5 Minutes witH
Steve Zeier
Zeier Consulting LLC
Montana Energy Review
Coldsnap Towers Isaac and Sam Mohler
June 2015
Help wanted With low jobless rate, employers face challenges finding workers
Also inside: Dental office, hotel being added to downtown medical corridor
Billings Business 401 N. Broadway Billings, MT 59101-1242
CONTENTS
June 2015
An indispensable business resource On the Cover Rodnie Schilleff, an apprentice, works on his wielding at Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 30 .
Photo by Bob Zellar
FEATURES
Help wanted............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 With low jobless rate, employers face challenges finding workers
‘Food first’ restaurant moves east........................................................................................................................................... 14 Montana Club nearing completion of new West End restaurant
Developing downtown............................................................................................................................................................................ 16 Dental office, hotel being added to downtown medical corridor
New car wash gives boost to EBURD................................................................................................................................... 33 Construction Zone......................................................................................................................................................................................... 37 Montana Energy Review
Climbing high...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Brothers fill unique niche in wind industry
Watford City planning for transition from boomtown to hometown............................................ 26 Working hundreds of feet in the air is part of the job at Coldsnap Towers, Page 22
Energy briefs........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 28 Columns
Economic Development..........................................................................................................................................................................10 Patrick Klugman - Brownfields grant gives property owners peace of mind
Sales Moves...........................................................................................................................................................................................................21 Jeffery Gitomer - Emotion helps sort out the rules of engagement
Better Business..................................................................................................................................................................................................32 Erin T. Dodge - Read the fine print to see if CAN-SPAM Act protects your business
Travel & Leisure.................................................................................................................................................................................................35 Billie Ruff - Be sure to back up your travel documents billings BUSINESS EVERY MONTH
24 Hour Emergency Flood & Fire Restoration Services Commercial & Residential
Flood or Fire, we will restore your property from beginning to end. Complete Reconstruction Licensed • Bonded • Insured Preferred by Major Insurance Companies.
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—24 hour contact line—
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From the Editor........................................................................................................................................................................................................4 By the numbers......................................................................................................................................................................................................5 The local economy at a glance
Five Minutes with............................................................................................................................................................................................12 Steve Zeier - Zeier Consulting LLC Page 12 Steve Zeier
decision makers for $19.95 per year. To subscribe, please send payment, name, business name, mailing address and phone number to:
Business Briefs..................................................................................................................................................................................................57
Billings Business 401 North Broadway Billings, MT 59101
Bruce MacIntyre - 2015 legislative session was a mixed bag for Chamber members
The Listings............................................................................................................................................................................................................59
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to area business owners, managers and
Chamber News.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13
Success Stories.................................................................................................................................................................................................58
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Billings Business is mailed each month
Billingsbusiness
Billingsbusiness
June 2015
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the editor
Y es , local food is good June 2015 • VOLUME 21 • NUMBER 8
for the local economy One of the best things about spring, besides the fact that baseball season is in full swing, is the wealth of locally raised food showing up in neighborhood grocery stores. The other day, Good Earth Market mailed a newsletter highlighting produce from its network of local growers: broccoli raab from Kate’s Garden, fresh basil raised by Rachel Negaard, and a variety of products, including bedding plants, from Danly Farms in Laurel. Good Earth Market is an all-star in the local food movement. Onefifth of its purchases come from a network of 180 local vendors. But other retailers are embracing the “buy local” movement. Lucky’s Market, which has been open in Billings for a little more than a year, touts its locally sourced products. Costco, the nationwide membership warehouse chain known for handing out food samples on busy weekends, has a fairly extensive program for marketing local products. King’s Cupboard, the Red Lodge company that makes rich chocolate sauces, caramel sauces and other gourmet products, never fails to attract big crowds whenever it has product demonstrations at Costco. Red Lodge Ales sells a lot of beer at Costco. Recently, representatives of Wheat Montana were at the Bozeman Costco, handing out tiny grilled cheese sandwiches and slices of Wheat Montana bread slathered with jam. A pallet loaded with plastic tubs of Wheat Montana hot cereal was parked right across the aisle from where shoppers were snapping
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up Wheat Montana samples. Dean Folkvord, one of the state’s best-known agricultural entrepreneurs and owner of Wheat Montana, said in an interview a few years ago that the Costco account is important because it means lots of volume. But Wheat Montana has had even more success selling its products at Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, he said. Ken Meter, a local food advocate and president of the Crossroads Resource Center, shared some surprising and disturbing statistics about the nation’s food system during his recent appearance in Billings. Meter’s talk was sponsored by Yellowstone Valley Citizen’s Council. After delving into federal agriculture statistics, Meter said that farmers in the Golden Triangle area near Great Falls, one of the state’s most productive agricultural areas, lose about $64 million per year. That’s because the cost of their inputs — seed, fuel, fertilize, chemicals, depreciation — far outstrips the price they receive for their crops. Federal subsidies, mainly price supports for wheat, represent the No. 1 source of income for farmers in that area, he said. Although agriculture remains one of the state’s most important industries, about 90 percent of the food that Montanans eat is imported from elsewhere, Meter said. But the local economy would receive a significant boost if Montanans opted to buy more local food. For example, if residents of the Golden Triangle spent just $5 per week on local food, that would pump an additional $32 million per year into the local economy, he said. As summer takes hold and the Yellowstone Valley Farmers Market gets rolling, remember to support your local farmer.
mike gulledge tom howard COPY EDITOR chris jorgensen GENERAL MANAGER allyn hulteng PUBLISHER
editor
SALES
dave worstell ryan brosseau RETAIL Sales manager shelli scott ADVERTISING Sales karen anderson ADVERTISING Sales cherlyn milner ADVERTISING Sales arcadea scott advertising Coordinator linsay foley
Sales & Marketing Director Major accounts, classified, digital sales director
PRODUCTIOn
designer creative director
alyssa small bob tambo
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 North Broadway Billings, MT 59101 Advertising For retail advertising call Karen Anderson, 657-1492; Cherlyn Milner, 657-1344; or Arcadea Scott, 657-1244. For classified advertising, call 657-1212. Advertising deadline for the July 2015 issue is 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 2. 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 e-mail 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.
Billingsbusiness
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
14th & Grand 371-8100
AN ECONOMIC ERUPTION
5
5
4
4
In ten thousands
Last year 3.2 million visitors to Yellowstone National Park spent $382 million in gateway communities. Their spending supported 5,300 jobs Source: National Park Service
Billings housing starts
3
30
90
20
60
10
30
0
December
January
March
February
December 2013 to April 2014
April
105
0
113 Mar.
Feb.
0
Bozeman
Montana winter wheat
Montana Beef Cattle
$8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
200
(per bushel)
Unemployment 7%
(per cwt.)
6 5
150
4 3
100
2
50 November December January February
March
November 2013 to March 2014 Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
0
January to April 2014 January to April 2015
Source: Montana Department of Transportation
Source: National Park Service
Ag prices
April
January to April 2014 January to April 2015
January to April 2014 January to April 2015
2015
Mar.
Missoula
Glacier National Park
YTD Through April 30
Feb.
January to April 2014 January to April 2015
April
January to April 2014 January to April 2015
Source: City of Billings
Billingsbusiness
Jan.
Yellowstone National Park
2014
Jan.
Billings 0
December 2014 to April 2015
2
1
1 120
3
2
New single-family home building permits 40
Worden 967-3612
Airport boardings
National park visitors
In ten thousands
King Ave 655-2700
www.stockmanbank.com
1 November December January February
November 2014 to March 2015
March
0
Oct.
Nov.
Montana
Dec.
Jan.
Yellowstone County
Feb.
March
U.S.
Source: Montana Department of Labor and Industry
June 2015
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Help wanted With low jobless rate, employers face challenges finding workers By TOM HOWARD W ith Y ellowstone C ounty ’ s unemployment rate hovering at about
3.5 percent , several
businesses have resorted to
“N ow H iring ” banners outside . hanging large
A company advertising for cable TV installers is offering a $5,000 sign-on bonus to qualified workers. “It becomes a seeker’s market,” when unemployment is so low, said John Harper, a supervisor at Billings Job Service. “That gives lots of opportunities for employees, but for an employer, there is a lot of pressure on them.” While many employers face challenges filling vacancies, interest remains high for some jobs that pay well. Cynthia Debus, just months away from completing a five-year apprenticeship with Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 30, is looking forward to receiving her journeyman’s license later this year. Wrapping up a challenging training program is usually cause for celebration, but Debus isn’t planning a big party. “I Photo by BOB ZELLAR Eric Mayer, left, teaches Rodnie Schilleff the fine points of wielding at Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 30 on May 5.
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Please see Workers, 7 Billingsbusiness
Workers Continued from 6 think I’ll go fishing,” said Debus, one of 57 people currently enrolled in Local 30’s apprenticeship program. “For me, this has been both a blessing and a hardship,” she said, reflecting on the hundreds of hours of training that she has undergone in her quest for career advancement. She headed to her son’s Little League game right after class on a recent Tuesday night. As a pipefitter’s apprentice, Debus puts in a full shift during the day, working under the supervision of journeymen. Two nights a week, and on many Saturdays, she and other apprentices hone their skills in the classroom and the welding shop at Local 30’s office on the South Side. “I was a laborer for a lot of years, and I come from a long line of union folk,” Debus said, explaining how she ended up in this line of work. Working in construction also gave her an appreciation for the craftsmanship of skilled workers. “When I was a laborer, I was intrigued by watching the guys put in these beautiful welds,” she said. Union members abound on both sides of Debus’s family. Growing up, relatives urged her to go to college. But she was drawn to working in the trades. On-the-job training is central to the apprenticeship process. “I like the leadership,” Debus said. “If I’m doing something wrong, it’s not a spank on the hand. They’ll say something like, ‘Your bevels (parts of welds) look good, but why don’t we go about it this way?’” Apprentice Matthew Buckles has been working at the Phillips 66 refinery. During a recent class session, he used a torch to cut round holes in a section of pipe. Later, fittings were welded to the section. The skills he learns in class come in handy each day on the job, Buckles said. “It’s very good training,” he said. Dennis Critelli, training coordinator for Local 30, said the time spent on the apprenticeship, which the union pays for, helps workers pave the way for a career with steady work, better pay and benefits such as health insurance and retirement. “This teaches them the skills they need on the job, working under the supervision of a journeyman,” Critelli said. “We’re probably one of the few crafts that has a five-year apprenticeship.” The lengthy training period is necessary because of the wide variety of skills and knowledge that pipefitters need to do their job, he said. Local 30 interviews prospective apprentices twice a year, and 54 names were on the waiting list in early May. Virtually everybody who completes Local Billingsbusiness
Photo by LARRY MAYER Dennis Critelli is the director of training for the Plumbers and Pipefitters Union Local 30.
30’s apprenticeship program ends up being hired, Critelli said. “We wish we could hire more.” Three oil refineries in the Billings area and coal-fired power plants in Colstrip provide steady work for Local 30’s pipefitters. Out-oftown workers flock to the Billings area whenever one of the refineries goes through a major project. Likewise, Billings pipefitters often travel whenever out-of-town jobs come up. Traveling is part of the job, Critelli said. Mike Bale, a recruiter for Local 30, said he frequently touts the union’s apprenticeship program with high school counselors. It’s a great way to find a job that pays well without going the traditional college route, he said. The interest in Local 30’s apprenticeship program is one example of how the labor market has provided a steady supply of workers seeking coveted openings. By contrast, many employers in Yellow-
stone County report having difficulty filling jobs because of the low unemployment rate, according to a recent report by BillingsWorks, a local collaboration of business leaders and local employers. For employers, the good news is that Billings has an “active and engaged labor force,” with 68.8 percent labor force participation, compared to 63.8 percent nationwide, the report says. Labor force participation refers to the percentage of the population, age 16 and older, that’s working or looking for work. Harper of Billings Job Service said the office had 1,804 job orders listed in late April. But the actual number of available jobs is likely higher because many listings are for more than one opening. In Yellowstone County, the economy is considered to be at full employment, a time when all eligible people who want to work can find employment at prevailing wages.
Whenever employers have trouble filling jobs, Job Service tries to help out by discussing what kinds of recruiting methods that they could use to fill openings, Harper said. Pat Newbury, owner of Billings-area McDonald’s restaurants, is no stranger to the challenge of finding enough employees. “I’ve been involved in the restaurant business for 48 years. I’ve never been in a position where I wasn’t hiring,” Newbury said. Whenever possible, McDonald’s provides flexible schedules to accommodate workers who are going to school or have family commitments, Newbury said. Many consider working in a fast-food restaurant as an entry-level position. Newbury said he has a number of teenagers who have come to work for him as soon as they turn 14. But he also has a core number of long-term employees, Please see Jobs, 8 June 2015
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Jobs Continued from 7 including one who is still working at 78 years old. Montana’s minimum wage increased to $8.05 per hour at the beginning of the year. But that’s not enough to recruit qualified workers, Newbury said. “We pay well above the minimum wage,” with a starting salary of $10.50 per hour for adults, he said. “That’s by design,” Newbury said. “If you pay the minimum, that’s what you get.” McDonald’s screens applicants with a test that provides insight on how well the person would fit in. “It’s basically a profile test,” Newbury said. “It gives us a pretty good idea about who will work out.” The test, which applicants take online, is designed to show whether the person is suited to work in a fast-paced setting that can involve lots of contact with customers. “We go through a lot of effort to screen people,” Newbury said. Generally, if an employee doesn’t last for at least three months, it spells a loss for the company because of the costs involved with recruiting and training, Newbury said. According to the BillingsWorks report, skilled trades and technical positions are among the most difficult to fill in the Billings market. Even BNSF Railway had some challenges when it hired 500 workers in Eastern Montana during 2014, said Matthew Jones, a BNSF spokesman. BNSF uses traditional channels to recruit employees: Job Service, high schools, universities and tribal governments. BNSF’s own website, and other online sources such as CarerBuilder, and a number of veteran-based organizations are also used in recruitment. Last year 25 percent of BNSF’s Montana hires were veterans, Jones said. Employers seeking workers with advanced technical skills often cast a wide net for employees. Kevin Gustainis, owner of the Billings Peterbilt dealership, had to recruit outside of the community for mechanics when the new dealership was completed in 2012. Although City College has a well-respected program in diesel mechanics, Gustainis places a premium on workers who have experience. “Just because you’ve graduated with a degree doesn’t mean you’re qualified to tear down an engine,” Gustainis said. “It takes many years of on-the-job experience to become a top-quality technician.” Gustainis again expects to cast a wide net for qualified mechanics when Peterbilt expands in Western Montana in a few months. Matthew Buckles cuts a circular hole in pipe at Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 30 on May 5.
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Photo by BOB ZELLAR
Billingsbusiness
Caring for Our Community
Billings Clinic is a not-for-profit, physician-led medical group practice integrated with a hospital and long-term care facility based in Billings, Montana. We are committed to serving our region with the best clinical quality, patient safety, service and value.
View our 2014 Community Benefit Report online at billingsclinic.com (About Us) Financial Assistance
Last year 5,744 patients received financial assistance (charity care) for 39,200 visits to Billings Clinic at a total cost of $14.8 million. Of the total assistance, 61.5% was for hospital patient care, 38% for clinic patient care, and 0.5% for long-term care.
Medicaid Shortfalls
More than 105,100 patient visits were covered by Medicaid, with shortfalls in government reimbursement of $3.5 million.
Subsidized Health Services
Billings Clinic provides many health services that are not fully reimbursed for the cost of care provided – such as pediatric specialty care, sexual assault nursing care, continuing care, behavioral health and psychiatric care for youth and adults.
Community Health Improvement Services and Support
Examples include: The Medication Assistance Program at Billings Clinic helped more than 900 patients receive free or low-cost medications (savings of $6.4 million). More than 3,500 children and adults in the region received injury prevention education about brain and spine injury, driver’s safety and fall prevention. Billings Clinic provides health care for rural residents in medically-underserved counties, including telemedicine, outreach clinics and about 600 emergency medical flights on Billings Clinic Medflight air ambulances. We are a founding member of the Healthy By Design community health coalition to improve our community’s status for healthy weight, mental health and access to health care.
Research
Billings Clinic is dedicated to the pursuit of new medical knowledge with innovative research, including clinical trials, translational research and nursing research.
Health Professions Education
The new Billings Clinic Internal Medicine Residency began training its first class of residents in July 2014, increasing access to primary care for our entire region. We also support a Pharmacy Residency and the Montana Family Medicine Residency. Hundreds of college students studying health professions received training and internships at Billings Clinic.
Bad Debt and Medicare Shortfalls
Community Benefits do not include the costs of bad debt or Medicare shortfalls. The cost of bad debt for FY14 was $15.7 million for 316,554 medical visits. The Medicare shortfall was $26.5 million for 403,354 medical visits.
