Six businesses will receive Montana Family Business Program awards at the 2016 Montana State University Jake Jabs College of Business & Entrepreneurship State Farm Insurance Family Business Day, set for Friday, Oct. 7, at the Best Western Plus GranTree Inn in Bozeman.
The 2016 Family Business Day award winners are: Elliotts of Montana of Bozeman in the very small business category (fewer than 10 employees); MARS Stout of Missoula in the small business category (10-30 employees); Wild West Shirt Company of Bozeman in the medium business category (30-50 employees), General Distributing of Great Falls in the large business category (more than 50 employees); Cooper Hereford Ranch of Willow Creek in the old business category (operating at least 50 years); and Busted Knuckle Brewery of Glasgow in the new business category (operating 10 or fewer years).
This year’s keynote luncheon speaker will be Dan Rust, a State Farm agent, based in Bozeman, Montana. Rust’s presentation “Being a Good Neighbor is all about Family” will focus on the family history of the company and how he has personally seen family businesses succeed during the past 34 years in his role. Dan Rust began his agency in Bozeman in 1982. Prior to that he worked for Carpenter Paper Company. Dan graduated from Eastern Montana College in 1977 with a B.S. in Business and minor in Economics. RSVPs are requested by September 30. A $20 registration is required to attend the keynote luncheon and awards ceremony. 2016 applicants and award winners will receive complimentary tickets.
