GREEN BAY – At first, Dan Bogenschuetz couldn't believe it.

A lifelong Packers fan, Bogenschuetz was overcome with emotion – and a bit of bewilderment – when an email popped into his inbox last year informing him that he'd advanced to the next stage of the 2024 Packers FAN Hall of Fame balloting.

Caught entirely off-guard, Bogenschuetz called in his wife, Pam, for a second opinion on the impromptu email. What followed is a moment the native of Sheboygan, Wis., will never forget.

"I didn't know anything about it. I got an email and I thought it was a scam," Bogenschuetz said. "I yelled to my wife to come down and look at this email I got, and she started giggling. She said, 'It's for real. I knew all about it. I was sworn to secrecy.'"

As it turns outs, Bogenschuetz's close friends, Dean Klein and Jami Yurk, and sister-in-law Amy Buehler had nominated him for the honor, an acknowledgment for everything Bogenschuetz has done to bring Packers fans and the city of Sheboygan together for the past 36 years.

During that time, Bogenschuetz has organized bus trips to Packers games nationwide. What started as a fun way for coworkers at the Kohler Company to get together has grown into 300-person trips requiring six buses.

Fittingly, a busload of family and friends accompanied Bogenschuetz to Lambeau Field on Monday, when it was announced that he'd been chosen out of 10 finalists as the 26th inductee into the Packers FAN Hall of Fame.

"You have no idea what this means to me," Bogenschuetz said. "I've had a lot of people on my trips over the years that have met each other, that are married to each other now, that have become friends over the years. ... If it wouldn't be for all those people, I know I wouldn't be standing here right now."

Bogenschuetz's passion for the Packers started with his parents, Don and Diane, who attended the Ice Bowl. Diane left the game with frostbitten toes and a game program Bogenschuetz cherishes to this day.

After being hired by Kohler, Bogenschuetz started going to Milwaukee Brewers games with a few coworkers. Eventually, the idea was broached to attend a Packers game and Bogenschuetz successfully wrangled up 46 tickets that first year.

Since then, the trips have continually grown in scale. Bogenschuetz handles every aspect of the trips, setting up hotels, arranging transportation, acquiring tickets and planning pregame parties. To keep costs affordable, Bogenschuetz once slept outside of the Minnesota Vikings' ticket offices for two nights to secure 320 tickets to a game.

The following year, he became a Vikings season ticketholder as a workaround to a four-ticket limit to walk-up buys. He also did the same with the Detroit Lions.

"It's a hobby," Bogenschuetz said. "I don't hunt. I don't fish. I don't snowmobile. I don't have a cottage. I don't golf. I just didn't have those friends and I started doing this and that was my friends. My wife and I pay for our own trip. It's not a job. It's just neat meeting new people from all over."

Coincidentally, one of those individuals was Menomonee Falls native Bruce Roehsner, who also was among this year's finalists for FAN Hall of Fame. In addition to acquiring seats for fans, Bogenschuetz also has donated tickets to the Boys & Girls Club in cities where the Packers are playing.

It was through those excursions Bogenschuetz grew close to both Klein and Yurk, who has been attending his trips for 30 years. Last year, the two had the idea of nominating Bogenschuetz for the FAN Hall of Fame. Unbeknownst to them, Buehler had the same idea.

While their nomination letters were different, the message was the same – Bogenschuetz's love for the Packers brings people together and has changed thousands of lives for the better.

"I messaged a bunch of people that have gone on trips with him and said, 'You guys, we need to do this for 'Bogie.' He deserves this,'" Yurk said. "All that he's done for thousands of people and he's the biggest fan that I know."

When Bogenschuetz advanced to the finalist stage, he kept it quiet until Christmas when he finally informed all his family and friends. Once the 10 finalists were officially announced, more than 83,000 total votes were cast during the month of January on packers.com.

In honor of his selection, Bogenschuetz receives four club seats to a 2024 Packers home game, along with four pre-game sideline passes; four passes to the Packers Hall of Fame; a custom Packers jersey; a $500 Packers Pro Shop gift certificate; and a one-year subscription to PackersNews.com.

"The Packers Fan Hall of Fame is a tribute to our fans and our passion," President/CEO Mark Murphy said. "This is always one of our favorite days here within the Packers organization. It's so unique and we're really fortunate to honor some of our most dedicated fans here today."

Bogenschuetz has since retired from Kohler but continues to arrange trips every year. A few people even asked him at Monday's announcement about what the forecast looked like for 2024.

Before all that, however, Bogenschuetz has one other matter to address. During recent interviews, Bogenschuetz jokingly told reporters he'd get his first tattoo if he gained entry to the Packers FAN Hall of Fame.

So, now that he's won?

"I'm getting that tattoo," said Bogenschuetz with a laugh. "I would be proud to have that Hall of Fame tattoo right on my arm for life."