Look into our crystal ball – Western Montana InBusiness Winter 2005

For this new year’s edition of Western Montana InBusiness, we take a look ahead at the events that will be shaping western Montana’s economy in the year to come.

We take a detailed look at what you can expect from the 2005 session of the Montana Legislature – and we also examine some of the key segments of our economy to see what might be happening there in the next 12 months.

To top off this issue, we also offer some resolutions, courtesy of a pair of small-business experts, that business owners might want to consider for the new year.

This issue marks the debut of a new lead writer for Western Montana InBusiness. Ericka Schenck Smith, a former reporter for the Missoulian and for the Lee Newspapers State Bureau, has moved on to a new phase in her career as a free-lance writer and will be a regular contributor to InBusiness. She replaces Jill FitzSimmons, who moved away from Missoula.

This edition also features our regular columns from Rosalie Cates of the Montana Community Development Corp. and the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

I was a little surprised to realize that this is the 10th edition of InBusiness. A huge part of the success we’ve had with this publication is because of our advisory board, which includes Cates; Rich Boberg of the Missoula Bon-Macy’s; Bob Boschee of Smurfit-Stone Container Corp.; George Caras of Garden City Floral; Missoula County Commissioner Barbara Evans; Faye Hanson-Warren of U.S. Bank; Vicki Judd of NorthWestern Energy; Dick King of the Missoula Area Economic Development Corp.; Kim Latrielle of the Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce; Denise Person of Collegiate Marketing; and Joni Walker of the Missoula Federal Credit Union.

Thanks, as well, go out to our readers. I’m always interested in your story ideas and comments about the magazine. You can reach me at 523-5250 or at [email protected].

We’ll see you for the spring issue, due in March 2005.

Mike McInally is editor of Western Montana InBusiness and the Missoulian.

Articles in this issue:

Behind the numbers: Robert Campbell
What works: Rosalie Sheehy Cates

Q&A: ELLEN BUCHANAN
Innovators: Nurture Inc.

Outlook 2005

State your case
Telling the retail tale

Make mine wood

Shared strength

Jobs bill gives Montana a leg up

Building looks strong

BID picking up where MRA leaves off

Banking on the future

Tilling targeted markets

Making a plan

Office of Economic Opportunity needs funding, opportunity to thrive

Floating hope

Medical services are golden

For the full publication: http://www.mtinbusiness.com/current/