On June 23, the Detroit Regional Chamber partnered with The Detroit News to host the publication’s annual “Michiganians of the Year” awards. The 2026 recipients were:
- The Late J. Michael Bernard. Bernard was a longtime friend of the Chamber and Board of Directors member. Read a tribute piece.
- Christine Delaney, Executive Director of the Tibbits Opera House
- Maha Freij, President and Chief Executive Officer of ACCESS
- Megan Keller, U.S. Olympian and Captain of the Boston Fleet of the Professional Women’s Hockey League
- Connor Hellebuyck, USA Olympic Hockey Gold Medalist
- Kenneth Kelly, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First Independence Bank; Member, Board of Directors, Detroit Regional Chamber
- Curtis Lewis, Founder and President of Boldly Moving Education Ahead; Assistant Professor at Michigan State University
- Sandy Pierce, Corporate Board Executive, CEO Advisor, and Community Strategist
- Dug Song, Co-Founder and President of the Song Foundation; Member, Board of Directors, Detroit Regional Chamber
- Nancy Tellem, Founder of BasBlue
- Mike Tirico, NBC Sports Host
Past honorees have included leaders in the community, business, arts, and athletics sectors, including the Detroit Regional Chamber’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Sandy K. Baruah.
Watch the full event video below.
