Montana InBusiness – Meet the new class of Missoula’s movers, shakers

My friend Pam is a "mover and shaker." She gets it done.

We all know people like Pam. They’re smart and articulate, self motivated and seemingly inexhaustible.

Pam was a mover and shaker when we were in college together at the University of Colorado. She was always making things happen, including the nightly "B&R run" for ice cream.

By SHERRY DEVLIN

These days, Pam is working to bring some sanity – and collaboration – to the state of California’s intensely divisive water rights issues. Millions of people are counting on her ability to shake things up and move them along.

It’s been fun this past month meeting a few more of Missoula’s movers and shakers in preparation for the December edition of Western Montana InBusiness. I think you’ll be surprised by some of the profiles – particularly by Missoula’s new generation of movers and by the quiet, longtime work of several mid-career folks.

Reporter Joe Nickell contributed a story on Ross Peterson, one of the young guns behind Missoula’s brand new skatepark. I particularly like this observation by Peterson:

"I feel like I am in this magic hour of life where I can work with the younger skaters and with the older decisionmakers in the community to really make a difference. I’d like to help work on other projects that help kids find something that blows their hair back, gives them a place where they fit in."

From reporter Tyler Christensen comes the story of Tina Begay, executive director of American Indian Business Leaders, a national nonprofit headquartered in the University of Montana School of Business Administration.

Begay’s own story is evidence of why efforts like AIBL are essential. As a freshman, she lasted exactly one day at UM before feeling so overwhelmed and out of place that she returned home to Ronan. Now she’s helping a new generation of Native students adapt to – and thrive on – campus.

I especially like the "keys to success" Begay listed in response to one of our questions, including: "Take charge. Realize successes will not just happen. It is up to you to make it happen."

Reporter Perry Backus came across another young leader-in-the-making at the U.S. Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Research Station in Missoula. Sam Cushman just received the highest recognition given to young scientists by the Forest Service.

Cushman’s forte is adaptive management; the young scientist award recognized his work to develop monitoring and modeling tools that will help forest planners understand the effects of changes brought about by climate, fire, forest insects and disease.

There are some familiar faces in this month’s InBusiness as well, including Lolo rancher Tom Maclay, whose Bitterroot Resort proposal is stirring up the pot; and Scott Sproull, whose downtown shoe and leather goods store didn’t see much of him during the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial – to history’s benefit.

We also visited with Judy Wahlberg, president of the Missoula Organization of Realtors and owner of RE/MAX Realty Consultants. After 28 years in the real estate business, Wahlberg is not only a leader but a mentor to younger brokers, including her own son, Brint.

In all, the December InBusiness includes profiles of a dozen movers and shakers, plus a Q&A with Montana Sen.-elect Jon Tester. It also marks the debut of our new InBusiness reporter, Lori Grannis.

You may know Grannis as the former director of the Humane Society of Western Montana. Her tenure there included completion of the center’s new $1.5 million shelter.

Grannis has a wealth of experience as a freelance journalist for national and regional magazines. I think she’ll be a great fit with Western Montana InBusiness. She’s smart and articulate, self motivated and seemingly inexhaustible. Hmmm …

Sherry Devlin can be reached at (406) 523-5250 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Full Edition: http://www.mtinbusiness.com/inbiz-0612/