Billings Business September 2016 by Billings Gazette

5 MINUTES WITH

DOUG HARPER

BEARTOOTH SAFETY AND TRAINING

SPECIAL REPORT GORDON BUTTE PUMPED STORAGE ENERGY PROJECT

SEPTEMBER 2016

POWER PLAN

Proposed Gordon Butte pumped storage project aims to improve the electrical grid

Billings Business 401 N. Broadway Billings, MT 59101-1242

September 2016

CONTENTS September 2016

An indispensable business resource

On the Cover

FEATURES

Carl Borgquist of Absaroka Energy LLC talks about the proposed Gordon Butte pumped storage hydro facility near Martinsdale.

Thinking Big................................................................................................................................................................................. 14

Photo by LARRY MAYER/Gazette Staff

Proposed development would change the face of downtown Billings

Special report: Montana Energy Review.................................................................................................... 6

The proposed Gordon Butte pumped storage project is designed to make the electrical grid more reliable

COLUMNS

Economic Development................................................................................................................................................ 10

Melanie Schwarz — Lots of excitement is in store for Big Sky Economic Development’s annual meeting

Sales Moves.................................................................................................................................................................................. 18 Jeffery Gitomer – If you want a referral, you have to earn it. Billings doctors Kris French, left, and Ben Sickler have launched a website designed to provide accurate medical information. Page 13

Legal Briefing............................................................................................................................................................................ 38 Eric Nord – EEOC warns about dangers of retaliation in the workplace

Better Business........................................................................................................................................................................39 Veronica Craker – Beware of business awards that are really scams

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BILLINGS BUSINESS EVERY MONTH

From the Editor..............................................................................................................................................................................4 By the numbers.............................................................................................................................................................................5 The local economy at a glance

Chamber News......................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Bill Cole — Billings Chamber of Commerce mapping out its priorities for 2017

Five Minutes with................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Doug Harper

Business Briefs....................................................................................................................................................................... 40 Success Stories.......................................................................................................................................................................41 The Listings...................................................................................................................................................................................42

Doug Harper helps businesses achieve a safe work environment. Page 12

September 2016

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September 2016

the editor

F ROM THE E DITOR : M ONTANA ’ S HUCKLEBERRY INDUSTRY IS TINY , BUT IT PACKS A BIG PUNCH Each year during late July and early August, my thoughts turn to a Montana cottage industry that’s a little like former NBA star Muggsy Bogues. Despite being only 5’-3’’, fan favorite Bogues carved out a 15-year NBA career and managed to thrive in a land of giants. Likewise, Montana’s huckleberry industry is small in terms of its overall revenue. But thanks to its cult following, the huckleberry business has a higher profi le than one would imagine. Monta na’s huckleberry manufacturing industry posted revenues of $1.5 million in 1998, according to research by the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research. That’s pretty much a rounding error compared to the size of the state’s economy, which surpassed $44 billion in 2014. When travelers think of Nebraska’s most familiar agricultural product, corn comes to mind. Florida is all about the oranges. In Montana, one could argue that wheat fi lls that niche. Flathead cherries have many fans throughout the region. But I cast my vote for the huckleberry as the state’s signature food. Consumers eagerly buy Montana huckleberry jams, syrups and candies throughout the year. Typically, a tourist who samples Montana huckleberry products during a vacation will often re-order at Christmas, berry producers say. Not surprisingly, Montana’s huckleberry industry is concentrated in Western Montana. The Flathead Valley’s maritime climate pro-

September 2016

vides the most favorable conditions for wild huckleberry bushes, which grow up to 6-feet tall. The berries provide a valuable source of nutrition for grizzly and black bears determined to put on weight before winter. Unfortunately, Montana’s 2016 huckleberry crop has been disappointing. Western Montana producers have blamed a late frost and an ongoing drought for this year’s slim pickings. Closer to home, huckleberry season is a cherished annual ritual in our family and among close friends who congregate near West Yellowstone. Because the weather has been hot and dry this year, we half expected to fi nd nothing more than a few dried berries clinging to droughtwithered bushes. It turns out our fears were unfounded. The 2016 crop was pretty decent around West Yellowstone. This summer our close-knit group of huckleberry hounds feasted on cobbler and even homemade huckleberry ice cream. My wife and I managed to glean more than a gallon of berries from the knee-high bushes that grow in old-growth forests of lodgepole pine, Douglas fi r and spruce. But in case you’re wondering, there’s not much chance that Montana’s huckleberry industry will expand outside the lush Flathead area. The weather is too unpredictable. Bumper crops are few and far between. Even during good years, huckleberry picking still requires scrambling over jackstrawed timber and dodging clouds of mosquitoes. When it comes to huckleberries, the economics are marginal. But the rewards are priceless.

MAY 2016 • VOLUME 22 • NUMBER 8

mike gulledge tom howard COPY EDITOR chris jorgensen GENERAL MANAGER dave worstell PUBLISHER

EDITOR

SALES

ryan brosseau shelli scott ADVERTISING SALES: curtis wallette, milt lang, arcadea scott ADVERTISING COORDINATOR: spencyr schmaltz ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER

SUBSCRIPTIONS Billings Business is mailed each month to area business owners, managers and decision makers. To subscribe for $19.95 per year, please send payment, name, business name, mailing address and phone number to: Billings Business 401 N. Broadway Billings, MT 59101 ADVERTISING For retail advertising call Curtis Wallette, 657-1427; Milt Lang, 657-1275; or Arcadea Scott, 657-1244. For classified advertising, call 657-1212. Advertising deadline for the October 2016 issue is 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8. You may send material to ads@billingsbusiness.com or Fax to 657-1538.

NEWS If you would like to submit a news tip, story idea, announcement about your business or press release, please email it to: editor@billingsbusiness.com website: www.billingsbusiness.com Information published herein does not reflect the opinion of Billings Business. Contents are the property of Billings Business.

Personal

By the Numbers

Business

LocaL and regionaL economic trends

real estate Member FDIC

agriculture Hilltop & Main 896-4800

Shiloh & Grand 655-3900

Downtown 655-2400

National park visitors

SLOW BURN

6 8

In hundred thousands

New single-family home building permits

250

234

208

200

6 5

March 2015 to July 2015

June

2015

May

June July

Bozeman

Montana Beef Cattle

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

200

(per bushel)

(per cwt.)

April

May

June

January 2015 to July 2015 Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Dec.

Jan.

Feb. 2015 to July 2015 Feb. 2016 to July 2016 Feb. 2015 to July 2015 Feb. 2015 to July2015 Feb. 2015 to July 2015 Feb. 2016 to July 2016

Feb. 2015 to July 2015 Feb. 2016 to July 2016

Source: Montana Department of Transportation

5% 4 3

100

Nov.

Unemployment

150

March

Oct.

Missoula

Glacier National Park

National Park Service Source: National Park Service

Ag prices

Feb.

Mar. Apr.

2016

Source: City of Billings

Jan.

Feb.

Feb. 2016 to July 2016

March 2016 to July 2016

Montana winter wheat

Sept.

Feb. 2015 to July 2015

YTD Through July 31

July

Aug.

Billings

Yellowstone National Park

0 May

100

150

April

Billings housing starts

March

Worden 967-3612

Airport boardings

Montanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coal industry is seeing a significant slowdown in 2016, in part because of competition from cheap natural gas. Through the first six months of 2016, Montana coal production dropped by about 4 million tons, a 33 percent decline compared to the same period in 2015.

14th & Grand 371-8100

In ten thousands

King Ave 655-2700

www.stockmanbank.com

Jan.

Feb.

March

April

January 2016 to July 2016

May

June

Feburary

March

Montana

May

April

Yellowstone County

June

July

U.S.

Source: Montana Department of Labor and Industry

September 2016

Carl Borgquist looks over land where Absaroka Energy LLC is planning a $900 million, 400 megawatt, pumped storage hydro project at Gordon Butte near Martinsdale. LARRY MAYER PHOTOS/Gazette Staff

POWER

PLAN

Proposed pumped storage project aims to add reliability to electrical grid BY TOM HOWARD IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY, SISYPHUS SPENT ETERNITY LOCKED IN AN ENDLESS CYCLE OF TOIL. EACH TIME HE LUGGED A HUGE ROCK UP A HILL, HE LOST CONTROL, THE ROCK ROLLED BACK DOWN AND SISYPHUS HAD TO START ALL OVER.

September 2016

Within a few years, about 4,000 acre feet of water that’s essential to a proposed $900 million pumped-storage hydroelectric project will flow in a Sisyphean loop, continually rising and falling between two reservoirs separated by about 1,000 feet of elevation. Developers say there’s a simple way to describe the

Gordon Butte pumped storage project being developed near Martinsdale by Absaroka Energy LLC. The system will act as a huge battery capable of both storing energy and generating electricity. The plant is designed to balance demand for electricity on a broad and increasingly complex electrical grid. “It’s also tracking the grid,

second to second, making sure it’s smoothing out the variability. It’s a reliability and safety issue,” said Carl Borgquist, president of Absaroka Energy LLC, the developer of Gordon Butte. Absaroka Energy submitted its license application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, a federal agency

that oversees the nation’s interstate transmission and pricing of a variety of energy resources, late in 2015. Borgquist estimates that the FERC license could be approved by the end of this year. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in late 2017. Gordon Butte, likely one of the largest civil projects ever built in Montana, could come on line by the end of the decade, Borgquist said. Montana is known for its wealth of hydroelectric generating capacity. Northwestern Energy operates 11 dams, and about 37 percent of the electricity generated in Montana comes from hydro power, according to the Energy Information Administration. But Gordon Butte will be a little different. Although Gordon Butte will be Montana’s first pumped-storage project, the concept isn’t new. Numerous pumped-storage facilities are in use throughout the country and in Europe, Borgquist said. A couple features distinguish the Gordon Butte project. For starters, it’s a closed-loop system in which water circulates between two reservoirs but isn’t discharged into a watershed. Secondly, Gordon Butte is engineered to provide “ancillary and balancing capabilities” to the electrical grid, rather than acting as a source of electrical generation that’s tied to a dammed river. Gordon Butte is located on private land. The project has a water right. But because it’s a closedloop system, it doesn’t affect other users. Here’s an example of how the Gordon Butte project would operate. Late at night, a utility’s hydroelectric plants generate electricity but there might not be a place for that power to be used on the grid because people are asleep and aren’t using their TVs, computers and appliances. That excess power can be sent to Gordon Butte, where the energy is used to pump water from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir. But as people flick on their microwaves and toasters in the morning, demand for electricity spikes. In response, water at Gordon Butte rushes down a penstock, spins electrical generators, and electricity flows into the grid, meeting the demand.

ABOVE: A rendering shows where Absaroka Energy LLC is planning a $900 million 400 megawatt pumped storage hydro project at Gordon Butte near Martinsdale. July 7, 2016. RIGHT: Windmills dot Gordon Butte where Absaroka Energy LLC is planning a $900 million 400 megawatt pumped storage hydro project at Gordon Butte near Martinsdale. July 7, 2016.

The electrical grid requires constant monitoring as electrical supply and demand fluctuate according to weather, the time of day and whether power sources are generating. “Pumped storage is considered one of the cheapest, most reliable and robust regulation and capacity you can buy in the world,” Borgquist said. “The trick is the sites are hard to identify and develop. You have to have the right cocktail of ingredients to make it work.” Please see Power, Page 8 September 2016

LARRY MAYER/Gazette Staff

Mule deer graze on Gordon Butte where Absaroka Energy LLC is planning a $900 million 400 megawatt pumped storage hydro project at Gordon Butte near Martinsdale. July 7, 2016.

Power

Congratulations PHIL NELSON

VICE PRESIDENT, ASSISTANT BRANCH MANAGER Stockman Bank is proud to promote Phil to VP, Assistant Branch Manager of our Billings Shiloh bank. With 14 years of financial experience, he has the knowledge and expertise to help with your business needs. Stop in and see Phil today – he’s ready to do business with you! Shiloh & Grand: 655-2430

September 2016

Colstrip Transmission System would be a target customer, Borgquist said, Continued from 7 mentioning Northwestern, Puget Sound Energy, PortThe project is being land Central, Avista and developed at a time when PacificCorp as potential the nation’s electrical customers. industry is undergoing In July, the owners of significant changes. While Colstrip units 1 and 2 announced that the 1970s-era coal-fired electrical power plants would be shut down is in decline, natural gas by 2022. Borgquist said and renewable energy are gaining a larger share of the it might make sense for Puget Sound Energy, one of nation’s electrical generation portfolio. the co-owners in the two Wind and solar are Colstrip units, to maintain expected to add a combined a presence in Montana, 16.8 gigawatts of electriutilize the Colstrip Transcal generation capacity to mission System and obtain the nation’s electrical grid wind energy from Montana. this year, while natural gas “Gordon Butte can progeneration will add an addi- vide enhanced integration tion 8 gigawatts, according of the wind and provide to the Energy Information Puget with a dispatchable Administration. green energy source,” he But one distinguishing said. feature of solar power and Butch Larcombe, a wind energy is that they’re spokesman for Northwestern Energy, said Northintermittent. The wind western officials have met doesn’t always blow, and solar panels don’t generate with Gordon Butte’s developers several times. At this power at night. point, it doesn’t appear that Given the changes taking place, Gordon Butte Northwestern is interested has the potential to play in investing in the project. an important role in future “To invest, we would energy markets, Borgquist need to be confident that said. the project could help us He said Gordon Butte meet our energy needs in an can be a service provider economic fashion and the for a number of customers, electricity produced would known as “offtakers.” Any win (Montana Public Service Commission) approval utility that is connected for serving our montana to the Montana grid or the

customers,” Larcombe said. “When it comes to being a potential customer, NorthWestern typically seeks competitive bids from potential suppliers when it sees a need for additional electricity.” Sharing information with potential customers is another focus. “We have been keeping a number of potential customers/owners fully updated as the project has moved forward,” Borgquist said. “We have been active in resource planning activities with utilities throughout the region. We have also been in early discussions with financing parties to test the waters and start the beauty contest to determine who might take a lead role in the financial packaging of the project. “ Likewise, the company is keeping the Montana Public Service Commission apprised of the project’s progress. “Gordon Butte has worked diligently to keep the Montana PSC informed of our progress. In the likely event that we can benefit Montana and Montana ratepayers with Northwestern Energy as a partner, then the PSC will be involved – as they were with the David Gates Generating Station – DGGS,” Borgquist said.

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September 2016

SPONSORED BY THE BIG SKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

BSED meeting explores what makes a vibrant community First and foremost, a growing community needs a growing talented workforce.

MELANE SCHWARZ IS DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND MEMBER INVESTORS AT BIG SKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. CONTACT HER AT 406-869-8419 OR AT MELANIE@BIGSKYEDA.ORG

September 2016

ByMELANIE SCHWARZ for our Annual Meeting and Third Annual BusiA “Vibrant, Healthy ness Healthcare Summit Economy,” that is the viOct. 12 and 13, where we sion statement at Big Sky will discuss the three key Economic Development components identified for a and also this year’s theme Vibrant, Healthy Economy; for the 2016 Annual MeetPlacemaking, Economic ing and Third Annual Big Diversification and InfraSky Business Healthcare structure Investment. Summit. During these two dyEach year as we prepare namic days you can expect: for the Big Sky Economic  A flyover video highDevelopment annual lighting many of the curmeeting we look back and rent and potential projects reflect on what has hapin Yellowstone County; a pened in our community. vision of what our commuThis year that list was quite nity can look like in five to long. Our community had 10 years the good fortune of being  A team of experts here showered with accolades from Chicago to share with including No.1 Best Town us about an innovative idea by Outside Magazine, best to incorporate a business/ rookie league ballpark in the health care incubator. DurUnited States, and a top 10 ing the two days this team ranking for places to retire will provide our keynote from Kiplinger. addresses and offer a town As we are riding this hall discussion. They will wave of recognition, we also meet with our local must also look at our future college and university stuand the challenges and op- dents interested in entreportunities steady ecopreneurship and business. nomic growth brings. First  To hear from our own and foremost, a growing community of contractors community needs a growabout the economic impact ing talented workforce. Tal- that new development ented workforce, especially brings to Billings millennials, are looking for  A highlight of several a community that has it of the upcoming projects all; great schools, thriving in healthcare including the downtown, restaurants, new clinic at RiverStone competitive pay, worldHealth, the MSU Billings class health care, outdoor and Rocky Mountain Colopportunities, affordable lege Science Buildings as housing, top ranked public well as new amenities at safety and much more. Bill- our two hospitals, Billings is starting to check all ings Clinic and St. Vincent of those boxes, but there is Healthcare still work to do.  A forum with We invite you to join us community leaders and

emerging leaders discussing what is needed next in our city with an interactive, real time opportunity to brainstorm ideas and share immediately with the group Put Oct. 12 and 13 on your calendars to be part of this exciting conversation. Registration will open on Sept. 1 at www. bigskyeconomicdevelopment.org.

