joining us!
Nick Lantinga, PhD: President & Director of Sales
Sherri Lantinga, PhD: Director of Operations & Administration
Project Manager: Jake
Jake’s journey from novice builder to project manager has been quick — he’s mastered the tools of our trade and now loves tackling design and organizational challenges. He thrives on keeping the crew engaged and finding ways to streamline their work processes. Jake can switch between being the go-to decision-maker and being a supportive coach, offering big-picture insights while giving the team freedom to make decisions. He also enjoys collaborating with clients, listening to their goals, and fine-tuning project details to bring their vision to life.
Foreman: Brody
Brody brings boundless energy to every project, always eager to keep things moving. His favorite part of the job? Building stairs that help clients get to the beach and enjoy nature with their families. While he loves working with his trusty tool, Austin (or the impact drill if Austin’s not around), Brody’s skills don’t stop there—he’s also a pro at backing trailers and driving the skidsteer. Whether it’s carpentry or enjoying the lakeshore wildlife that passes by, Brody loves working outdoors and embracing the beauty of every site.
Matt is our longest-serving crew member and knows how to do all the things. Among the power tools, Matt loves the cordless worm drive saw the best, and he is our chief cut-man -- his specialty is stair stringers. When not building, he rivals El as our fastest dune grass planter.
Austin loves being with his work brothers every day and seeing so much nature. His favorite tool is the sawzall because "there is so much you can do with it." Austin never complains, even on tough days of carrying 21' pipes down a 170' clay dune.
Zane enjoys building stairs and using the bow wrench because "nature doesn't get to decide when my board fits or not." He also loves spending the day with all his work brothers. Zane learns fast, but his sense of humor is even faster.
Mikey brings arborist and hardware store experience to our team. His favorite tool is the "weebler" (multi-tool) because it allows for good detail work. He appreciates the variety of jobs at DRS and solving different problems every day. If we can't find him during lunch break, he's probably fishing at the lake.
El, our spring intern and a college senior, loves working in the field and the office. She loves being by the lakeshore, spotting eagles and seeing how new dune grass thrives. In the office, she enjoys learning how all the moving parts and people of a project come together; applying for building permits is one of her favorite tasks.
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