For more information, call Community Relations at (406) 657-4677. Billingsbusiness
June 2015
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SPONSORED BY THE big sky economic development
B rownfields grant gives property owners peace of mind BSED has focused its efforts of Brownfield funding within the East Billings Urban Renewal District and currently has multiple projects ongoing today.
Patrick Klugman Patrick Klugman is community development project manager for Big Sky Economic Development. Contact him at 406-869-8418.
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In May of 2014, Big Sky Economic Development was awarded a $400,000 Environmental Protection Agency Brownfield Assessment Grant to complete environmental due diligence and cleanup planning on sites that may be impacted by contaminants, including sites with concerns such as former underground tanks, asbestos and lead-based paint. Assessment dollars are available at no cost to current or potential property owners. BSED has focused its efforts of Brownfield funding within the East Billings Urban Renewal District and currently has multiple projects ongoing today. But just what is a brownfield, and is your property potentially eligible for Brownfield assessment dollars? A Brownfield can be defined as a property (structure or vacant land) where expansion, redevelopment or reuse is complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. This can include transactions of property, expansion of business, new construction or remodeling and revitalization of a property. BSED will work with you to identify eligibility regarding your property and potential resource mechanisms avail-
able to you. If development or sale of a property is impeded by concerns of potential environmental liabilities, this grant provides information that attempts to remove environmental uncertainties and facilitate redevelopment of property. Through our contractor, NewFields, BSED will work with you to assess your property in two environmental site assessment steps. Phase I environmental site assessments review historic information, and if deemed necessary, will recommend Phase II assessments which will test and collect samples of potential contaminants. If no potential contaminants are recognized in the Phase I assessment, no additional review or sampling is required and any potential fear of contaminants has been eliminated. Many lending institutions, including SBA 504 Loans, require Phase I assessments to at least identify, recognize or eliminate any potential contaminants on a property. Again, our Phase I and II environmental site assessments are available at no cost to property owners or potential buyers. 100 percent of costs are covered by the assessment grant which we hope
will assist property owners, or potential buyers, to address environmental concerns, while promoting sustained growth within Yellowstone County and contributing to our vibrant economy and great quality of life.
To learn more about the program, please contact Patrick Klugman at Big Sky Economic Development 406869-8418 or klugman@bigskyeda.org, who will connect you with the right resources and initiate the process to best
serve your needs. “Brownfield assessments are a great tool for property owners or potential buyers. Clearly identifying any environmental needs is essential to the successful financing and implementation of a project.�
C r e at I n G M O n ta n a BuSIneSS OppOrtunItIeS
Congratulations to our Small Business Week Winner, The Joy Of Living We recently celebrated Small Business Week with the staff at the Joy of Living. It was exciting to see their enthusiasm for their business and our community. Let us help develop your small business. Call 406.254.6014.
406.256.6871
WWW.BIGSKY504.COM
Billingsbusiness
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Billingsbusiness
June 2015
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Steve Zeier
Need a plan?
He can help By TOM HOWARD
E ight years ago , S teve Z eier was busy overseeing the development of the G eneral E lectric M ontana C enter of E xcellence . B ig S ky E conomic D evelopment , the county - run economic development agency that Z eier worked for at the time , built the building and leases it back to
GE C apital , which has a major operations center .
As project manager, Zeier played a significant role in a major economic development project. After leaving BSED, Zeier went to work for the city of Billings to help the East Billings Urban Revitalization District. He has also worked with the South Billings Urban Renewal District. Meanwhile, Zeier has decided to branch out on his own, by starting Zeier Consulting LLC. Here’s his story. Please share a little background on your business: How you got started, what kinds of services you offer. Zeier Consulting LLC started out as a planning services firm and has branched into providing site location and analysis services as well. Do you work with the private sector as well as public agencies? Yes. At the beginning the bulk of my clients were public sector entities. I found that the private sector could benefit from these types of services as well. You’ve made the transition from working for government agencies to your current role as a consultant. How has your experience at Big Sky Economic Development and the city prepared you for your current business? Those experiences and the relationships formed have proven invaluable. Helping private-sector clients navigate the local and state regulatory environment has been very beneficial.
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What got you interested in the planning profession? I became interested in planning because I was always interested in how property is developed and built. Who says this goes here and this goes here and how has always been fascinating to me. Project management and public policy were a natural evolution. You’ve done a lot of work with tax increment financing. What’s the most important thing that people need to know about TIF districts and whether the public benefits from them? The most important thing to know is that they work if you have a good plan and you follow that plan as best you can. If properly managed and grown, TIF districts are a very successful tool. TIF financing has been described as one of the key tools that local governments have used to encourage economic development. What are some of the other ways that you have helped local governments to encourage economic development? One way is determining the best and most effective way to manage the resources that a community has. You need a plan to ensure that you understand your community and what is most likely to succeed. Economic development is not one thing but a collection of smaller things that add up.
Steve Zeier Photo by CASEY PAGE
Billingsbusiness
Upcoming Chamber/ CVB Functions More details and RSVP: www. billingschamber.com or call 245-4111
SPONSORED BY THE BILLINGS CHAMBER of Commerce
June Business After Hours Wednesday, June 10, 5-7 p.m. Pierce Flooring, 2950 King Ave. W. Cost is $8.
Adventures in Agriculture
2015 legislative session was a mixed bag for C hamber members For this session our list (of challenges) included expansion of Medicaid, public intoxication ... and help for our partners in Eastern Montana with infrastructure repair and maintenance as a result of the energy boom.
Bruce MacIntyre Bruce MacIntyre is director of business and government affairs for the Billings Chamber of Commerce. Contact him at 406-869-3723, or at bruce@billingschamber.com
Billingsbusiness
As a business organization, one of the most important things we do in preparation for the legislative session is to determine the defining issues for our 1,200 member businesses. There are issues that are always on the list, like property tax reduction, worker compensation reduction, improved business climate, a strong educational system and affordable health care. With each session there are unique challenges added to the list. For this session our list included expansion of Medicaid, public intoxication, an Eastern Montana crime lab and help for our partners in Eastern Montana with infrastructure repair and maintenance as a result of the energy boom. Every session is unique in its scope and direction and 2015 had its share of surprises, some good and some bad. The tone of a legislature is set by the senators and representatives selected to lead the two caucuses. Generally, leadership comes from the ideological center of each respective political party. However, for this and the preceding session, leadership in the Republican caucus came from the right. This is indicative of what bills may and may not move through the Legislature. We saw an increase in the num-
ber of bill draft requests with 2,467. However the number of bills introduced remained about the same at 1,062. At the top of the priority list for the Billings Chamber of Commerce is getting the Legislature to approve the right for each community to enact a local option tax if they chose to do so. We worked closely with the League of Cities and Towns to craft language that would be acceptable to a majority of legislators and asked a number of legislators to consider carrying a bill. We didn’t make much progress on this issue in this session but we do have a substantial amount of research done for us to use as a basis for developing language for the next session. Local option will again be at the top of our list in two years. Public intoxication legislation to deal with the serial inebriates in downtown Billings was an emotional issue that managed to pass the Senate but was tabled in House Judiciary. A motion to reconsider died on a tie vote. A crime lab in Eastern Montana to deal with the backlog of work was successful after being heavily amended and has been signed by the governor. Medicaid expansion was another priority that saw what I call the Goldilocks
effect. One bill was too big and one was too small. A compromise was crafted and managed to make it through the legislature with the support of the Democrats and “responsible” Republicans passing it by narrow margins. The House rules were challenged leading up to the floor votes and things were very tense for a few days around the capitol. An issue that came up late last year was funding for
The Impact of Tourism on Your Business Thursday, June 11. Presented by TownePlace Suites by Marriott; Crowne Plaza, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Luncheon is $20 for members
Friday, June 19, Annual Ag Tour in Southeast Montana: $55, BillingsChamber.com
career technical education. Not all high school graduates have plans to go on for a higher education degree and these students don’t receive the training needed to succeed in many fields. Funding was doubled for the coming biennium and we will be back in two years asking for funding to be further increased. Finally, we visited Eastern Montana several times in the year leading up to the session
and committed to helping energy-impacted cities and counties get funding to make necessary repairs and upgrades. Had this cash and bonding bill garnered one more vote, it would be on the governor’s desk now. What did we learn? Close votes are heartbreaking. We saw politics get in the way of practicality and skillful negotiation go by the wayside. If I were grading the session, I would give it a C-. Presenting Sponsor
BillingsChamber.com
Impact of Tourism ON YOUR BUSINESS
June 11th | Crowne Plaza Billings Luncheon from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. $20 for members | $25 for non-members Visit BillingsChamber.com for details
June 2015
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Commercial real estate
‘Food first’ restaurant moves east
Photo by LARRY MAYER Exterior view of the Montana Club at 1791 Majestic Way.
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Billingsbusiness
Montana Club nearing completion of new West End restaurant By TOM HOWARD B ob P owell , co - owner of the new M ontana C lub in B illings , says “ food first ” describes the restaurant chain ’ s approach to dining . “Honestly, in this day and age, we have kind of an old-school approach. We cook from scratch. We do three meals a day. We make our own sauces and we have developed a number of sauté dishes,” Powell said. “Our menu is really encompassing and we work hard to keep it changing with specials every day,”
said Powell, whose restaurant is nearing completion at 1791 Majestic Way, in the middle of a growing West End commercial district. Powell said the Montana Club has successfully competed with national chain restaurants by emphasizing Montana-friendly customer service and by maintaining quality of food. “We believe that when
people come here they’ll have a good experience, with portion sizes that you’d expect in Montana,” he said. The Billings restaurant marks the Montana Club’s sixth location. Powell and business partner Nick Alonzo launched their first Montana Club restaurant in Missoula in 1999. Since then, they have added a second Missoula location, as well as Montana Club restaurants in Kalispell, Great Falls and Butte. Like all Montana Club restaurants, the Billings location will have a full liquor license and gaming. The Missoula-based business isn’t affiliated with The Montana Club in Helena, a historic social
club, founded in 1893, and resurrected in 1905 following an arson blaze that destroyed the building in 1903. Helena’s Montana Club was a regular gathering spot for politicians and lobbyists through much of Montana’s early history. The Missoula-based Montana Club has a full bar and serves steaks, burgers, chicken and seafood, featuring Certified Angus Beef and Alaska seafood. Powell said he had looked to Billings because it’s a healthy market poised for growth. “From a business standpoint, this is where you want to be, in an area with an economy that’s strong like this,” he said.
The managers have been busy hiring and training the staff of 70 to 80 people. “We had a couple of interview sessions recently and the caliber of the applicants has been very impressive. We’re excited,” Powell said. The exterior of the $1.4 million West End restaurant is nearing completion, and it’s big. At 8,614 square feet, it’s large enough to hold 457 people, according to permits filed with the city of Billings. Capital Development of Billings is the general contractor. “Looking at the calendar, it’s been pretty much two years ago that we first started looking at Billings.”
“Honestly, in this day and age, we have kind of an old-school approach. We cook from scratch. We do three meals a day. We make our own sauces and we have developed a number of sauté dishes.” — Bob Powell, Billings’ Montana Club co-owner
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Developing
downtown Photo by JAMES WOODCOCK Mike Porta, foreground, and Anthony Felton from Custom Concrete work building forms for the new Yellowstone Family Dental building at 1099 N. 27th St.
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Billingsbusiness
Dental office, hotel being added to downtown medical corridor BILLINGS BUSINESS
issue. There’s not enough room to park here,” Larsen, a 12-year veteran dentist, said recently. M ore development is headed to “We really felt like 27th the downtown medical corridor , Street was centrally located,” he said. with a new dental office under Billings-based Jones Construction is building construction and a new hotel being the 6,000-square-foot facility and expects to finish planned . in November. Crews began demolishing the old buildMatt Larsen and Chase technology as Yellowstone ing, which housed an MRI Person of Yellowstone Family Dental adds to service and once belonged Family Dental have broken downtown’s growing medito a plastic surgeon, in ground on a new $1.2 milcal and dental footprint. January. lion office at 1099 N. 27th “It’s grown enough now St. The new building will where it’s tough to make it feature the latest dental work. Parking is our biggest Please see Downtown, 18
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Downtown Continued from 17 The new location is at the heart of Billings’ growing medical corridor, across the street from Billings Clinic and St. Vincent Healthcare. Yellowstone Family Dental has about 6,000 patients on the books, one-third of whom come in for regular appointments, Larsen said. The practice has grown through referrals, and Larsen said he sees opportunity with expanded insurance plans. “We see parents that bring their kids in, but the parents aren’t patients. I’m guessing it’s because whatever plan they have set up, they don’t have dental, but their kids do,” he said. Yellowstone Family
Photo by JAMES WOODCOCK Dentist Matt Larsen of Yellowstone Family Dental discusses plans to relocate the practice to its new building on North 27th Street.
bought the half-acre lot from Art Properties in October 2014, and the dental firm was represented by
David Mitchell of Coldwell Banker Commercial. Larsen grew up on a ranch in Utah but opted for
the medical field because “farming and ranching was way too hard of work,” he said.
He moved to Billings in the early 2000s, bought a practice and changed the name to Yellowstone Family Dental about a decade ago. Larsen later partnered with Allen Blackford before his recent retirement. Pearson joined the practice in 2012. Yellowstone Family Dental has 14 employees, who are typically bumping into each other in their current space, said Larsen. The hallways are narrow, three receptionists are bunched into one tight area and the dentists have little room to maneuver around patients. Along with more space, the new building will be designed for patient comfort, a growing trend in the dental industry, Larsen said. For example, each station will have an overhead television set at eye-level so
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patients will no longer need to swivel their heads to see, he said. The goal is to remove the discomfort and dread that had been associated with dental visits for decades, Larsen said. “Most of the patients get to the end and think, ‘Man, I’ve never had such an easy checkup appointment,’” he said. A new four-story hotel is also being planned for the medical corridor. The Billings City Council recently agreed to vacate an alley in order to accommodate a four-story, 95-room hotel between North 27th and North 26th streets and Seventh and Eighth avenues. Developer Bill Honaker said he is working with a national hotel chain.
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Billingsbusiness
Survey: Many homeowners are planning ‘green’ renovations PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER A n A merican E xpress survey has uncovered the fact that more than half of all
A mericans are planning “ green ”
renovations . At the same time, Colonial Pipeline Co. of Alpharetta, Ga., says that nearly half of all homeowners fail to call 811 to find out about utility lines before gardening. The American Express survey, conducted online with a random sample of 1,882 adults, found that green renovations are becoming more popular among those with home-improvement plans.
The most popular project? Windows and doors, followed by alternative-energy systems including solar energy, biomass stoves, residential fuel cells, geothermal heat pumps, small wind turbines, heating, ventilation and/or cooling, water heaters and roofing. The greenest states: New York and Florida, and then California. S e v e n t y-f i v e p e rc e n t of
homeow ners sa id they pla n renovations this year, up slightly from 73 percent in 2014. The total average amount they expect to spend is $4,100, versus $4,000 in 2014. The most popular projects are redoing a room, followed by minor cosmetic work such as painting and landscaping. Americans plan to spend $3,600 on indoor remodeling and $1,800 on outdoor remodeling, the survey found. Only 65 percent of homeowners are doing the work themselves, down from 72 percent in 2014. Hiring contractors has gained in popularity — 21 percent in 2015 vs. 15 percent in 2014. Colonial Pipeline reports that 45 percent of Americans put
By the numbers 75%
of homeowners said they plan renovations this year, up slightly from 73 percent in 2014.
$4,100
The total average amount they expect to spend, versus $4,000 in 2014.
themselves and their neighbors at risk by failing to call 811 before beginning their yard work. Many are unaware that every six minutes a utility line is struck by a homeowner who didn’t call 811 before digging.
65%
of homeowners are doing the work themselves, down from 72 percent in 2014.
21%
of homeowners are hiring contractors, up from 15 percent in 2014.
The free 811 call should be made a few days before projects that involve digging (installing a fence or mailbox, or building a deck, pond or patio) so the approximate location of underground utilities can be marked.
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1010 Grand Avenue goodyproperties@gmail.com Commercial & Residential Real Estate
www.billingscommercialrealestate.com June 2015
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New-home construction soars to highest level since before recession ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — U.S. homebuilders ramped up
A pril to the fastest pace in nearly seven - and a - half years , hinting at newfound construction in
momentum for an economy that has struggled in recent months .
