Billings Business Mar. 15

5 MINUTES WITH

NICHOLE BROWN

HIGH PLAINS HORSE BLANKET REPAIR

ENERGY REVIEW

CORETTE POWER PLANT PREPARING FOR SHUTDOWN

March 2015

GOING GREEN Downtown branch receives LEED gold certification

Montana Energy Review: Lower energy prices welcomed by truckers, delivery companies

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

CONTENTS

March 2015

An indispensable business resource On the Cover Jeremy Morgret is the branch manager at the downtown Billings Stockman Bank branch.

FEATURES

Going green ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Downtown branch receives LEED gold certification

All about that beef........................................................................................................................................................................................ 10 Higher beef prices squeeze merchants, but steaks, burgers still fill prime spot on menus

Corette power plant preparing for shutdown........................................................................................................... 19

24 Hour Emergency Flood & Fire Restoration Services

Energy briefs....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Commercial & Residential

COLUMNS

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

MONTANA ENERGY REVIEW

Lower energy prices welcomed by truckers, delivery companies................................................ 16

Economic Development.........................................................................................................................................................................12 Melanie Schwarz - BillingsWorks to unveil the state of Yellowstone County’s workforce Higher beef prices are squeezing merchants, but steaks, burgers still fill prime spot on menus, Page 10

Strategies for Success.............................................................................................................................................................................15 Joe Michels - Millennials bring different, valuable skills to the table

Legal Briefing......................................................................................................................................................................................................24 Eric Nord - Proper personnel policies can help avoid wrongful termination suits

Sales Moves..........................................................................................................................................................................................................32 Jeffery Gitomer - You are the key to having a great year in sales

Better Business.................................................................................................................................................................................................36 Erin T. Dodge - Business valuation scams regaining popularity as economy improves

Lower energy prices welcomed by truckers, delivery companies, Page 16

BILLINGS BUSINESS EVERY MONTH

From the Editor.......................................................................................................................................................................................................4

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

406-628-0178

—24 hour contact line—

www.alphaomegapros.com

By the numbers .....................................................................................................................................................................................................5 The local economy at a glance

Chamber News................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13 Page 14 Five minutes with Nichole Brown

Kate Hagenbuch - This shark has elevated branding to an art

Five Minutes with...........................................................................................................................................................................................14 Nichole Brown - High Plains Horse Blanket Repair

Business Briefs .................................................................................................................................................................................................33 Success Stories................................................................................................................................................................................................35 The Listings............................................................................................................................................................................................................37

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I March 2015

Billings Business is mailed each month to area business owners, managers and decision makers for $19.95 per year.

To subscribe, please send payment, name, business name, mailing address and phone number to:

Billings Business 401 North Broadway Billings, MT 59101 BILLINGSbusiness

Billingsbusiness

March 2015

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the editor

H OW AN ONLINE GAME COULD HELP

March 2015 • VOLUME 21 • NUMBER 5

mike gulledge tom howard COPY EDITOR chris jorgensen GENERAL MANAGER allyn hulteng

SOLVE THE STUDENT DEBT CRISIS Unlike Kim Kardashian, Lizbeth Pratt isn’t the kind of person who brags that her scheme will break the Internet. Just the same, she has dreamed up a novel way to help thousands of former students struggling under the $1 trillion in student debt.

Pratt’s plan for tackling the problem is a marriage of the money-raising mojo of crowdfunding sources like Kickstarter and the wild popularity of online games such as World of Warcraft and League of Legends.

In Pratt’s new online game, called Givling, participants pay to play a fast-paced trivia game that tests their knowledge of current events, politics and history.

Top-scoring players can win cash prizes. But a portion of the game’s income is set aside to help pay off the student debt held by people who have registered with the website.

Pratt moved away from Billings more than a decade ago but maintains her Montana roots.

She developed Givling because she saw that the cards are stacked against millions of former college students struggling under a mountain of debt.

“Every college kid I have met has debt,” she said by email. “I never really ran into it when I went to college.

There were a lot of work-study programs. But these days every college student or recent grad I know has debt.”

“Givling happened because one day I was reading an article about how Congress had passed a law that forbids student debt holders from declaring bankruptcy,” she writes in an online essay.

“That made me mad. Donald Trump has declared bankruptcy three times. I think he’s on his fourth, and he’s held up as a model of American capitalistic brilliance.”

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Years ago, Pratt and her former husband went through their own financial turmoil. They were forced to declare bankruptcy because a manager had stolen money from their family business.

They sued the manager and won a judgment against him but never collected a nickel.

Pratt said she was able to regain her financial footing through hard work and with financial support from her father. She remarried and has done well financially. But she also learned to appreciate the financial struggles that are weighing on people with student debt.

Pratt and her son, Preston, developed the game.

Eventually they brought in additional programmers to make refinements. Andy Wildenberg, who teaches at Rocky Mountain College, has also worked on the project.

People in Missoula, San Francisco and the United Kingdom have done coding, graphic design and marketing, giving Givling a multinational pedigree.

You may be interested to know that Pratt doesn’t consider herself much of a gamer.

“I have never played anything besides solitaire,” before Givling, she said.

I had the opportunity to play a beta version of the game before its scheduled release in late February.

It’s a challenging way to test your knowledge on a variety of subjects, such as politics, history and current events.

I knew that Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon. But I really stunk whenever the subject had anything to do with America’s favorite obsession: the Kardashians.

To test your skills, and perhaps help shrink somebody’s student debt, go to www.givling.com.

PUBLISHER

EDITOR

SALES

dave worstell ryan brosseau RETAIL SALES MANAGER shelli scott ADVERTISING SALES gail ball ADVERTISING COORDINATOR linsay duty

SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR MAJOR ACCOUNTS, CLASSIFIED, DIGITAL SALES DIRECTOR

PRODUCTION

DESIGNER CREATIVE DIRECTOR

alyssa small bob tambo

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 North Broadway Billings, MT 59101 ADVERTISING For retail advertising call Gail Ball 657-1284. For classified advertising, call 657-1212.

Advertising deadline for the April 2015 issue is 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 3. You may send material to ads@billingsbusiness.com or FAX to 657-1538.

NEWS If you would like to submit a news tip, story idea, announcement about your business or press release, please e-mail 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.

BILLINGSbusiness

Personal

By the Numbers

Business

LocaL and regionaL economic trends

real estate Member FDIC

agriculture Shiloh & Grand 655-3900

TOP FLIGHT Gallatin Field at Belgrade was again the busiest airport in Montana during 2014, with 483,132 boardings. That’s 15 percent more boardings than second-place Billings.

Source: Montana Department of Transportation

Downtown 655-2400

60

20

50

50

5

40

4

30

3

10

2

0

0

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

September

October

November

September 2013 to January 2014

December

January

August 2014 to January 2015

August to December 2013 August to December 2014

0 2014

Montana winter wheat

Montana Beef Cattle

(per bushel)

7

200

6 4 3

100

2

50

August to December 2013 Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

September to December 2013 September to December 2014

5

150

August September October November December

September to December 2013 September to December 2014

Unemployment

(per cwt.)

0

Dec.

Source: Montana Department of Transportation

Source: National Park Service

Ag prices

Nov.

September to December 2013 September to December 2014

August to December 2013 August to December 2014

2015

Oct.

Missoula

Glacier National Park

YTD Through Jan. 31

Source: City of Billings

Billingsbusiness

Bozeman

Yellowstone National Park

5

10

Sept.

Billings 14

10

30 20

20

20

15

40

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

6

1

New single-family home building permits

Worden 967-3612

Airport boardings

National park visitors

Billings housing starts

0

14th & Grand 371-8100

In thousands

Hilltop & Main 896-4800

In hundred thousands

King Ave 655-2700

www.stockmanbank.com

1 August September October November December

August to December 2014

0

July

Aug.

Montana

Sept.

Oct.

Yellowstone County

Nov.

Dec.

U.S.

Source: Montana Department of Labor and Industry

March 2015

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Downtown branch receives LEED gold certification

S tockman B ank

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goes green I March 2015

By TOM HOWARD B ill C offee , chief executive of S tockman B ank , knows a thing or two about analyzing financial statements and calculating the bottom line of a business deal .

Billingsbusiness

Photos by CASEY PAGE The exterior brick facade of the downtown Stockman Bank building is continued inside the building.

The facing page shows the lobby of the downtown Billings branch of Stockman Bank, which features a wall of windows.

Jeremy Morgret is the branch manager at the downtown Billings Stockman Bank branch.

When he was asked whether it makes business sense for Stockman Bank to invest in making the company’s downtown Billings branch a certified green building, Coffee didn’t hesitate.

“Doing the right thing over the long term always makes good business sense,” he said.

Outfitting the building with energy-efficient technologies, water-saving fixtures and recycled building materials and then documenting the entire process required a larger up-front investment. But it was money well spent, he said.

“It’s more expensive today. But we hope that the expenses will be offset over the next 100 years. We do build a 100-year building,” Coffee said.

Stockman’s downtown branch, which opened three years ago, has received LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The certification was awarded last October following an extensive review process.

Billingsbusiness

The bank is among about a dozen local buildings to meet the standards for green buildings. To date it’s the city’s third building to receive LEED gold certification.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Under the LEED process, an independent third party verififies that a building was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency and the use of sustainable or recycled materials.

