Billings Business December 2016 by Billings Gazette

5 MINUTES WITH

RICKI FEELEY

LUBEE’S DÉCORATING SERVICE

SPECIAL REPORT TRUMP ELECTION SIGNALS U-TURN ON ENERGY

90 YEARS STRONG Family-owned Pepsi franchise reaches milestone

December 2016

Billings Business 401 N. Broadway Billings, MT 59101-1242

CONTENTS December 2016

An indispensable business resource

On the Cover

FEATURES

Bill Dimich is president of Pepsi Cola Bottling Co. of Billing. Montana’s oldest Pepsi franchise has reached the 90-year milestone

Family-owned................................................................................................................................................................................ 6

Photo by CASEY PAGE/ Gazette Staff

PepsiCola Bottling Co. of Billings celebrates 90 years of business

SPECIAL REPORT.................................................................................................................................................................. 14

Trump presidency signals U-turn on energy policy

Construction Zone............................................................................................................................................................... 25

COLUMNS

Economic Development................................................................................................................................................ 10

Commercial & Residential

Chamber News......................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Flood or Fire, we will restore your property from beginning to end.

Melanie Schwarz – Talent attraction, education among BSED’s 2017 priorities JBillingsNOW on track to move Billings forward Dan Hogan processes apples from St. Ignatius in the Last Chance Pub and Cider Mill. Page 21.

24 Hour Emergency Flood & Fire Restoration Services

Sales Moves.................................................................................................................................................................................. 18 Jeffery Gitomer – Be sure to solidify the sale before proposal

Strategies for Success................................................................................................................................................... 19 Joe Michels – Now is the time to start working on your 2017 budget

Better Business........................................................................................................................................................................20 Dan Buchta: Yes, even the BBB has fallen victim to scams

Complete Reconstruction Licensed • Bonded • Insured Preferred by Major Insurance Companies.

BILLINGS BUSINESS EVERY MONTH

From the Editor..............................................................................................................................................................................4 By the numbers.............................................................................................................................................................................5 The local economy at a glance

Chamber News......................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Five Minutes with................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Ricki Feeley, Lubee’s Décorating Service

Economist discusses benefits of trails...................................................................22 Knitting store under new ownership, gets new name......................................29 Business Briefs....................................................................................................................................................................... 40 Success Stories.......................................................................................................................................................................41 The Listings.................................................................................................................................................................................. 44 Five minutes with Ricki Feeley. Page 12.

December 2016

406-628-0178

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December 2016

the editor

W ILL B AKKEN DRILLERS GET THEIR DUC S IN A ROW DURING 2017? DECEMBER 2016 • VOLUME 23 • NUMBER 3

Will 2017 be the year in which Bakken oil producers start to get their DUCS in a row? For those who are unfamiliar with oilfield jargon, DUC stands for an oil well that has been “drilled but uncompleted.” In the Bakken and other areas that produce oil and gas from shale formations, a DUC happens when both the vertical and horizontal sections of the well have been drilled. But the well isn’t brought to the point of production because the owners have delayed fracking it. Hydraulic fracturing involves pumping water, sand and other chemicals down the well under high pressure. This process creates cracks in the dense shale formation and allows oil and gas to flow into the well where it can be recovered. Typically, owners delay fracking because they’re waiting for oil prices to improve. In September, the federal Energy Information Administration tallied 5,000 DUC wells in the United States. Most of them are located in the Bakken, the Eagle Ford, the Permian and other shale plays. Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, said DUC wells are the “grain bins of the oil industry.” They can be brought on line fairly quickly, much like when a farmer taps one of his storage bins after grain prices rebound. “Half of the investment has been made, and these wells are likely to be completed when the economics are right,” Ness said. Even though some wells aren’t being completed immediately, drilling continues in the Bakken, although at a much reduced pace. On Nov. 12, North Dakota had 38 rigs in the field, compared to 64 one year ago. That’s less than one-third as many as the 144 rigs that were in operation on the same date in 2014, according to state statistics. Also worth noting: Oil prices started falling in 2014, but a decline in production lagged by a few months. Bakken production peaked at about 1.2 million barrels per day in 2015, and has dipped to about 946,000 barrels per day, according to EIA statistics. Looking toward 2017, Ness said many energy analysts anticipate a modest recovery in prices during the second half of the year. The EIA projects that Brent Crude, a benchmark

December 2016

price for oil, will average $48 per barrel through the end of 2016 and the first quarter of 2017, with prices climbing to around $51 per barrel in the second half of 2017. Oil producers also hope that the new Trump administration will give the industry a boost by cutting costly regulations, although there’s not much a president can do to change prices for a commodity that’s traded on a global scale. Another bright spot for the industry is that drilling costs have fallen dramatically. Not only is it taking less time to drill a well, but improved fracking techniques have helped boost production from newly completed wells, Ness said. Thanks to better technology, most Bakken wells start out producing an average of 929 barrels per day, compared to 100-barrel-per-day wells that were the norm in 2007, when the Bakken boom was just taking off. Several Bakken producers have changed their plans in an effort to boost earnings. Last August, SM Energy announced that it was closing its Billings office. “That office had one of the greatest stables in the industry,” Ness said. At its peak, SM Energy had around 100 employees in Billings. “We have employees relocating to all operating areas and our corporate office,” company spokeswoman Patty Errico said in an email. Since announcing the closure of its Billings office last August, SM Energy has also agreed to sell 55,000 acres of its Williston Basin assets to Oasis Petroleum Inc. for $785 million. Meanwhile, SM Energy announced that it has increased its holdings in the Permian Basin in the Southwest. Despite the recent sale, SM Energy will continue to have a significant presence in the Bakken through its regional office in Williston, N.D, Errico said. Energy industry analysts for Raymond James anticipate that SM Energy will funnel about 71 percent of its investment into the Permian Basin in 2017. By contrast, Texas-based Oasis Petroleum has focused its investments in the Bakken. Oasis bolstered its balance sheet earlier this year by raising $395.7 million in an initial public offering. Oasis is using the proceeds of that stock sale to pay off debts and to refinance its exploration program. “We’re glad to see them make those investments,” Ness said. “It’s a good sign to have producers picking up those acres.”

mike gulledge tom howard COPY EDITOR chris jorgensen GENERAL MANAGER dave worstell PUBLISHER

EDITOR

SALES

ryan brosseau shelli scott ADVERTISING COORDINATOR spencyr knatterud ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER

SUBSCRIPTIONS Billings Business is mailed each month to area business owners, managers and decision makers. To subscribe for $19.95 per year, please send payment, name, business name, mailing address and phone number to: Billings Business 401 N. Broadway Billings, MT 59101 ADVERTISING For retail advertising call Dianna Russiff, 657-1495; Milt Lang, 657-1257;. Joe McGinnis, 657-1599. Advertising deadline for the February 2017 issue is 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. NEWS If you would like to submit a news tip, story idea, announcement about your business or press release, please email it to: editor@billingsbusiness.com website: www.billingsbusiness.com Information published herein does not reflect the opinion of Billings Business. Contents are the property of Billings Business.

By the numbers

• Personal • Business • Real Estate • Agriculture

Local and regional economic trends Shiloh & Grand 655-3900

Downtown 655-2400

PAY BOOST Voters in four states boosted their states’ minimum wage on Election Day. By 2020 the following minimum wages will be in effect: • $13.50 per hour in Washington. • $12 per hour in Colorado, Arizona and Maine. Montana’s minimum wage is currently $8.05 per hour.

14th & Grand 371-8100

stockmanbank.com

Worden 967-3612

National park visitors

Airport boardings

6 8

In ten thousands

Hilltop & Main 896-4800

In hundred thousands

King Avenue 655-2700

Billings housing starts

New single-family home building permits 60

358

400

300

Billings

287

350

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

250

200

May 2015 to Oct. 2015

100

May 2016 to Oct. 2016

June

July

Aug.

June 2015 to October 2015

Sept.

Oct.

June 2016 to October 2016

2015

May 2016 to Oct. 2016

Ag prices Montana Beef Cattle

200

(per bushel)

100

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

April 2015 to Sept. 2015 Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Apr. 2015 to Sept. 2015 Apr. 2015 to Sept. 2015

Apr. 2015 to Sept. 2015 Apr. 2016 to Sept. 2016

150

Sept.

Unemployment

(per cwt.)

Aug.

Source: Montana Department of Transportation

Source: National Park Service

Montana winter wheat

July

Apr. 2015 to Sept. 2015 Apr. 2016 to Sept. 2016

May 2015 to Oct. 2015

2016

June

Missoula

Glacier National Park

YTD Through Oct. 31

Source: City of Billings

April

Bozeman

Yellowstone National Park

150

May

April

May

June

April 2016 to Sept. 2016

July

Aug.

Sept.

April

May

Montana

June

July

Yellowstone County

Aug.

Sept.

U.S.

Source: Montana Department of Labor and Industry

December 2016

90 YEARS STRONG

Innovation, customer service contributed to I 1937, B R L .H local Pepsi franchise’s success

By TOM HOWARD

illings Polytechnic Institute student Mitch Dimich found him-

self in a local hotel lobby, waiting to catch a bus to return to his home in

odge

is ears perked up after he overheard a briefcase-toting busi-

nessman engaged in a conversation.

Young Dimich learned that the visitor was in Montana trying to drum up interest in Pepsi-Cola, an expansion-minded soft drink company that was staking out new markets in the West. “The man said he was franchising soft drinks, and my brother said his family had a bottling company in Red Lodge,” said Bill

December 2016

“Willie” Dimich, Mitch’s younger brother and president of a family-owned business that’s completing its 90th year . “How do I get to Red Lodge?” was the first question out of the man’s mouth. Soon afterwards, the man arranged a meeting with Mike Dimich, the father of Mitch and Bill and owner of Beartooth Bottling Co.

CASEY PAGE, Gazette Staff

Bill Dimich, president of the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co., of Billings, is pictured with one of the company’s vintage delivery trucks.

Left: The first case of Pepsi was bottled in REd Lodge in 1937. Mitch Dimich, 19, right, prepares a delivery. Pictured at the rear are Mitch’s father, Mike Dimich, Angelo “Duke” Dimich, and Mike “Ujak” Odanovich. Courtesy photo

Below: An original soda bottle from Red Lodge Bottling Co. The family-owned business became Montana’s first Pepsi franchise. CASEY PAGE, Gazette Staff

“I think he saw the potential,” Dimich said, when asked how that first meeting must have gone for his father. In hindsight, that chance meeting between the young Mitch Dimich and the Pepsi representative proved to be a pivotal moment in the history of a family-owned business that’s celebrating 90 years of continuous ownership. Before long, Beartooth Bottling Co. became Montana’s first Pepsi franchise. Living the American Dream The story began in 1926 when local businessman Mike Dimich purchased Red Lodge Bottling Works and renamed it Beartooth Bottling Co. In 1932, he moved the business from its downtown location to a building on the north side of town.

Like millions of other immigrants, Serbian-born Mike Dimich entered the United States via Ellis Island. He went to work as a coal miner after he arrived in Red Lodge before World War I. “When you figure that he came through Ellis Island, he became the American dream,” Bill Dimich said. “He had to learn the language, and he became very proficient at writing. His spelling was good, and he was a good mathematician. He had a lot of skills that way.” He was even known to write letters for other immigrants who wanted to keep in touch with family member in the old country. Mike Dimich got his start in business with the opening of Dimich Brothers Grocers. According to family lore, the family even dabbled in bootlegging for a while during Prohibition but gave it up, reasoning

that the rewards weren’t worth the risks. In those days, Beartooth Bottling Co. sold candy, chewing gum, cigars and other confections. The company’s locally bottled soft drinks were made by mixing flavored syrups and sugar with Red Lodge’s glacierfed water, which Mike Dimich touted as “99.9 percent pure.” The drinks were sold in identical 7-ounce bottles adorned with a tepee logo. Different colors of bottle caps, known as crowns, identified the flavors. Orange soda was probably the most popular flavor, and its lemonade was a favorite during the summer. “We sold a lot of cream soda, too,” Dimich said. However, Pepsi-Cola’s arrival helped Please see PEPSI, Page 8

“When you figure that he came through Ellis Island, he became the American dream. He had to learn the language, and he became very proficient at writing.” — Bill Dimich

Mitch Dimich is pictured with a Pepsi Cola truck in the 1950s. The family-owned Pepsi franchise is the oldest in the state.

Courtesy photo

Pepsi From 7

the business climb to new heights. “Pepsi is what really ignited the business. It gave us a national brand,” said William “Pertz” Dimich, Bill’s nephew and Mike’s grandson. The first batch of Pepsi rolled off the line in 1937. The occasion was documented in a black and white photo showing 19-yearold Mitch, his father and other men loading cases into the back of a truck. The Red Lodge franchise was authorized to distribute Pepsi-Cola to six Montana counties, although deliveries didn’t venture beyond Carbon County and Stillwater County in the early days, Dimich said. The business arrangement also came with a lengthy list of rules. Perhaps most noteworthy, Pepsi demanded up-front payment for the syrup that it sold to its bottlers. “Every time you placed an order, you had to pay up front.

December 2016

Courtesy photo

The former Red Lodge Beverages and Pepsi bottling plant in Red Lodge owned by the Dimich family, which was purchased by the Red Lodge Fire Department in 1986.

There was no credit,” Dimich said. Franchisees were expected to follow other rules. Delivery trucks were painted in the company’s red, white and blue color scheme. Deliverymen were required to wear

Courtesy photo

In 1932, the Beartooth Bottling Co. moved into this building in Red Lodge. The first bottle of Pepsi was produced here in 1937.

uniforms, and the company held its bottlers from Pepsi’s marketing muscle. One innoto strict standards to ensure uniformity and vation that struck a chord with Depressionera consumers was offering a 12-ounce soft quality. Despite the demands handed down from Please see PEPSI, Page 26 the parent company, franchisees benefited

Why should I care about health insurance?

What are the deadlines to enroll in the Health Insurance Marketplace? Health insurance is an important way to guard your health. You may qualify for tax credits/discounts, Montana HELP Plan or Healthy Montana Kids to help you afford health insurance coverage. 84% of Montanans who enrolled in a health insurance plan through healthcare.gov qualified for financial help. Important: The IRS penalty for not having health insurance is increasing to $695 per person or 2.5% of household income in 2017.

Can I see my favorite doctor? Before you enroll, find out if your favorite doctors, hospital and pharmacy are in-network in your chosen insurance plan. Billings Clinic is in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, PacificSource and Montana Health CO-OP Access Care. Billings Clinic is out-of-network in Montana Health CO-OP Connected Care plans, and you will pay more in out-of-pocket costs to see Billings Clinic providers under these plans.

Where can I find trusted information on health insurance?

• December 15, 2016 Enroll by the 15th for coverage to begin January 1, 2017. • November 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017 You can enroll or re-enroll in coverage during Open Enrollment.

This is confusing. How can I get help? Billings Clinic is a Certified Application Counselor Organization with assisters available to help patients with health insurance questions or enrollment. • Scheduled appointments available Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm. Call 238-2601 or 1-800-332-7156, ext. 2601. • Extended appointment times available by request.

BillingsClinic.com/marketplace • CoverMT.org • Healthcare.gov • call 1-800-318-2596 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

December 2016

SPONSORED BY THE BIG SKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

We must be able to attract a talented workforce to our community. With 32,000 jobs to fill in the next 10 years, this is a number-one priority.