The Commerce Department said that April housing starts last month increased 20.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.14 million homes. That pace ranks as the fastest clip since November 2007. Builders appear to have finally shaken off a turbulent winter that shut down construction sites and hampered
growth across the economy. The sharp rebound in housing starts after disappointing data in March and February indicates that economic growth might accelerate after being close to flat in the first quarter. It also suggests that builders are responding to tight inventories of existing homes and increased buyer demand due to strong hiring over the past
year and low mortgage rates. “This report should help to assuage fears over the slowdown experienced by the U.S. economy in recent months,” said Michael Dolega, senior economist at TD Bank. Housing starts surged in the Northeast, Midwest and West, while slipping slightly in the South. Construction of single-family houses climbed 16.7 percent in April, an indication that sales of new homes should also rise in the coming months. Apartment building shot up 31.9 percent. Approved building permits rose increased 10.1 percent from March to an annual rate of 1.14 million in April. Sales of existing homes jumped 6.1 percent in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.19 million, the National Association of Realtors said last month. But the
market has just 4.6 months of supply, compared to six months in what economists consider to be a healthy market. An upswing in housing starts in April — which would put the rate of construction at its fastest clip in three months — could signal that builders are gearing up to meet demand. Without more inventory coming onto the market quickly, home prices will likely rise, potentially putting them out of reach for thousands of would-be home buyers. The fast-rising prices may be destabilizing several regional housing markets, according to an analysis by Florida-based appraiser Smithfield & Wainwright. Home values in 14 states — including Colorado, Massachusetts and Oregon — are
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From hospitals to airports
significantly higher than both the rental income those properties could generate and the cost of rebuilding those homes. Appraisers have historically used these two measures to assess houses. This particular mismatch suggests that home prices cost at least 10 percent more than either of these measures, a sign that home prices may be at unsustainable levels and could stagnate or even plunge. Despite the higher prices and increased demand, homebuilder confidence has ebbed in recent months. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index slipped to 54 in May, down two points from 56 in April. Any reading above 50 signals expansion, yet the decrease suggested that
builders still see would-be homebuyers as cautious. Optimism has faded as the economy has entered into a unique predicament: hiring is solid, yet overall economic growth is feeble. Employers added 223,000 jobs in April, causing the unemployment rate to slip to 5.4 percent from 5.5 percent. The economy has gained about 3.1 million new jobs — and paychecks — over the past 12 months. But the economic growth that those paychecks should fuel has yet to materialize. The U.S. economy expanded at an annual rate of 0.2 percent in the first quarter. Before the release of the home construction report, growth was on track for a dismal yearly rate of 0.7 percent in the second quarter, according to estimates by the Atlanta Federal Reserve.
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Managing Your Insurance Moves Article Series
Insuring the Boss The Bakken and Workers’ Compensation Coverage An Insurance ‘Intermediaries’ Duty to the Client Buying Insurance---in 15 Minutes or Less? By guest blogger Dennis P. Gambill, Insurance Litigation Consultant.
Read More at darnielle.com Billingsbusiness
SALES moves
E motion helps sort out the rules of engagement The key to deepening a sales conversation, or any conversation, is to connect emotionally. Favorite teams, kids, college create emotion when spoken about, and the feelings and or situations are mutual.
Jeffrey Gitomer 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
Billingsbusiness
What is engagement? Better stated, how can you engage other people to become interested in you and your product or service? Dale Carnegie (“How to Win Friends and Influence People”) says you do it by becoming interested in them. And he’s partially right. The reality, and the secret of engagement is that both people must be mutually engaged and mutually interested, and both people must be intellectually stimulated and emotionally connected. Otherwise it’s just a conversation that will be forgotten, unless the salesperson is taking notes. #notlikely. What is the secret ingredient of engagement? The key to deepening a sales conversation, or any conversation, is to connect emotionally. Favorite teams, kids, college create emotion when spoken about, and the feelings and or situations are mutual. The secret ingredient of engagement is emotion. Emotion is a key link to rapport, relaxation, and response. Emotion takes conversations deeper and becomes more open. The desire to talk and reveal becomes more intense. It pushes you to trade stories and discover similarities. To help you get the picture of why engagement and emotional engagement are so important, and how to start the process, I am offering two examples and scenarios: n Find the link. What do you have in common with your prospect? That will build rapport and lead you to a sale
faster than anything. Contrary to popular belief, “Customer types” don’t matter. That’s right, take your amiable, driver, tightwad analytic types and toss them in the trash. My favorite type of customer is one that has a wallet with a credit card in it. Oh wait, that’s everybody. Here’s the challenge: If you spend 30 minutes trying to figure out what type of person you’re dealing with, and then all of a sudden discover you
make sales. I was courting a big client in Seattle. Found out the guy liked baseball. Sent him a Louisville Slugger baseball bat with his name engraved on it. Needless to say I hit a home run (sorry for that). INSIGHT: To establish the ultimate long-term relationship and to be memorable in the service you perform, you need personal information about your prospect or customer. Information that provides you with insight, understanding and possible links. (And, oh yes, lots of sales.) The difference between making one sale and building a long-term relationship lies in your ability to get this information. BIGGER INSIGHT: The more information you have, the better (and easier) it is to establish rapport, follow-up and have something to say, build the relationship and gain enough comfort to make the first sale, and with consistent Courtesy photo follow-through, many more. both like model trains, or your thing creative and memorable BIGGEST INSIGHT: If kids both play soccer in the about it, you can earn the given a choice, people will buy same league, or you both went appointment, build friendship, from those they can relate to. to the same college, or you both create smiles, and make a sale. People they like. People they grew up in the same town, or I was courting a big client trust. This stems from things in you both like the same sports in Milwaukee. Found out the common. If you have the right teams, you will most likely guy liked chocolate and was information, and use it to be make the sale no matter what a Green Bay Packers fan. The memorable, you have a decided type of person he or she is. next day I sent him a Packer advantage. Or you can decide Personal things “in comhat full of chocolate-covered “It’s too much work, I can make mon” lead to a friendship, a footballs. The next day I was the sale without it.” relationship and lots of sales. hired. Coincidence or luck? I This philosophy gives the n Find the memory. If have no idea. I just continue advantage to someone else — you can find one thing about to do the same type of thing as the other person, and do some- often as I can, and continue to your competitor. June 2015
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MONTANA ENERGY REVIEW
Climbing
high Brothers fill unique niche in wind industry
Sam Mohler works on a meteorological tower. Photo illustration
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Billingsbusiness
By TOM HOWARD H ad you ventured into S tone H ill , a rock climbing haven near northwestern
L ake K oocanusa in
M ontana a dozen or so years
ago , there ’ s a good chance you would have run into brothers I saac and
Scaling sheer rock faces with a rope and a harness rewarded the brothers with strength-building exercise and an adrenaline chaser. Frequent adventures wearing climbing gear not only helped the brothers conquer their fear of heights, they also provided valuable training for a future career. Their company, ColdSnap Towers LLC, installs and services meteorological equipment that’s used in conjunction with prospective and existing wind farms. “We were both into rock climbing, so Isaac and I were trying to find a way to make some money in the harness,” Sam said. After working for a contractor for a couple of years, the Mohler brothers decided to start their own business. ColdSnap Towers launched nine years ago. The brothers’ timing was fortunate because they launched their business in the midst of a nationwide boom in wind power development. Wind power capacity in the United States has tripled since 2008. Today the wind industry generates the same amount of electricity as 60 nuclear power plants, according to a 2014 report from the U.S. Department of En-
S am M ohler .
ergy. The American Wind Energy Association reports that the wind industry supports more than 80,000 jobs nationwide. Last year, 1,789 new wind turbines, generating 3,600 megawatts, were built in the United States. While they aren’t involved in actually building wind towers, ColdSnap Towers plays an essential role in the development of wind power. The proliferation of cellular phones has spawned a broad network of companies that erect and maintain communication towers. ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative journalism organization, estimates that the nation is littered with 280,000 communication tower sites. The rush to install a vast digital network has resulted in unsafe working conditions through much of the country, ProPublica reported. But the Mohler brothers limit their work to meteorological towers. “Most of what we did for years is prospecting towers,” which are smaller structures used to determine a site’s suitability for wind development, Isaac said. More recently, their work has focused on
Courtesy photos Above, working hundreds of feet in the air is part of the job at ColdSnap Towers. Below, ice encrusts a meteorological tower during a winter job.
maintaining meteorological stations at existing wind farms. Their clients — mainly wind farm developers — have sites throughout the West, the Midwest and New England. Equipment installed atop meteorological towers records the direction, speed and consistency of winds, while also recording temperatures, relative humidity, precipitation and barometric pressure.
Some tower climbers For the Mohler brothers, a
Please see Towers, 27
“Our clients like us because we’re tech savvy and we’re super safety conscious.” — Isaac Mohler, co-owner, ColdSnap Towers
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Courtesy photo Icy conditions and whiteouts are a frequent occurrence while doing tower maintenance during the winter.
Towers Continued from 23 typical work day involves hauling 50 to 60 pounds of tools and equipment up a tower, where they frequently spend the better part of the day. They bring along lunch and 24
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water. Hard hats and steel-toed work boots with steel shanks in the soles are required footwear. The stiff soles help reduce foot fatigue when standing on narrow steps for long periods. If nature calls, they simply unzip and go. There’s no time to climb back down the tower for bathroom breaks.
Working high off the ground has an element of danger, so safety is a top priority. “Our clients like us because we’re tech savvy and we’re super safety conscious,” Isaac said. Safety equipment minimizes risks. “You’re always hanging in your harness, and you’re always tied off. You’re never in a
place where you might fall,” Sam said. Part of their safety training involves being aware of local weather conditions. They monitor weather reports and retreat from heights whenever lightning strikes within 25 miles of where they’re working. “The biggest issue is either fighting cold or heat or winds,” Sam said. Billingsbusiness
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Watford City planning for transition from boomtown to hometown Associated Press WATFORD CITY, N.D. — Watford City’s oil-invested construction boom is going gangbusters this spring, with no obvious sign that drilling has slowed by half in the oil patch. New construction rings the city, which now takes in roughly a 5-mile square with an extra-territorial zoning footprint the size of Minot, the Bismarck Tribune reported. Hammers are pounding, cranes are swinging and construction workers’ boom boxes belt out rhythmical background music. It is raw, dusty and exhilarating, though some of the new projects with classy names, such as Hunter’s Run, LAUREN DONOVAN/Bismarck Tribune Pheasant Ridge and Prairie This sprawling apartment complex, more than 400 feet long and three stories high, is one of many under construction, amounting Heights, are starting to take to more than 1,500 units permitted for construction this year and last in Watford City. Some leaders say they are beginning to think on a settled look with green it’s time for more permanent housing. sod and kids’ play sets.
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Steven Williams, the city’s building inspector, oversees this construction craze to ensure that it meets building and zoning codes. Some are modular pieces stacked together and failing final inspections, he said. “People are throwing up buildings as fast as they can and plan to pay it off in two years. That’s the nature of the boom,” he said. Some is outstanding work, with attention to style and substance. And right now, a substantial portion of the new construction is for rent, not for sale. About 1,500 living units, from duplexes to sprawling four-story apartment complexes, were permitted this year and last. Most of that will be ready for their new residents this year, putting the ratio of apartment-style rentals to single-family homes at 8-to-
1, Williams figures. “There’s not been many homes,” he said, running through a few spread sheets and plat maps in his city hall office. “But here’s the good news,” he said, smoothing out a spreadsheet that shows 29 homes were permitted this year so far, compared to 47 for all of last year. It’s those homes, where families put down a financial stake and roots, that will give the growing city the permanence it needs for the long haul, according to Williams. Mayor Brent Sanford said nearly everyone would agree there are getting to be too many apartments in the mix, but he says they are a necessary part of the transition from boom town to hometown. He says the community is eager to be home to the Please see Boom, 27
Billingsbusiness
Boom Continued from 26 thousands of oil workers in the area and he is starting to hear talk among developers about how to approach that challenge. The debate is whether the economy is robust enough for a developer to go all-out with 30 to 40 homes, or if the right approach is to start with several and see what the market wants, he said. A perfect place for that could be a subdivision named The Highlands, near the water tower where a new arterial road will be constructed with the town’s surge funding and near where a second elementary school is planned. The Highlands sits in a quasirural setting, with paved streets, curb and gutters and a small play park. But it is eerie right now, because there is not a single structure on any of the streets, much less any children. “I really would like to see 100 single-family homes come up this summer. I think we’re really underserving that market. I hope we turn a corner here,” Sanford said. Rents aren’t leveling off because even $3,000 a month remains a good deal for corporate renters compared to hotel-motel rates for employees, he said. It’s time for the $270,000 home and a $1,500 monthly mortgage for people who’d rather skip the apartment phase and go directly from the RV camper to a home, according to Sanford. “Then they’re Watford City folks, they’re on our boards and the parentteacher organization. They have so much more invested, and they are so much happier,” he said. Watford City had 1,700 people in the 2010 Census, and two studies show it could grow to 20,000. Those estimates are based on the potential for 55,000 to 60,000 oil wells within the next 20 years, which is where Department of Mineral Resources director Lynn Helms has said the Bakken play is headed. Today, there are 13,000 producing wells, but recent months have seen a slide in the price of oil and the number of rigs drilling dropped
Billingsbusiness
sharply from 186 in December to 86 this week. Williams said some of the apartment complexes are seeing 40 percent occupancy and one was at 80 percent vacancy over the winter, though it’s starting to fill now. As long as developers meet approved zoning uses, there is no way to slow apartment construction and another 105 acres of high-density development was just approved by the zoning board this week. Conversations about slowing apartment construction may be looming soon, according to Sanford. Still, Brock Metzka, who pulled up to greet Williams, said he’s not going anywhere. Metzka is construction supervisor for the Stallion Meadows project, which consists of 18 fourplexes north of Watford City with, appropriately enough, a producing oil well just across the fence line. The project is one Williams admires for the sophisticated design and quality of materials. Metzka said the money for the project is cash in the bank and his investors aren’t going to blink just because oil isn’t drawing all the cards right now. “They’ve been through major bumps in Las Vegas; they’ll be riding it out,” Metzka said. Watford City saw a whopping $161 million in building permits approved last year and just $5.6 million so far this year, nearly all of it in those 29 single-family homes permitted since January. Williams said the construction craze numbers don’t include the $51 million for the new high school under construction on the southeast side of town, or the $101 million for the adjacent events center that is in the prep and footings stage under an at-risk building permit, waiting final geo-tech reporting. He, too, would like to see a housing transition start to take shape. “In 10 years, that’s the scary part. You don’t want 80 percent of your population living in an apartment and paying rent. I am worried about that, but an apartment’s a better choice than an RV. We need housing of all types, for the aesthetic charm of the community,” Williams said.
LAUREN DONOVAN/Bismarck Tribune Construction materials line the entry to the Stallion Meadows development north of Watford City. The developer said the money for the project is in the bank and there’s no plan to slow the project down.
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MONTANA ENERGY REVIEW Tester boosts geothermal
Sen. Jon Tester, DMont., wants Montana to become a renewable energy leader by tapping into the state’s geothermal energy resources. Tester’s Geothermal Energy Opportunity Act would allow oil and gas developers on public lands to also harness geothermal potential TESTER without having to go through a lengthy approval process. The bill would also establish a national goal of producing 50,000 megawatts of geothermal power by 2025. “Montana’s public lands contain some of the best renewable energy sources in the world, and we should be leading the nation to increase our energy independence and reduce the amount of carbon we put into the atmosphere,” Tester said. “Developing Montana’s geothermal resources will expand our energy portfolio and create good-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced.” The Senator’s bill would also establish initiatives to promote the development of geothermal heat pumps so that state and local governments, public universities and non-governmental groups can directly use geothermal energy. Montana is already home to more than 300 thermal wells and springs.
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Briefs
Poll: U.S. supports energy development
Western Energy Alliance commissioned the Tarrance Group to conduct a national Americans strongly telephone survey of 1,000 support using resources likely voters from April 12-16. on public lands to produce The margin of error is + 3.1 energy and giving states more percent. control over regulating those activities. According to a poll Industry fights commissioned by Western Energy Alliance, 60 peroil train rules cent of likely voters support The U.S. oil industry has increasing energy producfiled a court challenge to new tion on multiple-use public rules aimed at reducing the lands, which do not include risk of catastrophic accidents national parks and wilderinvolving crude moved by ness areas. rail, following a string of fiery When asked about other derailments in recent years. issues related to the oil and The American Petroleum natural gas industry, voters Institute petition to the U.S. expressed overwhelming Circuit Court of Appeals for support for states taking a the Washington, D.C., would leading role in wildlife conset aside a requirement for servation, including endan- improvements to railroad gered species. Support was tank cars that are known to strong for Congress overfail during accidents. turning the crude oil export API spokesman Brian ban, with majorities across Straessle said the politipolitical parties in favor of cally influential trade group repeal. supports better tank cars but “Americans continue to companies need more time to have a favorable impression get them on the tracks. of how oil and natural gas “We definitely supis produced in the United port upgrades to the fleet,” States. For that reason, they Straessle said. “It’s a matter support boosting energy de- of timing.” velopment on public lands by At least 24 oil trains have transferring authority to state been involved in major fires or agencies, which have a better derailments over the past detrack record of protecting the cade in the U.S. and Canada, environment than federal including a 2013 accident in regulators,” said Tim Wigley, Quebec that killed 47 people. president of Western Energy The latest derailment came in Alliance. “People trust states early May, when a train carto make the right decisions. rying crude from the Bakken Voters understand that states region derailed and caught across the West continually fire in central North Dakota, review and update regulaforcing the evacuation of a tions, and that is why there small town. was such visceral reaction The Department of Transto recent federal fracking portation rules unveiled May rules in places like Wyoming, 1 call for an estimated 43,000 Colorado and North Dakota.” cars that primarily haul crude
“You could have 34 crude oil cars on a train and none of them would have to meet the news standards,” Boyles said.
