Twenty Under 40 2022

TWENTY UNDER 40

Ellie Southworth

Kevin Ward

Chris Walch

Chelsea Stewart

Sarah Rosenberg

Aaron Parker

Danielle Shyne

John Nord

Ross Feenstra

Shayna Blaser

Christel Chvilicek Dave Cole Katie Coyle Alex Dabney

Benjamin Deuling

Katharine Hamilton

Emily Paris-Martin

Tara Petre

Joe Schumacher

Mallory Dabney

TWENTY UNDER 40

The 20 Under 40 Awards, created by the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and sponsored by ERA Landmark Real Estate, First Security Bank and Bozeman Health, celebrate the best and brightest young people in the Gallatin Valley. These rising stars in the business and non-profit worlds

are also passionate about volunteerism and giving back to the community, and have been selected for this honor because of both their business acumen and their commitment to making our valley, and the world, a better place. Scores of candidates for this award were nominated and

submitted by Daily Chronicle readers. A committee consisting of judges from both the business and non-profit worlds reviewed all of the submissions, and the 20 outstanding individuals featured on these pages and celebrated with a lunch at the Hilton Garden Inn on Oct. 17 are this year’s chosen few.

Christel ChviliCek

Bozeman

being named one of

Under

Shayna Blaser

Shayna Blaser knew she was playing a role in this year’s 20 Under 40 awards, but had no idea she’d be recognized herself.

“I was absolutely shocked because I had written a nomination letter for one of the other recipients,” Blaser. “I thought the call [informing me I’d been selected] was about the other person. I was baffled.”

Although she now works in the nonprofit sector in Bozeman, her path there has been “a little untraditional.”

After moving to Bozeman, Blaser started a consulting company doing marketing and communications for businesses. One of the organizations she assisted was the Gallatin Valley YMCA.

“It was there that I found my love for nonprofits,” she said.

When a position opened with the YMCA Blaser joined their

staff and continued growing her career there until she accepted her current position with Prospera Business Network as the Montana Women’s Business Center Program Director.

“It brought me back to my roots to work with small businesses and help them grow and expand,” Blaser said.

She appreciates how the role allows her to combine her passion for nonprofit work with her marketing and communications background.

As the “one-stop shop” for small businesses in the state, Prospera Business Network provides no cost business counseling, training, networking, loans and grants.

“Essentially we help businesses with whichever stage they are in their business journey,” Blaser said. “My role specifically focuses on women

entrepreneurs, and I am a statewide program that provides the only Montana-specific women business grant.”

Blaser said her favorite aspect of the job is meeting and working with the many talented women “who are doing inspiring things for the community.”

“Seeing the growth that these women go through is really inspiring.”

This year, Blaser launched a new program at Prospera called 56 Strong, a statewide

mentoring program for women that paired mentors and mentees across Montana from larger cities to small communities.

“The program was developed to bridge that gap between rural and urban, and it really did,” she said. “It was really cool to see so many women come together to share resources.”

It was there that I found my love for nonprofits.

”

Christel Chvilicek

Christel Chvilicek was born and raised in the Gallatin Valley and knew that it was somewhere she wanted to raise her children and build a career.

“I had such such a great childhood. Having a family I wanted them to have the same experience as me. I grew up going to the lake and I wanted them to do the same,” she said. “[And] the community things is #1. We have a strong sense of community [here].”

Chvilicek would like all people to be able to experience the opportunities she and her family have living here. This is an aim she shares with her organization, which strives to fight homelessnes amongst famalies.

“I want this community to be available to everyone,” she said. “I think that’s why I’m really drawn to this mission.”

Chvilicek is the Executive Director at Family Promise of Gallatin Valley, a local non-profit that she explained “work[s] to end family homelessness in Gallatin Valley.”

“And we do that holistically with each family,” she said. “Everyone has their own path.”

Since she started at Family Promise in 2019, the organization has built and moved into a new building, grown from 3 to 34 employees and can now serve sixty families at a time. Although Chvilicek said they still have 48 families on their wait list.