Melane Schwarz is director of marketing and member investors at Big Sky Economic Development. Contact her at 406-8698419 or at MELANIE@ BIGSKYEDA.ORG

December 2016

TALENT ATTRACTION, EDUCATION AMONG BSED’S 2017 PRIORITIES By MELANIE SCHWARZ ture and amenities that make Billings a destinaBig Sky Economic Devel- tion for talent and visitors. opment (BSED) would like to Studies show that place/ thank our community and community is the number our stakeholders for helping one driver when a person is move Billings forward dur- deciding on where to work. ing 2016. As the economic This is in direct contrast to development organiza- 20 years ago when we chose tion for our region it is our the job first, and location job to monitor the health of ran a distant second. Many our economy and work to initiatives are underway for identify the opportunities placemaking including the ahead. newly formed Billings Now In order for our com- group that has placemaking munity to grow we must be as a top priority. regionally competitive and find ways to bring business Economic Diversity/ and human capital to Bill- Innovation ings and the surrounding Billings, due to its diregion. BSED has made a list verse economy, has mainof what we think will be key tained steady and controlled to growth in 2017. growth. Located in a very competitive region, our peer communities have equally Talent, Talent, Talent diverse economies. In order We must be able to at- to compete, Billings must tract a talented workforce use its current stalwart into our community. With dustries to leverage innova32,000 jobs to fill in the next tion and business growth. 10 years, this is a number one priority. BillingsWorks, Support Business formed in 2013, is working Growth/ on this every day. Some of Entrepreneurship the strategies for next year This is one of Big Sky include: Economic Development’s  Increasing awareness day to day missions. We of Billings amenities, espe- want business to succeed cially outdoor recreation in our community and we  Targeting demo- want business to know we graphics/skills that meet are their “go to” hub for reour workforce needs sources and assistance.  Engaging our current workforce in recruiting Workforce Education/ Training Investments skilled workers to Billings Strategic Placemaking This important initiaInvesting in infrastruc- tive is happening in many

areas of our community led by our education partners. BSED is working with School District #2 to bring a full time Career and Technical Education Director to our community to ensure proper alignment in career education with private sector jobs.

We also see both Rocky and MSU Billings enhancing their campuses with new science buildings to provide a workforce educated in the jobs we have right here in Yellowstone County. As you can see Big Sky Economic Development

has a full plate and need the help and support of everyone in our community to help us be competitive regionally. That can happen if we stay focused, work together and remember Billings is a great place to live, work and play.

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Upcoming Chamber/ CVB Functions More details and RSVP: www. billingschamber.com or call 245-4111

SPONSORED BY THE BILLINGS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Small Business Saturday Shop small, shop local! Saturday, Nov. 26. Details at BillingsChamber.com

December Business After Hours

BILLINGSNOW ON TRACK TO MOVE BILLINGS FORWARD Developing a communitywide strategic plan and ultimately tackling and completing a list of tangible priority projects will define success. But the key theme is NOW.

Kris Carpenter is chair elect of the Billings Chamber of Commerce Executive Board of Directors.

By KRIS CARPENTER Would you define Billings as a good community? A great community? Wherever you set the bar, the reality is Billings must continue to evolve and improve in order to compete for workforce talent, young families, economic diversity and a quality of life that satisfies residents. More than ever before, the population is mobile. Many have experienced what communities around the world can offer in terms of the natural environment (in which we excel) and the built environment. Quality of life demands are high and competition for quality residents and workforce is fierce. An ad hoc group called BillingsNOW is asking tough questions and committing to move Billings forward regardless of politics, personal agendas, and obstacles. We believe Billings is great but must do better, and we must move with urgency. For too long CAVE people (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) have slowed progress and been complacent. No more. The time is NOW. BillingsNOW is led by volunteers in the private and public sector and cochaired by Steve Corning (Corning Properties) and me (Kris Carpenter, Sanctuary Spa and Joy of Living.) There are nearly 100 volunteers engaged in developing a vision for Billings in the coming years and decades. Partner groups include the

Billings Chamber of Commerce, Big Sky Economic Development, Downtown Billings and others. Coordinating data and a variety of information from previous citizen’s surveys, strategic plans from government and business organizations and holding roundtables to discuss transformational change is just the beginning. Developing a community-wide strategic plan and ultimately tackling and completing a list of tangible priority projects will define success. But the key theme is NOW. Join the crew moving forward and support the progress on the horizon. Resulting from early stages of research and project identification, BillingsNOW is focused on:  Improving Billings’ Downtown Core. The heart of any community is its downtown. Developing multi-use facilities, a sense of place, green space, downtown living, and conference space will position our downtown with strength.  Community Entryways. First impressions matter. What do our freeway and main arterial entrances say about who we are as a progressive community? They need to be clean, dynamic and illustrative of the numerous opportunities that exist between the River and the Rims.  Higher Education. A community is only as good as its schools. Connecting higher education to the needs of business and producing students who are career-ready will strengthen

our workforce.  Health care. Billings is the medical hub of a vast, multi-state region. Our healthcare facilities impact our economy by over $2.6 billion and account for 21,000 jobs. By 2020 there will be more people over the age of 60 in Montana than under the age of 18. The aging population is taking advantage of our world class health care. We must be in a position to support the demand through workforce, training and facilities.

Wednesday, Dec. 14, Red Lion Hotel & Convention Center, 1223 Mullowney Lane, 5-7 p.m. Cost is $8.

January Business After Hours Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017, Mattress Land USA, 795 King Park Drive, 5-7 p.m. Cost is $8.

 Local Option Authority. Transformation takes time, passion, commitment and money. The top priority for BillingsNOW is to obtain permission from the state legislature to ask local voters if they would support a local option tax. Authorize Community Transformation (ACT) is a bill that would allow communities across the state to identify specific projects in their towns and ask their voters for support. Currently, Montana towns are prohibited from even asking local voters if they

would support a small local tax dedicated to specific projects. More information can be found at www.ACTmt.org If you have ideas to improve, even completely transform, Billings, please visit www.BillingsNOW.org and tell us what you think. Together we can build a competitive destination that improves our quality of life while retaining our workforce talent, recruiting young families, and ultimately growing our economy. Presenting Sponsor

BillingsChamber.com

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December 2016

Ricki Lu Biehl-Feeley

Dance and Design move her By TOM HOWARD

As a child, Ricki Lu Biehl-Feeley was equally enthralled by dancing and arranging the tiny furniture in her Barbie Dream House. Perhaps not surprisingly, Feeley dances professionally and also helps clients find the right look for their home. Feeley majored in dance during college, and more recently she has taken courses from the New York Institute of Art and Design before launching her interior design business, Lubee’s’s Décorating Service, earlier this year, http:// www.lubeesdecor.com. She is also director and choreographer of Terpsichore Dance Co. in Billings. To some, dance and interior design might not seem to have that much in common. But the two creative endeavors offer many similarities. In an interview, she explains her twin passions. Q: What came first, your love of dance or your interest in design? A: My mom and my grandmother were every aware of how the interior of their house looked and I loved to participate in that. Sometimes I would clean the house and rearrange things just to surprise her when she got home. We always went all out for the holidays, and it made such an impact on me as a child, just the magic of the holidays. That’s what I like to do with clients: create an atmosphere. I started dancing when I was 4 years old. It’s always been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Have your own kids expressed an interest in design? Not really. My 11 year old sometimes asks me why I always have to move things around in her room, so she’s not quite there. She’s more interested in Minecrafter. To what extent are dance and interior design similar? Dance is an art and interior design is an art as well, so they coincide well. For my interior design clients, I try to learn as much about them so that I can create an environment that fits their lifestyle. I talk to them and think very seriously about how they use a room or a space. I ask them about kids, and

their ages and what the room is being use for, whether they’re using it for eating, a work space or whether it doubles as a hangout for their kids. It’s just making sure the space fits their lifestyle. What kinds of projects get you excited? I love designing kids’ rooms, finding everything they love and arranging it in a cool, artistic way. My son’s room, for example, is a woodland theme. It has beautiful curtains with wildlife, but it’s in a soft gray. I found the material I liked online, so I sewed them in the length I wanted, with help from my mom. When I look at Billings I see a lot of great designers, but they tend to do things on a large scale. My focus is more on a smaller scale of helping clients individually, whether they want just to refresh their space or do a full design. I also like to focus on furnishings, and I do a lot with antiques. Tell us a little more about Terpisichore. I’m the founder and director, and I do most of the choreography. All of our dancers are local. Most of them have danced growing up and this was the next step for them. When it comes to choreography, do you give specific directions to your dancers or do they have more leeway? Sometimes I’m very specific in the movements and I know what I want them to do and when. Because I have such great dancers a lot of the time we also create collaboratively. I will give them inspiration, a word or a movement or a style, and they will go and explore that movement and perhaps come up with two counts of eight on their own.

LARRY MAYER Gazette Staff

December 2016

Disney embraces streaming to boost sagging revenues Associated Press NEW YORK — As more and more people get their favorite TV shows and movies online, Disney is also learning to embrace the stream. The Walt Disney Co. once resisted offering channels like ESPN directly over the internet, preferring old-fashioned cable subscriptions. Its investors are fretting over ratings as more people cut the cord and cancel cable or satellite service. NFL game viewership is also down, and the contentious election drew viewers away from Disney networks like ABC to cable news networks. Disney stock was down 9.6 percent for the year, in mid November. But despite a weaker-than-expected earnings report, which showed a drop in ESPN revenue, shares rose more than 2 percent after an initial dip in extended trading. The media conglomerate, which owns Marvel, Star Wars and its own Pixar and Disney Studios, is forging ahead with new streaming deals involving Netflix, Hulu and others. “Disney is the one media company that can succeed in taking its brands directly to consumers,” said Nomura analyst Anthony

DiClemente. He expects Disney could one day offer ESPN as a stand-alone service, for example, similar to HBO’s $15-a-month “HBO Now.” Burbank, California-based Disney hasn’t gone that far yet. But last quarter it took a $1 billion stake in BAMTech, which provides streaming for Major League Baseball. The company said it plans to use that technology to offer an ESPN streaming service that offers live game streaming and programming not offered on regular ESPN. The BAMTech deal is a “great way for us to move ESPN and probably other Disney assets into digital, mobile platforms in a more effective way,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said at a Goldman Sachs conference in New York in September. It’s also a way for Disney to learn more about its viewers for advertising purposes, he told analysts on a recent conference call. Meanwhile, in the U.K. there is Disney Life, launched a year ago, a 10 pound ($15) monthly service that offers Disney movies, TV shows, e-books, and other children’s content online. Iger said Disney wants to learn from that service before launching a similar service in the United States. While there’s some “inevitability” to launching a similar service in the U.S., “I’m

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“Disney is the one media company that can succeed in taking its brands directly to consumers.” Nomura analyst Anthony DiClemente

not prepared to discuss timing,” Iger told analysts. “You can use that as a template for what they might do in the U.S.,” Nomura’s DiClemente said. So far in the U.S., Disney has been working with streaming services Hulu and Netflix to bring its properties to the stream. Its deal with Netflix, inked in 2012, finally kicked in this September, and gives Netflix the right to stream Disney movies like “Zootopia” before others. Netflix is also the exclusive home for Marvel TV shows like “Jessica Jones” and “Luke Cage.” And Hulu said there would be a Disney channel on its upcoming live online TV ser-

vice. Disney owns part of Hulu, which is a joint venture between Disney, 21st Century Fox and Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Time Warner. In short, Disney is adapting to the stream, and those efforts will pay off eventually, DiClemente said. Investors hope that day comes soon. Disney reported that fiscal fourth-quarter net income rose 10 percent to $1.77 billion, while sales fell 3 percent to $13.14 billion. But adjusted earnings amounted to $1.10 per share, which fell short of Wall Street estimates. Analysts surveyed by FactSet were expecting $1.16 per share on revenue of $13.5 billion. Disney said sales and operating income in media networks, its biggest unit, were down because of lower advertising and affiliate revenue from ESPN, along with higher programming costs. Disney Channels also saw lower results. Revenue from Disney parks and resorts grew slightly, while the studios division saw revenue rise 2 percent to $1.81 billion. The company said the films “Finding Dory” and “Captain America: Civil War” are still drawing crowds, making up for the weaker-than-expected performance of “Pete’s Dragon” and “Queen of Katwe.”

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MONTANA ENERGY

Nation’s energy, environmental policies headed for overhaul under Trump presidency

By BILLINGS BUSINESS Industry officials are cheering Donald Trump’s election as president, saying his pro-business policies will revive the domestic energy sector. “When you take the foot of regulation off the neck of business, people are going to go to work,” said Harold Hamm, chief executive officer of Continental Resources. Appearing on CNBC on Nov. 9, Hamm said “over-reaching regulations” thrust upon the industry by the Obama Administration have stifled investment and exploration. As an example, Hamm said applications for drilling permits on federal lands often take up to two to three years.

December 2016

“That’s ridiculous,” said Hamm, whose company is one of the major producers in the Bakken oil field, which is concentrated in North Dakota and stretches into Eastern Montana. Hamm has been mentioned as a potential secretary of energy in a Trump administration. But during the interview, he refused to say whether he’s seriously interested in the position. During a visit to North Dakota earlier this year, Trump unveiled his “America First” energy plan, which aims to eliminate “all barriers to responsible energy development.” The Western Energy Alliance, an industry group that represents more than 300 oil and gas compa-

nies, said it was overjoyed with Trump’s election. “We look forward to working with Presidentelect Trump’s administration to roll back many unlawful regulatory orders regulatory orders and to a federal government that is not beholden to the environmental lobby while ignoring the working class,” the organization said in a statement. “American oil and natural gas producers have met every legitimate challenge, from reducing the footprint on the land to conserving species and increasing water reuse and recycling. We look forward to working with an administration that will sensibly encourage that strong environmental record while unleashing job creation.”

LARRY MAYER/ Gazette Staff

Donald Trump’s election as president signals a dramatic shift in energy policy for the United States.

