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1) The City of Great Falls Commissioners unanimously approved Tax Increment Financing for the Elmore Roberts building remodel. This project is essential to preserving and improving access to affordable housing in Great Falls. There are great stories in the Electric and on KRTV about the project. If you have a housing project in Great Falls please reach out to Jake Clark for support Jake@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-403-4937.
2) Congratulations to Benefis Health System on earning approval for its new Internal Medicine Residency Program from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education! The new three-year residency will have 10 residents each year for a total of 30 residents. Application and candidate interviews will start this fall with the first 10 residents starting in July, 2025. The start of Benefis' new residency will coincide with the first group of clinical rotations from the first class of Touro Montana Medical School Great Falls.
3) Jake and Jenn were in Missoula for the Montana Housing Partnership annual conference meeting with developers, partners, funders and showcasing the new Housing Market Demand Assessment for Great Falls.
4) Congratulations to Great Falls Public Schools students and NeighborWorks Great Falls on the ribbon cutting of the 46th High School House! See KRTV.
5) I networked with commercial and housing developers, commercial brokers, retailers, restaurant, hotel, recreation/entertainment chains, and affiliated companies at the annual ICSC networking event in Las Vegas, pitching investment opportunities in the Great Falls Montana trade area. The event attracted 25,000 real estate leaders from across the country.
6) GFDA will be welcoming logistics consultants from Moffatt & Nichol this week May 28th-30th. Their time here will be spent meeting with companies to gain a better understanding of what products are moving in, through, and out of our region. Their research will culminate in an economic development strategy identifying market opportunities for GFDA to pursue to make our region more competitive for providers and utilizers of logistics services. If your business is moving products in, through, or out of the Great Falls region and you haven’t been reached out to, we want to hear from you! Contact Tyler Menzales at 1-406-217-7862 or email TMenzales@GrowGreatFalls.org
7) The Sidequest Arcade Bar opened in Downtown Great Falls, next to The Block. A new spa opened in downtown Great Falls! Tia Stiles is the owner, and Studio Stiles downtown Great Falls is her second location, with the first being in Malta, Montana. Read about it on KRTV. If you are interested in starting a business downtown, contact Nicki Dallison at Nicki@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-750-2099.
8) Our Great Falls APEX joined APEX Accelerators from across the state at the Montana APEX Business Meeting in Helena. Representatives from the MT State Procurement Bureau and the MT Army National Guard provided training and resources to assist the APEX Accelerators supporting businesses seeking to bid on State and Army National Guard contracts. Your business could produce or supply what government agencies need! To learn more about bidding on State of MT and MT Army National Guard contract opportunities, contact Shannon Clancy at SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1184.
9) GFPS students are in the workplace! Not just after graduation but through an emphasis on internships, duel enrollment, and workforce development strategies. Check out these showcase videos, GFPS Future Navigator, the district created to learn more!
10) This is the final call for our first Angel Investor Networking Event taking place this Wednesday, May 29th from 4:30-6:00 PM. We’re looking for more accredited investors who want to put their money to work in the Great Falls region, as well as entrepreneurs, developers, and expanding businesses who need cash investment. Pregistration is required! For more information, including how to prepare for the event, please contact Tyler Menzales at TMenzales@GrowGreatFalls.org or call 1-406-217-7862.
11) Treasure State Outdoors has opened a kayak rental kiosk in West Bank Park on the Missouri River in Great Falls; see KRTV. The kiosk uses the Rent.Fun app.
12) Register for GFDA’s Annual Meeting: Tuesday, June 18th, 8:00-10:00 AM at the Newberry. Expect engaging presentations from our team, celebrate this year’s Ally Award winners, and network with fellow stakeholders and community leaders. Mark your calendars and register here. Contact Jenn at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org for more information.
13) This week, we worked with a few clients to take a holistic approach to their digital presence, including looking at their website, social media, and Google listing. For one business, we discovered that their lack of progress stemmed from overlooking some basic but crucial elements. Is your business struggling to gain traction online? Connect with Rich Gannon at our Small Business Development Center, email RGannon@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-836-2078 to discuss your business’s digital footprint.
14) If you’re looking to expand or start your business through purchasing a commercial building for your future location, make sure to talk to Christian Nichols, Brownfields Project Manager, so we can see if you qualify for an Environmental Site Assessment paid for by EPA. You don’t know what environmental conditions or possible contaminates exist until you have an assessment completed. With our help you could save thousands of dollars and have confidence in your purchase knowing all contaminates are identified and assessed. For more information, please call Christian Nichols at 1-406-788-9385 or email at CNichols@GrowGreatFalls.org
15) During the Mountain Meat Summit in Bozeman Anna learned about the numerous challenges and opportunities facing the meat supply chain in the Western half of America as well as the resources being offer to meat producers, processors, and distributors. She was able to network with local and federal regulatory agencies, food and agricultural academics from multiple neighboring states, and local producers. A special thanks to Pioneer Meats, the Producer Partnership, and Barney Creek Livestock for opening their facilities and farms for tours during this summit. If you are a meat processor looking to expand your facility or offerings, thinking of starting a meat processing business, or would like to learn more about the resources available to you, please reach out to Anna at Anna@GrowGreatFalls.org and 1-406-590-1301.
16) We are preparing to welcome the next class of Touro COM students into our community. Last year, businesses and community members supported the students by donating items for gift bags, hosting small groups for dinners, sponsoring their white coats, and more. To find out how you can support this new class, reach out to Jenn at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org.
17) The Great Falls Farmers Market starts on June 1st from 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM and will be every Saturday through September. There are almost 200 vendors lined up for the season and they are still accepting applications. If you are interested in starting your own food or agriculture business, contact Anna at Anna@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1301.
18) Welcome to the GFDA Council Mark Wallingford, CFO of Farran Realty Partners, LLC. Mark has over a decade of public and private accounting experience, and we are thrilled to have someone with his knowledge and expertise serve on the council as we work to grow the region. Welcome to the team, Mark!
19) We Are Growing Our Awesome Staff Team. Download a description of openings for Director Regional Small Business Development Center and Lending Solutions Specialist. Contact Tracy for more info at Tracy@GrowGreatFalls.org.
20) Supporting economic development is a strategic move that benefits businesses, partners, and the entire community. The continued collaboration & support from our investors and public partners is essential to our success. Learn more about these champions of the community by viewing this short video. Recent investments include: Community Division—Hi-Line Moving Services. They are the reason we can continue providing the essential services to help our region thrive. If you’d like to learn more about our economic development strategy and how you can help us achieve our goals, reach out to Investment Director Jenn Gallmeier at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org.
Memorial Day is always bittersweet. Fond memories of those we have lost and admiration of their dedication and sacrifice.
Brett
Brett Doney
President & CEO
1-406-750-2119
BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org
Connect with me on LinkedIn to network with the Great Falls Montana region.
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"I can teach anyone how to do the work, but I can't teach work ethic and I can't teach attitude."
Laura Tanner
Edition 634
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