eye on - montana chamber of commerce · • rtic submitted three bill proposals that would adjust...

ALSO INSIDE:

INTERIMR E V I E WA N N U A L MEETINGNEW DIRECTORS

R E G I S T E R N O W F O R :

BUSINESS DAYS AT THE C A P I T O LJ A N . 2 - 3

E L E C T I O N A N A L Y S I S :BUSINESS W I N S ,C H A M B E R OPTIMISTIC FOR FUTURE

eye on December 2016

2 Montana Chamber of Commerce Eye on Business

2016-2017Board of Directors

* Executive Committee

*Todd O’Hair, ChairCloud Peak Energy, Helena

*Aimee Grmoljez, Past ChairCrowley Fleck, Helena

*Webb Brown, President/CEOMontana Chamber of Commerce, Helena

*Greg Thayer, VP ProgramsMontana Milling, Great Falls

*Bill McGladdery, VP MembershipTown Pump, Butte

*Richard Miltenberger, VP Gov’t RelationsInterWest Health, Helena

Kathy Boelter, Secretary/TreasurerArrow Solutions Group, Billings

Steve ArntzenCentury Gaming Technologies, Billings

Coco BallewConsumer Direct Care Network, Missoula

Ed BartlettAttorney at Law, Helena

Chad BauerRepublic Services, Missoula

Jackie ClarkAsh Grove Cement, Kansas

Hillary FolkvordSacajawea Inn, Three Forks

Mike FrankBlue Cross and Blue Shield of MT, Helena

Weston FrickeSimms Fishing, Bozeman

Kristen HeckLC Staffing, Kalispell

John HinesNorthWestern Energy, Helena

Wayne HirschUS Bank, Billings

Paul HopfaufMDU Resources, Glendive

Niles HushkaKLJ Engineering, Bozeman

Matt JonesBNSF Railway, Bozeman

Shauna KaneDelta Airlines, Park City, UT

Courtney KibblewhiteNorthern Broadcasting System, Billings

Terry KramerKramer Enterprises Inc., Kalispell

Kyle LingscheitPayneWest Insurance, Missoula

Todd LovshinPacificSource Health Plans, Helena

Kathy McLaneMid-Rivers Communications, Glendive

Sarah PartridgeFarm Equipment Sales, Glasgow

Candice PayneAlaska Airlines, Spokane

Connie PrewittBillings Clinic, Billings

Daryl SchliemBozeman Chamber of Commerce

Erik SlettenSletten Companies, Great Falls

Tom SpikaSpika Welding, Lewistown

Gary UnderwoodCharter Communications, Dallas

Susan WolffGreat Falls College of MSU

Bryan WoodWood’s Powr-Grip, Laurel

CEO MESSAGE

The Right People in the Right PlaceA recurrent strategy throughout every objective of Envision

2026, our ten-year strategic plan, is to get the right people in the right place. The recent election made progress in accomplishing that effort. We’re pleased with the results and look forward to working with the winners to advance Envision 2026.

Our effort actually began (in fact, it never ends) with recruiting pro-business folks to run for positions. Whether it’s Legislature, state-wide office, or local governments, Montana needs elected officials who will work to create a Greater Montana.

For example, we’re happy to have former Board member Dan Bartel of Lewistown joining other legislators in the 2017 Session. If you have an interest in running for office, we’re happy to talk with you about what that entails.

Next, we want to help those folks get elect-ed. Besides just sheer advice and education, we have two other tools: endorsements and cam-paign support. The Board spends a great deal of time and thought on endorsements, so you have a perspective of the business-friendliness

of statewide candidates.

And, although limited, our independent expenditures on behalf of candidates can be extremely helpful. If you’d like to contribute toward that work, let us know.

Besides elected office, getting the right people in the right place also means at the Montana Chamber. We’re excited to add Dan Brunell as our new Operations Director. This is a new position for the Montana Chamber. He complements a great team already at your organization. Besides working to implement Envision 2026, Dan will help on the financial side for the Chamber, focus efforts on our Choices programs, and free me up to spend more time at the Capitol next year!

Finally, we welcome new leadership at the Board level as we move into Year Two of Envision 2026. We appreciate Todd O’Hair stepping up to Chair the state’s leading business advocate this coming year. In addition, we’re eager to work with the new Board members who are detailed later in this EYE. While the people they follow have done great work to position the Montana Chamber, we’re anticipating an even Greater Montana in the future.

