News

Fostering a growing economy. New Ravalli County Economic Development Authority director Julie Foster seeks to cultivate healthy businesses and new relationships.

It’s Monday morning and Julie Foster already has a half dozen tasks crossed off her lengthy “to do” list.

Having started her new job as executive director of Ravalli County’s Economic Development Authority just last week, Foster said she’s still getting up to speed. And while her job of cultivating a healthy business climate in the Bitterroot is new, the field of economic development is familiar territory to her.

Foster has lived in the Bitterroot more than 20 years and has spent the last few years piloting Montana Jobs Network http://www.montana-jobs.net and Come Home Montana http://www.comehomemontana.org , both of which were created by her to aid employees and employers in Montana. Before that, the Ohio native owned her own businesses – first, for two years, she ran a monthly community magazine called “Bitterroot Times Almanac,” and later, for five years, she ran Bitterroot Internet before selling it in 2000.

“I know firsthand that it’s tough being a small business owner,” she said, “and as a service provider for business customers, I was always interested in how technology could help local businesses.”

Foster spent last week meeting with members of the county EDA, a commissioner-appointed, seven-member board formed eight years ago to boost economic development in Ravalli County. It’s a board with which she’s intimately familiar.

by ROD DANIEL -Ravalli Republic

Full Story: http://www.ravallirepublic.com/articles/2005/12/15/bitterroot/79-business.txt

Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.