Billings downtown skyline

CASEY PAGE/Gazette Staff

Changing lives in our community every day... EVErY DOLLar, EVErY CONSuLTaTION, EVErY Tax aBaTEMENT, EVErY LOaN, EVErY CONTraCT, EVErY SMaLL BuSINESS, EVErY jOB, EVErY EVENT, EVErY OuTrEaCh, big SkY ecoNomic DeveloPmeNt cHaNgeS & imPRoveS PeoPleS liveS iN YelloWStoNe couNtY;

YelloWStoNe co. buSiNeSS taleNt / WoRkFoRce

now thats

buSiNeSS GROWTH SeRviceS commuNitY DeveloPmeNt

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buSiNeSS RecRuitmeNt + outReacH commuNitY FuNDS membeR iNveStoRS

See ouR SeRviceS & ouR StoRieS at bigskyeconomicdevelopment.org 406. 256.6871

BIG SKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Upcoming Chamber/ CVB Functions More details and RSVP: www. billingschamber.com or call 245-4111

SPONSORED BY THE BILLINGS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

September Business After Hours

Air service, local option tax among Billings Chamber’s priorities for 2017 By BILL COLE

Billings business depends on quality air service.

BILL COLE OF THE COLE LAW FIRM IS CHAIRMAN OF THE BILLINGS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

Bird hunting season is right around the corner. And, as any successful hunter will tell you, when a flock of sharptail grouse unexpectedly bust cover at your feet, the sure way to come home empty-handed is to point the shotgun in the general direction of the flock and pull the trigger. The trick is to prioritize. Focus on a single bird and calmly squeeze the trigger. Putting that principle in action, the Billings Chamber of Commerce set its sights on six strategic priorities. Some can be accomplished soon; others are long-term goals requiring multi-year effort. But, each has this common denominator: belief that Billings can compete with other communities, transform its business environment, and improve our quality of life if we are willing to dream big and work hard. In the short-term, the Chamber and the City of Billings are on track to soon complete the Yellowstone Kelly Interpretive Site in Swords Rimrock Park. Located along the 40-milelong Heritage Trail, the site will attract visitors and connect local residents to history. Development of the site will fulfill a promise made to the famous frontiersman in 1928 by the Chamber and State of Montana. With fundraising almost complete, focus shifted to constructing the site and promot-

ing the “Yellowstone Kelly brand” as a defining community element. The legislative season is coming up soon. We need local tools for local governments to solve local problems. Billings and other Montana cities can no longer look to empty federal and state coffers to fund local infrastructure and capital improvement that we need to retain young people, attract skilled workers, and vie with regional competitors. We have to take care of ourselves and find new revenues without raising property taxes. Annually, non-resident visitors spend $397 million in Yellowstone County and use government-provided services, but state law does not give local voters authority to approve a local sales tax to help defray those costs or address local needs. In coming months, we will investigate options to address these problems, educate the public and local legislators, and build coalitions that can enact sensible legislation empowering local voters. Billings business depends on quality air service. The Chamber remains focused on increasing the number of flights serving Billings and improving the airport facility experience. Contributions from Chamber members and a federal air service grant have been pooled to create a guarantee fund we hope will allow us to secure direct service to American Airlines’ hub in

Dallas, providing one-stop service to 44 cities for the first time. We also continue to work with local officials to ensure that the airport’s upcoming $45 million remodel will give visitors a more functional and aesthetically-pleasing experience. With just over 3 percent unemployment in Billings, businesses struggle to find qualified workers. The Chamber is committed to supporting BillingsWorks, a consortium of community groups charged with

Wednesday, Sept. 14, Wyndstone, 1260 Sierra Granda Blvd. 5-7 p.m. Cost is $8. 2016 Annual Meeting Limitless Opportunities: ACT Now Tuesday, Sept. 27, Red Lion Hotel & Convention Center, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Cost $35, includes lunch

October Business After Hours

Wednesday, Oct. 12, Billings Clinic, 2800 10th Ave. N. 5-7 p.m. Cost is $8.

growing and improving the pool of potential employees. Explore the new talentattraction website at www. BillingsWorks.org. Billings is a magnet for state and regional conferences bringing millions of dollars to our community, but we risk losing much of that business if we do not upgrade and expand our meeting facilities. The Chamber will work over the long-term to investigate all possible options and develop public-private partnerships

that can fund and implement those improvements. Our trail system is one of Billings’ greatest assets. The Chamber’s final strategic objective is the completion of the Marathon Loop around Billings and the construction of more internal connections. Great progress has been made. Negotiations are underway with private landowners, and planning studies have been done. What is needed now is to find a funding source to actually build additional trails. Presenting Sponsor

BillingsChamber.com

Limitless Opportunities:

ACT Now

2016 ANNUAL MEETING & EXPO

During the luncheon, hear about community priorities and how we can bring them to reality through legislative action including Montana’s local option authority initiative. September 27th 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel & Convention Center. $35/ticket or $280/table of 8. Expo 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. For booth space contact jessica@billingschamber.com or 245-4111.

Learn more at BillingsChamber.com.

September 2016

Doug Harper

Where safety is a way of life By Tom Howard

ales of tragedy are intertwined in Montana’s rich mining heritage. One of the worst mine disasters in state history occurred in Butte on June 8, 1917, when a fire broke out at the Spectator Mine, killing 168 miners.

Coal mining has proved to be equally hazardous. In 1907, an estimated 3,242 coal miners died in workplace accidents nationwide, according to the Mine Safety and Health Administration. A century after Butte helped bring electricity to America, the Mining City’s copper industry no longer employs armies of miners who scramble through thousands of miles of tunnels surrounding Butte. These days, most of Montana’s coal miners work in broad daylight in surface mines, operating shovels and trucks, not picks and shovels. And thanks to dramatic advances in safety, mining no longer ranks among the nation’s most dangerous occupations. Doug Harper, owner of Beartooth Safety Training and Consulting, provides essential safety training to ensure that mines and their contractors operate safely. He has worked with metal mines, non-metal mines and coal mines, in underground operations and surface mines. Among his credentials, he’s certified with the International Society of Mine Safety Professionals. “The state of mine safety is getting better,” Harper said. “If you look at the MSHA website, a chart shows a steady decline in fatal accidents since at least the 1970s.” Harper sat down with Billings Business to discuss a business where safety rules. Q: How did you get into this business? A: “In 1970, I started working for the U.S. Bureau of Mines. That agency later changed to the Mining Enforcement and Safety Administration, which became MSHA in 1977. I was a safety specialist for them. After 21 years with the federal government, they wanted to transfer me

September 2016

to Gillette, Wyo., but I decided to take early retirement. I worked for DNR Fire and Safety for about six years, but then I decided to open my own safety training and consulting business 17 years ago. Do you travel much for your business? I’ve traveled all over the state, and I’ve even worked in Canada. But normally I do most of my training at our office (1414 Main St. #A.) When you provide safety training, what’s the mix of classroom instruction and hands-on instruction? We primarily work with subcontractors that serve the mining industry. They’re all required to have safety training, and that’s the niche we’re looking for. We try to customize the training to suit the client, to also make sure they meet the regulatory requirements. We try to keep our classes fairly small, usually 10 to 15 people. Do you have other clients besides those who work in mining? We also do first aid and CPR training, for private industry, not just the mining community. We do a lot of things like working in confined spaces and operating a fire extinguisher. We even work with young people who want to do babysitting. We teach them pediatric first aid. Montana’s workers compensation rates have been among the highest in the nation. What role does safety training play in helping control those rates? We do suffer a lot of injuries in the state of Montana. That’s something that every business needs to address. But the violations really do go down if people become knowledgeable about the regulatory requirements.

Doug Harper owner of Beartooth Safety Training and Consulting.

CASEY PAGE/Gazette Staff

Billings doctors aim to provide accurate information to their online customers By TOM HOWARD Browsing the internet in 2016 means weathering a barrage of online ads that make some pretty dubious health claims. Among them: “Cure your diabetes with this one weird trick!” and “Dermatologists hate her! Find out why.” With so much misleading and potentially dangerous information floating through cyberspace, it can be a challenge for consumers to separate fact from fiction. Now, two Billings physicians, Dr. Ben Sickler and Dr. Kris French, have launched an interactive website, www.mdexplain. com, in which they strive to answer their customers’ medical questions quickly and accurately, using their own extensive training. “We don’t do diagnoses or provide treatment,” Sickler said. “We’re mostly trying to help people understand their health, their bodies, their medication and how it affects them. We try to explain it in a way that they can understand.” The website was launched last spring and already receives hundreds of page views each day from all over the world. “The question can be as simple as: ‘What do these

HANNAH POTES, Gazette Staff

Two Billings physicians, Dr. Kris French, left, and Dr. Ben Sickler, aim to provide accurate medical information through their interactive website, www.mdexplain.com.

lab tests mean?’ or it can be something more personal,” French said. “A lot of people ask basic medical questions and things that we have studied and experienced. We know where to look and it’s easy for us to find the

right answers.” Both doctors maintain busy practices. Sickler is an anesthesiologist and French is a neurologist. The partners set aside time during their breaks or in the evening to answer questions

that customers have posted through the website. All correspondence is confidential. Sickler and French first became friends while attending medical school at the University of North

Dakota and their friendship continued during their residencies. They went their separate ways as they pursued their own specialties but renewed their friendship after their careers brought them to Billings.

As medical students and later in their careers, Sickler and French are frequently asked health-related questions by friends and acquaintances. “People hear you’re a doctor and they say they’ve got this problem and they start to ask questions, which we like,” Sickler said. “We started this business because there are a lot of people who just want to talk to a doctor and ask a question.” Not every website that deals in medical information is selling snake oil. Web MD and the Mayo Clinic are among a number of well regarded websites known for providing accurate medical information. But mdexplain seeks to provide more specific information. “The trouble with using those kinds of sites is that people sometimes don’t know the right kinds of questions to ask, and as a result, they don’ get a right answer,” French said. The fee for using www. meexplain.com is $25 per question. The site accepts credit cards and Paypal, and is cash only. Insurance isn’t accepted. Sickler and French often follow up to make sure the customer completely understands the answer that was provided.

“We’re mostly trying to help people understand their health, their bodies, their medication and how it affects them. We try to explain it in a way that they can understand.” Dr. Ben Sickler

September 2016

Joel Anderson of CTA Architects points out features in the rendering of One Big Sky Center during a press conference Aug. 15. CASEY PAGE, Gazette Staff

Proposed development would change the face of downtown Billings 14

September 2016

By TOM HOWARD The Billings skyline could be in for a major overhaul — the addition of the state’s tallest building — if a $120 million downtown development comes to fruition. One Big Sky Center, a multiuse development being proposed for downtown Billings, would include a 70,000-square-foot conference center, a 160-room hotel, downtown residences that cater to both seniors and millennials, plus the addition of major retail and office space downtown. Plans unveiled on Aug. 14 also call for a downtown walking mall flanked by two high-rise towers, one of which would be 324 feet tall, dwarfing Montana’s current tallest building, the 272-foot-tall First Interstate tower. Supporters described the project, two years in the making, as a catalyst for new growth and development, and a shot in the arm for the city’s efforts to recruit conventions and conferences. As planned, the development would include both private and public investment, with some of the money generated through the downtown tax increment funding district. At a news conference attended by more than 75 people, developers said it’s too soon to estimate how much TIF money would be needed to make the development work. Greg Krueger, development director for the Downtown Billings Alliance, told the Billings City Council that tax increment bonds can probably be used to construct the parking structure. But whether they can be applied to a conference center remains to be seen. The city council will have a pre-development agreement on the project to consider during its Sept. 12 meeting, City Administrator Tina Volek said.

Courtesy CTA Architects Engineers

This winter scene shows a skating rink that’s part of the proposed One Big Sky Center.

“It would be fantastic to have something of this magnitude in downtown Billings,” Mayor Tom Hanel said. “What I keep hearing is, ‘where is the money going to come from?’ That seems to be the big question. Obviously that will be a huge hurdle.” Skip Ahern, developer and principal for MontDevCo LLC, said funding will come from at least four sources: a TIF investment approved by the city council, a construction loan from the bank, equity and an investment program administered by the Internal Revenue Service called EB-5, which could fund up to 25 percent of the construction cost. Under the program, Ahern said, foreigners who invest $500,000 in a project that creates at least 10 jobs receive a green card and a path to citizenship within two years. Allison Corbyn, business recruitment and outreach program manager for Big Sky Economic Development, said a third-party analysis indicates the project will have a $150 million impact on Yellowstone County’s annual gross domestic product – about 2 percent of the county’s annual GDP. “I don’t want to sugarcoat anything, and I don’t want to make promises I can’t deliver on,” Ahern said. “This is a huge project for a fairly small city. To make it work, the city and the people of Montana have to believe in the project. That belief will be generated by your in

“We found there was even an opportunity to put in a skating rink during the winter and make it a really green public space in the summer. That would really bring out the character and make it fun.” Skip Ahern, developer and principal for MontDevCo LLC terest in investing in it.” “The only thing that taxpayers will have to put in,” Krueger said, “is their time to come down and ice skate.” Developers want to close North 29th Street between First Avenue North and Second Avenue North, to create a park-like walking mall to provide convenient access to nearby stores and residences. “The streets are wide and the sidewalks are narrow in that part of town, which is not conducive to getting the outdoor flow going,” said Ahern. “Adding an open pedestrian way would allow restaurants to spill out on the open area and really create a synergistic effect.” Ahern sees great potential for Billings. “We found there was even an opportunity to put in a skating

Courtesy CTA Architects Engineers

The proposed One Big Sky Center would include the tallest building in Montana. In this northfacing rendering, the First Interstate Bank building appears at the left.

rink during the winter and make it a really green public space in the summer,” Ahern said. “That would really bring out the character and make it fun.” The development would help revitalize downtown by attracting some 300 new permanent residents, Ahern said. New retail development being discussed by the developers includes movie theaters, a bowling alley, a brew pub, other businesses and first-class office space. Lisa Harmon, executive director of the Downtown Billings Alliance, said the conference center that’s included in One Big Sky Center has long been a priority for the Billings tourism and convention industry. Competition for convention business is fierce. Local tourism officials say they often find themselves at a disadvantage

when making a pitch for conventions. “I think we’ll see how critical it is that we are competitive regionally,” Harmon said. “We have had experts come in here and talk to us about marketing to conventions and where the business is going. They have told us that we are losing market share.” Ahern said the convention center that’s part of One Big Sky Center would boost room reservations throughout the Billings area, not just the hotel that’s part of the project. Mike Tuss, a principal with CTA Architects Engineers, which has been doing design work for the project, said members of the millennial generation often prefer to live in urban areas as opposed to suburbs. Some 6,500 people work in the downtown medical corridor, and the developers believe that many of them would prefer to cycle or walk to work rather than commute from the Heights or the West End. “We’re pretty bullish on having people live downtown,” Tuss said. Harmon said about 21,000 people work downtown, and downtown residences continue to be in short supply despite efforts to add new units. One Big Sky Center will help address a shortage of downtown residences, she said. Ahern said he has been in contact with a developer that spe-

cializes in senior housing. Recent retirees have embraced “walkable developments” like what is being proposed for downtown Billings, he said. Asked about potential roadblocks, Ahern said the project’s complex financing plan remains the biggest challenge. But the project is being designed with enough flexibility so that it meets the needs of the marketplace, he said. Burke McHugh and Greg Tatham, principals in MontDevCo LLC, both have experience in real estate development. They became interested in Billings about four years ago while looking at other investment opportunities in the Roundup area. “We had spent time in the Crowne Plaza and the Northern Hotel,” Tatham said. “We realized that downtown Billings had a lot going on. It reminded us of where Denver was 30 years ago.” “We loved what we saw downtown,” McHugh said. Noting that downtown development has taken off in many cities across the country, One Big Sky Center will feature the kinds of amenities to bring Billings into the 21st century, he said. The project has a hopeful groundbreaking date of next year and completion date for 2019, according to onebigskycenter.com. — Reporter Mike Ferguson contributed to this report. September 2016

In modern retail, the website drives traffic to store By PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER PHILADELPHIA — In retailing, “e-commerce is driving the bus,” said Ann Burton, founder of Wolfgang Harbor, a boutique Philadelphia-based company that recruits upper management in fashion, beauty, design, e-commerce and retailing. When it comes to employment trends, specialty recruiters such as Burton are on the front lines of what is in demand in their sectors. In the United States., nearly 16 million people work in retailing and, Burton said, what is developing are twin career tracks — online and in-store — that used to be separate but are now increasingly intertwined. “The website has to drive traffic to the store,” she said, “and the store has to drive traffic to the website.” In particular demand now, Burton said, are website merchandise managers — the online counterpart to a similar position

in store divisions. “It’s a candidate’s market,” Burton said, with compensations in the $90,000-to-$100,000 range for people with experience. Merchandise managers — in stores and online — figure out what merchandise will be sold, how the brands will fit together, how they will be displayed and how they will be promoted. The managers take on larger areas of responsibility as they rise through the ranks. In stores, they might decide which items would be grouped together — by designer, color, function. They might supervise store signage. They might devise the underlying “story” of the store, creating an image of high-fashion or casual chic or funky. Online, it’s much the same, with the website telling the “story.” Plus, the online merchandise managers “have to know searchengine optimization.” Website merchandise managers could be in line for a promotion to director of e-commerce, anoth-

er job that’s in high demand and another position where there are more jobs than candidates, Burton said. E-commerce directors need to know everything about website merchandising. They must also understand logistics and supplychain management — “everything it takes from the customer pushing the click button to buy something to delivering the package,” she said. Merchandise planners are also in demand, Burton said. They figure out how much buyers can spend on merchandise, driving their decisions on what and how to buy based on sales data. “They are the historians of the company. They know what sold last year, what color, what time, did it rain on the day we ran that promotion,” she said. Software developers are in short supply. “They are inundated with opportunities,” she said. “To them, I’m like the Antichrist. They’re getting at least 10 emails a day. I’m just annoying to them.”