Keep up the good work!

Webb Brown

President/CEOMontana Chamber

of Commerce

Eye on Business December 2016 3

ELECTION ANALYSIS

Optimism Abounds at Chamber After Election

There were multiple wins for the state’s business community on Tuesday. The Montana Chamber of Commerce is pleased with many of the election results and is optimistic for the future of Montana business and the economy.

A key strategy of our ten-year strategic plan, Envision 2026 is to endorse, support, and elect public officials who will move Mon-tana forward. We believe these election results will help us achieve our objectives of workforce development, business climate, infra-structure improvements, and entrepreneurship.

We are encouraged by the election results and the positive im-pact that these new and returning public officials will make on Montana’s business climate. The Chamber looks forward to work-ing with newly-elected and re-elected officials from around the state and congratulates all candidates on finishing a hard-fought election cycle.

Montana’s lone US Representative, Ryan Zinke, convincingly won a second term in Congress. Zinke earned high marks from the State Chamber when he served in the Montana Legislature. At the national level, he has likewise earned high marks from the US Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Manufacturers. We expect he will work closely with President-elect Trump to ease the regulatory burden and help business and America prosper.

The Chamber will continue to work with Governor Steve Bullock, who earned good marks from the Chamber throughout his tenure in the East Wing. The Chamber has worked with Gov. Bullock on issues such as the Small Business Impact Act, workers’ compensa-tion, and business equipment tax relief. Gov. Bullock will be a key player in our Envision 2026 agenda.

The Chamber is pleased to see Tim Fox returning as Montana’s Attorney General, a strong advocate for and supporter of our Envi-sion 2026 efforts to focus on legal reform, as well as pushback on federal overreach. We anticipate working closely with Corey Sta-pleton and Elsie Arntzen as the new Secretary of State and Super-intendent of Public Instruction, respectively. They each will help us achieve Envision 2026 goals, especially in the areas of entre-preneurship. As State Land Board members, they can also improve the economy of the Treasure State. All three candidates were en-dorsed by the Montana Chamber in June, with Stapleton and Arnt-zen earning high rankings as legislators.

We also look forward to working with Matt Rosendale as Mon-tana’s new State Auditor (Commissioner of Securities and Insur-ance.) Named on three occasions as a “Champion of Business” by the Montana Chamber, Rosendale will bring needed Eastern Montana perspective to the Land Board. In addition, Rosendale will be in a unique position to influence one of the main objectives of Envision 2026, the cost of business - and specifically, health-care costs.

2015-2016 Foundation Board of Directors

Rick Edwards, PresidentNorthWestern Energy, Butte

Webb Brown, ED, Sec./Treas. Montana Chamber of Commerce, Helena

Ed BartlettAttorney at Law, Helena

Jeff BillmanBillman’s, Cut Bank

Kathy Boelter, Past PresidentArrow Solutions Group, Billings

David BrownWyo-Ben, Inc., Billings

Kim ChampneyElectrical Consultants, Inc., Billings

Don CheryGlacier Bancorp, Inc., Kalispell

Tami ChristensenTri-County Implement, Sidney

Aimee GrmoljezCrowley Fleck, Helena

Steve HollandRetired, Bozeman

Greg KohnVistage, Billings

Bill WoodyMontana Health Solutions, Missoula

Chamber Staff/ContactsLeah BrownExecutive Asst./Bookkeeper .............442-2405, ext. 113

Webb Brown, CAEPresident/CEO ................................... 442-2405, ext. 101

Dan BrunellOperations Director ............................... (406) 431-3248

Pete BurwellMembership Director .......................442-2405, ext. 103

Stacye DorringtonOffice/HSBC Manager ......................442-2405, ext. 100

Dee DurandStrategic Plan/MACE Assistant .......442-2405, ext. 105

Jim HizerStrategic Plan Manager .................... 442-2405, ext. 110

Nate KavanaghCommunications Director ...............442-2405, ext. 104

Bridger MahlumGovernment Relations Director ......442-2405, ext. 102

Kerry SchaeferGovernors’ Cup Manager ........................406-463-2370

All Staff Emails are:“firstname”@montanachamber.com

The Eye on Business is published monthly by theMontana Chamber of CommerceP.O. Box 1730 Helena, MT 59624

(406) 442-2405(406) 442-2409/fax

Toll Free-1-888-442-MONT (6668)www.montanachamber.com

Articles contained in this publication are available for redistribution with proper credit and attribution.