Bakken output increases in March
Associated Press Smoke and fire comes from an oil train that derailed May 6 in Heimdal, N.D. The U.S. oil industry has filed a court challenge to new rules aimed at reducing the risk of catastrophic accidents involving crude moved by rail, following a string of fiery derailments in recent years.
to be phased out of retrofitted by 2020. Similar improvements to cars primarily carrying ethanol must be completed by 2023. Transportation Department spokeswoman Suzi Emmerling said the rules will make crude transportation safer. “We believe the rule will stand up to challenge in court and remain hopeful that industries impacted by these changes will accept their safety obligations and follow the new regulations,” she said. The petition filed by the industry also asks the court to set aside a requirement for advanced braking systems on fuel-hauling trains. The oil industry contends the brakes are unproven and would be too costly. The braking rule has drawn similar objections from the rail industry, which is considering its own legal challenge to the rule, said Ed Greenberg, spokesman for Association of American
WILLISTON, N.D. — North Dakota oil production rose 1.1 percent in March to just under 1.2 million barrels per day, the Department of Mineral Resources said. Producers completed significantly more wells in March than the previous month, but low oil prices continue to drive a slowdown in the Bakken oilfields, Director Lynn Helms wrote in his monthly update. The number of drilling rigs operating in North Dakota in early May was 83, the lowest since January 2010. At the end of March, an estimated 880 wells had been drilled but waiting on fracking crews, according to preliminary numbers. That’s a decrease of 20 from February. Operators completed an estimated 189 new wells in March, up sharply from the 42 completed in February. To maintain oil production near 1.2 million barrels per day, operators need to complete 110 to 120 wells each month, the department says. The percent of natural gas flared in March was unchanged at 19 percent.
Railroads. Railroads also have concerns about tank cars, but they are the opposite of the oil industry’s worries. Railroads want the cars — many of which are owned by oil companies — to be fitted with “thermal blankets” that wrap around the tank to prevent fires from spreading during a derailment. Another challenge to the rules could come from environmental groups and safety advocates who say the deadlines set by the Transportation Department are not fast enough. The Sierra Club and Forest Ethics are among the groups considering a court appeal or an administrative request for transportation officials to reconsider the May 1 rule, said Kristen Boyles, an attorney with the environmental law Slowdown leads firm Earthjustice. Also of concern is a provi- to vacancies DICKINSON, N.D. — Large sion exempting trains with signs posted on the sides of fewer than 35 tank cars from apartment buildings or staked the tougher construction requirement. Please see Energy, 29 Billingsbusiness
Energy
Lincoln Meadows on Fourth Avenue East said there has been a slight decrease in tenants Continued from 28 since the beginning of the year. on patches of grass, reading Sheila Stevens said since “rooms available” and “for the beginning of this year, her rent,” are prevalent at many company has recorded around Dickinson complexes. 12 to 16 tenants who have terThe signs are a representa- minated their lease early. tion of tenants leaving because The company has a total of the oil slowdown, which has of 251 units between their two slashed jobs and cut employee properties. As of early April, hours. just 16 of these rooms were A manager for Jefferson vacant, Stevens said. The company has been Creek on 14th Street West and
offering pricing incentives to entice people to stay or to draw other tenants to their properties. “We are offering deals because of the people who have got a cut in hours,” Stevens said. Lincoln Meadows tenant Deuvontay Charles said he has experienced the decrease in price. Please see Briefs, 31
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Briefs Continued from 29 He said Lincoln Meadows offered a “moving in” incentive when he relocated more than a year ago. With the deal, he paid $1,750 for a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment. Since the slowdown, however, prices have dropped further. He said now he pays $1,450 for the same place. “I am probably going to stay longer now that the price has dropped,” Charles said. Danielle Paulus, director of residential properties for Roers, also said her company has recorded a slight decrease in tenants compared to this time last year. The company owns the States Addition and West Ridge Apartments, managing a total of 400 units between 12 different properties in Dick-
inson. Ninety-seven percent of those units were occupied in March 2014. This year, 90 percent were filled. “In the past few months, we have seen more layoffs that are directly affecting our current residents,” Paulus said in an email. She said the cut of hours is affecting current residents from committing to or renewing a 12-month lease. As a result, the company is looking at adjusting their prices. “We continue to evaluate the market and adjust our rents accordingly,” Paulus said. In addition to tenants vacating properties, apartment listings have increased. The Dickinson Press advertising department listed 76 apartments listed in its Classifieds section in March 2014. Last month, there were 134 listings. An increase in listings means more vacant apartments. And vacancies ripple
through the market. Because people are leaving the area, telecommunications company Consolidated, said more people are disconnecting their services. “We are seeing more people move out of the area,” marketing and public relations director Rhonda Fitterer said. She said the company does see variations in the amount of connected customers throughout the year, but this spring season fewer people are using their services than last year. “We kind of expected it,” she said. “So we were prepared. But this year, we have seen more than usual.” While the slowdown has affected connections, Fitterer is optimistic about the future. She said the boom brought more businesses to the area, which had led to more people being able to find employment.
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BETTER business
R ead the fine print to see if CAN-SPAM A ct protects your business If you advertise through an affiliate or third party that sends emails with an advertisement or promotional message about your company, products or services, then not only is the email sender liable but so are you.
Erin T. Dodge Erin T. Dodge, is an editor for the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho and Montana in Spokane. Contact the bureau at spokane.bbb.org.
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Email is a powerful way to reach customers. Commercial email is also regulated under federal law. The CAN-SPAM act, which stands for Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing, covers how businesses (and pornographers) must handle emails. The clever acronym of CANSPAM may lead you to believe that the law only covers bulk email or spam but it covers all emails, whether sent to a single person or en masse. Violation of this law carries a penalty of up to $16,000 for each noncompliant email sent. The law gets even stricter with criminal penalties for violators who engage in activities that involve hacking others’ email accounts, email harvesting and spamming. Before you dismiss the seriousness of such activities because you know your business or organization would never engage in such behavior, you should know that you are also liable for email activities of others on your behalf. If you advertise through an affiliate or third party that sends emails with an advertisement or promotional message about your company, products or services, then not only is the email sender liable but so are you. Before you panic, let’s go over what CAN-SPAM requires for email and what type of business emails don’t fall under CAN-SPAM. The Federal Trade Commission, which provides enforcement of the Act, defines three types of business emails by their content: Commercial content “advertises or promotes a commercial product or service,
including content on a website operated for a commercial purpose.” Transactional or relationship “facilitates an already agreedupon transaction or updates a customer about an ongoing transaction.” Other content “is neither commercial nor transactional or relationship.” Transactional emails cannot contain false or misleading routing information but otherwise are exempt from CAN-SPAM. Some types of emails that fall under this category include receipts or invoices, support emails and account updates. If you include commercial content with transactional in an email, the primary purpose of the email determines if it falls within CAN-SPAM. That can make things a bit fuzzy, so you may want to fall on the side of caution for emails with mixed content. Fortunately, the main requirements of the CAN-SPAM Act are not complicated or difficult to put in place. The following list summarizes them: The information in the header of an email cannot be false or misleading and must accurately identify the sender of the email. This includes the email addresses for the “From,” “To” and “Reply to” fields as well as the routing information. Subject lines must be accurate (not deceptive). The email message must be identified as an ad, though the law gives businesses leeway on how to do this. You must include your physical address, which can be a post office box, in the email. You must give recipients
Courtesy
a clear and conspicuous way to opt-out of receiving emails from you in the future. If you ask them to reply to the email to do this, you must make sure that your business’s spam filters do not block opt-out requests. If you provide a link to a website where the recipient can unsubscribe to your emails, then you cannot require them to log in or click through multiple pages to opt-out. And if you provide a subscription management page that allows recipients to opt-out of certain types of emails, you must give the option to opt-out from all future emails. You must honor opt-out requests within 10 days. Also, the method used for opting out must be available for 30 days from the date the email was sent. You can’t charge a fee to process opt-out requests. You can’t require information beyond an email address
to process an opt-out request. Once someone has opted out of receiving emails, you can’t sell or transfer that email address, even as part of a mailing list. You need to monitor what other marketers are doing on your behalf. A contractual agreement with a third-party marketer will not remove your legal responsibility under CANSPAM. Businesses looking for help to follow these requirements often use bulk emailing services that also help manage their customer and marketing email lists and opt-out requests. A quick online search for email marketing services will help you locate free and paid services and software. As you can see that CANSPAM is fairly specific in what it covers, which makes it pretty easy to follow. When crafting email messages, it is also
important to remember that all promotional and advertising messages fall under consumer protection laws prohibiting “unfair and deceptive acts or practices,” otherwise known as “truth in advertising.” Email can be an important marketing channel for many businesses because it gives you the chance to directly engage with your intended audience. Email is also a fairly inexpensive channel for marketing. So long as you comply with federal regulations, it will continue to be. For more information about CAN-SPAM, you can visit the FTC’s Compliance Guide at http://1.usa.gov/1cT4K5L. You can find useful information from the FTC about advertising and marketing at http://1.usa. gov/1e1n50L and about the BBB Code of Advertising at http:// go.bbb.org/1JHnn6D. Billingsbusiness
“We’re all about speed and convenience. You can come through the car wash on the busiest day, and it will take you maybe all of 10 minutes.” — Brett Meinberg, Car Wash Express president
Photo by JAMES WOODCOCK Brett Meinberg talks about his plans to build a car wash between Fourth and Sixth avenues, across the street from MetraPark.
New car wash gives boost to EBURD By TOM HOWARD A $4 million automatic car wash that will recycle its water, provide free vacuum service and will operate even in sub-freezing weather is the newest business planning to locate in the East Billings Urban Renewal District. Brett Meinberg, president of Car Wash Express, a Denver company that’s building the Billings Splish Splash Car Wash, received an enthusiastic welcome when he discussed his company’s plans during the recent annual meeting of the Billings Industrial Revitalization District Inc. BIRD is the private, nonprofit organization that represents property owners within the EBURD, an area between MetraPark and downtown Billings that is undergoing renovation.
The car wash will be between Fourth and Sixth avenues north, just west of the entrance to MetraPark. Meinberg said the company had scouted other locations in Billings, but the site in the EBURD fit the bill. “We were focused in on the Shiloh area at first, but we’re really excited about this area with the traffic counts and the EBURD district and the fine people we’ve dealt with,” Meinberg said. The new car wash will feature patented mudblasting equipment, among other features. “We’re all about speed and convenience. You can come through the car wash on the busiest day, and it will take you maybe all of 10 minutes,” Meinberg said. Please see Car wash, 34
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Photo by JAMES WOODCOCK Architect Nick Pancheau from Collaborative Design Architects shows his idea for a multiple use building at 115 N. 22nd St. during the annual meeting of the East Billings Urban Renewal District.
Car wash
for a car wash today doesn’t mean you won’t be a customer down the road,” Meinberg said. “The vacuum lot will be Continued from 33 so big that people will be able to bring in their RVs or their boats. If you can Car Wash Express has six locabring it in here, you can vacuum it out.” tions in Denver and one Splish Splash Charlie Yegen, whose family has car wash in Grand Junction, Colo. The owned the property for about 100 Billings facility will be the largest car wash in Montana, Meinberg said. Large years, said the new business will add life to the EBURD. Yegen said the windows on the building will allow people driving along Main Street to see Denver-based company has a sound business plan that includes customcars getting scrubbed, he said. A free vacuum lot has proven to be built equipment and financing. “We felt fortunate when they an effective way to recruit new cusdecided to do business with us,” Yegen tomers, Meinberg said. “Just because you aren’t a customer said. 34
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Marty Connell, president of the BIRD, said interest in the EBURD has been picking up. Five active buy-sell agreements for property within the EBURD are underway at this time, Connell said. “It’s absolutely thrilling to see how it has blossomed and it’s growing,” since the district was formed in 2006, Connell said. Other big projects are in the works for the EBURD. A plan to upgrade a storm drain that serves the EBURD began in May. Travis Harris, project manager for the city of Billings, said property own-
ers will receive individual notifications to the project, which includes installing a 72-inch-diameter storm sewer along Fourth Avenue North and 15th Street. Eventually, the line will empty into the Yegen Drain. At least two lanes on Fourth Avenue will remain open while the storm sewer is being installed, Harris said. He said property owners will receive regular updates as the project moves forward. The storm drain project is designed to alleviate flooding that frequently takes place in the EBURD when thunderstorms move through
the Billings area. “The city is going to help us get rid of the water,” Connell said. “At the same time, we have to put up with some temporary inconveniences.” Chris Hertz from the City Engineer’s Office provided information about the Exposition Gateway Project, the eastern portion of the EBURD which will receive improvements such as bulbouts, streetlights, pedestrian enhancements and paving. “What we’re doing is reconstructing the streets between First and Fourth, and 10th and Main Street,” Hertz said. Billingsbusiness
TRAVEL &leisure
B e sure to back up your travel documents ... think of the days, and some case weeks, you could spend sitting in a foreign country trying to get a new passport or credit card. An ounce of prevention could save you from all of that.
Billie Ruff Billie Ruff is owner of Travel Cafe. Reach her at travelcafeonline.com.
Billingsbusiness
When you go on a trip, especially overseas, all travelers should consider what they would do if they lost or had their important travel documents stolen. This might not be a big problem here domestically, but once you are in another country, it’s a whole different ballgame. If a traveler is not prepared before they leave on their trip, they should be prepared to spend a lot of lost time, money and patience trying to recover from this significant inconvenience. Storing travel documents so you can have easy access to them in an emergency is not difficult, but travelers must have a method before they leave so they can quickly get on with their trip. Here are a few tips to help:
Step 1
Make copies of all important travel documents before you leave on your trip. Copies should minimally include: Passport, Visas, Credit cards, Birth certificate, work permit and driver’s license. Note: When making copies of credit cards, do not make copies of the CV code on the back of the card — or better yet, just obliterate that number. Know that the back of most credit cards have the bank’s phone numbers to call to contact the card issuer in case of an emergency.
Courtesy photo A woman has her passport handy as she checks in at airport ticket counter.
digitally scanned and email them to yourself so you have access to them, anywhere in the world, in case of an emergency. This can be very valuable if you lost all of your ID and need to help prove who you are.
you during the day, and keeping it in a hotel safe behind the front desk is usually the safest place. Many travelers just keep a copy of their passport with them. When in transit, keep your original travel documents on your person — stored in some Step 4 type of travel document wallet Bring one set of the copies or holder. Several different types Step 2 Get a second set of passport with you on your trip — particu- are available. However, you larly if you are traveling overseas. might want to consider ones that photos taken at the same time you get your originals taken. This Keep the copies in your hotel safe. have built in anti-theft security features — as well as ones that will save you time if you need to Step 5 provide RFID protection to the replace your passport. Depending on the country newly issued passport and credit you are visiting, you usually don’t cards that contain RFID chips. Step 3 Have all of these documents have to keep your passport with Women should be very careful
when placing their documents in purses and handbags, as they can easily fall victim to slick-fingered pickpockets and bag snatchers.
Step 6
If you think your documents may be exposed to water, consider keeping them in a waterproof case. You can purchase such a case or easily use a zip-close bag to keep your documents safe from rain or a leaky sun tan lotion bottle in your travel bag.
Step 7
Be careful. When you’re in
a crowded place, either at the airport, a party, a bus or train station or a store, keep a low profile. Don’t wear a lot of jewelry or other “affluent” styles of clothing. You don’t want to call attention to yourself as either a tourist or as someone who might have something worth taking. If this sounds like a lot of work up front, think of the days, and some case weeks, you could spend sitting in a foreign country trying to get a new passport or credit card. An ounce of prevention could save you from all of that. June 2015
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special advertising section
Seafoods of the World Long-time whoLesaLer opens retaiL center
By Brenda Maas • Photos by Larry Mayer & Casey Page
It’s nearly 820 miles from Billings to the Pacific Coast—home of freshly-caught salmon. Maine lobster travels more than 2,300 miles to consumer plates in Billings. And, Gulf Coast shrimp traverse nearly 2,500 miles to become part of a cocktail in Big Sky country. However, a newly-expanded business in Billings’ West End hastens the commute and gives consumers another option for fresh seafood in land-locked Billings, Mont. Seafoods of the World, a second-generation, Billings-based seafood wholesaler, has recently expanded and opened a small retail store at 5800 Interstate Ave. Above:The check-out counter is shaped like a wave — an idea from Michelle Smith — and includes a hip-height mini-ledge for customers’ purses and bags — an idea from Jerry Jones of Jones Construction. Inset left: Billings - area residents can purchase freshly-caught king salmon without traveling to the West Coast at the newly-expanded Seafoods of the World. Inset right: In addition to freshly-caught products, Seafoods of the World offers a plethora of frozen options. Left: Seafoods of the World, located at 5800 Interstate Ave., recently completed an addition that features retail space.
