A national conference that will bring leaders from more than a dozen air carriers around the U.S. is coming to northern Michigan next fall.

The Northwest Regional Airport Authority Board (pictured above) on Tuesday approved a sponsorship agreement for the 2027 Mead & Hunt Air Service Development Conference in Traverse City. It’s set for Sept. 21-23 in 2027, and Cherry Capital Airport will be the host airport for the event.

“Hosting this conference represents a significant opportunity for the airport and the region to strengthen relationships with airline executives, airport leaders and aviation professionals,” airport Chief Executive Officer Kevin Klein stated in a memo to the board.

Klein says the conference will attract representatives from approximately 14 airlines, and executive leadership teams from 65 to 70 airports throughout the country. It will also draw other airport industry professionals to take part in educational sessions, networking events and business development opportunities centered on aviation growth and air service expansion.

Mead & Hunt is a national consulting firm headquartered in Wisconsin that serves airports throughout the U.S. and other countries, including TVC. It hosts an annual industry gathering across its service area, and officials say this will be the inaugural air service conference held in the Grand Traverse region.

“We’re very excited,” Klein says. “This has been a long-term goal.”

Delamar Traverse City and Northwestern Michigan College’s adjacent Hagerty Center will serve as the primary venues for the conference. Additional receptions and networking events are planned at other locations.

“These activities will showcase the region’s tourism assets, economic development opportunities, and quality of life to airline industry decision-makers,” Klein told the board.

The cost of the conference totals $125,000. The airport will put up $55,000 of that total, while Traverse City Tourism will contribute $60,000 and Traverse Connect the other $10,000. As the host airport, Klein says TVC will receive “prominent recognition” through conference marketing materials, event signage, networking events and regional activities.

“The conference also provides valuable opportunities to showcase air service development efforts, economic development initiatives, tourism attractions and community assets to key industry stakeholders,” Klein says.

In other action the board swore in new member Rachel Johnson, CEO of Cherryland Electric Cooperative, to the airport board. She replaces long-time board member Doug DeYoung, executive director of community engagement for Consumers Energy. DeYoung resigned last month, citing growing professional commitments at Consumers.

Johnson will fill out the remainder of DeYoung’s term through  year’s end, plus another 3-year term that begins in January. Board Chair Paul Beachnau appointed member Dan Jonkoff of Traverse City to replace DeYoung on the board's Personnel Committee, while member Rick Robbins of Leelanau County will take DeYoung's seat on the Building & Grounds Committee.

Johnson was appointed in a 5-4 vote by Grand Traverse County commissioners at their monthly board meeting last week. The board minority favored appointing Traverse City resident and former city treasurer Bill Twietmeyer to the seat, citing recent comments from city officials and residents for additional city representation on the airport board.