Missoulian, Sunday, June 12, 2016 — A1
MEET THE TOP YOUNG BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS WHO EXCEL IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP, LEADERSHIP, CREATIVE VISION, INNOVATION AND DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY
2 – Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Top 20 business professionals under 40 years of age selected by the Missoulian from community nominations Missoulian
Some of the folks featured in this year’s publication accomplish more in less than 40 years than some may in several lifetimes. Their stories are inspiring and humbling. That idea comes through clearly when reading through this year’s edition of “20 Under 40” – the fourth year the Missoulian has compiled and written about such a distinguished and diverse group. In the group we have artists, dancers, health care professionals and entrepreneurs. Each one is a great testament to the depth and variety of people who are our neighbors and doing amazing things right under our noses. And really, that’s why we continue to do this project. Because it tells stories of success that should be told. It spotlights the great people doing wonderful things who don’t necessarily make headlines because, in so many cases, they’re just
doing their jobs. True enough. But these folks are doing their jobs or serving their community in exceptional ways. We have a teacher who makes sure that no child left behind isn’t some slogan, but helps students graduate. We have a physical therapist and owner of a business who in addition to her practice who faced a months-long struggle when her daughter was born prematurely. And the list goes on. This year saw a record number of nominations. In fact, the condensed version of the nominations took nearly 40 pages and represented more than 100 nominees. The 20 Under 40 winners were chosen by Missoulian reporters, editors and staff members. They are not ranked, but were chosen based on information provided in a nomination form and after weighing career accomplishments, spirit of entrepreneurship, business vision and their impact within the community.
Publisher Mark Heintzelman Editor Darrell Ehrlick Reporters Kim Briggeman, Rob Chaney, Chelsea Davis, Vince Devlin, David Erickson, Dillon Kato, Lance Nixon, Keila Szpaller and Cory Walsh Photographers Tom Bauer, Tommy Martino, Olivia Vanni and Kurt Wilson Advertising Director Jeff Avgeris (406) 523-5216 Mailing address P.O. Box 8029, Missoula, MT 59807-8029 Phone (406) 523-5240
Summer 2015, Vol. 4, No. 2 Western Montana InBusiness is a publication of the Missoulian
Table of contents Emily Herndon
Ben Cory
Owner of Plains Physical Therapy Page 3
Attorney with Crowley Fleck Page 14
Christy Schilke
Tyler Gernant
District manager for Verizon Wireless Page 4
Elected clerk and recorder/treasurer for Missoula County Page 15
Mario Schulzke
Andrea Davis
Associate vice president of integrated communications and chief marketing officer at University of Montana
Executive director at Homeword Page 16
Page 5
Dr. Michael Reed
Jennifer Whipple
Interventional cardiologist at St. Patrick Hospital’s International Heart Institute
Page 7
Vice president of Collection Bureau Services Page 17
Luke Langbehn
Jason Shreder
Project manager for McKinstry Page 8
Owner of Zoo Town Surfers Page 18
Burke Holmes
Kathy Weber-Bates
Dishwasher/owner of Notorious P.I.G. Page 9
President of Starhitch Strategic Communications Page 19
Natalie Peeterse
Aimee Burt
Part of distance delivery team for HealthCARE Montana Page 10
Director at Education Logistics, Inc. Page 20
Zach Morris
Jody Haines
Director of Conscious Pursuits Page 11
Medical Home Program Manager for Providence Western Montana Region
Joy French
Evan Tipton
Founder, artistic director of Bare Bait Dance Company Page 12
Founder/owner of 3 Rivers Marketing Group Page 22
Nicole Hagerman Miller
Michelle Cares
Managing director of Biomimicry 3.8 Page 13
Page 21
Missoula City Council member and admininstration for ACLU of Montana
Page 23
Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016 – 3
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
OLIVIA VANNI, Missoulian
Physical therapist running years ahead of schedule she set for herself VINCE DEVLIN vdevlin@missoulian.com
P
LAINS – Emily Herndon’s goal was to own her own physical therapy business by the time she was 40. She checked that off eight years ago at age 29, when she purchased Plains Physical Therapy. Herndon says she is “well ahead of what I dreamed about,” especially now that she recently moved into a 4,000
EMILY HERNDON
37
Occupation: Physical therapist, owner of Plains Physical Therapy
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Three keys to success:
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Business advice: “Continue to improve yourself in life, and profesSee HERNDON, Page A5 sionally in your business.”
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4 – Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Manager of Verizon sees success in employees’ wins CHRISTY SCHILKE
38
Occupation District manager for Verizon Wireless Hobbies Cooking, hiking, mountain biking and “extreme snowshoeing,” which she described as going straight up the mountain and straight back down. Three keys to success 1. Planning is critical.
“Montana has proven itself. That doesn’t surprise me, but I like showing people we have a lot of skilled people that work with me.” − Christy Schilke
streets. Three years after that, she was put in charge of its corporate stores 3. Have fun and recognize throughout Montana, successes. It makes everywhich account for about thing you do better. 160 employees. Best business advice Late last year, Schilke Swallow your pride. When you get feedback, was diagnosed with a implement it immediately. rare form of soft tissue Show your employees cancer. She’s had three you’re human. craniotomies, the last one in March, and is taking chemotherapy via the CORY WALSH pill method. cory.walsh@missoulian.com “Coming back has been one of the better things hen you get for me. I’m very close to work for my team and very proud someone like of them, so being around her, it makes it pleasant. OLIVIA VANNI, Missoulian them throughout this has You enjoy going to work,” been important to me, to said Shae Bradshaw, Anchorage, Alaska, gradu- be open about what I’m ideas as well. with the success. Asked Last year, Schilke was assistant manager for the going through,” she said. ated from the University “She does it in a very for a concise description recognized by the comVerizon Wireless store on She calls them her work supportive and encourag- of Montana with a degree pany as its top-performing of her work, Schilke said North Reserve Street. in social work. She started family, and opened up her ing fashion,” Goedel likes to think that she district manager in the He speaking about with Verizon as a business personal Instagram so they said, in which employees works for her employees. region, beating out peers Christy Schilke, Verizon’s account executive in Boze- could follow her along. meet their goals and set “Their success and district manager who over- who are responsible for She said both her and the man, and then worked their opportunities are my new ones. metropolitan areas in sees its seven retail stores company as a whole have her way up to data sales If that hasn’t conveyed opportunities,” she said. Colorado and Utah. Her in the state of Montana. it already, Schilke loves her consultant, which covered been supportive. It’s her task to bring teams have won awards of Schilke is “always “Cancer is a very scary Montana and Idaho. She work. (The travel doesn’t them the skills, knowltheir own, too. looking out for you as became a business account word, and it’s not that hurt either.) edge, production infor“Montana has proven an individual,” he said. executive in Missoula, and it’s not scary to me, but “There isn’t a day that mation they need to do itself. That doesn’t sur“She’s really in tune with helped open a store on the as soon as I was told, I I wake up that I’m not her employees and always prise me, but I like show- their jobs. UM campus. She then was was like ‘you picked the excited to go to work,” Nicole Goedel, the ing people we have a lot of looks for ways to advance wrong person. I’m going to hired as a major account she said. “I’m very lucky store’s general manager, skilled people that work their career. She’s very, fight it,’ and I think that’s manager, and spent three to love my job every day,” said Schilke’s both a supwith me,” she said. very good at getting the years as a store manager at important to show to my port system and a resource she said. Her attitude toward most out of people and team and people around Verizon’s former location for new ideas, and encourmanagement likely has helping them to see their me,” she said. Schilke, who grew up in at Mount and Reserve ages her to pursue her own more than a little to do potential.” 2. Be able to re-plan.