During the process, a point system is used to determine the building’s level of certification.

Billings-based CTA Architects and Engineers and Hardy Construction have collaborated on the design of Stockman Bank buildings since 1995. CTA has also been a leader in designing LEED certified buildings, so it didn’t take much convincing for Stockman officials to embrace the concept.

Morgret shows the boilers in the Stockman Bank downtown Billings branch in February.

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Billings LEED Certified buildings

Photo by CASEY PAGE The Stockman Bank downtown Billings branch board room.

“From the start we wanted to be LEED certified,” Coffee said.

The numerous energy and resourcesaving features aren’t immediately evident when one walks through the building.

“There are lots of little things that add up,” said Jeremy Morgret, manager of Stockman’s downtown branch.

Three high-efficiency boilers keep the building warm. Depending on the temperature outside, one, two or all three boilers might be in operation.

The building’s large double-paned windows block ultraviolet light but also allow plenty of visible light to shine through.

Light fixtures use energy-saving LED lights, and motion-detecting switches turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms. Plumbing fixtures are designed to save water, and even ceiling tiles are made from recycled materials, Morgret said.

Wayne Nelson, Stockman Bank’s Billings market president, said LEED certification fits in with the company’s 8

I March 2015

preference for owning, rather than leasing, the buildings that it occupies.

“To occupy these buildings for 100 years is for our benefit as opposed to an investor who may not have the same interests,” Nelson said. “We view ourselves as a leader in the business community, and if we’re going to lead, this is the right thing to do.”

Raelynn Meissner, a mechanical engineer with CTA who works on LEED certification, said the process is very thorough.

“There is documentation that has to go on during design and construction.

It’s uploaded to the Green Building Council’s website, and it’s reviewed by a third party to see if it meets the standards,” Meissner said.

Meissner said Stockman’s downtown branch was certified under the LEED-CS system for rating the building’s core and shell. The CS rating system is designed for projects where the building owner controls the design and construction of the “exterior envelope,” which consists of the walls,

roof and window; building structure, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems. However, the rating doesn’t apply to the design and construction of most interior spaces, she said.

Stockman leases a portion of the building to the accounting firm Anderson ZurMehlen.

“They have been a great partner,” Coffee said. “One of the things that helped us get the gold certification is that they were flexible. If they needed to remodel they have agreed to use certain materials.”

Stockman Bank recently opened a temporary office in downtown Missoula and will break ground later this year on a new downtown branch at Orange Street and Broadway Avenue.

Nelson said Stockman has had customers in the Missoula area for about 15 years, but the time is now right to establish a branch.

The new building, also being designed by CTA, will also be LEED certified, Coffee and Nelson said.

The following buildings have been or will be LEED certified.  Underriner Honda, 3643 Pierce Parkway.

LEED NC Certified. The business purchases 35 percent of its energy from green energy sources, and 85 percent of its occupied space utilizes daylight.  Swift Building Lofts, 2605 Minnesota Ave. LEED for Homes Platinum. After this renovation project was completed, energy usage from utilities was reduced by 55 percent, because of energy efficiency and the construction of a 4-kilowatt photovoltaic and hot water panels.  Tracy Lofts, 2600 Montana Ave. LEED for homes platinum.Three 2,000-gallon stormwater tanks in the basement provide water for toilet flushing and laundry. A 4-kilovolt photovoltaic generator on the roof provides electricity for the common area’s needs.  Billings Public Library, 510 N. Broadway.

LEED NC level pending. The building uses 40 percent less water than similar buildings, because of low-flow plumbing fixtures. The building will save $30,000 per year in energy and water costs because of its energyefficient designs.  Billings Federal Courthouse, 316 N. 26th St. LEED NC Gold rating. This building features solar thermal collectors, which provide 30 percent of its hot water needs. Solar panels also generate 3 percent of the building’s electricity needs. Rainwater is used for irrigation.  MET Transfer Center, 220 N. 25th St. LEED NC Platinum. Photovoltaic panels reduce electricity needs by 50 percent.  CTA Architects Engineers, 12 N. 23rd St. LEED EB Gold. Existing building was renovated and certified for continuous improvements and maintenance activities.  First Interstate Bank Operations Center, 1800 Sixth Ave. N. LEED NC Silver. Because of energy efficiency, the building uses 60 percent of the natural gas used by a typical building of comparable size. During construction, 98 percent of construction waste was diverted from landfill.  GE Operations Building, 3333 Hesper Road.

LEED NC Certified. The building design incorporates large windows to provide natural light and reduce lighting costs.  Home on the Range building, 220 S. 27th.

LEED NC Platinum. The building uses 60 percent of the water used by a traditional building. Because of daylighting, energy efficiency and a 10-kilowatt photovoltaic array, the building has reduced its energy use by 79 percent compared to a traditional building of the same size.  KLOS building, 2720 Minnesota Ave. LEED NC Platinum. Because of rainwater collection, this building experiences a 95 percent reduction in city water usage.

Because of natural ventilation, daylighting and a 2-kilowatt photovoltaic array, the building uses 65 percent less energy than a similar building of the same size.

Source: Yellowstone Valley Citizens Council BILLINGSbusiness

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Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Don’t let hip pain prevent you from doing the things you love to do.

Billings Clinic Orthopedics & Sports Medicine’s physicians are dedicated to improving quality of life, by selecting a personalized world-class treatment just for you.

When the process is complete, you can enjoy the freedom of motion and peace of mind, knowing that you have made the best possible decision for your care.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 238-5200 or 1-800-332-7156.

billingsclinic.com/ortho Billingsbusiness

March 2015

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Photo by JAMES WOODCOCK The Big Montana Steak Salad at Jake’s features lots of greens in addition to the steak.

All about that

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beef

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Higher beef prices squeeze merchants, but steaks, burgers still fill prime spot on menus

By TOM HOWARD W hen you order the B ig M ontana S teak S alad at J ake ’ s , a thinly sliced portion of beef doesn ’ t dominate the entree . I nstead , it plays a savory foil to a colorful pile of greens garnished with grapefruit , red onions , avocado , blue cheese and toasted almonds .

Billingsbusiness

Jake’s has been a fixture of downtown Billings for 35 years and branched out with a new West End restaurant in 2009. Jake’s bills itself as Montana’s premiere steak house, and beef retains a prime spot on the menu.

The Big Montana Steak Salad represents a modern departure from the more traditional entrees that diners associate with a steak house, said Scott Berube, general manager of Jake’s Downtown.

Even the cut that rests on top of the salad might not be familiar to everybody. Flap steak, also known as the bottom sirloin, is a flavorful yet less expensive cut that has gotten more attention lately in the wake of rising beef prices.

Last year beef prices surged by 25 percent, from $132 per hundredweight on Jan. 1, 2014, to $166 per hundredweight by the end of the year. Agriculture economists attribute the strong prices to a smaller cattle herd that’s still recovering after ranchers liquidated their herds in the wake of a widespread drought that gripped much of the nation in 2012.

Jake’s tweaks its menu frequently as an opportunity to feature seasonal ingredients, change-of-pace entrees and to take advantage of good deals on food. The restaurant recently ran a special on king crab legs, Berube said.

“But, we’re still a meat-and-potatoes place,” he said.

With ground chuck selling for around $6 a pound in some stores, retailers and restaurant owners sometimes worry about price pressure. When beef gets too expensive, economists say, consumers frequently stroll down the aisle and reach for chicken and pork.

“We’re definitely glad that we don’t carry steaks,” said Kim Hager, co-owner of Blues Barbecue in the Heights. The award-winning barbecue restaurant’s menu features sausage, pork ribs, turkey, pulled pork and beef short ribs.

“We haven’t taken short ribs off the menu, but its price has more than doubled in the past year,” Hager said.

The Burger Dive in downtown Billings received national recognition last year when the publication Business Insider honored its Blackened Sabbath burger, named after the

Courtesy of Red Robin Red Robin has announced it is adding the Big Sky burger to its menu, inspired by the Billings-based Burger Dive.

rock band Black Sabbath. Since then, the national burger chain Red Robin has begun offering the Big Sky burger, which was inspired by the Burger Dive’s creation.

Owner Brad Halsten acknowledged that higher beef prices add to his costs. “But that hasn’t affected us much,” he said. “We always try to keep our prices steady.”

While food prices must be adjusted occasionally, “It’s not a real big deal for us,” Halsten said.

So, how much do higher beef prices affect what people eat?

Chaley Harney, executive director of the Montana Beef Council, said beef remains a cornerstone of Montanans’ diets.

“We have seen demand for beef continue to grow,” Harney said in an email. “In other words, even though prices have gone up, consumers still want beef, and they are continuing to purchase beef. All of the beef being produced in the U.S. is being consumed.”

A monthly food demand survey conducted

by Oklahoma State University seeks to measure consumer price sensitivity to different foods. A recent survey showed that consumers are willing to pay $7.28 per pound for steak, compared to $5.09 per pound for chicken breast and $4.04 per pound for pork chops, Harney said.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nationwide total beef consumption has declined from 27.3 billion pounds in 2008 to 25.5 billion pounds in 2013. But price isn’t the only factor that affects demand for beef, economists say. Some people have cut back on eating red meat for health reasons.

