Mackinac Straits Fish Company Earns Excellence Award

At Right: Dave Molinare of Northern Initiatives and Jill Bentgen of St. Ignace, owner of Mackinac Straits Fish Company, which was recently recognized for its contribution to economic growth in the U.P. (Photograph courtesy of Northern Initiatives)

Jill Bentgen, owner of the Mackinac Straits Fish Company in St. Ignace, was recently recognized by Operation Action U.P. with an Award of Excellence for her company's contribution to economic growth in the Upper Peninsula.

Ms. Bentgen founded the Mackinac Straits Fish Company in 1995 after leaving her job as a marketing executive at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati. Today the company produces and distributes a unique line of specialty fresh water fish products from the Upper Great Lakes region, including smoked fish products, whitefish fillets and sausages, whitefish spread, and vacuum-packed fresh fillets.

Over the last 12 years Mackinac Straits Fish Company has grown. In 1997 the company was granted the first and only variance by the Michigan Department of Agriculture which allowed it to vacuum-pack smoked fish when Ms. Bentgen saw a need to develop a propriety process to extend the shelf life of freshwater fish products.

Ms. Bentgen serves on the board of directors for Northern Initiatives, a nonprofit community development corporation that provides tailored business solutions to advance and connect rural economies and their communities. Northern Initiatives supports entrepreneurs, businesses, manufacturing firms, banks, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations to strengthen the economy of Michigan's Upper and northern Lower Peninsula and Northeastern Wisconsin. Northern Initiatives is based in Marquette.