“W
Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016 – 5
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Mario Schulzke doesn’t need perfect to push for quick wins MARIO SCHULZKE
35
Occupation: Associate vice president of integrated communications and chief marketing officer at the University of Montana Hobbies: Fly fishing, cycling, trail running and backpacking Keys to success: 1. Be authentic. Be yourself. I don’t think it’s very sustainable to be successful while trying to be someone else, so find yourself. 2. Value relationships. Ultimately, being successful in life and business and personal relationships is only possible when you work with others and you treat others with respect. So put relationships first. Ultimately, anything you do in life is going to be a collaboration. 3. Build momentum. It’s so hard, especially in academia, where you’re trying to tackle and work on very big problems. Try to get quick wins and small wins along the way. By having a series of small wins, you’ll ultimately get to the big win. Best business advice: Do something you’re passionate about. It’s not always super easy to find, and I think it’s a journey. But the more you can find a career where you’re passionate about what you’re doing, the more sustainable it will be, and the more successful you’ll be. You’ll go home every day feeling gratified about the work that you did.
TOMMY MARTINO, Missoulian
from the university about this job. As I was driving across America, I kept interviewing. At some t 16 years old, Mario point, I flew back here,” Schulzke left Germany and landed on he said. He landed the job, a ranch in the Bitterroot. In short order, he fell in returned to Montana, and love with Big Sky Country. the man who’s lived in Spain, France, England, He enrolled at the Oregon, Los Angeles and University of Montana, Seattle is staying put. graduated, went to work, “This is my favorite burnt out, and quit a job. place by far. If I can avoid Then, on a six-month, it, I’ll never leave,” Schul48-state road trip with zke said. three other “lost souls,” Now, he’s a Westsider in Schulzke got a call about a the Garden City working job at UM. to support downtown and “I was in Burlington, Vermont, when I got a call end homelessness. KEILA SZPALLER keila.szpaller@missoulian.com
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He’s also the recently promoted associate vice president of integrated communications and chief marketing officer at UM. Years ago at UM, he spent Saturdays and Sundays cleaning the 11 floors of Aber Hall, and he’s thrilled to be back on campus. “It’s really gratifying to work at this university because I think it’s probably the place I can thank the most as far as being able to stay in America,” Schulzke said. Schulzke hasn’t considered marketing a lifelong
dream, but he’s passionate about people, about solving problems, and about UM. The three passions all roll into his job to support the institution. “So at this point, marketing is exactly what I want to be doing,” Schulzke said. On campus, Schulze is bringing a certain nimbleness from the private sector into the more trudging academia. He’s advocating for quick wins to build momentum for greater successes, and he’s pushing for iterative solutions. “There’s many people,
when given the opportunity to innovate, and when given the opportunity to move fast, they’ll jump on it,” Schulze said of the campus. “I think my role is to just enable that.” After an estimated 10 years of stagnation, UM needed a new website, he said. Schulzke knew it wouldn’t be perfect on the day it launched, but he wanted forward motion more than perfection. “It’s going to be version 1.0. It is not the final product. It’s not going to See SCHULZKE, Page A6
6 – Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016
FROM PAGE 3
Herndon Continued
square-foot facility and brought a third physical therapist into the business. Plains Physical Therapy even survived an 11-month absence by Herndon in 2014 and 2015. More importantly, her daughter Danae survived as well. Danae entered the world 15 ½ weeks early on July 9, 2014, and weighing just 1 pound, 9 ounces. “I spent the next 226 days living in hospitals with her,” Herndon says. The baby was delivered at Community Hospital in Missoula, which her mother says “did an amazing job,” and four days later was transported to Seattle Children’s Hospital for surgery to repair a hole in a heart valve. About four months after
that, mother and daughter were able to return to Montana, although not home to Turah, where Herndon lives with her husband, Joel Carlson, the sports information director at the University of Montana. Mother and daughter spent another four months or so back at Community, before Danae was released on May 27, 2015. Approximately three months after that, Herndon returned to work. “The business was still standing” after her near year-long absence Herndon says. “Some amazing people kept it going while I was away.” Herndon is from Boring, Oregon – if you think that’s funny, Boring has a sister city named Dull, Scotland – and earned her undergraduate degree at Murray State University
in Kentucky. She entered graduate school at the University of Montana in 2003. She met Carlson while at UM, and they managed the challenges of a longdistance relationship after she graduated in 2006 and moved to California for her first job. Herndon took the position with Bones Physical Therapy in Sonora, she says, because owner T J Pilchard “promised to teach me the ins and outs of owning my own physical therapy business.” In fact, it was Pilchard who discovered that Joyce Dougan, who had owned Plains Physical Therapy, had retired and closed up shop, but was willing to sell it to the right person. “I took one look at Plains and knew it was exactly where I needed to be,” Herndon says. “Coming from a small
town, I know health care can be hard to find in rural communities, whether it’s physical therapists, doctors or nurses.” Herndon re-opened Plains Physical Therapy on Sept. 3, 2008. “My first day we had three patients,” Herndon says. She saw them in a facility so small that “the gym was literally in the waiting room.” Today, Plains Physical Therapy has 120 active patients, and they are treated in the 4,000 square-foot facility that opened in March. Herndon leaves her home in Turah at 4 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to make the 170-mile roundtrip commute and sees her first patients at 6 a.m. Some days she doesn’t start home till 5 p.m., and even though Plains Physical Therapy is only
“I love my job and if my business was down the street, I wouldn’t know when to take a break.”
wouldn’t be as effective or as happy.” Office manager Nancy Sobieck has been with her since the start. In 2013 things were getting so busy that physical therapist Noah Bray was brought on board – he and Sobieck were instrumental in keeping things going during Herndon’s later absence – and in June the − Emily Herndon addition of physical therapist Curt Hammill marked another expansion. open three days a week, Plains Physical Therapy “It’s definitely over a treats lymphedema, offers 40-hour work week,” active relief techniques Herndon says. Rather than being a det- and primal reflex relief riment, the long commute techniques as well as functional dry needling, is actually beneficial, and draws patients she says. “I love my job and if my from as far away as Idaho seeking some of business was down the those services. street, I wouldn’t know Not bad for a business when to take a break,” Herndon not only walked Herndon says. “I like away from for 11 months, the work-life balance but didn’t even expect to this forces on me. If I own for three more years. worked five days a week I
FROM PAGE 5
Schulzke
“This is my favorite place by far. If I can avoid it, I’ll never leave.”
President Royce Engstrom is concerned. Engstrom said Schulzke is an idea Continued person, and one who brings ideas to life. be the website we have “Mario is just a bundle of forever, but it’s going to energy, for one thing, and be the website we have he brings a very up-toon May 15,” he said of the-minute, or state-ofthe approach. − Mario Schulzke the-art view of marketMore recently, Schulzke ing,” Engstrom said. “He jumped headfirst into brings the history of being a live Facebook session a fairly recent student where potential students himself, but with a good Schulzke said. could chat with interns. 10 years of terrific experiDuring the live chat, The sound wasn’t perfect, ence in the private sector 300 to 400 people tuned and the idea didn’t come as well.” in, and within a couple off without a hitch, but as Schulzke sees things, it days, more than 6,500 Off campus, Schulzke was one building block in people had watched the is passionate about his session. Since then, he a larger plan. said, thousands more have community. Since he was “Let’s bring it to life, troubled to face rampant listened to conversation. and if it works, and we homelessness in Los Schulzke’s new stratecan gain some traction, let’s figure out how to roll gies and dynamic person- Angeles after living in more socially conscious ality are pluses as far as this out in a bigger way,”
countries, he’s working on Missoula’s 10-year plan to end homelessness. He’s on the board of the Missoula Downtown Association, an advisor to
The Cycling House, and an advocate of for his Westside neighborhood and its socioeconomic diversity. “The Westside is, in my opinion, probably the
most diverse neighborhood in town. It’s kind of eclectic. It’s growing. It’s evolving. It’s not perfect. But I like that,” Schulzke said.
