MyNorth Meetings 2018

Meetings IDEAS TO MAKE YOUR UP NORTH MEETING GREAT • 2018

MORE FUN, BETTER TEAM BUILDING

Meet in Northern Michigan TOP MEETING IDEAS FROM PLANNERS AT: · Grand Traverse Resort & Spa · Crystal Mountain · The Ellison Place · Grand Hotel · The Homestead · Mission Point Resort · Park Place Hotel and Convention Center

MISSION POINT mackinac island

8 PICK 201

The Perfect Choice for Groups in Michigan’s Must See Destination One Lakeshore Drive, Mackinac Island, MI 49757 | www.missionpoint.com | 906.430.4561

Meetings MyNorth.com/Meetings

A MyNorth Media Publication

PRESIDENT/ EDITOR IN CHIEF

VICE PRESIDENT EDITORIAL/EDITOR

Jeff Smith

MANAGING EDITOR

Elizabeth Edwards

WEB EDITOR

PROOFREADERS

Deborah Wyatt Fellows

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Elizabeth Aseritis Caroline Dahlquist

Theresa Burau-Baehr

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Rachel Watson

JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Breanne Kerner

WEB DIRECTOR, CLIENT SALES

Roger Lamb

SALES DIRECTOR

Chris Hunt

2018 • Volume 14

Carly Simpson

ART DIRECTOR Gail Snable

Table of Contents

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Jim Driver Ann Gatrell Jill Hayes Meg Lau Cyndi Ludka Drew Warner

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Rachel North

CIRCULATION FULFILLMENT MANAGER

DIRECTOR OF MYNORTH TICKETS

OFFICE MANAGER

CONTROLLER

Jodi G. Simpson

Tom Klein Libby Stallman Chris Ruszel

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Note from Editor

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Mission Point | Mackinac Island

7

Grand Traverse Resort & Spa | Traverse City

Place Sets the Stage.

Let a sense of wellbeing inspire the success of your next gathering.

Extensive meeting space, activities and options.

Fine tuned for meeting planners.

Dress it up, dress it down. This venue’s 30,000 square feet give it flexibility galore.

State-of-the-art meeting spaces at an award-winning resort.

Renovations mean big things for meeting planners.

Access Northern Michigan’s talent pool for world-class speakers who can spark the spirit of your meeting.

Inspire your meeting with gracious rooms and island quiet.

Northern Michigan Area Airports and Advertiser Directory.

11 The Homestead | Leelanau County 13 The Ellison Place | Gaylord

15 Crystal Mountain | Benzie County

17 Park Place Hotel and Convention Center | Traverse City 18 Captivating Keynotes

19 Grand Hotel | Mackinac Island COVER PHOTO: JON-PAUL ALLGAIER

A Supplement to

Editorial & Advertising Offices 125 Park Street, Suite 155, Traverse City, MI 49684 Phone: 231.941.8174 Fax: 231.941.8391

20 Maps & Details

Subscriber Services Visit MyNorth.com and click on “Subscriptions” to change your address or to review your account. Please e-mail other subscription inquiries to traverse@pcspublink.com or call 800.785.8632 between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. EST. Reprints Reprints available. Please call 231.941.8174.

MyNorth Meetings 2018 • MyNorth.com/Meetings

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Meet where you love to play Four seasons and three resorts offer endless opportunities to meet, relax and restore in northern Michigan.

• Four-season playground • Quaint waterfront towns of Harbor Springs, Petoskey and Boyne City • Flexible event space including team building venues

888.323.0898

• Lodging options from standard hotel rooms and spacious condominiums • Fully customizable catering menus and variety of restaurants

BOYNE.com/meetings

Groupsales2@boyne.com

From the Editor Place Sets the Stage Location, setting, environment ... call it what you will, “place”—beautiful, evocative place—is an essential ingredient in any truly memorable and effective conference. Place sets the mood in conference attendees’ minds as they approach a conference resort. When people take breaks between meetings or have time on their own, place can help people recharge, free their minds for conference sessions to follow. Place leaves a lasting impression as people pack up and head home, whether driving across the landscape or gazing at it from the window of an airplane.

TAYLOR BROWN

When you hold your meetings in Northern Michigan, you choose to set your conference amid one of America’s most beautiful places. There was an endorsement of this a few years back, when viewers of Good Morning America did in fact vote the Sleeping Bear Dunes as the most beautiful place in America. But it doesn’t take a vote or a TV show to prove Northern Michigan is a powerful setting for a gathering; just look at a map. Trace the hundreds of miles of Great Lakes shoreline, count the dozens and dozens of inland lakes, follow the hundreds of miles of clean, flowing rivers. Add in the small towns, fabulous restaurants, world-class golf courses and one of the most acclaimed wine regions in the nation, and you have a place your meeting attendees will long remember.