Harney said that more than 90 percent of Americans continue to eat beef at least once a month, and two thirds of consumers say they’re eating about the same amount of beef as before, despite higher prices. More than 96 percent of restaurants and other food vendors continue to offer beef, and it remains one of

the most profitable items for restaurant owners, she said.

In a 2014 interview with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Joseph Glauber, the former chief economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, acknowledged that consumers tend to search for cheaper cuts, such as hamburger, pork and chicken, when steak is more expensive.

Glauber also saw potential for beef prices to fall within a few years as cattle numbers rebound.

Cost-conscious consumers can minimize the impact of higher beef prices by buying family packs that typically carry a lower price per pound, Harney said. Another strategy to corral costs is to purchase smaller quantities to reduce waste. local butcherS can also provide tips on the best way to cook less expensive cuts, Harney said.

“We have seen demand for beef continue to grow. In other words, even though prices have gone up, consumers still want beef, and they are continuing to purchase beef.

All of the beef being produced in the U.S. is being consumed.”

— Chaley Harney, executive director of the Montana Beef Council

Billingsbusiness

March 2015

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SPONSORED BY THE BIG SKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

B ILLINGS W ORKS TO UNVEIL THE STATE OF Y ELLOWSTONE C OUNTY ’ S WORKFORCE

Melanie Schwarz Melanie Schwarz is Big Sky Economic Development’s member investor director.

She can be reached at 406-869-8419 or by melanie@bigskyeda.org.

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this work a community workforce strategic plan is ready to share.

BillingsWorks, in conjunction with Thomas P. Miller and Associates, will unveil the “State of the Workforce” on March 19 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The coalition will share key data points, benchmarks and indicators for our specific area, as well as a detailed strategic plan. Your business is encouraged to work with BillingsWorks for complete implementation of this plan and show that what is today a challenge will be tomorrow’s success with a strong and qualified workforce for every industry.

BillingsWorks invites you to join us in this free community gathering to hear about where we started and where we are going with our workforce development. As a special feature for this event the lunch keynote speaker will be Dick Finnegan, CEO of C-Suite Analytics. Finnegan is a successful author and coach in the area of employee retention. He will speak to our community on the importance of keeping good workers in a tight labor market.

This event is free to the public and includes lunch.

Please register as space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Register today at www. workforce2015.com.

Rain showers sweep across downtown Billings.

Photo by Gazette Staff

State of the Workforce Report:

A comprehensive overview of our current workforce landscape and a detailed strategic and actionable plan for our community.

EVENT

Now, we have the answers or at least the data to begin crafting a plan for workforce in our area.

What is the State of Yellowstone County’s Workforce?

We hear every day that we need qualified workers for the open jobs we have in our community. Where do those qualified workers come from? How do they know what jobs are available? How do we make sure our education and training are preparing them for the right jobs?

Does Yellowstone County have what it needs to attract the best and brightest? Now, we have the answers or at least the data to begin crafting a plan for the workforce in our area.

BillingsWorks is a community collaboration with Big Sky Economic Development, Billings Chamber of Commerce, School District 2, Career Center and Adult Education, Montana State University Billings and City College, Rocky Mountain College, the city of Billings, Yellowstone County, Billings Job Service, Montana Departments of Labor and Commerce and more than 80 private industry partners.

This group has been meeting for more than two years to bring us to this point where we can start taking action. We have dissected the community’s workforce through focus groups, employer surveys, strategic planning and stakeholder events. Through

March 19th, 2015

FREE Community Event. Space is limited so register EARLY!!

9:00am to 1:30pm Crowne Plaza, 27 N. 27th St. Billings, Montana Presented by BillingsWorks and Thomas P. Miller & Associates Keynote SpeaKer

Dick Finnegan, Ceo and author of “the Stay Interview”

BillingsWorks is a community collaboration with Big Sky Economic Development, Billings Chamber of Commerce, School District #2, Career Center and Adult Education, MSU Billings and City College, Rocky Mountain College, City of Billings, Yellowstone County, Billings Job Service, MT Depts. of Labor & Commerce and 80+ private industry partners.

State of the

W rkforce Report RegisteR todAy At

www.workforce2015.com BILLINGSbusiness

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

SPONSORED BY THE BILLINGS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND CVB

March Business After Hours Wednesday, March 11, 5-7 p.m.

Furniture Land USA, 685 King Park Dr. Cost is $8.

T HIS SHARK HAS ELEVATED BRANDING TO AN ART A hot idea ... can re-up a business plan, excite potential investors, leap-frog the traditional barriers to entry in a crowded world, and crank things up in the face of established competition.

Kate Hagenbuch Kate Hagenbuch is an event manager for the Billings Chamber of Commerce.

Contact her at 406-869-3721, or Kate@ billingschamber.com

BILLINGSbusiness

In just a few weeks, Montana’s Trailhead will welcome Daymond John from ABC’s Shark Tank on April 2 at Rimrock Auto Arena. John may be one of the most relevant, innovative and exciting speakers ever to keynote the Billings Chamber Breakfast, generously presented this year by St. Vincent Healthcare.

What is all the buzz about?

Take a moment to look around you. Television, newspaper, magazine, your smart phone — you probably see words and images carefully engineered to catch your eye.

If they are marketed correctly, they stay with you. You may even want to have or be part of whatever it is you’re seeing.

This is all perfectly engineered branding.

When you Enter the Tank with us on April 2, John will share his insight about the brand that he built from scratch. From launching the iconic Brooklyn-based fashion brand FUBU, to becoming one of the most popular personalities from ABC’s hit show Shark Tank, John is an expert worthy of learning from.

What follows is an excerpt from John’s book “The Brand Within.” Read on for a sneak peek into the Big Event.

“A well-branded company, a well-branded idea, will last throughout the years.

Re-branding, re-shaping and

re-demanding what it is that you are and what you stand for is what makes the business model of today. A hot idea can cover a lot of ground. It can re-up a business plan, excite potential investors, leap-frog the traditional barriers to entry in a crowded world, and crank things up in the face of established competition.

It can get things moving, no question.

“In the end, it’s all about execution and how you make and market your product and implement your strategy, but if your product or strategy is flawed to begin with there’s not a whole lot you can do to keep things moving along.

Ain’t no marketing plan on this green earth that can sell fuzzy ear muffs on South Beach.

“You never saw Evel Knievel out in public without one of his flamboyant motorcycle suits. You never saw him doing something simple or sensible, like mailing a letter or eating a sandwich.

That wasn’t what he was about. He was all about doing those stunts, and risking his life, and pushing the envelope, and that’s what filtered through.

“At FUBU, we’re not the same company we were when we just started out. No way.

If we were, I’d still be selling those shirts and hats from

a duffel bag outside Queens Coliseum in Jamaica. “‘It sells itself.’ Well, there’s no such thing as a product or concept that sells itself. It’s just a line. Truth is, you’ve got to help it along, and some ideas need more help than others.

“Look in the mirror and see what comes back, and take it from there. Let’s face it, appearances don’t lie. They

Enter the Tank: Chamber Breakfast 2015

Professional Development Seminar Business Etiquette Wednesday, March 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Ciao Mambo Cost is $25.

BillingsNextGen.com

Featuring Daymond John Thursday, April 2, 7-9 a.m.

MetraPark Rimrock Auto Arena $25 member, $35 nonmember

can be deceiving, but the best sales job in the world can’t get past your true self — the brand within.”

John is not just a Shark or the creator of FUBU. He is a branding genius, an innovator and, most importantly, a builder of people. Whether it is your 13th year in business or you are just getting started, this event is for you.

John is known for saying,

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Kick start yours and Enter the Tank with us. Call 406-245-4111 or BillingsChamber.com for tickets and information.

Excerpts are from “The Brand Within,” the second title in “The Shark,” Daymond John’s best-selling Display of Power Series. Used with permission from Daymond John.

Presenting Sponsor

BillingsChamber.com

DAYMOND JOHN from ABC’S SHARK TANK with

April 2nd

| Rimrock Auto Arena

7 - 9 a.m. | Doors open 6 a.m. $25 - members; $35 - non-members (includes breakfast).

Purchase by calling 245-4111 or at Tea City in Rimrock Mall.

March 2015

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Nichole Brown

BLANKET COVERAGE

BY TOM HOWARD

N ICHOLE B ROWN STARTED RIDING HORSES WELL BEFORE SHE WENT OFF TO KINDERGARTEN , AND SHE COMPLETED THE EQUINE PROGRAM AT N ORTHWEST C OLLEGE IN P OWELL , W YO . N OT SURPRISINGLY , HER INTEREST IN HORSES LED TO A HOME - BASED BUSINESS IN THE EQUESTRIAN FIELD .

A little more than a year ago, Brown purchased High Plains Horse Blanket Repair from Alissa Berry. Using a heavy-duty sewing machine, she repairs horse blankets, saddle pads and similar objects.

The mother of two also does medical coding, but she says the horse blanket business —www.highplainsmt.com — fits her lifestyle because she can work when her schedule allows.

Brown sat down recently to discuss her involvement in an industry with a devoted following.

How has the business gone so far?