Trump, who has repeatedly referred to global warming as a hoax, has vowed to back out of the Paris Climate Accord, a multinational agreement that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Another priority, Trump said, will be to eliminate the Clean Power Plan, the Environmental Protection Agency’s effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and encourage clean energy. The plan was unveiled by the Obama Administration in August of 2015, but the Supreme Court halted enforcement earlier this year, pending a ruling on a lawsuit questioning its legality. Myron Ebell, director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the conservative Competitive Enterprise Institute, is handling Trump’s transition plans for the Environmental Protection Agency. Ebell is a known skeptic of climate change. Despite the industry’s complaints about government overreach, low energy prices are the main reason that the oil and gas industry has shed thousands of jobs since prices collapsed in 2014. Meanwhile, environmental organizations fear that a Trump presidency will roll back essential environmental protections. “Polluters will be put in charge of agencies that are supposed to clean up our environment. Wolf-haters and gun-worshippers will determine wildlife policies. Climate-deniers in the White House will say there’s no reason to cut greenhouse gases. The Keystone XL pipeline will be back on the table, right alongside the Dakota Access Pipeline. “Our precious, collectively held lands will be offered up to those who see them only as sources of private profit, for mining, drilling, logging and paving over,” wrote Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity. Benjamin Schreiber, climate and energy director for Friends of the Earth, said, “Millions of Americans voted for a coal-loving climate denier willing to condemn people around the globe to poverty, famine and death from climate change. “It seems undeniable that the United States will become a rogue state on climate change.” Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., has also said the new administration might help aid the completion of the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline, which has been the subject of fierce protests on the Standing Rock Reservation. In the midst of lengthy protests, Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault called on President Barack Obama to stop the project before he leaves office. Obama had raised the prospect of rerouting the pipeline to alleviate the tribe’s concerns, and said his administration is monitoring

the situation but will “let it play out for several more weeks.” The 1,200-mile, $3.8 billion pipeline being built by Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners is to carry oil from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa to a shipping point at Patoka, Illinois - a route that skirts the tribe’s reservation. The Standing Rock Sioux fear the pipeline will harm drinking water and cultural sites and is trying to stop the project through a lawsuit and with protests that have been ongoing in southern North Dakota for months, resulting in more than 400 arrests. Archambault issued a statement, saying: “Halting the Dakota Access pipeline presents a unique opportunity for President Obama to set a lasting and true legacy and respect the sovereignty and treaty rights of Standing Rock and tribal nations across America.” Cramer, whom Trump has leaned on for energy policy advice, said it’s not feasible to reroute a pipeline that the company says is nearly complete. The only holdup, according to ETP, is a section under Lake Oahe in North Dakota, near the protest site. That’s where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is reviewing its permitting for the crossing in the wake of tribal concerns. The corps has given no timetable for a decision, and officials did not respond to numerous telephone and email requests for comment. But in a statement on Election Day, ETP said crews are preparing to tunnel under Lake Oahe. “Dakota Access expects that its mobilization of equipment will be completed over the next two weeks and that it will commence drilling activities upon completion of mobilization,” the statement said, adding that the company is confident the matter of corps permission will be resolved “in a time frame that will not result in any significant delay.” Cramer said he expects the matter to be resolved before Trump enters the White House in January, but that if it isn’t, “Donald Trump has been very clear he wants to rebuild the infrastructure of this country.” “He’s been very clear he wants to replace foreign energy with domestic energy,” Cramer said. “He’s been very clear he wants to LARRY MAYER/Gazette Staff celebrate the shale oil revolution, not quash An aerial view from September of 2013 of the area west of Sidney shows how quickly oil wells it.” were being drilled during the latest oil boom’s peak. During an oil conference in Bismarck in May, Trump unveiled an “America first” energy plan that includes reducing and eliminating “all barriers to responsible energy production.” The Associated Press contributed to this report. December 2016

MONTANA ENERGY REVIEW DEQ: Fracking not to blame

BRIEFS

tainted the wells in the Pavillion area. Hydraulic fracturing is the CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — process of injecting pressurA final report on foul-tasting ized water, sand and chemiwell water in a rural Wyoming cals underground to break community has found that open oil and gas deposits. hydraulic fracturing probably AIC acquires didn’t cause the problem. The U.S. Environmental pulse facility Protection Agency touched FARGO, ND–Anoff a national backlash in 2011 chor Ingredients Co., LLC, when it said fracking likely a Midwest-based supplier was behind the groundwater of quality ingredients for the problem in Pavillion. food and pet food industries, The controversy came as has announced its acquisition the process boosted oil and of a rail-loading and storage gas production and drove facility in Culbertson. down costs for transportation The company will use the and heating. new pulse facility to originate The EPA never finalized its specialty crops, specifiPavillion report and instead cally peas and lentils, from handed the investigation over both Montana and western to Wyoming. North Dakota. The facility is After a two-year study, located on the eastern side Wyoming Department of Enof Montana along the BNSF vironmental Quality officials mainline. said that bacteria might have

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surpassed Environmental Protection Agency standards for the past eight years running, and as a result the state is looking at new ways to generate revenue. “It’s great that cars are getting lower emissions and more mileage per gallon, but we need to look long-term at the sustainability for the highway budget,” said Tim Sakahara, spokesman for Hawaii Department of Transportation. Cars in the model-year 2015 averaged carbon dioxide emissions that surpassed standards by 7 grams per mile, which was a 13-gram per mile improvement, according to a recent EPA report. A different report, released recently, said average fuel economy was 0.5 mpg higher than in 2014, an average of 24.8 miles per gallon.

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division gets one third of its budget form a 16-cent fuel tax collected from each gallon of gasoline purchased. “Cars are getting more efficient and some don’t use fuel at all,” Sakahara said. “The current tax revenue isn’t sustainable. It’s already flattening and in order to keep pace, fuel tax would have to double or so by 2035.”

Carbon tax rejected

S EATTLE (AP) — Washington’s carbon tax initiative was billed as a bipartisan approach to curbing carbon emissions. But voters in this progressive state roundly rejected the measure that drew opposition from the fossil fuel industry and, more surprisingly, many major environmental groups.

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The County of Kauai aims to keep emissions low, and though there are no plans to purchase another vehicle for the fleet anytime soon, sustainability manager Ben Sullivan said when they do, they’ll be looking at electric vehicles. “There’s no question that EVs are quickly becoming an important part of the auto market in Hawaii,” Sullivan said. “This is important because although the efficiency of conventional combustion engines can and will continue to improve, newer technologies such as electric drive and vehicle automation are becoming more important factors in reducing our fossil fuel dependence.” While that’s great news for the environment, it’s not so good for HDOT’s bottom line, because the state’s highways

Thursday, December 1, 2016

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Billings Clinic and calling 9-1-1 saved his life!

Billings Clinic is the recipient of the highest

Grass Range Rancher, Tom Lowry, and his wife Donna had a plan to call 9-1-1 if either one of them was experiencing heart attack or stroke symptoms. Tom was put to the test last summer when he experienced heart symptoms while alone at his ranch. Fortunately his 9-1-1 call to the Grass Range EMT went through, and they were able to get the wheels in motion with Roundup EMT to arrange a flight to Billings Clinic.

Learn the symptoms of a heart attack and why getting to Billings Clinic saved Tomâ€™s life!

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award from American Heart Association for following nationally accepted quality guidelines for heart care. This means lower mortality and better outcomes for patients.

December 2016

SALESmoves

S ales M oves : B e sure to solidify

the sale before sending a proposal

Count the wins. Count the losses. That’s the scorecard, baby.

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling. Reach him at 704-333-1112 or email salesman@gitomer.com

December 2016

“Sounds good, send me a proposal.” How many times have you heard that? Too many. So you run back to your office, put together a proposal, send it to the prospect, and start the follow-up process (and the prayer vigil). Or do you? REALITY: The sale should be solidified BEFORE the proposal is written. Your proposal should be the essence of what has been decided by you and your prospect. It should solidify the sale. How many proposals do you win — how many did you lose? If you lose way more proposals than you win, it’s much more than just the proposal. It’s the proposal process. Count the wins. Count the losses. That’s the scorecard, baby. Your scorecard. Ouch. AND when you win proposals, how profitable are they? Are you telling your boss, “Hey let’s go in real low on this one so we can get the business, and then six months from now, boy we can really lose some money.” Ouch. REALITY: Once you lower the price, customers expect a low price all the time. Proposals are there because buyers think they’ll get the lowest price or the best deal by pitting one company against the other. Your job is to make yourself a winner BEFORE the proposal happens by creating conditions or terms that preclude others from either bidding or winning. The first thing you need to do is determine if it’s a

price proposal or a value proposal. If they’re going to take the lowest price only, you’re going to lose, even if you win. Because the lowest price is the lowest profit. It may even be no profit. So the challenge is, can you create a profitability formula or a productivity formula, measured against what you do, that sets a standard for the proposal. A formula that your competition must meet or exceed regardless of initial price. You need to convince your buyer that there’s a long term cost, not simply a short term price. Are they buying your price only — taking the lowest bid? If so, they only need a one sentence proposal, and you don’t need me. Try this: — Don’t do it... at first. When someone asks me for a proposal the first thing I say to them is no. That always shocks people. And besides, proposals are a pain in the butt. I ask the person if they were taking notes. They say, “Yes.” I say, “Well, let me just sign the notes.” I continue by saying all we really need to do is pick a date to begin. And 30 percent of the time the prospect will say, “You’re right.” The other 70 percent of the time the prospect will insist on a proposal. But I’ve just won 30 percent of the business without submitting a paper. And there’s a reason for this. I have sales balls and you may not. The reason proposals are there is to lower risk to the buyer, and potentially to lower the cost. But in the final analysis, many propos-

Thomas Northcut

als can be eliminated if your prospect feels that your price is fair, and that their risk is low. If the risk is low and the reward is high, then the answer is always obvious. Before the decision is made, it’s important to your customer that they know what your product or service will be like AFTER it’s been delivered. This will take away all risks and all fear. And it may also take away the price-only-decision process. The key words are: value messages on video testimonials. Customers only buy for an hour or two, but they may use for years. So you say to your customer, “Mr. Jones, I’d like to add a clause to the proposal that insists on proof of salespeople’s claims. And so I am asking you to require

five testimonials in video form so that you’ll know any claim a salesperson makes has been validated by a customer, and it’s not just a sales pitch or a proposal.” The video testimonial is a powerful piece of support. And depending upon the quality can be the difference between sale and no sale. 2.5 thoughts on testimonials: 1. Testimonials reduce the risk of purchase. 2. Testimonials are the only proof you’ve got. 2.5 Testimonials MUST be included in every proposal. proposals Winning are solidified by dynamic sales presentations. Proposals should be the solidifying factor, not the sales pitch. The proposal should document what has been said and agreed.

The proposal should confirm the sale and all the claims you made about it. Does yours? Your proposal process is not a regurgitation of your price list. It is not a document to see how much of your profit you can give away. It is not something you prepare to beat the competition. Your proposal is the gateway earned business. It solidifies a value-driven sales presentation that begins or extends a relationship where everyone profits. The minute you low ball a price, you’ve gone from a relationship sale to transactional sale and the next person who low balls your price will beat you. And beat themselves. Don’t just win the proposal. Win the value. Win the profit. And win the relationship.

STRATEGIESfor success

D on ’ t hesitate ; the time to start budgeting is now When you ask the ‘Why are we doing this?’ question, the answers enlighten and instruct.

Joe Michels, Ph.D., P.E., C.P.I., is principal of Solomon Bruce Consulting LLC. Contact him at 406-6726387 or at solomonbruce. com.

Believe it or not, now is the time to begin preparing your budget for next fiscal year. Why now, you ask? Why not at the end of December? There are several reasons today is the right time to address the budget, so let’s explore the “why” of this important task. In a future article, I’ll discuss how you might consider getting it done most effectively. Here’s why you need to do this now: A. Now, you have time. Think back to December 2015. With year-end business reporting, family holiday event, and a general sense of celebration to enliven and distract during December, this month and next you actually have time to review, analyze and study changes, enhancements and additions/deletions that can make the budget stronger, adaptive and relevant for your next fiscal year. B. Now, you probably recently experienced the effect of budget adds. Perhaps something happened this year that required you to spend capital that was not forecast or planned, such as unforeseen equipment breakdowns, facility repairs, new information technology equipment or even taking advantage of a new piece of equipment that was unavailable last year. Maybe you were lucky enough to have some money placed in another budgetary category that allowed you to transfer funds and pay for the unforeseen expense. More than likely, however, you did not have that cushion and either had to take out a loan or draw

from your line of credit. Neither is a bad thing, unless you did not plan for them in advance. So now is the time to add that cushion to next year’s budget. C. Now, you’ve discovered line items you probably no longer need. Now is the time to recognize and plan for budget deletions. If you have not reviewed your budget in several months (or years), you may find that you allocated money to budget categories that are no longer appropriate or applicable. That magazine subscription that now comes digitally at a lower price; fleet repairs to older vehicles that you replaced with new ones last year, each with a 4-year bumper to bumper warranty; or perhaps you allocated money for professional association dues but you’re really not participating any longer. Adding or deleting budget categories is best accomplished through good, advance timing, in as relaxed an environment as possible. Equally, if you have budgeted money for expenditures for resources that are not working for you, you no longer use, need, require, then now you can reallocate the funds to higher priority projects that support new operational needs and commitments without sacrificing capability. When you ask the “Why are we doing this?” question, the answers enlighten and instruct. As professional business consultants, we are always trying to maximize the amount of return on expen-

Digital Vision.

ditures, without regard to the investment. You should be doing the same. Today is the time to begin. That allows time to review and analyze, to ask those important questions, and to add, delete and refine your 2017 budget so you

begin the year with clear understanding of how wellestablished you are financially and where you need to bolster your resources. If you wait, you’ll have the disadvantage of little time to do a thorough job. So get started. You’ll

be complimented for your ideal timing. And watch for the second part of this article series: how to make sure that your time is truly wellspent, with a step-by-step, how-to guide for building the best, most realistic 2017 budget. December 2016

BETTERbusiness

Y es , even the BBB has been targeted by scammers If you have a brand name that consumers are familiar with and trust, it can happen to you too.

Dan Buchta of Missoula is Marketplace Director for Better Business Bureau Northwest. Contact him at dan.buchta@ thebbb.org

December 2016

It happened to us here at the Better Business Bureau and it can happen to you and your business. What was it? We had imposter scammers placing calls to individuals stating they were from BBB and using our good name to try and scam them out of money. If you have a brand name that consumers are familiar with and trust, it can happen to you too. Just last month, we received a report from the Billings Chamber of Commerce stating that they were in a similar situation. In their case, someone was placing calls to “update membership information,” followed by a request for credit card information for dues processing. Fortunately for local businesses in Billings, most people know the crew over at the Chamber and the victims caught on quickly. The person contacted by the caller got wise to it and shut him down. Whew! But it’s not always easy to see right through the scammer’s scheme. In fact, many consumers and businesses have been victims of an imposter scam or business identity theft and brand hijacking. If we aren’t vigilant, both sides can get hurt. From the scammers’ side, the trick is to pick a business or organization that people trust then place a call or send an email asking for information. Ever get that email from your bank requesting you click on a link to update your account information? Phishing scheme—every

time. If you are a consumer or a business receiving fishy calls or emails, here are some tips on how to handle them: Hang up. Don’t confirm information from unknown callers. This gives the scammers something to use against you. Call again. Confirm the authenticity of the call by reaching out to the real organization through a phone number you find on their website or another reliable source. Don’t believe what you see. Scammers are great at mimicking phone numbers, official seals, fonts, and other details. Just because it looks like it’s from a legitimate company, does not mean it is. Train staff. Make sure the people processing invoices or answering phone calls are aware of these scams. Create a process for inspecting invoices. Always check that goods or services were both ordered and delivered before paying an invoice. Designate a small group of employees with authority to approve purchases and pay bills. The Billings Chamber took wise steps by reporting the scam to the Better Business Bureau utilizing Scam Tracker. Here are some best practices tips to consider should your business be targeted: Get as much information as possible from the person reporting the suspicious call to you. Especially any information they might have

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on their caller ID. Notify your current client base via email or letter. Alert your followers on all social media platforms. Alert media outlets in your community: Newspaper, TV stations, radio stations. Report the suspicious calls to the BBB via Scam Tracker at bbb.org/scamtracker. There is a bit of grey area between an imposter scam and true business identity theft. For identity theft, criminals attempt to gain critical information about the business so they can gain access to its bank accounts, credit cards and other sensitive company information. They can do

this by hacking into databases, sending phishing emails, malware or by dumpster diving for sensitive paperwork. The criminals can then secure lines of credit with banks and retailers at the expense of the victim. True business identity theft goes beyond impersonators making phone calls using your good name. The real aim of identity thieves that attack your business is to get access to your business’ financial resources. Here are some tips to protect your business: Secure bank accounts. Review commercial banking agreements to determine protections and reporting requirements. Consider us-

ing a two-person authorization or other arrangements with your bank to protect against fraudulent wire transactions. Protect business identifying information. Guard your Employer Identification Number (EIN) and Tax Identification Number (TIN) the way you would your own Social Security Number. Don’t give them out unless required and shred old documents with business ID information in them Monitor state business registration information. Regularly review information with the Secretary of State to make sure information hasn’t been changed or updated without authorization. Monitor business’s credit card, supplier and trade accounts. Keep an inventory of accounts and key contact information. Review and reconcile account statements as soon as they are received and immediately alert your credit card company if you find fraudulent activity. Review your business credit reports with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion annually. Protect business’s computers and networks. Restrict use of your business computers to only business activities. Install anti-virus software and keep it updated regularly. Secure your company’s wireless network. For more information on the range of tactics criminals will use to steal your business’ identity and how to protect your business, visit businessidtheft.org.