On the flip side, there are more candidates than positions for regional sales managers on the supplier side, she said. “We’re getting a lot of applicants who were in wholesale sales.” More retailers are developing in-house designing and production, so they aren’t buying as much from fashion houses, she said. Burton, who grew up in Nebraska, studied art history at Temple University before moving on to a master’s degree in fashion design at Drexel University. She landed design jobs in New York before working for a Chinese manufacturer of children’s furnishings — the idea being to coordinate the portable playpen with the car seat with the baby carriage. When the recession struck, she was laid off but got hired at Charming Shoppes Inc. But that company, which catered to the plus-sized market, was sold. She went on to freelance but ultimately decided to move into recruiting, first working for another company and then starting her own busi-

ness. “There’s some hustler to me,” Burton said. She works in partnership with LGM Consulting in West Hartford, Conn. Having been laid off twice, Burton still marvels at how much her field has become a candidate’s market, complete with signing bonuses in the thousands of dollars. “I was scratching for jobs,” she said. The candidates she fields most value flexibility and work-life balance, she said. “I know there is a beer-andpool-table culture” for millennial workers, she said, but most of them want regular feedback, opportunities to make a difference and “not to have to work until 10 p.m. every night.” Companies are looking for people who are entrepreneurial. “Influential continues to be a key word for my clients,” she said. “They want people to have opinions, make a case and present their ideas clearly.”

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Many retailers close stores in order to survive By McCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS The logic of 21st century retailing goes that fewer is more. The latest retail giant to hope that shrinking will lead to bigger profits is Macy’s. Last month it announced it will close 100 of its fullline department stores next year. It hasn’t yet said which

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Macy’s will close but said profitability at most of the targeted stores has been “declining steadily in recent years.” And even though the retailer saw second-quarter sales and profits fall from a year ago, its stock price jumped on the prospect of fewer stores leading to higher profits in the future. Gap, Sears, Staples and Wal-Mart are among the re-

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tailers that have previously announced store closings. They also are among the store operators scheduled to release their latest quarterly results in the week ahead. It’s too early to see any significant financial impact of fewer stores, but long-term investors should listen for indications that the strategy of going smaller for bigger profits is working out.

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SALESmoves

What’s the best way to land a sales referral? You have to earn it Get personal information about the referral before you make the first contact.

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling. Reach him at 704-333-1112 or email salesman@gitomer.com

September 2016

Everyone tells you to get referrals. And most people tell you to “ask” for them. “Don’t forget to ask for a referral.” Horrible strategy. Totally offensive for the most part. Borderline rude. And asking the same customer twice is a death wish. MY DEFINITION OF A REFERRAL: A name and contact information provided proactively by someone you have a relationship with (most likely a customer) who believes a third party would be willing to, or would benefit from doing business with you — AND they are willing to introduce you and provide a testimonial. “I know a guy looking for…” “don’t use my name…” “here’s someone to call…” those are not referrals — they’re leads. Now that that’s out of the way, suppose you actually DO get a referral. Ask, beg, get one proactively, earn one (the best way), whatever, let’s say you have the referral in hand… NOW WHAT? No one tells you that part. What to do next to ensure the sale? How do you approach this person? How do you maximize the selling power of a referral? And what do you risk with the wrong approach? Here’s a strategy that will work. CAUTION: It’s significantly slower than you would like, but it WILL WORK. The key is not just patience, it’s a combination of your preparedness, the strength of your relationship with the person giving you the referral, and execution of

strategy to build confidence and rapport BEFORE the sales process begins. Here are 8.5 rules and guidelines to ensure your success: 1. Approach with care, be prepared, don’t move too quickly. Timing is everything. Don’t appear to be too anxious to get the sale (money). Proper set up will breed a long-term relationship (more money) instead of just a sale. 2. Arrange a three-way call, then a three-way meeting. Setting the stage for the first meeting/communication can make it or break it. All three people together will set the perfect stage. Your customer will sing your praises and help make the sale in front of the referral. 3. Connect socially. LinkedIn, and the entire suite of social media. Subscribe to whatever — their blog or ezine. And keep in mind when they see you connect, they will do the same. Rule one: Be at least one notch higher in social profile than your customers and prospects. Not having solid social presence is a fatal mistake. 4. Get personal information about the referral before you make the first contact. Start with mother Google, and advance to cousin LinkedIn and all other members of the online social family. NOTE WELL: Don’t just look for information, look for similar interests, similar people, and similar situations. Common ground will establish immedi-

Getting a good sales referral takes more than asking.

ate positive rapport. LINK STARTERS: Business information, personal information, recent successes, likes, last vacation, children’s schools, hometown. Having their personal information is an advantage. Having web presence is an advantage. Not having personal information is a fatal mistake. 5. You don’t have to sell at the first meeting if your customer is with you. In fact, the less selling you do, the more credible you will appear. You only have to establish rapport, gain confidence, and arrange a second, private meeting where you can get down to business.

6. Try to get the prospect to prepare information for your private meeting. If you can get the prospect to gather and/or compile information, you have an interested prospect who will be willing to talk and listen. 7. Don’t send too much information in the mail or email. The mail and the email, like the phone, is not where a sale is made. It’s just a sales tool. Send just enough to inform, create interest, and make a meeting. 8. Write a personal note to the referral within 24-hours. Brief, but positive. Don’t slobber all over the note with thanks, and thanks again. Just tell him

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or her it was nice to get acquainted and you’re looking forward to the next meeting. 8.5 Deliver! Failure to follow up and deliver as promised makes you and your customer look bad to the prospect. Failure to deliver also eliminates any chance of another referral. This rule is the most important of all. It’s a breeding ground for your relationship AND your reputation. What kind of reputation have you got? How valuable are real referrals? One third-party introduction and endorsement is worth a hundred presentations, if you know what you’re doing.

Oil service companies feeling pinch of energy downturn By HEATHER RICHARDS Ray Kraft has been an operator for the same company, C A White Wireline Services in Casper, for 42 years. Though this downturn is not the worst he’s seen, the fallout is much the same, Kraft said. Business is down about 75 percent. Kraft is one of thousands of workers in Wyoming whose jobs are indirectly related to oil and gas development and exploration in Wyoming. There are a number of vendors that serve exploration and production companies from construction and seismic companies, to surveyors and engineering firms, said Kimberley Mazza, spokeswoman for the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

What services are needed sometimes hinges on the size and capability of the company. “It really depends what all the E&P companies have in house,’” she said. “The larger companies have people on staff to do some of these activities, i.e. landmen. But most contract vendors can provide these services.” In contrast to the miners and oil field workers whose woes are well-known across the state, the affiliate members of the energy industry often go quietly about their business, with smaller companies losing revenue, contracts and co-workers as the price of crude makes a recalcitrant rebound and producers wait for the rebound to stabilize. The price means business in Wyoming, not just for those involved in exploration and production, but for all the com-

“We lost a lot of employees back then, and it took a long time to get going again.” — Ray Kraft, oilfied operator. panies tied to the fate of oil in a global market of supply and demand. This week the price has hovered in the mid-40s. Many companies are waiting for $60 a barrel, but others are taking advantage of the cheaper prices in service industries to cautiously step back into the business of pumping oil from the ground. But the stabilizing price hasn’t saved the day yet.

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Kraft expects to wait another year or more before business returns. And though the state continues to produce millions of barrels of oil, the reality is that the secondary industries are being hit and hit hard. The mining job count in Natrona County, in the first quarter of 2016, was down 2,000 from the year before, said David Ballard, senior economist for the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research and Planning division. But decreases in a number of other sectors show the effect of oil and gas as well, he said. Transportation, which includes trucking companies, is down 250 jobs. Professional and technical services, which would include engineers and accountants, is down 140 jobs. Wholesale trade, which has direct ties

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to oil and gas, is down 330 jobs, Ballard said. And though oil prices are stabilizing, it’s hard to predict how soon those jobs could return. “Crude prices peaked in the summer of 2014 and declined through the end of 2014. We didn’t really start seeing layoffs until Jan of 2015. That makes me think things don’t happen immediately,” Ballard said. “A lot of it depends on companies’ expectations of what is going to happen.” Kraft has seen four of his company’s 10 employees leave due to lack of work. The situation is as bad as or worse than the two previous busts the company survived, he said. “We lost a lot of employees back then, and it took a long time to get going again,” he remembered. “We never did come back as strong as we were.”

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Make an extra mortgage payment to save money? Examine all your options first By ASSOCIATED PRESS It’s a strategy that crosses the mind of many borrowers when they take on a home loan: Make an extra mortgage payment or two every year and save tens of thousands of dollars in interest. The move can shave off costs for a home loan and ensure it’s paid off faster. Even one additional payment a year can translate into big savings. On a $250,000, 30-year mortgage with a fixed rate of 4 percent, making an extra payment every year would save the homeowner roughly $27,724 over the life of the loan. It would also cut the amount of time needed to pay back the loan by four years and one month. Even so, there are potential financial drawbacks to consider. Borrowers who can afford to make extra mortgage payments tie up cash that could be put toward retirement or

used for emergencies. “It’s really important to look at your financial health in the broader sense,” said Suzanne Martindale, staff attorney at Consumer Union. “The most important thing is to maintain in good standing all of your debts.” Here are some tips to consider before taking steps to make extra payments on your home loan: 1. Weigh your priorities It may be tempting to double down on your mortgage payments, but doing so before you’ve taken care to shore up your finances overall isn’t a good idea. Financial advisers recommend ensuring that you are saving for retirement and have set aside three to six months’ salary to cover emergencies. If you have children, you’ll also want to put saving for their college tuition ahead of making extra mortgage payments.

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“At today’s low mortgage rates, if you are cutting into your retirement savings to pay off a mortgage, you are likely making a mistake,” said David Mullins, an independent financial adviser in Richlands, Virginia. “You don’t want to have your nest egg tied up in a property where you can’t easily convert it to cash.” 2. Slash other debt first Paying off high-interest debt such as credit cards is another priority that should be put before focusing on paying down your home loan faster. Consider paying off car loans, too. That’s because home loans are likely the least costly debt a borrower will have, especially if they took advantage of low mortgage interest rates. In addition, homeowners are allowed to take a deduction on their income taxes for the interest paid on their home loan. 3. Do it yourself

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You’ve decided to accelerate payments on your mortgage, so what is the best approach? There are many ways to get there, including paying a little bit extra every month, or making a lump-sum payment at the end of the year. Another approach involves paying half of your monthly mortgage bill every two weeks. Over the course of a year, you end up making 26 transfers, which works out to an additional monthly payment. Contact your lender to make sure they allow extra payments and will apply the funds toward the principal on your loan, not the interest. Try this extra payments calculator from Bankrate to compare how much money the different approaches to making extra mortgage payments can save you. 4. Watch out for fees Regardless of the payment plan,

steer clear of businesses that offer to handle your extra payments for a fee, said Martindale. “Consumers need to be very wary from sales pitches from thirdparty companies,” she said. “If they’re charging a fee for their service, it can undercut any potential benefits they might be offering.” The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has sued several companies that offer to handle borrowers’ twice-monthly mortgage payments. The agency claims the companies misled consumers about how much they could save in interest on their home loan. One company, Paymap Inc., agreed last year to pay a $5 million civil penalty and return $33.4 million in fees to consumers. Another firm in the biweekly mortgage payment collection business, LoanCare LLC, agreed to pay a $100,000 civil penalty.

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Lockwood Ace Hardware is Skip Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fifth store in the Billings metropolitan area.

Time is money. Conveniently located at 678 Johnson Lane, customers save an hour of driving time to the city with newly-opened Lockwood Ace Hardware, Skip Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fifth member-owned store in the Billings metropolitan area.

Store manager Cody Cass and owner Skip King agree that the Lockwood location fills the need of the community.

September 2016

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Reclaimed Montana barn wood accentuates the lobby area, providing a familiar rustic feel for frequent rancher customers.

Skip King knows Lockwood like the back of his hand. “Eight thousand people live out here,” he said. “It’s one of the fastest growing communities in Montana and lots of people work out here in industry in Lockwood, Worden, Shepherd, Huntley and Ballantine.” Making Lockwood home to King’s fifth Ace Hardware was an easy choice. “The different stores service the different markets,” said King of the local hardware co-ops ranging in size from 9,600 to 26,000-square-feet. Mirrored after both the Zimmerman and Laurel Ace Hardware stores, the 17,000-square-foot space is only slightly larger than Laurel and reflects some of Zimmerman’s design. After High Tech Construction

– who’d worked on Zimmerman Ace Hardware – merged with Dick Anderson Construction, King reached out for help with his next business venture, given the contractor’s familiarity with the Ace Hardware brand. “They know their stuff and have been around for a long time,” he said. “Every sub was local, and the Zimmerman store was the same way.” Jeff Winkler, Hgfa Architects project manager, credits King’s experience as crucial for moving the project right along. “From start to finish it took a little over a year,” said Winkler. “The most time-consuming aspect was working with the county planning department to split the lot up, but they knew (Lockwood Ace Hardware) was going to be beneficial to the community.”

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special advertising section With initial talks in early 2015 and groundbreaking in November at the 678 Johnson Lane location, King considers the new build “a pretty fast process” despite being slightly held back by cold weather and wind. Five years makes a world of difference with regard to construction and technology. Many of the lessons learned from Zimmerman were translated and used for the Lockwood Ace Hardware store.

Functional innovations

“In six years, we’ve seen a lot of difference in technology,” explained store manager Cody Cass. “At the Lockwood store, there’s LED everything. We didn’t do that in Zimmerman.” A “simple metal building all on one level,” customers easily get on and off the interstate for a quick stop at what King describes as a “general hardware store where you can get whatever you want.” Lockwood Ace Hardware’s central location makes freight delivery a piece of cake, too.

Each member-owned store differentiates itself with its inventory. Lockwood Ace Hardware’s collection of electric fences and livestock feed is larger than the other store locations.

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“It has the best access compared to other stores,” King said of the four different entrances to the property. “Truckers can come in at the north lot, and the great benefit is trucks don’t have to back in.” Additional features include a bare concrete floor, unstained-but-finished and conveniently low maintenance. Lockwood Ace Hardware isn’t without its bells and whistles, however.

Distinction, in stock

Reclaimed Montana barn wood accentuates the lobby area, providing a familiar rustic feel for frequent rancher customers. The QVC-system checkout – similar to that of King’s Ace Hardware on Central – eases long lines and makes for a speedy

shopping experience, while the building’s attached garage doors secure inventory at night. Each Ace Hardware distinguishes itself by the products it carries. “Lockwood has more livestock food here than Zimmerman,” said King, noting that Lockwood Ace Hardware also has the biggest collection of electric fences, too. King said each store chooses what inventory it sells. And given Ace’s co-op model, every location has merchandise at its disposal to meet the needs of the neighboring communities. Cass says there has already been a positive response from local residents. A formal grand opening is planned for the end of September. Follow Lockwood Ace Hardware on Facebook for all the ribbon-cutting details. September 2016

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Onward and upward fOr C’s ExtEriOr dEsigns New

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C’s Exterior Designs opened at 6513 Wagon Trail East in April 2016 after relocating from 6809 King Ave. W.

6513 Wagon Trail East serves as the new locale for recently relocated C’s Exterior Designs. Having transferred from their former office warehouse site at nearby 6809 King Ave. West, the spacious new building affords plenty of room to grow. Owner Clay Schreder says the new office warehouse provides ample opportunity for future expansion.