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special advertising section
Fish tales
Ivan and Jean Smith started the business in 1978, leasing space from Montana Cold Storage and selling seafood wholesale to regional grocery stores and restaurant distributors. Their son and current president, Dave Smith, grew up in the business. “I used to make deliveries in a green station wagon,” he recalled of his summer employment. Over the years, the business grew, and in 2004 Smith moved Seafoods of the World to the current location south of I-90. “We had an option to buy Montana Cold Storage downtown, but it was an older building and it was land-locked,” he said of the original location. Although Seafoods of the World shares the decade-old building and property with Montana Food Distributors, they are both independent businesses. Retail, or walkin, business has typically been minimal—about one percent, Smith noted. However, consumers, both wholesale and retail, are increasingl seeking a freshly-caught product. Smith said that “fresh” has grown to include 15-20 percent of the business, and he needed more space for cutting and coolers to accommodate that growth. “Billings hasn’t had a fresh seafood market in about 30 years,” noted Smith. “The city has grown and it’s time—we are seeing bigger city features coming to town.” He goes on to explain that wholesalers across the country have buying power and sources for fresh products. By “fresh,” he means never frozen—an important distinction, according to Smith. “We get fresh fish in all the time,” he said. “We are at the airport every day at 6 a.m., The stained concrete floor is both trendy and sanitary—carpets and fresh fish do not mix. and we are there at least 10-12 times a week.” That translates into non-traditional buying options for regional customers on the Time-honored & trusted northern High Plains—some from as far away a central Wyoming and the western Seafoods of the World steadily increased businesses since relocating, out-growing Dakotas. Smith employs word-of-mouth and grassroots marketing techniques, including the location over the past two years. Ten years after moving from the downtown location, an expansive email list, to alert customers of seasonal products. when the time for expansion was right, Smith looked to another family-owned business,
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special advertising section
Space multiplied
The specials will be noted on the “Fresh Catch” board and changed daily with 30-40 options. Commonlyrequested halibut is typically available November through March and wild salmon peaks from May to October.
Jones Construction, for assistance with the addition. “Jerry built our original building out here,” Smith said, “so we already had a relationship with Jones Construction. Plus, they knew the key mechanical pieces. It would have taken a different contractor
longer to come up-to-speed.” According to Jones, the addition was constructed with the same materials and colors as the original pre-engineered metal building. Both Jones Construction and the building manufacturer had easily-accessible records from the original project.
Initially Smith wanted to add 25 feet to the north end of the building, but he quickly realized that that a 50-foot addition was more economical. “It came down to cost, of course, and we couldn’t really do anything with just 25 feet,” he said. The newly-expanded interior space includes an airy retail area, additional storage on the mezzanine, a large cutting room, packaging space and a second large cooler which is 2-1/2 times bigger than the original. Major features, noted Smith, are the 12-foot glass-enclosed fresh fish case and the open-viewing windows from the store into the cutting room. Customers can pick out their fish and then watch it being cut and packaged right in front of them. “People are interested in seeing their selection cut and prepared,” Smith said. The open-market style appeals to modern customers. “The retail area is fun with the feel of a friendly, neighborhood grocer,” noted Jones.
“The stained concrete floor, the volume with the high ceilings and natural light and the small footprint—you don’t have to wander far before you find what you are looking for.” While the retail space may be the highlight, the addition includes several hard-working areas. As the freshly-caught sector of the business grew, Smith knew the related function areas—cutting and packaging, plus cooler space—must grow, too. In the former cutting room, the employers worked in close quarters. Smith joked about the confined space and credits employee’s skills for being able to safely and effectively work in the close quarters. The new cutting/packing room is more than triple the size of the former space, allowing at least four employees to work at the same time, compared to a maximum of two. The additional space, plus a new, larger industrial vacuum-sealing machine allows for efficiently shipping more over-night orders. Smith also noted the emphasis on
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special advertising section sanitation and safety; employees spend at least half their time cleaning. For example, the pans in the fresh fish case are changed out at least twice each day so the fish does not sit in what is known as the “purge.” Customers will also note that Seafoods of the World employees know their product and can offer insight on how to handle, store and prepare all the varieties they sell. Smith employs 10, with three managers collectively garnering about 80 years of seafood experience.
Daily deal
One of Smith’s favorite features, the “Fresh Catch” boards, list exactly that—what is fresh, in season and available. In addition to popular options like shrimp, salmon and halibut, Seafoods of the World carries lesser-known products like escargot, alligator and frog legs on their extensive product list. Additionally, Smith encourages customers to order ahead for even faster service, or make requests. Quality products and personal service has kept Seafoods of the World in business for nearly 40 years, he noted, and the managed growth in the new retail store will continue that same path.
The new Seafoods of the World retail market will offer fresh fish, frozen fish, live lobsters and seasonal specials that are flown in daily along with related seasonings and accruements.
Congratulations
SeAFooDS oF THe worLD
on your new ADDITIon
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SSeafoods of the World
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PayneWest
New locatioN aNd collaborative approach poise
iNsuraNce compaNy for busiNess growth
By Brittany Cremer • Photos by Hannah Potes
On its face, insurance seems like such a quantitative pursuit—crunching costs, claims and numbers to arrive at an equitable outcome. But insurance is actually much more touchy-feely than that. Insurance agents—scratch that—successful insurance agents know that in order to secure long-term success with a client, he or she has to demonstrate something far more powerful than a color-coded Excel spreadsheet. The recipe for success? For PayneWest Insurance in Billings, it’s a synergy of sorts focusing on three integral elements: clients, colleagues and community. “We call them our three C’s,” said PayneWest President and CEO, Brian Donahue, “and they are the linchpin to our success.” Above: Located at 3289 Gabel Rd., PayneWest Insurance serves 28 locations in four states, offering a suite of services including risk management, loss control and prevention and claim advocacy. Left: An open and inviting lobby welcomes guests to PayneWest Insurance in Billings.
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special advertising section It was with the 3C’s in mind that PayneWest of Billings set out to build a new facility at 3289 Gabel Rd. Combining its 2nd Avenue North and Overland locations, the staff of PayneWest is now housed under one roof in a state-of-the-art, eyecatching building amid Billings’ burgeoning West End. From conception to completion the build took about one year; it took just 3 ½ days for staff to transition to the new space. “The location is fantastic, the move couldn’t have gone smoother and we are incredibly pleased that the construction process was ontarget and on-time,” Donahue said.
A meeting of minds
Serving 28 locations in four states, PayneWest Insurance offers a suite of services to its customers, including risk management, loss control and prevention and claim advocacy. Their mission hinges on being a premier provider of unique solutions for insurance, surety and employee benefits. The new Billings location is PayneWest’s “showpiece” location, a reflection of the company’s continued success, Donahue said. An employee-owned business, PayneWest Insurance was formed in 2012 when Payne Financial Group and Western States Insurance merged. One of the largest mergers of its kind, PayneWest Insurance is now a top-40 nationally ranked insurance agency serving customers in Montana, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. “Planning for the new building included a vision,” Donahue said. “We wanted to build a productive and positive place for employees and
Billingsbusiness
clients with room to grow.” The aesthetics of a West End, campus-like location coupled with ample parking provided the one-two punch that secured the locale. Open communication—whether between staff and clients or decision makers and subcontractors—was tantamount to the project’s success, Donahue said.
A welcoming reception desk features iron-embossed kick boards, soft pendant lighting and attractive quartz countertops.
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special advertising section Weeks before anyone set foot inside the new building, PayneWest employees alerted customers and clients to the switch. “We wanted complete transparency with no surprises,” Donahue said. And that’s precisely what they got with general contractor, Diamond B Companies, Inc.
Subcontractor synergy
Jerry Thomas, director of real estate with Diamond B. Companies, Inc., credits his dedicated team of subcontractors with hitting the deadline and exceeding all expectations. “We have a talented team of subs that we work with on a regular basis, and there’s a reason for that,” he said. “They are proven, trusted and do fine work.” Crediting architect Dave Hurlburt with Ackerly-Hurlburt & Associates as well as the engineering team from Sanderson Stewart, Thomas said the framework of the build was spot-on.
Thomas additionally drops a nod to the artistry of the landscape design team. “They made the building look just as good outside as in,” he said. Thomas also acknowledges the dedication and hard work of project manager, Kenny Lloyd. “He simply makes everything run smoothly,” Thomas said. While awaiting final approval for various permits, the construction team was able to get a jump start on some of the dirt work on the lot, Thomas said. From that point on, the construction process was a strategic, mechanized machine that easily adapted to any unforeseen roadblocks or structural nuances that surfaced. “We couldn’t be more pleased with their work,” Donahue said of Thomas and Diamond B. “They are true professionals.”
Fine finishings
The exterior of the new building is a study in understated elegance. Angular lines
Left: Awash in natural light, the building features large, oversized windows at the main entrance.
PayneWest Insurance
Congratulations
Congratulations PayneWest Insurance 3307 Grand Avenue Billings, Montana
Phone: 256-8200 Montana Family Owned Since 1924
Northwest Glass Inc.
127 Regal Street • 252-7196 44
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We are proud to have been part of your remodel team!
Billings | Bozeman | Great Falls | Missoula
-Congratulations PayneWest-
We’re proud to partner with you on your new building! Billings | 2950 King Ave W | 406.652.4666 | piercecommercialflooring.com Billingsbusiness
Visualize your corporate headquarters here! Welcome PayneWest Insurance! A quality project that is setting itself apart! Call Jerry Thomas today for more information!
406-652-7603 Major NatioNal, regioNal & local coMpaNies are Now locatiNg their headquarters iN the traNstech ceNter.
Wondering why? You should be! Billingsbusiness
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Top: PayneWest Insurance President and CEO Brian Donahue likes having Billings employees housed under one roof. The new building combined office space from PayneWest’s 2nd Avenue North and Overland locations. Above; Executive offices line the periphery of PayneWest with cubicle space in the middle.
ACKERLY ~ HURLBURT & ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS ~ Thanks for choosing us for your project ~ 3970 Avenue D Billings, MT 59102 Phone: 406-652-4015 46
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are softened by soft earth tones in taupe and chocolate, while an attractive metal band highlights the top quarter of the building. Upon entering, guests are greeted by an inviting reception area, accented by iron-infused kickboards, pendant lighting and quartz counters. To the left, guests will note a spacious conference/training room with state-of-the-art technology and to the right, a wall of windows washes the lobby in natural light. Administrative offices encircle the first floor, with representatives in home and auto insurance conveniently situated toward the front of the building. Human Resources and the IT department are also located downstairs for optimal efficiency and workability. A spacious break room stays stocked with coffee and snacks, with outdoor access to a walking path and private patio. “Part of the allure for this location was being attached to Transtech Way,” Donahue said. “The campus-feel, the lush landscaping and walking path make it feel like so much more than just a building.” Account representatives are situated toward the center of the first floor in wellappointed cubicles. Ergonomic desks, chairs and work stations—courtesy of 360 Office Solutions—enhance comfort and production. “We wanted to be sensitive to the individual needs and wants of our employees,” Donahue said. Dovetailing off this sentiment (and part of PayneWest’s second “C”) was providing inviting working quarters for its colleagues. “We believe in fostering a safe and comfortable work environment where colleagues feel inspired and are kind to each
other,” Donahue said. Encouraging employees to give back to the community (the third “C”) is also important. Twice a year, PayneWest employees are encouraged to support a local non-profit of their choosing and spend the eight-hour work day volunteering. “As an employee-owned company, we are personally vested in the community,” Donahue said. “Giving back isn’t just the right thing to do, it feels good.”
Elevator up!
Most employees take the stairs, but there is elevator access to the twostory building. Decorative wallpaper in luminescent eggshell complements the space, with mesh metallic fixtures peppered throughout. Crown molding and rich wood finishings add elegance to the space, while each employee is encouraged to decorate his/her workspace with favorite photos, team memorabilia and décor. Additional executive offices, a small conference room with fantastic views and cubicles round out the second floor—which is smartly-appointed with mini copy/print stations throughout. Donahue and his team are excited about having all PayneWest employees under one roof, working together to provide the best possible service to their clients. He’s even more enthusiastic about what the future holds. “We didn’t build this building with simply the next 10 years in mind,” he said. “Our team was thinking decades beyond that. We are poised for growth and excited about the next chapter in our journey.”
Congratulations PayneWest Insurance
We are proud to be involved with this project! Specializing in Commercial Construction 2915 Hannon Rd. | 406-245-6100 Billingsbusiness
PayneWest Insurance Is on the move. you’ll notice a new face on an old friend. PayneWest Insurance recently moved to our new location at 3289 Gabel Road in Billings’ TransTech Center. The new building allows our two offices to become one, providing an even better client experience. Find an independent agent at PayneWest.com/Billings or (406) 238-1900.
auTo Home He a lTH lIFe BusIness
ClIenTs | ColleaGues | CommunITIes
3289 Gabel Road Billings, mT 59102 (406) 238-1900 PayneWest.com/Billings
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special advertising section
Shipton’s Big R Opens New Store in Billings Heights By Allyn Hulteng Photos by Larry Mayer & Hannah Potes
With affordable, high-quality products and great customer service, the neW shipton’s big r in billings heights is ready to serve ranchers, farmers and everyone else Who lives the rural and Western lifestyle – and yes, the pet oWner and outdoorsman, too.
There’s a very good reason why Shipton’s Big R chose to open their fourth store on Main Street in Billings Heights. “The Heights is the state’s seventh largest city, and we can now better serve farmers, ranchers and people in small communities all across eastern Montana with this new location,” said Jay Carroll, who along with his brother Gregg owns the Billings-based company. Top: Shipton’s Big R in Billings Heights opened this spring. Bottom: Shipton’s Big R has a large selection of riding lawn mowers and services what they sell.
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“PeoPle in the heights have been incredibly suPPortive, and we’re thrilled to be a Part of this thriving community.”
— Jay carroll, owner
Rooted in Tradition
Montana is renowned for its rural and Western lifestyle, and today’s farmers and ranchers continue that time-honored tradition. For more than 66 years, Shipton’s Big R has endeavored to provide hardworking Montanans with quality products at everyday low prices with unparalleled customer service. Opening as a small independent farm and ranch supply store in 1949, Shipton’s Big R grew to become one Shipton’s Big R features a “wall of jeans” with more than 100 different sizes and styles.. of the region’s largest suppliers of farm and ranch supplies, with two large stores in Billings plus a third in Sheridan, WY. Still, the demand for quality farm and ranch goods continued to increase. With an eye on this trend, Jay Carroll and his executive team began looking at ways to provide even better service. “Our focus has always been on our customer and their convenience.” said Carroll.
It’s bigger
than banking.
It’s working with a banker who knows how you live. We live here too. And we’re still the same family run bank, whose roots run deep in this great western landscape. It’s you and together. CONGRATULATIONS, SHIPTON’S BIG R!
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special advertising section Ultimately, they realized the market could best be served by opening a fourth Shipton’s Big R store in Billings Heights. “People in the Heights have been incredibly supportive, and we’re thrilled to be a part of this thriving community,” said Carroll.
More than a store
Located at 1908 Main St., the new Shipton’s Big R offers convenient access to both Main Street and Lake Elmo Drive. That access, plus the fact that the store is mere blocks from the busy intersection of Wicks and Main, makes it easy for trucks pulling large trailers to enter and exit. Inside, the store is beautiful. State-of-theart displays along with attractive merchandising make it pleasant to wander through the many departments. Large lifestyle images cover the walls and pillars, bringing a real life element to the interior, while high-tech lighting brightens the entire space. Like the other three stores, Big R Heights remains rooted in farm and ranch equipment and supplies – including tack, feed and fencing. To accommodate the growing needs of their customers, the store also features specialized departments such as power tools, pet supplies and sporting goods. “We have the largest selection of “new” firearms in Montana and Wyoming,” noted Carroll.
Top: Shipton’s Big R carries a wide selection of top-brand power tools including Husqvarna and DeWalt. Bottom: Customers can easily refill their propane tanks at Shipton’s Big R.
Shipton’s Big R
Congratulations Northwest Glass Inc.