The meeting venues profiled in this edition of MyNorth Meetings all stand on that essential pillar of place. From there, conference planners have so many strong options for finding a perfect venue fit. On the shore of a national park, on a legendary island, on a high hill overlooking a sparkling bay, in the midst of one of America’s most vibrant small towns.

Consider the options. Consider your meeting attendees. Pick your place!

—Jeff Smith, Editor

MyNorth Meetings 2018 • MyNorth.com/Meetings

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Mackinac Island

People so often say Mackinac Island is a place where time stands still. The saying naturally ties to the clip-clop of horseand-buggies, the ring of bicycle bells (the absence of cars …) the restored historic fort, prim Victorian houses and downtown shops.

But for people planning conferences here, there’s something more important embedded in that notion of timelessness. When you have a meeting on Mackinac Island, the quietude, the sense of island solitude, the slower pace, all enables attendees to tune out the noise and hubub of today’s 21st century culture. Here, people have the mental and emotional space to focus on the timeless and enduring parts of themelves and one another—on building relationships, on quality time together, on wellness for individuals and wellness for teams.

The 241-room, casually elegant Mission Point Resort—rising on 18 acres of Mackinac Island shoreline—was designed and built back in the 1950s with the idea of convening people, strengthening bonds and sharing ideas ... and moving those ideas forward.

Meeting planners can still count on the resort to deliver on those principles, today.

“Wellness and wellbeing are a growing part of the DNA for successful meetings and

Let a sense of wellbeing inspire the success of your next gathering.

See Ad on Inside Front Cover

something we embrace at Mission Point,” says Liz Ware, who is part of the family who recently purchased Mission Point and is the vice president of marketing and public relations at the property. “We have the ideal combination of locale, variety, unparalleled beauty balanced with historic character that allows attendees to recharge and reconnect.

Adding to that, recent renovations propertywide provides further value. Planners often see increased attendance and attendee satisfaction when hosting events at this special place on Michigan’s Crown Jewel, Mackinac Island.”

Mission Point’s incredible diversity of conference spaces—22 options, 38,000 square feet in all—gives meeting planners remarkable flexibility in mapping out their agendas. Launch the meeting in a 500-seat auditorium. Gather for more intimate conversations in a 12-person boardroom setting.

Throw gala receptions in what was originally a sound stage for movie-making (you could use the space for video production if, say, capturing and web-broadcasting interviews with conference members suited your plans!)

Convene for discussions in one of several classroom settings. Regarding technology, Mission Point offers a robust array of pre-

Special Promotional Feature

sentation technologies and a high-capacity WiFi network that won’t bog down.

Planners can round out the meeting experience by incorporating the five restaurants onsite—from fine dining to pub fare.

Find elegance in Chianti, or gather for casual pub fare at Bistro on the Greens, adjacent to the 18-hole putting course (the perfect setting for fun competitions). Convene over hors d’oeuvres in the new Reserve wine tasting room.

Meeting attendees will also be welcomed this year with completely renovated hotel rooms in the Mission Point main lodge.

Channeling the beauty and power of Mission Point’s natural setting, the rooms resonate with soothing hues of blues and greens, bringing the outdoors in.

As for free time, well, that’s the easiest part of all. Break into small groups and rent bicycles and pedal around the island, paddle kayaks in the Straits of Mackinac, wander trails or the historic streets of Mackinac.

Connect and recharge while discovering a new understanding of timeless.

Find more things to do at MyNorth.com/Mackinac

KELLY REWA

Mission Point

events • meetings • banquets Located in downtown Traverse City, Corner Loft possesses a 120 guest capacity, 3 large projection screens, WI-FI access and modern rustic - chic vibe. Call for a tour today!

201 E. FRONT ST • TRAVERSE CITY 231-883-9367 • CORNERLOFTTC.COM

Welcome to our Neighborhood.

Welcome to the very vibrant and very cool downtown Traverse City waterfront neighborhood called the Warehouse District. It’s the place we call home.

Come stay with us! Enjoy the modern design, lush bedding, spa-inspired showers, inspiring function spaces, free Wi-Fi, fresh cuisine, local craft beverages and live entertainment.

We do great meetings, too.