Every minute. Every day. missoulian.com
Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016 – 7
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Heart doctor gets big results with minimum impact DR. MICHAEL REED
39 Occupation: Interventional cardiologist at St. Patrick Hospital’s International Heart Institute Hobbies: Coaching soccer and basketball with his three daughters, mountain biking, trail running Secrets of success:
Do what you love Surround yourself with amazing people Challenges don’t feel like burdens if they’re part of a goal you’re achieving Best business advice: In for a penny, in for a pound – If you start to do something, see it through even if it becomes difficult. ROB CHANEY rchaney@missoulian.com
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ather-son traditions often show up in professional worlds like medicine, but rarely does a son come to do ground-breaking work at the same facility his father helped found. That’s the history for Dr. Michael Reed, an interventional cardiologist at the St. Patrick Hospital’s International Heart Institute. Reed grew up in Missoula, attended Hellgate High School, and followed his father George Reed’s footsteps in becoming a heart surgeon at the International Heart Institute. Technology has increased greatly between generations, but both Reeds agreed that patient needs have remained the same – find a way to return to health.
TOM BAUER, Missoulian
“When we come together as a heart team, we think about the patient from multiple, different perspectives. It’s extremely eye-opening to approach that patient in such a comprehensive way.” − Dr. Michael Reed With Dr. Tod Maddux, Reed helped put together a team of doctors and specialists who concentrate on cases that can be helped with trans-aortic valve replacement. The technique is an alternative to many situations that otherwise might require open-heart surgery. “The advantage is we’re able to treat a lifethreatening heart-valve problem with minimum
invasiveness,” Reed said. “It’s a less risky technique.” Reed and his colleagues have performed the procedure 220 times, and seen a lot of expansion of the program because of their success. He stressed that those accomplishments reflected the wide range of expertise gathered at the institute. “An operation like this requires multiple
disciplines, from anesthesiology, radiology, imaging, the catheter lab staff, the surgical staff,” Reed said. “Then there’s coordination with the family, organizing the procedures – it takes a village of people to pull these off.” That means checking egos at the operating room door every time a surgical team convenes to help a patient. Reed said the technique
of repairing hearts has greatly expanded into far more than the implantation of a device in the patient’s circulatory system. “When we come together as a heart team, we think about the patient from multiple, different perspectives. It’s extremely eye-opening to approach that patient in such a comprehensive way.” That can mean looking
at the person’s diet and lifestyle, living conditions and family support as part of their recovery plan. It also means finding ways to work with colleagues for a common goal. “That allows the opportunity for everyone to be constructively critical and contribute their particular skill set,” Reed said. “It creates a collaborative environment that’s less threatening to work in.”
8 – Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Langbehn dedicated to community, mentoring young pros “It’s just neat to see some people be successful because we helped them out.”
LUKE LANGBEHN
33
Occupation Project manager for McKinstry Hobbies Hunting, fishing, SCUBA, spear fishing
− Luke Langbehn
Keys to success: 1. Listen to your wife. That’s No. 1. 2. Have a great family. 3. Take yourself as seriously as you want others to take you. Best business advice: Make fun of your engineer. Show up on time. Be accountable. KEILA SZPALLER keila.szpaller@missoulian.com
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uke Langbehn hands out Thanksgiving turkeys for the Missoula Food Bank, and he’s killed rattlesnakes that pose a risk to his team in Cascade County. “They were near a job site, and I didn’t want our guys getting into ‘em,” Langbehn said. Langbehn, 33, is a project manager for McKinstry, and he’s worked at the engineering firm since 2007. The University of Montana School of Business Administration graduate has a knack for people, passion for community, and dedication to mentoring young professionals. Adina Peters, his wife, said he’s also a caring husband. She was sick for six years, and even as he continued to work at McKinstry and volunteer
for nonprofits, he cared for his wife. “He has done this with dedication, humility and grace,” Peters said in a nomination letter. Langbehn didn’t start out in the field of engineering at all. In his first job out of college, he ended up “building drugs for the government,” but he didn’t like working in pharmaceuticals at all. Peters encouraged him to change career tracks — “she knew I liked to build” — and Langbehn set up a meeting with
some colleagues at McKinstry. Overnight, he was working for the engineering firm. “Shook the right hands, I guess,” he said. Since then, the LEEDcertified professional has been planning and managing green commercial building projects throughout Montana. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. “His vision can be seen in his projects: saving Montana businesses, schools, and hospitals
large sums of money by reducing their carbon footprint and making their systems highly efficient,” Peters said. The result? Drastically reduced utility bills, she said. The Washington native doesn’t stop after work, either. He volunteers in official ways and also as needed in his own neighborhood. “After last summer’s windstorm, he grabbed his chainsaw and started taking down fallen trees off of his neighbors’
that they don’t know about and give them experience that I didn’t quite get as a student there,” Langbehn said. He invites students to McKinstry’s office downtown Missoula, and he finds the outcome rewarding. “It’s just neat to see some people be successful because we helped them out,” he said. He’s volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and the Clark Fork Coalition’s annual river cleanup. Come Thanksgiving, he hands out turkeys for the Missoula Food Bank. KURT WILSON, Missoulian “That’s a good time. You get to meet a lot of good people doing that,” houses, stopping only Langbehn said. when it was too dark to In his office, Langsee,” Peters said. “He behn keeps a crayon shovels snow for his drawing by one of his elder neighbors.” nephews, and Peters said Langbehn is also vice the little ones adore him, chair for the Marketing and he’s committed to and Management Board of the School of Business, his family. “He calls home to his and he likes to spend parents in Spokane every time coaching students Sunday,” she said. “And on how to get their first until she passed last fall, jobs and write resumes. he called his grandma in He offers career advice South Dakota every week. and steers them in new “He is a man who directions, too. “I can share with them always has time for othjobs that they don’t know ers and never asks for anything in return.” about and career paths
Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016 – 9
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Burke Holmes cooks St. Louis barbecue inspired by hip hop “There’s really not anything on our menu we aren’t really proud of.”
BURKE HOLMES
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Occupation Dishwasher, proprieter Hobbies
− Burke Holmes
We do a fair amount of fishin’ around here. Keys to success: 1. Be curious. 2. Be comfortable making decisions. 3. Be comfortable with the fact you can’t do it by yourself. Best business advice: You should understand that you’re not an expert in everything. You should be comfortable asking questions, and no one is going to think you’re a doofus for asking questions. KEILA SZPALLER keila.szpaller@missoulian.com
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ince Burke Holmes grew up eating St. Louis barbecue, he can’t remember the first time he ate ribs that blew his socks off. Since the owner of the Notorious P.I.G. grew up on the country’s finest barbecue, though, he does remember the first time he ingested slowcooked meat that didn’t pass muster. He remembers thinking to himself at the time: “This is not what it’s supposed to taste like.” In other words, he was an expert for the taste at a young age, and around the end of 2012, Holmes decided to turn his expertise for barbecue into a business. He wanted to go into the hospitality
industry, and he knew barbecue was an obvious choice for a guy from St. Louis. “That’s what we eat there, and I really missed it,” he said. “And I also had some really, really great contacts in that cuisine already.” A man from back home gifted Holmes the ribs recipe, and within a couple weeks the restaurant opened, Skip Steele dropped in for a bite — “I know we fed him everything.” He gave the place a thumbs up.
“They’re the folks that we look up to here, and that we want to make proud,” Holmes said. Since April 2015, Holmes has been serving up finger licking, lip smacking ribs, pulled pork, baked beans, potato salad, and even pastrami sandwiches. The downtown shop is all about the pig, but Holmes doesn’t short the beef dishes or the sides. “There’s really not anything on our menu we aren’t really proud of,” Holmes said.