127 Regal Street 252-7196 50
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Congratulations Shipton’s Big R
We are proud to be involved with this project! Specializing in Commercial Construction 2915 Hannon Rd. | 406-245-6100 Billingsbusiness
Congratulations Shipton’s Big R
on
Your New Store!
Heights Location • 1908 Main Street
Congratulations Shipton’s BIG R on your new location! We are Proud to be your general contractor!
Design / Build Commercial / Industrial Tilt-up Concrete Billingsbusiness
252-6298 • 123 Regal Street www.jonesconstructionmt.com Since 1952 June 2015
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special advertising section =As the weather changes, departments expand to include seasonal merchandise – like lawn and garden supplies and fishing and camping gear in the spring. “We’re unique in that we’re truly a farm and ranch store, but we also serve the working man, the outdoorsman and those who live the Western lifestyle,” Carroll said. One trip inside and you know that Shipton’s Big R is no ordinary retail center.
Farm and ranch and more
Looking for a riding lawn mower? How about high-quality food for Fido? Have a new trailer and need the right towing package? Look no further than Shipton’s Big R. Offering a large array of quality merchandise, Shipton’s Big R is your destination for top-of-the-line brands. Husqvarna, Tarter, Honda, DeWalt, Science Diet, Smith & Wesson and Remington are among the many quality names customers will find. Like the other three stores, Big R Heights is also staffed with highly-trained employees who are able to provide in-depth product information and technical assistance. Shipton’s Big R also services what they sell. The store’s certified technicians will make sure your power equipment and power tools run at top performance for years to come. In addition to tools and supplies, Big R Heights has a large apparel and footwear department. Located on the North side of the store, this department features trusted brands like Ariat, Cinch, Muck and
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The new Big R Heights has a large apparel and footwear department featuring quality brands including Ariat, Cinch, Muck and Wrangler.
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Congratulations
Mike & Sherril Burke
Congratulations Shipton’s Big R on your new store!
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Farmers and ranchers will find a large tack department to meet their needs, while youngsters will enjoy shopping in the store’s toy department.
We Are Proud to Be a Part of Your Construction Team
Congratulations
Providing Quality Concrete Production for over 30 Years Congratulations 54
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304 S 25th Street Billings, MT
406-655-9240
precisionplumbinginc.com
• Commercial • Residential • Service • Billingsbusiness
special advertising section Wrangler. A sprawling 2,000 square feet is dedicated to displaying the store’s impressive inventory of Carhartt clothes and outerwear. And nowhere will you find a bigger selection of jeans. “There is literally a ‘jeans wall,’ with a huge variety of styles and more than 100 sizes to choose from,” Carroll said. Six spacious dressing rooms allow customers to try on clothes in comfort, while helpful staff is on hand to answer questions. From classic Western wear to work wear to rugged outdoor gear, Shipton’s Big R has the selection and styles to outfit everyone in the family.
M O N TA N A’ S # 1
C r e at I n G M O n ta n a BuSIneSS OppOrtunItIeS
S BA 5 0 4
LEN D ER
Farmers and ranchers will find a large tack department to meet their needs, while youngsters will enjoy shopping in the store’s toy department.
All
the
S h I p tO n S B IG r , h e IG htS
Best
to Shipton’s Big R on the new store in Billings Heights!
We are proud to be a part of this project.
Big Sky Economic Development is proud to have partnered in the financing of the new Heights Shiptons Big R.
Congratulations and thank you for including us in another great Heights project.
6809 King Ave West Unit D Billings, MT 59106 Office 406.839.9110
Congratulations
406.256.6871
WWW.BIGSKY504.COM
WelcoMe to the heightS & congrAtulAtionS
Shipton’S Big R
406-248-3656 • Billings.BuyAbbey.com 713 Main Street, Billings • Mon. - Fri. 8-5, Sat. 9-3 Billingsbusiness
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Customers first
While the range of products has grown significantly since the first store opened in 1949, one thing remains the same. “At Shipton’s Big R, we are all about our customer,” said Carroll. For Carroll and his staff, that commitment shines through in their promise to offer the best quality products at everyday low prices supported by the highest standard of customer service in the industry. “We invite everyone in to any of our four Shipton’s Big R stores to experience the difference for yourself.”
Meet the Staff
Born and raised in Miles City, MT., Shelby Shipton’s Big R has been serving farmers and understands the ranchers and everyone who needs of farmers and lives the rural and western ranchers. lifestyle for more than 66 “We’re very years. excited to be opening Now celebrating the our fourth store in opening of their new store in Billings Heights,” Billings Heights, Shipton’s Big Toepke said. “This R continues a proud tradition is a great location to of offering the highest quality serve people in the products at everyday low prices Heights plus farmers along with the best possible and ranchers all across customer service. eastern Montana.” Jay Carroll, who along The Heights store with his brother Gregg owns From left to right: Brian Osborne, Assistant Manager, D.P. Ewald features the same Shipton’s Big R, leads a team Assistant Manager, Shelby Toepke, Manager. high-quality products, of seasoned store managers including chainsaws, including Tom Quinn (Big leather gloves, hardware, tow straps, whole oats, wood R West), Tyler McElvain (Big R East) and and Sam shavings and bulk propane. Depew (Big R Sheridan). “Come and see all that Big R Heights has to offer – Rounding out the team is Shelby Toepke, who has we look forward to serving you,” Shelby said. taken the reins as store manager of Big R Heights.
Big R Heights 1908 Main Street Hours Monday-Saturday 7:30 AM - 9:00 PM Sunday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Phone: 406-384-0099 Toll Free: 888-202-1418 Other Shipton’s Big R Locations: In Montana: 216 N 14th St., Billings 2600 Gabel Rd., Billings In Wyoming: 2049 Sugarland Dr. Sheridan Find us online at shiptonsbigr.com
Congratulations on your new Store in the BillingS heightS 56
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Business Briefs Local Commerce at a Glance
Financial firm agrees to fines
information, PHX was unresponsive. Lindeen’s investigation showed PHX was not HELENA — A New York monitoring Horbatuk’s activCity-based financial services ity and in the absence of that firm and one of its executives oversight, he again engaged in have paid more than $175,000 churning. in restitution and fines to PHX has already paid resolve an action brought by its $30,000 fine and more Montana Securities Commis- than $132,000 in restitution, sioner Monica J. Lindeen after including interest. two Montana investors lost The case has been under more than $100,000 through investigation since last Octoan illegal scheme run by one ber. The final order in the case of the company’s employees. was recently signed and the The employee, William two Montana victims received Horbatuk, has been permatheir restitution in late April. nently barred from doing business in Montana and PPL Montana agreed to a $10,000 fine. The company, PHX Finan- donates vehicles cial Inc., also known as BlackPPL Montana has donated well Capital Markets, Inc., has two vehicles from the Corette further agreed to stop doing Power Plant to the Downtown business in Montana and give Billings Business Improveup its securities registration ment District, a 501(c)(3) here for at least two years. non-profit organization. PPL The case involved two Montana officials handed over Montana investors who hired the keys to a 2005 Chevrolet Horbatuk to invest their HD 2500 four-wheel drive money. As a condition of truck and a 2007 John Deere doing business in Montana, Utility Gator ATV to the BID PHX was under orders to keep Purple Street Team. The BID’s a closer watch on Horbatuk’s only truck, recently expired, activities. Horbatuk had was taken to an auto/truck previously made trades with salvage yard. his client’s money intended PPL Montana officials to drive up commissions for announced the Corette plant himself at his clients’ expense, will be dismantled rather than a process called “churning.” retrofitted to meet new polLindeen’s office was lution control guidelines for tipped off by an investor who mercury. suspected his accounts were The Downtown Billings being mismanaged. When the Business Improvement Disinvestor repeatedly requested trict is dedicated to improving
Billingsbusiness
the cleanliness, appearance, and perception of safety in Downtown Billings. The Purple People Street Team works in Downtown Billings six days a week throughout the year and performs a variety of services from sidewalk sweeping, weed abatement, snow removal, event facilitation, trash and graffiti removal to creating a friendly and uniformed presence in the downtown. The donated vehicles will be used in the downtown district to accomplish the BID work plan and goals.
the virus will have led to the deaths of more than 33 million chickens and turkeys in the Midwest, primarily at farms in neighboring Minnesota and Iowa. South Dakota State Veterinarian Dustin Oedekoven said crews would begin euthanizing the chickens after they determined how best to handle the largest outbreak the state has seen thus far. Dakota Layers’ Chief Executive Officer Scott Ramsdell said in a statement that Dakota Layers had taken “extensive biosecurity measures” over the last two months to S.D. chickens prevent an outbreak in their contract bird flu barns. FLANDREAU, S.D. — An “Unfortunately, as many eastern South Dakota farm poultry farms are discoverwith 1.3 million egg-laying ing, even our extraordinary chickens is the first in the measures proved ineffective chicken-production busiin preventing the spread of ness in the state to be infected avian influenza into one of our with a deadly flu virus despite barns,” Ramsdell said. efforts to prevent it, state and Dakota Layers produces farm officials said recently. more than 90,000 eggs daily Flandreau-based Dakota and ships about 70 percent Layers, which accounts for of its eggs to California. nearly half the state’s almost Agriculture officials have 2.7 million egg-laying chick- stressed there is no danger to ens, reached out to the state the supply and very low risk to veterinarian after it noticed an humans. unusual number of dead birds South Dakota State Vetin one of its nine barns. erinarian Dustin Oedekoven A South Dakota State said it was disappointing to University lab confirmed see a large-scale operation the presence of the highly lose it birds after taking all the pathogenic H5 avian influappropriate precautions. enza virus. Officials hadn’t “It’s a big loss, it’s a big confirmed yet whether it was hit,” he said. the H5N2 strain. If so, then Officials from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture were on site Thursday to evaluate the operation and work with the state in figuring out how to proceed. Bird flu has already been found at eight turkey farms in South Dakota — affecting almost 500,000 birds — but none of this magnitude. The hens would likely be humanely euthanized with carbon dioxide gas, Oedekoven said, but the state hasn’t yet decided how to dispose of the carcasses. Officials have primarily been burying turkey carcasses in addition to composting them. “It’s not pleasant work, but we’ve had great cooperation with our industry and we hope they can make it through this,” Oedekoven said. “We’ll proceed as best we can and continue to hope for the end of this plague
delivery and pickup service in five markets. But the unlimited shipping program marks a substantial commitment and underscores how serious the retailer is about accelerating the growth of its online business, which has seen a slowdown. Ravi Jariwala, a company spokesman, said the offering is in response to increasing demands from customers who are looking for predictable and affordable shipping.
Feds extend mortgage plans
The federal government is extending for another year two programs designed to help homeowners who are at risk of defaulting on their mortgage or still owe far more on their loans than the properties are worth. The Home Affordable Modification Program and the Wal-Mart tests Home Affordable Refinance Program will be extended shipping service NEW YORK — Wal-Mart until the end of 2016, Mel Watt, director of the Federal Stores Inc. will test a new unlimited shipping service for Housing Finance Agency, said Friday. The programs were online shoppers this summer that will be priced below scheduled to end Dec. 31. Both programs were Amazon’s widely popular $99 unveiled by President Barack per year Prime service. Obama shortly after he took Wal-Mart, the world’s office in 2009 to help finanlargest retailer, said that the shipping subscription service cially struggling homeowners will cost customers $50 a year. who have mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Products will arrive in three Mac save their homes rather days or less. Wal-Mart offers a grocery than lose them to foreclosure. June 2015
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Business Success StoriesBriefs Recognizing People and Local Achievements Commerce at a Glance
Adviser earns certification
five colleges: the College of Allied Health Professions, the College of Arts & SciencThomas Webber, an ades, the College of Business, viser with Prudential Finanthe College of Education and cial in Billings, has earned City College at MSU Billings. the RetireHe will also supervise other ment Income MSUB enterprises including Certified Information Technology & Professional Institutional professional Research, edesignation Learning and from The Extended American Webber Campus. College in Hoar will Bryn Mawr, work closely Pa. The RICP educaHoar with the tional curricula is the most other vice complete and comprechancellors on daily operahensive program available tions and university-wide to professional financial strategic planning. advisers looking to help their Hoar is currently the clients create sustainable associate vice chancellor retirement income. Webfor academic affairs at the ber specializes in long-term University of Wisconsin La financial growth, protection Crosse. Since 1995, he has and retirement planning. been a professor of mathHe may be reached at 406ematics. Hoar also chairs 969-4540. the University of Wisconsin System Learn@UW ExecuMSUB names tive Committee and was also the principal investigator vice chancellor on the UW System College Robert “Bob” Hoar has been named new provost and Readiness Math MOOC academic vice chancellor at grant. He holds doctorate and masters degrees in Montana State University mathematics from Montana Billings and will begin the job on July 1. Hoar will have State University and earned oversight of the academic his bachelor’s degrees in programs at MSU Billings’ computer science and math-
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ematics from Montana Tech of the University of Montana in 1989 and 1990, respectively. Hoar has been active nationally in several areas of mathematics, including chairing the Math and Computer Science Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research from 2003 through 2004. He has also facilitated Academic Program Reviews for various mathematics, statistics and computer science departments by pairing external evaluators with institutions seeking evaluation.
His practice areas include civil litigation and insurance defense. Brown is admitted to state and federal courts in Montana and is also licensed to practice law in North Dakota and Nebraska. He joins James R. Halverson, Thomas L. Mahlen Jr. and John L. Wright. Brown can be contact through the firm’s website, www.hglaw.net, at the office at Creekside Suite 301 at 1001 S. 24th St. W., or by phone at 652-1011.
Realty firm honors associates
At the 2015 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Attorney joins convention in Las Vegas, Berkshire Hathaway Halverson firm Homeservices Real Estate Chase E. Brown is now Associates were honored for associated with Halverson achieving the Honor Society & Mahlen, P.C. Brown attended Creighton University designation which is the top 13 percent in the network of in Omaha, Neb., where he completed the 3/3 Business/ Berkshire Hathaway associates in the nation for 2014. Law Program, receiving his They are Mike Oliver undergraduate business degree in three years, before (861-5305), Jase Norsworattending Creighton Univer- thy (690-8480), Susan B. sity School of Law. While at Lovely (698-1601), Ed and Creighton, Brown served as Judy Workman (690-0567), Karen Frank (698-0152), an associate staff member Diana Carroll (861-0059), of the Creighton International and Comparative Law Stella Ossello Burke (690Journal as well as a member 9955) and Laure Taylor (698-4809). of the Creighton UniverThe Pat Schindele Team sity Moot Court Board.
(591-2551) received an award for being in the top five commercial teams in the network for 2014.
Hittmeier named to new position
Brenda Hittmeier has been promoted to senior portfolio manager with Stockman Asset Management. Hittmeier works with Montana families to provide both investment management and comprehensive financial planning services. Prior to joining Stockman Asset Management in February 2013, she worked as a financial consultant for a Billings brokerage firm. Hittmeier graduated cum laude from the University of Houston with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with marketing emphasis and has also earned her Certified Financial Planner certification. She is at the Stockman Bank downtown branch at 402 N. Broadway and may be reached at 655-3960.
Brokers earn CWS designation
Janice Cochrane, CWS, senior vice president, financial adviser and assistant branch manager, and Patrick O’Leary, CWS, senior vice
president and financial adviser at D.A. Davidson & Co., have completed the intensive course work required to earn Certified Wealth Strategist designations. The program is designed to help them exceed client expectations regarding wealth management advice and solutions. Cochrane has been with the firm for nearly 20 years. O’Leary joined the COCHRANE firm soon after, beginning his work with D.A. Davidson in May 1996. Both work O’LEARY out of the Billings branch of D.A. Davidson & Co. The CWS designation is provided to financial professionals who have demonstrated an advanced understanding of more complex wealth management issues. It is offered by the Cannon Financial Institute, a leading continuing education company in the securities industry.