“If somebody wants to watch sports on TV, there are enough sports bars in town to do that.” — Tanner Vinecke

Travis Charboneau of the Last Chance Pub and Cider Mill pumps mashed apples into the press on Wednesday, November 8, 2016.

Last Chance Pub and Cider mill adds variety to Montana Avenue By JACI WEBB Last Chance Pub and Cider Mill is adding variety to Montana Avenue As he showed a visitor an early menu, front of the house manager Tanner Vinecke talked of the delicious sweet potato and mushroom tacos the staff had for lunch that day. Chef Jason Corbridge, founder of the popular Cafe DeCamp restaurant, likes to experiment with fresh local foods, and if he can turn it into a vegan dish, all the better. “People who are familiar with Jason’s approach will appreciate what he’s doing here,” Vinecke said. Last Chance Pub and Cider Mill, 2203 Montana Ave., offers casual pub dining and

a dining room. And don’t expect to watch football there because there will be no bigscreen TV or casino games. “If somebody wants to watch sports on TV, there are enough sports bars in town to do that,” Vinecke said. The historic brick building is being leased by Lindsey and Sam Hoffman, who founded Red Lodge Ales Brewing Co. Last Chance Pub will devote nine taps to Red Lodge Ales beer and initially offer one inhouse cider, made in Red Lodge. The cider mill on site will be up and running soon with a batch of cider to offer to the public. Also on tap will be a cider from Oregon and four wines from around the world. They will sell local wines by the bottle. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a

CASEY PAGE, Gazette Staff

Dan Hogan processes apples from St. Ignatius in the Last Chance Pub and Cider Mill.

week. Reservations for large groups may be made by calling 406-534-8918. The building was most recently used as a glass shop, but in the early 1900s it was a Case Tractor factory. Vinecke said he is ob-

taining a photo taken in the early 1900s of employees of the tractor factory and hoping to mount it above the bar. “History is a lot of what we want to reflect on here,” Vinecke said. December 2016

Economist: Trails add economic vitality to vibrant communities “Successful

By MIKE FERGUSON While presenting research about the value of trails to a community’s economic vitality and residents’ health and property values, Megan Lawson realized she was preaching to the choir, in this case the Billings Chamber of Commerce Trails Committee. Still, what the economist with Headwaters Economics in Bozeman had to say gave trails proponents — in this case, a group that includes home builders, planners, attorneys and bicyclists — information they can use to justify the group’s goal of completing Billings’ Marathon Loop of trails. To date, that planned 26-mile loop has three missing links: along the Rims, from the airport roundabout to Zimmerman Trail; between ZooMontana and Riverfront Park; and the gap from Mystic Park to Riverfront Park. But constructing trails is not enough, Lawson told the group. Even the communities with the nation’s best trail systems need businesses like restaurants, lodging, shuttle service, even guides, to support trail users. “Successful communities,” she said, “have figured out ways to get people from trails into the town’s businesses.” The Montana Snowmobile Association says that non-residents spend $148 per day on their Montana visits, staying 3-4 days per visit. The state’s touring cyclists spend only $76 per day, “but they move so slowly that they end up having significant impact” on the communities they pedal through, Lawson said. One study in Springfield, Ohio, showed that for every foot closer to trail access a home was built, the value went up $7 — up to $18,000 for half a mile away. On average, she said, homeowners pay a premium of 5-10 percent for owning a home close to a trail. Economists have also tried to put a dollar value on the improved health that trails can provide. In Morgantown, W. Va., the cost of building a trail broke down to $329 per formerly-inactive person who became active by using the trail. In Taos, N.M., half of low-income residents without a trail near their house use them anyway. That usage figure was 90 percent for low-income residents who live

December 2016

communities have figured out ways to get people from trails into the town’s businesses.” Megan Lawson

LARRY MAYER, Gazette Staff

Megan Lawson of Headwaters Economics in Bozeman looks at a projected slide while addressing the Billings Chamber of Commerce Trails Committee.

near a trail. “Access matters, and it matters most to (low-income residents),” Lawson said. “These aren’t the folks who necessarily show up at public meetings (to advocate for trail funds).” During a question and answer session, Lawson noted that ethnic groups in Taos indicated they use the resort city’s trails for different reasons. Anglo respondents told her they generally use trails for recreation and transportation, while Hispanics said trails are more for connection and family time. She said homeowners surveyed both before and after they had purchased a home near an established trail system were less concerned about issues like tres-

passing and other crimes once they’d had a chance to live in their home for a while. “It’s never as bad as people fear, and a lot of times people enjoy” the trail’s proximity, she said. “It comes down to the design process. If (the trail) is well marked, those concerns don’t bear fruit.” Kristi Drake, executive director of Billings TrailNet, said the group is spearheading a $1.5 million fundraising effort to complete the longest unfinished section of the Marathon Loop — the northern portion. The goal, she said, is to complete fundraising by March 2018. The funding must be raised privately, she said, because state and federal funding sources see the loop as more recreational than in need of the protection that

an off-road trail affords its users. Stefan Streeter, Montana Department of Transportation regional administrator, agreed. Transportation Alternatives, which has replaced the Community Transportation Enhancement Program, is “a statewide competition for funds available,” he told the group. “They are more focused on kids and schools and safety projects.” In the end, trails sometimes have unexpected benefits for communities, Lawson said. Burlington, Vt., now has a popular trail along the Winooski River. “They thought they would have big numbers from tourists,” Lawson said, “but it was totally swamped by residents using it.”

Experts: Trump’s election could spell trouble for emerging markets Associated Press NEW YORK — Investing in Mexico, China and other emerging markets has never been for the fainthearted. Big swings have been a hallmark, caused by everything from the 1994 “tequila crisis” where Mexico devalued the peso to Russia’s default on its debt in 1998. Here’s the latest addition to the list: Donald Trump’s victory on Nov. 8, which some analysts are calling an “orange swan” event for emerging markets. Trump’s election was unexpected, and investors were unprepared for it — the kind of event that economists liken to seeing a black swan for the first time — and it has caused stock markets to tumble from Mexico City to Seoul. As investors try to piece together what a Trump presidency will mean for stocks, a growing consensus is that emerging markets will be some of the biggest losers, at least in the short term. Funds devoted to emerging marketstocks tumbled after the election, even while stocks in the United States were surging. The largest exchange-traded fund that tracks emerging-market stocks sank 2.6 percent Nov. 9, when the S&P 500 index of U.S. stocks jumped 1.1 percent. Vanguard’s FTSE Emerging Markets ETF fell another 2.9 percent Thursday, while the S&P 500 added 0.2 percent. The fear coursing through emerging markets is that Trump will follow through on his rhetoric from the campaign. More open trading rules kept factories whirring in Mexico, China and other emerging markets, and the resulting growth helped those countries build up their own middle classes, which created more new customers for companies in emerging markets and elsewhere. But Trump has talked about pulling back from trade deals.

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“The markets sometimes discount things too much, too quickly, at the Nth degree, and usually what ends up happening is the reality is somewhere in between.” Wasif Latif, head of multi-global assets at USAA That’s why export-heavy emerging markets have seen some of the biggest declines recently. South Korean stocks lost 3.5 percent on the day after the election in dollar terms, and Taiwanese stocks fell 3.1 percent, according to MSCI indexes. The U.S. is Mexico’s largest trading partner, so trade restrictions would hurt it as well. It faces additional pressure from Trump’s calls to build a wall along Mexico’s border — at its expense — and for the deportation of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. That could cut off a lot of remittance payments headed back to Mexico from workers in the U.S. Mexican stocks lost 9 percent in dollar terms Wednesday. Besides the possibility of a trade war, emerging-market investors are also worrying about the ramifications of a stronger dollar and higher U.S. interest rates that could arise from a Trump presidency. Weaker emerging-market currencies hurt investors counting their returns in U.S. dollars because they make each rand’s worth of South African stock worth fewer dollars. And the rand has lost more than 5 percent of

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its value against the dollar since election day. The Mexican peso is at a record low. A stronger dollar also adds pressure on emerging-market central banks to raise interest rates to support their faltering currencies. It at least gives them pause if they want to cut rates in hopes of boosting their economies. The big losses in recent days are a sharp turnaround from earlier this year, when emerging-market funds were among the hottest investments. The Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF returned more than 19 percent through early September, for example, and investors poured $18.4 billion into emerging-market stock mutual funds and ETFs during the first eight months of the year. But the recent struggles are also just the latest turn in the whiplash love-hate cycle that investors have had with emerging markets. Stocks from developing economies are among the riskiest investments to own, and they have often followed up big gains with big losses.

Of course, the recent losses come with the big caveat that a President Trump may not be able to follow through on all his campaign rhetoric. Many Republicans still say they support the idea of free trade, for example. That high degree of uncertainty is one reason why Wasif Latif, head of multi-global assets at USAA, suggests investors take a breath and hold steady despite the tumult. He’s not paring back on the emerging-market investments held in the mutual funds he oversees, including target-date retirement funds. Emerging-market stocks looked to be some of cheapest in the world, based on their prices relative to their earnings, and the recent declines make them look only cheaper. “The markets sometimes discount things too much, too quickly, at the Nth degree, and usually what ends up happening is the reality is somewhere in between,” Latif says. “We are not jumping to conclusions about what’s happening, and I think we need to take a slower, wait-and-see approach to see what the policies are. Then, we’ll know what the real impacts are.”

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Pepsi-Cola Bottling

Thankk Y Th Youu ffor ourr 90 yyearss of foll followin i

Mike Dimich Montana’s First Pepsi-Cola Bottler

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drink for a nickel, the same price that competitors charged for an 8-ounce serving. Pepsi’s 30-second radio spots featured a catchy jingle touting the large bottle and its bargain price. Initially, radio stations balked because they preferred to sell ads in one-minute blocks. But the broadcasters eventually relented and Pepsi-Cola’s radio jingle became a touchstone of American culture during the 30s. Pepsi’s marketing department had other innovations to its credit. Beginning in 1939, newspapers across the country carried Pepsi and Pete, a comic strip whose humorous main characters, both rotund police officers, were roughly modeled after the Keystone Kops of the silent movie era. Growing the Market The Dimich family came up with its own promotional strategies. Early in his career, Bill often accompanied drivers on their delivery rounds. At grocery stores and gas stations, he offered signs that featured both the store’s name and a Pepsi-Cola sign that was shaped like a bottle cap. It was an effective, lowcost way to provide outdoor advertising without investing in billboards. “My job was to make sure the customer was approached. They would tell us what color to paint the sign, and we would take it to a sign company and it would be all in one piece,” he said. “Then we’d pull the truck up to the side of the store and hang it up. We covered a lot of ground that way.” As the roads improved and company’s territory gradually expanded, Pepsi’s drivers began venturing into Yellowstone County. “By 1939 we got another truck and that allowed us to come to Billings. We made the trip, and little by little, we would come to Billings every day,” Dimich said. Gas stations and mom-and-pop grocery stores were regular Pepsi customers. Delivery trucks frequently carried another specialty product. Red Lodge water, dispensed in gallon jugs, was popular in Billings dress shops and dry cleaners because it didn’t leave calcium deposits on steam irons and pressing equipment. Water sales typically generated enough revenue to pay for the delivery truck’s gas, Dimich said.

December 2016

CASEY PAGE, Gazette Staff

The warehouse at PepsiCola Bottling Co. of Billings is stocked with a wide variety of beverages, including carbonated drinks, tea, bottled water, juice and sports drinks.

bottle at a time and Five members of the Dimich family were consumed on the still work in the business. They are Bill, premises, Dimich said. the last surviving member of the second generation, and third-generation memMarket Potential bers Pertz, Mike, Mitch and Tom. Carbon County’s Dimich recalls Pepsi’s first bottling population plateaued equipment as a technological marvel beafter World War II. cause it was reliable and could be operBy 1954, the business ated by two people. Bottling operations opened a new location shifted to Billings in the 1950s, but that in Billings in order to part of the business was discontinued by service a larger popu- the early 2000s. Thanks to the economlation. The location ics of scale, it made more sense to ship at 344 Howard Ave. in products from larger bottling plants. has undergone several A visit to the warehouse reveals how expansions over the the company’s product mix has expanded years. and evolved. In addition to many flavors During that era the of carbonated drinks, the company now CASEY PAGE, Gazette Staff business was incorpo- offers single-serve coffee, tea, juices, waBill Dimich is the president of the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co., of Billings. rated as Mike Dimich ter, sports drinks, energy drinks and othand Sons, dba Pepsi- er beverages a wide variety of containers The advent of a new retailing concept Cola Bottling Co. of Billings. After the and packaging other beverages. A wide – the supermarket – opened up more founder’s death, the name changed to variety of containers and packaging reflects an increasingly diverse market. Mike Dimich Sons. opportunities during the 1940s. A “Total Beverage Company” is how Even though the volume of beverages Ralph Ward’s supermarket on Third Avenue North in Billings featured three and the variety of products has grown family members refer to the company checkout lanes and wide aisles. At that over the years, customer service con- these days. “If you would have told me that bottime, Pepsi became available packed tinues to be a priority for the family-run with six bottles per carton and was dis- business. That means a real person will tled water would be such a big seller even played at the end of an aisle. Previously, answer the phone whenever a customer eight years ago, I wouldn’t have believed many soft drinks were purchased one calls, Dimich said. you,” Pertz said.

