News from the Billings Chamber of Commerce

SBA Names Award Winners

Owners of a Billings manufacturing company have been named as the Small Business Administration’s Veteran-owned Business of the Year. Jim Markel and Perry Jones owners of Red Oxx Manufacturing, were among several award winners announced last week.

Lena Wharton of Wharton Asphalt LLC,  Billings, won the award for a woman-owned business.

 Other winners were: Montana Small Business Person of the Year: Greg Thayer, CEO of Montana Milling, Inc., Great Falls.

 Montana Small Business Champion of the Year: John and Courtney McKee of Headframe Spirits, Butte.

 Montana Millennial Entrepreneur Award: Rachel and Dustin Rising of Bibs & Binkies, Bozeman.

And...

More Award Winners

The Billings Chamber of Commerce announced the 2016 winners of their Business Excellence Awards

The winners were:

Rimrock (formerly Rimrock Foundation) – Employer of the Year

Jeff Ewelt, ZooMontana – Business Person of the Year

Damian Forrester, Keller Williams Premier Brokers – Customer Service Excellence

Jan Peterson, Western Security Bank – Supervisor/Manager of the Year

The winners will be recognized at the Billings Chamber Breakfast 2016 on March 31, at the Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark.

Earlier this year, the Chamber honored Karen Sanford Gall (Big Sky State Games) as the Legacy Award honoree and Dave Kelsey was recognized for Agricultural Excellence. 

Global Diversifies for Business Success

Changes in basic industries impact support  businesses like Global Bolting Technologies, Inc.-- a Billings equipment dealer that sells, rents and maintains torque tools. Diversification is the key to success, says owner Tim Hert, who does business with a wide range of industries. His business has grown despite declines from the gas and oil industry, but Hert worries about impacts from the Clean Power Plan because it is likely to impact several basic industries, at the same time,  which is unusual. Read more in the Big Sky Business Journal.

Wind Energy Speaker at Summit March 29

Rob Gramlich, Senior Vice President for Government and Public Affairs at the American Wind Energy Association, will be featured as a keynote speaker at Montana Energy 2016. Additional continuing education sessions have also been added on March 29 to give members more time to access information about Montana’s energy future. All panels and keynote speakers will take place on March 30-31 as the Radisson Convention Center (formerly Holiday Inn Grand). A full agenda is available at www. montanaenergy. net/ Montana Energy 2016, led by Senator Steve Daines, will be held in Billings on March 29-31 and will serve as the largest avenue to  discuss Montana’s energy potential.

Red Lodge Mountain will close March 27.