Gallatin Valley businesses honored

From innovators to entrepreneurs, business owners and their employees celebrated one another’s accomplishments Thursday night at the Gallatin Development Corporation’s 20th anniversary banquet.

The corporation, which is a nonprofit economic development organization, honored local businesses at the GranTree Inn and asked them to share their success stories.

"You know you have a good business model when you’re making money while you sleep," said McKinnon Baxter.

Baxter’s company, Zearth.com, sells various goods online, so the company rings up sales 24 hours a day. Baxter won the entrepreneur of the year award.

Award winners discussed funny moments and trying times in addition to the joys that come with a solid client base and increasing sales.

John Murdoch, whose ranch and home business Murdoch’s won the business of the year award, recalled the time he bought land in Kalispell after a banker’s verbal confirmation of a loan for the purchase.

But then the banker changed his mind.

That was the closest he ever came to a heart attack, Murdoch said, able to laugh about it now that his business employs 700 people in five states.

By CAMDEN EASTERLING, Chronicle Staff Writer

Full Story: http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2005/10/22/news/gdc.txt