At a Sept. 14 Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitor Bureau luncheon at the Hilton Garden Inn, Gov. Greg Gianforte promoted Montana as a competitive business state while emphasizing its economic resiliency during the pandemic. Gianforte spoke following a visit with GL Solutions, a software company that recently relocated to Kalispell from Bend, Oregon, Read More…
North Dakota witnessed a 5 percent drop in its oil and gas production this past July, the result of a series of outages at five natural gas plants in the state. Natural gas processing plants at Bear Creek, Lonesome Creek, Robinson Lake, Tioga, and Watford City were offline during various times in July, due to Read More…
A hydrogen hub is on the horizon for the Bakken, in about half the time it usually takes, according to a release from Bakken Energy. The infrastructure development company announced Monday, Aug. 16 that an agreement has been reached with Basin Electric Cooperative to purchase the assets of the Dakota Gasification Company, which owns Read More…
For the first time since the pandemic began, Montana’s oil industry is seeing renewed activity. In August, two drillling rigs set up shop in eastern Montana. Both are horizontal rigs targeting oil production for Kraken Oil & Gas. It’s been more than 16 months since Montana reported any oil rig activity along the western edge Read More…
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed a rule Wednesday to raise transparency around loans for small businesses. If finalized, the federal agency’s rule would require lenders to collect and report more data about credit applications from small businesses, including demographic and pricing data and reasons for which lenders deny a loan. The rule would help regulators learn how entrepreneurs Read More…
GREYCLIFF — “There’s nothing like discovering a jewel in the making – finding a building that’s not in so great of shape, and then beginning to dream and imagine what that could be turned back into.” Matthew Brandstadt, born on the Western slope of Colorado, knew pretty early in life exactly what he wanted to Read More…
Billings, MT – Ultra Graphics has been recognized by the annual Printing News Top 100 Small Commercial Printers rankings as one of highest grossing small commercial print firms in the country. For sales-year 2020, Ultra Graphics ranked #1 in Montana and #31 in the country. “I’m extremely proud of our team and grateful to our Read More…
Roby Burch didn’t intend to develop a grill and start a company selling them. He just wanted to drink some beers with friends, eat good food and have a grill he could take on outdoor excursions. When Burch, 26, couldn’t find a grill he wanted — something that was portable and versatile — Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte today announced that Montana exceeded his goal for adding good-paying jobs to the economy in 2021, which he set at the beginning of last year. Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) data show the state added just under 13,000 jobs paying over $50,000 in 2021, easily surpassing the governor’s goal of Read More…
When Brittain Kovac and Josh Schukman bought their first 1988 Airstream trailer in 2016 to live in while they worked traveling jobs, they fell in love with the vintage living space and the era it was designed in. Over the years, they acquired five Airstreams from Kansas City, Arizona and the Yaak, moving each of Read More…
Amid record low unemployment it’s hard to find employees in Montana, not just the Flathead Valley. Still, the work is ongoing locally to promote strategies that can help businesses keep the employees they already have. Montana’s unemployment rate is the fifth-lowest in the nation, dropping from 2.7% in January to 2.6% in February, according to Read More…
The recent surge in gas prices is fueling operational adjustments across the Flathead Valley business landscape. Donny Stevens, who runs a Columbia Falls trucking company, said his biweekly bill increased by $5,000 from one statement to the next. “It’s affecting us big-time,” Stevens said. READ THE FULL STORY
Two major U.S. automakers are calling out car dealers for allegedly jacking up prices beyond sticker value and ripping off customers. Ford and General Motors warned dealers to stop exploiting supply chain shortages by setting prices above the manufacturers’ suggested retail prices, or MSRP. “We have very good knowledge of who they are,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said while unveiling the company’s latest quarterly Read More…
Facebook has patented a new technology for an “authentic” robot eye. The idea, granted in December, would let the social media company build a “high performing and realistic” eyeball that would be like an “animatronic device” to track humans’ eye movements. Tracking eye movements is used in digital ads to detect what people look at, as Read More…
WASHINGTON — With workers quitting their jobs in record numbers across the United States, employers are getting creative with their offerings to attract and retain talent. Many are providing more money and benefits amid a nationwide labor shortage that has worsened supply chain shortages and hampered businesses, especially those that employ front-line workers. In Arizona, one Read More…
Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook received almost $100 million in compensation in 2021, a year in which he completed 10 years as the company’s CEO and led the iPhone maker to record profits during a global pandemic. His $98.7 million pay package rose more than 500% compared with the previous year’s $14.8 million, Read More…