Nominate a successful family business for a Montana Family Business Award

Is there a family-owned business in your community that is special? If so, you may wish to nominate it for the 2003 Montana Family Business Awards. Nominations are due May 16.

Carol Schmidt MSU News

Awards are based on business development, family business linkage, contributions to community and industry, innovative business strategies and practices, succession preparedness, multi-generation family business involvement and longevity. There is also a category for new business. Other categories for the awards include: large businesses of more than 50 full-time employees; medium-sized businesses with 30-50 full-time employees; small businesses, having 10-30 full-time employees; very small businesses with less than 10 full-time employees; the oldest family businesses as well as the newest family businesses. Judges also have a "special category" for deserving family businesses that do not fall into one of these specific categories, plus the Judges’ Special Recognition award.

Last year seven winners were selected from more than 50 nominations received. They were: East Main Liquor Store, Bozeman; Johnson Hardware & Furniture, Sidney; Ronan Telephone Co., Ronan; Rudolph’s Furniture, Butte; Thompson Pools, Billings; Wendy’s of Montana, Billings; Peter Yegen, Jr., Inc., Billings.

All state winners are entered into a Family Business Award national competition. Several Montana winners have gone on to become national winners including: Lake Seed, Inc., Ronan; Western Livestock Reporter, Billings; Bradford Roofing and Insulation, Billings; Markle’s, Inc., Glasgow; Dahl Funeral and Cremation Service, Bozeman; and Simkins-Hallin Lumber, Bozeman.

This year’s winners, their families, and their nominators will be invited to the Montana Family Business luncheon and awards program on Sept. 12 at the Gallatin Gateway Inn, south of Bozeman. The keynote speaker for the event will be Douglas Osborne of MassMutual Financial Group. Osborne is a CPA, a Certified Financial Planner, a financial consultant, and an authorized workshop presenter for the Family Business Partners Program. He will share ways to deal with valuations, buy/sell, estate planning, succession/disability, retirement planning, investments, and tax planning.

MSU-Bozeman’s College of Business sponsors the program with support from Hanson & McLeod Financial Group, MassMutual, First Interstate BancSystem, Kasting, Combs & Kauffman and Maierle Insurance Consultants.

Nomination forms are available by calling (406) 994-6796; requesting a form by fax at (406) 994-6206; or by e-mailing [email protected]. Or, visit the Montana Family Business Website at: http://www.montana.edu/wwwdb/FamilyBusiness/FamilyBusiness.html

Contact: Nancy Dodd or Karen Beach (406) 994-6796; Fax (406)994-6206; email: [email protected]

http://www.montana.edu/commserv/csnews/nwview.php?article=920