List of mayors of Traverse City, Michigan

Traverse City, Michigan is a home rule, charter city under the Home Rule Cities Act, incorporated on May 18, 1895. The city is governed by six commissioners and a mayor, elected at-large. Together they comprise a seven-member legislative body. The commission appoints a city manager who acts as chief executive for city operations. Below is a list of mayors and village presidents in Traverse City, Michigan. The mayor of Traverse City, Michigan is Amy Shamroe.

Village presidents (1881–1895) +NumberNameYearsNotes11881–1885This was his first term. Perry Hannah was the first village president of Traverse City.2 188631887–1894This was his second term.

First city charter (1895–1940) Traverse City has been a city since 1895. The following are the first 24 mayors under the first city charter: +NumberNameYear(s)Notes1Perry Hannah1895Perry Hannah was the first Mayor of Traverse City, Michigan. He previously served as village president prior to the changeover to a mayoral system. Owner of Perry Hannah House and namesake of Hannah Avenue and Park2Harry C. Davis1896Namesake of Davis Street3William W. Smith1897–18984Frank Hamilton1899Namesake of Hamilton Street5Alfred V. Friedrich19006John Patchin19017Oscar P. Carver1902Namesake of Carver Street8John R. Santo1903Namesake of Santo Street9Elisha J. Fulghum190410A.V. Friedrich1905–190711William D.C. Germaine1908–1909This was his first term. He was the owner, editor, and publisher of the weekly newspaper, the Traverse City Transcript. He was born on October 17, 1866, in Traverse City to Cuyler Germaine and Anna Kratochvil. He married Ola W. Hull on July 27, 1895. He died on January 3, 1943, in Traverse City.12Emanuel Wilhelm1910–191113William D.C. Germaine1912This was his second term.14John G. Straub191315C.L. Greilick1914–1915Namesake of Camp Greilick in East Bay Township16Edward Lautner1916–191717Lafayette Swanton1918–192218James T. Milliken1923–1928Father of future governor William Milliken19George W. Lardie1929–193020Charles C. Wells1931–193221E.L. Thirlby1933–1934Namesake of Thirlby Field22Moses Orville Champney1935–1936He was born on March 14, 1887, in Birmingham, Ohio. He died on July 12, 1952, in Traverse City.23Conrad H. Foster1937–1938He was the founder of the Clinch Park Zoo, and also founder and namesake of the Con Foster Museum in Traverse City. The zoo closed in 2006 and the museum prior to that. He died of a heart attack in Traverse City on April 3, 1940.

City commission elections (1941–2000) In 1940, a new city charter amendment was passed, allowing for mayors to be voted for directly by the city commission of Traverse City. +NumberNameYearsNotes24Adolph LaFranier1939–1940Namesake of LaFranier Road25Orr E. Mead194126Delmer R. Zimmerman194227J.E. Ehrenberger194328Carl Anderson194429Ben H. Koenig194530F.G. Swartz1946–194731Hugh J. Johnson194832Peter Clancy194933Wilbur G. Watson195034Julius C. Sleder195135Jack D. Nelson195236J. Kent Wright195337Charles H. Round195438Frank H. Power1955–195639A.R. Jacobs195740J.H. Stevens195841Fritz Coppens195942H.R. Murchie1960Namesake of Murchie Bridge43Frank L. Stulen1961Namesake of Parsons-Stulen Building44Larry Hardy196245Robert H. Chase196346Ralph Puclipher196447Kenneth Lindsay196548Carter B. Strong196649Vincent Fochtman196750Royce Kephart196851Nick Rajkovich196952William K. Lynch197053John Rokos197154Richard Purvis197255John W. Rennie197356Carl Huffman197457Diane C. Gilbo197558Raymond L. Sutton197659Howard A. Bartling197760Peter C. Dendrinos1978Namesake of Dendrinos Center and Dendrinos Drive61Calvin G. Martin197962Norman A. Kline198063Lawrence A. Muzzarelli1981–198264Carol J. Hale198365Frederick D. Nelson198466Phillip E. Orth198567Gerald M. Williams198668Geraldine D. Greene198769Bryan J. Crough198870Phillip E. Rodgers Jr.198971Al Ritchie199072Jim F. Tompkins Jr.199173Peter T. Taylor199274Linda M. Johnson199375Jack E. Boynton199476Jim F. Tompkins Jr.199577Peter T. Taylor199678Shelley A. Kester199679Phillip E. Orth199780Larry Hardy199881Jim F. Tompkins Jr.199982Linda Smyka200083Larry Hardy2001

City voter elections (2000–present) In 2000, a new city charter amendment allowed for the citizens of Traverse City to vote directly for mayor. Mayors now could hold unlimited terms of two years. +NumberNameYearsNotes84Margaret B. Dodd2001–200385Linda Smyka2003–200786Michael Estes2007–2009One term, first time in office.87Chris M. Bzdok2009–201188Michael Estes2011–2015Two terms, second time in office.89Jim Carruthers2015–2021Served three consecutive terms, and was Traverse City's first openly gay mayor90Richard Lewis2021–2023Former city council member91Amy Shamroe2023–Mayor pro tem from 2017 to 2023; reelected in 2025

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