They are currently fundraising to build their own shelter, which will allow them to assist even more people.

“Our goal is to have a shelter that would house 40 families,” she said. “We are trying to look at what we can do to make sure

every family has a chance to thrive here in Gallatin Valley.”

Chvilicek didn’t always work in the non-profit sector. Her first job was in sales, but after quitting and randomly taking a position with a non-profit she said she “realized this is what I want to do.”

“[There’s] nothing like getting

up everyday and you’re doing good.”

“ ”

[ ere’s] nothing like getting up everyday and you’re doing good.

Dave Cole

At a very early age Dave Cole offered his family a sneak peak of what his career would eventually look like.

“I took my first investment class with my mom in third grade,” he said. “I was very interested in compound interest.”

Growing up on a farm, he began investing in his youth in agriculture companies.

Decades later, Cole is now the owner and branch manager at Palisade Financial (Raymond James), where he has been able to put his lifelong interest in numbers to use to help individuals in the community with their finances.

“I was always interested in finance, and I love people.”

The organization provides comprehensive financial planning, offering wealth management and advisory

services to their clients. But empathy is also a crucial component of their work, Cole said.

“We’re not a one-size-fitall [organization]. Meeting clients where they’re at is really important, and being a good listener,” he said. “[It’s important] clients feel truly valued and feel heard, and you’re able to give them that financial peace of mind in a pretty chaotic world.”

The job is not without its pressures though, particularly when they are dealing with a volatile market.

“When you have millions of dollars deciding whether to participate in the market or not is a big responsibility,” he said. “It can weigh heavily.”

The close relationships Cole has been able to build with clients however are his favorite

part of the job.

“[I enjoy] getting to see clients in person and hear about how they’re doing [and] just kind of celebrate life’s successes,” he said. “We’re that kind of trusted resource.”

When he and his wife adopted their two daughters from Haiti he was “blown away by the number of gifts and cards and people that stopped by the office

to celebrate with us.”

“They want to share those moments with us,” Cole said.

I was always interested in finance, and I love people.

“ ”

Katie Coyle

“There’s something about Montana,” Katie Coyle said. “It just gets into your blood.”

Coyle was born and raised in Bozeman. Though she left to attend college, relationships and a love of the area brought her back and now she “can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

Coyle knew that she wanted a career in Bozeman, though she didn’t anticipate she’d wound up at H2A Partners, a company that does reputation development for professional service firms around the world.

“I did not by any means know I wanted to work in the professional service industry.”

But when the opportunity presented itself Coyle took the leap and delved into

this world. She is now the youngest Associate Principal and the fastest promoted in the company’s history.

Though based in Bozeman, the nature of their work is global.

“We get to work with people and companies all around the world,” Coyle said. “[And] we work with every industry you can think of.”

Whole leading a team of five employees, she is in regular conversation with C-level executives worldwide, interviewing them about issues they care about. While the downside of that is that she sometimes has to wake up really early in the morning for calls to accommodate differing time zones, Coyle said those interactions and the job “keeps

me mentally stimulated.” She also appreciates that through their work they are able to have and celebrate many “little wins.”

“The content we work on and the people we work with are really interesting,” she said. “They’re cool [and] exciting.”

Both in and out of the office, Coyle said she likes to work on new skills, which has led to a “borderline obsessive” personal interest in mountain biking.

“It’s just been a great hobby,” she said. “I’ve ridden all around the country. It takes you to beautiful places.”

at’s a big part of my life: to not stop learning when you get older.

“ ”

Alex & Ma ory Dabney

Alex and Mallory Dabney were doubly surprised by their selection for the 20 Under 40 Awards. The couple were both independently recognized and chosen for the honor.

“It feels extra special to be nominated by separate people who didn’t know,” Alex said. “It shows that our efforts are being recognized.”

Since moving to Bozeman together in 2014 (where Alex is originally from), the two have striven to develop careers for

themselves and a place within the community.

Mallory is the owner of Heyday, a lifestyle boutique in downtown Bozeman. She started with the store as store manager and joining their team was a turning point for her.

