March 2018
2018 Making Montana, Manufacturing and Technology Expo
KALISPELL CHAMBER NEWSLETTER CALENDAR OF EVENTS MAR 13
Chamber 101
3:00-5:00pm | Kalispell Chamber
MAR 13
UNWIND for Wheaton’s 100th Anniversary
5:30-6:30pm | Wheaton’s Cycle/Kalispell Hostel
MAR 14
FAYP Espresso Yourself: Winning at Interviews 8:00-9:00am | Colter Coffee, Kalispell
MAR 15
Thinking Thursday: Selling Your Business for the Most Value 8:30-12:00am | Kalispell Chamber
MAR 17
Kalispell St. Patrick’s Day Parade 4:00pm | Main St. | Kalispell
MAR 28
Experience China in 2018, Informational Meeting
MAKING MONTANA EVENT REACHED RECORD ATTENDANCE As part of our efforts on workforce and education development, we continued our partnership with Flathead Valley Community College, ImagineIF Libraries, Montana West Economic Development, and the Job Service Kalispell to host the second annual Manufacturing and Technology Expo. Rebranded as “Making Montana,” the event on Feb 23-24 featured a packed Fairgrounds Expo Building full of manufacturing and technology companies as well as a slew of makers. The purpose of the event was to highlight the 21st-century skills needed in careers of the future as well as the value of tinkering and making things with your hands. Last year, the event drew approximately 900 students, a number that was shattered this year with over 1,200 students registered for Friday alone. Partnerships with public schools from across the valley helped teach kids from kindergarten through high school about what it means to work with your hands, making connections between lessons learned in the classroom, and how many of those skills can translate to rewarding careers later in life. Members of the Kalispell Chamber who participated in the event included: Applied Materials, LC Staffing, Flathead Valley Community College, Weyerhaeuser, US Optics, Learned Reality, the Daily Inter Lake, and Distinctive Countertops & Cabinetry. Student booths also featured demonstrations from Kalispell Middle School, the Glacier High School Technology Student Association’s robots, and a competition between Kalispell Middle School’s Girls Who Code, in addition to a series of exhibits from FVCC.
5:30-6:30pm | Kalispell Chamber
APR 10
UNWIND with Habitat for Humanity & the Daily Inter Lake 5:30-6:30pm | ReStore, Kalispell
APR 17
Monthly Luncheon: Candidate Forum 11:45am-1:15pm | Red Lion Hotel, Kalispell
APR 18
FAYP Espresso Yourself: What’s Happening at the Airport
8:00-9:00am | Colter Coffee, Kalispell
KALISPELL FEATURED IN ‘WHERE TO RETIRE’ WHERE TO RETIRE MAGAZINE MARCH/APRIL 2018: Enveloped by majestic forests and snowcapped mountains,Kalispell, in the Flathead Valley, is heaven for the outdoor-minded who like to hike, backpack, and ski. Water sports also beckon, as Flathead Lake - the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi - is a mere 10-mile south jaunt. “The lake is one of the most iconic attractions of northwestern Montana,” says Joe Unterreiner, president and CEO of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a great recreational resource, and it’s also popular with painters and photographers for its scenic value. Click the photo to the left to read the full article.
COMING UP NEW! CHAMBER 101: GETTING THE MOST OUT OF CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP
THINKING THURSDAY: SELLING YOUR BUSINESS FOR THE MOST VALUE
Tuesday, March 13 | 3:30-5:00pm | Kalispell Chamber Conference Room
Thursday, March 15 | 8:30-10:00am | Kalispell Chamber Conference Room
New Member? Considering Membership? New Hire? Long-standing Member, hoping to better engage with the business community? They key to getting the most out of your chamber membership is knowing exactly how we can help you. Join us for our first Chamber 101 to meet our staff, learn about committees you can be part of and volunteer opportunities, and know all of the ins and outs of your chamber benefits. Members (long-time and new) and non-members are welcome to attend.
Peggy Kragh (BCI, CMAI) and Shawn Miller of Murphy Business & Financial will take an in-depth look at what creates value for your business. They will help you understand the process of selling your business, buyer financing, controlling information, untangling red tape and the benefits of using a Business Broker/ Intermediary. You will leave with a checklist which you can immediately use to create a higher value in your business. Business owners will also have a chance to sign up for a free consultation. With 11 years’ experience of selling businesses locally, through a confidential sales process, Murphy Business & Financial understands what buyers and their advisers look for when valuing a company.
