Traverse City 2009

Squeezed in a Jeep between dozens of boxes filled with flash-drives, key chains, pens and pencils, part of our staff headed to Northern Michigan last week for the annual Management Briefing Seminars (MBS). The MBS is one of the highlights in the automotive events calendar with the “who’s who” attending from the global auto industry. It has become tradition over the years that AutoCom hosts several special events for its clients during that week. This year’s AutoCom team was Larry, Jim, Craig, Jack, Tedi, Eleanor and me.

Arriving in Traverse City on Monday afternoon, we started decorating the suite that AutoCom rents during that time at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. The suite was open from 7am until 9pm, Monday until Friday, and provided a place for our clients as well as for journalists to work and relax in a nice and quiet atmosphere.

To say that Eleanor, Tedi and I weren’t exactly dressed in business clothes would be an understatement. Somehow we had a different schedule in mind from the rest of the AutoCom staff since we expected to get changed at our hotel room. Turned out that wasn’t quite the case so when we welcomed the first guests at the suite we were trying our best to come across as professional business women while still being dressed in our comfort clothes. It has to be said that Tedi had the hardest job - wearing her sweat suit…in bride pink - but she kept countenance! Well done, Tedi!

Tuesday was all about the Pub Crawl. With a group of around 30 people we discovered the nightlife of Traverse City. The bars “Firefly”, “Red Ginger” and the “Mackinaw Brewing Company” were on our “to-do list” for that night. Not part of the original plan, but even more fun, was the after-party at the Irish Pub “Kilkennys” where plenty of pictures have been taken - none of which can be shown here due to their explosive content.

Thursday was another action filled day. It started off with Jean-Pierre’s cooking session at the Great Lakes Culinary Institute (GLCI). This part of the AutoCom program has become very famous over the years - thanks to the energetic personality of the AutoCom client, Jean-Pierre Vasaune, a passionate chef whose day job is managing the Wallonia/Belgium Office for Foreign Investors in Chicago. Belgian spring rolls and almond baskets were on the menu for this year’s session. After watching Jean-Pierre preparing the dishes and gaining some appetite, everybody was more than ready for a three course lunch prepared by the staff of the G.L.C.I.

My personal highlight - it has to be said - was the media dinner on Thursday evening, once again at the G.L.C.I. I have never had so many courses of food as I had that night – five in total. Needless to say, everything was delicious! Drinking all the yummy wine that was served along with the food was a challenge, but a doable one for me.

On our ride back to Detroit on Friday afternoon, we again squeezed into the Jeep among the boxes, but this time there was silence in the car. Eleanor, Tedi and I had a lot of sleep to catch up with. Somehow, an average of four hours of sleep per night over the last couple of days was not enough for us.

For more pictures click here http://cli.gs/EjX00P

Miriam