We moved to Traverse City’s central neighborhood in the summer of 2009. It was the bottom of the Great Recession with the national unemployment rate set to top out at 10% for the first time in a quarter century. I was working in finance and had...
As difficult at the COVID-19 crisis has been, there are many silver linings across the region from our great local business retooling to the army of volunteer mask makers. Close community collaboration has been one of the clear and welcome bright spots amidst the challenges. This...
We are confronting a much different business environment than we anticipated at the beginning of 2020. Our local economy was operating at near full capacity and our leading challenge was a tight labor market. The landscape has changed dramatically, as we now confront shuttered businesses...
We need to get creative. We are living through an incredibly stressful and unpredictable moment in history. The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has swept across the globe, causing a humanitarian crisis and an unfolding economic fallout. Health professionals are fighting to save as many people as possible,...
March is a month of transformation as we look forward to longer days and the hopeful arrival of spring. Much like the change in seasons, Traverse Connect has undergone a complete transformation over the past year. We have a new mission focused on advancing the...
Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) is one of Northern Michigan’s true gems. A modern, convenient and high-quality transportation hub, TVC is a key regional asset and considered a tier one, critical component of the state transportation system. The airport produces roughly $1 billion of annual economic...
In 1997 the Traverse City Commission took an important step in the development of downtown Traverse City by approving the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) 97 plan. This plan was well designed and has proven a huge success not only for downtown Traverse City, but for...
As we reflect on 2019 and look to 2020, we have an exciting opportunity to chart a course for what the next decade will look like for the Grand Traverse area. We have momentum across the region with economic success, new business and community support systems,...
Leadership takes many forms. When strife and lack of cooperation are present at the local, state and national government levels, public policy leadership is crucial. The Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce has served as the voice and public sector advocate for the business community and...
Companies must continually evolve to stay relevant. They must be innovative, change with customer preferences and societal demands and address competitive economic factors. This evolution is absolutely necessary for survival and can lead to new business structures, product strategies and new leadership. Firms can choose to...