Hotel Indigo Traverse City 263 W. Grandview Parkway Traverse City, MI 49684 t: 231.932.0500 Reservations: 877.8.INDIGO (846.3446) hotelindigo.com/TraverseCityMI

facebook.com/hotelindigo @hotelindigo

Traverse City

COURTESY OF GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT & SPA

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa For meeting planners, Grand Traverse Resort has a key feature to keep in mind: lodging capacity for thousands of people, with rooms available in a variety of settings, including in the hotel, in the tower, in houses and in condominiums. That kind of lodging capacity is a rarity in Northern Michigan, and is augmented by remarkable recreational amenities, such as three golf courses, several bars and eateries, tennis courts, pools, a spa, and numerous retail shops.

Little wonder the GT Resort has a big reputation as a family-friendly resort, but make no mistake, the foremost mission of the resort is to host meetings and conferences. “It’s the core of our business,” says Ryan Buck, director of sales at the sprawling Acme hotel and convention center.

The resort features meeting spaces of all shapes and configurations, from intimate rooms built to accommodate a dozen to the massive Governors Hall, which can seat more than 2,000. The hall is one of three

Extensive meeting space, activities and options.

See Ad on Page 8

ballrooms, each of which can be subdivided as required. Outdoor facilities expand the meeting space possibilities. The Pavilion, the Beach Club and other locations all easily adapt to client needs. “We can handle three major groups and they wouldn’t even be aware of one another,” Buck says.

Buck extolls the virtues of the staff as well. “I’ve worked across the country, and the level of service here is second to none. The sincerity and heart of the folks who work here, from servers to bellmen to stewards and office staff, is amazing.”

As an example, he pointed to the Special Olympics, which the resort hosts annually.

One of the athletes and a bellman have forged a special connection. “They always take a photo together in front of the fountain.

They’ve done it for eight or nine years now.

That’s the kind of thing that brings so many groups back here year after year.”

While Grand Traverse Resort and Spa offers many options for meetings and activi-

Special Promotional Feature

ties, Buck says its allure goes beyond what is on the property. “The Traverse City experience is really appealing. The area has something for absolutely everybody. There’s food, wineries, breweries, culture. The outdoors, water, skiing—it’s very family-friendly.”

The resort even has an in-house Event Design Manager to assist groups with offsite activities. “Whether it’s a wine tour, fishing, going on the tall ship, or anything else guests want to do or know about, we’re there to help them,” he says.

All those things factor into the decisions of event planners to return year after year. “Some have been coming here for more than 20 years. They want attendees to be engaged in their meetings and enjoy themselves while they are here. That always makes for a successful event,” Buck says.

Find more things to do at MyNorth.com/TraverseCity

MyNorth Meetings 2018 • MyNorth.com/Meetings

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GOLF SPA SHOP DINE MEET

GET UP AND GO Expansive views and limitless venues. The inspiration of a Northern Michigan meeting is more than a vineyard board room, private beach reception, or group sail at sunset. More than renowned service or distinct personalization.

It’s having all those things at your fingertips. You won’t believe it if you haven’t seen it. Get up and go at GrandTraverseResort.com/Meetings.

#gtresort Owned and Operated by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians

Of fish, ponds & meetings.

You know about small fish and big ponds. Big fish swim nearby and danger lurks. There’s no such danger here. Your meeting will be in a pond of its own.

It will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology and furnishings. You’ll have it to yourself as we never put multiple meetings in one pond. So, you will be productive, your goals met, and your people happy.

And when you are ready for some teambuilding, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is right outside our door. The viewers of ABC’s Good Morning America named it the Most Beautiful Place in America. You can bask in its beauty or experience its challenges on land or on the water. Or you can golf or fish or shop or spa or enjoy galleries, vineyards, breweries, gourmet restaurants and so much more.

Go ahead. Be the big fish. We think you’ll like it.

Glen Arbor, MI 49636 | thehomesteadresort.com | 231 334 5300

Leelanau

The Homestead

COURTESY OF THE HOMESTEAD

When Bob Kuras, president of The Homestead, looked at what The Homestead had been offering for meetings, he knew he had to make some changes. The owner of “America’s Freshwater Resort” saw a setting that was world-class, but the meeting spaces didn’t reflect that aesthetic. With an opportunity to reposition The Homestead as a high-level site for groups to conduct business, he decided he and his team needed to find out what was driving the industry. “We researched what people want. It turned out they want to have comfortable settings for productive meetings and social activities that build on the experience,” Kuras said.

“Groups want to meet, dine, recreate.”

That led to a complete renovation of the meeting spaces at the Glen Arbor resort’s Welcome Center. Now meeting rooms offer state-of-the-art technology and a variety of seating and table arrangements. Capacity varies from 10 to 40 people. The tables and comfortable chairs are easy to move into whatever configuration best suits the attendees. “Tables used to be so heavy

Fine tuned for meeting planners.

