Leadership Lunch Club

05/06/2026

Meet our June speaker: Connie Deneweth. 👏

Connie has built a remarkable career on resilience, and she has the real-world story to prove it.

As CEO and President of Traverse City State Bank, she helped guide the institution from one of Michigan's worst-performing banks during the Great Recession to one of its strongest. She's also an entrepreneur, real estate developer, and community leader—most recently behind the creation of Lakemore Resort right here in Traverse City.

Through both professional challenges and personal loss, Connie has continued to model what it truly means to lead with purpose, strength, and optimism. We are so honored to have us joining us to round out the final event of the series, and we truly hope you can be there with us.

Reserve your seat early, they're already running out: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/unshakeable-resilience-for-life-and-leadership-tickets-1977317713509

05/05/2026

What separates leaders who break under pressure from those who rise stronger? Resilience. 💪

Join us at the next Leadership Lunch Club event on June 11th at the Traverse City Country Club for "Unshakeable Resilience for Life and Leadership", featuring Connie Deneweth, the executive who helped turn one of Michigan's worst-performing banks into one of its strongest during the Great Recession.

Connie will share real stories of setbacks and comebacks, plus practical tools you can apply immediately, whether you're leading a team through change or navigating challenges in your own life.

You'll walk away with:
✅ A mindset shift that transforms "Why me?" into "What now?"
✅ Leadership strategies to build trust and adaptability in your team
✅ Simple daily habits to recharge and build lasting resilience

📅 June 11 | 11am–1pm
📍 Traverse City Country Club

Grab your ticket now (the last event sold out early!) → https://www.eventbrite.com/e/unshakeable-resilience-for-life-and-leadership-tickets-1977317713509

04/23/2026

04/22/2026

What an incredible day at Leadership Lunch Club! Our Leadership Under Fire event brought together leaders from 86 businesses for a completely sold-out and highly engaging panel featuring veteran business leaders. The conversation focused on what it truly takes to lead under pressure—building strong foundations before challenges arise, staying mission-focused in uncertain moments, and making confident decisions even without all the answers. From aligning teams through clear communication to learning through thoughtful debriefs, the insights shared were both practical and impactful. We’re so grateful for the energy in the room, the meaningful conversations, and the support of our sponsors who made this event possible.

And a special thank you to our incredible panelists, Josh Traeger, Liz Belt, Jon Woolfolk, and Matt Keiper!

Vensure Employer Solutions Precision Plumbing and Heating Systems WTCM News Talk 580 Priority Health Rehmann UpNorthLive The Copy Shop Benjamin Twiggs - The Original Cherry Store Horizon Books - Traverse City

Photo cred: Allen-Kent Photography

04/16/2026

Wow, what an amazing event today! We’re so grateful for the incredible turnout—87 companies came together for a sold-out Leadership Under Fire event, and the energy in the room was truly something special. Our panel shared powerful lessons on leading with clarity under pressure, staying mission-focused, and building strong teams before challenges arise. Stay tuned for more photos and a full recap coming soon!

Thank you to our panel for your powerful insights and stories, we could've listened to you talk all day: Liz Belt, Josh Traeger, Matt Keiper, and Jonathan Woolfolk.

And thank you always to our sponsors who make it happen: WTCM News Talk 580 The Copy Shop Rehmann Precision Plumbing and Heating Systems Priority Health Benjamin Twiggs - The Original Cherry Store Vensure Employer Solutions UpNorthLive Horizon Books - Traverse City

04/15/2026

We look forward to seeing you all tomorrow! Be sure to come prepared for an engaging, inspiring day of excellent food, leadership development, and valuable networking opportunities. And don't forget your business card for a chance to win some great prizes!

04/07/2026

We’re incredibly grateful to share that our April event is officially SOLD OUT—thank you for the amazing support from this community!

If you were hoping to attend, you can still join the waitlist, though space isn’t guaranteed.

