Featured Articles in Montana Business News

Gianforte Welcomes Semiconductor Firm to Montana

Gov. Greg Gianforte on Monday marked the opening of Eshylon Scientific’s new facility in Bozeman, cutting the ribbon on the semiconductor manufacturing solutions company’s relocation from California to Montana. The governor toured the site and highlighted the investment as part of Montana’s growing technology and semiconductor industry. “Montana is becoming a hub for entrepreneurship and Read More…

Montana Commerce Department Launches New Loan Program for Rural Businesses

The Montana Department of Commerce announced Monday that a new loan participation program aimed at expanding access to capital for rural businesses will open for applications on Oct. 1, 2025. The Opportunities in Rural Economies (ORE) Loan Participation Program will partner with local lenders to provide low-interest loans for projects that support job creation, strengthen Read More…

Black Hills Corp. and NorthWestern Energy Announce All-Stock Merger

Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) and NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NWE) said  their boards of directors have unanimously approved a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock, tax-free merger. The deal will create a regulated electric and natural gas utility company with an estimated market capitalization of $7.8 billion and an enterprise value of Read More…

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New business-focused hospitality degree to help Montana tourism industry

Starting this fall, Montana State University students will see increased career opportunities due to a revamp of the hospitality degree program. Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management will now have two paths to choose from: a business-specific concentration from MSU’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship or a sustainable food systems-focused concentration Read More…

Gianforte Welcomes Semiconductor Firm to Montana

Gov. Greg Gianforte on Monday marked the opening of Eshylon Scientific’s new facility in Bozeman, cutting the ribbon on the semiconductor manufacturing solutions company’s relocation from California to Montana. The governor toured the site and highlighted the investment as part of Montana’s growing technology and semiconductor industry. “Montana is becoming a hub for entrepreneurship and Read More…

Montana Commerce Department Launches New Loan Program for Rural Businesses

The Montana Department of Commerce announced Monday that a new loan participation program aimed at expanding access to capital for rural businesses will open for applications on Oct. 1, 2025. The Opportunities in Rural Economies (ORE) Loan Participation Program will partner with local lenders to provide low-interest loans for projects that support job creation, strengthen Read More…

Black Hills Corp. and NorthWestern Energy Announce All-Stock Merger

Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) and NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NWE) said  their boards of directors have unanimously approved a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock, tax-free merger. The deal will create a regulated electric and natural gas utility company with an estimated market capitalization of $7.8 billion and an enterprise value of Read More…

After completing innovation and management graduate program, Montana State alumnus launches food-focused startup

With bachelor’s and master’s degrees now under his belt, Montana State University alumnus Quinn Holland’s advice to current students is still what drives him every day. “Relentlessly chase what excites you in life. If there is something that you are curious about, chase it until the end of the earth and until you’re satisfied with Read More…

Lee Enterprises to Pay $9.5 Million in Privacy Case, Faces New Employee Class-Action Lawsuits

Lee Enterprises, the Iowa-based newspaper chain that owns hundreds of publications in 25 states, including several in Montana, has agreed to pay $9.5 million to settle a subscriber privacy lawsuit — even as it confronts fresh legal troubles from a February 2025 cyberattack that allegedly exposed the personal information of thousands of employees. Three new Read More…

1M homes to be powered by Montana coal mine expansion

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of the Interior on Tuesday approved expansion of coal mining in Montana, marking the second largest coal expansion since President Donald Trump took office in January as 33.75 million tons of federal coal will be recovered, 300 jobs ensured, and a million homes powered by the decision. The Read More…

KRAMBU Unveils Plans for World’s Most Sustainable AI Factory in Montana

KRAMBU, Inc., a sustainable high-performance computing infrastructure company, announced this week the development of a next-generation AI data center campus in Montana—what the company is calling the world’s most sustainable “AI Factory.” The project is designed to redefine the future of artificial intelligence infrastructure by integrating direct liquid cooling (DLC) technology, renewable energy sources, and Read More…

Bozeman Tops List as Most Expensive U.S. Airport for Summer Car Rentals, Survey Finds

Travelers heading to Montana this summer may face sticker shock at the rental car counter. Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) has been named the most expensive airport in the country for car rentals, according to a new survey from travel website Cheapcarrental.com. The survey, which analyzed rental rates across 100 U.S. airports for the peak Read More…

Irrigation in Montana: Sustaining agriculture, landscapes and communities

Montana’s wide-open spaces and fluctuating climate make water a precious resource. Across the state, irrigation is central not only to agriculture but also to the health of residential landscapes and community green spaces. From century-old canal systems feeding hay fields to backyard sprinklers keeping lawns green in dry summers, water use in Montana requires careful Read More…

Bridger Aerospace Welcomes Executive Order to Reshape Wildland Firefighting

Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BAER), one of the nation’s leading aerial firefighting companies, today praised the recent Executive Order aimed at restructuring the U.S. wildland firefighting system and emphasized the impact of a significant increase in the Department of the Interior’s fiscal 2026 budget request. Sam Davis, CEO of Bridger Aerospace, said, “Bridger Read More…