See Ad on Page 10

and ungainly. You can move these with one finger,” Kuras said as he demonstrated.

The rooms themselves got a makeover, as well, with neutral colors and lighting that’s easily adjustable. Not to mention those big screens, which can be used in a multitude of ways, including splitting them between different displays. The rooms all offer natural light, enticing views and provide easy access to the outdoors.

Kuras went so far as to have the lobby redone, too. “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” he said.

Several other gathering spaces expand the meeting possibilities at The Homestead.

The Inn, Stony Bro Lodge, Crystal Lodge Conference Center, Camp Firefly and Mountain Flower Lodge offer a variety of settings, with capacity ranging from eight to upwards of 200, depending on the room and configuration.

Social time and connecting attendees to the world outside the meeting room remains

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a priority, explains Barb Ellis, manager of group sales at The Homestead. “When people meet, they want to do a three-hour power session. After the meeting, they want to hike, play golf, go to the beach. We’ve even added a happy hour at the end of the meeting for some groups,” she said.

As for those team-building activities, Ellis said they often take advantage of different areas at or outside the resort. “They do the dune climb or hike along the river,” she said. Lake Michigan, Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, the wineries that dot the rolling hills all help bring groups in and provide recreation when they arrive.

It’s all about balancing hard work and enjoyable activities Kuras explained. “It’s not only the employee. Many bring their families,” he said.

Find more things to do at MyNorth.com/Leelanau

MyNorth Meetings 2018 • MyNorth.com/Meetings

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Meetings - Conferences - Banquets - Company Parties With over 30,000 SF available we can accomodate any event a business hosts.

The Ellison Place boasts a max capacity of over 2,200 people and is just off the I-75

miellisonplace.com - (989) 448 - 7575 - diane@miellisonplace.com 150 Dale Drive Gaylrod, Michigan 49735

Gaylord

The Ellison Place

Dress it up, dress it down.

This venue’s 30,000 square feet give it flexibility galore.

See Ad on Page 12

In its first year of operation, Gaylord’s Ellison Place hosted concerts, weddings, trade shows, a prom, and a boat show, among other events. Diane Bartow, the facility manager at the Ellison Place, says the sky is the limit for the facility. “It’s an amazing space—we have 30,000 square feet of usable space,” she said.

That 30,000 square feet used to house Jay’s Sporting Goods, and when the store relocated, Bartow’s employer, which owned the building, asked her to find a use for it. Her first thought was to transform the building into an events center. After all, with all that floor space, it could accommodate anything from a small meeting to an RV show. And it has.

Bartow said the venue’s flexibility means it can open up for a massive audience, or host a small meeting without the group feeling lost amid the space.

COURTESY OF THE ELLISON PLACE

The building was renovated from a warehouse-like retail space into a sleek, urban industrial venue, that is appropriate for any get-together. “There’s beautiful stonework, attractive lighting, inviting colors. You walk in and feel like you’re in a big city downtown,” Bartow said.

The venue has breakout rooms and two bar areas, and it boasts all the technology meeting planners need. There’s a PA system with surround sound, screens and projectors, WiFi, even an onsite tech person to provide expertise or troubleshoot any problems. Ellison Place works with BJ’s Catering for events, which provides tables and chairs, linens, and a menu to suit any occasion.

Special Promotional Feature

The Ellison Place came out of the gate strong: Its first event was an RV show in January of 2017. Over 7,000 people made their way through the facility, and the host company was so pleased it immediately booked the facility for the following year. Since then Ellison Place has hosted a number of events of all sizes, from fundraisers and school events to banquets and Christmas parties, as well as large-scale consumer showcases.

The location just east of I-75 in Gaylord makes Ellison Place easy to drive to and places it in the midst of the area’s population center.

That makes the venue attractive to those looking to draw from the entire region.

Then there are the charms of Gaylord’s Alpine-themed village, from big box stores to the Old Spud Warehouse, and plenty of things in between. Restaurants run the gamut: eclectic eateries like the Iron Pig Smokehouse and the Bearded Dogg, and classics like the Sugar Bowl, Bennethum’s Northern Inn and Diana’s Delights. Ellison Place is also in the midst of many recreational opportunities, from hunting and fishing to the Gaylord Golf Mecca. With several nearby hotels and motels, there are plenty of attractive lodging options as well.

Plenty to do, places to stay, recreational and shopping opportunities, and a huge, beautiful and flexible space: The Ellison Place is the place for your next event.

