It was pomp and circumstance at the Chamber Tuesday evening as we honored the Fall 2015 Leadership Grand Traverse Class at its graduation ceremony held at Kirkbride Hall at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons.

Congratulations to this 18-person class, whose members put forth an extraordinary effort to immerse themselves in our community's institutions and learn what makes them great. The Chamber is proud of its latest outstanding Leadership Grand Traverse class whose members are ready to engage in leadership opportunities in their professional and personal lives - ready to make a difference in our region.

Meet the 2015 Fall Leadership Grand Traverse Class and view some images of Tuesday's graduation ceremony. The application window will open soon for the Spring 2106 Leadership Grand Traverse semester; watch the Chamber Bulletin for details.

It's been a great fall season in the Grand Traverse region. What better way to wind it down than joining us for the year's last Business After Hours? It happens tonight from 5 - 7 and we'll showcase the beautiful new The Larkin Group insurance office overlooking West Grand Traverse Bay.

Spend some time with fellow Chamber members while enjoying our usual offerings of terrific appetizers and quenching refreshments. The busy holiday season is near and Business After Hours will take a break until January, so come out and enjoy the evening with us. The Larkin Group is located at 13900 S. West Bay Shore Drive (M-22), just past the Tom's West Bay complex. We'll see you there.

Business After Hours is presented by:

Did you know that Michigan businesses conduct nearly $75 billion in trade with Canada involving an estimated 259,000 jobs? There's new leadership in Canada following last month's national elections, and the Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition wants Michigan businesses to know what to anticipate going forward.

The Coalition will offer a webinar open to Traverse City Area Chamber members this Thursday, November 19, starting at 10 a.m. featuring two members of Canada's Global Public Affairs Team. Join in for an informative discussion on the economic and policy direction of the new Canadian administration, cross-border management and trade facilitation and potential impacts on key sectors including manufacturing and transportation.

You can take part by contacting Rebecca Schneider at the Detroit Regional Chamber at rschneider@detroitchamber.com.

Chamber members are invited to participate in the Michigan Future Business Index survey conducted by our friends at the Michigan Business Network, a tool that evaluates Michigan's economic environment from a business perspective. MBN's Chris Holman and his staff are fixtures at Chamber events like the Economic Outlook Breakfast and Annual Celebration, and the Michigan Business Network works hard to keep its finger on the business pulse throughout our great state.

The countdown is on, and the excitement is building. The Chamber's Membership Event is coming up December 8 - 10 at Holiday Inn/West Bay Beach and our membership teams are gearing up for a competitive three days. Jimmy Cusano of Your Chamber Connection met with our Membership Chairs and their captains last week. They set a goal of pushing the Traverse City Area Chamber past the prestigious 2,000 member mark and joining YCC's $100,000 club for membership events.

It's going to be a major challenge. But our chairs, captains and volunteers are up to the task. The Grand Traverse region has an outstanding business community, and joining the Chamber is part of what makes it great. If you'd like to participate in this event, contact Event Coordinator Andi Wagenschutz.

Northern Michigan is home to an amazing collection of businesses, many with inspirational stories of entrepreneurial vision and success. Each week the Chamber's Weekly Entrepreneur Focus on NewsTalk 580 features a local business man, woman or team who've mined business gold in our region. The program airs each Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. and past episodes are available on the Chamber's website.

The Weekly Entrepreneur Focus is presented by:

Plans for Traverse City's "City Lot" property along West Front Street near the City Fire Station are taking shape, and the city wants to hear from you. You can review the three conceptual plans for City Lot and share your thoughts and preferences about the alternative designs and proposed future uses for the property through an online survey that continues through noon on Friday, November 27. Click here to participate.