Click here to RSVP Following this event is an UNWIND to celebrate Wheaton Cycle’s 100th anniversary! Please head consider joining us after this Chamber 101 event. There will be appetizers, beverages, prizes, and fantastic networking. Remember to bring your business cards!
This event is free, however it is limited to the first 40 people who register.
Click here to RSVP
JOIN SECRETARY COREY STAPLETON FOR A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION Wednesday, March 7 | Doors open 11:30am, 12:00pm start | Brannigan’s Pub Secretary Corey Stapleton invites you to join him at a round table to talk about what his office can do to help commerce thrive. Please bring ideas, concerns, and comments. RSVP for this event at https://sos.mt.gov/portals/142/ttm-rsvp.html.
IN THE NEWS: Construction Begins on West Reserve Plaza - A developer has demolished the old Kalispell Athletic Club to make way for two new professional office buildings. Bruce and Cheryl Wiederspiel said they hope to begin construction on the buildings this spring with the goal of opening by Oct 1. Read more... Paul Wachholz Donates $4 Million to FVCC College Center Project - Longtime Flathead Valley businessman and community philanthropist Paul Wachholz has donated $4 million in support of FVCC’s ONE Campaign, a privately funded philanthropic effort to support the development of a new Library/Learning Commons and a College Center on the Kalispell campus. Read more... Kalispell Schools Addressing Significant Budget Shortfall - Reductions in state spending and changes to the district’s health insurance program are forcing administrators in Kalispell School District 5 to propose significant cuts to the 2017-18 and 2018-19 budgets. Read more...
BBER RECAP ON FLATHEAD COUNTY OUTLOOK On February 6, representatives from the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana visited Kalispell as part of their annual Economic Outlook Seminar tour around the state. Speakers included: Patrick Barkey, Director; Bryce Ward, Associate Director and Director of Health Care Research; Paul Polzin, Director Emeritus with emphasis on natural resources; Norma Nickerson, Director of Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research; Joe Unterreiner, President/CEO of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce; and a keynote presentation by Bob Nystuen, Vice Chair Montana University Board of Regents and Market President of Glacier Bank. If you’re interested in reviewing the economic outlook of the Flathead, please click the photo to the upper left.
KALISPELL CONVENTION & VISITOR BUREAU KCVB HOSTING 406 HOSPITALITY: A TOURISM AND GUEST SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM CUSTOMIZED FOR MONTANA Thursday, March 15 | 9:00am-12:00pm | Hilton Garden Inn, Kalispell | Free
Collectively, we are shaping tourism that is rewarding for Montana when we all customize a memorable guest experience, encourage guests to stay longer and spend more money in our communities, and invite guests to return. Together, let’s build on our success with refined techniques to engage your guests, promote thecommunity, region, and state, mend guest concerns, and refresh yourself and your organization. Leave this training with concrete ideas and skills to: - Connect with guests more quickly - Make life easier for your guests - Be curious about your guests’ interests - Describe area attractions with flair - Identify guest concerns - Resolve challenges with sincerity and optimism - Maintain your own endurance to prevent service fatigue - Suggest service innovations for your organization - Plus bonus content on crisis communication This program will be facilitated by Lisa Jones, owner of LJ Communications, and an adjunct facility member with FVCC’s Continuing Education Center. Lisa is a communications professional, offering over 25 years of travel and tourism experience in marketing, communications, public relations, customer service training, and strategic planning. Jones offers extensive knowledge, unique insight, and consistent enthusiasm for both enhancing the customer service experience and supporting the service provider. RSVP for this event by contacting the KCVB at (406) 758-2811 or info@discoverkalispell.com.
PUBLIC INPUT REQUESTED TO DIRECT THE FUTURE OF THE FLATHEAD COUNTY TRAILS PLAN The Flathead County PATHS Advisory Committee, comprised of trail enthusiasts from across Flathead County, is requesting community input regarding a multi-use trails system at their next community meeting on March 21st from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Flathead County Fairgrounds Expo Building. Public input is critical to help direct future development of local trail systems. In addition to the community meeting, residents are encouraged to let the committee know how they currently use trail systems via the survey at http://bit.ly/ flatheadcountytrailsurvey. The current Trails Plan creates a continuous network of pathways that connect residential areas, schools, parks, public lands, retail/business centers and community event centers. The purpose of the Flathead County PATHS Advisory Committee is to update the Trails Plan for Flathead County, taking into consideration public comments of how current residents are using trails and where they would like to see new, expanded trail systems for activities such as hiking, biking, snowmobiling, and other outdoor recreation opportunities. The committee is also planning to develop an online, comprehensive trails map.
