A $7 million gift marks the largest single donation in FVCC’s history.

Kalispell philanthropist Jerome Broussard donated $7 million to Flathead Valley Community College to support the expansion of its Trades Institute. This contribution is a pivotal part of a broader $16 million fundraising campaign aimed at modernizing and enlarging the institute’s facilities.

The project will add approximately 24,000 square feet of new space and renovate about 23,400 square feet to create flexible learning environments equipped for trades such as electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and machining. FVCC President Jane Karas described the gift as transformational for students and the local workforce. To date, $12 million has been raised, with the college targeting the end of 2026 to secure the remaining funds before construction can commence.

Given Montana’s emphasis on skilled labor and the practical demands of its industries, expanded training facilities may enhance workforce readiness and economic resilience. Such investments in hands-on education could align well with the state’s culture of self-reliance and its need for adaptable trade professionals. While the college’s exact location isn’t specified, the impact of this development might extend into regional labor markets across Montana.

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EARNING IT; A Broken Employee Pact and a $97 Million Payday for Duker and Broussard

IN 1985, the Columbia Falls Aluminum Company wrung a 15 percent pay cut from employees in return for an apparent will-o’-the-wisp: a share of profits from an aluminum refinery that was a perennial money loser.

But over the next five years, rather than splitting the take, Mr. Duker and his minority partner, Jerome Broussard, funneled much of the money into offshore bank accounts. Before they cut off their union and salaried employees altogether, the two men had awarded $84 million to them and $231 million to themselves. As it turned out, a dollar in the pockets of workers would be nearly $3 in those of the owners.