Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day - especially when you can spend it with some of the region's premiere small businesses. Register for the 2014 Small Business Celebration Meet the Top 10 Breakfast next Wednesday, May 7, at NMC's Hagerty Center to congratulate and learn more about these Top 10 SBC Finalists:

• BrightStar Lifecare of Northern Michigan 
• Captain's Quarters
• Celtic Transport
• Culver Meadows
• LochenHeath Golf Club
• Mad Mike's Computer Services
• Northwest Michigan Surgery Center
• Oryana Natural Foods Market
• Short's Brewing Co.
• Williams & Bay Pumping Services

The turnout was great and the program was even better. Last week's Kalkaska Chamber Annual Luncheon drew more than 150 attendees and included a presentation from Chamber President/CEO Doug Luciani about the activities in Kalkaska that have everyone talking about the town's economic revival. It was also a chance to honor Kalkaska Business of the Year Dewey Insurance and Citizen of the Year Janet Sieting.

Watch Luciani's presentation about what's going on in Kalkaska by clicking here.

Our partners at the Small Business Development Center and NMCOG have a new education program designed to fit the busy schedule of business owners. These 90-minute Box Lunch Workshops will offer local experts, lunch and networking opportunities with other area business people. They start May 5 with CPA Jason Warren discussing "Strategies for Managing Growth" and continue June 9 with Robyn Marcotte on "Creating a Contagious Culture." Register here.  

Tickets go on sale today for the International Affairs Forum China Conference entitled "China Today: Competitor or Partner?" This Chamber co-sponsored event June 5-6 at Northwestern Michigan College promises an up-close look at business trends and opportunities in China, information on Chinese business interests in the U.S. and a host of other must-see programs, panels and topics.

It was a Pomp and Circumstance evening at the Chamber Tuesday as the inaugural Mini MBA class offered through Ferris State University wrapped up its semester of study.  Learn more...

Recent cross-cultural surveys of parents' aspirations for their children found that parents place a higher value on raising their children to be caring, moral persons than to be materially successful. Are there parenting practices that help ensure our children grow into the kind of adults we want them to be?  Research suggests that the words we use can have a strong impact on children's sense of identity and moral development.  Check out Adam Grant's Opinion for why praising your child for being a generous person is more effective than praising their generosity.

For more information about Great Start at the Chamber and to get involved, email Mary Manner at mumanner@tcchamber.org or call 231-995-7114.

Action on federal water resources legislation could happen when lawmakers return to Washington D.C. next week.  Members of the House-Senate conference committee for the Water Resource and Development Act (WRDA) said the last big holdup is that lawmakers are waiting for several more projects to win approval from the Army Corps of Engineers, which would make the projects eligible for funding in the final bill.