“When we landed in Bozeman I struggled to figure out what I was going to do,” Mallory said. “It wasn’t until I landed at Heyday that it really felt like home [here].”

In 2019 she purchased the

business, a decision that felt “natural” to her, particularly because of the staff there.

“For me it’s really the people,” Mallory said. “Our team is truly special. We have people woho have been their 14 years.”

Since taking over the

company, her focus has been on expanding the internal structure of the business and further implementing structure.

“Thoughtful growth is something that’s really important to me.”

To Alex, Bozeman was “always

home.”

His father was a financial advisor at DA Davidson in Bozeman and encouraged him to move back to the area to join the business as he prepared to retire.

While he initially didn’t have a passion for finance joining their team wound up being “a very good fit.”

“My job is a very personal one and a lot of my dad’s clients were people I’d known my whole life,” Alex said. “My favorite part is the connection you create with clients.”

As a certified financial planner, Alex helps clients with investment management, retirement planning, debt management and legacy planning.

“We help guide people through all aspects of their personal lives.”

In addition to their jobs and role as parents, the couple are both active on boards for local nonprofits.

Alex is involved with Thrive,

a local organization that aims to provide “families with the resources, tools, and support they need to raise healthy, successful children,” according to their website. As a mentor in their Child Advancement Project (CAP) program, Alex has “seen

the impact they can have on kids.”

Mallory joined Haven’s board this year, an organization that works to prevent domestic violence and provides services to those affected by it.

“It’s a community wide issue, and I think education can lead to prevention,” Mallory said.

Both Mallory and Alex’s companies also make a point to give back to the community through donations.

When we landed in Bozeman I struggled to figure out what I was going to do. - Mallory

“ ” We help guide people through all aspects of their personal lives. - Alex

“ ”

Benjamin Deuling

Benjamin Deuling’s passion and pride in his team is evident upon meeting him. He made a point to introduce this reporter to his staff and asked if they should be included in the photo of him taken for this profile.

“My favorite part [of my job] is building a team, building a family [and] building a community with the business.”

Dueling is the owner of the local mushroom farm SporeAttic. Since its launch in 2017 the company has grown to include 2 full-time and 3 part-time staff members, in addition to himself. Each week they produce and sell over 400 pounds of mushrooms in the Gallatin Valley.

Though he was studying microbiology at Montana State University when he developed this business, as a young child

Dueling wanted to be a chef. Now local chefs are his main customers and he spends time with them in their kitchens.

“It’s cool that I created this position without even knowing it that put me where I always wanted to be.”

Dueling and his staff are also regular fixtures at the farmers market, where they are able to interact directly with customers. He refers to it as his “happy place.”

“It’s a really cool way for the community to meet our team,” he said. “They can understand it’s a lot more than just a mushroom farm.”

Dueling also has a passion for teaching, and has found that “get[s] to teach everyday with this business.”

“Everyone has a million questions,” he said. “People

have so much curiosity about what we do, so I’m constantly in a teaching role.”

Although mushrooms are his crop, Dueling said that’s not what drives him. Rather, it’s a desire to teach and create and lead a happy, productive team.

“This never stemmed from a passion for mushroom farming,” he said. “For me this is a platform to do what I want to do, which is build a community, build a family. And mushrooms

just work because they’re so odd and interesting.”

It’s cool that I created this position without even knowing it that put me where I always wanted to be.

”

Ross Feenstra

Ross Feenstra’s career roots can be traced back to his childhood.

“I grew up a farm kid in the Valley and it always made sense to pursue that given our lifestyle,” Feenstra said.

Being around that kind of technology and equipment at his family’s dairy farm sparked a lifelong fascination in automotive technology.

Feenstra ultimately pursued an Automotive and Diesel Technology degree that led him to Acela Truck Company, a Bozeman-based company that rebuilds military trucks.

Feenstra was hired in 2017 in the early days of the business to run the mechanic shop. At this stage, the company only had five employees.

Since then they’ve grown to a team of 26, and Feenstra has stepped into the Senior Technical Sales Manager role.

