News

Great Falls Development Association TOP 10 for the Week

Here is our Top 10 for this week, celebrating work and successes to grow and strengthen our regional Great Falls economy.

1) Montana Eggs and Wilcox Farms invite you to celebrate the grand opening of their new Montana Eggs processing plant! The BBQ will be on September 11. Lunch will be served at 1:30 followed by speakers and tours. They need a head count for lunch so please RSVP here https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07eein9jnb75146f50&oseq=&c=&ch= – Guests are welcome.

2) We joined Pasta Montana in celebrating its 20th anniversary in Great Falls and the opening of its new $6.5 million processing line. The expansion increases the plant’s production capacity by 28%, from 55 to 80 million pounds of pasta each year. In its first 20 years, Pasta Montana has purchased over $300 million in wheat from Montana farmers.

3) Construction started on Panda Express in the new East End Retail Center. The Mix opened in Machinery Row downtown. The Mix serves Italian sodas, smoothies and an array of non-alcoholic mixed drinks. Food is available from its neighboring new business, the Al Banco bistro. More info in Tribune http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2017/08/24/mix-moves-into-machinery-row-focuses-giving-back/597172001/ Auto Zone plans to build a new 7,381 square foot retail building on 3rd Street NW, continuing the revitalization of this major west side commercial corridor.

4) Hosted a workshop on doing business with the State of Montana, attended by 22 businesses owners and entrepreneurs. Assisted a local business on updating their SAM registration from the old contracting system to receive a State contract. Provided one-on-one training with a business owner to educate on Federal Contracting 101. If you are interested in federal, state or local government contracting opportunities but aren’t sure where to start, contact Lillian Sunwall at [email protected] or (406) 750-1253.

5) Registration is open for the Montana Downtown Conference and the Great Falls Downtown/Riverfront Development Opportunity Showcase, October 18-20. The focus of the 10th Annual Montana Downtown Conference will be "Attracting Private Investment to Your Downtown." More info and registration here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/10th-annual-montana-downtown-conference-downtownriverfront-opportunity-showcase-tickets-36917428021?ref=enivtefor001&invite=MTI1MDY0NDkvYmRvbmV5QGdmZGV2ZWxvcG1lbnQub3JnLzA%3D&utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=inviteformalv2&ref=enivtefor001&utm_term=attend We’re looking for successful downtown developers and entrepreneurs to speak at the conference. They don’t have to be from Montana, but they do have to be the best! We want to hear from and bring the best developers and businesses here to look at our downtown. Please contact Jolene with your ideas, 406.750.4481.

6) Visited with borrowers and bankers about three new potential loans we will be working on – two SBA 504 loans and one GFDA gap financing loan. These loans would separately help finance the purchase of the business, the start of a business and the expansion of a business. If you need help starting, purchasing or expanding a business, please contact Mike Archer at 406-284-1789 to discuss your options. In the last 5 fiscal years, we loaned $22,704,908 to fill financing gaps that has leveraged over $160 million in additional investment.

7) Great Falls College MSU is offering Commercial Drivers License training starting October 23. Registration deadline is 10/18; contact Roch Turner at 406-360-8478. The college is offering low-pressure and third class steam boiler trading September 12-15. Contact Erin Granger at 406-771-4314 or [email protected]. The College’s Testing Center now offers Performance Assessment Network (PAN) and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) tests here in Great Falls. Join the Testing Center for an open house on September 19 from 1:30-2:30 PM. We can help you access state funds available for incumbent and new worker training.

8) This Friday, September 1st, is GFDA’s monthly Investor Development Coffee. Join your peers at 7:00 AM at Pacific Steel and Recycling’s headquarters (5 River Drive South) to discuss development projects. Thank you Pacific Steel and Recycling for hosting!

9) Presented Boots to Business to 15 active duty military at Malmstrom Air Force Base in partnership with the Veterans Business Outreach Center and the Air Force’s Transition Assistance Program. The goal of Boots to Business is to provide a basic business education to military members and spouses transitioning from active duty to civilian life who are planning entrepreneurship for their future. Our next Boots to Business is November 29-30. For more information or to ask eligibility questions, please contact Jason at [email protected].

10) MSU Bozeman’s College of Engineering is looking for student engineering projects. Projects can involve a wide range of engineering issues including mechanisms, thermal systems, fluids, structures, building systems, instrumentation and control, engineering trade studies and advanced modeling. Contact Robb Larson at 406-994-6420 or [email protected]

11) What are some of the new and exciting projects around Great Falls? How do we increase the Cascade County Tax Base? How does GFDA determine what to focus on each year? These are some of the questions answered this week by Brett and Jolene at luncheon presentations to the Great Falls Rotary Club and the Great Falls Pachyderm Club. "I didn’t expect this. You need to reach more people with this message. Everyone needs to hear about the economic development here," said one Great Falls Pachyderm Club member. Call Jolene to schedule GFDA as a guest speaker for your business (we’re happy to come to your team meetings), club, or association, 406-750-4481.

12) Preservation Cascade has mounted an effort to complete a trail acrid the historic 10th Street bridge by 2020, the bridge’s 100th anniversary. A 4250 gift buys one-yard length of railing. Visit http://www.montanas-archbridge.org or call 406-452-5492.

More exciting news is in the works. Let’s keep working together to keep the positive momentum moving forward. Treading water is not an option for our local economy when the world economy is changing at such a rapid and uneven pace. Communities and region’s that thrive are the ones that are making it happen locally, not waiting for someone else to do it for us. Thank you to our staff, investors, volunteers and partners — Team Great Falls — that are making things happen!