Material included in this magazine does not necessarily reflect the position of the

Montana Chamber of Commerce.

Optimism continued on page 9


GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Bridger Mahlum

Govt. Relations DirectorMontana Chamber

of Commerce

What you need to know about the 2015-2016 Interim SessionThe Montana Legislature is generally viewed as

two chambers that meet for about four months every two years. While this is true, the commitment of each legislator extends far beyond those 90 working days.

The Interim comprises of special committees that meet periodi-cally throughout the non-Session months. This process is one of the best ways for stakeholders to en-gage with their elected officials on issues that will likely drive the con-versation during the next Session.

A lot has taken place during the 2015-2016 Interim in Helena. As your 24/7/365 business advocate, the Montana Chamber monitors and participates in these commit-tee hearings to better serve you. We have identified several rele-vant interim committee actions based on hearings dating back to Spring 2015:

Economic Affairs (ETIC):• ETIC filed bill draft requests that address “ac-

tive supervision” over licensing boards. Pro-posed bills would limit the authority of licensing boards that consider anticompetitive actions, establish antitrust panels, and require the De-partment of Labor and Industry to notify licens-ing boards of such activity;

• ETIC also submitted two proposals addressing air ambulance services. They include a provision to hold harmless from balance billing an insured patient served by an air ambulance provider, a dispute resolution process for air ambulance and insurance providers, and regulation of air ambulance memberships.

Education and Local Government (ELGIC):• ELGIC discussed workers’ compensation leg-

islation for volunteer firefighters. Funded by a percentage of fire insurance premium tax rev-enues, a cost-share assistance program would allow volunteer fire departments to purchase work comp coverage.

Energy and Telecommunications (ETIC):• ETIC approved five net metering bills for sub-

mission as draft requests. Three of the drafts focus on interconnection requirements and me-tering technology. The other two address broad-er net metering policy issues and were amended by the committee before moving forward.

• ETIC also approved remediation proposals re-garding the closing of Colstrip Units 1 and 2. Of the seven bill drafts, the most discussed was LCCOL 5 “Establish the Montana Energy Accountabili-ty Act.” This bill would charge the two out-of-state plant lessees $3 million a year for the first five years after shutdown, plus the full amount of property and licensing taxes they would have paid had the plant remained operational.

Revenue and Transportation (RTIC): • RTIC submitted three bill proposals that would

adjust tax increment financing (TIF) in Mon-tana. They amend laws related to remittance and reporting requirements, and remove certain levies from TIF;

• The Legislative Fiscal Division (LFD) and the Office of Budget and Program Planning pre-sented their general fund revenue estimates for FY 2017-2019. Each department’s estimates are very similar, with no more than a 1.3% differ-ence for a given year.

Water Policy (WPIC):• WPIC moved several proposals forward during

the Interim, including bills to direct the DEQ to assume dredge-and-fill permitting, revise tem-porary water lease laws, and allow water court review of certain DNRC decisions.

Legislative Finance Committee (LFC):• The LFD reported that total general fund reve-

nues for FY 2016 were $141.5 million (6.3%) be-low expectations. Revenue collections in FY 2017 will be an estimated $112 million below projec-tions;

• The ending general fund balance for FY 2017 is $118.6 million. Last year, the ending fund bal-ance was about $255 million;

• Administrators delivered a progress report on the HELP Act’s implementation. Of interest to the Montana Chamber is the HELP-Link assess-ment that matches beneficiaries with employ-ment training and job search services. 6,000 people have completed the assessment, but only 1,400 of them have continued participating in the program. The HELP Oversight Committee is working on ways to reduce that drop-off.

The Montana Legislature publishes a monthly newsletter, The Interim, that reviews the above ac-tivity and more. Archived editions can be found at http://leg.mt.gov/css/publications/Interim-News-letter/default.asp.


BUSINESS DAYS AT THE CAPITOL

BUSINESS DAYS AT THE CAPITOLMontana’s Premier

Business Event

Contact [email protected]

for sponsorship and additional information.

January 2-3, 2017Helena Civic Center & Best Western Great Northern Hotel

Online Registration: Events.MontanaChamber.com/?ee=134

REGISTER NOW!

Join Us in Helena for Business Days Jan 2-3, Register Today!Please join the Montana Chamber of Commerce

for Business Days at the Capitol 2017. This premier event is an opportunity to network with lawmakers and other leading business executives.

