HELENA, Mont.—The Montana Department of Labor and Industry has secured $4.8 million in federal funding to expand workforce training programs led by employers in high-demand industries, including advanced manufacturing, technology and construction. The funding comes through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Industry-Driven Skills Training Fund. Montana is one of seven states receiving a share of Read More…
GREAT FALLS—Janicki Industries has named retired Air Force Col. Daniel J. Voorhies senior director of operations for its new Great Falls manufacturing campus as the aerospace and defense company prepares to expand production in Montana. Voorhies retired earlier this year after 25 years in the U.S. Air Force. He most recently commanded the 341st Missile Read More…
BOZEMAN—Gov. Greg Gianforte and the Montana Chamber of Commerce will host the third annual Big Sky, Bright Future Economic Summit on Oct. 15 in Bozeman, with this year’s event focused on technology and innovation in Montana. The summit will bring together business leaders, policymakers and technology executives to discuss artificial intelligence, national security, precision agriculture, Read More…
GREAT FALLS, Mont. — Spectrum is expanding its fiber broadband network in Cascade County, bringing service to more than 1,200 additional homes and small businesses in previously unserved or underserved areas, including Ulm and Vaughn. Gov. Greg Gianforte joined Spectrum this week to mark the expansion, which is part of the company’s broader rural broadband Read More…
NorthWestern Energy Group (NASDAQ: NWE) is moving forward with plans to merge with Black Hills Corp., a deal that could reshape the regional utility landscape, while Wall Street analysts weigh in on the stock. JP Morgan analyst Aidan Kelly maintained a Neutral rating on NorthWestern Energy but raised the price target from $60 to $61, Read More…
The Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) has confirmed that an animal from a Gallatin County livestock herd within Montana’s Designated Surveillance Area (DSA) tested positive for brucellosis, marking the second detection of the disease in Montana livestock in 2025. State officials said the affected herd has been placed under quarantine and an epidemiological investigation is Read More…
More than 32,000 Montana businesses will see a reduction in unemployment insurance (UI) tax rates in 2026, resulting in over $23 million in savings, the Montana Department of Labor & Industry announced. “By reforming our tax code and cutting back the thicket of red tape tying up job creators, we’re helping Montana businesses grow and Read More…
Texbase, Inc., a leading cloud-based platform that manages supply chain traceability, compliance, certification, and sustainability data for retail, manufacturing, and textile brands, announced today that Randy Harward has joined its Advisory Board. Harward brings more than two decades of experience in product development, materials research, and manufacturing innovation. He spent much of his career at Read More…
NorthWestern Energy customers will see lower utility bills and receive refunds with interest after the Montana Public Service Commission finalized a sweeping decision in the company’s 2024 electric and natural gas rate case, rejecting $43 million of the utility’s proposed costs while approving construction of a new Yellowstone County power plant. The decision caps a Read More…
Any business idea usually starts with an elevator pitch – a concise proposal delivered in the time it takes to ride an elevator. University of Montana students interested in entrepreneurship had the chance to perfect their elevator pitches during Griz Pitch, a competition that gave students 60 seconds to share their ideas in front of Read More…
A class action lawsuit has been filed against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana (BCBSMT) over a data breach that allegedly exposed the sensitive personal and medical information of hundreds of thousands of members. The filing comes as Montana State Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown launched a separate investigation into the Read More…
Montana’s manufacturing sector remains a cornerstone of the state’s economy, according to three reports on the state of manufacturing recently released by the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center at Montana State University and authored by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana. The manufacturing sector generated more than $2 billion in Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte and the Montana Chamber of Commerce will host the 2nd Annual Big Sky, Bright Future Economic Summit on Thursday, October 16, in Bozeman, bringing together business leaders, policymakers, and energy experts to focus on the theme of unleashing American-made energy in Montana. “With rising demand on our energy grid, Montana must continue Read More…
The Reimagining Rural program, an initiative of Montana State University Extension, will host the second annual Reimagining Rural Roadshow Oct. 1-2 in Glasgow. Designed as a one-stop connection point, the roadshow brings state and regional resource providers together with rural community leaders in a rural setting. Launched in 2019, Reimagining Rural is dedicated to providing Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte joined Rivian officials and community leaders in Belgrade this week to celebrate the opening of the company’s new 20,000-square-foot service and demo center, marking Rivian as the first electric vehicle manufacturer to invest in Montana. “It’s great to welcome Rivian to Montana as the first electric vehicle manufacturer to invest in our Read More…
Aspiring healthcare workers in Great Falls will have a new pathway to medical careers beginning September 2025 with the launch of the Great Falls Medical Assistant School, an 18-week program offering hands-on training, certifications, and externships at the Open Door Medical Clinic. The program, conveniently located at 2 5th St N #204, is designed to Read More…
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…
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…
exbase, Inc., a Bozeman-based retail data management software company, announced Monday the formation of an Advisory Board to guide its next phase of strategic growth. The company also named retail supply chain veteran Jack Keating as the board’s first member. Texbase said the Advisory Board will be composed of executives with deep retail and supply Read More…
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. (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…
Montana’s unemployment rate remained at 2.8% in July, marking the tenth consecutive month below 3% and extending a four-year stretch at or below 3.4%, according to state labor data released this week. The state continues to rank among the five lowest in the nation for unemployment, 1.4 percentage points below the national rate of 4.2%. Read More…
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, 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…
(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…
Montana’s unemployment rate held steady at a remarkably low 2.8% in June, marking the ninth consecutive month below 3% and extending a historic run of four straight years with unemployment at or below 3.4%, according to Governor Greg Gianforte. “With more Montanans working now than ever before and historically low unemployment, we’re seeing the results Read More…
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…
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…
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…
Franck Groeneweg, owner of Living Sky Grains in Three Forks, grew up on a potato and wheat farm a 100 miles outside of Paris, France. At 19 years old, Groeneweg settled in Iowa, where he met his wife, Kari. They moved to Saskatchewan, farmed there and built a family — but wanted a mountainous landscape Read More…
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…
Pollinators are the backbone of the food webs that humans, and nearly every animal on earth, are part of. Scientists estimate that 87% of flowering plant species and many of the leading global food crops rely on pollinators to produce seeds. And here in Montana, native and nonnative pollinators forage on almost 40 of the agricultural Read More…
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 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, 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…
We can thank pollinators for at least every third bite of food we eat. Approximately 75% of the world’s flowering plants and 35% of our food crops rely on animal pollinators to reproduce (MT NRCS). They’re essential not only for fruits and vegetables, but also for crops that provide us with spices, medicines, raw materials, Read More…
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 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…
The Gallatin Valley Farm Fair hosted more than 1,100 local fourth grades earlier this month. The annual event gives local students a chance to experience agriculture and livestock and working with the land.
Harnessing the power of the wind goes back millenniums. Wind is kinetic energy created by the sun and earth’s rotation, creating air currents. Sailors used it to fill their sails on journeys across seas. By the 1000 AD, windmills were used to pump seawater to make salt in Sicily and China. By the 1180s, windmills Read More…
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 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…
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…
University of Montana students interested in entrepreneurship and starting their own businesses have a space to gather and work together on their new ventures. Each Tuesday afternoon this spring semester students meet in UM’s Startup Studio, a room on the third floor of the University Center where students of all majors explore their business ideas Read More…