Find more things to do at MyNorth.com/Gaylord

MyNorth Meetings 2018 • MyNorth.com/Meetings

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CONNECTION A CONFERENCE CALL CAN ’T PROVIDE

The Crystal Center offers state-of-the-art technology and fl exible seating for up to 350 people, so it’s easy to stay connected and let your productivity fl ourish.

Our event planners will coordinate everything, from on-site catering to setting up the presentation.

Enjoy over 260 lodging rooms, delicious dining and endless mountain activities. Make it a meeting to remember at Crystal Mountain.

MAKE IT YOUR MOMENT. C RYS TA L M O U N TA I N .CO M

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8 5 5 . 7 3 4 .1 3 7 9

Benzie County

Crystal Mountain

COURTESY OF CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN RESORT

At Crystal Mountain, modern meeting amenities merge with plenty of activities, perfect for team-building or just relaxing.

“The Crystal Center is very versatile. We can do banquets of up to 350, or breakouts for six people,” said Brian Lawson, the resort’s director of public relations, about the resort’s primary meeting venue.

That same kind of versatility extends to the Thompsonville resort’s experienced staff. The sales staff, the conference service staff, the hospitality staff, all have extensive meeting experience and have the ability and flexibility to serve clients, whatever their needs. “They know how to provide guests with the best experiences, and how to turn on a dime and shuffle things around as needed, whether that’s because of changes in their needs or unexpected weather,” Lawson said.

That’s borne out in the fact the resort is a five-time recipient of the coveted Paragon Award, presented by Corporate Meetings and Incentives magazine to the best conference facilities in the nation. “We have the

State-of-the-art meeting spaces at an award-winning resort.

See Ad on Page 14

technology to accommodate practically any meeting, and we’re constantly upgrading,” Lawson noted.

When the meetings are over and the fun begins, well, that’s Crystal Mountain’s power zone. The resort offers 36 holes of championship golf, a pool, mountain biking, and an alpine slide. In the winter, there are snow-sports galore, with some of the Midwest’s best slopes for skiing and snowboarding. There’s also cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, fat-tire biking, even horse-drawn surrey rides. “It’s a perfect setting whether people are looking for team-building activities or just want to relax and have some social time together,” Lawson said.

The 18,500-square-foot Crystal Spa offers steam rooms, infrared saunas and an outdoor mosaic garden with a hot tub.

Swedish massage, aromatherapy baths, facials, manicures and pedicures are among the offerings. The resort’s recent expansion also provides guests with more dining and beverage options, even a rooftop bar and

Special Promotional Feature

a specialty market. The Michigan Legacy Art Park is a 30-acre outdoor sculpture park on the grounds with 40 works of art and nearly two miles of hiking trails; in the summer the art park also hosts concerts. And the accommodations at Crystal Mountain include 250 hotel rooms, suites, condos, townhomes and resort residences, all featuring the hills, forests and rivers of beautiful Northern Michigan.

The resort is also within easy driving distance of many other regional amenities: Frankfort boasts fashionable restaurants, a theater, a brewpub and a gorgeous beachfront on Lake Michigan. Beulah and Benzonia offer shops, art galleries, and the sapphire blue waters of Crystal Lake. The restaurants, art galleries, shops, and other draws of Traverse City are just a short drive away.

Find more things to do at MyNorth.com/Frankfort

MyNorth Meetings 2018 • MyNorth.com/Meetings

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Traverse City

COURTESY OF PARK PLACE HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER

Park Place Hotel and Convention Center June 2018 marks a grand transition at the Park Place Hotel, in downtown Traverse City, when the doors open on the hotel’s elegant new conference center. In addition to a dramatic increase in the capacity of the largest meeting hall, the all-new-construction will merge state-of-the-art conference space design and technology (high-capacity fiber-optic cable) with the timeless boutique gracefulness that has made the Park Place Hotel an important part of so many people’s lives since it was built in 1930.

Extensive renovation has also been running full tilt in the 140 hotel rooms of the Park Place. All rooms in the 10-story tower will be refurbished by the opening date of the conference center. Decorators created a serene and timeless sensibility for guests, designing with a calming palette ranging from tawny beiges to deep cocoas.

Textured fabrics in carpets, curtains and bedding expand the senses. All new furniture and all new surfaces will adorn each room. The renovation continues when the west wing rooms are refurbished in the fall of 2018. Less visible, but essential to a

comfortable experience, renovation has also happened behind the scenes, with upgrades to infrastructure components like heating and cooling, electrical and plumbing.