What now for investments? Financial advisers recommend portfolio review By The Associated Press No outcome is ever truly assured, as everyone in America now knows. We can’t predict what our new president will do, or Congress, or the economy or the markets. All that uncertainty, though, means it’s a good time to review your investments to see if they still match your goals. If so, you probably shouldn’t change the way you invest. Ultimately, nothing will improve your financial security as much as nailing the basics so you prosper in any upturn and insulate yourself against the unforeseen. That means saving for retirement any way you can, paying off toxic debt, building up your emergency funds and investing in a diversified portfolio with an eye to long-term results, not short-term market swings. Financial planner Neal Frankle is urging his clients above all to stay calm and not let euphoria or depression about Donald Trump’s election drive their next moves. “I cautioned my clients to put their own feelings about Trump, positive or negative, aside, because those feelings can slip them into making emotional decisions about their money,” says Frankle, founder of Wealth Resources Group in Westlake Village, California. “It is usually unprofitable to try to predict the outcome when there are so many unknowns.” Evan Vucci

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President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a rally in New York Nov. 9. CEOs of major companies are taking stands about the results of the November 2016 U.S. election, a departure from the traditional model of not mixing politics with business that the major brands have long espoused. The men and woman who head the nation’s biggest companies know that having a hostile relationship with the incoming Trump Administration could make doing People who insist on moving their long- business difficult. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci, File) term investments to cash right now should you’ll run out of money. That’s why finan- repealed and they’ll have trouble getting have a plan to get back into the stock market than any presidential term. in the next six months, says planner Michael Investors should limit the fees they pay, cial planner Jim Ludwick of MainStreet Fi- health insurance if they’re not employed. Kitces, director of wealth management take advantage of tax-optimization strate- nancial Planning in Burlingame, California, “Some who may face losing their health for Pinnacle Advisory Group in Columbia, gies, and regularly rebalance their invest- makes sure his retired clients have plenty of care may choose to work longer and not rements to a target asset allocation, says cash. tire as soon,” says Delia Fernandez, presiMaryland. “My standard allocation for retirees is dent at Fernandez Financial Advisory in Los “If you don’t, it will be very hard to get planner Adam Harding, founder and lead back in, especially if it turns out that mar- adviser at Adam C. Harding, CFP in Scott- three years’ worth of cash for withdrawals Alamitos, California. kets actually do go up from here as the mar- sdale, Arizona. And they should consider so they don’t have to worry about the stock THE CHOICES ARE STILL OURS ket prices in the upside of Trump’s infra- saving more. or bond markets,” Ludwick says. Broad economic policy changes may take structure spending policies,” Kitces says. “Every investor is in charge of their own Other clients, especially those with deIf Trump can deliver even partially on his income statement and can control whether cades to go before retirement, should stay years to work their way into our pocketgoal to double economic growth, “it would or not they’re able to spend less and save heavily invested, Ludwick says. When those books and retirement accounts. What we don’t want to do is put off fixactually be a huge positive for markets and more during uncertain times,” Harding customers want to put more money in cash, ing our finances in the hope that something he pushes back. retirement portfolios,” Kitces says. says. “My usual refrain, not changed with external will bail us out. Still, the impact of such stimulus could “You can always try to excuse your fithe election outcome, (is) ‘Has your life be years away, Kitces warns. Since the UNCERTAINTY FOR THOSE changed, meaning you need more money nancial situation because of the wider economy and the markets are beyond our NEARING RETIREMENT People approaching retirement may be sooner?’ “ Ludwick says. economy,” says consumer advocate and control, we need to focus on what we can Those contemplating early retirement radio host Clark Howard, “but the truth is actually influence: how much we save, and the most vulnerable to market uncertainty. Downturns in the years immediately before may need to reconsider their calculations your focus needs to be on your own personal how we invest it. Your portfolio needs to survive longer and after retirement can increase the odds if President Obama’s health care plan is finances .”

December 2016

Trump inherits an economy that’s stronger than eight years ago WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump inherits a much sturdier economy than the one Barack Obama carried into his second term four years ago. Back then, the scars of the Great Recession were still fresh. Joblessness was near 8 percent. Pay was flat. Europe faced a grave debt crisis that threatened to spread across the Atlantic. Now? The job market, with steady hiring and just 4.9 percent unemployment, has proved durable. Pay is finally accelerating. Auto sales are near a record pace. Housing is stronger. Europe’s financial plight has stabilized. Yet the Americans who elected Trump are longing not just for change but for a reversal of the Obama era — one that will ignite growth, slash taxes, restore lost factory jobs and curb most federal regulations. Problem is, the economy’s most vexing problems — from an aging workforce to listless productivity to weak corporate spending — defy quick fixes. Trump has pledged an economic renaissance yet has avoided the broad policy prescriptions widely seen as necessary for managing a government. Well before the election, Trump’s supporters came to distrust government data that pointed to a recovery and to question the interventions by the Federal Reserve to sustain growth. The economy’s longstanding shift toward workers with college degrees left people without them stuck with dimmer job opportunities and stagnant wages — a trend for which Trump blamed trade deals that he said led manufacturers to move overseas. Given his extravagant economic promises, the hotelier, real estate developer and TV celebrity faces an uphill challenge. “His lack of governing experience, potential difficulties building relationships with congressional leaders and inconsistent policy pronouncements during the race make it hard to predict his policy initiatives or his effectiveness in driving them through Congress,” Mark Haefele and Thomas McLoughlin of UBS wrote in a note to investors. On the positive side, economists say they see no signs of the financial excesses or stalled consumer spending that often tip economies into recession. Yet with interest rates still near record lows, the Fed has little ammunition left to help should the economy weaken. If things sour, Trump’s “policy options will be constrained, perhaps historically so,” said Patrick O’Keefe, director of economic research at the consulting firm

December 2016

Awilda Isaac, left, works on a printer being assembled at Datacard Co. in Minnetonka, Minn.

CohnReznick. Since the recession officially ended in June 2009, growth has averaged a subpar 2.2 percent a year. Yet at 89 months old, this is the fourth-longest of 33 recoveries from recession dating to 1858, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. The Fed has signaled it’s confident enough in the economy to resume raising short-term rates at its next meeting in mid-December. Late last year, the Fed raised its benchmark short-term rate from a record low after having kept it there for seven years to help rejuvenate the economy after the recession. It had been expected to follow this year with several more rate increases. But trouble overseas — especially panic over a sharp slowdown in China, the world’s No. 2 economy — and a slump in U.S. growth put the central bank on hold. The economy has also been slowed by a strong dollar, which has made U.S. goods costlier overseas. Tepid business investment, partly resulting from cuts in the energy industry in response to low oil prices, has hurt, too. In the meantime, by historical standards, borrowing rates remain extraordinarily low. The average rate on a 30-year

fixed mortgage was 3.57 percent this week, not much above the record low of 3.31 percent. Many economists think super-low rates will remain in place for years, which is why they fret that there will be little room for the Fed to cut rates further to deliver stimulus in case of a recession. J.P. Morgan pegs the probability of a recession within the next three years at 66 percent. “The tools that in the past have been used to combat a recession or try to enhance a decelerating economy are already exhausted,” O’Keefe says. It’s possible, of course, that Trump and Congress will agree on some initiative that might help energize the economy — on infrastructure spending, for example, or tax reform. For years, the economy has been hobbled by an older and slower-growing workforce and by lackluster gains in the productivity of its workers. The percentage of adults who either have a job or are looking for one has dropped from 66 percent when the Great Recession hit in December 2007 to 62.8 percent. Retirements by the vast generation of baby boomers are part of the reason. But another factor

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is that many working-age Americans have been forced to the sidelines as blue-collar factory jobs have vanished. Many other people have left the workforce to go on disability. Productivity — output per hour of work — fell for three straight quarters (for the first time since 1979) before rebounding in the July-September quarter. Rising productivity is vital to raising Americans’ living standards because it allows businesses to pay employees more without having to raise prices. The productivity drought is a puzzle to economists. Most had expected technology to speed efficiency. One explanation is that the heart of the economy has been shifting from manufacturing, where automation has produced big productivity gains — to services, where it hasn’t. Another view is that America’s deteriorating roads, ports and bridges are slowing shipping and commuting times and making the economy less efficient. “The economic cost is huge to having all those people sitting in cars and airplane tarmacs doing nothing,” says Ethan Harris, chief global economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Hillary Schafer has changed the name of Wild Purls yarn shop on 24th Street West to Off the Needles.

LARRY MAYER Gazette Staff

Yarn shop, under new ownership, rebrands itself as Off the Needles By TOM HOWARD Whenever Montana is in the grasp of Indian summer, folks head outdoors to fish, hike and hunt. But the onset of colder weather inevitably prompts knitters to retreat to a seat beside a warm fire and pick up their knitting needles. “We depend on the cold weather too,” said Hillary Schafer, owner of Off the Needles, a knitting and yarn shop at 1206 N. 24th St. W. Off the Needles is the new name for a store formerly known as Wild Purls. Schafer bought the business from Julia Warmer in

September of 2015. The rebranding neared completion in mid November as new signs went up. Schafer said the new store name is derived from a common term in knitting. “When a project is done, knitters often say it’s off the needles. We’re always happy when people get their project done,” she said. A sign near the front door thanks store patrons for shopping local. And if yarn comes from local sheep, so much the better. “We’re going to emphasize Montana yarns as much as we can,” Schafer said.

Off the Needles also offers classes for people who are just starting out. A community knitting group meets at the store weekly. Participants knit booties and other garments to benefit charities. Knitting and crocheting is said to have undergone a renaissance over the past decade. The Craft Yarn Council, an industry group, estimates that 38 million people knit and crochet. Some have suggested that Etsy and other craft-oriented websites have fueled the boom. Celebrity knitters such as Kate Moss, Julia Roberts and Christina Hendricks of “Mad Men” fame have also

stoked interest. Schafer said she first learned to crochet when she was 7 years old. She took up knitting seven years ago. Although more people seem to be clicking their needles, Billings has lost some yarn shops recently. Purl Yarn Boutique in Shiloh Crossing has closed. With the business located on a busy street, there’s no shortage of walk-in traffic, Schafer said. “Usually, the man will go to the fly shop (East Rosebud Fly and Tackle) or the pool store, (Thompson Pools and Spas) while the woman comes here,” Schafer said. December 2016

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December 2016

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A modern makeover BUMPS ‘N BUNDLES MOVES TO SHILOH CROSSING By Tara Cady Photos By Casey Page

Bumps ‘n Bundles moved from downtown to Shiloh Crossing in October.

Bumps ‘n Bundles moves westward from downtown to 1027 Shiloh Crossing Blvd. Ste. B. The West End boutique is perfect for expecting parents, loving grandparents, and kids who just want to have fun while the grown-ups shop. Bumps ‘n Bundles is a maternity and baby boutique.

December 2016

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The sleek modern look to the new location gives the feel of an urban boutique. It seems like just yesterday Bumps ‘n Bundles opened in downtown Billings – and it nearly did, a little more than a year ago in early August 2015. The rebranded Ca-Layla maternity and baby boutique brought in expecting moms, doting dads and proud grandparents to the 219 N. Broadway location. Purchasing the downtown property was Bumps ‘n Bundles owner Becky Salyer’s foot-in-the-door, a first step toward business ownership and filling a retail need. “I’ve worked (retail) my whole career and loved it,” said Salyer. “When my friend was selling the (Ca-Layla) store, I jumped on the opportunity.” By March 2016, Salyer began rethinking the downtown location. “It still had her design aesthetic,” she said of the former Ca-Layla store. “It wasn’t naturally my handprint.” The shabby chic décor reminiscent of many Montana stores wasn’t exactly what Salyer had in mind. Plus, the idea of moving to the West End was appealing. “Retail needs to be surrounded by retail

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to survive,” Salyer said. And so she began contemplating the move and called Steve Corning, landlord and developer of many West End properties including Shiloh Crossing. “He connected me with Collaborative Design Architects,” she said.

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Collaborative Design Architects hired Jones Construction for the job, one that started once final planning documents were signed in early September. “They hit the deadline they told me originally,” said Salyer. Bumps ‘n Bundles opened at 1027 Shiloh Crossing Blvd. Ste. B on Oct. 22 and was only closed for two days during the transition. The 1751-square-feet retail space next to Scout & Molly’s captured Salyer’s vision for a modernized look. “They made my design ideas a reality,” she said. Entering the West End store feels like something straight out of the city. The

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Bumps ‘n Bundles carries sustainable wooden toys.

Stop by Bumps ‘n Bundles’ book nook for a new take on an old classic or fresh literature to engage early learners.

No need to search through the store for a compete look; Bumps ‘n Bundles showcases full outfits for easy shopping.

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special advertising section modern, clean lines, black and white stripes and sleek neutrals prepare the customer for the higher-end products Bumps ‘n Bundles features. “Product bounces off of sleek neutrals like this,” Salyer explained of the eyepopping environment she’s created. Salyer said 80 percent of her clientele have already visited the new location. “I feel honored and blessed that customers have followed me out here.”

FASHIONABLE AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY

Twice the square-footage of the downtown space, Bumps ‘n Bundles’ new location has room for two dressing rooms and a spot for kids to play. “It’s more of an intimate experience when you come in,” said Salyer. “I consider my customers my friends. It’s like a little family.” Inspired by her years working in retail and young daughter Juliette, Salyer truly

believes “happiness is buying baby clothes.” “I love dressing my little one as a little adult,” she said. “I don’t think there are a lot of options in the Montana market.” Salyer carries products that celebrities might put on their kids. Kid’s sunglasses, mommy/daughter tutus and organic cotton clothing are just some of what Bumps ‘n Bundles carries. Toys that are sustainable – able to be passed down to a close friend – like wooden blocks are available too. Kid’s clothing in size newborn to 7/8 are sold at the West End store as well as maternity clothing. Salyer emphasizes that just because kids can be a challenge, it doesn’t mean they are not welcome at Bumps ‘n Bundles. “My little one comes with me every day,” she said. “I want everyone to know you can brings kids in here. This is a family-friendly environment.”

Kids can play while parents shop in designated fun space, equipped with a tent, TV and third-generation rocking horse.

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December 2016

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Granite Express FITNESS FRANCHISE OPENS THIRD LOCATION By Tara Cady Photos By BoB Zellar

Granite Health and Fitness opens its third location in the Billings area.

Granite Express is one of three Granite Health and Fitness locations in the Billings area.The 15 Avanta Way location features exercise equipment, a group fitness room and day care.

Granite Express features all-new cardio equipment for members.

December 2016

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Granite Express acquired Hammer Strength and Life Fitness weight machines from Fitness 19.

When Fitness 19 announced their closure of the 15 Avanta Way Ste. 1 location in Billings’ West End, Granite Health and Fitness owner Shara Ford saw an opportunity unfolding. After looking to expand the Granite brand for a few years, Ford started talking with Fitness 19 in spring 2016 in an effort to retain the 7800-square-foot space for fitness and utilize existing exercise equipment. According to Ford, Granite saw an opportunity to expand into a new budgetconscious market without devaluing customer service and quality. When Granite closed the deal with Fitness 19 on May 15, Granite Express was born. Ford hired a facilitator as opposed to a

contractor for the remodel, one that proved more extensive than what was anticipated. “We were hoping to open July 1, but due to construction delays primarily relating to repairing the concrete floor, we opened Aug. 1,” said Ford. The old Fitness 19 location had carpeting, so Ford set out to replace it with rubber flooring. Once subcontractor Dahlquist Flooring exposed the concrete, they realized it wasn’t level. “It was necessary to grind the concrete floor to establish a level floor for safety,” Ford said. Not only was this important for heavy exercise equipment, but it was important for fitness fanatics as well, especially when

Select-drive fitness equipment are just one of the ways Granite Express members can exercise.

New paint, flooring, cardio equipment, front desk and group fitness room transformed the former Fitness 19 space.

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The free weights in the group fitness room are utilized during classes.

December 2016

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Granite Express offers Les Mills workout classes in its group fitness room.

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December 2016

working out in the group fitness room. New paint, cardio equipment, a front desk space and group fitness room in addition to the flooring transformed the old Fitness 19 space into a gym that emulates the Granite brand. Before the remodel, a large office space took up the entrance and blocked windows, so Ford decided to demolish it. “It didn’t make sense to block windows,” she said. The entrance opened up for more exercise equipment. It became one large room for select-drive, weight and cardio machines. But Ford still needed room for group fitness. “Granite is known for its group classes,” she said. With more than 300 classes offered between the three Granite locations, it was crucial for Ford to expand the property. Granite offers Les Mills fitness courses taught by certified personal trainers. “All of our trainers are certified and that’s not industry-normal,” said Ford. Barbell, martial arts, core, bike and yoga-type classes are some of the types

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Parents can exercise while their kids play in the free daycare.

of classes offered. “We get amazing results with our group training programs,” she said. “My passion is in that (group fitness) room.” Granite Express membership includes free classes and daycare, an incentive for families focused on health. “We see the value in fitness,” said Ford. “You need a safe place for the kids to be.” Each location offers different amenities, and those provided at the Express location are at a lower membership rate than the Avenue B and Heights locations. “The new addition, Granite Express,

adds to the many services and offerings we provide for the Billings community at a lower membership rate without compromising our customer service,” she said. What began with the Granite Sport location on Avenue B in 2007 has spread through the Billings area to the Heights (Granite Fit) in 2010 and now Granite Express in August 2016. Without facilitator Ken Lloyd, Granite Express’ construction might not have been so successful. “He was a godsend,” said Ford. “The members are so excited. They love the feel.”