For the first year there was an adjustment. I was just trying to figure out the whole business and how to do the job.

Is your business seasonal?

The spring and summer are usually the busiest time of the year.

Last year I started in March and went nonstop until September. I have clients all over the state: as far west as Philipsburg, as far north as Great Falls, the Shepherd and Huntley area and every place in between.

Who are your customers?

Some are ranch families, some raise horses and show their horses. A lot of my clients from the Billings area compete with their horses, whether it’s western, cutting, reining or dressage.

How do you manage to pick up and deliver with clients spread over such a large area?

I try to have 15 or 20 blankets ready when I make a trip to the Bozeman area. My sister and mom live in Helena, and my grandmother lives in Lewistown, and they help me out.

How do you promote your business?

I do a lot by word of mouth, but I have a website and I’m on Facebook. I also advertise in the Montana Equine Directory and with the Montana Quarter Horse Association.

Why do horses need blankets if they’re used to living outside most of the time?

Most people who show their horses don’t want them to have super thick coats, so they keep them blanketed to keep their hair down.

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Do you still ride?

I don’t do it too much anymore. When I was in college I was on the quarter horse judging team. I like to do reining and pleasure riding, and my daughter is into barrel racing.

Do you have a sense of how the equine industry is doing?

It’s surprising how many people make their living off the horse business. There are the people who raise horses, veterinarians, trainers and people who sell horse-related things. There are upwards of 10 barns in the Billings area that offer riding lessons and training.

In addition to repairing horse blankets, Nichole Brown also sells them.

Photo by CASEY PAGE

BILLINGSbusiness

STRATEGIES for success

M illennials bring different , valuable skills to the table

Being new, he asked a lot of questions, the most prominent one being, “Why?” Every question began with: “Why are we doing that?

Why this? Why that?”

Joe Michels Joe Michels, PhD, P.E., C.P.I., is principal of Solomon Bruce Consulting LLC. Contact him at 406-672-6387 or at www. solomonbruce.com.

Billingsbusiness

A leader in the aerospace industry recently told me that she has a problem that she did not envision. Her team is composed of multigenerational workers — a few members of the “silent generation,” who were born between the 20s and the 40s; some baby boomers; and now, for the first time, millennials. Millennials are often defined as those who are between 22 and 35 years old. She hired a new millennial worker to join her team.

This leader said that the new worker, an engineering graduate from a well-known regional university, came to the job with a strong degree of enthusiasm, vigor and interest. Being new, he asked a lot of questions, the most prominent one being, “Why?” Every question began with: “Why are we doing that? Why this? Why that?” His new leader told him to go find out, and find out he did.

He worked 10- to 12-hour days on the factory floor.

He talked to the touch labor workers, i.e. the mechanics who were actually building the airplanes. He kept notes about everything he heard, saw, observed and learned. When he came back to the office, he was full of new ideas, changes and innovative ideas on how to improve the overall operation.

Well, as you can guess, the many mature employees were not interested in change

— they were interested in retirement, be it today, tomorrow or a year from now. These cubicle rats were not used to going out onto the shop floor to see how the actual operation functioned, but comfortable to work from their cubicles, using the data provided in the many reports they received.

Management quickly saw that this section had been on “retired status” for some time and started making changes.

The end result: Many of the incumbent workers elected to retire. Some took a transfer to another section, and the leader now has several spots to fill. She is excited.

She is now able to bring in some fresh, new blood with new ideas that are likely to improve her overall operation.

If you have new millennial workers, make sure that they are constantly engaged in all facets of the workplace.

They want to be. They want

mentorship, and you are the one to provide that leadership. Millennial-age workers want to know the goal — what and why is it that we are doing what we are doing? That is actually a great question to ask.

Amazingly, many senior leaders — perhaps you — don’t really know and understand why you are doing what you do. However, you continue to do it. Our experience with many clients is that

once the “why” question is asked, it allows you to explore a host of issues that perhaps were not previously explored.

Millennial-age workers are the most prevalent generation in the work force today.

There is no turning back to the old days. Embrace change, embrace new ideas that question the status quo. You will be amazed at the results you will achieve when you let millennials help guide the organization.

March 2015

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MONTANA ENERGY REVIEW

Lower energy prices welcomed by truckers, delivery companies

By TOM HOWARD L ower prices for gasoline and diesel fuel are like a breath of fresh air to C ody W alter and other business owners who rely on fuel prices .

Cody Walter benefits from lower fuel prices as he makes deliveries for businesses in Billings.

Oil pump jacks work behind new construction near Watford City, N.D. Most newcomers to the Bakken — which spans western North Dakota, eastern Montana and part of Canada — move here in search of a new job or, in some cases, a new life. But more people also means more crime, overcrowded jails and overwhelmed police departments.

Associated Press

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Gasoline prices spiked to around $3.80 per gallon just a few months after Walter started his business, Delivery 2 U, four Photo by LARRY MAYER years ago.

The price spike proved to be only temporary, but it also put a damper on a business that was just getting started.

It’s no secret that making a profit in a delivery business is always more of a challenge whenever fuel prices soar. These days, Walter is feeling a little less of a sting whenever he goes to fill up the black Chevrolet pickup that he uses for deliveries.

“Instead of filling up the truck for $70 or $80, it costs $30 or $40,” he said.

After oil prices fell from around $100 per barrel to the $50 range in the second half of 2014, prices for gasoline and diesel followed suit.

When he started Delivery 2 U, Walter started out delivering meals, groceries and beverages from retailers to consumers.

Over time, he moved away from that business model and began concentrating on business-oriented deliveries, a niche that has

proven more reliable and more profitable.

For example, one of his regular routes is delivering large stacks of mail to the Billings office of Anderson ZurMuehlen and Co., an accounting firm.

Walter also delivers parcels for DHL, the international shipping firm that specializes in shipping parcels overseas.

Economists characterize the steep drop in oil prices as a good news, bad news story, depending on how you make your living.

Eventually the overall economy could benefit because it puts more money in the hands of consumers. However, the price drop has already led to layoffs in oil producing regions.

In the Bakken oil patch, major producers have announced plans to idle rigs and curb spending. In late January, Hess Corp., one of the Bakken’s biggest producers, announced that it planned to spend $1.8 billion in the Bakken this year, down from $2.2 billion in 2014. Earlier in January, Continental Resources announced it would reduce the number of Bakken rigs it operates from 19 Billingsbusiness

to 11. Previously, Halliburton announced that it is cutting 1,000 jobs. Schlumberger said it plans to cut 9,000.

Yet, late in January, construction continued at a brisk pace in Williston, N.D., and in nearby towns located in the center of Bakken activity.

Tim Critelli, owner of Critelli Couriers, said his fleet of delivery trucks uses about 12,000 gallons of fuel per week, so lower prices help improve profitability.

“We have seen considerable savings every day,” Critelli said.

So far the only drawback is that prices for motor oil and other petroleum products haven’t fallen as much as gasoline prices, he said.

Critelli Couriers serves the oil industry in addition to a wide variety of customers. It’s not uncommon for one of its trucks to deliver spare parts or equipment directly to oil rigs out in the field. So far there hasn’t been a huge drop in oil-related delivery

Billingsbusiness

business, Critelli said.

During the recent economic outlook seminar hosted by the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research, economists predicted that revenues from the prolific Bakken oil field could slow this year as exploration companies cut back.

But some industry officials expect the slowdown to be only temporary, and some industry observers believe that oil prices may have bottomed out and could head higher by the end of the year. Bill Whitsitt, a retired official from Devon Energy Corp., characterized the situation as a slowdown, not a bust, during the BBER seminar in Billings.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration is predicting that oil prices won’t increase by much through the end of 2015 because of robust growth in the supply of crude oil and weak demand.

The monthly average for West Texas Intermediate Crude fell from $59 per barrel last December to $47 per barrel in January, its lowest prices since February of 2009. EIA predicts that oil will average $55 per barrel through the end of 2015, with prices climbing to $71 per barrel in 2016.

However, the EIA warned that oil prices could remain highly volatile this year, and “several factors could cause oil prices to deviate significantly from current projections.”

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Photo by LARRY MAYER PPL’s Corette coal fired power plant in Billings.

Corette power plant preparing for shutdown

By BILLINGS BUSINESS PPL Montana will close its J.E. Corette coal-fired power plant in Billings for good sometime in August.

Prior to the February announcement, the company said it had planned to mothball Corette on April 15 because the 47-year-old plant doesn’t meet new Billingsbusiness

mercury pollution standards that begin in mid-April.

“The company re-evaluated a 2012 decision to mothball the plant and retain the option to restart it if wholesale power market conditions in the Northwest changed,” PPL said in its announcement. “The estimated cost of upgrades that would be required to put the plant back in service has increased significantly since 2012, and wholesale

power prices in the Northwest remain low.”

PPL still plans to stop producing power at the plant April 15, said David Hoffman, PPL Montana spokesman.

The company will begin decommissioning Corette in August.

Federal Mercury and Air Toxics Standards require power plants to eliminate most of their mercury pollution.

The rules have been in the works since

2011 but don’t kick in until mid-April.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that industry cost of meeting the new mercury pollution standards would be $9.6 billion.