BRING IT HOME ALL-STARS Our Bring It Home campaign is centered around utilizing the vast networks of our community and chamber members to bring meetings and conventions to Kalispell. Thanks so much to the following all-stars who have recommended meetings to come to our area: - Aimee Brunkhorst - City of Kalispell - Doug Russell - City of Kalispell We also put out a quarterly e-news for our meeting and convention connections. Check it out to discover local team-building ideas for your business or upcoming event.
LEADERSHIP FLATHEAD EXPLORES PUBLIC SAFETY AND SERVICES
Our leadership development program, Leadership Flathead, organizes a series of educational seminars for its participants, focusing on noteworthy issues facing our valley. Our February session day addressed public safety services throughout our community ranging from law enforcement to search and rescue and our judicial system. A common theme expressed by all personnel was the importance of cooperation between agencies. Northwest Montana involves large coverage areas and communication between agencies is vital for success rates. Cooperation exists between schools, resource officers, and agencies such as CRYJ aimed to keep students out of the juvenile system. A preventative versus reactive approach is shown to create stronger community connections that empower youth to make better decisions. Tours of the Two Bear Air helicopter and the Flathead County Detention Center outlined the valuable role of public safety services for our class members. Leadership Flathead aims to increase awareness of salient topics in our community and offers opportunities to gain involvement with local organizations. Applications are currently available for next year’s class and can be completed through the Chamber’s website: https://kalispellchamber.com/leadership-flathead/. Many thanks to Jane Karas and Flathead Valley Community College for allowing us to explore the Two Bear Air Helicopter on campus.
MILESTONE MEMBERSHIP CELEBRATIONS THIS MARCH
HAPPENING AROUND TOWN
NEW MEMBERS
March 15: Free Fire Contracting Workshop Attend this workshop to learn about what it takes to become a wildland firefighting contractor. Hosted by Montana PTAC. Contact Doug Bolender to register (406) 257-7711x5
30+ YEARS
Express Employment Professionals Red Lion Hotel Kalispell Flathead Janitorial & Rug Service Fun Beverage Inc. Kalispell Center Mall Junkermier Clark Campanella Stevens PC Western Building Center Buffalo Hill Funeral Home Kalispell Truss Center
20 YEARS
Northern Pines Golf Club
10 YEARS
Riddle’s Jewelry Swiftcurrent Consulting & Accounting PC
5 YEARS
FloodCo, LLC IHOP Restaurant Bridge Street Cottages Cold Stone Creamery
March 13 & 20: I’m Expected to Fundraise, Help! As a nonprofit board member, learn a different way to fundraise and how to be involved in fund development beyond making the ask for money. 6:008:00pm at FVCC. $65. Register with FVCC Continuing Education (406) 756-3832 FVCC 2018 HONORS SYMPOSIUM LECTURE SERIES All programs begin at 7:00 in room AT 139 March 6: Technology and China’s Rise to Power March 6: Haunted by the Cyber Ghost: National Cybersecurity Policy and Transatlantic Collaboration March 13: CyborgSenses: On the Cusp of a New Era in the Philosophy of Perception March 20: Computers, Automation, and the Human Future
1 YEAR THANKS FOR MOVING UP YOUR MEMBERSHIP! Guild Mortgage Express Employment Pros
Hurraw! Balm LLC Anderson’s Masonry Hearth & Home A-1 Vacuum & Janitorial Supply Brandon Pope Insurance Agency, Inc. Paws to Play Saucy Dogs Isagenix-Danelle Boll APEC Engineering Glacier Sotheby’s International Realty
Have an event coming up? Contact us at (406) 758-5054 to hear about how we can help with advertising your big day.
YOU'RE INVITED!
Join us for an O
Thursday, March 22
Food and beverages
Kalispell Branch l 2405 U Join us for an Open House
Thursday, March 22 I 2:00 ‒ 5:00 p.m.
Get to know Kalispell Branch lour 2405team! US-93 l 406.751.5070 We are local, experienced and Get to know our team! ready to serve your financial We are local, experienced and ready to serve your financial service needs. service needs. RMBank.com
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Food and beverages will be served.