“My favorite part of my job is the ability to help lead a team to accomplish a goal in a very niche market,” he said. “And the availability to get to talk to people everyday.”

He said the company strives to offer a good work-life balance and culture for its employees, which he benefits from as well given his love of snowmobiling, hiking, hunting and hounds.

“I just love it out here,” he said. “I love the outdoors.”

Outside of work, Feenstra dedicates his time and efforts to the Montana State Houndsmen Association (MSHA), a nonprofit organization of sportsmen and sportswomen dedicated to

the conservation of cougars and other wildlife.

He has volunteered with the organization for more than 10 years, and owns three hounds himself (plus his house dog).

“There’s nothing like training a dog to do a task like that,” he said. “I enjoy the tranquility of it and relying on the dog and people you’re with.”

Growing up in the community, Feenstra said he always wanted to stay here to

build his life and career.

“It was very important for me to try and work in a business in the Gallatin Valley, and try to keep my roots where they’ve always been.”

I enjoy the tranquili of it and relying on the dog and people you’re with.

“ ”

Katharine Hamilton

Law runs in the family for Katharine Hamilton. Her father was an attorney, which spurred her own interest in pursuing a legal career.

“I saw the positive impact he made in our community,” she said.

When Hamilton entered law school at the University of Montana she didn’t yet have a chosen specialty, but ultimately “fertility law found me at the perfect time,” she said, and was able to carve out a career for herself in this field.

“I had clients who wanted to pursue surrogacy and I had just started my own law practice in 2015. I attended conferences, did a ton of research on fertility law, and met with other fertility professionals,” Hamilton said. “I was able to create a full-time

career that did not exist in Montana when I first graduated law school in 2012.”

She is the only lawyer in Montana whose law practice is based exclusively on fertility law, and through her work she has assisted individuals struggling with infertility to pursue surrogacy and embryo, egg and sperm donation options.

In addition to practicing fertility law, Hamilton also works as a licensed realtor, and continues to use her legal expertise in this role.

“I leverage my legal skills to provide exceptional value for clients,” Hamilton said. “My clients like the peace of mind knowing they are working with a realtor who has a legal background.”

She said that helping others

achieve their dream, whether it is having a child through assisted reproductive technology or purchasing a home, is the highlight of her work.

“There is no better feeling,” Hamilton said.

“My least favorite part [of my jobs] is that there are never enough hours in the day to accomplish everything I want to!”

I leverage my legal skills to provide exceptional value for clients.

“ ”

John Nord

Although much of their work is virtual in nature, the connections John Nord has made with others at Profitable Ideas Exchange as their Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director are very much real.

“My favorite part [of the job] is definitely building relationships with people,” he said.

PIE works to “build communities on behalf of our clients,” Nord said. “We tend to do that in primarily a virtual format we lean into.”

Their clients tend to be large professional service firms, such as consulting companies, and Nord and his company will pull together a group of 10 to 15 executives for “virtual roundtables” on a certain topic.

These communities are “more than just a webinar though,” and some groups have been together since Nord started at PIE in 2009.

“We get to hear what CFOs are concerned about,” he said. “So just building those relationships and being plugged into that community.”

“I really liked the idea that we can be connectors for people and we can work like that from Bozeman, Montana. So that’s what sort of drew me to it.”

Nord came to Bozeman to attend college at Montana State University in 2001 and never left. He and his wife are enamored with the area and the hiking, camping, fishing and skiing opportunities present.

“So we just both made a deal

if we found careers we’d stay.”

Having been able to find a career and build a life here, Nord makes a point to give back to the community as well. He’s volunteered with the nonprofit Thrive as well as Young Life, a non-denominational Christian youth organization.

Most recently, he became a Montana Ambassador, representing the Office of the Governor of Montana and the Montana Department of

Commerce.

“That’s the one that I’m most excited about at the moment,” Nord said. “It’s mission is economic development… [and] my view of what matters the most is creating jobs, and highpaying jobs, for people.”

communities on behalf of our clients.