Corette employs 30 people. After announcing its plan in 2012 to mothball the plant, PPL began working to relocate those workers to other power generating facilities. Many of the Corette employees with 40-plus years at the

facility plan to retire.

Union officials said in January they preferred that demolition not be delayed if Corette was shut down permanently, meaning construction jobs would open up. It appears that teardown and cleanup would start right after the decommissioning and continue for two years.

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First owned by the now-defunct Montana Power Co., Corette managed to remain functional without pollution controls for decades. It opted for lowersulfur coal in 1997 when confronted by clean air standards.

In the 1980s, Montana Power lobbied for exemption from state law when confronted with Montana clean air standards.

Both Montana Power and PPL have argued that adding pollution controls never penciled out with Corette’s profits.

Montana Power said adding air scrubbers to Corette in the 1980s would have cost $20 million to $50 million. PPL put the cost of adding mercury-trapping technology at $38 million.

The decision to shutter the 153 megawatt Corette plant has no bearing on PPL’s operations in Colstrip, the company said.

Corette was built in 1968 for $17 million, according to news archives.

Political winds swirled around PPL Montana’s decision.

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines pinned Corette’s closure on President Barack Obama and he called the new mercury pollution standards misguided.

“Once again, good-paying American jobs are falling ruin to the Obama administration’s war on American energy. The closing of the Corette power plant isn’t just a blow to Montana’s economy — it’s devastating news to the Montana families who rely on the plant for a stable income,” Daines said in a press release.

Plant employees told The Gazette in January that Corette was producing about a 130 megawatts of power these days, enough to electrify 90,000 to 130,000 homes. The power plant burns coal from Eagle Butte Mine near Gillette, Wyo., according to employees.

Corette going offline in April, won’t affect NorthWestern Energy, which serves 342,000 Montana customers. Coal power once provided 48 percent of the energy in NorthWestern’s portfolio, said spokesman Butch Larcombe, but the company purchased dams from PPL and also boosted the wind power in its portfolio. Coal power now accounts for 26 percent of NorthWestern’s energy supply. The company provides about 750 megawatts a day to customers, which is less than it can produce.

Billings residents concerned about the air they breathe say pollution-capturing technology should have been attached to Corette years ago, which would have kept the plant running beyond April. Corette doesn’t have a pollution scrubber. The plant has been able to remain operational by challenging clean air laws and switching to cleaner burning coal when necessary to stay beneath pollution caps.

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MONTANA ENERGY REVIEW Briefs ND man fined $75,000 for fraud

based on purported multimillion dollar agreements that never materialized,” said SEC BISMARCK, N.D. — A Denver office director Julie Dickinson man has paid Lutz. $75,000 to settle a federal The SEC alleged that fraud case.

Kostelecky was among those The U.S. Securities and responsible.

Exchange Commission has According to a complaint charged Joe Kostelecky for filed in federal court in North his role in financial fraud Dakota, Kostelecky told committed by Alberta-based accounting staff to record Poseidon Concepts Corp., a revenues for contracts without fracking water storage tank supporting documentation. manufacturer.

He was then alleged to have Kostelecky had left Dickin- made false assurances to son in 1979 to join the Navy, he members of Poseidon’s manfound work and spent time at agement in Canada that the various Fortune 500 compaU.S. contracts were valid. nies across the country, he Kostelecky could not be said in 2012. reached for comment.

A year and a half earlier, As a result of the false Kostelecky had joined Posei- information, Poseidon issued don and returned to his home three quarterly financial statetown of Dickinson as the ments with inflated revenues. company’s representative. At When the company later that time, Poseidon was post- announced it would need to ing $7,000 in sales and started restate its financials, its stock trading publicly. price collapsed and the comKostelecky was Poseipany filed for bankruptcy don Concepts Corp.’s only As part of the $75,000 senior executive in the U.S. settlement, Kostelecky is in 2012 and found himself a barred from serving as an multimillionaire. He decided officer or director of a U.S. to use his new found wealth publicly traded company. to support his alma mater, Without admitting or denydonating $30,000 to refurbish ing the SEC’s allegations, he the weight room at the high consented to a final judgment. school.

A similar proceeding was Also in 2012, Poseidon filed by the Alberta Securities fraudulently reported about Commission against Posei$100 million in revenues for don’s senior management, nonexistent or uncollectincluding Kostelecky. able contracts, according to the SEC. The overstatement accounted for 64 to 72 percent Walrus habitat of total revenues reported over plan slammed the first three fiscal quarters ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A plateau on the Arctic Ocean of 2012. floor, where thousands of Pa“Kostelecky’s company sought to capitalize on the U.S. cific walrus gather to feed and raise pups, has received new shale oil and gas boom in the protections from the Obama Bakken formation and elseadministration that recognize where by inflating revenues

Billingsbusiness

it as a biological hot spot and mark it off-limits to future oil drilling.

But the announcement from Interior Secretary Sally Jewell triggered an uproar from Alaska leaders, angry that the federal government was making a decision that they said would harm the state’s economy.

“This administration has effectively declared war on Alaska,” U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said.

Hanna Shoal rises from the shallow Chukchi Sea and teems with plankton, clams and marine worms that attract walrus and bearded seals. The remote area lies 80 miles off the state’s northwest coast, beyond even sparsely populated subsistence whale hunting towns such as Barrow, the northernmost community in the U.S. Federal estimates, however, show that the Chukchi and Beaufort seas could hold 26 billion barrels of recoverable oil, and many Alaska leaders are eager to begin drilling in the area to create jobs and fund state government projects and services.

About 90 percent of Alaska state revenue comes from oil taxes or fees, and with the price drop of nearly $60 per barrel since April, the state faces a $3.5 billion budget deficit next year. Leaders in Alaska want to find new drilling opportunities as a way to offset those losses.

Jewell’s move late last month, adding Hanna Shoal to four other Arctic Ocean areas that won’t be offered for future oil lease sales, came just two days after President Barack Obama declared he would seek wilderness protection for the

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, including its coastal plain, which holds an estimated 10 billion barrels of oil.

The back-to-back announcements hit a familiar nerve for Murkowski and others, who say the federal government frequently makes decisions that are bad for the state’s economy. The Obama administration wants to preserve Alaska like a “nice little snow globe,” Murkowski said.

The announcements change very little for current oil exploration. The newly removed section covers about 2,500 square miles. Meanwhile, more than 184,000 square miles of Arctic Ocean territory remain available for future oil leases and exploration.

Also, Alaska officials have failed to get drill rigs onto the ANWR coastal plain for three decades, under presidents from both parties. The president cannot designate wilderness areas in the refuge, and cannot open it to drilling; only Congress has that authority.

Environmental groups bitterly oppose Arctic Ocean drilling and contend oil companies cannot clean potential spills. They applauded the removal from future sales of Hanna Shoal, where the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has spent about $10 million on studies in the last three years.

Researchers say the shoal, a 30- by 100-mile area, rises from the shallow continental shelf like the top half of a football. Its physical properties interrupt ocean currents to creating eddies where plankton, algae and other organic materials swirl and fall, nourishing bottom feeders

est oil prices in nearly six years couldn’t have come at a worse time for Mexico, which last year opened oil-sector investment to private companies for the first time in decades.

The landmark energy reform aimed to boost revenue by enabling Mexico to tap undeveloped fields and adopt newer technology to reverse a decade-long slide in production.

Instead, the drop in oil prices has forced Mexico’s government to slash $8.4 billion from its 2015 budget, with most of the cutbacks expected to come in the energy sector.

Analysts predict the energy partnerships made possible by the reform will attract initial bids lower than anticipated, some exploration projects will be delayed, and state oil company Pemex will see a cash crunch and slow job growth.

“If we continue for the next year in the scenario that we’re currently in today, it will have an impact because Pemex, i.e.

Mexico, will not be getting the same revenues that it’s getting out of their current production,” said Jorge Pinon, an oil and energy analyst at the University of Texas. “That’s simple arithmetic.”

It all adds up to another political headache for President Enrique Pena Nieto and his Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, as it heads into June’s midterm elections.

The oil downturn comes as Mexicans protest the September disappearance of 43 college students, allegedly murdered by a drug gang in league with local police, and critics deride Pena Nieto, his wife and his Mexico reels finance minister for buying as oil price falls luxurious properties from MEXICO CITY — The low- government contractors.

that are in turn eaten by walrus and seals.

“The physics are driving the biology,” said Ken Dunton, chief scientist for the Hanna Shoal Ecosystem Study.

The shoal rises about halfway up the water column, said Thomas Weingartner, professor of physical oceanography at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and seawater freezes over the plateau each winter, expelling salt. The salt sinks and mixes with water lower in the column, creating very cold, dense, salty water. Scientists call it “winter water.”

In summer, warmer water flowing north through the Bering Strait hits the dense winter water and swirls around it. The cold, dense, salty water not only creates giant eddies to trap plankton, it can retain ice floes longer than other parts of the Chukchi, giving walrus a platform from which to dive and raise young.

“The winter water stays in that area for a good deal of the year, if not the entire year,” Weingartner said. “It’s only slowly replaced.”

Walrus are drawn to the shoal even when ice melts above it, researcher Chad Jay of the U.S. Geological Survey said. Some make a 300-mile round trip to feed in the area.

