Traverse Connect is seeking public nominations for its annual Distinguished Service Award, presented annually to individuals whose "extraordinary commitment to the Grand Traverse area has improved the lives of the people who live here."

The Distinguished Service Award has been presented annually since 1929 to business leaders, public servants, patrons of the arts, naturalists, and those from a host of other backgrounds who’ve "worked and given tirelessly to improve the region," according to Traverse Connect. Nominations for this year's Distinguished Service Award will be accepted through November 22 online here. Persons nominated must be residents of Traverse Connect’s five-county service area. They are not required to be Chamber members, and non-Chamber members are invited to submit nominations. Contributions other than purely monetary donations to the cultural, economic, and social betterment of the area are major considerations for the award, along with character and ethics.

The 2019 Distinguished Service Award will be presented at the Distinguished Service Award Luncheon during Traverse Connect’s Annual Celebration Week on January 22 at the Hagerty Center.