Billingsbusiness
Residential Permits Demolition Permit Residential — 1212 S. 32nd St. W., NA, Treco Constructors Inc., $15,000
Addition Single/ Duplex/Garage — 3470 Howard Ave., Alexander, Russell E. & Evelyn, $3,780 3759 Poly Drive, Lais Development Inc., $10,500 2222 Virginia Lane, Eisenbarth, Jamey Ronald, Yellowstone Basin Construction, $300,000 2002 Mariposa Lane, Miller, Mark S., $6,480 2903 Radcliffe Drive, Connell, Mary Lee, $84,275 5924 Sandalwood Drive, MacDonald, Brian J., My Handyman Service, $5,400 296 Windsor Circle S., Stell, Monte D. & Sherri L., $2,160 237 Avenue B, Kessler, Gerald R. & Janice A., $80,000 519 Howard Ave., Stephenson, Dennie V., $2,290
1422 Wicks Lane, Peterson, Timothy E., $9,000 2615 Selvig Lane, Joel Gaskins, Buildwerks, $31,360 2220 11th St. W., Janiak, Gail E., $10,000 986 Dixon St., Hawkins, Timothy & Shawna, $25,200
New Single Family
— 914 Royal Ave., KW Signature Homes Inc., K. W. Signature Homes Inc., $199,100 3064 Western Bluffs Blvd., Bob Pentecost Const., Bob Pentecost Const., $321,000 3059 Western Bluffs Blvd., Bob Pentecost Const., Bob Pentecost Const., $285,00. 3340 46th St. W., Haeker, Kurt, $100,000 4222 Woodgrove Drive, Roger & Peggy Webb, Colters Construction LLC, $319,130 2541 Burlwood Drive, Classic Design Homes, Classic Design Homes, $201,410 2617 Meadow Creek Loop, BCJM Properties, Hanser Construction Company, $293,170 1324 Benjamin Blvd., Jeff New Garage Kreitzberg, Kreitzberg Jeff Homes, $172,170 — 5635 Canyonwoods Drive, 1706 Hollyhock St., McCall NA, Kisling Quality Builders, Development Inc., McCall Develop$53,760 ment, $225,705 543 O’Malley Drive, SMSH LLC, 249 Viceroy St., CommuJones Construction Inc., $76,000 nity Leadership Dev. Inc., Wegner 543 O’Malley Drive, SMSH LLC, Homes, $176,755 Jones Construction Inc., $27,000 5327 N. Thunder Mountain, 1015 N. 24th St., Collado, Jeff Junkert Const., Jeff Junkert Urbano, $18,900 Construction Inc., $209,630 2404 Sunnyview Lane, Friesen, 1327 Benjamin Blvd., Billings Rick & Annette E., $25,200 Housing LLC, Oldenburg Const & 1021 Calendula Circle, Dickhaut, Design, $166,340 Mark H., $12,320 1127 Jordan Circle, Habitat For Billingsbusiness
Humanity, $172,190 515 Boca Raton Road, Ron S. Hill Living Trust, Specialized Construction, $217,540 6278 Canyonwoods Drive, Emineth Custom Homes Inc, Emineth Custom Homes, $350,000 1420 Anchor Ave., HAD Const., HAD Inc., $250,000 5051 Amherst Drive, Kissling Quality Builders, Kisling Quality Builders, $232,307 923 Ninebark St., Trails West Homes LLC, Trails West Homes LLC, $172,780 543 O’Malley Drive, SMSH LLC, Jones Construction Inc., $997,000 2406 Glengarry Lane, NA, Infinity Homes LLC, $359,740 5227 Amherst Drive, NA, Oldenburg Const & Design, $184,360 1126 Pumpkin, J & M Development, J & M Development, $186,000 5245 Cabernet Lane, Ben and Jayme Jares, Capp Jerry Construction, $300,000 6185 Timbercove Drive, Hein, Colters Construction LLC, $281,550 1634 Songbird Drive, McCall Development Inc., McCall Development, $167,765 1643 Hidden Cove Lane, McCall Development Inc., McCall Development, $170,905 5425 Cabernet Lane, Vintage Estates LLC, Gountanis Properties Inc., $268,356 5325 Cabernet Lane, Vintage Estates LLC, Gountanis Properties Inc., $279,485 5445 Cabernet Lane, Randy Heiser, $301,690 2538 Lake Heights Drive, Davis, Joshua, $292,155 1248 Benjamin Blvd., Dawson Builders, Dawson Builders, $175,765
— 3012 Reimers Park Drive, Neumann, Gerald A., $45,000 388 Tabriz Drive, Elford Gregory, K. & Debra L., $7,000 2709 Clark Ave., Hanson, Robert O. & Merilee J., Billings Window & Siding Spec., $5,580 4526 Poly Drive, Kinna, John C. & Juli A., Pella Window Store, $2,248 1534 Westchester Square E., Hartman, Breanne M., $800 4157 Morgan Ave., Maier, Betty A., District 7 HRDC, $700 243 Avenue F, Root, Susan E., District 7 HRDC, $2,000 1338 Cottonwood Blvd., Neve, Richard A., District 7 HRDC, $700 414 8 St. W., Blanksma, Richard, District 7 HRDC, $1,400 2203 Lyndale Lane, Hanson, Heidi A., $3,000 3719 Hayden Drive, Wood, Kent P. & Nichole E., My Handyman Service, $20,689 4558 Poly Drive, Paul, William G. & Dianne J., Beartooth Exterior Design, $9,000 3338 Lynn Ave., Kellum Family Trust, $5,000 1617 Cheryl St., Mather, Donald L. & Mary Alice, Win-Dor Industries, $2,117 2617 13th St. W., Rookhuizen, William, $2,000 New Two Family 3700 Heritage Drive, Randy & Cheryl Lustin, $5,000 1236 N. 25th St., McCord, Richard R., Advanced Builders, $94,775 — 5308 Denali Drive, Wells 864 Adobe Drive, Becky Lyons, Built Homes, Wells Built Homes Inc., One Source Construction LLC, $327,500 639 Oakmont Road, Lighthouse $1,683 720 Howard Ave., Chris Meeks , Homes LLC, Lighthouse ConstrucTeam Construction LLC, $1,200 tion LLC, $500,000 133 Avenue D, Chipman, Jesse & Joel, Ty Nelson Construction, Remodel Single/ $15,000 Duplex/Garage 5411 Corner Stone Ave., Ryan 3126 Harrier Lane, Rimrock Builders Inc., Rimrock Builders Inc., $318,340 5102 Amherst Drive, Kisling Quality Builders, Kisling Quality Builders, $213,195 809 Siesta Ave., Grib Real Estate LLC, RJ Mac Homes Inc., $213,260 1612 Hidden Cove Lane, McCall Development Inc., McCall Development, $166,240 1045 Beringer Way, Walker, Tom and Penny, Dustin Davison Construction, $318,595 1720 W. Thunder Mountain Road, Jeff Junkert Const., Jeff Junkert Construction Inc., $225,090 1317 Twin Lakes Drive, Wallace Schmitt, 4 Montana Construction Inc., $175,000 605 S. 33rd St., House, Daniel W., $207,520 1430 King Charles St., Dorn Property LLC, Dorn Construction LLC, $230,000 3054 Western Bluffs Blvd., MDJ Contracting, MDJ Contracting, $201,970 1759 Heritage Walk, P & R Const., P & R Construction, $167,445 3046 Golden Acres Drive, S.T. Construction LLC, S.T. Construction LLC, $316,139
Moore, $500 520 Clark Ave., Hofer, Linda, $2,000 1224 N. 26th St., Carter, Kimberly A., Colossal Construction, $300 928 Princeton Ave., Peterson, Debbie F., Colossal Construction, $300 208 Avenue B, Loegering, Lori R., JMC Construction Maint. & Repair, $2,500 3850 Hickok Circle, Hernandez, Juan, EEC Inc., $29,308 44 Marshall Drive, Fellows, James M. & Jolynn, One Source Construction LLC, $4,000 1219 Avenue D, Decker, Richard H., Billings Window & Siding Spec., $727 2617 13th St. W., Nick Borick , $300 3733 Colin Drive, Rast, Roxanne K. & Michael H., Pella Window Store, $3,450 2631 Clark Ave., Fink, Jerry L., Highsmith Construction, $6,000 3712 Poly Drive, Hovland, Alan T. & Keri Lynn, $5,200 456 Fawn Place, Hamm, David A. & Susan T., Freyenhagen Construction Inc., $19,000 2125 Rosewyn Lane, Ernest Clover, $3,200 1349 Cortez Ave., Dighans, Murray, $17,520 310 S. 32nd St., Livengood, Brenda, Van Arsdale Construction, $5,000 1544 Parkhill Drive, Judson Properties LLC, Judson Properties LLC, $1,500 2917 17th St. W., Fain, Bruce F. and Patricia L., Northwest Custom Improvements, $10,000 1716 W. Castle Stone Square, Tracy, Raymond and Tiffany, $2,000 5540 Bobby Jones Blvd., June 2015
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Residential Permits, continued Kazmierski Family Trust, Steadfast Builders, $7,000 2446 Riveroaks Drive, Sticka, Rita M. and Gordon F. Sr., C’s Construction Of Billings, $7,294 1710 Judd Circle, Vondra Family Revocable Trust, Pella Window Store, $1,275 1015 N. 32nd St., Siess, Allan M. & Kalaris-Siess, My Handyman Service, $29,500 4541 Palisades Park Drive, Bell, Darrell J. and Dawn M., Win-Dor Industries, $2,872 1614 Morocco Drive, Felton,
John and Robin, King Constructors LLC, $12,000 5246 Rocky Mountain Blvd., Jacobson, Steven T., Win-Dor Industries, $5,694 3021 Forsythia Blvd., French, David W. & Ruth A., TB Construction, $8,700 3220 Fairmeadow Drive, Mattix, William J. & Michele F., Billings Window & Siding Spec., $7,674 13 Stanford Court, Olson, Michael R. and Deborah H., Les Nouveau Milieux-Bob Habeck, $350 2619 Meadow Creek Loop,
Calvin Walter, $7,000 2663 Southridge Drive, Dailey, John G. & Judy A., Win-Dor Industries, $27,815 943 Betsy Drive, Foos, Ronald G., One Source Construction LLC, $911 2709 Woody Drive, Hoffner, Heidi L., American Exteriors LLC, $12,920 302 Beverly Hill Blvd., Bentler, James and Catherine C., Ty Nelson Construction, $10,000 720 Black Diamond Road, Lyles, Preston T., J & J Construction, $1,687 305 S. 34th St., Valencia,
Margarita, $2,600 2711 Phyllis Circle N., Chandler, William Lee, Big Sky Property Solutions LLC, $5,000 1544 St. Johns Ave., Albright, Kim, Craigo Construction, $2,500 1505 Burlington Ave., Osborne, Kyle J., Colossal Construction, $200 2105 Custer Ave., Leverett, Clifford R., Colossal Construction, $1,800 814 Alderson Ave., Wetsch, Sharon F. & Tyler, AHB Construction, $10,000 229 Stillwater Lane, Domagala,
Anna M., $2,500 1420 Benjamin Blvd., Dawson Builders Inc., Dawson Builders, $21,380 1948 Yellowstone Ave., Raquec, Eliseo Chicol, A Breath Of Fresh Air Construction, $13,000 416 30th St. W., Corbett, James M. & Vernetta M., Pella Window Store, $1,750 1944 Custer Ave., West, Thomas V. & Sandra R., K-Designers, $11,794 2233 Interlachen Drive, Carranco Louis J. & Lynn, C’s Construc-
tion Of Billings, $14,000 2524 Burlington Ave., Eaton, Colter L., Pella Window Store, $1,500 4548 Murphy Ave., Anderson, Carlin A. & Jackie L., Tim Hicks Construction, $10,000 620 Yellowstone Ave., Erin Neibuer, $3,000 2311 Hawthorne Lane, Schacht, Kent & Tia R., Cody Handyman, $700 There were 842 Fence/Roof/ Siding residential permits issued in April.
Montana patents Below are listed U.S. patents issued to Montana inventors March 24-April 14, 2015. For assistance in patent filing, call Billings patent attorney Antoinette M. Tease at 406294-9000. Cornelius F. Ivory of Pullman, Wash., and Dan M. Leatzow of Kalispell: Sample analysis systems, devices and associated methods of operation. 8,986,530. March 24. Washington State University in Pullman, Wash. Raymond P. Tipp of Missoula: Ornamental design for a can opener. D724,914. March 24. David Harriton of Missoula and Mark
Stouffer of Oakland Township, Mich.: Ornament design for a wheel. D725,017. March 24. Bret Heidkamp of Bozeman: Ornamental design for a female QD sling swivel. D725,217. March 24. Bret Heidkamp of Bozeman: Ornamental design for a front sight picatinny tri-rail. D725,222. March 24. Bret Heidkamp of Bozeman: Ornamental design for a front sight picatinny rail. D725,223. March 24. Michael Bancroft Simmonds of Boze-
man: Ultrasensitive ratiometric capacitance dilatometer and related methods. 8,992,077. March 31. Quantum Design International, Inc. of San Diego, Calif. Craig Moller of Roscoe, Ill.; Werner Hendrik Grobler of Clyde Park, and Jake Hamid of Oakwood Hills, Ill.: Sealing mechanism for a vacuum heat treating furnace. 8,992,213. March 31. Ipsen, Inc. of Cherry Valley, Ill. Nancy J. Shelby of Bozeman;, Steven M. Scott of Salt Lake City, Utah; and Benjamin P. Luchsinger, Gregory A. Juda, Kelly R. Kirker, Jesus Hernandez and Darrel L. Holmes, all
of Bozeman: Process for demineralization of bone matrix with preservation of natural growth factors. 8,992,964. March 31. Bacterin International, Inc. of Belgrade. Sherman Marquardt of Kalispell and Gary Byers of Columbia Falls: Insulated foot pad for a tripod. 8,998,164. April 7. David Douglas Dieziger of Missoula: Pickup truck loading system. 8,998,557. April 7. Harry E. Bonner of Sheridan, Wyo.; Roger B. Malmquist of Butte and Ray W. Sheldon of Huntley: Apparatus for upgrading coal and
method of using same. 8,999,015. April 7. Specialty Applications of Wyoming, LLC of Sheridan, Wyo. Calvin Thornberg of Forsyth: Fishing rod storage container. 9,004,274. April 14. Scott Feddes of Belgrade: Bracket system. 9,004,424. April 14. Aldrich C. Fisher of Bozeman: Apparatus for holding a ski or snowboard during repair or maintenance. 9,004,479. April 14. Gary L. Byers of Columbia Falls: Sharpening tool. 9,004,986. April 14. Locan Properties, LLC of Columbia Falls.
Bankruptcies Billings area bankruptcy petiStacie R. Sosa, Jose J. Sosa, tions in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, April 535 Wyoming Ave., April 7. 1-30, 2015. Addresses are in Billings Michael William Dailey Sr., unless otherwise noted. Tanna Jo Dailey, 2616 Topeka Drive, Laurel, April 8. Tammie Jo Hopkins, P.O. Box Chapter 7 50028, April 14. Jason Gregory Smith, StephaKristin Amity Thackeraynie Lynn Smith, 847 Parkhill Drive, Pflughoft, P.O. Box 839, Roundup, April 2. Steven James Bailey, 983 Kyhl April 14. Michael Elmer Mook, Freda Lane, April 7. 60
I June 2015
May Mook, 2621 Lackawanna Lane, Laurel, April 15. Justin Patrick Holland, 1619 Clark Ave. April 15. Ethel Darlene Campos, 52 Prince Charles Drive, April 15. Tamera Peterson, 44 Redrock Drive, April 16. Jacqueline N. Deering, 1231 N. 29th St., April 16. Connie S. Leeper, 3285 Canyon
Drive No. 5, April 16. Peter Seabury, 104 Lewis Ave., April 16. Jennifer Marie Johnson, Aaron Allen Johnson, P.O. Box 20842, April 16. Megan Elyse Utley, Jason Wayne Utley, 347 Stillwater Lane, April 19. Norma Romersa, 2901 Monad Road No.165, April 21.
Charles Neil Shaw, 1414 Cheryl Street, April 22. Adrienne Lee Burns, 1437 Rimrock Road, April 27. Clara Teresa O’Donnell, 1910 1/2 Canary Ave., April 27. Casey D. Volk, 1491 Sourdough Lane No. 1, April 28. Tina M. Williamson, 19 North Haggin Apt. 3, April 28. Falon Faye Elizabeth Byrd, 641
Riverside Road, April 29.
Chapter 13 Charmaine Allison Brannan, 119 Huntley Butte Rd., Columbus, April 7. Blane A. Dillon, Annmarie Dillon, P.O. Box 513, Nye, April 8. Natika Lynn Lancaster, 2224 U.S. Hwy 87E No.221, April 24. Kerry L. Hicks, Barbara M. Hicks, 618 Avenue C, April 29. Billingsbusiness
Business licenses The following business licenses were issued during April, 2015. The information is collected by the city of Billings. G2 Design, 2640 Glenwood Lane, 860-0705. DaddyO’s Pawn, 1116 Central Ave., 252-6516. Java Downunder, 401 N. 31st St., 860-8989. Kristin Jean Photographer, 632 Parkhill Drive, 671-6484. Jeran Whiteman Construction, 8000 Blue Creek Road, 812-0304. Garage Sale Rentals & More, 810 Governors Blvd., 647-8446. RCM Carpentry, 1103 N. 23rd St., 690-7692. Sandstone Construction LLP, 1137 Parkhill Drive, 699-9991. Posh, 630 Logan Lane, 6901230. Smith Family Restoration LLC, Delaware, Ohio, 614-961-0612. MRJ Construction, 2224 U.S. Highway 87E. Mr. Clark’s Grooming Essentials, 641 Miles Ave., 371-6239. Paint Masters, 2070 Glasser Place, 530-4487. Ray’s Tree Service, 1220 N. Frontage Road, 839-3255. First Cellular Inc., 141 Florine Lane, Suite A, 598-3474. Signworx, 717 Arbor Hills Drive, 855-3316.