“They felt that area was important enough to make that trip,” Jay said.

The shoal is incredibly rich biologically and important habitat, Jewell said. “Like Bristol Bay,” she said, “there are some places too special to drill.”

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LEGAL briefing

P roper personnel policies can help avoid wrongful termination suits The last thing employers should want, if an employee is terminated, is to be required to rehire that employee.

Eric Nord Eric Nord works for the Crist, Krogh & Nord Law Firm in Billings, specializing his practice in the area of business law and litigation with a special emphasis on commercial transactions, employment law, real estate, construction law, and corporate relations.

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Montana has a one-ofa-kind Wrongful Discharge from Employment Act that prohibits the wrongful termination of an employee outside his or her probationary period (generally 180 days from date of employment).

To terminate an employee outside the probationary period, an employer needs “good cause,” which is generally defined as “reasonable job-related grounds for dismissal based on a failure to satisfactorily perform job duties, disruption of the employer’s operation or other legitimate business reason.” In a recent Ninth Circuit decision (that was argued in Billings), the Court determined that an employee who is permanently terminated (as opposed to an employee who is seasonally laid off) has no right to sue her former employer when it refuses to rehire her.

In the case of Asper v.

Costco, the employee had been terminated by Costco.

She filed an action against Costco for wrongful discharge, which was arbitrated. After the arbitration matter was concluded, the former employee re-applied to Costco for new employment. When Costco would not rehire her, she filed a second legal action against Costco for wrongful discharge. She claimed that Costco’s failure to rehire her was a second incident of

wrongful discharge for which she could seek a separate recovery.

At issue in the case was the statutory definition of “discharge” which was defined by the Montana Legislature to include “any other termination of employment, including resignation, elimination of the job, layoff for lack of work, failure to recall or rehire, and any other cutback in the number of employees for a legitimate business reason.” The employee argued that Costco’s failure to rehire her was clearly a “discharge” within the meaning of the statute.

The Montana Federal District Court and then the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals both agreed with Costco that the statute does not create an independent right in favor of the employee to be rehired. Instead, the right to be rehired must come from another source.

For example, such a right to be rehired may be created if an employee handbook says, “the company will rehire terminated employees before considering other applicants for an open job position.”

The right may also arise as a result of a contractual provision in an employment agreement. If such a right to rehire is created by an employee handbook or another document, then an employer As a result of this decimay be liable for wrongful sion, employers should discharge if the employee is review their policies and not rehired. handbooks to see whether

they are inadvertently creating rights in favor of their employees that they did not intend to create. The

last thing employers should want, if an employee is terminated, is to be required to rehire that employee.

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By Brenda Maas • Photos By James Woodcock

What was literally a pile of rubble a short time ago has metamorphosed into one of Billings’ most contemporary and notable new business locales.

First Montana Title recently moved in as the first business owner-tenant in the newly-completed Empire Parking Garage building in downtown Billings.

Located at 2737 Montana Ave., it lies in the heart of the city’s business and financial district.

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special advertising section Most people know First Montana Title as the place where they sign closing documents when purchasing a home. Behind the scenes, however, a plethora of legal documents are collected, verified, recorded, filed and stored. Employees complete title searches to ensure that a property is “free and clear” of liens or other restrictions for the transaction—a vital piece of the entire purchasing and closing process.

First Montana Title has been serving area customers since 1954. In 2005, Kelly and Quinn Donovan purchased the business and operated in rented space at 204 N. 29th St. until January, 2015.

“We wanted to own our space and to update,” Oppositepage:Locatedat2737 said Quinn Donovan of MontanaAve.,theentranceofnew FirstMontanaTitlefitsseamlessly the decision to purchase intotheexteriordécoroftherecentlythe raw, street-level space openedEmpireParkingGarage. from the City of Billings.

Right:Co-ownerQuinn Donovan The new location wantedawaterfeatureinthenew encompasses four private space,andbuilderBobPentecost delivered byencasingamassive offices, open-cubicle office concretesupportcolumninstainless space, a large classroom, steelandinstallingabasinandpump. conference room, kitchen/ Thesimplicityofthefeaturefitsthe restofthedesignperfectly. break room, reception area and archive spread over 7,300 square feet.

Congratulations First Montana Title

Mike & Sherril Burke Billingsbusiness

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Kelly Donovan, FMT; Quinn Donovan, FMT and Jeremy Morgret, Stockman Bank

Congratulations!

FIRST MONTANA TITLE On the Opening of Your New Facility

Partnering with Billings businesses like First Montana Title is what we are all about!

King Ave 655-2700 Š 2015 Stockman Bank

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| Member FDIC

Hilltop & Main 896-4800

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special advertising section Although the former office was 6,500 square feet, it included additional storage in the basement, so the new location is actually a bit smaller. The improved flow of the new space, however, makes for a more efficient work environment. It also includes easy access to the well-lit, spacious title plant (the archive area)—the real heart of a title company.

“We used the move as a chance to purge old files,” noted Quinn Donovan, “but having the title plant on-site is faster than going to the courthouse.”

Downtown sheen

The Donovans selected Mike Burke of HGFA Architects to design the space and Bob Pentecost Construction as the builder.

“We wanted that big city, downtown feel,” said Donovan, “to carry that modern industrial look from the exterior of the building to the inside.”

Burke accomplished the goal with the black, white and grey interior, large open spaces, exposed ductwork and contemporary finishes. Pentecost, who has been building homes in the Billings area since 1981, brought his signature “outside- thebox” style to the commercial site, too.

Although Quinn Donovan had requested a water feature somewhere in the office, it was a team effort and open thinking that brought the concept to reality.

Pentecost introduced the concept of wrapping a major support pillar with stainless steel for a vertical flow.

“We had no real idea, no formal design,” he said, “but we threw the idea out there, went up to Shepherd Stainless for an hour and there it is. I’ve never done something so simple that looks so complex, yet turned out so well.”

Because, on average, homeowners purchase and close on a property just once every 10 years, both Donovans were certain they wanted a unique office space, something that people would remember. Features like the immense waterfall insure that is true.

Massive amounts of natural light flood the offices of First Montana Title and reflects off the stained, epoxy-coated concrete floor, which the Donovans selected for durability and low maintenance along with its aesthetics. A “cloud” for sound-softening panels and lighting hangs over work areas instead of traditional ceilings, allowing for the open-space, industrial feel while still filling utilitarian purposes.

A wave of welcome

The unique space was also constructed with customers in mind. As clients enter, they are immediately greeted in the vestibule by a gigantic “First Montana Title” logo painted directly into the stained, epoxy-coated cement floor. It almost looks like a large business-card-turned-floor-mat enhanced by a Montana-sized “wow” factor.

Inside the second door, visitors will notice the immense art wall—a floor-toceiling white wall built of fiberglass panels that have been set with a horizontal wave.

With a bit of retro, reminiscent tone, the texture and dimension of the waves create a subtle tranquility.

“One guy spent over a week caulking, sanding and painting the seams; he did an amazing job,” noted Pentecost. “It turned out better than we ever expected, and it is certainly a focal point.”

At the opposite end of the business, sliding wood barn doors open to reveal a large classroom, which seats up to 42, complete with a smartboard and touch screen.

The room is often used for continuing education for realtors and is open to other downtown organizations for business meetings.

“My dad (Kelly) was a farmer and rancher for 35 years,” noted Quinn Donovan, “so these barn doors seemed to fit.”

Bright ideas

With floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides, the space is filled with natural light, which reflects from the light grey polished cement floors. Rather than drop ceilings, Burke designed a “cloud” that floats over work zones and houses acoustic-softening panels along with clear LED lighting. Bare bulbs, set in a zigzag pattern, add another layer of visual interest.

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special advertising section

History buff

In addition to being a sports fanatic, Quinn Donovan is a self-proclaimed history buff.

The corridor that leads off the reception area to the conference room and closing offices provides the perfect backdrop for historical black-and-white canvas prints of Billings.

Visitors will see President Theodore Roosevelt’s speech at The Depot, the original Northern Hotel and other street-scapes that depict how Billings has evolved over the past century.

One of his personal favorites shows streetcars from the early 1900s. Considering that many property titles date back at least that far, the historical art sets the perfect tone.

The classroom, title plant and the Donovan’s office all reflect his other love—sports.

NFL-topped office chairs are sprinkled throughout the business. Commemorative footballs rest on top of shelves. With everything from his Little League photo to prints of Babe Ruth on the walls, the office décor oozes the message to “sit back, relax, let’s talk,” yet the professional polish assures that First Title Montana will do the job and do it well.

Right: Father and son, Kelly and Quinn Donovan, purchased First Montana Title in 2005. They used personal sports paraphernalia to decorate the business’ 42-seat, state-ofthe-art classroom.

Mike Burke of HGFA Architects intentionally placed the suspended lights in a zigzag pattern.

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Top: The corridor and conference room walls are lined with historical photos from the Western Heritage Center that depict downtown Billings from the early- to mid-1900s, including photos of long-gone streetcars.Left: The massive “art wall” just inside the entrance immediately sets the tone for warm professionalism. A small beverage kiosk is strategically placed behind the grey half-wall. Above center: Kelly Donovan walks through the “title plant,” which houses property titles, plat maps and other historical documents related to property title work and legal descriptions. Yellowstone County records have been digital since 1991.