Start the new year off by attending the ‘Lawmaker Appreciation’ Reception and Banquet at the Helena Civic Center on Monday, January 2nd. Reception be-gins at 5:30 pm with dinner to follow. Pre-registra-tion is required as space is limited. Register online to-day at: http://Events.MontanaChamber.com/?ee=134.

The following morning begins at the Best West-ern Premier Helena Great Northern Hotel with ‘Eggs and Issues,’ presented by our legislative leadership. After breakfast, the rest of the morning will offer sessions featuring the objectives of the Chamber’s 10-year strategic plan, Envision 2026:

• Workforce• business climate• infrastructure• entrepreneurship.

The event will closeout at noon with ‘The Last Word’ luncheon with the Governor (invited).

Agenda and additional details will be available in the coming weeks. Early registration is recom-mended as all functions sell out.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Helena Great Northern Hotel. Please call 800.829.4047 for reservations and refer to Montana Chamber Busi-ness Days. Additional rooms have been reserved at the Comfort Suites Helena. Please call 406.495.0505 for reservations.

Interested in sponsorship? Contact Stacye Dor-rington at [email protected] or 888-442-MONT (6668) ext. 100.

Thank you to current sponsors!OVERALL EVENT SPONSORS: Associated Em-

ployers, Cloud Peak Energy, EBMS, First Interstate Bank, Montana State Fund, NorthWestern Energy, and Town Pump Hotel Group

EGGS & ISSUES SPONSOR: Washington Corpora-tions

LAWMAKER RECEPTION TABLE SPONSOR: Mon-tana Housing Coalition


The Montana Chamber of Com-merce appointed seven new di-rectors to its board during its annual meeting in Billings on Oc-tober 27. The nominees were pre-sented to those in attendance at the Northern Hotel and approved by the membership. The Montana Chamber is eager to begin work-ing with the new board mem-bers, each bringing diverse skills, knowledge, and experience to the table.

In addition to the new board members, the Chamber also un-veiled its strategic plan Envision 2026 to the public. The roll out included a presentation by con-cluding Chair Aimee Grmoljez who was a driving force in the development of the plan. Ed Gar-ding, honorary chair of Envision 2026, also spoke to the 100+ peo-ple in attendance.

The plan includes goals to im-prove Montana’s ranking in a va-riety of areas related to business such as legal climate, business tax index, entrepreneurship, and workers compensation insurance rates. Another major tenet of En-vision 2026 is workforce devel-opment. To learn more about this plan visit, www.MontanaCham-ber.com/Envision2026.

Steve Arntzen, President/CEO—Century Gaming Technologies

Steven Arntzen is the Presi-dent and CEO of Century Gaming Technologies from Billings, MT. Century is one of the larger slot route operators in the US, with over 7,000 licensed gaming de-vice placements in bars and con-venience stores across Montana and Nevada. Arntzen is also a managing principal of Grand Vi-sion Gaming, a licensed gaming machine manufacturer also based in Billings, with active gaming device placements in Montana,

ANNUAL MEETING

Chamber Welcomes New Directors, Unveils Strategic Plan at Annual Meeting


ANNUAL MEETING

South Dakota, Louisiana, and West Virginia. Arntzen began his career in the gaming field in 1987, when Montana first legalized the activity on a statewide basis.

Arntzen received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Finance with High Honors from the Uni-versity of Montana. He is a past member of the Montana State Gaming Advisory Council and has served five years as the President of the Gaming Industry Association of Montana. Mr. Arntzen also currently serves as Secretary and board member at the Hilands Golf Club in Billings.

Courtney Kibblewhite, Director of Digital Marketing & Operations—Northern Broadcasting

Courtney Kibblewhite is the Director of Digi-tal Marketing and Operations for Northern Broad-casting based in Billings, and serving all of Mon-tana, Wyoming and the Western Dakotas. Courtney moved back to Montana to join their family business in 2014 which includes Northern Ag and Northern News radio, television, and digital networks. Court-ney directs new media strategy for the company and assists clients in developing multimedia marketing campaigns to broaden the impact of traditional ad-vertising programs.

Prior to Northern Broadcasting, Courtney worked in human capital consulting in Chicago and in aca-demia teaching and studying social psychology and human behavior. Courtney holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Behavior from University of Cali-fornia, Berkeley and a Bachelor’s degree in Commu-nications & International Studies from Northwest-ern University.