Gianforte Appoints Marta Bertoglio as Department of Commerce Director

Governor Greg Gianforte announced the appointment of State Representative Marta Bertoglio as the new Director of the Montana Department of Commerce, signaling a continued focus on economic growth and job creation in the state. “Marta has been a strong partner in the Legislature and is a driven leader, dedicated to making Montana the best place Read More…

Performance Engineering Earns National Honors

Performance Engineering continues to gain national attention for combining rapid growth with a people-first workplace culture, earning two prestigious 2025 awards from the Zweig Group: Best Firms to Work For and Hot Firm. The Montana-based civil engineering firm was recognized as one of the 100 fastest-growing Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) firms in the U.S. Read More…

Clearwater Properties Honors Top-Producing Agents of 2024 Across the Mountain West

Clearwater Properties, a leading real estate brokerage in the Mountain West, has announced the recipients of its prestigious Top Producer Awards for 2024, recognizing the firm’s ten highest-performing agents and brokers across the region in total sales volume. The annual awards, presented each April, celebrate not only exceptional production but also the agents’ deep commitment Read More…

Bridger Aerospace Lands Record-Breaking Wildfire Contracts for Super Scooper Aircraft

Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BAER, BAERW), one of the nation’s leading aerial firefighting companies, announced today it has secured two unprecedented 120-day task orders from the U.S. Forest Service for its fleet of CL-415EAF “Super Scooper” aircraft. The contracts, each covering two aircraft, mark the longest task orders ever awarded to Bridger for Read More…

Montana Ranks Third Nationally for Lowest Unemployment

Montana continues to outperform much of the nation in employment, ranking third among U.S. states for the lowest unemployment rate, Governor Greg Gianforte announced. The state’s jobless rate held steady at 2.7% in April, trailing only South Dakota and North Dakota. The figure marks an ongoing trend of low unemployment in Montana, maintaining 46 consecutive Read More…

Alpha Omega Disaster Restoration Launches New Website

Alpha Omega Disaster Restoration, a leading provider of damage restoration services in Billings, Montana, has launched a new website designed to improve user experience and deliver more comprehensive information to residential and commercial customers. The updated site is now integrated within the main platform of Alpha Omega’s parent company, FLEET Response—a national network of local Read More…

NorthWestern Energy Reaches Settlement Agreements in Montana Rate Review

NorthWestern Energy has reached key settlement agreements with several major stakeholders in its ongoing regulatory rate review for electric and natural gas services in Montana. The agreements, if approved by the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC), would result in modest increases in residential utility bills, helping to fund continued investment in safe and reliable energy Read More…

Gianforte Celebrates Ribbon Cutting for Amazon’s New Facility in Belgrade

Governor Greg Gianforte joined U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy to officially cut the ribbon on Amazon’s new 50,000-square-foot delivery station in Belgrade. The state-of-the-art facility is part of Amazon’s continued expansion in Montana, representing a $27 million investment and creating dozens of jobs in Gallatin County. “Montana is open for business, and Amazon’s Read More…

Bridger Aerospace Secures Wildfire Detection Contract with State of Montana

Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BAER) announced Friday it has been awarded an exclusive-use contract by the State of Montana to provide wildfire detection and mapping services using a specially modified Daher Kodiak 100 aircraft. The contract follows a competitive bidding process and marks a major milestone in Bridger’s expansion of its aerial firefighting Read More…

SITKA Announces Sales Team Expansion and Territory Realignment

SITKA Gear, a leader in high-performance hunting and outdoor apparel, announced a series of strategic changes to its sales team aimed at aligning talent with the company’s evolving business priorities. The adjustments include the addition of three new sales representatives and a significant territory expansion for a veteran team member, all designed to strengthen retail Read More…

Bridger Aerospace and Positive Aviation Forge Strategic Partnership to Develop Water-Scooping Aircraft

Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BAER, BAERW), one of the largest aerial firefighting companies in the United States, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Positive Aviation, Inc. (PA), a Blagnac, France-based engineering firm, to develop and deploy the innovative FF72 amphibious water-scooping firefighting aircraft. The partnership, formalized today through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Read More…

Montana’s Unemployment Rate Holds Steady at 2.8% for February, Continuing Historic Low

Governor Greg Gianforte announced that Montana’s unemployment rate remained at 2.8% in February, marking the 44th consecutive month of unemployment at or below 3.4%—a historic low. The strong labor market continues to be a key indicator of Montana’s resilient economy. “Montana’s economy is strong, adding 3,000 new jobs and reaching a record-high labor force of Read More…

Wells Fargo Drops Net-Zero Goals Amid Attorney General Investigation

Wells Fargo has officially abandoned its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, prompting Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen to close his investigation into the bank’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policies. The move follows a broader controversy over whether financial institutions should consider climate-related targets in their lending practices. The investigation, launched in October Read More…