“He has won three awards for best new restaurant and best barbecue in town,” wrote Rosbarsky in a nomination letter. “He has been acknowledged nationwide through a variety of popular food blogs ... He’s done all this and is still in his twenties!” The name of the restaurant was sparked when Holmes was reading an old barbecue cookbook and a phrase made him think of a contemporary song. In the book, he read a description of barbecue from a Texan who said “good barbecue on the pit is like a dream. You never want to disturb it. “If you’re lookin’, it TOMMY MARTINO, Missoulian aint’ cookin’. “It’s like a good dream.” The description brought Holmes starts cooking grease trap serviced, and to mind the lyrics from he learned it was much from scratch at 4 a.m. a Notorious B.IG. song, too small. every day. “It was all a dream,” and “It exploded a month “We do that for pretty much one simple reason, is before opening. That was the Notorious P.I.G. came the fact that we want every a rough one,” Holmes said. to be. “We’re all hip hop fans Since opening, the single thing to be fresh here, too” Holmes said. Notorious P.I.G. has that day. We don’t want Holmes worked as a anyone eating yesterday’s made contributions to many organizations in the fishing guide for eight barbecue,” he said. years, and when he isn’t community, according For Holmes, a graducooking, he’s fishing. to Colleen Rosbarsky, a ate of the University of When he is cooking, he teacher at the Ballet Arts Montana, running a may as well be on the Academy. She named as business has meant more playground with the examples the Clark Fork than mixing ingredients 14 people who work Coalition, Boys and Girls and ordering cuts of with him. Club, Trout Unlimited, meat. Just weeks before “It feels like recess here opening doors downtown Gay Pride and Taste every day,” Holmes said. of Missoula. Missoula, he had the
10 – Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Building connections under the Big Sky NATALIE PEETERSE
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Best advice: Good things happen to those who hustle. Eventually. Three keys to success: 1. Be a good friend. 2. Be authentic. 3. Learn patience. Hobbies: Tennis. LANCE NIXON lance.nixon@missoulian.com
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s Natalie Peeterse sees it, Montana’s big sky, and the big, big land it arches over, are the challenges she must deal with on the job and off. On the job, she is part of a distance delivery team for HealthCARE Montana, which is a part of Missoula College. She helps manage a federal grant to design distance learning opportunities to train nurses for rural places in Montana. “My role is really just to help with online delivery so that working people in these rural communities can have access to college while continuing to live their lives,” Peeterse says. “We owe it to the residents of the state to provide high-quality education. There are parts of Montana that aren’t rural, they’re called ‘frontier,’ which is more rural than the word ‘rural’ allows for.” But in her free time away from the job, Peeterse also bumps up against the challenges of distance while trying to help regional writers, musicians and artists connect with one another in the big empty space they
TOMMY MARTINO, Missoulian
call home. Peeterse earned a master’s of fine arts degree in poetry in 2002 from the University of Montana and is a published poet. Her chapbook elegy, “Black Birds : Blue Horse,” won the Gold Line Press Poetry Prize in 2011. She has been a fellow with the Arizona Commission on the Arts, a participant at the Squaw Valley Community of Writers, and an artist in residence at the Caldera Institute in central Oregon. She is a recipient of the 2013 Artist’s Innovation Award by the Montana Arts Council. And partly because she
knows the challenges of finding an audience for her work in big, sparsely populated Montana, Peeterse co-founded the Open Country Reading Series in Missoula along with the poet Henrietta Goodman. “I know a hundred working writers,” Peeterse said. “But we can still feel lonely in the midst of all that.” The Open Country Reading Series supports regional writers, musicians and artists by showcasing their work cultivating what by rights ought to come with the territory in Montana – a culture of openness where they can
Country Press. In 2017 it will publish, “Bright Bones: Contemporary Montana Writing. “We’re trying to capture the spirit of now and here in Montana, to get a fresh perspective,” said Peeterse. “We’re not homesteading. We’re going to work every − Natalie Peeterse day and trying to raise our families.” And writers, too, are poems after Federico thrive and grow. wrestling, like nursing Garcia Lorca, the great “It’s all about constudents, with ways to Spanish poet – a crucial nection. That’s where overcome the challenges influence on Peeterse at the magic happens,” one period in her life. She of all that open country. Peeterse said. “It’s always about One of her big personal recruited the writers to human connection. make it happen. projects has been to push You can’t get anything But a similar project, through to publication more distinctly Montanan, done without that,” “Verde Que Te Quiero Peeterse said. is in the works for Open Verde,” an anthology of
“My role is really just to help with online delivery so that working people in these rural communities can have access to college while continuing to live their lives.”
Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016 – 11
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Education turned on its head with ‘community immersion’ “We’re really trying to offer something that empowers kids to want to be at school.”
ZACH MORRIS
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Occupation Director of Conscious Pursuits Hobbies: Poetry, music, walking in the woods
− Zach Morris
Three keys to success: 1. Conviction. 2. Openness. 3. Support. Best business advice: “Do what you love.” CHELSEA DAVIS chelsea.davis@missoulian.com
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or Zach Morris, education is about meeting students where they’re at. “Why don’t we create some (spaces) that fit exactly that person we’re trying to put in there, instead of asking them to change to fit into this structure?” Morris said. He started Conscious Pursuits three years ago, an alternative school that currently serves 10 students. It’s a “community immersion school,” meaning the majority of a student’s time is not in a classroom. They’re out in Missoula, learning from “healthy adult models” and engaging in their passions. “We’re really trying to offer something that empowers kids to want to be at school,” he said. “I worked in so many different models and arenas where that wasn’t really the case for the student population. That was something I wanted
TOMMY MARTINO, Missoulian
to shift.” Melissa Neff, a child psychologist, met Morris when Conscious Pursuits was just a dream. “Him putting that into fruition within a year is incredible,” Neff said. “I have a couple families who have worked with him, who had experiences where their kid couldn’t make it in public school ...
and now they’re excited about school. They want to go every day.” It’s not a knock on traditional education, Morris pointed out, but an atypical way of giving students what they need to succeed. Student choice and allowing the curriculum to meld with their interests are his priorities. “I’m really trying to
move students from doing out of fear and obligation to doing out of joyful willingness,” he said. The school serves grades 2-12, but this fall it’ll expand to K-12 and it’s moving to a new, bigger location. Students build portfolios rather than getting grades. They can rack up 150-plus hours of community service in
a year. “One kid ... he’s about 15 years old. His parents were terrified he was going to drop out of school,” Neff said. “He has a lot of mental health issues that make it hard for him to go to school. They had pretty much given up on him getting an education, they even thought he wouldn’t get
his GED.” Neff recommended Conscious Pursuits. They started slow — a meeting here and there with Morris. “What happened is they left, and the kid started asking, ‘When am I going to go?’” Neff said. “He hasn’t been this excited about school since he was in kindergarten. “He (Morris) just has a way to reach these kids. Beyond being a good teacher, he’s just a good human. He knows what people need, he’s intuitive, he lets them lead and then follows their lead.” Before starting Conscious Pursuits, Morris was a middle school and high school literature and writing teacher, working in schools across the spectrum: traditional, rural, inner city, charter, private therapeutic boarding schools, etc. “I saw, even in those varying environments, just a lot of the same needs going unmet for students, whether these students were really affluent or whether these students were coming from really impoverished lifestyles,” he said. “I saw apathy in students, I saw hopelessness in teachers and I was unwilling to be a part of that process.”
12 – Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Joy French a modern dance entrepreneur JOY FRENCH
“The heart is there and the people are there and the interest is there and the talent is there.”
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Occupation: Founder and artistic director of Bare Bait Dance Company Hobbies: Seeing as much live performance as possible, whether it’s music, theater, comedy or storytelling; walking the dog; floating the river in summer; having guests over.
− Joy French
Three keys to success: 1. It’s been important to “not assume everyone has my same passion, but share it and educate and inspire other people.” 2. “I have strong belief that ‘more is more’ in the arts world and the business arts world. Trying to support and nurture as much in the performing arts field ... only helps my business become more visible.” 3. Collaboration: “Not holding the reins too tightly” has helped spread the word about her company and get “excited about what we’re doing.” Best business advice: French said she took to heart some advice from her friend Karen McNenny, a consultant. “Just be careful about how wide or deep you want to go with the work,” French said. She’s chosen to keep Bare Bait focused on what they do best. CORY WALSH cory.walsh@missoulian.com
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ike an entrepreneur starting a new venture, Joy French set a timeline. She’d give this project five years and then reassess.
She was finished with her graduate degree in Boulder, Colorado, and returned to Missoula for a “transition year.” The college-educated dancer and choreographer decided to put on her first eveninglength production. Initially it would require only two dancers. After deciding she needed more, she put out a word-ofmouth call. French, somewhat surprised, ended up with 11 dancers in the production.
Five years later, French has recently finished up with the fifth season of Bare Bait Dance Company,which grew out of that first call and has ever since focused on original contemporary modern shows. French said that when she first started the company, she knew there would be obstacles, such as finding the right spaces for dance performance is difficult. But other key elements were in place.
also as a guest producer on occasion. This last year, Bare Bait, a nonprofit, was officially installed as a company in residence at UM School of Theatre and Dance, where they rehearse and stage shows; and Bare Bait is partnering with Missoula County Public Schools to teach dance programs in high schools. They love performing at First Night, the New Year’s Eve performing arts extravaganza, since it can reach new and different audiences. French loves to collaborate, whether as Bare Bait or on her own. She’s hired local musicians to write scores for her work. She choreographed work with local artist Jack TOM BAUER, Missoulian Metcalf, and did a piece for songwriter Chris Sand’s “Woody Guthrie” tribute, and a Bollywood dream choreography showcases, “The heart is there and full evening-length shows, sequence for director Mike the people are there and Steinberg’s film “Lester the interest is there and the performances from visitLeaps In.” ing guest artists. talent is there,” she said. Despite the busy sched“So far, every year I’ve For the first year, she ule, French feels confident added something new had 15 members in the moving forward with that felt really exciting,” company, so that all of Bare Bait. she said. their friends and family In year five, she added a Nobody teaches you how would come and invite to program a season while co-director, Kelly Bouma, others along. (She’s since to help steer the company, you’re earning your MFA, made the professional and is looking forward so it’s something she had company, whose dancers to seeing what another to learn on her own. are paid, smaller.) five years. French also teaches The audience response “I don’t think we’re dance at University of was there, though, at a stopping point,” Montana as an adjunct and the company has French said. assistant professor, and continued since. There’s
Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016 – 13
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Director helps top companies find inspiration in nature NICOLE HAGERMAN MILLER
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DAVID ERICKSON david.erickson@missoulian.com
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t Biomimicry 3.8 in Missoula, Nicole Hagerman Miller leads a team of professionals who work with Fortune Occupation 500 clients like Johnson & Johnson and General Managing director of Mills to spur innovation Biomimicry 3.8 inspired by nature. Hobbies “We provide biological Flyfishing, paddleboarding, intelligence to help comboating, hiking with her panies design new prodone-year-old ucts and philosophies,” she explained. “We are taking Three keys to success: strategies from nature. 1. “Surrounding myself Nature has been around with really smart people. for 3.8 billion years and I always like to surround myself with people who do has found solutions for the same issues we deal things differently, brilliant with, like finding effective and smart.” breathable waterproofing. 2. “I come about things Nature has done everyfrom a very pragmatic way. thing we’ve tried to do. So But I’ve probably found we look at that as a basis. some balance in looking It’s a really powerful tool at things from an aspirathat in a lot of ways helps tional sense but also from teams think in an entirely a pragmatic approach. different way.” I’m always quick to laugh For example, a bullet and smile, I’m incredibly train company in Japan optimistic, but I’m also very real. Ok, how are we going wanted to eliminate the loud noise resulting from to achieve this? I want to air pressure changes as break it down in a way the trains emerged from that’s pragmatic.” tunnels. They found their 3. “I have a great family. I solution by modeling the have an amazing husband front of the trains after who is such a big supthe beaks of kingfishers, porter of what I do.” which dive from heights Best business advice: into water without making “Use your network. There a huge splash. The result are so many experts and allowed the trains to travel people and resources quieter and use less elecavailable. Just being able tricity while going faster. to tap into those and “A lot of our clients understand how to be are working to eliminate collaborative is something toxicity, and they’ve been I find really motivating and thinking about it in a really exciting. My biggest traditional scope,” Hageradvice is always be in an environment where you are man Miller explained. learning and be constantly “But then you look at how nature solves it and then it ahead.” completely opens the box.” A University of Montana graduate, Hagerman Miller
TOMMY MARTINO, Missoulian
spent time as the manager for environmental compliance at Overstock. com, and then worked on several other boards and councils working on global business development and sustainability. She worked at the Montana World Trade Center and would often invite executives at Biomimicry to speak at corporate events. “Biomimicry became a poster child for me,” she said. “It was this company nobody knew anything about, but they were doing amazing work with clients all over the world.”
She joined Biomimicry 3.8 nearly four years ago. Since then, she’s developed and launched the first accredited master’s of science degree in biomimicry in partnership with Arizona State University, and she’s implemented a strategic partnership with the Living Future Institute. “I’m focused on making sure that we have a longterm vision that we can work towards and scale into that,” she explained. “One of the biggest challenges with a consulting company is that you only grow by adding more
“A lot of our clients are working to eliminate toxicity, and they’ve been thinking about it in a traditional scope but then you look at how nature solves it and then it completely opens the box.” − Nicole Hagerman Miller people. So how do we scale and utilize biological intelligence and take that and put it into web-based platforms and tools and what I like to call ‘make money while you sleep
products.’ We are working from just growing our consulting firm, the niche high-tech consulting we do now, to something that’s more accessible to designers and architects.”
14 – Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Ben Cory gained worldly experience before practicing law BEN CORY
“Getting a break from work allows me to clear my mind and come into the office focused and motivated to do my job and get the best results possible for my clients.”
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Hobbies Spending time with family, water skiing, playing on a Charlie B’s-sponsored corec soccer team, learning to golf. Best business advice: Pursue a business or career that you are passionate about and enjoy. If you love what you do, it will be much easier to put in the hard work necessary to be successful and your co-workers or employees will follow your example.
− Ben Cory
3 keys to success: 1. Hard work and preparation- If you put in the time and effort good things will happen. 2. Listen first and act second 3. Treat your competition and colleagues with respect DILLON KATO dillon.kato@missoulian.com
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aced with the decision between going to law school or med school, Ben Cory did the only thing that made sense: move to Costa Rica. Cory, one of the lawyers in the Missoula office of Crowley Fleck, had just finished his undergraduate degree in psychology and pre-med at the University of Montana. Growing up, he had influence from both the medical and legal worlds. His father was a pediatrician, but his grandmother, who had been a teacher in California, had put herself through law school when
OLIVIA VANNI, Missoulian
she retired and spent the rest of her career working entirely pro bono. Cory keeps a photo of her on the desk in his office, taken when he was a child and was in a courtroom for the first time watching her work. “She was always very proud that she never had
a single client who paid,” Cory said. What started as a threeweek Spanish immersion program trip to Costa Rica with his sister became a job teaching English, which gave him the time to consider his future. When he returned to Missoula nine months
later, Cory worked drawing blood with the American Red Cross before he and his wife Kris moved to California, where he worked in a hospital. “It was a good experience, but it taught me that med school wasn’t for me,” he said. So it was back to UM
and law school. When he graduated, Cory took his first job working under Missoula lawyer Dan Cederberg, who he called an “incredible mentor.” In 2008, Crowley Fleck recruited him to join their office, and he made partner at the firm in 2012. The company is the
largest firm in the region, with 11 offices and more than 150 attorneys spread across Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming. “The cases I get to work on are big enough where you can really be able to practice the law,” he said. At the start of this year, Cory was chosen by the partners to be one of a three-member firm management panel that oversees the entire company. When he isn’t working, Cory said he spends most of his time with his wife and their four daughters Wylie, Maddy, Lizzy and Bella, including getting away to the family’s cabin on Placid Lake as often as he can. He said maintaining a strong work-life balance is very important to him. “Getting a break from work allows me to clear my mind and come into the office focused and motivated to do my job and get the best results possible for my clients,” he said.
Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016 – 15
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Clerk Tyler Gernant runs vital roles of county government TYLER GERNANT
33 Hobbies
Spending time with family, working in the garden, helping with political issues Best business advice: Be responsive and truthful. When things are going well, you will get a lot of positive feedback If something goes wrong, people are generally very forgiving if you keep them in the loop and are honest about what went wrong. 3 keys to success: 1. Tell me and I will forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I will learn. 2. Plan the plan, not the outcome. 3. “Some men see things as they are and say, why; I dream things that never were and say, why not.”—Bobby Kennedy paraphrasing George Bernard Shaw DILLON KATO dillon.kato@missoulian.com
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fter returning to Missoula following a long hiatus, Tyler Gernant now runs some of the most vitals roles of county government. As the elected clerk and recorder/treasurer, Gernant runs the real estate recording office, motor vehicles and tax departments, among other duties. In 2014, when county clerk and recorder Vickie Zeier, who had been in the job for more than two decade, pulled out of the election to work
“I feel like I had a pretty good head start. I went from doing those steps to being the person making sure other people did those steps.” − Trent Gernant he went through a period of continual back and forth on his contract. “Around the third year of that he found another job and we moved to Idaho Falls,” Gernant said. “Even though I moved when I was four, I always identified as a Montanan.” The family continued to visit Missoula, but Gernant wouldn’t end up moving back until he attended law school at the University of Montana. By that time, he had already started working in another of his passions, politics. In the years leading up to law school, Gernant worked for former Montana Senator Max OLIVIA VANNI, Missoulian Baucus, U.S. Representative Brian Baird of Washington, and on the 2004 fair to taxpayers and make presidential campaign of the position’s steep learn- sure other people did as the county’s chief John Edwards. sure people don’t lose those steps,” he said. ing curve coming in, he administrative officer, “I really love doing their homes,” he said. For his position with feels that his background Gernant was named as political stuff, I still help Although he was born the county, Gernant said the replacement to appear as an attorney, where he it was more a perspective in town as a third-gener- out here and there,” Gerfocused on many of the on the ballot. With no ation Montanan, Gernant nant said. change from working for same areas he now runs Republican running, he Outside of his work, and his family moved to his clients to looking out won the election and took from the county side, Gernant said he likes Idaho when he was very made the transition easier. for taxpayers. over from an appointed spending his time with “You want to be able to young. His father Gary “I feel like I had a pretty interim candidate his wife Kris Carlson and get the taxes so that gov- was a teacher at Hellgate good head start. I went that November. their 1-year-old son and from doing those steps to ernment has the means to High School and during Gernant said that be able to function, but be budget cuts in the 1980’s, 2-year-old daughter. being the person making although he heard about
16 – Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Davis builds relationships to construct houses ANDREA DAVIS
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Occupation Homeword executive director Hobbies Alpine and backcountry skiing, boating, hiking, gardening and cooking Three Keys to Success: 1. Be prepared to do the hard stuff. 2. Let your passion shine through for the work that you do – it helps feed a level of energy to those around you and back to you. 3. Use Humor – life is too short to be too serious. Best business advice: You don’t do it alone: Work with other people’s perspectives in mind. ROB CHANEY rchaney@missoulian.com
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ndrea Davis builds houses out of people. The executive director of Homeword has overseen the addition of more than 500 new homes in the community, assisting military veterans, senior citizens and low-income families. She said the crucial resources aren’t lumber and nails but relationships and contacts. “The best thing I have is the people I work with, both in the organization and out in the community,” Davis said. “We’re often shining a light on a challenging subject, helping the public understand why the work is important
TOMMY MARTINO, Missoulian
to every person in the community. Having passion for the work helps people connect to it.” Davis joined Homeword in 2001, and then stepped out for five years to serve on the Missoula Housing Authority before returning as executive director in 2008. On the side, she’s serving on Neighborworks Montana’s board as well as the Homeless taskforce promoting affordable housing projects. “Actually, ‘affordable’
defines this work too narrowly,” Homeword board member Kate Sutherland said of Davis. “These projects make it possible for those who are working for low incomes or living on fixed incomes to have a good quality of life in a home that is safe, healthy and that they are proud to live in.” Those quality-of-life issues also demand Davis’ attention. She helped Garden City Harvest develop a neighborhood
farm for low income residents featuring a community garden, an orchard of fruit trees and a kids’ garden. As a Mountain Line board member, she supported the bus service’s StandUp4Transportation campaign and received Missoula’s 2015 Commuter of the Year award. Davis grew up in the Flathead Valley and graduated from the University of Montana. Davis said developing affordable housing
requires making up methods as one goes along without a playbook. “We are learning all the time, frankly often from our mistakes,” she said. “It is challenging in an exciting way. No day is the same. You have an opportunity to put things into effect and there are opportunities to be creative and think big. That’s one thing each of us feels at this organization. There is no ‘business as usual.’”
“The best thing I have is the people I work with, both in the organization and out in the community.” − Andrea Davis
Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016 – 17
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Jennifer Whipple grew up in family’s collections business “People are afraid to talk to us. Then, they realize that we’re actually nice and helpful and want to work with them to get this taken care of.”
JENNIFER WHIPPLE
30 Hobbies
Spending time with family, biking, travel Best business advice: Don’t be afraid to put your ideas on the table. Know that not every idea will come to fruition and not every idea is a great idea, but putting yourself out there and being vulnerable; that will lead you to the best ideas and get you where you want to be.
− Jennifer Whipple
3 keys to success: 1. Be creative in creating your own opportunity. 2. Ask questions! 3. Always dress for the job you want, not the job you have DILLON KATO dillon.kato@missoulian.com
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orn in Potomac, Jennifer Whipple said where she really grew up was in and around her family’s Missoula business Collection Bureau Services, which her grandfather Gilbert Koch started 40 years ago. Whipple, now vice president, co-owns the company with her father Jeff Koch. She said they work across Montana, handling everything from medical payments to bounced checks and providing collection services for Missoula city, county and the state. Although getting calls from a collection bureau isn’t high on most people’s wish lists, Whipple said they try to make the
OLIVIA VANNI, Missoulian
process straightforward. “People are afraid to talk to us. Then, they realize that we’re actually nice and helpful and want to work with them
to get this taken care of,” she said. As vice president, most of her work these days involves talking with Collection Bureau Services’
clients and updating them on the agency’s efforts, as well as performing management duties like hiring, training and payroll. When she was growing
up, Whipple said she always knew she wanted to do something in business. She started working at the family company while she was
a sophomore at Hellgate High School before graduating from the University of Montana with a degree in business management in 2008. In addition to her work, Whipple also sits on the board of the recently formed Hellgate Finance Academy at Hellgate High School. “It is a big interest and passion of mine to help students and provide education in accounting, banking and financial planning,” she said. Whipple said she would never be able to do her job at Collection Bureau Services without the support of her husband Tyrell, a retired Marine who stays home with their two children and her two stepchildren. Every year, the family takes a vacation to Hawaii together. “He’s really the reason I can be here and be so successful,” Whipple said. “He enjoys being able to have time with them. He didn’t even meet his daughter until she was eight months old because he was in Iraq.”
18 – Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Love of kayaking leads Jason Shreder to Zoo Town Surfers JASON SHREDER
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Occupation Owner of Zoo Town Surfers Hobbies Spending time with his wife Erin Three keys to success: 1. “We always have to be more enthusiastic than our customers. We’re creating these epic experiences, so we have to be more pumped-up than our guests.” 2. “I try to be the dumbest guy in the room. I always try to surround myself with people that are smarter than me.” 3. “You gotta get up and hustle every day. You really do. The reason why is there’s somebody behind you trying to catch up. So I try to have that attitude of getting up ready to grind every day.” Best business advice: “I would say I knew nothing when I started out. A turning point came for me when I bought my business partner out. I had a business card with my name on it, but I really knew nothing about the business. I told myself, it’s been fun not making money for a little bit but if this is going to work I need to give it 100 percent. I think a lot of people work really hard at trying to be prepared, and that’s a good thing, but the most important things in my life and in my business, I wasn’t prepared for. I wasn’t prepared for my first huge loss. I think that’s something huge—separating management from leadership. Part of being a leader is doing things you’re not prepared for.”
KURT WILSON, Missoulian
DAVID ERICKSON david.erickson@missoulian.com of guys from college with
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ason Shreder grew up in Atlanta, but moved to Missoula sightunseen for college after he saw a brochure with inviting mountains and rivers. However, his life really changed when he picked up a kayak paddle for the first time. “I wanted to start something new,” he recalled. “I felt like my life was kind of stagnant. I saw a group
colorful boats on top of their cars and felt like it was something I wanted to try. Kayaking’s great. It will take you to a lot of places you couldn’t get to otherwise. And of course the friendships and the rivers along the way. It’s pretty amazing.” Now Shreder, 37, is the owner of Zoo Town Surfers, a kayaking and rafting company. He also runs a summer kayak program for
“I felt like my life was kind of stagnant. I saw a group of guys from college with colorful boats on top of their cars and felt like it was something I wanted to try. Kayaking’s great.” − Jason Shreder kids age 10 to 18, and he is the president of the Max Wave board, which is a
non-profit entity attempting to clean up a section of the Clark Fork River in
Missoula and build another surf wave. Shreder spends at least 150 days a year on the water either kayaking, surfing or rafting. Shreder said that a lot of people who set out to own to own their own business think they’re going to have more control over their lives, but really they have less because it’s so much work. “Everything’s riding on your shoulders,” he explained.
Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016 – 19
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Weber-Bates guides, advocates for small businesses KATHY WEBER-BATES
International Ballet Experience in Missoula; Imagine Nation Brewing and Big Dipper Ice Cream in Missoula, and a Bozeman technology firm Occupation called Wisetail. President, Starhitch It’s a diversity of interStrategic Communications ests that Weber-Bates Hobbies says reflects her own core values. Playing guitar and singing “Really what I aim to do with my husband, helping coach my daughter’s soft- is help small businesses and nonprofits better tell ball team, cheering on my son’s hockey team, hiking, their stories,” she said. “I know it sounds basic, but camping, rafting, boating. I think in this world of so Three keys to success: many different platforms, 1. If there’s an opportuit’s hard for a lot of nity to show someone you businesses to figure out: care, take it. What’s the best way to tell my story, and where, 2. Respect the numbers and how?’” but trust your gut. Weber graduated from 3. Never underestimate the the University of Montana power of a great story. with a degree in broadcast Best business advice: journalism in 2001 and The better you listen, the a masters in political more you can anticipate science a year later. For needs. The more you antic- the rest of the decade she ipate needs, the better you worked in TV news – at can exceed expectations. CBS affiliates in Billings and Missoula’s KPAX, and later as main anchor and KIM BRIGGEMAN kbriggeman@missoulian.com assistant news director at KULR back in Billings. The political field aybe you’ve seen beckoned in 2010. Max her on the local Baucus was winding down news, at political his long career in the U.S. rallies around the state, Senate and convinced or on the University of Weber to become his Montana campus. communications director. Kathy Weber-Bates, Weber-Bates and husband 37 and a mother of two, Joe Bates moved the family works mostly out of her back to Missoula from home these days on Missoula’s Westside, directing Billings in 2013 to be closer to her parents, Jerry and the public relations and communications firm she Lusie Weber. After Baucus resigned his Senate seat to founded in 2015. Since become U.S. ambassador then, Starhitch Strategic to China in early 2014. Communications has promoted Sarah Calhoun’s Weber-Bates became communications director Red Ants Pants clothing for John Lewis’ run for manufacturer, music festival and foundation in the U.S. House. Lewis lost in the general election to White Sulphur Springs; Republican Ryan Zinke. this winter’s Vienna
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“I want to use my skills to help businesses that are giving back and see Montana as a stakeholder.” − Kathy Weber-Bates Among the record nine nominations Weber-Bates received for the Missoulian’s 20-Under-40 OLIVIA VANNI, Missoulian section, was one from Lewis – “Kathy raised our campaign to another level. is like a secret weapon for really proud to help shout what a great place this is a lot of businesses, and I’m from the mountaintop to do business.” She is the best and the business” – and another from his wife Melissa, who called her “one of the most professional, intelligent and coolest people I know.” Weber-Bates is also a teacher. Her father met her mother while in the Peace Corps in the Fiji Islands. Free setup & design Made in Montana She draws from her own experience growing up Free deliverY 100%biodegradable Polynesian in Montana in bottles* a Diversity in the Media class she teaches at UM. “In developing this course, Kathy became a very articulate advocate for discussion of diversity issues on campus,” said Larry Abramson, dean of the UM journalism school. “She turned her course into a statewide discussion on this very sensitive topic.” * New Revolutionary Weber-Bates ties all Technology echnology Only Available at Culligan. those experiences together at Starhitch to promote the “right” kind of enterprises. 406-721-6258 “I want to use my skills to help businesses that CustomLabelWater123.com are giving back and see info@mtculligan.com Montana as a stakeholder,” she said. “I think Montana
Promote Your Business With Custom Label Bottled Water!
20 – Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Aimee Burt joins transportation technology company “All my life I’ve had to adapt to new environments. It taught me to be able to adapt to people and to be able to immerse myself in new areas.”
AIMEE BURT
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Occupation Director of the project management office at Education Logistics, Inc. in Missoula Hobbies Travel. She studied abroad in Brazil and has been to 27 countries on six continents. She enjoys walking along the Clark Fork River with her Chesapeake Bay retriever.
− Aimee Burt
Best business advice “Listen to advice that is given. Set goals for a career path and ask for mentorship along the way.” Three keys to success: 1. An ability to connect with people. Connecting brings results that improves people’s lives professionally and personally. 2. Being detail oriented and organized, while mitigating risks. 3. Finding efficiency solutions and utilizing data to support the process. DAVID ERICKSON david.erickson@ missoulian.com
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imee Burt is no stranger to big projects. She was the lead project manager for the merger between United Airlines and Continental Airlines, which formed the world’s largest airline. She’s now brought her skills from corporate America to Missoula to help the transportation technology company grow its school bus efficiency systems in the
U.S. and expand its presence abroad. “I had been visiting Missoula a lot because my boyfriend was born
and raised here, so he was never going to leave,” she explained. “I never thought there would be any job opening in
Missoula that matches my career. But within four days of me looking for a job, EduLog found me on Indeed.com. They were
Burt is now acting as a mentor, a coach and an inspiration at the EduLog team, helping them to develop professionally. “I was brought in to help develop their skillset and do projects for their customers,” she said. A self-described workaholic, Burt has found time to travel extensively. She is fluent in Portuguese after spending a year in high school when she was 15 living in Brazil. “All my life I’ve had to adapt to new environments,” she said. “It taught me to be able to adapt to people and to be able to immerse myself in new areas.” Burt has worked at Nike World Headquarters and was the senior project manager of United Airline’s relocation to Sears Tower from concept to the final relocation of 4,000 employees on 16 floors. OLIVIA VANNI, Missoulian She also volunteers for Sentinal Kiwanis. She’s an seeking outside talent that advocate for encouraging more women to enter was proficient in project science, technology, math management, and they and engineering fields wanted someone with technical abilities as well.” as well.
Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016 – 21
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Jody Haines centers work on the patient “One of the things that I think makes her an awesome leader ... is just how she’s A, completely transparent and B, wants what’s best for everyone.”
