Businesses from Billings, Bozeman, Fairfield, Great Falls and Havre are the winners of the 2010 Montana Family Business awards.

The businesses, which range in size from fewer than 10 employees to more than 50, will receive their awards at the 2010 Montana State University College of Business State Farm Insurance Family Business Day, set for Friday, Sept. 24, at the Holiday Inn in Bozeman.

The 2010 top family businesses in Montana are: TwoMedicine Health & Financial Fitness of Bozeman in the very small business category (fewer than 10 employees); Red Rock Power, Inc. of Havre in the small business category (10 to 30 employees); Montana Merchandising, Inc. of Great Falls in the medium business category (30-50 employees); BioScience Laboratories, Inc. of Bozeman in the large business category (more than 50 employees); Teton Banks of Fairfield in the old business category (at least 50 years); and Agri-Best Feeds, Inc. of Billings in the new business category (operating 10 years or less).

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — A state-of-the-art vertical axis wind turbine will soon be the newest learning tool for faculty and students at the Montana State University Billings College of Technology thanks to a partnership between the university, a local renewable/sustainable energy consulting company and a Japanese technology firm.

 

Ground was broken for what will be a 42-foot, 10-kilowatt wind turbine. The turbine, designed by Taisei Techno Co. of Japan, will be used by faculty and students the MSU Billings College of Technology who will enroll in the new Sustainable Energy Technology program.

 

“This is an incredible opportunity for our students,” said John Cech, dean of the MSU Billings COT. “Having this equipment there is equivalent to having a modular home available for our construction trades students.”

 

Cech said faculty and students will be able to get hands-on experience with cutting edge sustainable energy technology. The wind turbine will be just one of the facets of the new Sustainable Energy Technology program, but will be the most visible.

 

“I think they’ll have a lot of fun with it,” Cech said.

 

HELENA-- Sherry L. Cladouhos, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana (BCBSMT) announced her intention to retire from her leadership position at the company before the end of 2010.  Concurrently, the BCBSMT Board of Directors is pleased to announce the promotion of Mike Frank, who most recently served as President of the company, to the position of President and CEO-Elect of BCBSMT.  Upon Ms. Cladouhos's departure, Mr. Frank will become President and CEO of the company.

"Sherry's strong leadership and keen ability to collaborate with our stakeholders throughout the U.S. and in Montana is truly remarkable," said Jerry Lusk, Chair, BCBSMT.  "As she steps away from her leadership position, the company is in a powerful financial position with customer service and satisfaction at historic high points.  Under Sherry's leadership, Mike Frank has played a significant role in this success.  As the torch of leadership is passed from Sherry to Mike, the people of Montana can have confidence BCBSMT will continue to provide the highest quality, most affordable health care benefits and services available in Montana."

During her more than 36 years of service to members, health care providers, employers, customers and employees of BCBSMT, Ms. Cladouhos performed a number of leadership and management roles.  Cladouhos started her career in health care benefits and insurance in 1974.  During her career at BCBSMT in the 1980s and 1990s, Cladouhos's leadership responsibilities were many.  She supervised the administrative services and facilities of the company.    She ran the membership and customer service divisions.  By 2001, as senior vice president, marketing and operations, Cladouhos led a number of departments of the company, including marketing and sales, underwriting/actuarial, member services and support, information technology, government programs, finance and corporate treasury.  She directed the strategic planning, budgeting and implementation of corporate strategies as well.  In addition to her responsibilities at BCBSMT, Cladouhos served on the Boards of Directors for a number of the company's subsidiaries, including Western States Insurance, Insurance Coordinators of Montana and Health-e-Web.  In 2005, after many years of earning a proven track record of developing, implementing and achieving strategic and corporate objectives at the company, Ms. Cladouhos was appointed to serve as the senior executive of the company in her role as President and Chief Executive Officer.

 (Helena) – Two of Montana’s most prominent employer groups have endorsed CI-105, an amendment to Montana’s Constitution that would prohibit new taxes on the sale or transfer of real property. The Montana Chamber of Commerce and the Montana Farm Bureau Federation join the dozens of other business and industry groups that make up the Coalition to Prevent Double Taxation, the primary ballot committee supporting CI-105.

 

“CI-105 is a pro-growth, pro-jobs proposal,” said Webb Brown, President/CEO of the Montana Chamber. “The last thing our economy can afford right now is a new tax, especially a new property tax.”

 

The Montana legislature has considered nine proposals to implement a Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT), a tax that’s applied when real property changes ownership. The proposed tax rate has been 1% of the property’s value, or a $1000 tax on a home sold for $100,000. Some advocates have suggested a tax rate as high as 4%. A RETT would be in addition to the property taxes Montanans already pay.

 

“A second tax on property would have far reaching effects,” Brown said. “It would hit homeowners, meaning fewer dollars for consumers to spend, and it would affect business property, adding yet another hurdle for already-struggling businesses to clear. CI-105 is a simple, straightforward proposal to prevent this tax from being imposed.”