September 2016

special advertising section Semi-trailers truck back and forth on the West End, the central hub for many construction supply vendors and their residential and commercial contractor counterparts. C’s Exterior Designs’ new location couldn’t be better situated. Or better sized. “We doubled in size every year for the first 10 years,” Clay Schreder, owner of C’s Exterior Designs. The business has been part of Billings for 22 years. “Our previous West End location was perfect, but too small, so finally I said we just needed a space we could grow into instead,” Schreder said. Comprised of a 4,000-square-foot twostory office and 7,500-square-foot attached warehouse, there’s plenty of room to grow into the new space.

History of expansion

For businesses that work on a contract-bycontract basis, longevity is the name of the game. In spite of its rapid growth and quick entrance as a leading local business, the now 22-year-old C’s Exterior Designs came from humble beginnings. “My dad was flipping houses before it was even a term, so he taught me a lot about

the trade,” Schreder said. “After I’d worked awhile for a guy who did incredible siding, my dad co-signed on a loan for me and I bought a flatbed and some tools.” The recession was one of the few events to make a dent in C’s Exterior Designs’ growth, forcing it to down-size. However, change accompanied the new decade and Schreder said business soon boomed again. Eggart Engineering and Construction (EEC Inc.) built the business’ previous West End office warehouse and had worked with Schreder on other miscellaneous projects during the years, so the familiar company was a perfect fit for the new construction. “It’s significantly larger than their previous space, and this one features a huge office, 2,000 extra square-feet in the shop and an additional 1,500 square feet of warehouse space that he can lease out,” said EEC Inc. project manager Kevin Lundin, who worked closely with Schreder throughout the construction. Referring to the timeline, Lundin said designing began in August 2015 and actual construction started in late-September of the same year, with the building being completed in April 2016.

Measuring 7,500-square-feet, the warehouse is capable of storing several large shipments of siding and window products.

406.839.9151 720 Lohwest Lane, Billings, MT

Congratulations C’s Exterior, Congratulations on your successful King Avenue location! We are proud to lead your Design Build team!

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MAGIC CITY

C’s Exterior Designs

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special advertising section “We didn’t have any major hiccups with this project,” Lundin said. “I really enjoyed working with Clay. We communicate well together and I believe have similar tastes.” Schreder said moving into the new space was incredibly smooth. “Everything – the technology even – was ready to go and working the day we moved in, which made for an easy transition,” he said. “It wasn’t a tricky balance trying to run the business and get moved in. We’re now 100-percent transitioned into the space now.”

Step inside

Because the business’ personnel are privy to the ins and outs of window and siding trends, the new construction needed to be both functional and fashionable – a building that would endure the passage of time. It’s easy to see why the building aced the test with flying colors. At first glance, the building’s exterior demonstrates durability and high-quality sensibilities, just like C’s Exterior Designs. Metal siding and custom steel-fabricated window awnings reaffirm the idea of strong, dependable construction and service. Step past the entry doors to a reception area that emits warmth and a healthy dose of rustic touches. Reddish-undertoned woodwork gently frames rich brown walls featuring hand-done faux painting by Kathy Butler. To the left flows a pathway of main floor offices; to the right, a spacious conference room decorated in warm neutrals similar to the main lobby. The wall art highlights the business’ love of Montana’s great outdoors. Adorning the office’s hallways hang an antiqued-looking wooden American flag, picturesque wintry

tree scenes and depictions of Montana wildlife, paying tribute to the business’ local roots. When it comes to the features, Lundin says it’s a Class-A office space. “It’s one of the nicest office warehouses with lots of higher-end finishes and technology,” Lundin said of the term’s definition. “It has all wood trim, faux painting, nicer doors and built-in desks, so it goes beyond your standard office space. I think it’s a really great building.” Just past the office lies the expansive 7,500-square-foot warehouse fully capable of housing several large product shipments. At the top of the stairway leading from the warehouse to the second floor of offices sits a foosball table, the perfect lunch-break pastime. And just beyond the warehouse’s back doors lies “the yard,” a secured, L-shaped gravel driveway perfect for storing trailers and other outdoor equipment. Back in the office, each room has been customized with individual personnel needs in mind. Schreder’s office functions perfectly for hosting smaller meetings, as it comes equipped with a wrap-around peninsula countertop, extra chairs and a wall-mounted TV for displaying job board spreadsheets. For the subcontractor who often works with blueprints, Lundin made sure the desk space featured deep countertops capable of handling bulky paperwork. “I think I’m most thankful that everyone can have a space that suits their specific needs,” Schreder replied when asked about his favorite part of the building. “Everyone has what they need. I have to give kudos to EEC Inc. for a fantastic space.”

Congratulations to

The reception area’s rich color palette and rustic touches warmly welcome visitors.

406-534-6676

C’S EXTERIOR DESIGNS

Ab bells, Inc. plumbing p

September 2016

CONGRATULATIONS C’S ExTERIOR DESIGNS Thanks for choosing

Ultimate Custom Cabinets, Inc.

Ultimate Custom Cabinets plumber33@hotmail.com

Since 1983

223 N. 15th St. 406-256-9310

special advertising section

To the right of the reception area lies a spacious conference room.

Perfect for handling blueprints, this office’s deep countertops are one example of the custom touches designed to meet each subcontractor’s needs.

Congratulations to C’S EXTERIOR

DESIGNS

on Your New Building The Blind Guy of Billings 2114 Harnish Blvd Billings, MT 59101 406-655-1611 billings@blindguy.com blindguy@blindguy.com Known as the ‘yard,’ this expansive and secured driveway houses trailers and larger outdoor equipment.

September 2016

special advertising section

As It HAppens AIH M AnufActurIng BrAncHes Out

BuIld cOMMunIty

By Tara Cady PhoTos By BoB Zellar

AIH Manufacturing, a new company specializing in machining, fabrication, repair and design, calls 5840 Titan Avenue its home.

Brothers Mike and Don Tvetene have been in the farming and manufacturing business all their lives. As part owners of their family’s Tvetene Turf Farms business and part founders of Trebro Manufacturing, establishing AIH Manufacturing was part of a natural progression towards excellence in the industry. Photo courtesy of AIH Manufacturing

September 2016

AIH’s Montana pride is expansive – from the custom-made signs they make to the consumables they use to the people they hire.

special advertising section Mike Tvetene’s vision for business expansion is clear. Having already owned the 2,400-square-foot property at 5840 Titan Avenue in Billings, an additional 9,600-square-feet of warehouse space is all he and his brother Don needed to make AIH Manufacturing come to life. AIH broke ground in September 2015 with the help of general contractor S-Bar-S. Ryan Stichman, S-Bar-S project manager details the pros and cons of construction. “The original building was an S-Bar-S building,” explained Stichman. “It was kind of fun to add on to an existing structure of our own for a new customer.” Despite weather-related snags, a previously established working relationship between S-Bar-S and AIH eased the process right along. Stichman’s favorite feature was the wash bay, lined with steel-stud walls designed to keep moisture out. It’s ideal for AIH’s many pressure washing needs. Taylor Electric, Kenco Security, Systems Technology Consultants and Custom Concrete all were part of the project. Wired, powered and built with as much local help

as possible, AIH’s March 15 soft opening allowed them to quickly give back to the contractors and subcontractors that made the building expansion possible. Mike Tvetene says AIH stands for “as it happens,” implying that if someone needs work done, AIH gets it done.

Room to grow

With more than 50 years of combined experience, AIH’s team of welders, machinists and fabricators required ample space for production. Terry Miller, AIH project manager, explains the perks of the building. “It’s decently located, accessible from two streets and close to the highway,” he said. “We can pull in a full semi if we have to, and the wide doors and high ceilings allow for large farm equipment.” With machining and welding areas, the up-and-coming manufacturing company specializing in small to large repairs of “anything and everything” relied heavily on Taylor Electric Inc. to get its equipment up and running as soon as possible. “They gave us excellent power and did a

The additional 9,600-square-feet of warehouse space offers ample room for machining, welding and pressure washing.

Office personnel easily observe what’s happening in the warehouse with convenient windows in the reception area.

Technology Simplified.

2032 Old Hardin Rd Billings, MT 59101

www.getsystems.net

(406) 259-3391 www.s-bar-s.com

Call (866) 401-4846

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S-Bar-S was the General Contractor for AIH Visit our Store or Website for the Best Deals in the Region • Commercial • Industrial • Farm and Ranch • Pole Buildings

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• Commercial • Industrial • Residential • Cellular Communications

special advertising section stellar job,” said Mike Tvetene of the local electric company’s key role in powering their impressive equipment. Ed Taylor, co-owner of Taylor Electric Inc., credits his unique relationship with Tvetene for the construction’s success. “Mike is a friend of mine, and (AIH) and I had a word-and-a-handshake kind of relationship,” Taylor explained of the no-blueprint design build. “Having a good relationship was key. If I didn’t know them so well, it would’ve been nerve-wracking; but we knew what we were getting into.” The four-to-five month long project was an easy fit for Taylor Electric, having already utilized AIH’s services for their own custom needs post-construction. “It’s been a two-way street,” said Taylor. AIH’s CNC machinery, manual metal lathe, pressure washer and embedded electronics speak to the volume of services it offers.

Anything and everything

Machinist Chaz Cormier explains what AIH can do. “We work with stainless and hardened steel, aluminum, brass – you name it – and

rebuild things like hydraulic cylinders, repairing whatever’s needed or building new,” he said. “With the 8-station programmable CNC machine, we can cut any style of thread and designs simulate in 3-D.” In layman’s terms, AIH works on anything from a prosthetic arm to a rail car. Not to be confused with a mechanic shop, AIH builds parts that other companies use to repair machinery such as a lawn mower or mining equipment. “When a mine or refinery shuts down, they need (the problem) fixed right away,” said shop manager Dallas Borden. Hence where AIH gets its name. “There’s a strong sense of urgency,” explained marketing director Racquel Kaelberer. “Somebody might not be making money if they need something fixed.” There’s not much AIH can’t do. According to office manager Tisha Hague, the manufacturing company can fabricate and design for any of the contractors that assisted in the building’s construction. A two-way local business exchange, AIH not only tries to hire locally, but purchase and service locally as well.

• Grounding grids design and installation • Flash Unit Installation and Service • Backup Power • Alarms and Controls • HVAC Installation and Repairs • Halo grounding and equipment bonding • DC Power Cable Lacing

5819 Kennison Place • Billings, MT 59101 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm • taylorelectricmt.com 34

September 2016

AIH’s CNC machinery and embedded electronics speak to the volume of services it offers.

special advertising section “We try to buy local as best we can,” said Miller. “It’s 90 percent of what we use.” Community centered, AIH also keeps local with its hiring process.

Taking a chance

With the goal to expand in mind, AIH trains students from the Billings Career Center to get them started on a career path. “We’re helping the city of Billings out by creating jobs,” explained Cormier, who contacts Center students interested in welding. From repairing ejector boxes for large mining equipment to helping out a traveler with a hard-to-find Dodge part, incoming apprentices have the best mentors at their disposal to get the odd job done. “The owners have a huge heart and give everyone a chance,” said Kaelberer. “There’s a lot of history (here) based on a relationship basis.” Tvetene’s hopes are that they run out of workable space soon and continue to grow with the community.

AIH utilizes every nook and cranny of its warehouse space, best illustrated by its two stories of tool storage.

Welding is just one of AIH’s areas of expertise. Students at the Billings Career Center are afforded opportunity to work as apprentices and learn valuable trade skills first-hand.

September 2016

Where Experience Produces Quality Craftsmanship

AIH Manufacturing Services • Machining (cnc & Manual) • Welding • RepaiR • autoMation • line BoRing • Machine design • custoM FaBRication • contRact ManuFactuRing • hydRaulic design & RepaiR

5840 Titan Ave, Billings, MT 59101 • (406) 894-2264 • aihmfg.com 36

September 2016

STRATEGIESfor success

Employee terminations

must be handled properly Removing a bad apple can do wonders to overall morale and effectiveness in an organization.

Joe Michels, PhD, P.E., C.P.I., is principal of Solomon Bruce Consulting LLC. Contact him at (406) 672-6387 or at www. solomonbruce.com

By JOE MICHELS A client recently called and asked how to have “the tough conversation” with an employee. This employee had been a valued individual contributor to the firm for several years. But in the past couple of years, the employee had become more confrontational and argumentative. Unfortunately, no documentation was ever created to list expectations, provide career counseling or recommend disciplinary discussions when they transpired. If the organization is large enough to have an employee assistance program, the employee should be referred for assistance. However, if the firm is small and behavior modification is not recognized after two or three increasingly direct conversations, we suggest that the employee should be offered the opportunity to find a new employment elsewhere. When you have to discharge an employee for failure to conform to organizational expectations, we suggest that you provide two weeks of severance pay. Ask the individual to immediately turn in all keys, credit cards, computers and any other company issued equipment. Take action to change all access codes, locks, combinations to safes, doors, computer passwords and email accounts immediately. This

Digital Vision.

Sometimes firing an employee is necessary. But make sure to cover all of your bases.

must be done as soon as possible. Once the employee has left the premises, review the workload for which he was responsible. See which other individual contributors on the team can pick up the work in the short term. Review the workload for restructure or reorganization. In governmental and

academic institutions, many employees feel a “right of entitlement” irrespective of how they are performing. A secretary that has 25 years of service can become quite difficult to deal with when new leadership is assigned. Institutional norms often suggest that because the secretary has been here that long, “That is the way

it is.” Well, that thinking in today’s world is fallacious. If the long term secretary is unable to adjust and adapt to new leadership’s style, perhaps it is time to find a new opportunity. Remember, no job is a Supreme Court position — lifetime appointment irrespective of work performance or professional demeanor. Often, you will find that

work reorganization was what was needed all along; this action just became the catalyst for implementation. This is not pleasant or fun. However, at the end of the day, you, the leader, are responsible for overall corporate profitability. Removing a bad apple can do wonders to overall morale and effectiveness in an organization. September 2016

LEGALbriefing

Here are tips on how to avoid adverse action under eeoc

The EEOC is now in the process of revising its enforcement guide regarding retaliation claims.

Eric Nord works for the Crist, Krogh & Nord Law Firm in Billings, specializing his practice in the area of business law and litigation with a special emphasis on commercial transactions, employment law, real estate, construction law, and corporate relations.

September 2016

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reports that 44.5 percent of all claims filed with it in 2015 were for retaliation by the employer for taking an adverse action against the employee after an employment claim was filed. Although some employers do not realize this, they can be held liable for retaliation even if they did not discriminate. Too often, when discrimination complaints are filed against employers, they overreact against employees filing the complaints. These are the situations that lead to retaliation claims. An employee has to prove three things for a valid retaliation claim: 1) participation in a protected activity — generally making a complaint of discrimination or harassment (this complaint can be done verbally or in writing) or participating in an investigation as a witness; 2) that the employer took an adverse action against the employee; and, 3) there was a connection between the protected activity and the adverse action. What constitutes either a “protected activity” or an “adverse action” has expanded over the years. For example, terminating or threatening to terminate a spouse of a complaining employee could be considered an “adverse action” in this context.

Employers can be held liable for retaliation even if it’s shown they didn’t discriminate against an employee

The EEOC is now in the process of revising its enforcement guide regarding retaliation claims. In the proposed guide, the EEOC is providing some “best practices” to employers to assist them in avoiding retaliation claims. Some of those practices include: a) writing an anti-retaliation policy that both explains the concept of retaliation and gives

examples of retaliation; b) providing regular training to all employees regarding the anti-retaliation policy; c) creating a procedure whereby employees can report possible instances of retaliation; d) providing a clear policy of disciplining individuals who retaliate against employees; and, e) creating an atmosphere of civility in the workplace

where retaliation is not tolerated. When an employee makes a claim of discrimination against the employer, it is important that the employer does not confront the employee or take any adverse action against him or her. Instead, the employer should contact an attorney and determine a strategy to deal with the complaint. It

MEDIOIMAGES/Photodisc

may be that the issue raised by the employee has merit under the law and has to be resolved. What an employer does not want to do is create another legal headache by having retaliated against the employee for filing the complaint. That headache may linger long after it is found that the employer did not discriminate against the employee.

BETTERbusiness

Scammers scheming to swindle businesses with phony awards, prizes Ask questions. Learn everything you can about who is giving the award.

