Wow - That's the best way to summarize the results of last week's 3-day Membership Event for the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce. The energy and effort generated by the nearly 150 volunteers that joined Chamber staff and the amazing Jimmy Cusano of Your Chamber Connection produced results best described as nothing short of amazing. Our Chamber set a new record for Membership Events in Michigan, and finished in the top 20 for events across the nation while joining the ranks of YCC's prestigious $100,000 Club. It also pushed the Chamber's membership ranks past the 2,000 businesses plateau.

Highlights of the Membership Event include:

New Members: 243

Revenue Raised: $120,679

Event Godmother: Allison Beers (Events North)

Event Godfather: Kevin Schlueter (Kalkaska Screw Products)

Top Producing Team: Lime Team with 86 new members and $55,000 in revenue; Chair: Troy Broad (Team Elmer's)

 

Click here for a video of images from the event. You can also watch listen to Your Chamber Connection's Jimmy Cusano talk about the event's success.

Make sure your "to do" list over the holidays includes reserving your seat at the Chamber's Annual Celebration. We're less than a month out from this spectacular evening coming up Friday, January 15, from 6:30 - 10 p.m. at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa.

Join us as we celebrate the Chamber's achievements this year and lay out plans for 2016. Plus we'll honor our 2015 Distinguished Service Award recipient, enjoy a strolling dinner and dessert bar throughout the evening and celebrate a special night with the region's business community.

The Northern Michigan Chamber Alliance is urging state lawmakers to put the brakes on a state House bill that would extend and expand the Health Insurance Claims Assessment (HICA) tax on businesses and individuals who purchase health insurance in Michigan.

Learn more in this memo sent this week to Michigan lawmakers from Alliance Government Relations Director Kent Wood.

Whether your business is new to the Chamber or one of our long-time members, our "Get to Know Your Chamber" sessions are a gold mine of information on how to promote and grow your business through the Chamber. Our business directory is visited by thousands of people each year and you can use it for special promotions, to post videos, advertise job openings, publish news releases and more. Plus you can learn about our networking events, meeting rooms and other Chamber resources available to you.

"Get to Know Your Chamber" is free to members and the next session is coming up January 21 at the Chamber. Register here. Another is planned for February 18 and you can register here. Both sessions are from noon - 1:30 p.m.

All the world's a stage - and the Chamber kicks off 2016 Business After Hours for 2016 at one of the region's most-renown theaterical venues at the Old Town Playhouse. Join us Wednesday, January 20 from 5 - 7 p.m. at this unique and vibrant downtown attraction as we resume the region's original after-work networking event.

Also, special thanks to our sponsors at Grand Traverse Ophthalmology Clinic for again sponsoring our Business After Hours series for 2016. Start your New Year the right way - surrounded by your friends at the Chamber!

It's a 100-year tradition in the Grand Traverse region for the area's top business men and women to take on leadership roles in the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce. As the Chamber begins its second century of service to the area, we recognize and thank our outgoing board directors for their extraordinary effort to the organization and the business community. The Chamber staff is deeply appreciative of their time and talent, and look forward to their continued involvement in the organization they've helped grow. Thanks to these outgoing Chamber Directors: