ChamberCast

Welcome to our final episode of ChamberCast... for now. Host Jack Jennaway and Communications Manager Kelsi Gambill sat down to look back on the last 3 years of this show and take a look ahead to what's next for the Chamber. Stay tuned until the end for a special tribute to Billings! Thank you so much to Upstream Strategy Partners for sponsoring ChamberCast!

You have probably noticed the new look at Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital. What does this mean for patient care, and our local economy? What's new in healthcare? We asked Lee Boyles, President of St. Vincent Regional Hospital for the Montana and Wyoming Markets. You don't want to miss this inside look at this critical Billings institution!Thank you so much to Upstream Strategy Partners for sponsoring ChamberCast!Learn more:Intermountain Health WebsiteOur interview with Dr. David Park on the establishment of Rocky Vista University

Special Olympics Montana is coming to Billings for the next 3 years! This huge event will bring hundreds of athletes, family members, and coaches to compete at facilities around Billings--boosting our local economy. This is a two-part episode. In part 1 we hear from VisitBillings's Sports Tourism Manager, Evan Decker on the impact of sports tourism. In part 2, we hear from the co-chairs of the Special Olympics MT State Games, Brian Brown and Tyler Witlgen. Thank you so much to Upstream Strategy Partners for sponsoring ChamberCast!Learn more: Special Olympics MontanaVisitBillings

It's no hidden secret that Billings businesses benefit from tourism here in our city, but did you know that tourism accounts for $620 million dollars in revenue, generated from 3 million people visiting each year?Visitors spend money and spur our local economy, through our restaurants, retail stores, attractions, and hotels, not to mention events and more. Billings is our home AND positioned as a tourism destination, thanks to the efforts of Visit Billings. Regionally, Visit Southeast Montana drives visitation to 13 counties and two Indian reservations. Dive into the economic impacts of tourism to Montana's Trailhead, fostering community pride, and the diversity of offerings that we have in our backyard as we gear up to celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week May 19-25, 2024. Hear insights from two champions of tourism, Billings, and southeastern Montana--Jeff Ewelt of ZooMontana and Kevin Kooistra of the Western Heritage Center, in this episode of ChamberCast.Thank you so much to Upstream Strategy Partners for sponsoring ChamberCast! Learn more:ZooMontana Western Heritage Center Visit BillingsVisit Southeast Montana

Michelle Harkins, our 2024 Outstanding Business Person of the Year, truly embodies the concept of being a helper. With a heart for the Billings community, specifically the BIRD, Michelle tirelessly advocates for business and making our city better. Serving as the Director of The Billings Industrial Revitalization District (BIRD), her infectious energy and enthusiasm is evident in everything that she does. With energy and passion, Michelle leads by example and follows the concept of no job or task being beneath her.Thank you so much to Upstream Strategy Partners for sponsoring ChamberCast!Learn more: BIRD websiteBillings BIRD on FacebookBillings BIRD on Instagram

School District 2 is making moves to balance the budget, reduce dropout rates, and improve public safety. Superintendent Dr. Erwin Garcia joined us to provide a comprehensive update on everything happening at SD2, especially the three new charter schools that will open soon! Thank you so much to Upstream Strategy Partners for sponsoring ChamberCast!Learn More: Our episode from 07/26/2023 with former Superintendent Upham and Dr. Garcia: Moving from Good to Great to Excellent in Education Our episode from 02/08/2023 with Bo Bruinsma and former Superintendent Upham on SD2's Career Pathways program: Education & Pathways to SuccessSchool District 2Career Center

Native American business, culture, and history is a huge part of Montana. If you have ever wanted to learn more about any of it, there are two events coming up that are great places to start. Cathy Grider, Workforce Development Manager for the Billings Chamber, and Randy Bear Don't Walk with MSU-Billings's Native American Achievement Center joined us to dive into the Native American Business Summit, and the upcoming Powwow at MSU-Billings. Thank you so much to Upstream Strategy Partners for sponsoring ChamberCast! Learn more: Native American Achievement CenterPowwow Native American Business SummitBillings Chamber DEI NetworkChamber Breakfast featuring Andre Reed

In honor of International Women's Day, this episode highlights the Chamber's programming for women -- with Jennifer Reiser, who manages those programs and Sam Morris, owner of ENCORE's title sponsor, Chemnet. Learn More: Chemnet ENCOREWomen's NetworkEmail JenniferOur episode on mental health and substance abuse: Getting Upstream on Mental Health

This episode continues our recent focus on development in Billings, with one of our City's premier architecture firms, Cushing Terrell. We spoke with their CEO, Greg Matthews and Principal Project Manager, Shannon Christensen to talk about Cushing Terrell's work, the development environment in Billings, sustainable design, and Cushing Terrell turning 85. Learn MoreCushing Terrell WebsiteBusiness After Hours @ Cushing Terrell

Sanderson Stewart is one of those businesses most people never directly interact with, but your life would be VERY different without the work they do. Michael Sanderson, CEO, joined us on this week's podcast to talk about what they do, property development in Billings, and to talk about some of the exciting changes happening at Sanderson Stewart. Learn More: Sanderson Stewart websiteIf you want to learn more about land use and zoning, check out our interview with Representative and Senator Zolnikov on zoning reform bills from the previous MT Legislative Session: The Montana Miracle: Celebrating State Legislature Wins.

Listeners of this podcast know how important insurance is to your everyday life and how important Marsh McLennan Agency is to Billings. In this member spotlight, you'll hear from Brett Arnold and Brian Daubert from MMA about insurance, other ways to mitigate risk, and MMA's involvement in the community.

It's January, and at the Billings Chamber of Commerce that means it's agriculture month! Our Ag Celebration Week and the Ag Celebration Banquet is coming up during the last week of January, and we wouldn't be able to do any of this without our title sponsor, Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative. In this episode, we preview what you can expect from all of our upcoming ag-related programming, but also shine a spotlight on a business that is extremely important to Yellowstone County and beyond!Learn More:Yellowstone Valley Electric CooperativeAg Celebration WeekAg Celebration BanquetLast year's episode with YVEC, very creatively named "Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative"

2023 was a very eventful year at the Billings Chamber of Commerce! We bet it has been a busy year for you too! Thank you for listening throughout 2023 and enjoy this look back at the previous year with the Chamber's management team!

Mental health impacts every part of our lives, including the workplace. Jennifer Reiser, the Chief Operations Officer for the Billings Chamber, and Melanie Schwarz with Upstream Strategy Partners joined us this episode to talk about management strategies, suicide prevention, Seasonal Affective Disorder, and more.Learn more:Melanie's book - Lifejackets: A Mother's Journey Through Her Child's AddictionTo learn more about mental health first aid trainings, contact jennifer@billingschamber.com or cathy@billingschamber.com.Our episode on the Mobile Crisis Unit: A New Way to Help People in CrisisSuicide Prevention ResourcesShifting SandsNAMI BillingsChinook HorsesRiverstone Health - Suicide PreventionMontana 211.org Redefining Love Boundaries and Trauma Coaching Emerge from Within

People spend a LOT of money around the holiday season, which means that it can be a very important time of year for our favorite local businesses. This episode focuses on two local shops that opened within the last year, what they provide, why the owners started their own business, and how things have been going for them so far. We also preview one of the things the Billings Chamber does to support these small businesses, Keep the Cheer Here, and the Keep the Cheer Here Tour. Enjoy this interview with Sara Creeden, owner of Arts Paper and Paints, and Katie Moldenahuer, owner of Giddy UP, co-hosted by Austrin Martens, Marketing and Events Manager for the Billings Chamber.Thank you so much to Marsh McLennan Agency for sponsoring ChamberCast!Learn More: Art's Paper & PaintGiddy Up Coffee Bar & BoutiqueKeep the Cheer Here Game BoardKeep the Cheer Here Trolley Tour

The Billings Air Service Committee, comprised of Billings Airport, Billings Chamber, Big Sky Economic Development, and Visit Billings, has been hard at work promoting air service to/from Billings! Their recent efforts resulted in bringing Sun Country Airlines to Billings, which will provide another direct flight to Minneapolis beginning this summer. They also secured essential air service to key towns in Montana and secured a federal air service grant, which will help us attract direct service to Southern California. The CEO of the Billings Chamber, John Brewer; and Director of Aviation and Transit for the City of Billings, Jeff Roach joined us to provide an update on everything happening with this critical part of our economy. Thank you so much to Marsh McLennan Agency for sponsoring ChamberCast!

Veteran's Day is this month! We wanted to shine a spotlight on two local businesses who are helping Montana's Veterans and our local businesses. Please welcome Mike McManus of Veterans Navigation Network and Dave Nordel of MaxFab Consulting!Thank you so much to Marsh McLennan Agency for sponsoring ChamberCast! Learn MoreVeteran's Navigation NetworkMaxFab Consulting

If the parks/trails/recreation bond that is on this November's ballot passes, it will mean big things for Billings! Commensurately, this is a big episode. Billings City Administrator Chris Kukulski, and Julie Seedhouse, Chair of Play it Forward Billings (the Vote-Yes campaign for the parks bond) walked us through every detail of this historic potential investment in our parks & recreation infrastructure. Thank you so much to Marsh McLennan Agency for sponsoring ChamberCast!LEARN MOREPlay it Forward Billings campaign websiteCity of Billings Parks Bond Information PageVoter InformationOur 2021 Episode on the Recreation Center

We sat down with Michelle Harkins and Leah Clark, the leading ladies of the EBIRD and NILE respectively, to talk about all of the opportunities Billings residents will have to learn more about and celebrate Montana's western heritage later this month. To learn more, visit: NILE WebsiteEBIRD WebsiteThank you so much to Marsh McLennan Agency for sponsoring ChamberCast!

Every year, the Billings Chamber gives out one of its highest honors at our annual meeting—the Legacy Award. On September 14—to uproarious applause—we presented that award to Mike Nelson, owner of the fabulous Northern Hotel in beautiful downtown Billings.Learn more about Mike and the Legacy award here.Thank you so much to Marsh McLennan Agency for sponsoring ChamberCast!

Our wonderful title sponsor, PayneWest Insurance is going through some changes for the better! A big part of that is a name change to Marsh McLennan Agency. We talked with our guests Abbey Wink and Dena Johnson about that and much more!Thank you very much to Marsh McLennan Agency for sponsoring ChamberCast!More from Marsh McLenan Agency, formerly PayneWest insurance at:FacebookLinkedInLearn more:2023 Chamber Annual Meeting: ReDISCOVER BILLINGSBusiness After Hours - Marsh McLennan Agency, formerly PayneWest Insurance

This episode is a big one! Grab some comfortable headphones and a snack and settle in for our deep-dive into everything the State Legislature did to address Montana's housing affordability crisis during the last Legislative Session. Our guests, State Senator Daniel Zolnikov (SD 22), and State Representative Katie Zolnikov (HD 45) were leading legislators in pulling off what has been called "The Montana Miracle." They joined us for this episode to take a bow and walk us through what their bills will mean for the housing market.Thank you so much to PayneWest for sponsoring ChamberCast!Billings Chamber Pro-Housing DatabaseContact your Legislators

This episode is all about the Resilient Yellowstone Initiative, an effort to address health issues for those hardest hit by the pandemic and build resilience to weather future crises. Amy Queen, Community Health Improvement Manager for Healthy by Design, and Tyler Amundson, Executive Director of Big Sky Senior Services told us all about it. Thank you so much to PayneWest for sponsoring ChamberCast!Health by Design, info@hbdyc.org(406) 247-3394WebsiteFacebook pageBig Sky Senior Services WebsiteFacebookGolf Tournament

Billings is home to one of the largest school districts in the state and the education of our children is one of the greatest investments we can make. Great education starts with great leaders and School District 2 has had the fortune of being led by Greg Upham for the last five years. In this episode of ChamberCast we explore leadership, education, reflections on the past and a look towards the future as Greg retires and a new superintendent, Dr. Erwin Garcia, takes the reins.  Listen in to hear more about Dr. Garcia's vast experience and why he chose to move his family to Montana's Trailhead.Thank you so much to PayneWest for sponsoring ChamberCast!Check out some of our past episodes related to SD2: Education & Pathways to SuccessMeet our Business Excellence Award Winners - Part 1

At the beginning of each fiscal year, the Billings Chamber's Board of Directors gets a new Chairperson. Earlier this month, Julie Seedhouse passed the gavel to Jeremy Vannatta, making now an ideal time to look toward the year ahead at the Chamber.Thank you so much to PayneWest for sponsoring ChamberCast!

Meet the new Chair and Co-Chair of the best young professionals organization in Montana, NextGEN. Abbey Wink and D'Vaughn Hayes joined us to talk about what NextGEN means to them, and what is in store for the coming year.Thank you so much to PayneWest for sponsoring ChamberCast!Check out the new NextGEN website!Hear more from D'Vaughn in this previous episode: Member Spotlight: TDS & CEC.

Longtime listeners of this podcast will be familiar with Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED); we talked about it a lot in an episode from March of 2023 called "Smart Design. Safer Spaces." Our guest for this episode can explain it a lot better than we ever could. The President of the National Institute of Crime Prevention, Art Hushen agreed to join us for an interview while he was teaching a class on CPTED in late May here in Billings. This is everything you need to know about how to make Billings safer through modifications to the built environment.Thank you so much to PayneWest for sponsoring ChamberCast!Learn more: National Institute of Crime PreventionU.S. CPTED AssociationTo schedule a CPTED evaluation by the Billings Chamber, contact jack@billingschamber.com.

Billings is about to have more options for high-speed internet thanks to two of our members. TDS Fiber is a new internet service provider in town, offering a fiber optic connection. CEC Facilities Group is currently building out their network. Jorge Taveras with CEC and D'Vaughn Hayes with TDS joined us to talk all about it. Thank you so much to PayneWest for sponsoring ChamberCast!

The answer is beef! May is National Beef Month so we wanted to take a look at a very important part of our state's number one industry. Our guests were Chaley Harney with Montana Beef Council, Charlie Hollenbeck with Cowboy Meat Company, and Macee Pearson with Blue Creek Marbled Meat Company.Thank you so much to PayneWest for sponsoring ChamberCast!

We sat down this week with Aly Eggart and Luke Ashmore from VisitBillings to get an update on what they're doing for visitors as we head into the warm season. There are new visitor experience projects that will benefit tourists and locals alike. Make sure to check out all of the attractions on the VisitBillings website.Thank you so much to PayneWest for sponsoring ChamberCast!

Last episode you heard our interviews with two of our Business Excellence Award winners—Businessperson of the Year, Dusty Eaton, and NextGen Emerging Leader Bo Bruinsma. This episode, you'll hear our interviews with Customer Service Excellence award winner Matt Hall; Inclusion Award winner, William Henry; and Employer of the Year, Entre Technology Services.Thank you so much to PayneWest for sponsoring ChamberCast!

Over the next two episodes we are going to be celebrating our 2023 Business Excellence award winners. We interviewed all 5 winners. Please enjoy our interview with the Businessperson of the Year, Dusty Eaton; and the NextGen Emerging Leader of 2023, Bo Bruinsma. Thank you so much to PayneWest for sponsoring ChamberCast!

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a tool we can all use to make our properties safer from crime and feel safer. If you would like to learn more about CPTED, you can literally get the introductory course right here in Billings this May. This episode features Michelle Williams, the Executive Director of the Billings Depot, a property that has benefitted from the Billings Chamber/Downtown Billings Alliance's CPTED program; and Dan Brooks, the Billings Chamber's Director of Business Advocacy. Thank you so much to PayneWest for sponsoring Chambercast!Sign up for the CPTED Basics CourseTo request a CPTED survey for your business, email jack@billingschamber.com.

This episode of ChamberCast features Andrew Demarest of NonStop Local with Alyssa Voeltz as the celebrity co-host as they share plans for the 2023 Chamber Breakfast at Alberta Bair Theater. This annual Chamber event will be March 30th from 7-9 am and features speaker Captain Sandy Yawn of Below Deck Mediterranean.Thank you to our title sponsor NonStop Local and co-title sponsor America First Response.Thank you so much to PayneWest for sponsoring Chambercast!Get your tickets and pick your seat at Alberta Bair Theater.Learn more about the event at BillingsChamber.com.Get your VIP ticket to meet Captain Sandy at BillingsChamber.com.

Billings is taking steps to address the issues we are all seeing with mental health, and substance abuse issues that are impacting public safety. On this episode, we are going to talk about a really substantive resource that is being added on that front—the mobile crisis unit. Coralee Schmitz, COO at Rimrock Foundation, and Jason Banfield, Assistant Chief of EMS at the Billings Fire Department joined us to provide an update.

Our local school district is a critical part of our community, and it has a huge impact on Billings' current and future workforce. Greg Upham, Superintendent, and Bo Bruinsma, Career Outreach Director, sat down with us to dive into the challenges and accomplishments of School District 2.Thank you to PayneWest for sponsoring Chambercast!Learn more: School District 2Career CenterSummer Jobs ProgramThe Yellowstone County Summer Jobs Program matches participants with a paid position, provides a paid foundational work skills training, and connects students with an adult mentor for the summer. SJP participants are high school students and recent graduates eager to develop their work skills and explore their career options.

This ChamberCast episode shines a light on one of our Chamber members, Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative. Hear from featured guests President and CEO Brandon Wittman and Board Chairman Dave Kelsey as they share their connections to agriculture, the importance of agriculture to YVEC, bringing electrical services to rural areas, commitment to community, and much more. YVEC is proud to be the title of the Chamber's Ag Celebration Week and Ag Celebration Banquet, being held January 23-27 with the banquet as the culminating event, as they recognize the importance of agriculture to their cooperative and uplifting the farmers and ranchers they serve. Thank you to our Ag Celebration Week Sponsors: Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative, Stockman Bank, Eide Bailly, Ag West Farm Credit, KGHL, AgroLiquid, C&B Operations, Dessert Mountain Broadcasting, Molson Coors, Little Horn State Bank, Hubbard Feeds, Agri Industries, King's Ace Hardware, Bravera Bank, NonStop Local TV, and MetraPark!Thank you to PayneWest Insurance for sponsoring ChamberCast!Learn more:Ag Celebration WeekAg Celebration BanquetBillings Chamber Agriculture Committee

Celebrate agriculture with us in this ChamberCast episode that features guests Mike Phillips of Little Horn State Bank and chair of the Chamber Ag Committee, Courtney Kibblewhite of KGHL/Northern Broadcasting and host of the 2023 Ag Week and Banquet, and Alyssa Voeltz of the Billings Chamber. Hear why agriculture and ag education is so important to these guests, the city of Billings and our state. Insights and how to get involved in the Chamber's Ag Celebration Week and Ag Celebration Banquet are also shared. Get your tickets or a table of 10 to attend the Ag Celebration Banquet by January 23rd! Thank you to our Ag Celebration Week Sponsors: Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative, Stockman Bank, Eide Bailly, Ag West Farm Credit, KGHL, AgroLiquid, C&B Operations, Dessert Mountain Broadcasting, Molson Coors, Little Horn State Bank, Hubbard Feeds, Agri Industries, King's Ace Hardware, Bravera Bank, KULR 8 TV, and MetraPark! Thank you to PayneWest Insurance for sponsoring ChamberCast!  Learn more:Ag Celebration WeekAg Celebration BanquetBillings Chamber Agriculture CommitteeBeyond the Weather

The Billings Chamber has two programs designed specifically for women in leadership, Women's Network and ENCORE. This episode of ChamberCast examines these programs, how they got started and the why behind them. Take a listen to learn more and get excited about ENCORE, as guests Becky Bey of KLJ and Jennifer Reiser of the Billings Chamber share their insights and advice about this powerful and empowering program. Sign up today or encourage the women in your life to participate by January 6. 2023 ENCORE cohort begins January 26. ENCORE: https://www.billingschamber.com/encore/Women's Network: https://www.billingschamber.com/womens-network/Read more about both of these programs in the LiNK section of Simply Local: https://simplylocalbillings.com/women-leaders-wanted

The 2023 Montana Legislative Session kicks off on January 2nd! This is an opportunity for the Billings Chamber to make progress on the top three priorities our members voted on in our Legislative Priorities Survey—Montana's Workforce, Public Safety, and Tax Reform. For this episode, we sat down with Rebecca Meyers, our contracted lobbyist for the upcoming session, to talk shop and get the lay of the land.Billings Chamber of CommerceBillings Chamber Business Advocacy2023 Public Policy GuideContact your LegislatorTo sign up for our legislative newsletter, contact daniel@billingschamber.com.

Shopping small and supporting local businesses is big this holiday season with the Billings Chamber's Keep the Cheer Here campaign and Shop Small Tour, sponsored by Western Security Bank. Shopping local means everything to small businesses in Billings. The local stores here are part of the landscape that makes Billings so unique! Every purchase big and small means a lot to small businesses. Listen in to this ChamberCast episode with Tiffany Miller Obrien, owner of Frae Everyday Goods, Linda Brooks, owner of SOMETHINGchic, and Alyssa Voeltz, Member Experience Manger, as they share how shopping local truly benefits local small businesses. Not to mention personalized shopping experiences and unmatched customer service that awaits at these small businesses! Keep the Cheer Herehttps://www.billingschamber.com/events/shoplocal/ Holiday Shop Small Tour on December 2ndhttps://business.billingschamber.com/events/details/holiday-shop-small-tour-5102338 Frae Everyday Goodshttps://shopfrae.com/https://www.instagram.com/fraeeverydaygoods/ SOMETHINGchic:https://somethingchicclothing.com/https://www.facebook.com/somethingchicclothinghttps://www.instagram.com/somethingchicclothing/ Western Security Bankhttps://www.westernsecuritybank.com/

The holidays are here, and the season of giving has begun. This episode of ChamberCast highlights three local nonprofit organizations and the unique holiday opportunities they are hosting. Host Jack Jennaway is joined by Felicia Burg with Family Promise, Lindsay Richardson with Downtown Billings Alliance, and Gabriel Denio with Special Olympics. We invite you to put your money where your heart is this season by shopping local, eating local and supporting local. Together, we can all make a difference! Special Olympics of MontanaPolar Plunge: December 10WebsiteFacebook Downtown Billings AllianceDowntown Billings Gift CardHoliday Parade: November 25Holiday Stroll: December 2Website Family Promise of Yellowstone ValleyStocking Drive and/or Sponsor a Family for Christmas: call 406-294-7432 or email marketing@familypromiseyv.orgWebsite See the full listing of 2022 Nonprofit Holiday Drives, Campaigns, and Events here: https://www.billingschamber.com/2022-nonprofits-holiday