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Business Briefs Local Commerce at a Glance

Billings Clinic a Top 50 hospital

Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Vascular Surgery at Billings Clinic. “Our state-of-the-art facilities Billings Clinic was named one of combined with our extensive exthe nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular pertise and experience afford us the Hospitals by Truven Health Analyt- opportunity to provide the highest ics TM, an IBM company. standard of care for patients in our The study, now in its 18th region.” year, singled out 50 hospitals that To determine the 50 top U.S. achieved superior clinical outcomes hospitals for heart care, Truven in this critical area of hospital care. Health researchers analyzed 2013 As is the case with the Truven and 2015 Medicare Provider Analysis Health 100 Top Hospitals study, the and Review (MedPAR) data, 2015 rigorous processes used to calculate Medicare cost reports and secondand measure hospital service lines quarter 2016 Centers for Medicare & leverage industry-leading, risk-ad- Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital justed methodologies developed and Compare data. maintained by Truven Health scienThe winning hospitals were antists over many years. The 100 Top nounced in the Nov. 7, 2016, edition Hospitals study is widely regarded as of Modern Healthcare magazine. the leading program for evaluating The study and subsequent leadership impact in a hospital, as analysis of the positive variances well as for evaluating quality indica- these leading cardiovascular service tors and efficiencies. hospitals show, indicate an opporThe Truven Health 50 Top tunity for a broader national impact Cardiovascular Hospitals study for cardiovascular patients, should measures performance in key these results be replicated. performance areas: risk-adjusted BBB warns of mortality, risk-adjusted complicaholiday scams tions, core measures (a group of Roadways and airways are about measures that assess process of care), percentage of coronary bypass to get a little crowded as we enter peak travel season for the holidays. patients with internal mammary The American Automobile Associaartery use, 30-day mortality rates, 30-day readmission rates, severity- tion reports that Americans drive adjusted average length of stay, and the most during the fall months, wage- and severity-adjusted average October through December, at 31.5 cost. The study has been conducted miles daily. As travelers make their plans for annually since 1999. family getaways, scammers are also “We are truly honored by this planning — but on ways to make award, which recognizes the exa buck off others’ misfortune. In a ceptional physicians and staff we have working tirelessly for our heart little more than a year, two dozen travel scams have been reported by patients at Billings Clinic”, said Dr. consumers on Better Business BuScott Millikan, Chairman of the reau Serving the Northwest’s Scam

December 2016

Tracker, resulting in nearly $24,000 lost by victims. To help travelers have a happy holiday, BBB warns of these common travel scams and how to avoid them. Hoax sites: Many travel websites appear to be legitimate. But once a vacation is booked the business ceases conversation with the customer. It’s best to book with a company that shows a good track record of appeasing its clients. Find a reputable travel business by searching bbb.org. Be Wi-Fi Wise: Avoid using public Wi-Fi, including hotel internet access, for online banking or other financial account management. With just a click of a button, fraudsters can easily create fake WiFi hubs, then gain access to personal information and passwords. Hotel Tricks: It’s common for hotels to call and check in with guests shortly after they arrive, but be on guard if the caller asks for personal information, like credit card info, to finalize check-in. Never give out financial information over the phone. Instead, visit hotel management in person. Vacation Rentals: Watch for fake rental listings and too good to be true deals. Scammers can hijack legitimate online listings and make it look like their own. Deal directly with the property owner or manager and be sure to verify the property exists by researching online. Delivery coupons. These deals are usually slid under the hotel door and can be enticing for busy travelers who need a quick bite to eat. The trick comes when a customer calls

to place the order and is asked to give credit card info over the phone. Don’t do it! Check with the front desk before placing an order to ensure the restaurant is real or offer to pay when the meal is delivered. Easy on the selfies. Avoid blasting on social media that everyone in the house is away. This makes it all too easy for burglars to locate an empty house available for them to rob. Save the Facebook album for after the trip is over.

est point since 2010, and it’s also the biggest jump of its kind in at least 25 years. The jump corresponds with a rise in catch, NOAA said. Fishermen brought 9.7 billion pounds of fish and shellfish ashore in 2015, an increase of 2.4 percent from 2014. America’s catch was valued at $5.2 billion, which was a drop of 4.5 percent from the previous year. Despite the growth, Americans are still eating slightly less seafood than they were 10 years ago, when EEC partners per capita consumption was over 16 with Metcalf pounds, said Alan Lowther, a statisEEC has announced its new part- tician with NOAA. nership with Kelly Metcalf, broker/ ‘Bathroom bill’ owner of EEC Platinum Property Brokers and EEC Platinum Design not hurting business Consultants. The new addition enMATTHEWS, N.C. (AP) — North hances the EEC promise of Concept Carolina’s top business official says to Completion by bringing full real there’s been no negative impact on estate services, as well as design the economy from passage of a law consulting to the organization. EEC requiring people to use the bathroom now offers all services for residenthat matches the gender on their tial and business real estate in one birth certificates. company. Metcalf may be reached by Commerce Secretary John Skvarcalling 671-8163. la told The Charlotte Observer that the measure has had no significant Americans eat business impact in North Carolina. more seafood Major sporting events like the PORTLAND, Maine — The aver- NBA All-Star Game have pulled out age American ate nearly a pound of North Carolina because of House more seafood in 2015 than he or she Bill 2. Prominent business leaders did the previous year, the federal have criticized the bill for damaging government said. the state’s economy. The National Oceanic and AtSkvarla says that’s not true. mospheric Administration released He says the state is in the “best the statistic along with its annual position” it’s ever been financially Fisheries of the United States report. and operationally. It said per capita consumption of Skvarla said still has “hundreds seafood grew from 14.6 pounds in of active projects” for business 2014 to 15.5 pounds in 2015. moves in its pipeline. He says North The growth brought per capita Carolina has the world’s 23rd largest consumption of seafood to its high- economy.

Business Briefs Success Stories Recognizing People Local and Commerce Achievements at a Glance

Lynch joins Stockman

Girl Scouts hire manager

Amy Sullivan of the Montana Community Foundation; Outstanding Corporation: Susan Lynch has joined Allison Cassie has joined Cloud Peak Energy; OutStockman Bank as compliance Girl Scouts of Montana standing Foundation: The lending officer. Her responand Wyoming as a senior Columbus Community Founsibilities include developing recruitment dation; Outstanding Youth: and integrating policy and manager. Tiffany Poore and Jacob procedure She will lead Studer; Outstanding Legacy: consistent the recruitThe Leona M. and Harry B. with regulament process Helmsley Trust. tory requireacross National Philanthropy ments for Montana and Day is a special day set aside lending Wyoming, to recognize and pay tribute CASSIE functions, as and oversee to the great contributions LYNCH well as deand support staff members that philanthropy – and veloping and as they educate communities those people active in our presenting training programs and organizations about Girl philanthropic community – for employees on lending Scouts, the benefits of partici- have made to our lives, our compliance procedures in all pating, and the opportunities communities, and our world. 34 Stockman Bank locations. available to both girls and When NPD was first celebratLynch brings more than adult volunteers. Cassie holds ed in 1986, then-President four years of banking experi- a bachelor’s degree in busiRonald Reagan signed a procence to the position, which ness administration from the lamation officially recognizincludes credit review for ag, University of Montana and a ing Nov. 15, 1986, as National commercial, consumer, and master’s degree in the art of Philanthropy Day. Since then, real estate loans and ensurteaching from Lewis & Clark the day has been recognized ing that banking policies and College in Portland, Ore. by numerous state, provincial, regulatory guidelines are and local governments across followed. She was previously North America. The AssociaAFP honors a credit review officer from tion of Fundraising Profes2010 to 2014. She has rejoined philanthropists sionals Montana Chapter is Stockman Bank to provide The Montana Chapter of honored to celebrate and reclending compliance support the Association of Fundrais- ognize these individuals and and assist with developing ing Professionals has honored organizations whose achievenew policies and procedures. the following individuals at ments have had a significant Lynch earned her bachthe AFP Montana Chapter impact on our society. elor’s degree in business Awards Celebration being administration from Montana held at the Red Lion Hotel and State University-Billings. Convention Center in Billings. Marsh honored She is an active member for Outstanding Philanfor excellence the American Institute of thropists: John and Claudia Michael J. Marsh a licensed Certified Public Accountants Decker; Outstanding Volun- adjuster, insurance producer and the Montana Bankers As- teer Fundraiser: Bill Cole and and workers compensation sociation. Chris Dimock; Outstanding examiner, received the GoverProfessional Fundraiser:

nor’s Achievement Award for Outstanding Workers’ Compensation Professional at the 2016 Governor’s Conference on Workers’ Compensation, at the Big Sky Resort. The award was given in recognition of March’s integrity and professionalism in the field of workMARSH ers compensation. Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney presented the award, the first of its kind presented in the 100-plus years of workers compensation in Montana. Marsh is president of Midland Claims Service Inc. and Industrial Injury Claims. He is also an active volunteer and serves as a member of the Pharmacy Formulary Study Group with the Montana Department of Labor for the Governor’s Advisory Council on Workers Compensation, and as chairman of non-profit social change organization WorkSafeMT Inc. Marsh was recently elected to the position of regional vice president for the National Association of Independent Insurance Adjusters.

BillingsWorks takes honor

Governor Steve Bullock & Montana Economic Development Association (MEDA)

Chair, Paul Tuss, presented the MEDA Innovation Award to BillingsWorks SOUZA Director, Brittney Souza at the MEDA Annual Awards Luncheon in Polson. This award recognizes an innovative project significantly impacting a Montana community and its citizens. The award recognizes participants involved in a Montana innovative economic development project and highlights best practices.

EBMS hires Whitmoyer

Cole Whitmoyer, DNP, FNP-BC, has recently joined EBMS as a nurse practitioner, providing primary care for patients at the EBMS and Billings Schools’ miCare clinics. Whitmoyer earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Carroll College and doctorate of nursing practice from Montana State University. While pursuing his doctorate, Whitmoyer worked as a clinical professor in MSU’s nursing department, teaching undergraduates in pediatrics at St. Vincent Healthcare. He has also previously worked as a nurse in Kalispell and Bozeman.

Alternatives Inc. elects board

Alternatives, Inc., a nonprofit agency that operates the Alpha House Pre-release Center, Passages Women’s Program, and the Jail Alternative programs in Yellowstone, Carbon and Stillwater counties, has elected its board of officers for the coming year. Walt Backer, retired division engineer for Northwestern Energy, will serve as president. First vice president-elect is Todd Buchanan of Buchanan Capital LLC. Lisa Skriner of City College at MSU-Billings will serve as second vice president. Susan Stewart, retired CPA, was elected secretary/ treasurer. John Felton, president and CEO/health officer at RiverStone Health, will serve as past president.

Pompeys Pillar board makes hire

Neal Gunnels has been named executive director of the Friends of Pompeys Pillar board. Gunnels served three years as the curator/director of the Huntley Project Museum of Irrigated Agriculture and has a background in education. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and will soon complete his master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. The Friends of Pompeys Pillar is located at 1523 14th St. W., Suite 2. Gunnels may be reached by calling 406969-5380. December 2016

More workers are finding jobs, but exit of baby boomers means slack in labor participation Bloomberg News Adriana Mousso, a 44-year-old mother of six, has been looking for work she can take pride in since June. Giving up isn’t on her mind. “I want to have something that makes me feel good, a job that’s going to contribute for my family,” Mousso said. She mostly recently worked selling insurance and is looking for a job that draws on her prior experience in manufacturing project management. “It’s just not an option to drop out.” An improved labor market is giving unemployed Americans hope and keeping them in the job hunt, a change from recent years, when weak prospects forced many to drop out. Employment seekers’ new-found staying power is one explanation for a slight uptick in the labor force participation rate to 62.9 percent, which is defying aging demographics YELLEN and is on track for its first annual increase in a decade. “It doesn’t benefit society at large, across a number of dimensions, to have able-bodied, competent workers drop out of the labor force,” said Michael Gapen, New York-based chief U.S. economist for Barclays Capital Inc. Signs of “labor force attachment for somebody who has the skills to offer is a good thing.” The more it happens, “the more likely it is that that the long-run performance of the economy will improve over time” as available labor is put to use, he said. Though the unemployment rate has halved since 2009, that happened as the workforce hemorrhaged job seekers and the participation rate sank to about a fourdecade low, taking some of the shine off of the improvement. The fact that many potential American workers remain sidelined has become a political talking point. On the campaign trail before his Nov. 8 election as president, Donald Trump said America’s low unemployment rate is a hoax, implying the labor market is weaker than the data suggests. That said, the slide in the participation

December 2016

rate has more to do with aging than anything else: About 10,000 baby boomers reach the retirement age of 65 each day, and older workers are less likely to work or look for jobs. Barclays calculates that since the 2007-2009 recession, about 30 percent of the decrease is cyclical and the rest is driven by demographics. The workforce is aging and “we are not going to be able to dodge that,” said Ryan Sweet, a senior economist at Moody’s Analytics Inc. in West Chester, Pennsylvania. “An increase in the participation rate would definitely be helpful, but any firming is temporary.” What is causing the pickup for now, and how long-lived it may be, is crucial to understanding how much slack is left in the labor market, where the unemployment rate is headed, and what that means for wage growth, inflation and monetary policy. Federal Reserve policy makers have expressed some satisfaction at the recent pickup in the participation rate, with Fed Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer calling it a welcome development. In September, Chair Janet Yellen cited this as one justification to give the economy room to run before raising rates. Yellen said in September that the recent tick up in participation shows “a substantial number of people are being attracted into the labor market.” But a growing number of economists, including those at Societe Generale, Barclays and Goldman Sachs, have concluded that in the past year, the major driver of the improvement in participation is fewer exits from the labor force rather than a jump in entrants. Goldman Sachs estimates that the probability of a long-term unemployed person dropping out is 25 percent, down about 5 percentage points from the end of 2015. “The better labor market does not appear to be drawing workers back into the labor force just yet, but it seems to be causing the long-term unemployed to continue active search,” Zach Pandl and David Mericle of Goldman Sachs said in a note. Mousso, whose husband works as an engineering project manager, said she’d rather hold out for a job that fits her skills,

but realistically she wants to be employed by year-end. “If I take a job, I want to kick butt at it,” said Mousso, who lives in Rochester, New York, “but also, I have a family to support and the longer it takes me, it impacts my family.” Fewer exits is a welcome outcome. But because it draws on a limited pool of people, it’s less likely to produce a sustained increase in the participation rate than if discouraged workers were returning to the labor market in droves, said Barclays’ Gapen. This may seem like a quibble, but it matters. Re-entrants imply there’s still more slack in the job market so “wages and inflation won’t move higher as quickly as others would expect,” Gapen said. Conversely, if people hanging on in the labor force to find employment are the predominant reason, as he believes, then diminished slack will spark wage and inflation pressures that the Fed would have to address. For Sweet, of Moody’s, the two outcomes aren’t mutually exclusive. It may well be that fewer dropouts are the bigger drivers right now, and as worker pay climbs, re-entrants may take that spot. “The tighter job market is making more people stay in the labor force, and that’s step one,” Sweet said. For those outside the labor force but who want a job “as wage growth accelerates, we’ll pull more people back in. That’s step two. We need both these.” More candidates are starting to approach ManpowerGroup Inc., a Milwaukee-based staffing company, asking for guidance on how to resume looking for a job. “There is a huge percentage of the population that is capable of working that may not know where to start,” said Kip Wright, senior vice president of Manpower North America. Such workers could eventually join the labor market recovery over time. Meanwhile, rising participation is conducive to growth for yet another reason. “It is a sign of improved confidence not only in the job market but also in the economy,” Sweet said. “If confidence continues to strengthen, for consumers and businesses, this expansion has plenty of room to run.”

