Secretary of State Appoints Business Advisory Council

Secretary of State Bob Brown has named 26 Montanans to an ad hoc advisory
council that will help him explore ways to improve the business services
offered by his office.

Members of Brown’s newly appointed Business Services Advisory Council
include business owners, bankers, attorneys, certified public accountants,
and state and local government officials–"people who do business with us or
who work with people who do business with us on a regular basis," Brown said
Friday.

"We wanted people who would give us good, sound, practical advice," he
added. "This group has very generously agreed to be a sounding board for new
fees, policies, and procedures that our office might be considering. With
their expertise, they can offer varied perspectives on what we do and make
suggestions on how we might do it better."

The council members were selected to represent all parts of the state, Brown
said. His office will communicate with them primarily via mail, phone, and
e-mail.

"We’re using technology to bridge the distances between us," Brown
explained. "We’ve set up an e-mail listserve, which essentially allows us to
‘meet’ online. That way everyone can benefit from everyone else’s
perspective."

The Business Services Bureau of the Secretary of State’s Office is
responsible for registering businesses and maintaining private-sector
documents directly related to business. These include corporate charters,
applications for assumed business names, and registration of trademarks. The
bureau is also responsible for filing commercial and agricultural liens,
including those filed under the Uniform Commercial Code and the Federal Food
Security Act.

"Our office is one of the first places a budding entrepreneur visits when he
launches a new business in Montana," Brown said. "So we want to do
everything we can to make their first business experience in Montana as
friendly and responsive as possible."

Members of the advisory council are:

Billings: Mary Scrim Dyre, attorney with Crowley, Haughey, Hanson, Toole &
Dietrich; Carol Donaldson, general counsel for First Interstate BancSystem;
Corey Stapleton, state senator and manager of financial services for
Prudential Financial.

Bozeman: Ed Sedivy, attorney with Sedivy, White & White.
Butte: Gerald Allen, attorney with Driscoll & Allen; Herbert Leuprecht,
motel/restaurant manager.

Dillon: Ted Hazelbaker, retired owner of a title company.

Fort Peck: John Rabenberg, rancher.

Great Falls: Robert Sletten, chairman of Sletten Construction.

Hamilton: Jeanette McKee, self-employed fundraising consultant.

Havre: Brad Lotton, owner of Lotton Construction; Curt Barnekoff, certified
public accountant with Galusha, Higgins & Galusha.

Helena: Patrice Payne, office administrator at Gough, Shanahan, Johnson &
Waterman; Bill Honzel, certified public accountant with Galusha, Higgins &
Galusha; Linda McCluskey, registered agent with Business Tech.

Kalispell: John Dudis, attorney with Crowley, Haughey, Hanson, Toole &
Dietrich; Elizabeth C. Harris, president of Jobs Now.

Livingston: Robert Jovick, attorney in private practice.

Missoula: Bruno Friia, owner and chief executive officer of Lambros Real
Estate.

Plentywood: Buzz Romstad, president of Rocky Mountain Bank.

Polson: John Brueggeman, state representative.

Sidney: Walt McNutt, state senator and president of Tri-County Implement;
Sharon Rau, executive director of Sidney Area Chamber of Commerce &
Agriculture.

White Sulphur Springs: Jamie Doggett, Meagher County commissioner.

Whitefish: Charles Abell, president and chief executive officer of Whitefish
Credit Union.

Wolf Point: Tom Ault, owner and manager of Hiline Wholesale.