Veronica Craker is managing editor of Better Business Bureau Northwest. Contact her at veronica.craker@thebbb. org

We’ve all seen the lists touting “Best Small Towns,” “Best Place for Happy Hour” and even “Best Cup of Coffee.” Some of these “best of” lists even send prizes to the destination or business getting the award. In fact, Billings was recently named “America’s Best Town of 2016” by Outside Magazine and The Billings Gazette is currently hosting its own “Best of Billings” competition to honor the people and businesses who do exemplary work in the area. These accolades might sound like fun, but even fun competitions such as these have attracted scammers hoping to profit from businesses wanting to claim the “best of” title. The con hit close to home for some Montana businesses and nonprofits after an email made the rounds informing them they were the recipient of a “Best of Billings” award. In the past few months the Better Business Bureau serving the Northwest has received multiple reports from Montana organizations stating they received a suspicious email claiming they won top billing. But in order to claim their prize they were asked to pay up. Fortunately, the email recipients were smart to report the email, as there is no such award. In less than a month, BBB Scam Tracker received 24 reports from potential victims in the Northwest. Some of the reports claim they were asked to pay anywhere from $149 to $229 to claim the honor and receive a personalized plaque. One of these scam emails even

had a Seattle, Wash., address as its place of business. However, our investigators believe that is likely false information meant to deceive email recipients. The company names attached to these emails include: The Award Program, Business Recognition and Award Connections. So if you get an email from any of these businesses, be skeptical. To avoid being taken in by these con artists BBB recommends the following tips: Ask questions. Learn everything you can about who is giving the award. If it is coming from a mystery company, chances are they simply want your money. Businesses and organizations that offer legitimate awards will usually be willing to provide detailed information on why a specific company received the award. Know the nomination process. Find out who nominated your business for the award. If you didn’t apply for it or the group cannot tell you how you were nominated, chances are the award is not legitimate. Don’t pay. Most legitimate awards do not come with costs to the recipient. If there is a cost, scrutinize it closely. If there is a fee for winning or for receiving a certificate or plaque it could be a scam. Do your research. Check the company’s BBB Business Review at bbb. org to ensure the offer is legit. Many of the business owners who reported the scam to BBB did their own

Jupiterimages

Beware of fake awards designed to swindle businesses.

investigating and found we’ve reported on this scam in the past.

Companies that have fallen victim to these or other scams are encouraged

to report their experience to Better Business Bureau at 206-431-2222 or at bbb.org. September 2016

Business Briefs Local Commerce at a Glance

AlphaGraphics owners honored

At the recent AlphaGraphics annual conference in New Orleans, AlphaGraphics of Billings owners Jake Eaton and Dustin Frost were presented with the AlphaGraphics 2015 Top 10 Sales Award, recognizing the locally-owned center’s annual sales volume as 10th highest among the nearly 300 AlphaGraphics business centers worldwide. AlphaGraphics of Billings, a full service print communications company, is locally owned and operated by Eaton and Frost. Founded in 1994, the firm offers a full range of design services, digital and offset printing, document services, signs, banners, vehicle graphics, finishing, direct marketing and mailing services. “Businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders in all corners of our region have come to know AlphaGraphics Billings as a trusted marketing and communications partner,” the owners said. “Thanks to our top notch team and state-of-the-art technology, that standard of excellence is even gaining recognition throughout our industry with this Top 10 Sales Award.” AlphaGraphics franchises are located in the United States, Brazil, China, Hong

September 2016

Kong, Mexico, Saudia Arabia, credits a culture of employee and the United Kingdom. engagement, striving to be a great place to work and the Wisetail makes unique outdoor way of life Inc. 5000 list Montana has to offer as key Indie tech firm Wisetail, drivers of growth. a leading learning manage“It’s an honor to be recment system provider, is ognized for our employee’s ranked as one of the fastest hard work and dedication growing companies in the to aggressive growth as an U.S. on this year’s Inc. 5000 independent company,” said list. Inc. magazine’s anJustin Bigart, Wisetail CEO. nual ranking provides the “We have long believed that most comprehensive look rejecting venture capital at America’s independent and striving to be a great entrepreneurs and their place to work would result contributions to the nation’s in sustainable high-growth economy. Wisetail is ranked and innovation – this is great the No.1 fastest growing tech validation of those efforts.” firm in Montana followed Just weeks ago, Wisetail by their friends at Elixiter. earned a featured spot on the According to Inc. 5000, the national Great Place to Work annual list celebrates compa- list. In total, companies innies that are the “superhecluded on the 2016 Inc.5000 roes of the U.S. economy. list have achieved a median America’s fastest-growing growth rate of 1,580.5 percent private companies wield over the past three years and powers like strategy, service, created a total of 55,704 jobs. and innovation.” Tax relief OK’d Without a dime of venture capital, Wisetail has for fire losses seen 17 straight quarters of The Montana Department rapid, sustainable growth in- of Revenue encourages Moncluding a 553 percent growth tana property owners whose rate over three years and well homes or other property are over 2,000 percent over four damaged or destroyed duryears. Wisetail attributes the ing wildfire or other natural growth to its #INDIETECH disaster to apply for property philosophy of intentionally tax relief. rejecting venture capital in A property or land owner order to provide customer whose home, outbuildings service that more closely or forest land are partially or resembles the hospitality totally destroyed by natural industry than the software disaster, making the property industry. Wisetail also unsuitable for its previous

use, may be eligible for property tax relief. Businesses whose equipment is destroyed may also qualify. The tax relief is prorated based on the number of days in the tax year that the property is unusable. The relief is available for the current tax year. The department asks property owners to complete a natural disaster application to apply for the property tax relief. Property owners need to complete Form AB-25. Forest land owners should do Form AB-26. Application forms are available at all Department of Revenue local offices and on the department’s website at revenue.mt.gov. You can find the department’s local office contacts, phone numbers and addresses for your area at http://revenue.mt.gov/ contact-us#Contact-Information-By-County-919. “Wildfires and other natural disasters can be devastating and we are sorry for Montanans who may lose homes and other property to natural disaster,” said Montana Revenue Director Mike Kadas. “This tax assistance can be significant and help provide some relief as property owners recover from destruction.” The state’s natural disaster property tax relief also covers properties damaged by flood or wind. Montana property owners

who experience a natural disaster-related loss of a dwelling also may be eligible for an income tax deduction. In addition, the department can issue replacement copies of property records, pastyear income tax returns, or other revenue-related information that is lost in a tornado. For more information, contact your local Department of Revenue office. You can also phone the call center toll free at (866) 859-2254, or visit the department’s website at revenue.mt.gov.

and asked her to fill out a T-91 form. The information was to be sent to both the IRS and BBB in order to cover any taxes she owed on the prize. This is just a snapshot of incidents reported to BBB. Please remember that Better Business Bureau does not operate or partner with groups who hold lotteries, and will never ask consumers to wire money in order to claim a prize. BBB offers the following advice on fake calls and emails: Verify first. If you receive a phone call from BBB and BBB warns are uncertain of its accuracy, of scam calls ask for the caller’s name and No one is immune from then hang up. Then lookup having their identity stolen, your local BBB office at bbb. org. Call the number listed not even Better Business online and ask to speak with Bureau. Reports have been coming in to BBB offices and the person who called you. Check the email. BBB on Scam Tracker regarding does not use Gmail or Yahoo individuals claiming to be email addresses to commuworking with BBB. An Alaska man told us he nicate. Your local BBB uses got a call from a man named emails ending in @thebbb. org. “James Stewart” stating he Don’t open. Never click was holding a prize package for him. The Alaska man on links or attachments from unknown third parties. This reports the caller told him he was working with BBB to puts you at risk from downloading viruses or opening send him the package and malicious websites. requested he wire money in For more consumer order to get the prize. In Washington, a woman protection tips and information on BBB investigations, reports she received a call from someone named “Troy visit bbb.org/northwest. To report an incident to Scam McMillon.” The caller told her she won a lottery through Tracker, visit www.bbb.org/ Publisher’s Clearing House scamtracker.

Business Briefs Success Stories Recognizing People Local and Commerce Achievements at a Glance

Leadership Montana names 2017 class Leadership Montana announced the selection of 44 community, business, education, healthcare, nonprofit and government leaders from across the state for the Class of 2017. These influential community members make up the 13th class of the prestigious program. Leadership Montana presents an annual seven session program of leadership development, education about issues facing Montana today, and opportunities for networking and collaboration. This year’s class will begin in September 2016 at Big Sky for the Orientation and Retreat and conclude with Graduation in Billings in April 2017. Other program sites this year will include Dillon, Butte, Arlee, Missoula, Helena, Shelby, Great Falls, and Miles City. To date, there are more than 500 graduates of the program representing more than 50 communities across the state. Leadership Montana alumni serve in key leadership positions in businesses, education, government, healthcare, non-profit organizations, and community boards. “Big Sky: Lyndsey Owens, Big Sky Resort. Billings: Marci McLean, Western Native Voice; Jason Euell, US Bank; Jennifer Carmody, Billings Clinic; Karen Costello, St. Vincent Healthcare-SCL Health; D.J. Clark,

Sanderson Stewart; Bria Farren, First Interstate Bank; Kevin Vralsted , Rocky Mountain Bank; Toby O’Rourke, Kampgrounds of America, Inc.; Bryan Peterson, Associated Employers. Bozeman: Mary Peterson - Eagle Mount Bozeman; E.J. Porth, Gallatin Valley Land Trust; Sandy Sward, Montana State University. Butte: Kelly Lee, Butte Silver-Bow Government. Colstrip: Walter Shaw, Western Energy Co. Glasgow: Sarah Partridge, Farm Equipment Sales, Inc. Great Falls: Kyle Herda, First Interstate Bank; Cari Yturri, Retired; Diane Wright, American Red Cross of Montana; Keith Cron, CTA Architects Engineers. Havre: Jim Bennett, MSUNorthern Alumni Foundation. Helena: Adrienna Hines, McKesson: Andy Shirtliff, Montana Governor’s Office of Economic Development; Andrew Metroka, Montana State Fund; Sean Slanger, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana; Peter Johnson, Opportunity Bank of Montana; Jeffrey Key, Robert Peccia and Associates, Inc.; Aaron Pratt, Montana Department of Commerce; Molly Kruckenberg, Montana Historical Society. Kalispell: Danielle Coffman, Crowley Fleck PLLP; Don Chery, Glacier Bancorp; Lolo: Daniel Snyder, Neptune Aviation Services. Manhattan: Jake Feddes, Feddes Red Angus. Missoula: Jamey McHugh, Allegiance Benefit Plan Management, Inc.; Hatton Littman, Missoula

Commerce announces the promotion of one staff member and the addition of three new staff members. Daniel Brooks takes on the role of government affairs manager, a position connected to local, state and federal public policy. Brooks has been with the Chamber since 2015 as the member and visitor services Gaertner named assistant. Prior to audit officer his employment at the Erin Gaertner has been Billings Chamber, he served his promoted to compliance audit country in the United States officer at Stockman Bank. Her Marine Corps with a total of responsibilities include planthree deployments to Iraq. ning, conducting and reporting He attained his bachelor’s Erika Ferris on various risk-based internal degree in political science from joins SAM compliance audits; tracking MSU and a master’s degree Erika Ferris recently joined regulatory and bank policy in international affairs from Stockman Asset Managechanges; and evaluating bank Boston University. Contact him ment, Inc. (SAM) as a portfolio products and services to assist at 406-869-3733 or Daniel@ manager. Ferris brings over 17 with the audit risk assessment billingschamber.com. years of experience in investfor Stockman Bank’s 34 stateMichele Flanagan began as ment services to the position. wide locations. the member and visitor services Her responsiGaertner has been with assistant this month. Born and bilities include Stockman Bank since 2011. She raised in Billings, Flanagan portfolio most recently served as a com- attended two years at MSUB. management pliance auditor and prior to that Prior to joining the Billings and client ser- was a credit analyst/commercial Chamber, she worked 18 years vices. She will loan assistant at the Stockman in the medical field. Reach her also provide Bank Billings Downtown locaat Michele@billingschamber. consulting com or (406) 869-3722. tion. Gaertner earned her bacheFERRIS services on Brenda Maas recently joined lor’s degree in mathematics and employer business administration-finance the Visit Southeast Montana sponsored retirement plans. option, graduating Magna Cum team as marketing manager. A Montana native, she She brings more than 20 years Laude from Montana State earned her bachelor’s degree University-Billings in 2011. She of communication experience in business accounting from also holds a Certified Regulatory to the position, most recently as Montana State University. Ferris Compliance Manager (CRCM) managing editor with the Billis active in the community as ings Gazette’s niche publicacertification. an advisory board member for tions department producing the Alzheimer’s Association for Chamber names the award-winning Magic Montana. She was previously a new staffers magazine plus Big Sky Bride The Billings Chamber of member of the Junior League of and other specialty publicaCounty Public Schools; Joseph Racicot, Montana Rail Link, Inc.; Amy Coseo, Studio Verde Creative; Deborah Johnston, Morrison-Maierle, Inc. Red Lodge: Amy Hyfield, O.P. and W.E. Edwards Foundation. Ringling: Nancy Schlepp, Tintina Resources; Sidney: Paula Eberling, 7th Judicial Victim Witness Program; Kelly Reisig, Sidney-Richland County Public Library. Stevensville: Christa LeCoure, PayneWest Insurance; Whitefish: Alan Satterlee, Glacier Symphony and Chorale, Inc.

Billings and Breakfast Exchange Club. Ferris is located at 402 North Broadway and may be reached at 655-3960. Stockman Asset Management is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser and a wholly owned subsidiary of Stockman Financial Corp.

tions. Maas earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and freelanced in multiple industries including travel. She will promote tourism for Southeast Montana (one of six tourism regions in the state), lead familiarization tours and oversee the region’s collaborative marketing and advertising campaigns. Learn more at www.southeastmontana.com or Visit Southeast Montana on Facebook. Maas can be reached at brenda@southeastmontana.com or (406) 294-5270. Luke Ashmore has been the Visit Billings Visitor Information Center assistant since spring 2016. He works closely with the volunteers in the Visitor Information Center to guide visitors to our community. He is Billings born and raised, a West High graduate, and is currently working toward an English degree at MSUB. Ashmore can be reached at 406-869-3737 or VIC@VisitBillings.com. Marcell Bruski is completing an internship with the Billings Chamber and Visit Billings. She works closely with the events and the convention services teams. Bruski is a Montana native, raised in Ekalaka. Now living in Billings, she will be a Senior at Rocky Mountain College pursuing a degree in Business Administration. Bruski can be reached at (406) 245-4111 or intern@ billingschamber.com. September 2016

Residential Permits Addition Single/ Duplex/Garage 105 Legends Way, Rupsis, Thomas P., $4,300 2001 11th Ave. N., David McFarlan, $6,000 259 Ave. F, Healy, Donna and Robert E., Les Nouveau MilieuxBob Habeck, $8,000 2714 Treasure Drive, Lackey, Darryl L., $3,360 2820 Oakland Drive, Blaylock, Donald B., Schaefer, $960 2820 Oakland Drive, Jensen, Heidi C., Schaefer Remodel & Repair, $960 3739 Rimrock Road, Halter, Allen J. and Debra A., $50,000 1260 Calendula Circle, Chevalier, Gary D. and Crystal K., $4,050 2986 Daystar Drive, Castro, Bonnie, Beacon Trades, $8,000 92 Skyline Drive, Davis, Wesley E. and Rhonda L., $14,000 1705 Elaine St., Romito, Donn T. and Constance R., Northwest Building And Design LLC, $71,000 2632 Lewis Ave., Sauers, William C. and Camille, $6,480 1710 Judd Circle, Vondra Family Revocable Trust, HMC, $27,000

Demolition 338 Miles Ave., Bird, Travis and Lauren, Double S Contracting Inc., $5,000 409 Cook Ave., Gabriel Erich-Emil, Yochum Contracting Inc., $6,000

Addition Single/ Duplex/Garage

Doucette, Jeremiah, $199,685

Moving Permit 4549 Palisades Park Drive, Toepfer, Stephen

New Garage 855 Lynch Drive, Christoferson, Jason and Melissa, $47,040 2103 Constellation Trail, Witham, Jacob J., $40,320 2921 Glenwood Lane, Nickoloff, Theresa Marie, $25,480 6219 Golden Eagle Court, Eklund, Kris L. and Jeanette J., Ban Construction Corp., 46,620 2418 Custer Ave., Curnow, Charles H. and Cynthia C., $24,480 1023 N. 31st St., Huschka, Steven W. and Mary M., $35,280 102 Lewis Ave., Smith, Blanchard Drake III and T., Heritage Development LLC, $20,790 1532 Lynn Ave., Powell, Clifford, TRG Guzman Construction, $20,160 735 Ave. C, Boggess, Douglas W., $34,895

New Pool/Spa 3534 Corbin Drive, Boucher, Wade D. Michelle S., Watco, $64,000 2607 Augusta Lane, Beeter Family Trust, Thompson Construction Co. Inc., $15,000

