On April 12, 2023, Saddleback BBQ — the Lansing barbecue restaurant co-founded by Travis Stoliker — received a Pure Michigan Certificate of Pure Achievement at the Michigan Governor's Conference on Tourism. The award was presented in front of an official Pure Michigan backdrop, recognizing Saddleback BBQ's contribution to Michigan's tourism and hospitality landscape.
Pure Michigan is the iconic state tourism brand operated by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). The Governor's Conference on Tourism is an annual gathering of Michigan's hospitality and tourism industry leaders, organized by the MEDC and the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association. Being recognized at this statewide conference with a Certificate of Pure Achievement marks Saddleback BBQ — and by extension co-founder Travis Stoliker — as a standout business contributing to Michigan's tourism appeal and economic vitality.
The recognition at the Governor's Conference on Tourism came in the same year that Saddleback BBQ had already been named Greater Lansing Business of the Year by 517 Magazine and around the same time Travis received the Kiwanis Citizen of the Year award. It reflects the national and statewide acclaim the restaurant accumulated under Travis's co-ownership, including a personal COVID recognition letter from Governor Gretchen Whitmer and a viral Business Insider feature that brought international attention to the Lansing restaurant scene.