”

John

Ann Kennedy

EmilyParis-Martin

Music has been an important part of Emily Paris-Martin’s life since she was a young child thanks to her mother’s influence.

“She always watched classical musical performances on TV,” Paris-Martin said.

As a girl Paris-Martin was enchanted by these performances, and soon her mother enrolled her in violin lessons.

“It’s been a constant part of my life starting at age 5,” she said. Her love of music brought her to try out for the Bozeman Symphony while a student at Montana State University. She made the cut and joined the symphony as a violinist, playing for 16 seasons.

“It was just such a nice creative outlet,” Paris-Martin said. “[And] it really immersed me with the Bozeman community early on.”

Now, Paris-Martinplays a very

different role at the Symphony, one that is off-stage. She is the executive director of the organization.

Her job involves managing the business on a daily basis, and she enjoys how this opportunity allows her to combine her interests in both music and business.

“It’s all really exciting because it’s working in music and looking at it through a business perspective and a musical perspective.”

One positive change that ParisMartin has helped enact recently is expanding their concert series. They are now aiming to have a show every month. Their next performance will be on October 29 and 30, featuring world-class pianist Michael Sheppard.

“The musicians were advocating for more opportunities

to play. I’m proud that we’ve been able to provide that, and [offer] more opportunities for people to enjoy the music.”

Paris-Martin believes that music has the ability to uplift one’s spirits, and the Symphony “bring[s] us together.”

“It creates community,” she said.

Though her own children are a bit too young now to attend the Symphony’s concerts, she is excited to share her passion for

music with them as her mother did with her.

“I’m really looking forward to exposing them to music and it being a part of their lives,” ParisMartin said.

It’s been a constant part of my life starting at age

Aaron Parker

Depending on the day, Aaron Parker can be found cooking hashbrowns, rolling sushi and/ or preparing pizzas. He is the owner of three local restaurants in downtown Bozeman, all with their own unique offerings: breakfast at Jam!, Japanese at Dave’s Sushi and locally sourced lunch and dinner dishes at Revelry.

The variety of food being served is something Parker thrives on.

“I nerd out on being able to go from cuisine to cuisine and development,” he said. “I feel like I’d get bored if it was just breakfast all the time or just sushi all the time.”

Food and restaurants have always been a “huge part of my passion for as long as I can remember,” Parker said.

He recalls being “infatuated” by the kitchens when eating out as a child with his parents.

“I was always drawn to it,” Parker said. “[So] to be able to professionally practice something I was always passionate about it’s truly living the dream.”

A typical day for him involves frequently checking in with his core management team and entry level workforce staff across all three businesses, but his favorite part of the job is when he is able to get in the kitchen himself.

“I love cooking,” Parker said. “The most fun that I have [is] when I get to cook next to our people.”

Parker said he loves the energy and diversity of the

Bozeman community, and is grateful for the support he’s been met with for each of his restaurants.

“It’s just been heartwarming to be received the way Bozeman and surrounding communities have received our passion,” he said. “It’s been really cool to just be able to open the doors and have

people excited.”

“ ”

I nerd out on being able to go from cuisine to cuisine and development.

Tara Petre

When Tara Petre moved to Bozeman for college in 2007 she fell in love with the area and the outdoor “opportunities that you just don’t have in other states.” But she wasn’t sure if she saw a future in the community due to limited jobs within the marketing field.

“I always wanted to stay here, but I didn’t think it would be possible,” she said. “Then with the emergence of different technology companies it became possible.”

Now, Petre leads a global team of consultants with clients across industries, and all from her home in Montana.

“Having the opportunity to work with some of the biggest brands in the world from Bozeman is pretty cool.”

Petre is currently the Vice

President of Sales & Marketing Technology at TA Digital, a digital transformation company that “provide[s] strategic and technology services to some of the world’s leading brands.”

Their work became particularly significant in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With the pandemic it became really important to be able to have more seamless digital experiences,” Petre said. “That really drove more people to purchase these sorts of technologies.”

She said she enjoys how this work allows her to work closely with some of the “brightest minds” in various industries.

