About
About J & J Resort Properties
Jeff and Jack are two cousins who left their corporate careers to combine their passions for real estate and Northern Michigan. What started with a single resort has grown into five distinctive properties across Northern Michigan.
Meet the Team
Jack
Co-Founder
Jack graduated from Michigan State University in 2020 and spent several years in corporate finance and investor relations before leaving to pursue real estate full-time. In early 2023, he joined forces with his cousin Jeff — together purchasing the Cedarville Hotel in the small town where both cousins spent their summers growing up. That deal marked the beginning of their shared hospitality venture, rooted in Upper Peninsula tradition and a genuine love of the region. Beyond the business, Jack is deeply committed to giving back — both close to home and across the world. In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, he flew to Jamaica within days, helping coordinate on-the-ground relief efforts that raised tens of thousands of dollars and delivered food, water, mattresses, and hands-on rebuilding support to affected communities. For Jack, real estate and philanthropy aren't separate pursuits — they're two sides of the same commitment to community. Whether he's closing a deal or fundraising for a good cause, he brings the same energy and genuine care.
Jeff
Co-Founder
Jeff began his professional journey in the financial world, serving as a financial advisor and 401(k) consultant before his entrepreneurial instincts pulled him toward real estate. In 2013, he began acquiring rental properties in Kalamazoo, eventually transitioning into flipping short-term deals across the Metro Detroit market. His love of Northern Michigan drew him north, where he partnered with his brother to purchase a fishing charter business before acquiring the very resort in the Les Cheneaux Islands where his family had vacationed for years. That purchase marked the beginning of something larger. Jeff and his family relocated to the Upper Peninsula full-time, and he continued building his portfolio with resorts, hotels and motels in Cedarville, Drummond Island, Paradise, Indian River, and Sault Ste. Marie. The portfolio continues to grow. Today, Jeff channels his background in finance, his eye for unique Michigan properties, and the deep relationships he's built with fellow hotel, motel, and resort owners into every transaction, whether buying, selling, or renovating. He grows his business alongside his cousin Jack and a trusted circle of friends and family, and takes genuine pride in connecting with other family-run operations and independent investors who share his passion for Michigan's recreation and real estate.
Our Story
Jeff and Jack are no strangers to acquiring and successfully managing vacation properties in Northern Michigan. It all started when Jeff decided to leave his career as a retirement advisor to purchase and manage some of the very same resorts his family grew up vacationing at each summer — Island View Resort in Hessel, Michigan. Today, Island View still hosts Jeff and Jack's family for its annual traditions and has expanded its guest list to include syndicated shows such as the casts of Michigan Out of Doors and Under the Radar.
In 2022, Jeff and Jack closed on Papin's Resort, offering its previous owners the opportunity to move to Florida and enjoy retirement worry-free. In 2023, they expanded into hotels, acquiring the Cedarville Hotel and Tahquamenon Suites Lodging. The prior owner was able to retire and move south, and Jack subsequently left his corporate finance career to pursue his passion in real estate full-time.
Today, J & J Resort Properties operates five distinctive hotels, resorts, and inns across Northern Michigan — each with its own character, all united by a commitment to genuine U.P. hospitality and a deep appreciation for the region's natural beauty.