Why is tourism important to Billings and southeastern Montana? What efforts are being made to attract travelers to these areas? This ChamberCast episode answers these questions and more, shining a spotlight on tourism in Billings and the region of southeast Montana. From winter campaigns to trails and travel shows, Visit Billings and Visit Southeast Montana are working hard to attract travelers to visit and facilitate an enjoyable experience, benefitting Montana as a whole. Host Jack Jennaway is joined by Aly Eggart, Leisure Marketing, Sales and Social Media Manager for Visit Billings and Brenda Maas, Tourism Marketing Director for Visit Southeast Montana and Kelsi Gambill as co-host.  We invite you to learn more about these tourism organizations that are both managed by the Billings Chamber of Commerce:Visit BillingsWebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagramPinterestYouTubeTikTokVisit Southeast MontanaWebsite Facebook Twitter InstagramBurger Trail Dinosaur Trail Trail to the Stars Winter AttractionsPompeys Pillar Little Big Horn National Monument Keepers of the Cool (winter travel guide)

This week's episode is a fantastic conversation with Shelli Mann of the Boothill Inn, Michelle Williams of the Billings Depot, and Alex Tyson of Visit Billings! This dynamic trio shares insights and the business benefits about becoming a Certified Autism Center along with leading efforts to become the region's first Certified Autism Destination.

Chamber Membership comes with a lot of different benefits, some of them are useful for every member, while others are more narrowly tailored. This episode with the Chamber's membership team, Jennifer Reiser, Rene Beyl, and Isiac Hammer, will give you a brief primer on some of what membership entails. Billings Chamber of CommerceChamber JourneyPublic Policy Guide

At last night's Chamber Annual Meeting, we gave Jim and Chris Scott the Legacy Award. By the end of this episode you will understand why. Enjoy this fascinating interview with this year's award winners! Billings Chamber Website

Why do some move to Billings and choose to make this their home, while others struggle to connect to their scene and their people? With a competitive job market and 2.3% unemployment, we need “those Californians,” graduating students, and those with diverse backgrounds and lifestyles to authentically feel THEY belong in Billings. This year's Annual Meeting is focused on building a purpose driven community by connecting all people, and this episode is a sneak peak into this year's Annual meeting with John Brewer, Julie Seedhouse, and Jeremy Vannatta.Register for this year's Annual MeetingFrom the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Understanding America's Labor Shortage: The Most Impacted Industries

One of the hottest topics in Billings right now is the future of management at MetraPark and whether or not it should continue to be managed by Yellowstone County, or by a professional venue management business contracted by the County. One interesting case study comes out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Mayor of Sioux Falls, Paul TenHakken, and Shawn Pritchett, the Finance Director for the City of Sioux Falls joined us for an interview the day before our Chamber A.M. event on MetraPark management to tell us more. Watch the recording of Chamber A.M. - Professional Venue Management of MetraParkCheck out the Chamber's MetraPark Resource LibraryBillings Chamber Website

Here's what's brewing in Billings! Packy Tagliaferro with Erro Coffee Roasters joined us this week to tell us all about his business.Billings Chamber of CommerceOther episodes of interest:Flipping the BURD

This week we sat down with Dr. David Park, the founding dean of Rocky Vista University to get an update on one of the most exciting developments taking place in Billings right now. Billings Chamber of CommerceJack and Cathy's answers to this week's Rorschach questions: 1. What is a new development in medicine you are excited about?Jack: I think the possibilities for other uses for mRNA vaccines (like Pfizer's Covid-19 shot) are really exciting!Cathy: Increased access to telemedicine and virtual care models in situations that remote medical care is an option.2. What is the best restaurant within 5 minutes of RVU? Jack: Lucky's Ramen NoodlesCathy: Dimond X Beer Co3. What is a career path outside of medicine you think young people should be paying more attention to?Jack: I'll refer back to our episode with Kevin Ploehn and point out that there is a huge pilot shortage right now. If a young person has the disposition to be a pilot, they could do quite well for themselves by going into that field. Cathy: Skilled trade labor positions such as plumbers, electricians, and other skilled trades.

The world is a risky place but we can all be a little more prepared than we are now. America First Response, our guest this week, offers trainings in CPR, active shooter, and more to help you be ready for anything. https://www.billingschamber.com/