Courtney enjoys traveling, practicing yoga, and working on their family ranch in Sand Springs, MT.

Daryl Schliem, President/CEO—Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce

Daryl Schliem will serve a one year term on the Montana Chamber Board as the Montana Associa-tion of Chamber Executives representative. Schliem took the helm of the Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitors Bureau and Tourism Business Improvement in 2009. Prior to that, Daryl was President of D&D Consultants; Se-nior Vice President Business Development at Grand Sierra Resort & Casino; CEO/President of Corsicana Navarro County Chamber of Commerce; and Project Manager/VP of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce.

Todd Lovshin, Vice President & Montana Regional Director—PacificSource Health Plans

Chamber Welcomes New Directors, Unveils Strategic Plan at Annual MeetingTodd Lovshin joined PacificSource in 2012, bring-

ing with him more than 15 years of experience in government relations and employee benefits. His past rolls include vice president of corporate de-velopment and government relations at Allegiance Benefit Plan Management and the first Insure Mon-tana program manager for the Montana Commis-sioner of Securities and Insurance. Lovshin has also served on numerous advisory panels, including the Governor’s Healthcare Innovation Taskforce, Ex-change Stakeholder Council, the Montana State Em-ployee Benefits Group Advisory Council, the MT Pri-mary Care Medical Home Stakeholder Group and the Montana Comprehensive Health Association.

Lovshin, a Butte native, is active in the local com-munity and spends time with his family exploring the great state of Montana and all that it has to offer.

New Board Members continued on page 9

Thank you to our concluding directors for their time and dedication.

Montana Chamber of Commerce:

· Kelly Cresswell, Executive Vice President/Chief of Foundation Activities—Reach Higher Montana (Helena) 2009-2016

· Heather Burnham, President—Bigfork Cham-ber of Commerce (Bigfork) 2015-2016

· Don Chery, Chief Administrative Officer/Execu-tive Vice President—Glacier Bancorp, Inc. (Ka-lispell) 2009-2016

· Jeff Billman, President—Billman’s, Inc. (Cut Bank) 2012-2016

· Bill Squires, CEO—Blackfoot Telecommunica-tions Group (Missoula) 2012-2016

· Frank D’Angelo, Senior Vice President, Financial Consultant and Branch Manager—D.A. Davidson (Missoula) 2013-2016

· Rob Ferris, CEO—Vision Net (Great Falls) 2014-2016

Montana Chamber Foundation:

· Jeff Billman, President—Billman’s, Inc. (Cut Bank) 2014-2016

· Kim Champney, Corporate Operations Manag-er—Electrical Consultants (Billings) 2011-2016


The following businesses have made financial commitments to support the implementation of the Montana Chamber’s strategic plan, Envision 2026. The strategic plan is heavily focused on workforce development,

regulatory and legal reform, infrastructure, and entrepreneurship. The Chamber has almost reached its $1 million fundraising goal with more than $900,000 in commitments from around the state.

These funds will be used to fund the first five years of Envision 2026 initiatives.

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

ALL OTHER INVESTORSArrow Solutions Group Inc.

Billings Clinic

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana

Brown Ranches

Browning Kalecyz Berry & Hoven

Century Gaming

CHS Inc.

Cloud Peak Energy

Crowley Fleck PLLP

Delta Air Lines

Flathead Electric Cooperative

Glacier Bancorp, Inc.

Hecla Mining Company

InterWest Health

KLJ Engineering

Kramer Enterprises, Inc.

LC Staffing

MDU Resources

Montana Milling, Inc.

Northern Hotel

Rowe and Reynolds Charitable Fund

Taylor Luther Group

Town Pump, Inc. & Affiliates

Tri-County Implement

Underriner Motors

Vision Net

Wheat Montana Farms & Bakery

Wyo-Ben

than k you TO ALL EARLY INVESTORS

ENVISION 2026


MANUFACTURING DAY

MFG DAY in Laurel Wraps Up MFG MONTHWood’s Powr-Grip in Laurel hosted nearly 150 stu-

dents on October 28 for a MFG DAY event to close out national Manufacturing Month. The event saw two groups of roughly 70 students from the Billings Career Center tour the manufacturing facility, discuss career opportunities, and learn more about the industry.

Envision 2026, the ten-year strategic plan of the Montana Chamber of Commerce, includes Workforce Development as one of our top objectives. The Mon-tana Chamber and its subsidiary, Montana Manufac-turing Association, are dedicated to helping develop a strong workforce that meets the needs of the state’s business community. MFG DAY is a perfect example of how businesses can not only inform the public about their products, but make an impact on future workers and potential employees.