“Having the opportunity to collaborate with those people in an environment that’s built

around accelerating innovation is really exciting to me.”

Having not immediately seen a direct path forward for her own career in Bozeman while attending Montana State University, Petre now volunteers with students in similar situations as Board Chair for the American Marketing Association at MSU.

“It just feels right to be giving back in the same way that people supported me as an undergraduate.”

I always wanted to stay here, but I didn’t think it would be possible.

“ ”

Sarah Rosenberg

Sarah Rosenberg is interested not only in the recorded and well-documented history of Bozeman’s past, but also in the missing gaps and stories that haven’t been told.

As the Historic Preservation Officer and Associate Planner for the City of Bozeman, she wants to take the program into “a new era,” she said.

She is specifically interested in finding the stories of underrepresented communities who lived and worked in the community, and focusing on “people-centered preservation rather than place-based preservation.” She is also investigating how the city has evolved without having this history and information available.

“We had a prominent

immigrant population [here],” Rosenberg said. “[But] we don’t really have great documentation of where these people lived or what they did.”

As part of her role, she’s worked with consultants to update older historic surveys and with the Historic Preservation Advisory Board to re-establish the Bozeman Historic Preservation and Legacy Awards following a hiatus caused by the coronavirus. She was also instrumental in helping put together events curing Historic Preservation Month this May.

Before transitioning into Historic Preservation work with the city, Rosenberg helped to establish subdivisions in Bozeman and master planned developments and mixed use buildings.

While Rosenberg was “pleasantly surprised” to be selected for the 20 Under 40 Awards, she said that there is “so much talent and passion” within the city government that equally deserves recognition from the community.

“All of the other people [here] do great things for the community they love,” she said. “I see that so

much within my organization.”

“ ”

All of the other people [here] do great things for the communi they love.

Joe

Schumacher

Joseph Schumacher believes

strongly in the mentality of “turn[ing] around and help[ing] the next person in line.”

In his role at Montana State University as Director of Veteran Services Schumacher is able to directly assist a population he identifies with, military veterans.

Schumacher served in the army for ten years. But after having a daughter decided to leave the military to spend more time with his family.

“I really liked being a soldier, but I became a dad and I like being a dad a little bit more,” he said. “And for me they just weren’t going to be compatible.”

After leaving, Schumacher returned to his home city of Bozeman to attend Montana State University under the GI Bill, which offers educational assistance to service members, veterans and their dependents.

While making the transition to civilian life and becoming a

student, Schumacher utilized MSU’s Veteran Services. It was the same program he would go on to work for and eventually become director of.

Schumacher describes joining the team as staff as coming “full circle.” And said it’s “very rewarding” to help others in the same manner he was assisted as a veteran on campus. Though it can be taxing he admitted having a personal connection to those he serves.

“When you identify with the same population that you serve it can be hard to have a good work-life balance and good boundaries,” he said. “That’s something I struggle with.”

Veteran Services strives to create a community for veterans with shared experiences and act as a direct advocate for them with the Department of Veteran Affairs.

“We just provide that space where you can kind of check out from the thousands of

students up there and hang out with the people you have things in common with.”

In addition to his work at MSU, Schumacher donates his time to multiple volunteer organizations.

“The community, Army and MSU have given me everything

I have today, so I feel like it’s really important for me to give back,” he said.

He is involved with Thrive’s CAP Program as a mentor, has volunteered with the Bozeman Help Center since 2013, is a board member of Hope and

the Holidays (which provides financial relief to local families around the holiday season) and is involved with the American Legion. I like helping people. I get a lot of fulfillment and a sense of purpose from helping other folks.

“ ”

Danie e Shyne

Danielle Shyne’s decision to pursue law stems from her passion to help people.

“I became a lawyer because I had the skills and ability to help people who could not help themselves,” she said. “When I was seriously considering going to law school, 1 in 4 children in the U.S. were going hungry on a daily basis. I knew I could gain the skills and knowledge to help others.”