JODY HAINES
where she got her bachelor’s degree in pre-med and health promotion. She had a chance to do operations management for hospitals, and it went Occupation well – so well that in no Medical Home Program time she was promoted to Manager for Providence operations management for Western Montana Region Montana and Washington. Hobbies She got her executive master’s degree in health Running, skiing, hiking care administration from Three keys to success: University of Washington in 2010 and while in school 1. Lead with integrity. was a regional operations 2. Stand up for what’s right manager. She switched and ethical. gears to be director of 3. Appreciate and respect marketing for a senior care others. We’re all in this company, but Montana was together. calling her name. She became the regional Best business advice: director for the Montana “Greatness is not a funcHospital Association and tion of circumstance. Montana Office of Rural Greatness, turns out, is largely a matter of Health and Area Health conscious choice, and Education Center. Providiscipline.” dence snagged her three years ago. “One of the things CHELSEA DAVIS chelsea.davis@missoulian.com that I think makes her an awesome leader ... is just how she’s A, completely t’s all about the patient. “When I go into every transparent and B, wants what’s best for everyone, meeting, I always think even if it means it might of the chair that’s empty make her life harder in the … as the patient, because short turn,” said Providence they are so removed from physician assistant-certithese meetings that we’re fied Jennifer Brewington. having, but yet they’re the “She is probably the least focal point of what we do so much work to try to bet- self-centered person I’ve ter the experience for,” said ever met.” St. Patrick Hospital Haines, a fifth-generation Director of Telehealth Montanan. “They can’t be LeAnn Ogilvie said she removed from that. That s something I’ve always kept heard about Haines before she ever met her. near and dear to my heart, “I tripped over Jody’s is never forgetting about name a lot, as far as being the patient. That’s what innovative and passionate matters the most.” That outlook stems from about rural health and her upbringing. Her father, access to health care in a welder, and her mother, a Montana,” Ogilvie said. nurse, “instilled a lot in my “What impresses me most brother and I to give back.” about Jody is every time I spend any significant time That led to Montana State University-Bozeman, with her, an hour in the car,
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OLIVIA VANNI, Missoulian
I learn so much more about population health and how to provide access to health care in rural Montana. She has the ability to look at the big picture, take the pieces that are currently working, figure out what’s missing and build a model of care.” Ogilvie said Haines’ medical home models for western Montana “have been proposed as the standard of care across a five-state health care region.” Last year, she earned American College of Healthcare Executives’ Early Career Healthcare Executive Regent’s Award, the youngest recipient. “She’s just going to be a trendsetter, man,” Ogilvie said. “I think people are really watching her, and we’re really glad to have her.” Managing the Medical Home means a focus on population health. “It’s the idea of keeping people healthy and out of the hospital versus episodic care,” Haines said. “It’s really following the patient over the continuum.”
− Jennifer Brewington
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22 – Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
Three Rivers Marketing launched to protect ‘last best place’ EVAN TIPTON
“There may or may not be a correlation between the places that I like to work that also happen to be world-class fisheries.”
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Occupation Founder/owner of 3 Rivers Marketing Group Hometown Savannah, Georgia, but Missoula in mind, body, and spirit Family
− Evan Tipton
Myself and 100-pound lapdog Lab named Chipper Hobbies: Exploring the wilderness, fly-fishing, backcountry skiing, pursuing the perfectly-crafted local IPA, and learning about the influence of politics, technology, and tourism on people and the places they call home. Three keys to success: 1. “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” 2. There’s always a gas and a brake pedal, don’t be afraid to use either. 3. To improve is to change, to perfect is to change often.
KIM BRIGGEMAN kbriggeman@missoulian.com
O
n one end of his office/home in lower Best business advice Miller Creek, Evan The business success I’ve Tipton has two white seen directly stems from a boards of to-do lists for primary focus on the quality clients of Three Rivers Marketing, a company of product/services, working with ‘black belt’ players that develops websites for locally owned and and never settling for B+ talent, focus on addressing operated outfitter and adventure tour companies client and customer ‘pain points’, emphasizing the in Montana and five dif‘process’ behind all things ferent countries. business operations and On the other end – the communications, and Bitterroot River, where a being open, honest, and busy work day often ends. transparent. “There may or may not be a correlation between the places that I like to work that also happen to
He wants to build a company with for-profit and non-profit arms, one that “allows us to understand how to best preserve and enhance the character of places,” said Tipton. He fell in love with White Sulphur Springs, with its boundless recreational opportunities. While it “gives you the little warm fuzzies” it’s still rough around the edges. Like many TOMMY MARTINO, Missoulian rural towns it faces the “dilemma of growth” that said. “That was the thing I places like Whitefish have business incubator be world-class fisheries,” expected the least was how already figured out. program. He started a Tipton said slyly. “It’s not perfect yet and making someone think He launched Three Riv- software company called it never will be,” Tipton Xola before the lure of the about their home place is ers Marketing a year and said. “But I think places Montana mountains drew so powerful to them.” a half ago upon returning like White Sulphur have He’s not sure how his him back north. to the town where he got findings will mesh with his this agile component The start of Three Rivhis degree in recreational that’s in their favor business aspirations, but management in 2012. That ers Marketing coincided because they’re so small he’s confident they will. with his re-enrollment at came after a prodigious and raw. They get to chart “Tourism is kind of the UM, where he’s a research rise in the business world their course.” ultimate double-edged assistant and wrapping that began when, at age His ultimate goal, sword, where both sides 16, Tipton fibbed about his up his masters thesis. It’s Tipton said, is “to protect age and started guiding on based on 57 hours of inter- are really sharp,” Tipton some of these last best said. “It can do a lot mellow rivers of the South, views Tipton conducted places and the people who of economic good, but and when helped open the in White Sulphur Springs live in them.” first outdoor retail store in and Whitefish with people now I’m starting to see, “I think there’s defiwho submitted photos and hey, there are definitely his hometown of Atlanta. nitely a technical marketvideos of “attributes they social and environmental Tipton spent his first ing component to that, felt make up the character impacts that we’ve got to postgraduate years in the and I’ve seen the power take into account. And if of their place.” Silicon Valley of Califorof good marketing, smart we don’t the character of “I would say half the nia, where he received marketing, the right type people we interviewed just our last best place could an expedited MBA in six of marketing.” be gone.” started crying,” Tipton months from Standford’s
Western Montana InBusiness, Summer 2016 — 23
BUSINESS: 20 UNDER 40
City councilwoman has immersed herself in government MICHELLE CARES
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Occupation Missoula City Council member, Administration for the ACLU of Montana Hobbies Hockey, softball, birding, kickball, canoeing with her dog and her partner, reading. Best advice: “Showing up to city council meetings has proven to be incredibly helpful and beneficial as time goes along. People should always show up to things they are interested in even if they don’t feel like they have a seat at the table. I’ve met some great people just by showing up to things.” Three keys to success: 1. Always show up. A lot can be done when you show up. 2. No one thinks about you as much as you think about you. Basically, it’s underlining that it’s not about you. I like to say it exactly like that because it helps me stay grounded. 3. Remember that I’m not the expert and remember to reach out for help as frequently as I can.
TOM BAUER, Missoulian
we need to have citizen
input at every step to be DAVID ERICKSON david.erickson@missoulian.com sure that we’re not making
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ichelle Cares, who was elected to the Missoula City Council last November, says her favorite book is “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card. “I like the science fiction dystopian idea that when governments try to build a perfect society, we usually fail,” she said. “And that
enormous mistakes.” Cares has immersed herself in city government for a long time. She was a member of her neighborhood council, and she now shows up to almost every committee meeting and public event that councilors are invited to. “I had no idea what was going on behind the scenes,” she said.
“I thought I had a good anticipation of the time commitment, and I didn’t. The number of emails we receive is more than I thought it would be, especially on the hot-button issues like the Merc and the Mountain Water case. I think I’m the only city council member who has been to every single historic preservation committee meeting since the Merc project was proposed. I anticipate it will come to
council and I want to be “I like the science fiction ready with a response.” dystopian idea that when Cares said she doesn’t know what the next big governments try to build a perfect issues will be in the comsociety, we usually fail. And that ing year. She also had no idea the Merc issue was we need to have citizen input at going to come up so she knows she and her fellow every step to be sure that we’re councilors have to be ready not making enormous mistakes.” for anything. “I thought city govern− Michelle Cares ment was something I was interested in and felt I had the temperament contributing member to, in the past four months,” and patience to be a and I think that’s been true she said.
A24 — Missoulian, Sunday, June 12, 2016
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