Returning again to Envision 2026 strategies of legal reform and judicial involvement, the Montana Justice Coalition (a subsidiary of the Montana Chamber) will hold incoming Montana Supreme Court Justice Dirk Sandefur to his endorsement interview pledge, saying that he will follow the rule of law and not legislate from the bench.

Finally, kudos to returning Public Service Commissioner Bob Lake, a former Chair of the Board of the Montana Chamber of Commerce. The PSC will also have a part in achieving Envision 2026, especially in the area of controlling business costs.

While this is a very brief overview of election results, we intend to do more in-depth analysis on what these candidates mean for business. Watch for those updates in the future.

Optimism continued from page 3

Sarah Partridge, General Manager—Farm Equipment Sales, Inc.Sarah Partridge is the General manager of Farm Equipment Sales (FES) in Glasgow. FES provides cus-

tomers with solutions to meet their needs through John Deere Agriculture, Lawn & Garden, and Com-mercial Worksite equipment. FES owns and operates four dealerships in Eastern Montana employing over 75 individuals and offering industry leading tuition assistance and repayment opportunities for potential employees. Partridge will bring a much needed agricultural perspective to the Chamber Board.

Bryan Wood, President and CEO—Wood’s Powr-GripBryan Wood was raised in Northeastern Montana. After obtaining his Bachelor’s Degree in Business

Administration from Montana State University - Northern, he took over the Quality Assurance Depart-ment at Wood’s Powr-Grip. After a few years, Bryan became involved in sales and customer service, eventually turning over the quality assurance responsibilities to focus on running the Sales and Custom-er Service Areas. In 2002, Bryan began serving as President and CEO.

Jackie Clark, Director of Communications and Public Affairs – Ash Grove Cement Jackie Clark joins is highly regarded for her work in public policy development and is an expert in com-

munications and public relations. In her current role at Ash Grove Cement, Jackie directs the company’s multi-state communications and public affairs at the federal, state and local government levels. Ash Grove is the largest U.S. owned cement company with a plant in Montana City and a terminal in Sidney.

New Board Members continued from page 7


CHAMBER UPDATES

We’re Ready to Go to Work at the Capitol for our Members Greetings! Well it is almost here,

the legislative session will begin on January 2 of 2017 and we will be out in full force. Our signature event Business Days at the Capitol will be January 2 & 3, with a ban-quet on January 2 and more activ-ities on the 3.

This is what we do, we represent business from all over the state here at the legislature. Our mem-bers have put their trust in us for the 90-day session and beyond.

Looking out for businesses interests is a big respon-sibility and we work at it constantly. If you have time to testify, write a letter, or simply contact your local legislators, please do so. You can have a big impact on the decisions made here in Helena.

We will be following our Envision 2026 plan that we rolled out earlier this year and concentrating on the main objectives of workforce, business climate, infrastructure, and entrepreneurship. Look for our weekly updates on the legislature put out by our Gov-ernment Relations Director Bridger Mahlum starting in January.

Pete Burwell

Membership DirectorMontana Chamber

of Commerce

Dan Brunell

Operations DirectorMontana Chamber

of Commerce

Chamber Hires Dan Brunell as First Operations DirectorThe Montana Chamber is

pleased to announce the recent hire of Dan Brunell, the Cham-ber’s first Operations Director. Dan comes to the Chamber from Vancouver, Wash. and brings 16-years of experience in opera-tions and communications to the Chamber.

“I’m excited to join the team at the Montana Chamber,” said Brunell. “It’s an organization which is highly thought of by its’ peers in the United States.”

A major part of Dan’s role at the Chamber will be driving the im-

plementation of Envision 2026, the Chamber’s stra-tegic plan.

“Envision 2026 is a bold step forward for the State Chamber. I can’t wait to get started,” said Brunell.

Dan graduated from the University of Oregon a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a Bachelor of Fine Art - Photography. He also received a Bache-lor of Science in Business Information Technology Management from Western Governors University, and most recently received his Master of Business Administration from Willamette University’s Atkin-

son School of Management in Salem, Ore.

Prior to coming to the Montana Chamber, Brunell served as the New Media Manager for the Associa-tion of Washington Business (AWB) from 2003-2014. In this role, Dan was responsible for spearheading digital communications for the state’s chamber of commerce and manufacturing association. In the spring of 2014, Dan launched Brunell Creative — a full-service non-profit operations, strategy, and communications firm.