New Single Family

2941 W. Copper Ridge Loop, 2409 Nina Clare Road, Copper Ridge Development

September 2016

LLC, Bob Pentecost Construction, $304,900 5859 Summerwood Circle, Cougar Construction, $458,030 6117 Timbercove Drive, Regal Land Development Inc., Wells Built Homes Inc., $301,345 1115 Pumpkin Cove, J&M Development, $166,340 1802 Island View Drive, McCall Development Inc., $178,255 2105 Plenty View Drive, Better Building Technologies, Pierson Jensen Construction Co. $298,000 3623 Colton Blvd., Better Building Technologies, Pierson Jensen Construction Co., $300,000 5202 Amherst Drive, Hanser Construction Co., $193,325 1749 W. Thunder Mountain Road, Jeff Junkert Construction Inc., $212,065 2347 Glengarry Lane, Hanser, Scott P. and Janelle L., Kisling Quality Builders, $296,710 1728 Songbird Drive, McCall Development Inc., $239,350 1814 Island View Drive, McCall Development Inc., $167,880 2506 Blue Moon Court, Design Builders Inc., Sfr $237,990 2125 Sierra Vista Circle, Jeff Kreitzberg Homes, $171,450 2117 Marisela St., Jeff Kreitzberg Homes, $176,505 2131 Largo Circle, Oakland Built Homes Inc. $153,345 2922 W. Copper Ridge Loop, Neal and Gayle Cayton, $310,000 2234 W. Hollow Brook Drive, J&J Boyer LLC, Design Builders Inc. $323,930 1430 Jean Ave., Trevor Sherner, Had Inc., $254,470 1429 Emma Ave., Felton

Associates Inc., Ketchum Construction & Woodworks Inc., $245,725 2109 Marisela St., Infinity Homes LLC, $179,020 422 Boca Raton Road, Ron S. Hill Living Trust, $195,770 430 Boca Raton Road, Specialized Construction Inc., $195,050 4622 Elk Ridge Trail, Granite Peak Builders LLC, $371,882 3083 W. Copper Ridge Loop, Bob Pentecost Construction, $321,000 1719 W. Thunder Mountain Road, Jeff Junkert Construction Inc., $237,455 1919 Stony Meadow Lane, McCall Development $162,740 5619 Mountain Front Ave., Trails West Homes LLC, $249,275 1713 Savona St., Ray and Dave LLC, R&R Builders, $155,995 1717 Savona St, Ray and Dave LLC, R&R Builders $155,995 905 North Fork Trail, Trails West Homes LLC, $207,890 1501 Carson Way, L&L Construction LLC, $188,980 650 Winter Green Drive, L&L Construction LLC, $176,300 3611 Colton Blvd., Better Building Technologies, Pierson Jensen Construction, $234,230 1913 Stony Meadow Lane, McCall Development, $167,805 2127 Largo Circle, Oakland Built Homes Inc., $160,245 1214 Daybreak Drive, Wells Built Homes Inc., $184,995 2717 Burlwood Drive, Classic Design Homes Inc., $260,400 1280 Topanga Ave., Green Jeans LLC, $209,945 1549 Topanga Ave., Dawson Builders Inc., $180,375 2135 Del Mar St., RJ Mac

Homes Inc., $185,995 3217 Harrier Lane, Aviara Inc., Trent Buscher Construction, $244,300 1561 Topanga Ave., Dawson Builders, $180,375 1145 Vineyard Way, Mountain Vertical Contractors LLC, $280,729 2925 W. Copper Ridge Loop, Bob Pentecost Construction, $279,000 1266 Twin Lakes Drive, Art Ahl, Art Work Builders, $192,195 1262 Twin Lakes Drive, Art Ahl, Art Work Builders, $192,195 1244 Twin Lakes Drive, Art Ahl, Art Work Builders, $192,195 2121 Sierra Vista Circle, Oakland Built Homes Inc., $153,345 2122 Sierra Vista Circle, Oakland Built Homes Inc., $151,605 2117 Sierra Vista Circle, Oakland Built Homes Inc., $160,245 2118 Sierra Vista Circle, Oakland Built Homes Inc., $161,770 4729 Gold Creek Trail, Classic Design Homes, $235,185 2119 Del Mar St., Jeff Kreitzberg Homes, $176,505 1834 Island View Drive, McCall Development $149,760 1606 Songbird Drive, McCall Development Inc., $197,810 1931 Stony Meadow Lane, $165,805 2127 Del Mar St., Oakland Built Homes Inc., $160,245 1526 Snowy River Lane, River Front Point LLC, Wells Built Homes Inc., $299,325

5920 Foxtail Lane, Foxtail Two LLC, D&D Siding And Construction, $295,070 826 N. 16th St., Doug Brown, Norse Builders, $252,030 828 N. 16th St., Doug Brown, Norse Builders, $252,030

Remodel Single/ Duplex/Garage

1125 Custer Ave., Bach, Sue Ellen, One Source Construction LLC, $889 1842 Forest Park Drive, Margrave, Gillian M. and Drew J., One Source Construction LLC, $800 1118 Dickens Ave., Keippel, Jon T. and April Ennis, The Pella Window Store, $1,100 713 Agate Ave., Keeth, Jay D. and Stephanie L., Big Sky Exterior Designs Inc., $2,900 648 Custer Ave., Kuntz, Laurie A., Big Sky Exterior Designs Inc., $3,000 2600 Ranchette Road, Ochsner, Susan A., One Source Construction LLC, $5,000 3540 Racquet Drive, Reitz John and Sheri D., V.W.C. Inc., $1,700 751 Topaz Ave., Douglas, John E. and Phyllis M., C Squared Construction, $750 1239 Crist Drive, Voigt, Kristin L., Ketchum Construction & Woodworks Inc., $17,000 801 Ave. F, Dennis, Charles S. and Doris Mae, C Squared Construction, $500 New Two Family 3445 Lynn Ave., Baird, Kenneth L. Sr. and Mary Jane, Câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3024 Golden Acres Drive, Construction Of Billings, $4,065 Buscher Construction Ltd., 132 Clark Ave., Edie and David Clark, $24,880 $393,020 1945 Custer Ave., Malek, Jean 5922 Foxtail Loop W., MJ M., Advanced Builders, $7,500 Construction Inc., $295,070

Residential Permits 3139 Ave. E, Shriver, Scott and Kimberlee K., Win-Dor Industries, $35,737 2317 Geneva Walk, Walters, David G. and Alexandra J., Servpro Of Billings, $13,700 3150 McMasters Road, Jolliffe, Samuel H. and Trinidad, Tuck Construction, $33,632 3530 Timberline Drive, Curtis and Darcey Frewin, $500 2832 Oakland Drive, Thomas, Sharla M., $500 2116 Monad Road, Zinnecker, Pamela, Alpha-Omega Disaster Repair, $10,000 2222 Woody Drive, Vick, Greg S. and Kathy A., Steadfast Builders, $10,000 1343 Ave. F, Swenson, Blake, Steadfast Builders, $1,500 216 Grand Ave., Finnerty, James G. and Mary J., Erickson’s Construction LLC, $450 2525 Terrace Drive, Brad Certain, Boyce Built LLC, $35,000 1513 Avenue E, Ladas, Mary G., C Squared Construction, $500 3414 Flagstone Drive, Higgins, Bradley S., C Squared Construction, $500 4488 Laredo Place, Molin, Jon D. and Nancy F., C Squared Construction Door, $750 2923 St. Johns Ave., Heinzeroth, Loren D. and Mavis J., C’s Construction Of Billings, $600 2304 Crimson Lane, Pierson, Michelle S. and Mark N., Freyenhagen Construction Inc., $31,000 4031 Audubon Way, Morrison, Russell L. and Mary Lea, Freyenhagen Construction Inc., $20,000 5420 Billy Casper Drive, Daines, David T. and Maribeth W., Lynnrich Inc., $12,400 729 S. Wagner Lane, Natha

neal, Rodda, Peak Contracting, $5,000 3285 Canyon Drive, Johnson, Gregg and Chris, C Squared Construction, $750 1204 Peony Drive, Struck, Matthew and Laurel, C Squared Construction, $750 4516 Grams Court, Lehenbauer, Norbert C., Rocking Spur Roofing And Construction, $5,000 3131 Prairie Drive, Nedens, Robert W., American Exteriors LLC, $4,659 540 Sudan Place, Schenck, Jacob D., and Kathryn C., American Exteriors LLC, $7,377 721 Topaz Ave., Salveson, Loriana L., American Exteriors LLC, $10,119 823 N. 22 St., Chatwood, Larry L. and Evelyn, American Exteriors LLC, $10,440 1146 Nutter Blvd., Scott, David D. and Frances E., American Exteriors LLC, $4,108 1217 25th St. W., Lutheran Church Of The Good Shepherd, Northwest Custom Improvements, $2,000 2220 Lyman Ave., Winkle, Jack M. and Sheryl L., K-Designers, $6,895 521 S. Billings Blvd., Ralph Hanser, $500 4043 Rifle Creek Trail, Romero, Aaron D., $3,000 12327 Wingate Lane, Drange, Terry N. and Kathleen F., C’s Construction Of Billings, $1,182 2020 9 Ave. N., O’Donnell, Melissa A., Messer Construction, $5,000 424 S. 34th St., Brice, Lagreca, $40,000 2602 Yellowstone Ave., Brown, Michael T. and Tami A., JRJ Construction LLC, $500 514 S. 29th St., D’amico An-

thony, K-Designers, $11,498 311 S. 31st St., Kottke, Daniel W. and Michelle L., $3,000 2714 Hanover Circle, Mont Vista Homes LLC, $35,000 025 Cottonwood Blvd., Sinhold, Petra E., $300 409 Normandy Drive, York, Alwyn Leroy & Linda Joy, ABC Seamless Of Billings Inc., $9,585 2532 North Shore Place, Leep, Landy C., Bob Pentecost Construction, $50,000 927 N. 23rd St., Clark, Ray & Terrie, Service Master Restoration By Rimrock Fire Damage Repair, $6,907 2621 Beth Drive, Yoder, Amanda, One Source Construction LLC, $9,500 946 Cook Ave., Reiter, Greg L., American Exteriors LLC, $2,332 2304 Ash St., Germer William C & Susan M., Phil’s Glass, $2,000 3672 Slalom Drive, Nealy, Rod A. and Lynette R., Big Sky Exterior Designs Inc., $895 2235 Ave. B, Whiteman, Norman C. and Angeline, Big Sky Exterior Designs Inc., $2,500 2249 Wabash Path, Gibson, Joseph A. and Bernice M., $500 111 Ardmore Drive, Cox, Patrick J. Emily R., Castellano Enterprises Inc., $4,000 2020 Wentworth Drive, Sullivan, Michael A. and Judith M., Lynnrich Inc. $1,795 3757 San Juan Drive, Schulke, Cody and Sarah, Lynnrich Inc., $3,325 1807 Yellowstone Ave., Cumin, Shauna Kerr, $10,000 2613 Missouri St., Fosjord, Gerald Edwin and Phyllis, American Exteriors LLC, $6,086 2607 Augusta Lane, Beeter

Family Trust, Thompson Construction Co. Inc., $15,000 2941 W. Copper Ridge Loop, Copper Ridge Development LLC, Bob Pentecost Construction Inc., $304,900 5859 Summerwood Circle, Cougar Construction, $458,030 6117 Timbercove Drive, Regal Land Development Inc., Wells Built Homes Inc., $301,345 1115 Pumpkin Cove, J&M Development, $166,340 1802 Island View Drive, McCall Development Inc., $178,255 2105 Plenty View Drive, Better Building Technologies, Pierson Jensen Construction Co., $298,000 3623 Colton Blvd., Better Building Technologies, Pierson Jensen Construction Co., $300,000 5202 Amherst Drive, Hanser Construction Co., $193,325 1749 W. Thunder Mountain Road, Jeff Junkert Construction Inc., $212,065 2347 Glengarry Lane, Hanser Scott P. and Janelle L., Kisling Quality Builders, $296,710 3024 Kincaid Road, Dimond, Travis H. and Kristin N., Win-Dor Industries, $12,850 550 Sprint Circle, Granneman, Jacob Andrew, American Exteriors LLC, $851 1214 Ave. D, Allen, Elza L. and Jean B., American Exteriors LLC, $10,700 2812 Vermillion Drive, Henning, William J. and Carol A., American Exteriors LLC, $6,131 337 31st St. W., Eaton, Connie M. and Larry D., The Pella Window Store, $800 828 Kyhl Lane, Black, Diane L., American Exteriors LLC, $5,180

1330 Ave. F., Landis, Thomas W., American Exteriors LLC, $3,933 1037 Alderson Ave., Peycke, John T. and Ann L., American Exteriors LLC, $13,647 4634 Phillip St., Kuhlman, Kelvin Charles and Vada, American Exteriors LLC, $9,316 1216 Cresthaven Way, Trafton, Wayne A. and Michelle E., Northwest Building And Design LLC, $14,234 1205 12th St. W., Oakes, Daniel G. and Nancy E., Craigo Construction, $1,500 56 Shadow Place, Gardner, Kyle and Rosa, Win-Dor Industries, $1,982 3329 Winchell Lane, Mohammed, Ariej B., One Source Construction LLC, $6,250 1209 Ave. F, Harper, Stephanie J., ABC Seamless Of Billings Inc., $2,837 474 Bunting St., Leligdowicz, Marian J. and Linda, WinDor Industries, $4,410 805 Aurora Drive, Abel, Brian James, Northwest Custom Improvements, $2,000 615 Aronson Ave., Fenderson, Mark W. and Jessie S., Les Nouveau Milieux-Bob Habeck, $300 613 Shamrock Lane, Oakley Property Solutions, Irish Construction LLC, $18,000 2605 Westfield Drive, Underriner, William P. and Mary S., Sprague Construction, $50,000 2037 Colton Blvd., Pike, Dixine K., C Squared Construction, $300 3027 Ave., Jorgenson, Eugene A., C Squared Construction, $500 1713 Clark Ave., Reintsma, Michael J., Alpha-Omega Disaster Fire Restoration, $9,000 4466 Iron Horse Trail, Dud-

czak, Barbara, Alpha-Omega Disaster, $6,000 4206 Jansma Ave., Robson, Irene L., Dave’s Exteriors Inc., $1,200 1721 Ave. E, Egan, Jeffrey C., One Source Construction LLC, $850 3390 Canyon Drive, Greenfield, Chester R. and Beverly, $4,800 1128 N. 24th St., Goodridge, William W. and Keturah, AlphaOmega Disaster, $7,000 604 25th St. W., Horsman, Aaron J., American Exteriors LLC, $17,826 3024 Kincaid Road, Dimond, Travis H. and Kristin N., Win-Dor Industries $12,850 550 Sprint Circle, Granneman, Jacob Andrew, American Exteriors LLC, $851 1214 Ave. D, Allen, Elza L. and Jean B., American Exteriors LLC, $10,700 2812 Vermillion Drive, Henning, William J. and Carol A., American Exteriors LLC, $6,131 337 31st St. W., Eaton, Connie M. and Larry D., The Pella Window Store, $800 828 Kyhl Lane, Black, Diane L., American Exteriors LLC, $5,180 1330 Ave. F, Landis, Thomas W., American Exteriors LLC, $3,933 1037 Alderson Ave., Peycke, John T. and Ann L., American Exteriors LLC, $13,647 4634 Phillip St., Kuhlman, Kelvin Charles and Vada, American Exteriors LLC, $9,316 1216 Cresthaven Way, Trafton, Wayne A. and Michelle E., Northwest Building And Design LLC, $14,234 1205 12th St. W., Oakes, Daniel G. and Nancy E., Craigo Construction, $1,500 September 2016

Residential Permits 56 Shadow Place, Gardner, Kyle and Rosa, Win-Dor Industries, $1,982 3329 Winchell Lane, Mohammed, Ariej B., One Source Construction LLC, $6,250 1209 Ave. F, Harper, Stephanie J., ABC Seamless Of Billings Inc., $2,837 474 Bunting St., Leligdowicz, Marian J. and Linda, Win-Dor Industries, $4,410 805 Aurora Drive, Abel, Brian James, Northwest Custom Improvements, $2,000 615 Aronson Ave., Fenderson, Mark W. and Jessie S., Les Nouveau Milieux-Bob Habeck, $300 613 Shamrock Lane, Oakley

Property Solutions, Irish Construction LLC, $18,000 2605 Westfield Drive, Underriner, William P. and Mary S., Sprague Construction Roofing LLC, $50,000 2037 Colton Blvd., Pike Dixine K, C Squared Construction, $300 7/12/2016 3027 Ave. F, Jorgenson, Eugene A., C Squared Construction, $500 1713 Clark Ave., Reintsma, Michael J., Alpha-Omega Disaster Fire Restoration, $9,000 4466 Iron Horse Trail, Dudczak, Barbara, Alpha-Omega Disaster, $6,000 4206 Jansma Ave., Robson, Irene L., Dave’s Exteriors Inc.,

$1,200 1721 Ave. E, Egan, Jeffrey C., One Source Construction LLC, $850 3390 Canyon Drive, Greenfield, Chester R. and Beverly, $4,800 1128 N. 24th St., Goodridge, William W. and Keturah, AlphaOmega Disaster, $7,000 6403 Western Bluffs Blvd., Wagenhals Enterprises Inc., $26,000 204 19th St. W., White, Trina and William F., Craigo Construction, $1,000 2410 Spruce St., O’Brien, Dennis K., North-South Building Inc., $45,000

5340 Merlot Lane, Matson, Jennifer L. and Brandon J., EEC Inc., $22,500 2320 41st St. W., Harman, Julie, One Source Construction LLC, $2,783 2525 Broadwater Ave., Moretto, Michael J., Northwest, $1,700 654 Aries Ave., Hentz, John L., K-Designers, $3,932 442 Custer Ave., Schaffer, Kristi B., $1,000 3854 Parkhill Drive, Barry, Thomas J. and Valerie R., C’s Construction Of Billings, $1,422 2626 Country Lane, Chartier, Scott D. and Basilia E., One Source Construction LLC, $712 507 S. 33 St., David Black-

man, Big Sky House Moving Inc., $5,000 4435 Ridgewood Lane S., Egan, Rebecca O. and Lance M., C’s Construction Of Billings, $14,443 Single/Duplex/Garage 2721 E. Bridger Drive, Ross Marjory L., JP Builders, $37,200 3482 Canyon Drive, Anderson, Herbert Rory, $8,000 604 25th St. W., Horsman, Aaron J., American Exteriors LLC, $17,826

do Place, June 7. Angela Lynn Pawiroredjo, 412 18th St. W., June 15. Gregory C Wegner PO BOX 412 Laura Katherine Lake, 4404 Jayhawks Way No. 4, June 15. Brian Anthony Spiering, 1140 Centennial St., July 16. Curtis James Cook, 1600 Avenue E No. 39, June 20. Matthew Jason Welch, 511 Eighth Ave., Laurel, June 21 Gregory C. Wegner, P.O. BOX 412, Hardin, June 22. Adrianna Brown, 2901 Monad Road Apt. 179, June 22. Jesse Romero, 2413 Montana Ave., June 22.