Shyne worked for Montana Elder Law and clerked for the Honorable Chief Justice Mike McGrath and the Honorable Michael Wheat of the Montana Supreme Court before opening her own law firm 2020, Shyne Law Group, PLLC.

As a Bozeman native Shyne said she is “thrilled that my business has grown over the past 3 years, and I am able to provide these services to my clients and

give back to the community where I was raised.”

“My proudest professional moment would be starting my own business and having it be sustainable,” she said. “I am so proud and happy to have a successful business.”

Over her career, Shyne said she has fought for children and families, and values the relationships that have come out of it.

“I love my job,” she said. “[And] the best part of my job is the people that I get to work with: my clients.”

Outside of her own law firm, Shyne strives to continue helping others through her volunteer work.

She is a fellow with Montana Legal Services Association, Rural Incubator Project for Lawyers, which provides free and reduced

legal services to Montanans.

“Providing legal services to low or moderate income individuals serves the community in a ripple effect,” Shyne said. “Lack of legal services can prevent families from asserting their rights, protecting their families, and ensuring fair representation within the legal system.”

She is also Chairman of the Board of Public Assistance, a position she was appointed to by

the governor.

Being involved in the communi and in Montana is important to me.

“ ”

E ie

Southworth

Ellie Southworth transitioned from an employee to the business’ owner at Genuine Ice Cream, a move she felt compelled to make after falling in love with the staff there. She joined the shop while it was still a seasonal business as the production manager in 2017, and later moved into the general manager role before ultimately buying it in 2020. It’s now a year round fixture with a storefront on Main Street.

“I poured my heart and soul into this place and felt ready to make that leap to take it on fully and see where else I could take it,” Southworth said.

She enjoys how the shop is a place where folks of all ages in the community come to celebrate big and small moments.

“I think that ice cream is a really fun industry. You get to see everyone in town,”

Southworth said. “You get that snapshot of the community and visitors.”

She also is proud of her team and the growth she’s witnessed among their young employees. For many of their scoopers this is their first or second job and gives them important skills they can take with them.

“It’s really cool to see these people grow and develop,” she said. “Just knowing that they’re getting something out of being here.”

Another aspect of the company that is particularly important to Southworth is their status as a 2% conservation certified business, this means that they give 1% of both their funds and time to nonprofits that support conservation efforts.

Genuine Ice Cream has volunteered and partnered in the past with Gallatin Valley

Land Trust and Montana

Conservation Corp, among other organizations “that align with our values,” Southworth said.

“I think that for us here the outdoors is such an important part of Bozeman,” she said. “[So] we feel a responsibility to

give back to those areas.”

“ ”

It’s really cool to see these people grow and develop.

Che ea Stewart

At just 35, Chelsea Stewart has already had two successful careers in Bozeman, where she was born and raised. She previously owned her own hair salon (Zuri Salon) in the city, which she operated for years. At a certain point though she realized the business had hit “max capacity” and she wanted a new challenge.

Stewart was looking for a role that would allow her to continue interacting with and helping others, and ultimately found the right fit as a realtor at ERA Landmark.

“I love it,” she said. “I get to work with people everyday and help them make the biggest purchase of their life.”

She said it’s been “so fulfilling” to engage with her clients and get them to “the

finish line, whether that’s home ownership or selling their house.”

Though occasionally there are parts of transactions that aren’t under her control or where not everyone will come away feeling positive about it, Stewart feels a responsibility as an agent to “make it fun” for buyers.

Having only been a realtor for four years and coming from a completely different field, Stewart said she is happy with how far she’s already come.

She’s achieved top-level Leaders’ Circle award status with ERA nationwide and was a featured panelist at the ERA Fuel conference in Nashville.

“Setting goals for myself and meeting them… is what I’m most proud of,” she said. “[I

believe] you can make your own reality.”

Stewart is also happy to be doing this work in her hometown. Though she moved away briefly while younger, she soon came to realize Bozeman had everything she wanted in a community.

“The minute I left I really missed Bozeman and Montana,” she said. “I love the community. I love that everyone

is kind and supportive of one another.”

I get to work with people everyday and help them make the biggest purchase of their life.