Meeting planners who are familiar with the Park Place’s former meeting space—an iconic circular space affectionately called The Dome—will much appreciate the room configuration and floorplan flexibility in the new Park Place Hotel and Conference Center. For starters, the Grandview room accommodates 800 people for receptions and 500 people seated at 8-person round tables. The Grandview can also be divided into four meeting rooms, with each half seating 248 and one section splitting into three sections, which will seat 72 each. In addition, the Park Place has nine other meeting spaces to easily accommodate multiple breakout sessions. One change meeting organizers will especially like is the addition of a pre-function room, so activities like registration can take place in a separate, controlled space. Warm months will also enable groups to access the outdoor courtyard for open air receptions.

Special Promotional Feature

Renovations mean big things for meeting planners.

See Ad on Page 16

Of course, some of the most compelling reasons to have a conference at the Park Place are not even on property. The hotel stands in the heart of Traverse City, one of the Midwest’s most vibrant and progressive small towns. Perched on the shore of one of the largest freshwater bays on earth, the town has given rise to a nationally renowned food scene, a rich and inventive shopping scene and a fun, walkable community with a big heart and an irresistible beachfront.

The surrounding countryside includes award-winning wine country on Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and miles of gorgeous Great Lakes shore.

Call to discuss your meeting with the Park Place conference team. They can’t wait to see your reaction to the new spaces!

Find more things to do at MyNorth.com/TraverseCity

MyNorth Meetings 2018 • MyNorth.com/Meetings

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Captivating Keynotes Access Northern Michigan’s talent pool for world-class speakers who can spark the spirit of your meeting.

BY JEFF SMITH

» JACK SEGAL, FORMER NATO ADVISOR Jack Segal made 40 trips to Afghanistan from 2002 to 2010 as Chief Political Advisor to NATO command. jsegal_kpuschel@yahoo.com. » LINDA LINDQUIST-BISHOP, LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT

Prize-winning off-shore yacht racing professional and former publisher of Yachting Magazine, Linda discusses change, leadership and developing high-performing individuals and teams. linda@4risingtide.org. » ANGIE MORGAN, FOUNDER, LEAD STAR

A 20-year leadership expert, Angie Morgan founded Lead Star to help professionals achieve greater success. Themes include leadership, change and resilience. amorgan@leadstar.us. » JIM MACINNES, CEO, CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN RESORT

As CEO of Crystal Mountain, Jim MacInnes brings insight into the regional tourism industry, but he’s also a nuclear power engineer who is a leading voice in renewable energy. jmacInnes@crystalmountain.com. » JERRY DENNIS, AUTHOR One of Michigan’s most beloved and respected authors, Jerry Dennis is an eloquent proponent and defender of the Great Lakes, river health and the Northern life. jcdennis@charter.net. » RAY MINERVINI, PRESIDENT, MINERVINI GROUP

Ray Minervini led the effort to renovate a massive 1800s Traverse City mental hospital into a gorgeous community with housing, shops, offices and parkland. ray@thevillagetc.com. » GROUNDWORK CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

Groundwork Center is a leading voice on innovative solutions for 21st century communities. Topic specialists in smart growth, water quality, transportation and local foods. hans@groundworkcenter.org. » TRICIA PHELPS, CEO, TASTE THE LOCAL DIFFERENCE

A thought leader in the local foods movement and CEO of one of the nation’s most innovative smallfarm advocate companies, Taste the Local Difference. tricia@localdifference.org. » DOUG STANTON, BEST-SELLING AUTHOR

New York Times best-selling author of Odyssey of Echo Company, Horse Soldiers and In Harm’s Way, Doug Stanton is also the co-founder of the National Writers Series. dougstanton1@gmail.com.

» BENJAMIN MARENTETTE As Traverse City clerk, Benjamin Marentette runs the operations for and can share insight into one of America’s most vibrant and successful small towns. bmarente@traversecitymi.gov. » HAGERTY INSURANCE EXECUTIVES

Hagerty Insurance has evolved from a small niche insurance business that focused on classic cars and boats into the industry’s top performer and innovator in that market space. Various topic experts. Contact Shelli DiFranco. mdifranco@hagerty.com. » PAUL BRITTEN, CEO, BRITTEN BANNERS Renowned as a dynamic, change-driven corporate leader, Paul Britten has expanded his small screen-printing company into a national, multi-faceted brand. Themes: branding, company culture and entrepreneurship. pbritten@brittenbanners.com. » TODD SANDERS, LEADERSHIP EXPERT

