11:00 AM – Networking and Arrival of Guests
11:40 AM – Welcome and Community Round Table
12:00 PM – Lunch
12:25 PM – Speaker Ben Bakken
12:55 PM – Q & A
1:10 PM – Final Remarks from Chris Holman
1:15 PM – Networking Resumes
Senior VP, Lansing Market Director
Tri-Star Trust
Ben Bakken is an experienced and knowledgeable financial professional who understands the ‘ins and outs’ of strategy, analysis, relationship building, and leadership. Ben brings more than a decade of experience in the banking industry, in addition to nearly 5 years of experience in C-Suite roles responsible for finance, operations, accounting, real estate, information technology, business development, and human resources. He acquired his MBA from Northwood University and has a bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University. Community involvement and volunteerism are pillars of what motivates Ben. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), member of the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce Policy Committee, Board Member for the Lansing Regional SmartZone / Local Development Financing Authority, co-founder and organizer for 5 Minutes Tops student shark-tank contest, Treasurer for the Holt Education Foundation, member of the Lansing Promise Business Council, Vice Chairperson for the Lansing Community College Foundation, and President for Holt Junior Rams Basketball. He also enjoys fundraising for Special Olympics Michigan’s Polar Plunge, Women Working Wonders / Sparrow Foundation’s Dapper Dads, Carefree Medical’s Dancing with the Local Stars, and Children’s Ballet Theatre Nutcracker performance as ‘Mother Ginger’. Ben was the HEF recipient of the 2022 Community Person of the Year award, as well as the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce 2011 ’10 Over The Next Ten’ award.
For information about Ben Bakken go to: https://www.tristartrust.com/team/
Michigan Business Network would like to thank you for attending the 2026 Speaker Series.