January 2023 Issue

Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-year Friendship On and Off the Court

By Chris Wendel

By Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Reviewed by Chris Wendel

Many of us can recall a coach or mentor whose guidance and advice had an impact on us. I know I often think of teachers, parents and people that took me under their wing at the appropriate time, even when what they said didn’t sink in until years later.

“Coach Wooden and Me” written by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the story of an unlikely pairing that eventually formed a rich friendship. In 1967, Lew Alcindor (as Abdul-Jabbar was known then) was the most sought-after high school basketball player in the country. He made …

Setting the Curve: JanTec takes its curved conveyor business forward with new tech, marketing

By Clark Miller

Changes are coming to JanTec, a custom manufacturer of curved conveyors for the baking, bottling, food processing, pharmaceutical, textiles and warehousing industries. The company, which has been around Traverse City for more than 40 years, was purchased by Rochester Hills-based Ponos Holding Inc. in September 2021.

So what business rationale fueled that decision?

“We didn’t buy JanTec for what it is right now,” according to Troy Curran, who is a Ponos stakeholder and now serves …

Traverse City Business Legends Hall of Fame: Meet the new inductees

By Lynn Geiger

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Traverse City Business Legends Hall of Fame. Since 2013, the TCBN has paused to honor business giants, civic and community champions and philanthropists – both deceased and living – who have made lifelong contributions to the economic growth and long-term vitality of the Grand Traverse area. What launched with a 10-member charter class has grown by two inductees every year.

For 2023, our collective round of applause …

Ad It Up: Great Lakes Bay Regional Ad Club emerges as industry changes

By Anna Faller

After a prolonged hiatus, Traverse City’s creative community has its own advertising collective in partnership with mid-Michigan's tri-city region.

Known as the Great Lakes Bay Region Ad Club, advertising professionals from northern Michigan and the Saginaw, Midland and Bay City region was born from the need to stay current in an ever-changing field, said board member Karl Bastian, who owns Traverse City-based PB&J Creative.

"We started having conversations about creating an extension of the club …

Message Makers: From brand-building to clever campaigns, creatives talk projects & trends

By Lynn Geiger

The Missing Middle: Recently-passed legislation provides new tools to address workforce housing needs

By Warren Call

What to Watch: What will make headlines in 2023

By Craig Manning

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