Sanders relies on his experience as a military strategist to help upper- and mid-level managers develop skills for success. Themes: leadership, creativity, innovation and veterans. todd@buildleadersnow.com. » TONY ANDERSON, GENERAL MANAGER, CHERRYLAND ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Tony Anderson has worked extensively with under-served youth in physical fitness and character building. He loves talking about mentoring. marathon4kids@gmail. » WENDY STEELE, CEO OF GENEROSITY MATTERS/ COURAGEOUS THINKING

Wendy Steele leveraged her experience as an inventor and entrepreneur and applied it to a heartfelt belief that generosity can improve life for others and ourselves. wsteele@generosity-matters.com. » ALLISON BEERS, OWNER, EVENTS NORTH

Widely regarded as one of Michigan’s top event planners, Allison Beers addresses such themes as business etiquette and successful conference planning. allison@eventsnorth.com. » CARL GANTER, CO-FOUNDER, CIRCLE OF BLUE

Carl Ganter co-founded Circle of Blue, one of the world’s most innovative and influential clean water advocacy organizations. He has addressed the United Nations and the Davos Economic Forum. jcarl@circleofblue.org » HANS VAN SUMEREN, DIRECTOR, FRESHWATER INSTITUTE

Director of one of the nation’s leading college programs devoted to freshwater studies. Themes include wateroriented careers, ecology, the future of underwater ROVs, and the Great Lakes. hvansumeren@nmc.edu.

Mackinac Island

Grand Hotel

LEFT: DAVE WEIDNER; RIGHT: KELLY REWA

Those looking for an ideal corporate getaway—a place that offers the best in meeting capabilities, accommodations and pastimes—would do well to consider gathering at a beautiful venue on a legendary isle, specifically, at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

The unforgettable nature of a meeting here begins when attendees board a ferry on the mainland and cross the gorgeous Mackinac Straits. The fun sense of “unplugging” continues with a horse-drawn carriage ride from the dock to the stately Victorian-era hotel and its 600-foot-long porch, inviting guests to kick back for conversation and a cocktail. The opportunity to leave the city behind leads to both more relaxation and more opportunities to get things done.

“There’s fresh air and clean water, a fourstar resort with unique experiences,” said Julie Rogers, director of marketing at the Grand Hotel. All that and the Grand’s 22,000 square feet of meeting space.

The island is famous for the fact it does not allow motor vehicles. The no-cars rule

Inspire your meeting with gracious rooms and island quiet.

See Ad on Inside Back Cover

plays in the island’s favor when it comes to the “getting away from it all” experience, and poses fewer logistical challenges than one might think. The hotel provides plenty of assistance in transporting luggage and display goods from the ferry docks to the hotel, and onsite, the hotel has state-ofthe-art technology that meeting planners demand. “We host meetings from all over the United States and Canada, from board meetings for a day to a few hundred people for a few days. We have a variety of meeting rooms available,” Rogers said.

A meetings centerpiece is Woodfill Conference Center, a two-story, 16,000 square-foot space that combines Victorianera elegance and ambience with state-ofthe-art convention amenities. Woodfill has hosted presidents, governors and some of the world’s most powerful business leaders.

Another option is the Theatre, the Grand Hotel’s largest and most flexible space, which is enhanced by smaller meeting rooms nearby. The Theatre is designed to host large sessions and dinner banquets

Special Promotional Feature

seating up to 500. The center includes six meeting rooms all under one roof.

Service at the Grand is as renowned as the hotel rooms and meeting rooms. From the time a meeting is booked to the time guests depart, a personal convention manager is there to assist in any way possible.

There are also plenty of dining options, from formal to casual. A host of amenities and activities are also onsite, including a spa, a pool, golf, tennis, afternoon tea, shopping and more.

And though there’s really no need to leave the grounds, those who want to explore Mackinac Island have plenty of options. The isle has 70 miles of paved and unpaved trails, perfect for hiking or biking.

Downtown satisfies with shops and restaurants. Ask the Grand Hotel concierge to arrange a horse and carriage tour.

For more information, go to grandhotel.com.