In addition to his role as New Media Manager, Dan served several other functions at AWB such as Pho-to Editor, graphic designer, and feature writer for AWB’s official magazine – Washington Business. Dan also served as a Business Liaison to the Wash-ington state Emergency Management Division from 2005 – 2012. As a Business Liaison, Dan helped co-ordinate the private sector’s response to statewide emergencies and assisted the Division’s communi-cations efforts to better reach the state’s business community in times of crisis.

When not working, Dan enjoys traveling the world, rooting for his beloved Portland Timbers & Thorns, and working with old film photography equipment.

The Chamber is very excited to welcome Dan! He can be reached at [email protected].


MEMBERSHIP REPORT

AARP, HelenaAdventure Automotive, Billings

Alpine Aviation, BillingsALPS Corp., Missoula

Berg Garage, White Sulphur SpringsBorder States Electric, BillingsButte-Silver Bow Chamber of

CommerceCapital Transfer & Storage, Helena

Cardinal Distributing, BozemanCherry Tree Inn, Billings

Cleanwaste, BelgradeCoca Cola Bottling, Glasgow

Cottonwood Inn & Suites, GlasgowCut Bank Area Chamber of Commerce

Davis business Machines, HelenaDelta Dental Insurance Co., HelenaFirst Madison Valley Bank, Ennis

Fish Tale Tavern, TownsendFlathead Lake Lodge, BigforkGarlington, Lohn, Robinson,

MissoulaGPD, PC, Great Falls

Mackenzie Disposal Inc., BillingsMalta Chamber of CommerceManhattan Area Chamber of

CommerceManhattan State Bank, Manhattan

Markle Inc., GlasgowMHA, Helena

Mines Management, SpokaneMissoula Area Chamber of Commerce

Montana Milling, Great FallsNorth 40 Outfitters, Great FallsNorthern Broadcasting System,

BillingsPella Windows and Doors, Billings

Standard Insurance Company, Portland

Sullivan Financial, HelenaSwank Enterprises, Kalispell

The Hunting Shack Inc., Stevensville Western Bank of Wolf Point

Yellowstone Lodge, West Yellowstone

October 15 to November 15, 2016

Treasure State Members ($35,000+)

Renewing Platinum Level Member ($20,000+)

Renewing Silver Level Member ($5,000+)

Renewing Copper Level Member ($1,000+)

American Chemistry Council, Sacramento, CA

Anderson and ZurMuehlen & Company PC, Helena

Calumet Refining Company, Great Falls • Denbury Resources, Plano

Great Falls Tribune, Great Falls • Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply, Bozeman

Opportunity Bank, Helena • PHRMA, Olympia, WA

Republic Services, Missoula

RENEWING MEMBERS TIERED MEMBERS

NEW MEMBERS

Farm Equipment Sales54272 Hwy 2

Glasgow, MT 59230406-228-2496

Best Burgers Enterprises LLC3150 N. Ashley Lake Rd

Kalispell, MT 59901406-300-2898

TicketPrinting.com22 Central Ave.

Harlowton, MT 59036406-600-6321

P.O. Box 1730Helena, MT 59624-1730

Presort StandardUS PostagePAID

Helena, MT 59601Permit No. 68

What issues are important to you in the upcoming legislative session?

What would you like to see happen, what issues need to be addressed? Tweet at us, message us on Facebook, or email 2-3 sentences on what issues are impacting your business and need the Montana Chamber’s at-tention in the 2017 Legislative Session. We want to include more member opinions, feedback and articles in the Eye on Business and start more conversations about what is going on around Big Sky Country. Let us know your thoughts by contacting Nate Kavanagh at [email protected] or (888) 442-6668.

Business Days at the CapitolJanuary 2-3, 2017 • Helena

Register Online at:Events.MontanaChamber.com/?ee=134

Contact [email protected] for sponsorship and additional information.

M I S S I O NTo create and sustain an optimal business climate, business prosperity, and a strong Montana economy, the Montana Chamber of Commerce, through advocacy, education, and collaboration, works to provide an empowered and educated workforce, reduce business growth obstacles, and advance positions that promote success for Montana businesses.

@MontanaChamber

eye on - montana chamber of commerce · • rtic submitted three bill proposals that would adjust...

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