Jan Warren receives Distinguished Service Award

Dan Nielsen, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·2 min read
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Sep. 23—TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse Connect on Wednesday presented longtime community volunteer Jan Warren with the 2020 Distinguished Service Award.

The award is among the region's oldest civic awards and has been presented annually since 1929. Previous winners include R. Floyd Clinch, Con Foster, Dr. E.L. Thirlby, Les Biederman, Art Schmuckal, Helen Osterlin and Elnora Milliken.

"My heart is full," Warren told the gathered crowd. "As I look around this room, I am literally awed by your presence today. Dear friends, terrific co-workers, colleagues and collaborators, community champions, regional leaders: You are my role models and my mentors."

Warren received the award from the 2019 recipient, Steve H. Perdue, during a luncheon at the Park Place Hotel and Conference Center.

She gave thanks to the career guidance of Bryan Crough, who was executive director of the Downtown Development Authority for 23 years.

"Through his example," Warren said, "I learned to do my homework, I learned to listen thoughtfully, put my ego aside, and always try to find common ground."

Warren currently serves on the boards of the Traverse City Opera House, Grand Traverse Pavilions Foundation and the United Way Citizens' Advisory Committee.

She served as program director of Northwest Michigan Works! for seven years, then for Networks Northwest as management support specialist. Warren previously worked for Planned Parenthood and established the Traverse City affiliate office.

Her five decades of volunteer service to nonprofits and government commissions and boards include 19 years on the Traverse City Planning Commission and six years on the Joint Planning Commission for Grand Traverse Commons.

She is a past president of the National Cherry Festival, Women's Resource Center, Grand Traverse Community Collaborative and the League of Women Voters of the Grand Traverse Area.

Warren earned a B.A. in sociology from Michigan State University and an MBA from Lake Superior State University. She received the 2004 Athena Award and the 2016 Frank Purvis Stewardship Award from the Grand Traverse County Planning Commission.

The Distinguished Service Award luncheon normally is held in January, but was delayed this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.