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First Montana Title!

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SALES moves

Y ou are the key to having a great year in sales

In order to be able to have a great year, the first person you have to come to know, on as deep a level as possible, is you.

Jeffrey Gitomer 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

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I’m challenging you not to have your best year ever. Rather, have a great year. A great family year. A great achievement year.

A great money year. A great health year.

The secret of “great” is not to start with “it.” The secret of “great” is to start with “you.”

“It” is, I’m gonna buy a new house this year, and “you” is I’m gonna study the science of asking questions. “It” is, I’m gonna get something material, and “you” is I’m gonna improve myself. To have great, first you must be great, and do great.

Start here: Define yourself. In order to be able to have a great year, the first person you have to come to know, on as deep a level as possible, is you. Personally, I define myself as a father, a grandfather, a friend, a writer, a speaker, an idea person, a happy person, a thinker, a traveler with endless wanderlust and a lover of fun and fine things. Contrary to what you might think, I’m not a “people person.” I’m a oneon-one person. I get loyalty by giving loyalty. And I seek new knowledge every day.

Have you ever defined yourself? Have you ever thought about who you are? Much less — have you ever written it down?

And so your first challenge is to book a daily hour with yourself. Find a comfortable chair, open your laptop or tablet to Microsoft Word, and define who you think you are. Or better, who do you think you are at the moment, and make all decisions based on the person you want to become. Once you define yourself, you’ll ascertain both where you are and where you want to grow.

I’ll share one other personal insight. I also define myself as the “king of sales.” It’s a personal feeling. And a sense of selfconfidence that I carry with me wherever I go. When you define yourself, make certain that you include everything that you are great at. In order to have a great year, you must think of yourself as great. Even if it’s the “greatest salesperson in the company,” or “great dad.” Whatever it is, to be great — or to have great — you have to think great.

In order to have a great year, you have to do great things and take great actions.

Here’s your list: 1. Define yourself. Read and implement the paragraphs above.

2. Develop a sales mission statement. Something that drives you into the sales call, and have an order in hand when you leave.

3. Have a deep belief in the three critical areas of selling — company, product and self.

4. Develop greater pride in accomplishment. No bragging, just humble self-pride.

5. You are what you eat. Stop the fat before it enters.

6. Get rid of one time-waster. I recommend TV, but you make your own decisions.

7. Read a self-help or business book every two months.

Six a year.

8. Get your (sales) pipeline full. Double your pipeline and you’ll double your sales.

9. Get your monthly sales quota met by the second week of the month. It’s easy to do, just turn off the TV. 10. Start branding yourself.

Become known as a person of value. Build personal reputation.

11. Get up earlier. Start your day with you, not the news.

12. Begin capturing your thoughts and ideas in writing.

Every day, immediately as they occur.

13. Give one speech. Join Toastmasters and participate.

14. Write one article your customers will read. Something that helps them and brands you.

15. Make sales at breakfast.

Have coffee with a customer or a prospect at 7 a.m. every day.

16. Keep your present customers loyal to you and your company.

17. Double your testimonials. Testimonials can make sales when salespeople (you included) cannot.

18. Double your referrals.

Most people ask for referrals.

Big mistake. The best way to get

a referral is to earn one. The best way to get a referral is to give a referral.

19. Record your sales presentation. If you want to hear the funniest thing you’ve ever heard in your life, record yourself making a sales presentation.

20. Start every morning with attitude. Wake up tomorrow morning and grab an attitude book off your bookshelf, or open your iPad, and read a few pages.

21. Get great at social. Build a great social following, social presence, social brand and social reputation.

21.5 You’re not alone. Create a mastermind. All salespeople are in the same boat. The Good Ship Lollypop. Unlimited income potential, while sailing in rough (often uncharted) waters.

The good news is, you’re not alone. Create a mastermind of noncompeting salespeople and leaders to talk about problems, success and opportunities in common. Don’t live or die by the numbers. Have a support team to give you a positive idea transfusion once a month.

Having a great year is not a matter of doing one thing right — or even making one thing better — it’s a matter or making everything better, so that you can get to great.

Now you have all of the 21.5 elements. Print them out and post them so that you continually remind yourself of all the elements that it takes to have a great year. Having a great year requires both full dedication and constant reminder.

I hope you have a great year.

Billingsbusiness

Business Briefs Local Commerce at a Glance

Tax fraud on the rise

HELENA — The Montana Department of Revenue reports that more hackers are attempting to file fraudulent tax returns because of identity theft.

Although it appears that many of the fraudulent returns are filed using tax selfpreparation software provider TurboTax, the department is seeing other commercial software being used as well.

The department’s online tax system remains secure and has not been compromised.

Since this year’s tax season opened on Jan. 20, the department has blocked 57 fraudulent returns totaling $64,000. By the end of January last year, the department had stopped 17 fraudulent returns.

The department is reaching out to some people to alert those who may have been victims of a fraudulent filing or identity theft.

“We’re using internal sources and tools to identify fraudulent returns. If we suspect that there is a problem with an individual’s return, we are taking the necessary steps to verify that the return is valid,” said Revenue Deputy Director Gene Walborn.

The department emphasizes that filing your taxes electronically is not the prob-

Billingsbusiness

lem. The problem is identity theft that could have occurred when personal information — like Social Security numbers, birth dates, usernames, and passwords — was stolen in one of the recent well-publicized security breaches.

“E-filing is still a recommended, secure, and fast way of filing your taxes,” said department Director Mike Kadas. “Taxpayers need to be vigilant about protecting their personal information in other online systems and frequently changing account passwords and usernames.”

Taxpayers who are concerned about their tax refunds or that their personal tax information may have been compromised should: n Log into the tax software you’ve used in previous years and change your username and password. Do not use usernames or passwords that you’ve used for other accounts or websites. n If you log into your tax software and it says you’ve already filed for 2014, that’s an indication that your identity may have been stolen. If you think there is a problem with your tax software account, contact the software company immediately. n File early. This helps to preempt fraudulent filings.

Reportedly, 20 other states and the IRS have identified similar problems and are

taking comparable precautions to identify and stop fraudulent returns. TurboTax stopped and then resumed processing state tax returns after adding more identity verification steps. TurboTax handles about thirty percent of the self-preparation tax software market, which could make it and other industry leaders like H&R Block targets of fraudsters.

The department would like to remind taxpayers that extra security and review procedures will slow down the speed at which refunds are usually issued. “We’re working extra hours and thoroughly reviewing every return and we thank Montana taxpayers for their patience,” Kadas said.

For more information about guarding against identity theft and what to do if you think you’re a victim, go to the Montana Department of Justice’s identity theft website at dojmt.gov/consumer/forconsumers/identity-theft/ or their Office of Consumer Protection at 800-481-6896 or 406-444-4500.

out of Missoula and Post Falls, Idaho. The company is mailing out past-due invoices directly to businesses asking for payment for services that were requested or agreed to.

The invoices are made to look like they are from Yellow Pages; they are printed on yellow paper with Yellow Pages’ trademarked logo of “walking fingers” in the top, right-hand corner. The payment history shows itemized billing for various services, such as a business listing in the online directory and “customize data page,” totaling $497.95 to be paid by the recipient.

The BBB has sent Yefib. com two notices requesting a response addressing a pattern of complaints alleging customers receive invoices for services that they never asked for nor purchased. The “F” rated company has not responded to either notification. BBB also confirmed that Yefib.com is not licensed to do business in Montana or Idaho.

BBB has received four complaints against Yefib.com from business representatives nationwide. BBB.org also reports multiple ‘Yefib’ listBBB warns ings across the country, many about scam with complaints filed against The Better Business them.

Bureau is warning businesses BBB recommends the folnot to engage with Yefib.com, lowing tips to protect yourself a shady online advertising from this scam: company claiming to be based 1. Question the services. If

your company did not order the services, or have a history of business with that company, do not supply any personal information or submit payments. You are not legally required to pay the invoice.

2. Train your staff. Inform employees to be aware of potential invoice scams. Encourage them to flag suspect invoices for review.

3. Keep up-to-date records. Record an updated list of vendors and services your business is associated with to avoid falling for a scam that looks similar to a legitimate company.

panies, light industrial firms, specialty chemical manufacturers, medical product makers and agricultural firms.

The U.S. said the subsidies violate WTO rules.

Zhu Haiquan, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said: “We hope the trade disputes can be properly dealt with under (the) WTO dispute settlement mechanism.”

Group honors Visit Billings

SportsEvents Media Group, an industry publication that focuses on helping sports event planners develop U.S. criticizes competitions in the United States, has named Visit BillChina subsidies ings as one of its 2015 Readers’ WASHINGTON — The Choice Award winners.

United States is challenging Visit Billings works to China at the World Trade Orbring a variety of events to ganization, alleging that the Billings and celebrates both Chinese government unfairly new and familiar sporting subsidizes exports in seven events as contributors to the industries. award.

