Montana Business

"The challenge in Missoula is, for us to grow in the future and have economic prosperity, we need to retain as much of the work force here, and we need to attract as many new workers as we can," said Dick King, president of the Missoula Area Economic Development Corp.

Sen. Baucus lamented the country’s growing wage disparity , saying Montana was "at the bottom of the barrel" in per-capita income. He warned Republicans and Democrats are on a "collision course" over administration-sponsored tax cuts set to expire in 2010.

There are many jobs out there in sports management, said Ryan Acra, general manager of the Great Falls Explorers, but it’s a competitive field. An internship can make all the difference in landing a job.

Western Montana’s small but powerful high-tech sector is rapidly gaining ground. Encouraged by the region’s relatively low costs, high quality of life and ready access to resources, high-tech businesses representing every field from biotechnology to telecommunications are either setting up shop or making plans to expand.

"We have the best solution on the market today, but there’s a lot more that can be done with the solution as the market evolves," Todd said. "Because of that, some of the partners want to take it global ­ but we’re not ready to make that move just yet."

Last year, more than $500 million of Montanans’ money flowed through the hands of Montana Blue Cross/Blue Shield — and nearly one-fifth went to what could be called “overhead.”

"Business: Made in Montana" has featured more than 120 businesses during the 14 years the program has been produced.

A home-grown, family-owned business that exports 99 percent of its approximately $16 million in gross sales, Crown Parts & Machine is the kind of value-added business (and then some) – the kind that is often touted as a prize to vibrant economies.

"Employers are continually telling us their difficulty in finding skilled and well-trained employees," Polzin said. "Unless this changes, workforce challenges will only get worse."

The Inland Northwest Space Alliance was created by the University of Montana in 2003 with $3.1 million in NASA earmarks directed to the Missoula campus by then-Republican U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns. Burns, who lost a close election in November, now is employed by Gage.