Hungry to Grow the Great Falls region!

Brett

Brett Doney
President/CEO
Connect with me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-doney-83269b6?authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=r7jF&locale=en_US&trk=tyah&trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2CclickedEntityId%3A19615718%2CauthType%3ANAME_SEARCH%2Cidx%3A1-1-1%2CtarId%3A1485731580114%2Ctas%3Abrett to network with the Great Falls region.
Forward the GFDA Top 10 to friends and colleagues. You can join our distribution list HERE https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=0016gbbKsaiGSq74CQ4kaaKRxcjLLNecgN6wHgSWvEMX0SSWpd0E4m-32CJBv5bsES-pMIg02qkMdppKg31TEhtaa2FtyawDlJJDhaRFrOnoVw%3D or text GFDA to 22828.

"There is no waste of any kind in the world that equals the waste from needless, ill-directed and ineffective motions."
Frank Bunker Gilbreth

Congratulations to Bert & Ernie’s on its 40th anniversary! Great story in Tribune http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2017/08/25/40-years-bert-ernies-has-been-food-first/602307001/

Commercial Loan Portfolio Manager opening. Exceptional professional sought to support the growth of GFDA’s business and real estate lending and overall economic development efforts. Join our dedicated, passionate, fun, fast-paced, results-driven economic development CDFI team. Help us grow and diversify the Great Falls regional economy and support the creation of higher wage jobs. Duties include loan portfolio risk rating and financial analysis, loan documentation and servicing, reporting to a variety of public and private funding sources, maintaining our loan portfolio management system and other specialized software databases, responding to client and partner inquiries, and business development. Requires the ability to maintain accurate records, timely submission of reports, and strong computer and written/oral communication skills. Must be detail oriented, self-directed, and organized with the ability to be flexible to help achieve our overall team mission. Lending, finance, government grant management and/or accounting experience preferred. BA/BS or equivalent relevant experience. Salary range $40,000-45,000 with excellent benefits, professional development, growth opportunities, and flexible work environment. Work with a great team, help us move Great Falls Forward, and make a difference in people’s lives! EOE. Cover letter and resume to Lillian Sunwall at [email protected]. Open until we find a great candidate.

Cost-Effective Industrial Sites Available
If your company needs a rail-served, BNSF-Certified, shovel-ready site with all municipal services at your door, we have lots available for immediate construction in the Great Falls AgriTech Park. Contact Brett Doney at 1-406-750-2119 or [email protected]

Upcoming Business Events & Training

Profit Mastery workshops assist entrepreneurs to more efficiently manage the cash flow of their businesses. Our next Profit Mastery workshop is scheduled for September 13-14 at Great Falls College MSU. The two-day course is $125, which includes materials and lunch. Click for more info https://mtsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/3782 . We are also offering a QuickBooks basics workshop for $79 on October 11. Click for details: https://mtsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/3863.

Import 101 offered by Montana World Trade Center, September 21st, 2:00-5:00 PM in Missoula. More info at http://www.mwtc.org or [email protected]

Montana Downtown Conference, "Attracting Private Investment to Your Downtown," October 19-20 right here in Great Falls. Sponsorship opportunities available, contact Sheila Rice at [email protected]. Come a day early on October 18th for a special Great Falls Downtown & Riverfront Showcase. Register here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/10th-annual-montana-downtown-conference-downtownriverfront-opportunity-showcase-tickets-36917428021?ref=enivtefor001&invite=MTI1MDY0NDkvYmRvbmV5QGdmZGV2ZWxvcG1lbnQub3JnLzA%3D&utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=inviteformalv2&ref=enivtefor001&utm_term=attend or email [email protected]

This fall Senator Daines will be hosting the second biannual Montana High Tech Jobs Summit in Missoula, October 8-9th. To register or for more information, please visit the website at http://www.montanatechsummit.com.

Join us for the first annual Montana Food Show! This tradeshow will provide opportunities for food buyers and food producers to connect and find ways to get more Montana foods on Montana plates. Over 50 Montana fresh produce, meat, food and spirit companies will be showcasing their products in Bozeman on Tuesday October, 10, 2017. We invite food purchasers from schools, restaurants, hospitals, grocery stores, catering businesses, and other organizations to attend a private buying event from 10am-4pm. Doors are open to the general public from 4 to 7pm. Buyers can register and learn more at http://www.foodshow.mt.gov Questions? Contact Steph Hystad with the Montana Department of Agriculture at 406.444.5425 or [email protected]

Vision
Hungry to Grow the Great Falls region

Mission
Grow and diversify the Great Falls regional economy.
Create higher wage career opportunities.
Improve market competitiveness.

The first economic development organization in the Rocky Mountain West to earn accreditation from the International Economic Development Council.

GFDA is a certified Community Development Financial Institution and a 501(c)3 charitable organization. High Plains Financial is a certified Community Development Corporation that offers SBA 504 loans statewide. GFDA and High Plains Financial are Equal Opportunity Lenders.

GFDA is proud to host a Montana Small Business Development Center
and a Montana Procurement Technical Assistance Center.

For more info, click to our website.

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Great Falls trade area. Competitive for food, ag, bioprocessing, energy, and support. Closest U.S. metro area to Calgary. Untame Your Entrepreneurial Spirit!

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