July 2016 Issue

Small Town Lawyers: No high-rise, corner office here, but other perks make up for it

By Ross Boissoneau

There was a time when those looking for an attorney would seek players in the large offices in the big cities. For the lawyers themselves, those firms and locations often stood as the benchmark for success.

Today, those working in small towns often boast the same education and resources as their peers in the corner office in the big city high-rise. They just do it from the likes of Kalkaska, Mancelona and Honor.

Take Tony Wittbrodt. The Flint native worked in Wayne County and then his hometown before opting to move to the relative obscurity of Elk Rapids. While he …

The Business of Letting Go: Experts help with decluttering, downsizing

By Ross Boissoneau

Whether it’s due to a move to a smaller abode, a desire to live more simply, or taking on the chore of selling a parents’ home, clearing out years of accumulation is a challenging task.

It’s such a hot topic that books are coming out left and right with titles like "Downsizing The Family Home: What to Save, What to Let Go" and "Take the U Out of Clutter." Websites promise to help you declutter …

Encore Careers: Why Retire When You Can Reinvent Yourself?

By Clark Miller

For many seniors, retiring has become less a matter of kicking back on the couch and more of a long-awaited opportunity to reinvent themselves and take on new career challenges.

The TCBN talks with four TC residents who have found satisfaction in their encore careers:

Bill Donberg

Engineer and longtime Dow Chemical executive Bill Donberg always planned for retirement – not just in the terms but also to keep his mind and body active. Once …

COA, Senior Center Network Face August Renewal Vote

By Al Parker

Two millage proposals on the Aug. 2 primary election ballot will impact services provided to Grand Traverse County seniors.

A proposal for the county’s Commission on Aging (COA) is a renewal for .5 mills for six years, through 2022. The tax impact on a $100,000 home would be $25 a year or just over $2 a month.

The second measure, a .1 mill renewal, is earmarked for the Senior Center Network and would equate to …

Big Business for Michigan: Key developments will help ag sector thrive

Ahhh, summer. The glorious 97 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day that refresh our cold, winter souls and remind us that there is hope, the world is beautiful and people are good. And then, suddenly, they arrive. Yes, the downstate friends, the long lost relatives, that high school buddy …

By Bonnie Alfonso

Newsmakers

LAW

Agnieszka “Agnes” Jury was elected President-Elect of the Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Antrim Bar Association at the association’s annual spring dinner. Her term as president will begin in May 2017. She has already spearheaded a new website and programming for the organization. “Agnes is bringing to the GRLA Bar the …

By Ross Boissoneau

What's Your Business Worth? How the experts valuate your business

Whether you’re interested in buying an existing business or selling one which you have built over the years, placing an accurate value on the operation is often a challenging process.

“For many of my clients, selling a business might be the biggest financial transaction of their life,” said Warren Cline, …

By Al Parker

The Crossover Effect: Businesses in Little Traverse, Grand Traverse areas look for customers across the globe and in one another’s backyards

While the rise of online shopping has made the world a global marketplace, local businesses still find it profitable to reach out to their neighbors. That’s true whether those neighbors are across town or an hour or two away.

In the case of the Grand Traverse and Little Traverse areas, …

By Ross Boissoneau

Going Vertical: Serving niche can pay big dividends, but it’s not without some risk

When Michigan’s craft beer industry started taking off about 10 years ago, Mark Irwin had an idea: maybe his Antrim County insurance agency could develop a profitable niche insuring breweries, brewpubs and tab rooms.

Irwin created “Protect Craft Beer,” a program that offers businesses in the industry a suite of …

By Rick Haglund

The Annual Hunt for Seasonal Employees: Challenge remains top priority for many resorts

Every summer, Northern Michigan’s parks, lakes, festivals and more draw upward of a million visitors from around the state and beyond. It’s when the region’s year-round hospitality industry most needs to step up its game.

And every summer, it seems as if a shortage of seasonal workers will test the …

By Jeff Johnston

Who's Caring for our Beaches?

Mother Nature gifted northwest Michigan with magnificent beaches and sandy shorelines, but it takes many hands to keep them strong and spotless. So who is taking care of the beaches and just how much grooming can be done? The TCBN dug deep to find out.WORKING WITH THE SAND MAN

Casey …

By Mary Bevans Gillett

PAST ISSUES

View this Issue in Archives