“ ”

Chris Walch

Chris Walch didn’t find her job in the traditional way. There was no LinkedIn or Indeed posting online she submitted her resume to and interviewed for. Rather she was taking time to explore and do “whatever I’m interested in” when she met her future collaborator at the right place and time. She’d left her previous job as a finance lawyer, bought a trailer and traveled to every ski town in the west. Her travels eventually brought her to Bozeman, where she started work as a ski instructor at the Yellowstone Club. The ski access and “sense of community and belonging” she felt here made her stay.

“Being able to do all the things that inspire me has kept me here,” Walch said. “I love the community.”

While here, Walch strove to explore her interests within the community, leading to

volunteering with TED Talk Bozeman and attending similar events. While at a HATCH (a non-profit global network and ecosystem of transformative experiences) summit in Big Sky she saw composer Philip Sheppard and approached him, leading to a professional partnership.

“We started working on just film and game scores,” she said. “[Then] he came up with the idea: What if we could do that in life? You could score someone’s life.”

“[And] creating something sonically beautiful for the world that hasn’t existed before? That’s a purpose I can get behind.”

With this vision in mind, Sheppard, Tom Gruber, Ian Drew and Walch co-founded LifeScore.

“We make adaptive music that can react to user or environmental inputs for real life or [an]

immersive world,” Walch said.

Although Walch has a full-time job as the company’s COO, skiing is still a huge part of her life, and one she is committed to sharing with others. She continues to work as a ski instructor every season at the Yellowstone Club.

“I love teaching skiing,” she said. “It’s probably my favorite thing to do.”

She also started the grassroots organization Women of Winter.

“Our aim is to inspire women to carve their own path in the mountains and in life,” Walch said.

The organization is committed to providing opportunities for black, brown, and indigenous women of color to become leaders in snowsports.

Through scholarships, events and supplying gear, the organization seeks “to break down

as many barriers as possible.”

When Walch, whose mother is Filipino, first learned to ski at age 22 while visiting family in Austria, she said she stood out as “the only person who looked like me in that ski town.”

She feels “empathy for people that don’t feel welcome in spaces” and now strives to do her best to make snowsports more inclusive for everyone.

When you’re in a place where you are able to make changes you have a responsibili to do it.

“ ”

Kevin Ward

Working at a bank “is like being intertwined with the community,” according to Kevin Ward.

“I get to spend a lot of time meeting new people and hearing different stories and all of them, collectively, make Bozeman the great place that is,” he said. “[And] it is a great feeling to be able to help the community via my course of work each day.”

Ward has a family history with banking, and grew up being exposed to them and their role in the community.

“My mom was a banker, so I always grew up surrounded with stories and people that were involved with banking,” Ward said. “My mom would bring me to her office all the time so I always understood what working in a bank was like. I always enjoyed the atmosphere and

people.``

Now as the Chief Credit Analyst at First Security Bank, he works with many of the same people his mother did.

Ward enjoys problem solving and continuing to learn new things, which has proven to be a great fit for banking, he said.

“Each day at work I get to learn about new industries, new projects and new developments that all shape our community,” he said. “It is part of my job to figure out how these organizations operate, and how we can help them achieve their goals.”

Since joining First Security Bank in 2015, Ward is proud to have helped develop the company’s credit analyst program.

“When I started, the credit analyst role had a much smaller

scope and there were only one or two of us,” he said. “The role has expanded greatly with a lot more responsibility and people, and I am very proud to lead our department. It has become a very desirable role at the bank because we get to do a lot of the in-depth financial analysis and get to spend a lot of time supporting our customers.”

Ward said that another aspect of his job he takes satisfaction in is being able to support the Bozeman community through the bank.

“The bank has a huge mission to help the community and this has been ingrained in our company culture. I have never

worked in an environment where so many people are inclined to show support. Our bank has a special place in the community for supporting local organizations and I am proud to be a part of it.”

“ ”

My mom was a banker, so I always grew up surrounded with stories and people that were involved with banking.

CARE BEYOND CARE.