“An increase in the participation rate would definitely be helpful, but any firming is temporary.” Ryan Sweet, Moody’s Analytics

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December 2016

Residential Building Permits Addition Single/ Duplex/Garage 331 Glenhaven Drive, Normand, Steven W., $22,716 331 Bohl Ave., Bohl Properties LLC, Billings Remodel And Paint Inc., $7,000 141 Ave. E, Thompson Mary K., $7,560 4534 Loma Vista Drive, Kelly, Jeri Sue, Zeller LLC, $40,000 2826 Oakland Drive, Reed, Penelope E., TJ Construction, $4,300 2820 Oakland Drive, Watts, David L. and Pamela J., TJ Construction, $4,300 Demolition 2221 Third Ave. N., Billings Senior Center Inc., Environmental Contractors LLC, $7,000 New Garage 3837 N. Tanager Lane, Eggebrecht Family Limited Partnership, Stateside & DRC Services, $18,000 5544 Sacagawea Drive, McCall Development, $24,640 5540 Sacagawea Drive, McCall Development, $24,640 836 Miles Ave., Propriedad LLC, Big Sky Exterior Designs Inc., $12,600 5530 Sacagawea Drive, McCall Development, $24,640 5534 Sacagawea Drive, McCall Development, $30,800 1401 Norman Park Drive, Sweeney, Patrick, Good Earth Construction, $19,250 344 Burlington Ave., Jason Hill, RRK Enterprises LLC, $8,400

December 2016

New Single Family 2970 W. Copper Ridge Loop, Spencer Bakich, Bakich Builders, $166,505 1806 Island View Drive, McCall Development Inc., McCall Development, $271,195 1810 Sylvan Lane, O’Donnell, Tony and Elaine, T Davis Construction Inc., $210,320 1722 Island View Drive, McCall Development Inc., $199,135 1313 Daybreak Drive, Regal Land Daybreak LLC, $199,680 933 Bitterbrush St., Trails West Homes LLC, $195,545 3620 Poly Drive, Boschert, Daniel and Meagan, DB Carpentry, $274,425 3205 Harrier Lane, Buscher Construction LTD, $231,535 3423 McMasters Road, Pekovich, Scott & Caree, Ban Construction Corp., $500,000 2729 Burlwood Drive, Classic Design Homes, $276,050 3012 W. Copper Ridge Loop, Oakland Built Homes Inc., $160,245 3080 W. Copper Ridge Loop, Oakland Built Homes Inc., $179,765 2994 W. Copper Ridge Loop, Oakland Built Homes Inc., $161,770 3635 Colton Blvd., Better Building Technologies, Pierson Jensen Construction, $305,000 3703 Colton Blvd., Pierson Jensen Construction Co., $305,000 560 Boca Raton Road, Ron S. Hill Living Trust, Specialized Construction, $259,620

1306 Topanga Ave., Green Jeans LLC, $209,945 3440 Scout Trail, Buscher Construction Ltd., $216,885 New Two Family 838 Wicks Lane, River Pointe Edge, Marsich Investments, $326,030 830 Wicks Lane, River Point Edge, Marsich Investments, $326,030 830 Wicks Lane, River Point Edge, Marsich Investments, $326,030 838 Wicks Lane, River Point Edge, Marsich Investments, $262,660

Remodel Single/ Duplex/Garage 1744 Morocco Drive, The Butterfield Living Trust, Sundance Solar Systems LLC, $42,440 3203 Morledge St., Bohn, Annette Marie, Montana Piering And Concrete Lifting, $38,040 412 Nelson Drive, Zermeno Linda L., American Exteriors LLC, $6,792 223 Montclair Drive, Spaulding, Kenneth R. and Rose M., C Squared Construction, $750 3202 Ramada Drive, Dowdle, Willie M., Win-Dor Industries, $5,362 3624 Hayden Drive, Hughes, Edward L. and Roberta L., Win-Dor Industries, $2,702 3624 Corbin Drive, Haven, Terry R., Win-Dor Industries, $9,130 2019 14 St. W., Hanson, Charles A. and Avis E., Win-Dor Industries, $2,603

346 Monroe St., Gilmor, Joann, J.J. Cleaning, $800 5427 Walter Hagen Drive, Tonn, Bruce L., S L Vail Construction, $85,000 3210 Nolana Drive, Jones, Linda J., Win-Dor Industries, $5,054 624 S. 34 St., Mark Ballew Sr., $20,000 1941 Clubhouse Way, Norma Panlowski, Stevens Renovations, $11,500 2305 Constellation Trail, Eaton, Jack A. and Susan G., C Squared Construction, $750 3023 Melrose Lane, Porrett, Kyle O. and Phyllis M., One Source Construction LLC, $4,500 4431 Vaughn Lane, Riedl, Patrick C., $200 2929 Boulder Ave., Hayes, Vicki, Home Base Renovation, $14,800 3390 Canyon Drive, Belden, Jackie A., Lynnrich Inc., $4,091 2807 Treasure Drive, Sears, Scott E. and Robin Lyne, Construction By Design Inc., $3,000 2546 Miles Ave., Landa, Inez N. Trustee, Construction By Design Inc. $11,000 1515 Parkhill Drive, Borders, Elizabeth M., $900 3624 Marathon Drive, Borders, Elizabeth, $964 1525 Lewis Ave., Taylor, Joyce L., Big Sky Exterior Designs Inc., $18,000 1981 Pryor Lane, Ehrlick, Sally J., Win-Dor Industries, $966 2214 Pine Creek Trail, Corson, Ross M. and Paula L., WinDor Industries $5,179 2113 Dahlia Lane, Pinnick, Charles K. and Beverly L., Win-

Dor Industries, $5,692 2521 Golden Blvd., Davis, Patrick K. and Evelyn M., One Source Construction LLC, $707 8 Shadow Place, Lindquist, Debra, G&L Enterprizes Inc., $3,500 1620 6th St. W., Irion, David A. and Susan P., Restor Design & Build, $5,000 1941 Clubhouse Way, Schlenker Milton W. Norma, Stevens Renovations, $2,000 2917 Silverwood St., D’ambrosia, Donald P. and Sharon, Lynnrich Inc., $1,320 2852 Colton Blvd., Smith, Corby and Deborah, Win-Dor Industries, $6,168 1134 Nutter Blvd., Jordan, Alden L. Jr. and Melissa S., Lynnrich Inc. $19,592 1128 Yale Ave., Cool, Carrie J., One Source Construction LLC, $1,510 2910 Parkhill Drive, Roma, Gordon J., Scott Peterson, $4,000 2550 Clark Ave., Cetrone, Donald L. & Rita L., Lynnrich Inc., $1,200 713 N. 16th St., Racki, Daniel A. and Evelyn G., $2,000 802 Yellowstone Ave., Tucker, Christopher Shane, $1,000 341 Montclair Drive, Eaton, Sheldon W. and Vicki A., The Pella Window Store, $1,850 3365 Winchell Lane, Bears, Natalie L., One Source Construction LLC, $4,250 3390 Canyon Drive, Mahugh, Douglas R., $700 1430 Cascade Ave., Oakley, Nathan L., Granite Peak Home Improvement, $30,000 2704 Poly Drive, Dubeau,

Betty A., Brad Bolin, $2,750 3571 Granger Ave. W., Anderson, Lorraine M. K-Designers, $2,179 3150 Fairmeadow Drive, Walker, Robert G., $2,000 2732 Terry Ave., Niles, Steve D. & Lorrie A., Lynnrich Inc., $11,418 1042 Sierra Granda Blvd., Robinson Ronald W. & Laura, Lynnrich Inc., $2,907 2300 Patricia Lane, Rath Linda L., Lynnrich Inc., $2,421 702 N. 17th St., Wutzke, James M. & Cathy C., $1,000 2225 Willowbrook Way, Fisher, Ronald R. & Charmaine J., C Squared Construction, $750 2607 Hoover Ave., Garibay, Salvador & Kathleen G., C Squared Construction, $500 1219 Cottonwood Blvd., Merrick, Samuel A., Tight Lines Carpentry Of Montana LLC, 560 $11,000 3551 Masterson Circle, Jolee Kirkwood, Reule Builders, $50,000 615 N. 24th St., Baer, Thomas W. Sr. & Carol J., American Exteriors LLC, $9,793 1761 Country Manor Blvd., Benson, Clarabelle, American Exteriors LLC, $1,990 2573 Broadwater Ave., Tall Eagle, Carla, American Exteriors LLC, $6,016 2505 Poly Drive, Scheidecker Perry A., Lynnrich Inc., $2,493 1802 Greystone Drive, Strong Family Trust, The Pella Window Store, $3,500 2929 Joan Lane, Hingle, Charles W. & Susan K. Og, Hulteng Inc., $6,028 2929 Manhattan Drive,

Residential Frickle, Robert R. & Helen K., One Source Construction LLC, $1,400 1016 Wiloma Drive, Martin, Clarice J., K-Designers, $3,984 2119 Hoover Ave., Watson,

Dale E., Macdonald Steel Exteriors, $1,500 346 Glenhaven Drive, Fugate, Steven P. & Amy M., Lynnrich Inc., $5,269 511 Ave. B, Bonnie Nees, Dave’s Exteriors Inc., $1,700 4555 Upland Drive, Sorenson, Joan F. & Ty, Nelson Construction, $4,700

3894 Fairmeadow Drive, Finnegan, Riley J. & Amy R., Big Sky Exterior Designs Inc., $7,000 10 E. Almadin Lane, Doll, Chris A., Reule Builders, $5,500 2309 Larchwood Lane, Wyss Curtis D., Win-Dor Industries, $3,301

3631 Hayden Drive, Crawford, Brian J. & Kathleen M., Win-Dor Industries $6,124 2205 Avalon Road, Hauk, Jeremy G. & Monica M., WinDor Industries, $5,178 4521 Bowman Drive, Lance Calvin R, Win-Dor Industries, $30,843

Townhome 5540 Sacagawea Drive, McCall Development, $109,480 5540 Sacagawea Drive, McCall Development, $139,248 5540 Sacagawea Drive, McCall Development, $123,110 5540 Sacagawea Drive, McCall Development, $145,408 5530 Sacagawea Drive,

Business licenses The following business licenses were issued by the city of Billings in October 2016: Jim & Tracy’s Alignment Inc., 156 Garden Ave., 259-8496 Bumps N Bundles Inc., 1027 Shiloh Crossing Blvd., Suite 5, 534-1767 Liberty Handyman Services, 721 Lake Elmo Drive, 698-3622 Montana State University Billings, 1500 University Drive, 672-5594 Huss Painting, 2040 Burnstead Drive, No. 22, 702-2463 Prohibition, 118 N. 28th St., 200-7320 SL Vail Construction, 2304 Elm Street, 605-430-1495 Vansant Raw Imagery, 421 Declaration Ave., 696-9623 Carol Justice/Cleaning Services, 127 W. Wicks Lane, 860-6083 Dish One, Provo, Utah, 435-680-0250 Ride And Shine, 501 St. Johns Ave., 208-5562 Final Step Construction, Columbus, Ind., 775-781-8691 Taylor Brothers Construction Co. Inc., Columbus, Ind., 812-379-9547 Home 2 Suites By Hilton Billings, 2611 Seventh Ave. N., 252-2255

McCall Development, $29,637 5530 Sacagawea Drive, McCall Development, $29,637 5530 Sacagawea Drive, McCall Development, $29,637 5530 Sacagawea Drive, McCall Development, $29,637 There were 340 Fence/ Roof/Siding residential permits issued in October.

Montana patents Soft Touch, 343 Monroe St., 208-2631 Clark’s Heating & Cooling, 5726 E. Lupine Road, 6526777 Swiftwater Advisor, Bozeman, 812-2036 Painting By George, 4523 Ryan Ave., 208-7613 Robot Snacks Inc., 501 S. 44th St. W., No. 2310, 619756-1954 Gabrielle Alise Photography, 2604 Emerson Place, 672-5726 Girl Friday Cleaning And Repair, 17 Skeena Street, 2813621 Saucier Towing & Recovery, 1035-1/2 Island Park Drive, 208-2099 Auto Depot, 3211 Hesper Road, 656-5030 Sweet And Sassy Candy Creations LLP, Shepherd, 6710878 Nick Tracy Construction, Laurel, 696-9349 5GB Paint, 9 Jackie Lane, 702-4220 Hudelson Products & Services, 534 Grand Ave., 605351-7190 Rebecca Hill, 546-1/2 Burlington Ave., 321-0543 C.I. Cleaning, 3200 Broadwater Ae., 425-354-9304

Snively Construction, 1225 Lake Elmo Drive, No. C205, 200-3909 Vintage Apothecary, 2818 Third Ave. N., 850-3287 C.P. Roofing, 20 Mountain Side Drive, 223-9534 DC Drywall & Painting, 504 30th St. W., 697-1032 Sugar By Chanley, 144 Ave. E, 855-2857 Triangle Building & Design Inc., 36 Melody Lane, 2082671 Axion Inc., 1925 Grand Ave., Suite 127, 272-7130 Taco Bell #32192, 749 Commerce Way, 543-6458 Burwell Enterprises, 950 Steffanich Drive, 529-9939 Premier/Protek Chemical, 1345 Mullowney Lane, 208366-2231 Rock Creek Soaps LLC, 1262 Mirror Lake Lane, 7020817 WBI Energy Transmission, Glendive, 359-7242 Carloan406 Inc., 1503 Broadwater Ave. Tougher Than Nature Contracting LLC, 3055 S. 53rd St. W., No. D, 839-5912 The Places You’ll Go Childcare, 4315 Murphy Ave., 5348755 Overnight Truck Repair,

5875 Stearns Circle, No. 3, 927-5350 Murphy Development, 5421 Round Stone Ave., 6961991 RG Floors LLC, 910 Mary St., 480-516-9350 M. Noble Construction, 1224 Lewis Ave., 501-8270687 Pacific Acoustics, Redlands, Calif., 800-782-7017 Brian N. Critchlow Photography, 3355 San Marino Drive, 435-840-3254 Mountain Facility Maintenance, 2545 Arnold Lane, 720-235-2183 Dotty’s #4, 4010 Montana Sapphire Drive, 581-1303 Henneberry’s Janitorial Service, 4423 Bowman Drive, 690-4478 Stereotactic Specialists LLC, 1315 Golden Valley Circle, 724-448-4957 J&D Alteration, 960 S. 24th St. W. Ironcross Fitness, 1831 Main Street, 591-0621 Big Sky Installation, 1437 Watson Peak Road, 861-6742 Classic Clean, 1136-1/2 N. 26th St., 281-1556 Rockin’ M.T. Horse Rescue, Belfry, 850-3907 Black Iron Armament, 935

