Caryn Cleland has been named the 2016 Administrative Assistant of the Year by the Northern Michigan Administrative Professionals. Cleland is executive assistant to TraverseCONNECT CEO Doug Luciani. She first joined the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce staff in 2008.

"Caryn is the consummate administrative professional – really an extension of the CEO position," says Luciani. "Not only is her work invaluable to me, but she also manages all our committees and multiple boards of directors, and is completely trusted by our volunteer leadership at TraverseCONNECT, the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce and Venture North Funding & Development.

Cleland was honored by the local chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals at is ninth annual Administrative Professionals Luncheon held Wednesday at the Hagerty Center.

Before joining the Chamber staff, Cleland served for several years on the administrative support team at Munson Healthcare. She also worked at Traverse City Central High School and Consumers Energy.