Find more things to do at MyNorth.com/Mackinac

MyNorth Meetings 2018 • MyNorth.com/Meetings

19

Map & Details

Pictured Rocks NL

Northern Michigan Area Airports Christmas Munising

Sault Ste. Marie Brimley

Newberry

75

Cherry Capital Airport 231.947.2250; tvcairport.com AIRLINES: Delta, United, American Airlines

Hessel Manistique

2

DAILY FLIGHTS TO: Mackinac Island St. Ignace

Gladstone

anaba

LAKE MICHIGAN

PELLSTON REGIONAL AIRPORT

MAP AREA

Pellston

Drummond Chicago, Detroit Island Seasonal Service: Atlanta, Denver, LaGuardia, Newark, LAKE HURON Indianapolis, Cleveland CAR RENTALS: Avis (231.946.1222), Budget (231.947.3883), Enterprise (231.922-2800), Hertz Cheboygan (231.946.7051), National/Alamo (231.947.1560)

Harbor Springs

Petoskey Charlevoix GRAND TRAVERSE BAY Boyne City

Mt. Pleasant

Pellston Regional Airport 231.539.8441; pellstonairport.com AIRLINES: Delta Connections

Northport Peshawbestown

131

NUMBER OF DAILY FLIGHTS TO: Gaylord

Suttons Bay

Acme

Manistee

MANISTEE COUNTY BLACKER AIRPORT

CAR RENTALS/TRANSPORTATION: Lewiston

Traverse City 31

Detroit: 2-4 daily (varies seasonally)

75

CHERRY CAPITAL AIRPORT-TVC

Avis (231.539.8302), Hertz (231.539.8404), Mackinaw Shuttle (231.539.7005)

Kalkaska Grayling

Manistee County Blacker Airport 231.723.4351; flymanistee.com Houghton Lake

Cadillac

AIRLINES: PublicCharters/North Country Sky NUMBER OF DAILY FLIGHTS TO:

Service to Chicago Midway CAR RENTALS/TRANSPORTATION:

Mowry Rental (231.723.4351) Ludington

Advertiser Directory Bay Harbor Village Hotel (Inside Back Cover) 888.bay.harbor bayharborvillagehotel.com

The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park

(page 5) 231.935.4077 thebotanicgarden.org/visitorcenter

Boyne Mountain Resort (page 2) 231.549.6000 boyne.com/meetings

The Corner Loft (page 6) 231.883.9367 cornerlofttc.com

Crystal Mountain (page 14) 855.746.6733 crystalmountain.com

The Ellison Place (page 12) 989.350.5641 miellisonplace.com

Grand Hotel

(Back Cover) 517.349.4600 grandhotel.com/meetings

Grand Traverse Event Center

(page 5) 231.645.4428 grandtraverseeventcenter.com

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa

(page 8-9) 800.748.0303 grandtraverseresort.com

The Homestead

(page 10) 231.334.5000 thehomesteadresort.com

Hotel Indigo (page 6) 231.932.0500 hotelindigo.com

Mission Point (Inside Front Cover) 800.833.5538 missionpoint.com

MyNorth Tickets (Inside Back Cover) 800.836.0717 mynorthtickets.com

MyNorth Vacation Guides (Inside Back Cover) 800.836.0717 mynorth.com

Oliver Art Center

(page 5) 231.352.4151 oliverartcenterfrankfort.org

Park Place Hotel & Convention Center (page 16) 231.946.5000 park-place-hotel.com

MEET. PLAY. REPEAT. Bay Harbor Village Hotel and Conference Center is the prime Northern Michigan destination for your conference or meeting. With flexible spaces, customizable catering options, stunning views, worldclass amenities, and a wide variety of seasonal events, it’s the perfect place to mix business with pleasure.

Come and enjoy the breathtaking views at our inviting condominium hotel or one of our charming rental homes. Relax and enjoy waterfront dining, shopping and soak in the amazing sunsets on Lake Michigan.

4160 Main Street, Bay Harbor, Michigan 49770 Call us at 1.888.bay.harbor | Bayharborvillagehotel.com

planning

a meeting in Northern Michigan?

Make the meeting more memorable.

Tuck a complimentary Vacation Guide into your guests’ welcome bags or hotel rooms.

800.836.0717 // 125 PARK STREET // SUITE #155 // TRAVERSE CITY

Contact Jodi Simpson to request copies: 231-941-5976, jsimpson@traversemagazine.com

Make Your Meeting Grand Grand Hotel offers a unique location for your next meeting, with a picturesque location, old-world hospitality and more than 22,000 square feet of meeting space under one roof.

Our Complete Meeting Package includes: • Accommodations • Full breakfast and dinner daily • AV equipment, Wi-Fi and coffee breaks

• Evening cocktail reception • Free golf greens fees (cart fee required) • A dedicated convention manager

Book 10 rooms or more and receive a complimentary room with meals, plus receive one VIP upgrade to a Named Room.

For rates and other availability, contact: Director of Sales, Annie Farrell • afarrell@grandhotel.com • 517-349-4600 Join our quarterly meetings eNewsletter at grandhotel.com/meetings

1-800-33GRAND • g r an dhotel. com