The 39th annual Montana Economic Outlook Seminar will hit the road starting January 28 in Helena, featuring guest speaker Greg Gianforte , founder of RightNow Technologies.

Chairman of the University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research, Patrick Barkey, said on Thursday, January 9 that his team will be on the road from January through March visiting cities all over the state.

"We always have a theme," Barkey said. "This year we're really excited that our theme will be "Making Montana the First Best Place." That's a discussion on how Montana can grow more high wage jobs by essentially growing our own, by starting our own small businesses."

Barkey said they have just the right person to lead these discussions around the state.

"The guy we have to talk about that is Greg Gianforte, founder of RightNow Technologies," Barkey said. "His company experienced meteoric growth both in Bozeman and in Helena. It was bought by Oracle in 2012, and now he is free to follow his passion which is starting up businesses, so that's what he'll be talking about."

The tour will begin in Helena on January 28, then go to Great Falls on the 29th, Missoula on the 30th, then to Billings on February 4, to Bozeman on February 5, Butte on the 6th, then to Kalispell on February 14, to Lewistown on March 11, and up to Havre on March 12.

The seminars are sponsored by Northwestern Energy, Benefis Health System, Pacific Steel and Recycling and Montana Health Co-op.

Chairman of the University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research, Patrick Barkey

 

 

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