With just one event remaining in our 2026 series, we expect it to fill quickly as well. If you’ve been thinking about joining us, it's a great time to secure your spot.

👉 Reserve your seat for our final event (which we're sure will be powerful): https://leadershiplunchclub.com/eventbrite-event/unshakeable-resilience-for-life-and-leadership/

04/07/2026

Registration closes in 2 days—and seats are almost gone.

When the pressure is on, how do you show up as a leader?

These are the moments your team looks to you for clarity, direction, and steadiness—and they’re not always easy.

At Leadership Under Fire: Lessons from Veteran CEOs, you’ll hear how experienced leaders navigate those moments—making tough decisions, keeping teams aligned, and staying focused when the stakes are high.

If you’ve been thinking about attending—this is your moment.

👉 Save your seat before it sells out: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/leadership-under-fire-lessons-from-veteran-ceos-tickets-1977312725590

04/06/2026

From crisp programs to eye-catching signage, the details matter — and that’s where The Copy Shop shines. A cornerstone of the Traverse City business community since 1982, they’ve built a reputation for reliability, craftsmanship, and helping organizations communicate clearly and professionally.

Thank you to The Copy Shop, our Print Sponsor, for keeping Leadership Lunch Club events looking sharp and polished.

Learn more: https://www.tccopyshop.com/

The Copy Shop Traverse City. Copies, Color Prints, Color Scanning, FedEx and UPS, Large Format Printing, Business Cards, Letterhead, Forms, Menus, Brochures, Logo Design and more!

04/06/2026

Don't forget to tune in TODAY at 8:45 AM!

Leadership Lunch Club founder Barbara Jordan will be joined by panelist Josh Traeger on the Ron Jolly Show on WTCM Radio The Ron Jolly Show to talk about our upcoming event, Leadership Under Fire: Lessons from Veteran CEOs.

Josh brings a unique perspective to the conversation as the Founding Attorney of True North Legal Group, as well as his experience serving on active duty as a U.S. Air Force officer and continuing his service today as an Air Force Reservist. He’ll also be facilitating the panel discussion at the April 16 event.

Tune in live on AM 580 or online to hear a preview of the powerful leadership lessons you’ll gain from this event—and why this topic matters now more than ever.

04/05/2026

🎙️ Tune in tomorrow, Monday, April 6 at 8:45 AM!

Leadership Lunch Club founder Barbara Jordan will be joined by panelist Josh Traeger on the Ron Jolly Show on WTCM Radio The Ron Jolly Show to talk about our upcoming event, Leadership Under Fire: Lessons from Veteran CEOs.

Josh brings a unique perspective to the conversation as the Founding Attorney of True North Legal Group, as well as his experience serving on active duty as a U.S. Air Force officer and continuing his service today as an Air Force Reservist. He’ll also be facilitating the panel discussion at the April 16 event.

Tune in live on AM 580 or online to hear a preview of the powerful leadership lessons you’ll gain from this event—and why this topic matters now more than ever.

04/04/2026

Calm Leadership Is a Skill — Not a Personality Trait

When things feel uncertain, your team is looking to you.

Not for perfect answers—but for steadiness. For clarity. For a sense that things are going to be okay.

Calm leadership isn’t about being unbothered. It’s about being practiced. It’s about learning how to pause, think clearly, and respond with intention—even when the pressure is high.

When you’re able to do that, your team feels it. They stay more focused. They make better decisions. They move forward instead of getting stuck in stress.

The truth is, this kind of leadership isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build over time.

At our next Leadership Lunch Club event, you’ll hear from leaders who have had to develop that steadiness in high-pressure situations—and how you can bring those same practices into your own leadership and your team.

If this is something you’re working on (or want to get better at), we’d love to have you there.

👉 Register now to learn more: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/leadership-under-fire-lessons-from-veteran-ceos-tickets-1977312725590?aff=oddtdtcreator