Kristen Faye Morris, 927 Cook Ave., June 23. Jason Robert Fortun, Amy Nicole Bruce, 1225 Avenue D, June 27. Julie Ann DeShazer, 1001 S. 27th St., June 28. Augusta Lee Bennett, 5206 Rimrock, June 28. Scott A. Blakesley, Heather C. Blakesley, 3128 Rosemont Way, June 29. Jeremy Lee Weakley, Kristina Nicole Weakley, 2224 U.S. Highway 87E #113, June 29. Amber Mae Woodard, 1315 Eldorado Drive, June 29. Keegan J. Watson, 451 Freedom Ave., June 29.

Jordan Michael Blahnik, 4 Tartarian St., June 29. Jennifer L Dodson, 301 N. 27th St., Suite 100, June 30. Shelly Kathryn Gobiasky, John Edward Gobiasky 1221 Avenue C, Apt.4, June 30. Judith Ann Baxter-Unterseher, 769 Fallow Lane, Apt. 129, June 30. Darrell A. Austin, 242 Hemlock Drive, July 6. Jesse Newton Roberts, 3455 Old Hardin Road No. 32, July 6. Barbara Jean Taylor, 2625 Burlington Ave., July 6. Travis Kane Shannon, 1611 Morocco Drive, July 7. Barbara Anne Losee, P.O. Box

81, Broadview, July 11 Paul Richard Regudon, 140 Jackson St., July 11. Kelsie Dawn Gabel, 2135 Broadwater Ave., July 12. Ricky Lamore Stops, P.O. Box 51358, July 12. Michael Thomas, 1249 Hwy 87 E., July 14. David Allen Marion, Debra Elaine Marion, 61 Quail Drive, Roundup, July 14. Norman Gregory Kohn, 1705 West Thunder Mountain Road, July 15. Cody Aisenbrey, 109 E. 4th St., Laurel, July 18. Christopher Glenn Hoff, Jane Polly Hoff, 2810 Avalon Road, July

Rory Wanner, 3285 Canyon Drive No. 81, July 20. Kristin Adele Keck, 5308 Frontier Drive, July 25. Casandra Paulette Lee, 2105 Green Valley Drive, July 25. Darrel Duane Torgerson, 61 Nugget Drive, July 27. Jodi Lyn Hibbs, 3547 Briarwood Boulevard, July 28. James David Jenkins, Joyce Elaine Jenkins, 244 Jim St., July 29. Chance Jeremy Schwartz, Tonya Lynn Schwartz, 27 Rock Hill Drive, July 29. Chapter 13 Michael Lee Davis, 922 Yellowstone River Road, D-2, July 1.

Shirley, both of Missoula: Calcium sequestering composition. 9,347,024, May 24, Rivertop Renewables Inc., Missoula. Dave Shuck and Jerry Kolstad, both of Billings; Mark Rapkoch of Laurel; and Grenvil Marquis Dunn of Gauteng, South Africa: Precious metals recovery. 9,347,113, May 24, Stillwater Mining Co., Billings. David Andrew G. Lea of Vancouver, Can., and Kevin J. Negus of Philipsburg: Full duplex backhaul radio with MIMO antenna array. 9,350,411, May 24, CBF Networks Inc., San Jose, Calif. Donald John Roden of Billings: Ornamental design for a

saddlebag modular carrying strap. D756,656, May 24. Daniel H. Lee of Missoula: Ornamental design for a vehicle bumper. D756,861, May 24. Marshall Kerr of Carlsbad, Calif.; David C. Hemink of Draper, Utah; Jiaye Z. Jho of Salt Lake City; Michael J. Vaillancourt of Chester, N.J.; and Matthew R. Trebella of Bozeman: Medical component scrubbing device with detachable cap. 9,352,140, May 31, C.R. Bard Inc., Murray Hill, N.J. John W. Roy of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., and James Bryan Barbula of Livingston: Laser-ablation-based material analysis system with a power/

energy detector. 9,352, 418, May 31, Teledyne Instruments Inc., Thousand Oaks, Calif. Daniel B. Jones of Kalispell: Waste oil burner improved preheater design. 9,353,943, May 31. Barry Lee Brubaker of Kalispell and Gary Byers of Columbia Falls: Charging handle strap. 9,354,004, May 31, Locan Properties LLC, Columbia Falls. Paul Beard of Big Fork and Jeff Walker of Champaign, Ill.: Optical spread spectrum detection and ranging. 9,354,318, May 31, Horizon Hobby LLC, Champaign. Paul J. Miranda of Butte; Corby G. Anderson of Golden,

Colo.; and Edward Rosenberg of Missoula: Styrene based ion exchange resins with oxine functionalized groups. 9,358537, June 7, Montana Tech of the University of Montana, Butte. Steven L. Bahnmiller of Big Sandy: Grain bin vacuum tube extension system for evacuating grain from a grain bin. 9,359,153, June 7, Steven L. Bahnmiller, Big Sandy. Thomas S. Vedvick, Bryan Steadman, Charles Richardson Thomas R. Foubert and Charles R. Petrie, all of Bozeman: Virus like particle purification. 9,359,410, June 7, Takeda Vaccines Inc., Bozeman.

Bioh Kim of Milford, Conn., and Marvin Bernt, Greg Wilson and Paul R. McHugh, all of Kalispell: 9,359,683, June 7, Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara, Calif. Rod Herrick of Whitefish: Bursting head device. 9,360,148, June 7, Roddie Inc., Whitefish. Paul Beard of Bigfork: Servomotor control systems and methods. 9,360,846, June 7, Horizon Hobby Inc., Champaign, Ill. Seth M. Enes of Missoula: Ornamental design for a hub for balanced strap system. D758,078, June 7, Sun Mountain Sports Inc., Missoula.

Call Development, $32,210 1818 Lost Creek Road, McCall Development, $32,210 1818 Lost Creek Road, McCall Development, $32,210 1818 Lost Creek Road, McCall Development, $32,210 1818 Lost Creek Road, McCall Development, $32,210 1818 Lost Creek Road, McCall Development, $32,210 There were 550 Fence/ Roof/Siding residential permits issued in June. Townhome There were 1,127 Fence/ Roof/Siding residential per1818 Lost Creek Road, Mc- mits issued in June and July.

Bankruptcies Billings area petitions filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, June 1- July 31, 2016. Addresses are in Billings unless otherwise noted. Gerard Francis Mcelligott IV, Carissa Christine Mcelligott, 323 1/2 Yellowstone Ave., June 3. Adam J. Trout, Johanna E. Trout, 302 Lewis Ave., June 5. Jennifer Kay Lakel, 1115 1/2 N. 25th St., Junen 6. Patrick Arnold Krebs, Aurora Rose Krebs, 607 N. 31st St. No.5, June 6. Craig Thomas Kuka, 422 Clark Ave., June 6. David McCrorie, 7526 Ovan-

20.

Montana patents Below are listed U.S. patents issued to Montana inventors May 24-July 19, 2016. For assistance in patent filing, call Billings patent attorney Antoinette M. Tease at 406-294-9000. Christine Prill of Billings: Nursing device. 9,345,274, May 24, CMWP LLC, Billings. Todd Throop of Bozeman: Gooseneck towing module and method of use. 9,346,498, May 24, TowHaul Corp., Bozeman. Steven Donnen of Chanhassen, Minn.; Kirk Hash of Drummond; and Tyler Smith of Missoula: Oxidation process. 9,346,736, May 24, Rivertop Renewables Inc., Missoula. Tyler N. Smith and Richard

September 2016

Montana patents Cory G. Kimball of Cincinnati; Daniel W. Price of Loveland, Ohio; William E. Clem of Bozeman; William D. Dannaher of Suzhou, China; Amy L. Marcotte and Ashvani K. Madan, both of Mason, Ohio; Timothy G. Dietz of Terrace Park, Ohio; and Donna L. Korvick of Maineville, Ohio: Method and apparatus for programming modular surgical instrument. 9,364,249, June 14, Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Derek C. Tarrant and Richard M. Bendert, both of Kalispell, and Gerald P. Backer of Southfield, Mich.: Flow cell with shunt current counter electrode. 9,373,861, June 21, ViZn Energy Systems Inc., Columbia Falls. Kevin J. Negus of Philipsburg and James A. Proctor Jr. of

Melbourne Beach, Fla.: Method for installing a hybrid band radio. 9,374-822, June 21, CBF Networks Inc. Gilbert A. Reed of Ennis: Ornamental design for a trophy mount hanger. D759,465, June 21. Ronald Tib Thomsen of Kalispell: Ornamental design for gear box cover plate. D759,739, Concepts in Plastics LLC, Phoenix. Ronald Tib Thomsen of Kalispell: Ornamental design for gear box cover plate. D759,740, June 21, Concepts in Plastics LLC, Phoenix. Dusty C. Schwenke of Harlem: Cattle feeder. 9,374,980, June 28, Little Shell Enterprises Inc., Frenchtown. Nicole Smith of Denver and Noel Erwin Palmer of Boze-

man: Transdermal cannabinoid formulations. 9,375,417, June 28, Mary’s Medicinals LLC, Denver. Christopher J. Burns of Melvern, Pa.; Denis Daigle of Havre de Grace, Md.; Bin Liu of Dayton, N.J.; Daniel McGarry of Exton, Pa.; Daniel C. Pevear of Downington, Pa.; Robert E. Lee Trout of Collegeville, Pa.; and Randy W. Jackson of Livingston: Beta-lactamase inhibitors. 9,376,454, June 28, VenatoRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Malvern. John Pantano of Butte: Increased resource recovery by inorganic and organic reactions and subsequent physical actions that modify properties of the subterranean formation which reduces produced water waste and increase resource utilization via stimulation of

biogenic methane generation, 9,376,901, June 28 Kevin Burgess of Sheridan, Wyo., and David Yakos and Bryan Walthall of Bozeman: Leak-free rotary valve with internal worm gear. 9,377,121, June 28, Big Horn Valve Inc., Sheridan, Wyo. William S. Treadwell of Darby: Method and apparatus for the protection of information in a device upon separation from a network. 9,378,379, June 28, Bank of America Corp., Charlotte, N.C. John R. Welty III: Jump rope. 9,381,391, July 5, Fastarrow LLC. Thomas M. Gregory of Boise, Idaho; Robert A. Kincaid of Bozeman; Clifton L. Cook of Sheridan, Wyo.; and Eric M. Yeates and Thomas A. Marx, both of Virginia Beach, Va.: Lockable holster. 9,383,165, July 5, Vista Outdoor Opera-

tions LLC, Clearfield, Utah. Lee E. Cannon of Bozeman: Multi-Player bingo game with multiple cards per player. 9,384,636, July 5, IGT, Las Vegas. Anthony James Cochenour of Bozeman: Behavioral model based malware protection system and method. 9,386,034, July 5, Hoplite Industries Inc., Bozeman. Boyd Bowdish of Los Gatos, Calif., and John Hammerman of Bozeman: Controlled environment expander. 9,388,944, July 12, Reflect Scientific Inc., Orem, Utah. Robert C. Ewell of Ballston Spa, N.Y.; Douglas L. Garmany of Pineland Texas; Charles T. Kelly of Houston; and Charles Philip Wasilewski of Great Falls: Device and method for moni-

toring a heating appliance. 9,389,020, July 12, Stovminder LLC of Houston. Mohamed Naguib Attala of Houston and Philippe Diaz of Missoula: Heterocyclic modulators of cannabinoid receptors. 9,394,267, July 19, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland. Timothy R. Feldamn of Louisville, Colo.; James Prescott of Palo Alto, Calif.; and Martin R. Furuhjelm of Hamilton: Objectbased commands with access control identifiers. 9,396,350, July 19, Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, Calif. Lee E. Cannon of Bozeman and Don G. DuPerault of Las Vegas: Method, apparatus and system for perpetual bonus game. 9,396,607, July 19, IGT, Las Vegas.

Kelly Services Global LLC, 2060 Overland Ave., Suite B, 652-2070 Marstaeller Construction And Roofing, 821 E. First Ave., Suite 16, 690-6944 Boyce Built LLC, Laurel, 5397720 Cardno Inc., Petaluma, Calif., 720-257-5800 Mentzer Homes And Construction, 318-1/2 Seventh St. W., 321-2311 Bulldawg Roofing & Construction, 1511 Poly Drive, 2811164 Shortbed Sheeks, 1015-1/2 Miles Ave., 674-9892 Montana Native Woodworking, Worden, 690-8960 Independent Inc., Miles City, 670-1444 SF Builders, 615 St. Johns Ave., 861-8020 Sarah Blades Consulting, 2925 Gregory Drive, 697-6391 Girts Kalnins/Zane Zolmane/Davis Fridvals, 805 Ae. F, 861-2527 Summers Sprinkler Systems, 5806 Kit Lane N., 8601545 Williamson Enterprises, 3290 Castle Pines Drive, 8506572 Timberline Creations, 4657 Pine Hills Road, 698-3539 Lone Crest Home Repair,

1606 Lone Crest Circle, 7947051 Maxwell’s Construction, Hardin, 491-6720 Tuck Construction, 2309 Nina Clare Road, 581-9132 Gounite LLC, 2900 Lynwood Drive, 272-2102 SAS Roofing And Contractors, 804 Hillview Lane, 8999941 Taylormade Restoration LLC, Delaware, Ohio, 614-9610612 Cavalry, 4200 Rimrock Road, 281-1615 Pro Plus Construction, Roofing & Siding LLC, Gillette, Wyo., 318-9776 Sparks Inc., 2225 S. 54th St. W., 656-0980 Team Construction LLC, Butte, 782-8327 Alpha Septic & Sewer Inc., 1250 Vineyard Way, 281-2585 Practical Auto, 2010 Main St. Crochet By J, 3536 Monad Road, 350-2905 Daly’s Heating & Cooling, 9305 Rudio Road, 672-9158 Billings Tech Guys LLC, 2961 Providence Place, 534-9565 Big Horn Roofing And Construction, 5302 Clemson Drive, 850-1219 JDR Solutions LLC, 3201 Hesper Road, Suite 5, 371-7177

Robert A. Payton, Cody, Wyo., 307-899-4166 Ace Roofing, 7950 Eland Ave., 794-3223 Quilted Pony, 5350 Molo Road, 861-8252 Frog Fanny Gutters, 920 Harvard Ave., 208-4534 Laird Tree Service, 1820 Miles Ave., 731-445-9795 Fladland Construction, 1220-1/2 Custer Ave., 861-4675 Capstone Construction, 3305 Eighth Ave. S., 690-8650 Hometek LLC, 3038 Mactavish Circle, 855-0642 JKT Enterprises, 16 Maier Road, 208-5500 Paul Perry Construction, Red Lodge, 598-2730 Happy Homes LLC, Shepherd, 371-6099 Dent Services 2341 Broadwater Ave., 214-402-5668 Steven Calloway, 2260 Monad Road, Unit A, 679-3741 Vagabond Delivery Services, 2306 41 St. W., 591-8421 Miano Construction, Danvers, Mass., 978-539-8077 Serena Anderson Inc., 2414 Ave. N., 969-2323 Squeegee Brothers LLC, 818 Cook Ave., 876-2926 Pryor Mountain Painting & Contracting, Bridger, 425-3638 HMC, Belt, 799-0695 Serious Construction, 1147

