Seats and booths are going fast for the Traverse City Area Chamber's annual Economic Outlook Breakfast and Business Expo. Don't miss this premiere business information, showcase and networking event on Nov. 11 at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa.

Click here to reserve space at the Economic Outlook Breakfast. Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan President/CEO Dan Loepp joins Clear Arc Capital Chief Investment Officer Mitchell Stapley to assess the regional economy and look toward 2015 and beyond. Tickets including breakfast and coffee are $25 each or $250 for a 10-person table.

That's immediately followed by the Chamber's Business Expo from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.  Join more than 140 exhibitors promoting their operations to 1,300-plus attendees at the area's largest business showcase. Click here to reserve booth space while prime spots are still available.

The Chamber's Economic Outlook Breakfast is presented by:

The Business Expo is presented by:

Do you remember that time in September when your business joined the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce? Click here for a list of our milestone member anniversaries this month. Thanks to these businesses for supporting the community through the Chamber and remember to support your fellow members as well.

Are you among the hundreds of area graduates of the Chamber's venerable Leadership Grand Traverse program? Now there's a way to re-connect and re-engage with LGT and put your leadership skills to work for the community.

LGT Fellows is a new Chamber initiative for alumni to stay involved, interact with current and former participants and learn about local volunteer and leadership opportunities that are available. Click here to learn more about the LGT Fellows program. 

Northern Michigan's great outdoors plays a major role in attracting young professionals to the region. So what better place for the Chamber's Young Professionals Conference than the scenic Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Park?

The YP Conference is just over a week away on Friday Oct. 3 at the Leelanau Outdoor Center. Join the YPs for a day of networking, education and team-building fun enjoying the best that Mother Nature has to offer. Click here to register.

Chamber Leadership Programming is supported by:

Great Lakes Metro Chambers - including the Traverse City Area Chamber and Northern Michigan Chamber Alliance - bolstered revenue from the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) this year for waterway maintenance and dredging across the Great Lakes.  Now the Coalition is pushing Congress to appropriate those funds for various projects.

Click here for Kent Wood's Northern Michigan Business Blog to learn more and what you can do to ensure full HTM funding to maintain our critical waterways.

When's the right time to begin teaching the basics of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields to help develop Michigan's workforce? A growing body of research says the sooner the better - including during critical pre-school years. Learn more in this M-Live column on the topic tracked down by Great Start Coordinator Mary Manner.