Greater Value Consulting, 1320 Eldorado Drive, 855-5863. Webbercg, 519 Yellowstone Ave., 545-0865. Lockwood International Inc., 1035 Cerise Road, 713-679-5668. Hugs Construction, Pryor, 679-2731. Platinum Realty Solutions, 1508 Yellowstone Ave., 850-1233. 29th Street Cafe, 224 N. 29th St. Villanueva’s Construction, 2142 W. Echo Drive, 839-8623. Bigfoot Lawn Care, 1110 Little Butte Place, 671-9408. Hammer Down Property Services, 1575 Guinevere Place, 927-2735. I’m Cravin’ Bar-B-Que, 3941 Rimrock Road, 672-1595. Tracer Technology Systems, Inc., 350 S. Billings Blvd., 2945108. Maddog Construction, 443 Terry Ave., 794-2658. Civil Works LLC, 1705 Hollyhock St., 698-6327. Allscape Landscaping and Irrigation LLC, Martinsdale, 572-3342. Black Sheep Contracting, 812 Wyoming Ave., 701-204-3284. Baker Construction & Fabrication, 625 Oakmont Road, 696-1510. Ron Rathie Painting, 527 Lewis Ave., 256-3441.
Grill with natural gas; it’s always ready when you are.
K9 Kleenup, Laurel, 272-2357. A Davis Contracting, 2821 Roundup Road, 697-6101. Revenant Productions, 4212 Brockton Ave. S.W., 530-4463. T Critelli Designs, 337 35th St. W., 794-2035. Tino’s Roofing, 8989 Jerry Lee Lane, 679-1477. Rejuvinara Massage Therapy, 2710 First Ave. N., 855-1833. Gas Pony Industries LLC, 2949 Colonial Place, 671-0728. Martha’s Homes LLC, 1355 Matador Ave., 208-4658. JC-JAG Oilfield Consulting Services, 3660 Relay Drive, 701641-8134. Taylor Construction, 597 Black Diamond Road, 860-2371. Air Performance, Silesia, 8614328. Arrow Electric, Shepherd, 696-9457. K-Designers, 2501 Overland Ave., 245-6745. Gary W. Schilling, Broadview, 667-2182. One80 Lawn Service & Snow Removal LLC, 1616 Maurine St., 672-2234. Z’s Roofing and Construction, 1611 Third St. W., 309-0225. Know Inc., 1925 Grand Ave., Suite 127, 873-8383. Steve Stanley building, 2042
Constellation Trail, 200-4486. ZDM Home Design LLC, 2403 Elm St., 647-4306. J & M Roofing, 2022 Burnstead Drive, 253-348-0747. Relational Wisdom 360, 4460 Laredo Place, 294-6806. Irish Construction LLC, 1720 Lewis Ave., 371-0104. 4 Montana Construction, Inc., Shepherd, 591-4895. Rone, 2059 Broadwater Ave., Suite D, 697-6878. Montana FloorWorx, 521 Lacey Road, 647-1378. Judson Group LLC, 3210 Henesta Drive, 690-0373. Judson Properties LLC, 3165 Parkhill Drive, 690-0373. ZCM Construction, 4432 Audubon Way, 671-2798. Artz Industries, 1903 Dogwood Drive, 690-7459. 3C’s Clean Clear Water Cisterns Inc., 270 Bonnie Lane, 794-9311. Henry Keith, 4414 Jayhawks Way, 200-5114. S.T. Construction LLC, Columbus, 694-6773. Melissa’s Cleaning, 542 Pemberton Lane, 855-3898. CMC Service Co., 815 N. 31st St., 690-8620. Back to the Grind, 1800 Sixth Ave. N., 672-8606. Elgersma Construction, 5414
Frontier Drive, 671-5298. Nygard Construction, Red Lodge, 325-1887. CH Construction LLC, Laurel, 697-8298. CDB Construction, Red Lodge, 426-4059. Sam Matush Contracting, Red Lodge, 572-236-2761. A & A Construction, 842 Radford Square E., 740-1148. Better Body Fitness of Montana Inc., Helena, 449-4672. Mobile Detail, 116 Buena Vista Ave., 672-8307. T & T Services, 1910 Beverly Hill Blvd., 672-1275. Tambo Studio & Gallery, 2921 Second Ave. N., 860-9336. Treasure State Inspection, 109 Lexington Drive, 208-6910. Peak Technology Solutions LLC, 416 Cook Ave., 579-4502. Kirkness Construction, 1340 Eldorado Drive, 425-3799. Roy & Teena’s Family Lawn Care, 7604 Lewis Ave., 850-4330. Schuman Online Enterprises, LLC, 30 Jefferson St., 259-6110. Major Roofing & Construction, 322 Nash Lane, 694-6634. Heart5 Handyman Services, 2201 Hewitt Drive, 321-4234. Stakhaus Construction, 347 Foster Lane, 371-7315. Rock and Water LLC, Hayden,
Idaho, 877-330-4470. Lacotta Co., 9026 Kautzman Road, 545-9306. Karr Construction Shepherd, 839-1321. PCS Residential, Eagan, Minn., 651-994-2028. Mountain HVAC Sales, 1307 Howard Ave., 690-7666. Joel Trevizo Roofing, Irving, Texas, 972-908-0529. Beam Cream, Park City, 8559961. Logistics Unlimited, 1404 Main St., Suite B, 927-6735. Memories, 825 Ave. D, 6979138. U-Do Yogurt, 1595 Grand Ave., 371-5003. My Real Estate Consultant Service LLC, 3455 Old Hardin Road, 861-8120. Billings Home Repair, 237 Ashley Court N., 794-3317. Mark’s Mobile Containers, 1625 Cinch Road, 861-2271. LKC’s (Lori’s Kreative Crafts & Daycare), 2228 Dallas Drive, 652-4755. Karl Shammel, 251 Sugar Ave., 690-2739. Countryman Construction, 4340 Mariental Drive, 503-928-0007. Coverall Improvements, 1420 Parkhill Drive, 794-5437.
1-800-638-3278 Montana-Dakota.com • clean • abundant • affordable • efficient • reliable • safe • domestic • environmentally friendly •
In the Community to Serve®
Billings Commercial Building Permits April 1-30, 2015 Addition
665 Carbon St.
Promise Holdings LLC
Hulteng Inc.
Fence/Roof/Siding
2047 Broadwater Ave.
Daniel Property LLC
Christison’s Remodeling/Repair
Fence/Roof/Siding
2714 Second Ave. S.
Doucette Jeremiah J. & Brittai
Fence/Roof/Siding
3295 Granger Ave. E.
Consulting Associates Inc.
The Man Construction
$10,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
3295 Granger Ave. E.
Consulting Associates Inc.
The Man Construction
$5,000
Billingsbusiness
$1,896,000 $8,000 $50,000
June 2015
I
61
Billings Commercial Building Permits April 1-30, 2015, continued Fence/Roof/Siding
901 Broadwater Square
Floberg Charles Donald
Bradford Roof Management Inc.
$170,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
631 Pebble Beach Road
McCullough Kenneth W.
Savage Construction Inc.
$15,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
1942 Clubhouse Way
Soelter Properties LLC
Morrison Roofing And Siding
$11,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
4101 King Ave. E.
Nowak Martin S. Jr. & Joann J.
Cornerstone Siding Company
$24,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
740 Parkhill Drive
Plumb Tree Condo
G & L Enterprizes
$21,855
Fence/Roof/Siding
748 Parkhill Drive
Plumb Tree Condo
G & L Enterprizes
$21,855
New 3/4 Family
521 Crow Lane
Parks Trenton P. & Jayson R.
Billings Best Builders LLC
New Other
2510 38th St. W.
School District No. 2
New Store/Strip Center
856 Shiloh Crossing Blvd.
Shiloh Crossing LLC
New Warehouse/Storage
1125 Lake Elmo Drive
Wicks Land Capital LLC
$1,640,349
New Warehouse/Storage
1125 Lake Elmo Drive
Wicks Land Capital LLC
$596,925
New Warehouse/Storage
1125 Lake Elmo Drive
Wicks Land Capital LLC
$372,481
New Warehouse/Storage
1125 Lake Elmo Drive
Wicks Land Capital LLC
$1,233,645
New Warehouse/Storage
1125 Lake Elmo Drive
Wicks Land Capital LLC
$358,155
Remodel
111 S. 24 St. W.
Rimrock Mini-Mall LLC
Remodel
219 Calhoun Lane
Century Link
Remodel
5150 Midland Road
Interstate Brands West Corp.
Ostlund’s Fire Protection
$18,000
Addition
3517 First Ave. S.
McBride Steve W.
Mankin Construction Inc.
$62,250
Addition Multi-Family
597 Black Diamond Road
Taylor Edwin & Connie
Taylor Construction
Fence/Roof/Siding
3315 Central Ave.
Dutton Anna
Sprague Construction Roofing Division
Fence/Roof/Siding
383 E. Alkali Creek Road
Big Sky Bible Church
Fence/Roof/Siding
2922 Grand Ave.
Thiel Larry V.
K Simon Construction LLC
$6,284
Fence/Roof/Siding
2910 Grand Ave.
Thiel Larry V.
K Simon Construction LLC
$4,178
Fence/Roof/Siding
2918 Grand Ave.
Thiel Larry V.
K Simon Construction LLC
$12,341
Fence/Roof/Siding
3608 Custer Ave.
Dakota Conference
Endeavoring Ark Enterprises
$11,500
Fence/Roof/Siding
828 Grand Ave.
Adco Properties LLC
Cornerstone Siding Company
$26,631
Remodel
1520 Wyoming Ave.
DSD LLC
Ralph Dupea Contracting
$20,000
Remodel
1507 Main St.
SFH LLC
Gray Companies Inc.
Fence/Roof/Siding
1221 Yellowstone Ave.
MRP LLC
Built Wright Homes & Roofing Inc.
$50,000
$469,337 $25,000
Jones Construction Inc.
Shaw Construction
$1,502,842
$2,000 $118,000
$4,000 $9,000 $8,000
$283,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
885 Main St.
Maric Properties LLC
Commercial Roof Water Proof
$41,700
Fence/Roof/Siding
885 Main St.
Maric Properties LLC
Commercial Roof Water Proof
$37,100
Fence/Roof/Siding
1635 N. Frontage Road
Sector Corporation
Bradford Roof Management Inc.
$70,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
2475 Village Lane
Petroleum County
Cornerstone Siding Company
$35,056
Fence/Roof/Siding
2420 13th St. W.
First Presbyterian Church
Donahue Roofing LLC
$38,096
Fence/Roof/Siding
1525 Broadwater Ave.
Thin Lizzy LLC
New Industrial/Factory/Plant
1525 Zimmerman Trail
Fagan Michael A.
Southern Retail Construction Inc.
New Office/Bank
1099 N. 27th St.
Art Properties LLC
Jones Construction Inc.
New Office/Bank
2601 Overland Ave.
EEC Inc. EEC Inc.
Remodel
805 24 St. W.
Calvin Tang
Remodel
401 N. 28th St.
Lee Enterprises Inc.
Dick Anderson Construction
Remodel
2410 Poly Drive
School District 2
Systems Northwest LLC
Remodel
805 24th St. W.
Plaza 24 LLC
Stock Construction Company
Demolition Permit Commercial
1516 Main St.
Jeff Essmann
Flack N Flack Construction
Fence/Roof/Siding
1616 Fourth Ave. N.
Collum Dick
Peak Contracting
Fence/Roof/Siding
3295 Granger Ave. E.
B & P Leasing LLC
The Man Construction
62
I June 2015
$2,200 $620,869 $1,200,000 $599,300 Stock Construction Company
$1,500 $6,200 $19,985 $3,000 $500 $13,000 $8,500
Billingsbusiness
Billings Commercial Building Permits April 1-30, 2015, continued Fence/Roof/Siding
3295 Granger Ave. E
Kautz Cathie L.
The Man Construction,
$8,500
Fence/Roof/Siding
2133 King Ave. W.
McNally Leasing Company
L J Roofing
$27,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
1212 Mullowney Lane
Southern Empire Emporium
Bruce Tall Construction And Design Inc.
$20,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
3141 King Ave. W.
Western Empire Emporium LLC
Bruce Tall Construction And Design Inc.
$40,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
1226 Clark Ave.
Olsen Sheri K.
Tailwind Management LLC
$12,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
1226 Clark Ave.
Olsen Sheri K.
Tailwind Management LLC
$8,500
Fence/Roof/Siding
1243 Yellowstone Ave.
Korum Kathleen L.
Tailwind Management LLC
$17,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
1263 Yellowstone Ave.
Bratz Jennifer Renee
Tailwind Management LLC
$4,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
211 Washington St.
Sky Properties LLC
Sprague Construction Roofing Division
Fence/Roof/Siding
3419 Central Ave.
CPC Inc. B & W Builders
$37,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
3429 Central Ave.
CPC Inc. B & W Builders
$36,000
$15,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
1597 Avenue D
CPC Inc. B & W Builders
Fence/Roof/Siding
243 Westchester Square N.
Pasquarello Robert and Kamelle
Infinity Roofing & Siding Inc.
$22,034
$31,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
267 Westchester Square N.
Sobering Renee M.
Infinity Roofing & Siding Inc.
$22,034
Fence/Roof/Siding
1720 Grand Ave.
TNC Development LLC
EEC Inc.
$38,750
Fence/Roof/Siding
601 Main St.
SRD Properties LLP
Empire Roofing Inc.
$21,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
2135 Grand Ave.
Go Fish Investments
Empire Roofing Inc.
$56,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
2333 Central Ave.
Franchise Realty Interstate Co.
Langlas & Assoc. Inc.,
$30,000
New Warehouse/Storage
178 S. 32nd St. W.
MLZ LLP Neumann Construction
Remodel
300 S. 24th St. W.
Rimrock Owner LP
Swank Enterprise
Remodel
1201 Kootenai Ave.
School District 2
Yellowstone Electric Co.
$62,679
Fence/Roof/Siding
2219 Monad Road
Dangerfield Max Dell
Finish Line Construction
$7,500
Fence/Roof/Siding
810 Garnet Ave.
Heights Baptist Church
Donahue Roofing LLC
Fence/Roof/Siding
176 S. 32nd St. W.
SML LLC Kirby Roofing
Fence/Roof/Siding
2016 Grand Ave.
E & B Landmark Ltd.
Wegner Homes
Fence/Roof/Siding
1500 University Drive
State Of Montana
Summit Roofing Inc.
$15,000 $150,000
$60,458 $42,050 $12,000 $482,870
Fence/Roof/Siding
322 S. 28th St.
First United Methodist Church
Cornerstone Siding Company
$43,946
Fence/Roof/Siding
202 Prospectors Lane
RLB Oil Co.
Kohlman Construction
$14,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
222 Prospectors Lane
RLB Oil Co.
Kohlman Construction
$14,000
Fence/Roof/Siding,
300 S. 24th St. W.
Rimrock Owner LP
Bradford Roof Management Inc.
$81,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
626 S. 38th St. W.
B & P Leasing
Tailwind Management LLC
Fence/Roof/Siding
285 Cape Cod Drive
Bonini Joseph
Fence/Roof/Siding
123 N. 16th St.
B & J Properties Limited LLC
Malibu Plastering
Fence/Roof/Siding
19 36th St. W.
Benfit Ventures LLC
Black Canyon Builders LLC
$28,000
Fence/Roof/Siding
535 Jerrie Lane
Northwest Development LLC
Frontier Fence Company
$16,700
Fence/Roof/Siding
2335 Lewis Ave.
United Pentecostal Church
$5,000
Remodel
1200 30th St. W.
School District No. 2
$300,000
Remodel
605 S. Billings Blvd.
School District No. 2
General Contractors Const. Co. Inc.
$401,876
Remodel
3100 2 Ave. N.
Montana Health Federal Credit
Hardy Construction Co.
$100,000
Remodel
809 Fourth Ave. N.
Hanlin Properties LLC
Servpro Restoration
$108,000
Remodel
224 N. 29th St.
Billings Montana Parking Commission
Remodel-Change In Use
960 24th St. W.
Dutton Ernest W. & Leanne O.
Billingsbusiness
$4,000 $2,800
Tower Construction LLC
$4,000
$500 $70,000
June 2015
I
63
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King Ave 655-2700 Š 2015 Stockman Bank 64
I June 2015
Hilltop & Main 896-4800
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Shiloh & Grand 655-3900
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Worden 967-3612
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