Burlington Ave., 671-7408 La Vixen Salon, 2319 Broadwater Ave., 671-7408 High Pursuit LLC, 3707 Vickery Drive, 877-629-5624 Ronald Pohls, 625 Presidents Place, 775-527-1385 P and G of Montana, 3814 Slalom Drive, 690-6966 Ryan Automotive LLC, 2600 Sixth Ave. N., 702-7111 Done Rite LLC, 5109 Thomas Kathrine Road, 697-9801 The Joy of Living, 102 N. Broadway, 294-1701 Naked Samurai Home Systems, 2605 Patricia Lane, 6707254 Rocky Mountain Game Nomad, 2326 Hamberg Lane, 5349889 Ocean Cleaning Co., 65 Nugget Drive, 860-2184 CK Photography, 2116 24th St. W., 757-359-9452 Assist Me, 15 Garden Ave., 698-1892 Lil Love Bugs Childcare, 320 S. 30th St., 591-0417 Western Paper Distributors Inc., Grand Junction, Colo., 303371-8710 David’s Bridal Inc. #273, 2090 King Ave. W., Suite 1, 6522944 Hilite Inc., 1432 Shade Tree Circle, 855-9595

Below are listed U.S. patents issued to Montana inventors Sept. 27-Oct. 18, 2016. For assistance in patent filing, call Billings patent attorney Antoinette M. Tease at 406-294-9000. David W. Pascual and Massimo Maddalone, both of Bozeman: therapeutic compositions comprising recombinant bacteria. Recombinant Lactococcus lactis expressing Escherichia coli colonization factor antigen I (CFA/I) fimbriae and their methods of use. 9,452,205, Sept. 27, Montana State University, Bozeman. William J. Ritter of Bozeman: Puck system for snowboard bindings. 9,452,344, Sept. 27. Christopher Michael Bradley and Thalia Roze Bradley, both of Orinda, Calif.; Roland Jeffrey Wyatt of Bozeman; and Jeffrey Alan Tilley of La Honda, Calif.: Capo with decorative inlays, 9,454,946, Sept. 27, Thalia Capos LLC, Orinda. Wilmer L. Sibbitt Jr. of Albuquerque, N.M., and Randy R. Sibbitt of Helena: Vascular closure methods and apparatuses. 9,456,811, Oct. 4, Abbott Vascular Inc., Santa Clara, Calif. Benjamin Meager of Bozeman: Low gravity all-surface vehicle. 9,457,647, Oct. 4, Paha

December 2016

Patents

Park: Process for cooling a metal workload in a multimedia quench system. 9,458,519, Oct. 4, Ipsen Inc., Cherry Valley, Ill. Allan J. Clarke of Helena: Heat exchanger for horizontal installation under a motorcycle engine. 9,459,051, Oct. 4. Orest Pilskalns of Missoula: Configurable groups of virtual walls providing proximity related privileges. 9,460,116, Oct. 4, GeoMonkey, Vancouver, Wash. Reduction of basal plane dislocations in epitaxial SiC. Rachael L. Myers-Ward of Springfield, Va.; David Kurt Gaskill of Alexandria, Va.; Brenda L. VanMill

of Missoula; Robert E. Stahlbush of Silver Spring, Md.; Charles R. Eddy Jr. of Columbia, Md.: 9,464,366, Oct. 11, The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D.C. Andrew E. Mahlen and Bryan C. King, both of Billings, and Ali T. Alniemi of Bozeman: Wire timing and tensioning device. 9,464,949, Oct. 11. Robert Tudhope of Kalispell; Xiaolu Chen of Dublin, Calif.; and Wenhui Zhang of Pleasanton, Calif.: Method and apparatus for providing high-temperature multi-layer optics. 9,466,772,

Oct. 11, Bridgelux Inc., Livermore, Calif. Raymond A. Gramza of Victor: Livestock feed retention insert and method of use. 9,468,193, Oct. 18. Ed Austin of Mountain View, Calif., and William J. Ritter and Martin Albini, both of Bozeman: Deployable and disposable container assemblies with bendable support members. 9,469,474, Oct. 18, Evergreen Innovation Partners I, LP, Englewood, Colo. Paul R. McHugh and Gregory J. Wilson, both of Kalispell, and Roey Shaviv of Palo Alto, Calif.: Electroplating apparatus

with membrane tube shield. 9,469,911, Oct. 18, Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara, Calif. Thomas H. Oberlitner, Cameron H. Law and Justin Boucher, all of Kalispell: Closed loop electrolyte analyzer. 9,469,913, Oct. 18, Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara. Paul S. Doran of Columbia Falls and Alykhan Tharani of Deddington, Great Britain: Water activation device. 9,470,251, Oct. 18, EcoAeon USA Inc., Whitefish. Aaron A. McGinty of Kalispell: Handguard with integrated pod and firearm. 9,470,468, Oct. 18,

Falkor Sid Inc., Kalispell. Daniel L. DeFrance of Bozeman: Gaming system and method providing a keno-type primary game associated with persistence pools that may be incremented to trigger one or more bonuses. 9,472,062, Oct. 18, IGT, Las Vegas. Kevin J. Negus of Philipsburg; Sagnik Ghosh of San Jose, Calif.; and Badri Varadarajan of Mountain View, Calif.: full duplex backhaul radio with interference measurement during a blanking interval. 9,474,080, Oct. 18, CBF Networks Inc., San Jose, Calif.

Yellowstone River Road No. 10, Oct. 5. Patrick Michael McNellis, 1126 Princeton Ave., Oct. 6. Janel Leigh Johnson, 1410 Howard Ave., Oct. 10. Eugene Roy Davis, 2105 11th Ave N., Apt. B, Oct. 112. Michael Trawinski, Kristine Trawinski, 3040 Central Ave., Building F, Apartment 303, Oct 17.

Jessica Lynn Hughes, 165 Norris Court South, Oct. 18. Justin Michael Kerr, Ashley Renee Kerr, 9928 Hwy 212, Joliet, Oct. 23. David Patrick Stockton II, P.O. BOX 171, Huntley, Oct. 25. Linda Lucille Robo, 420 First St. S.E., Roundup, Oct. 25. Lana Jean Desper, 331 Bohl Ave., Apt. 47, Oct. 28. Ian Michael Martin, 1170 Qui-

nella Drive, Oct. 28. Ashley Marie Rognstad, P.O. Box 192, Roberts, Oct. 28. Leilani Hope Rickert, 416 N. Miles Ave., Hardin, Oct. 28. Charity Stephens, P.O. Box 1026, Red Lodge, Oct. 28. Terence P. Sheehan 1424 Avenue F., Oct. 31. Kerry Baker, Carol Baker, 1041 Kay Drive, Oct. 31. Thad Blake Lensing, Nich-

ole Marie Lensing, P.O. BOX 200758, Oct. 31. Chapter 13 Randall G. Becker, 640 Twilight Drive, Oct. 5. Matthew Charles Chesmore, Crystal Ann Chesmore, 828 Kyhl Lane, Oct. 6. Clint Alen Uecker, Brandie Jo Maxine Smith, 6716 Pinto Drive, Oct. 13. Diane Daylynn Dodd, P.O.

Box 1606, Red Lodge, Oct. 16. Hector A. Alvarado, Route 1 Box 1223C, Hardin, Oct. 20. Leonard D. Norby, Gordyne Lynn Norby, 832 Lake Elmo Drive, Oct. 21. Anton L. Murr, 516 First St. W., Oct. 25. John Hanson, 3181 S. Highway 78, Absarokee, Oct. 31.

Commercial building permits

pany, $84,325 123 S. 27th St., Yellowstone Health Partnership, Dick Anderson Construction, $58,500 490 N. 31st St., United Properties Inc., Capital Development Inc., $770 313 N. 28th St., Singh Contracting Inc., $5,000 2590 Holman Ave., Billings Mt 59102, Cps-003-004 R E O LLC, Shaw Construction Ada Lift $37,500 3900 Olympic Blvd., Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $4,250 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125

Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125 3900 Olympic Blvd., Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125 Olympic Blvd., 3900

Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125 3900 Olympic Blvd., Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,125 2132 Grand Ave., The Treasury Corp., $20,000 2290 King Ave. W., Property Tax Dept 69, Interstate Construction Group Inc., $3,100 1505 Rehberg Lane, Northwest Billings Associates, Reule Builders, $10,000 5110 Southgate Drive, Erck Hotels, $2,500,000 605 24 St. W., M&K Inc., Jones Construction Inc., $25,000 403 Main St., Target Corp., Taylor Bros Construction Co. Inc., $50,000 357 S. 24th St. W., Eden Court Capital LLC, Fisher Construction

Inc., $150,000 10th N. 27th St., Rimrock Inn LLC, Yellowstone Basin Construction, $147,000 17 14th St. W., Niko Macondo LLC, B&W Builders, $6,000 2825 Third Ave. N., Miller, Trois LLC, Fisher Construction Inc., $480,000 1509 Main St., EEC Inc., $10,000 207 N. 28th St., Valley Federal Credit Union, Fisher Construction Inc. $300,000 2100 Ave. C, The City Of Billings, $60,000 2507 Montana Ave. DLO LLC, Van Arsdale Duane Construction Inc., $26,450 1440 Grand Ave., Bennett, Garry V., $10,000

Designs Inc., Denver. Shawn L. Chaves of Fremont, Calif.; Renee A. Reijo Pera of Bozeman; Sohyn L. McElroy and Lynn M. Westphal, both of Stanford, Calif.; and Barry Behr of Palo Alto, Calif.: Markers for the detection of human embryo developmental quality. 9,458,506, Oct. 4, The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Aymeric Goldsteinas of Machesney Park, Ill., and Werner Hendrik Grobler of Clyde

Bankruptcies Billings area petitions filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Oct. 1-31, 2016. Addresses are in Billings unless otherwise noted. Chapter 7 Shawn R. Palmer, 3418 Flagstone Drive, Oct. 3. James Dickinson Jr., 1134 Lynch Circle, Oct. 4 Vanessa Taylor Schulke, 147 Monarch St., Oct. 5. Stefanie Marie Minkler, 1317

From 47

son Construction, $1,456,450

New Industrial/ Factory/Plant

Construction Inc., $359,055

New 3+ (Multi Family)

1028 Shiloh Crossing Blvd., Candy Guys LLC, Langlas & As1525 Wind River Lane, River sociates Inc., $272,484 Front Point LLC, Hanser Construction Co., $658,000 New Other New Townhomes (Shell For 3 Or More Units) 3803 Central Ave., Montana 5540 Sacagawea Drive, McUniversity System, Montana Call Development, $517,246 5530 Sacagawea Drive, McState University, $10,000 Call Development, $592,740

New Restaurant/ Casino/Bar

Remodel

4010 Montana Sapphire 548 Main St., Lisa Thom- Drive, Sapphire Lounge And Caas Lud Brown Group, Radix sino, Stock Construction Com-

AN INDISPENSABLE BUSINESS RESOURCE CALL 406-657-1298 TO SUBSCRIBE

Billings Business · 4 01 Nor th Broadway · Billings, MT 59101

December 2016

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1-800-638-3278 Montana-Dakota.com clean • abundant • affordable • efficient • reliable • safe • domestic • environmentally friendly

In the Community to Serve®

Commercial building permits Com New 3+ (Multi Family) 5627 Cardinals Way, Harmony Meadows LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $411,160 5617 Cardinals Way, Harmony Meadows LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $405,440 5607 Cardinals Way, Harmony Meadows LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $405,440 1715 Giants Way, Harmony Meadows LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $671,435 1714 Giants Way, Harmony Meadows LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $661,640 1724 Giants Way, Grand Slam Patio Homes LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $661,640 1725 Giants Way, Grand Slam Patio Homes LLC. , Sunset Construction LLC, $661,640

Fence/Roof/Siding 1780 Shiloh Road, ShilohGrand Center LLC, Infinity Roofing & Siding Inc., $49,540 3900 Olympic Blvd., Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $5,511 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $7,025 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, le $18,233 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $35,026 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $18,620 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $34,818 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $18,355 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $34,248

Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $15,249 3900 Olympic Blvd., Billings Mt 59102, Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $33,339 3900 Olympic Blvd., Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $15,138 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $29,914 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, Tear Off Install 30 Yr Shingle $18,289 3900 Olympic Blvd., Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $35,026 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $18,905 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $33,339 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $15,312 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $35,026 5002 Laurel Road, Tim Loudan, Young Gunz Plastering, $4,000 3900 Olympic Blvd., Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $19,175 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $34,818 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $18,759 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $29,995 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $18,928 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $29,996 Olympic Blvd., 3900

Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $15,642 3900 Olympic Blvd., Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $34,248 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $20,628 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $37,587 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $15,899 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $29,996 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $16,734 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $35,026 2521 Overlook Drive, City Of Billings (Airport), S Bar S Supply Contractor, $7,000 1300 24th St. W., Promised Land Enterprises, S Bar S Supply Contractor, $11,000 3900 Olympic Blvd., Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $4,659 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $5,524 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $5,631 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $5,440 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $5,277 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $5,440 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $3,690 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $4,245 Olympic Blvd., 3900

Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, Tear Off Install 30 Yr Shingle $6,938 3900 Olympic Blvd., Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $6,050 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $7,038 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $6,628 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $7,022 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $6,628 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, Tear Off Replace With 30 Yr 5/ $7,270 3900 Olympic Blvd., Billings Mt 59102, Oly-020-001a-Less Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $6,628 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $5,567 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $4,634 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $5,524 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $5,423 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $5,440 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $5,567 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $6,628 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $7,036 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $6,628 Olympic Blvd., 3900

Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $3,684 3900 Olympic Blvd., Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, Replace Vinyl Siding With Hard $4,245 3900 Olympic Blvd., Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $5,384 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $5,440 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $7,006 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $6,628 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $9,017 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $7,809 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $6,172 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $6,628 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $6,888 Olympic Blvd., 3900 Wellshire Arms North LLC, Sunset Construction LLC, $6,168 403 Hurdle Circle, IRET Olympic Village (Mt), $8,000 2901 Monad Road, Fox Meadows LLC, MacDonald Steel Exteriors, $84,000 2220 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $10,000 2220 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $10,000 2260 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $10,000 2220 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $10,000 2260 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $10,000 2220 St. Johns Ave. Iret-Rim-

rock LLC, $10,000 2220 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $7,500 2260 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $10,000 2220 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $7,500 2260 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $10,000 2220 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $7,500 2260 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $7,500 2220 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $7,500 2260 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $7,500 2260 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $7,500 2260 St. Johns Ave., Iret-Rimrock LLC, $7,500 3925 Grand Ave., WP East 80 LLC, Six Sigma Contracting, $75,000 3925 Grand Ave., WP East 80 LLC, Six Sigma Contracting, $45,000 2010 Swanson Lane, Streck Robert, Home Value Restoration, $30,000 2350 Ave. C, Rose Park Plaza Partners LTD, G&L Enterprizes Inc., $12,928 2330 Ave. C, Rose Park Plaza Partners LTD, G&L Enterprizes Inc., $12,928 2310 Ave. C, Rose Park Plaza Partners LTD, G&L Enterprizes Inc., $18,549 2290 Ave. C, Rose Park Plaza Partners LTD, G&L Enterprizes Inc., $18,549 305 S. 28th St., Debtor Co., $7,200 2303 Grand Ave Kelly Cannon, Infinity Roofing & Siding Inc., $56,120

Footing/Foundation 123 S. 27th St., Yellowstone Health Partnership, Dick Ander-

Please see Commercial building permits, Page 46

December 2016

Thank you for your business! May you have a peaceful and prosperous 2017 from your friends at Stockman Bank.

King Ave 655-2700

Hilltop & Main 896-4800

Shiloh & Grand 655-3900

Downtown 655-2400

14th & Grand Worden 371-8100 967-3612

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Billings Business December 2016

Published on Dec 1, 2016

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