Eldora Lane, 633-0418 Charlie The Roofer Plus LLC, Norman, Okla., 304-841-8868 Archadia Lila, 4234 Phillip St., 671-8335 Bruce Sanderson, Gillette, Wyo., 307-363-2323 Obie Family Properties LLC, 3138 Stillwater Drive, 860-7807 406 Property Inspections Inc., 641-1/2 Broadwater Ave., 425-1564 The Wolf Company, 5955 Helfrick Road, 698-5126 MM&P Candy LLC, 820 Shiloh Crossing Blvd., 691-9196 Caty Roofing, 1925 Grand Ave., 575-639-3028 Walker Construction Inc., Belgrade, 388-5575 Red Lodge Glass Windows & Doors LLC, Red Lodge, 4461588 Benson Construction LLC, Laurel, 616-6965 Pinnacle Concierge, 411-1/2 S. 36th St., 839-4218 Jess Mack Yard Care, 2417 Quinn Haven Drive, 281-4125 Big Game Casino, 1327 Main St., 245-3272 Seder Construction and Metal, 2212 Alderson Ave., No. D, 217-7078 Criddle Contracting Heating & Cooling, 2808 Eighth Ave. S., 598-5616 Big Mac Construction, 3409

Rimrock Road, 371-3499 Clark Marsh Construction, 19 Wheatland Road, 672-1464 American Welding & Gas Inc., 2635 Belknap Ave., 237-1122 Philip A. Simpson Systems LLC, 910 S. 29th St., 426-8300 Katie’s Home Cleaning, 610 Tanglewood Drive, 794-2088 Big Sky Tackle, 1128 Dayton Circle, 208-1772 CBB Outwest 1, 1720 Grand Ave., 969-1682 Morast Maintenance & Repair, 409 Bonnie Lane, 8613880 WYJ Construction, 110 Yellowstone Ave., 591-0011 Terakedis Fine Art, 112 N. 28th St., Suite B, 696-0149 Billings365, 2961 Colonial Place, 860-1659 PJA Construction, 3606 Terry Ave., 281-2768 Moss & Floret, 517 Nelson Drive, 672-6327 The Birthday Suites, 813 16th St. W., 850-8113 Lawn Leverlers, 1921 11th Ave. N., 699-0103 Davies Electric LLC, 2011 Pryor Lane, 579-4761 Lavonne Kent, Harlowton, 855-9127 Ochoa’s Construction, 717 N. 31st St., 214-732-5385 BRS Construction, 2007 Ash St., 320-0242

Business licenses The following business licenses were filed with the city of Billings in June of 2016. Acme Auto Sales & Services LLC, 700 Fourth Ave. N., 8399786 Kayla Lee Wellness, 4611 Cheyenne Trail, 606-0497 Petsmart Inc. #3027, 1547 Main St., 371-4890 Wireless Revolution LLC, 301 S. 24th St. W., 969-4300 Wireless Revolution LLC, 595 Main St., 969-2800 Power Services of Montana Inc., 4025 First Ave. S., 307472-7722 The Lodge Casino, 2701 Gabel Road, 656-1934 Golden Route OperationsMT LLC, 5604 Interstate Ave., 294-0223 Curves, 1238 Central Ave., 651-1911 LBR Management LLC, 317 Clark Ave., 671-8510 Granite Electric LLC, 5145 Coneflower Ave., 671-7919 Constructing Impressions Inc., 2632 Cook Ave., 671-8981 Beyond The Box, 724 First Ave. N., 245-6981 Designated Interpreters LLC, 2020 Cook Ave. Resort Vacation Offers Inc., 1925 Grand Ave., 559-3700 Daltan Kennels And Diffusers, 911 Third St. W., 580-2445

September 2016

Business licenses Parks Garage Doors, 11171/2 Terry Ave., 498-2044 EV Construction, 2015 Ave. C., 861-6479 Darin Zanto Builders, 3079Hunters Ridge Loop, 3903354 CTC Concrete & Construction, Columbus, 696-5347 Envy Nails & Spa, 1901 Broadwater Ave., No. 6, 8942720 Orr Street Electric LLC, Miles City, 234-6340 XTreme Cabinets and Coun-

tertops LLC, 1943 Beverly Hill Blvd., 698-0632 Anixter Inc., 1723 Lamplighter Drive, 847-834-6269 Reno Built, 2508 S. 64th St. W., 694-9508 Jesse Blake Photography, 1632 Wagon Wheel Road, No. 1, 696-7715 MDZ Exteriors LLC, 101 Ave. C, 303-585-1350 A.B.S. construction, 328 Terry Ave., No. B, 980-1276 Duckett Masonry, 640 Joyce St., 860-2494

Jon Hagstrom Construction, 24 Gold Pan Lane, 697-1649 Man Maid Residential Cleaning, 1187 Hemingway Ave., 6718317 Atlas Construction & Restoration, 607 26th St. W., 2703382 Bell’s Custom Automotive LLC, 2549 Enterprise Ave., 9276556 L&L Roofing, 1644 Picador Place, 860-9982 ER Construction, 3918 Victory Circle, No. 704, 806-418-

3442 Montana’s Best Vending LLC, 269 Brookshire Bldvd., 425-4907 CK Roofing & Construction, 2316 Sunnyview Lane, 6960897 Magic City Fashion Week, 205 N. 23rd St., No. 6, 478-6105 South Central Treatment Associates, 304 Grand Ave., 2454566 Grand Avenue Professional Building, 304 Grand Ave., 2454566

Nakota Analysis C., 2224 Hwy. 87E., No. 238, 301-2546 Chatham LLC, 2964 Gregory Drive S., 690-9117 DJ’s Novelty & Toys, 2303 Wingate Lane, 839-8618 Berglee Construction LLC, Joliet, 690-9329 Barger Platinum Plumbing, 302 Jackson St., No. 36, 6230987 Exterior Performance LLC, 1918 Shiloh Road, 405-3088644 Larry Powell Mountainside

Excavating, 938 Saddle Lane, 861-4944 The One Percent Gallery, 1140 First Ave. N., 647-9865 Custom Crafted Structures, 3030 Stillwater Drive, 861-5309 Back To Black Seal Coating, 1909 Ave. B., 647-3405 S3 Technology Group Inc., 2105 Central Ave., Suite 300, 696-5052 CPR Roofing, 327 Sandy Lane, 245-2886 EG Services LLC, 3970 Snowberry Drive, 850-4617

2802 Grand Ave., G&L Enterprizes Inc., $14,500 2681 Monad Road, MFM Capital LLC, Exterior Design Solutions, $19,000 1907 Rehberg Lane, Longfellow, Dale E. and Kathy, Allen’s Siding, $12,900 3650 Decathlon Parkway, Boyer Properties LLC, G.M. Construction & Roofing, $24,000 2250 Ave. C, Chamberlain, Jeff J., Sprague Construction Roofing Division, $18,000 3650 Decathlon Parkway, LLC, G.M. Construction & Roofing, $25,000 1536 Yellowstone Ave., Raines, Sara L., Tailwind Management LLC, $10,500 1540 Yellowstone Ave., Robbins, Mindy J., Tailwind Management LLC, $10,500 1544 Yellowstone Ave. Reaves, Kimberley D., Tailwind Management LLC, $10,500 1537 Wyoming Ave., Miller Brenda D., Tailwind Management LLC, $10,500 1541 Wyoming Ave., Martwig, Molly, Tailwind Management LLC, $10,500 150 N. 9th St., Green Leaf Land & Livestock Co., Lennick Brothers Roofing & Sheetm Remove Existing And Install Si $18,500 2906 First Ave. N., Neal C. LaFever Trust, Lennick Bros. Roofing & Sheet Metal, $6,000 3980 Parkhill Drive, Highgate Billings LLC, Lyman Exteriors LLC, $128,800 2021 Overland Ave., Billings Association Of Realtors, Dona-

hue Roofing LLC, $28,575 5150 Midland Road, Mountain States Bakeries LLC, Bradford Roof Management Inc., $800,000 1206 Main St., CMYL Inc., Sprague Construction Roofing, $34,000 3650 Decathlon Parkway, Boyer Properties LLC, G.M. Construction & Roofing, $25,000 3429 Briarwood Blvd., The Briarwood, Sprague Construction Roofing, $42,000 2111 Montana Ave., Montana Rail Link, KM Kucera Inc., $10,000 1628 Wembly Place, Lofthus, Cynthia J., Singh Contracting Inc., $43,195 1595 Grand Ave., Boardman, Westpark LLC, Simon Roofing And Sheet Metal Corp., $59,987 2021 Overland Ave., Billings Association Of Realtors, Donahue Roofing LLC, $28,575 5150 Midland Road, Mountain States Bakeries LLC, Bradford Roof Management Inc., $800,000 1206 Main St., CMYL Inc., Sprague Construction Roofing Division, $34,000 3650 Decathlon Parkway, Boyer Properties LLC, G.M. Construction & Roofing, $25,000 3429 Briarwood Blvd., The Briarwood, Sprague Construction Roofing Division, $42,000 2111 Montana Ave., Montana Rail Link, KM Kucera Inc., $10,000 1628 Wembly Place, Lof-

thus, Cynthia J., Singh Contracting Inc., $43,195 1595 Grand Ave., Boardman, Westpark LLC, Simon Roofing And Sheet Metal Corp., $59,987 2302 Rehberg Lane, Bever, Mary Phyllis, Donahue Roofing LLC, $94,123 2601 Central Ave., Target Corp., Centimark Corp., $156,000 2316 Rehberg Lane, McElroy, Nancy Jo, Singh Contracting Inc., $11,817 1430 Country Manor Blvd., Dringle, Joe Jay and Dorothy C., Kimberly Construction, $24,415 2613 Westfield Drive, Royer, William G. and Laverne K., Aspen Contracting Inc., $30,796

1032 Bench Blvd., Billings Storage LLC, $175,098 1032 Bench Blvd., Billings Storage LLC, $63,672 New Parking Lot/NonBuilding Structure 4910 Southgate Drive, America Foods Inc., Mountain Vertical Contractors LLC, $250,000

Commercial Buidling Permits Addition 647 S. 18th St. W., CE Properties LLC, $61,972 2655 Central Ave., Big Sky Holdings LLC, Cucancic Construction Inc., $10,000 2055 Woody Drive, Roman Catholic Bishop Of Great Falls, Dick Anderson Construction, $3,745,000 2250 King Ave. W., ARCP RL Portfolio V LLC, Perfectemp LLC, $40,000 5327 Southgate Drive, Verhey-Romine Real Estate, Jones Construction Inc., $1,000,000 2055 Woody Drive, Roman Catholic Bishop, Dick Anderson Construction St Thomas Church $3,745,000 2250 King Ave. W., ARCP RL Portfolio V LLC, Perfectemp LLC, $40,000 5327 Southgate Drive, Verhey-Romine Real Estate, Jones Construction Inc., $1,000,000 4910 Southgate Drive, American Foods, Lais Development Inc., $150,000

Demolition 415 Broadwater Ave., School District 2, Ostermiller Construction, $152,596 1239 S. 27 St., Stockton, Daniel E. Jr., Marimor Inc., $7,500 610 S. 44th St. W., Interurban Apartment Homes LLC, Mountain Electric Of Montana, $1,050 357 S. 24th St. W., Eden

September 2016

Court Capital LLC, Double S Contracting Inc., $19,000 Fence/Roof/Siding 78 27th St. W., Central Court Village Ltd., Black Canyon Builders LLC, $40,000 4635 Simpson St., Resource Support & Development, ABC Seamless Of Billings Inc., $5,987 4525 Grand Ave., Empire Roofing Inc., $169,000 1200 30 St. W., School District No. 2, Empire Roofing Inc., $109,000 2191 Overlook Drive, The City Of Billings (Airport), $280,566 411 24 St. W., Rowe, Steven J., $14,500 602 N. 16th St., Milan LLC, Rambur Construction Inc., $2,800 1645 Parkhill Drive, Peterson, Jeffrey J. and Pamela K., Design Roofing LLC, $6,800 2395 Rosebud Drive, Kenwood Development LLC, Bradford Roof Management Inc., $74,000 120 S. 34th St., Roman Catholic Bishop Of Great Falls, Emerald Hvac Inc., $40,000 3003 Grand Ave., McDonald’s Corp., B&K Roofing, $10,000 1702 Grand Ave., Shaffner Ranch, Wells Built Homes Inc., $50,000 1511 Poly Drive, Rocky Mountain College, Commercial Roof, $179,000 332 S. Plainview St., Associated Food Stores Inc., Capital Roof & Construction LLC, $192,000

New Warehouse/ Storage 1032 Bench Blvd., Storage LLC, $413,868 1032 Bench Blvd., Storage LLC, $413,868 1032 Bench Blvd., Storage LLC, $405,909 1032 Bench Blvd., Storage LLC, $620,802 1032 Bench Blvd., Storage LLC, $175,098 1032 Bench Blvd., Storage LLC, $63,672 1032 Bench Blvd., Storage LLC, $413,868 1032 Bench Blvd., Storage LLC, $413,868 1032 Bench Blvd., Storage LLC, $405,909 1032 Bench Blvd., Storage LLC, $620,802

Billings Billings Billings Billings Billings Billings Billings Billings Billings Billings

New Store/ Strip Center 2434 Grand Ave., Freedom Montana LLC, EEC Inc., $288,000 New Townhomes (Shell For 3 Or More Units) 1818 Lost Creek Road, McCall Development, $966,280

Remodel 4010 Montana Sapphire Drive, Stockland Properties, Stock Construction Co., $37,001 420 N. 25th St., LGH Properties LLC, Bill Hardy Project, $20,000 824 Shiloh Crossing Blvd., West End Commercial Properties, Colossal Construction, $500 2019 Broadwater Ave., St. Vincent Hospital & Health, Langlas & Associates Inc., $1,200,000 2800 10th Ave. N., Billings Clinic, Jones Construction Inc., $120,000 729 Parkhill Drive, School District No. 2, Cucancic Construction Inc., $132,000

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Commercial Buidling Permits 1201 Kootenai Ave., School District No. 2, Cucancic Construction Inc., $123,000 2100 Ave. C, The City Of Billings, $18,000 2800 10th Ave. N., Billings Clinic, Yellowstone Electric Co., $80,351 1523 14th St. W., Sieben Ranch Co., Fisher Construction Inc., $6,749 501 Grand Ave., Rue Dahlberg Properties LLP, Fisher Construction Inc., $24,000 3115 10th Ave. N., Swords,

Lloyd R. and Joanie T., Neumann Construction, $75,000 3723 Central Ave., School District #2, $45,000 2021 Overland Ave., EHLI Holdings LLC, Bauer Construction Exterior, $25,000 824 Shiloh Crossing Blvd., West End Commercial Properties, Colossal Construction, $85,000 813 16th St. W., Anita Price Birthday Suites, $5,000 2203 Montana Ave., Bar MW Properties LLC, Schenk Con-

struction Inc., $175,000 45 S. 7th St. W., St. Vincents’s Hospital and Billings Deaconess, Mechanical Technology Inc., $150,000 50 27 St. W., 4M Properties, Matt Caudill Construction LLC, $54,000 5327 Southgate Drive, Verhey-Romine Real Estate Partnership, Jones Construction Inc., $8,000 1220 10 St. W., Church Of Christ Of Billings, $4,500 1433 Wyoming Ave., Mc-

Donald Land Company Limited, Cucancic Construction Inc., $50,000 1611 High Sierra Blvd., Yellowstone County AT&T, $45,000 27 N. 27th St., Makenna Hotel Investments LLC, Colgan Construction, $3,400 1611 High Sierra Blvd., Yellowstone County AT&T, $45,000 27 N. 27th St., Makenna Hotel Investments LLC, Colgan Construction, $3,400

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1144 N. 30th St., Sisters Of Charity Of Leavenworth, Hardy Construction Co., $1,875,000 21 N. 15th St., Kairos Properties LLC, Mountain States Plumbing And Radiant Heat, $21,500 21 N. 15th St., Western Builders Supply, $75,910 219 Calhoun Lane, Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph, Rauser Company LLC, $37,110 1002 Shiloh Crossing Blvd., G&R Investments Properties LLC, Jones Construction Inc., $88,260

1233 N. 30th St., Sisters Of Charity Of Leavenworth, Saunders Construction Inc., $1,862,692

Remodel/ Change in Use 409 S. 36th St., Pilgrim Congregational Church, $12,500 851 Shiloh Crossing Blvd., Shiloh Crossing Partners LLC, 4x4 Construction/Robert Bryant, $100,000

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September 2016