The Office of the U.S. In 2014 Billings hosted Trade Representative said the 2014 NCAA Division II Wednesday that China Women’s and Men’s West designates certain export Region Cross Country Chamcompanies as “demonstrapionships, which brought 500 tion bases” that receive free athletes from eight states. or discounted services from Looking ahead in 2015 Visit suppliers. The U.S. said China Billings will help host: Allpaid the suppliers almost Class State Wrestling, GNAC $1 billion over three years to Men’s and Women’s Basketprovide those services. ball Championships, Class C Getting help are textile and Boys State Basketball, Eastern clothing makers, advanced Please see Briefs, 34 materials and metals comMarch 2015

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You can count on us!

• Complimentary Audio Visual and City Brew Coffee Service this Spring • Group rates as low as $99.00* per night Mention the ‘Spring Fling’ special when speaking to a sales representative

Briefs A Divisional Basketball, Big Sky Vollyfest, PBR, the Montana Women’s Run, and many more. Billings is a desirable host destination for many sports including basketball, cross-country, wrestling, soccer and running events, to name a few.

“For three years now, Visit

Billings has actively worked to position Billings as a sports hub,” said Visit Billings executive director Alex Tyson. “In looking at the sports calendar, such events will help build our resume to acquire even bigger sports bookings in the future.”

The sports segment of local tourism is big business for Billings, with economic impact trickling down from hotels to restaurants to retailers to local attractions. “Sporting events not only bring athletes,

WE CARE.

WE LISTEN.

Continued from 33

they bring fans,” Tyson continued. “The draw is bigger, meaning the impact is greater.

It’s simply good business.”

Along with the award from SportsEvents Media Group, Billings will also be featured in the April edition of Sports Travel Magazine as one of the top sports destinations in the Mountain West. The SportsEvents Readers Choice Awards appeared in the January 2015 edition of SportsEvents Magazine.

Please contact us by email bilbm-salesadm@hilton.com or call 406-655-8800. *Offer not valid with existing reservations. Valid through May 15, 2015.

Hilton Garden Inn Billings 2465 Grant Road, Billings, MT 59102 406-655-8800 • 1-877-STAY-HGI www.billings.hgi.com

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It’s knowing you’ll have the tools to get the job done right, and the momentum to move forward into the future.

It’s you and together.

firstinterstate.com 34

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Billingsbusiness

Business Success StoriesBriefs Recognizing People and Local Achievements Commerce at a Glance

Vannatta named in Top 50 list

said Ron Kitchens, managing partner of Consultant Connect. “Each leader named is Jeremy Vannatta, direcabsolutely deserving of this tor of business outreach, recognition for the work they recruitment and marketing for do every day to build their Big Sky Economic Developcommunities. The insights ment, has they share on the podcast are been named invaluable and worth every one of North minute of your time to listen America’s top in.”

50 economic developers Hilton property of 2015 by Vannatta Consultant names managers Connect, a Tina Wiser is the new consulting agency that works general manager of the Hilton to bridge the gap between Garden Inn Billings, and economic developers and site Amanda Anderson has been consultants. appointed assistant general Along with the honor manager. of being recognized as top Wiser most recently served performing economic devel- as accounting and human reopers, these recipients will source manager, with a strong be featured on the podcast, emphasis on team member From the Ground Up: North training and development. She America’s Top 50 Economic joined the hotel during preDevelopers. He is among a opening. Prior to serving with group of industry leaders who the Hilton Garden Inn Billings, will share insights gained from Wiser, a multi-year hospitality their experiences in the field professional, worked within of economic development, the hotel and hospitality inwhat makes their communidustry in all capacities with an ties unique and their perspec- emphasis on operations. tives on the most important Anderson spent several industry and leadership trends years with the Red Lion brand of the future. in Lewiston, Idaho, manag“The list of North ing a 175-room property and America’s Top 50 Economic 14,000 square feet of convenDevelopers was developed tion space. as a way to acknowledge the work of these 50 economic development leaders and elevate Agent earns the conversation around best sales award practices in the industry,” Victoria Hanifan has

Billingsbusiness

earned the prestigious Three Diamond Award for being a top insurance producer.

She is an insurance agent at AAA MountainWest at 3220 Fourth Ave. N. Hanifan may be reached at 406-869-4023.

Eide Bailly hires 7

nity development services firm. Terri Christianson is the project administrative assistant in the firm’s commercial development group, and David Groshens, RLA, has joined the firm as a senior landscape architect. Groshens has over 30 years of experience in landscape architecture and has worked on diverse projects including community and land planning, residential landscapes, commercial site development, streetscapes, trails and parks.

Eide Bailly LLP, regional certified public accounting and business advisory firm, has hired Cattie Shelmerdine, Tiffini Frank, Zane Holdbrook and Lauren Woods as tax interns, D’Dea Pond and Kaitlyn Print firm Moodie as experienced tax ashires manager sociates and Jill Jensen as the Jessica Turnquist has been administrative assistant, all in promoted to chief accountits Billings office. ing officer and director Weekes joins of human Clark & Associates resources at Ken Weekes of Greybull, AlphaGraphWyo., is now a sales associate ics, a Billings for Clark & Associates Land print comTurnquist Brokers LLC and the manager munications of the new branch office in firm. TurnGreybull. Weekes is experiquist earned a bachelor’s of enced in sales and farm and science degree in accounting ranch real estate. He may be from Montana State University reached at the office at 3625 Billings and has been employed Greybull River Road, by phone at AlphaGraphics since 2006. at 307-272-1098 or by email at farmview@tctwest.net.

YAM hires

founder of Red Ants Pants Music Festival, coordinating national and local press and pubic relations as well as media buys for radio, print and web. Last year, Red Ants Pants Festival Healy had record attendance, up from 6,000 people the first year to more than 11,000 this past July. While in college, she worked part-time in the university’s public relations department. She helped staff organize major campus events.

More recently, she planned an event to raise awareness for child care programs through District 7 Human Resource Development Council, the largest nonprofit in the state of Montana dedicated to alleviating poverty. She may be reached at 256-6804, ext. 236.

Bank hires new lender

Ramani Arnett has joined the team at Rocky Mountain Bank at 1410 38th St. W. as Arnett Kat Healy a mortgage Engineering Kat Healy is the new special loan originafirm adds 2 events coordinator at the Yel- tor and brings more than 10 Two have joined Sanderson lowstone Art Museum. For the years of experience with her.

Stewart, a regional engineer- last three summers, Healy has Arnett may be reached at worked with Sarah Calhoun, ing, planning and commu406-651-9809.

an indispensable business resource

CalL 406-657-1298 to subScribE

Billings Business 401 North Broadway Billings, MT 59101

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BETTER business

B usiness valuation scams regaining popularity as economy improves

Some may find that when large monetary sums are involved, their skepticism may get tamped down by a desire for a high profit.

Erin T. Dodge Erin T. Dodge, is an editor for the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho and Montana in Spokane.

Contact the bureau at spokane.bbb.org.

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In the past, your business may have received a fax for various business-to-business services. These days fax machines are a delivery system for unsolicited advertisements that often get chucked straight into the recycle bin.

Now, businesses that want to be taken seriously try to sell their services by reaching out to you with a phone call or email. Scammers do as well.

Many business owners and entrepreneurs are innate skeptics, able to sense legitimate deals from cons. But we all have our weaknesses. Some may find that when large monetary sums are involved, their skepticism may get tamped down by a desire for a high profit.

In our current improving economy, business owners might see some scams that are regaining popularity, such as business valuation fraud. For this type of scam, you may get an email or phone call from someone claiming that they are in contact with investors and other businesses looking to purchase a business like yours.

They offer to meet with you and discuss the possible opportunities for selling.

In the meeting, you may find yourself intrigued by the possibilities — retirement, funds for a new business idea, and other ways such a windfall could be put to good use. The con artist is counting on that when they make the offer to do a business valuation for you.

A business valuation is

important for determining a business owner’s financial interest in a company for selling, determining the value during divorce litigation and other business-related disputes, determining valuation for employee stock option plans, and in many other situations.

So the idea of having the economic value of your business evaluated isn’t a bad one in the least.

The problem is that the con artist is going to ask for upfront payment and hope that the idea of selling your business is enough to distract you from doing your due diligence to check his legitimacy. And then after getting thousands of dollars from you for their

“services,” they disappear.

The Better Business Bureau recommends the following advice whenever you are considering the business services of others: n Check the Business Review of the company at www.bbb.org. If others have filed complaints with the BBB, this is the quickest way to find them. Be aware that a lack of complaints does not mean the business is legitimate. Some scammers may use many business names to avoid detection. n Search online for the company or individual along with the words “complaint” and “scam.” If your search turns up a result, investigate it carefully. Some businesses have

been harassed and plagued by false complaints, usually from unscrupulous competitors. n If the company or individual is in a licensed industry, check the appropriate government agency.

For certified public accounts who might conduct business evaluations, you can check their licensing status with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry at ebiz.mt.gov/ pol. Professional business appraisers who aren’t CPAs may have specialized educations and be licensed by national or regional associations that can be searched online. n Ask for a list of business references. Then interview those references in person to

reduce the risk of encountering a fake reference. n Consult an attorney before entering into a contract.

An expert eye may help you avoid a costly and unprofitable deal. n Only pay for services after you’ve done your due diligence and have a signed agreement clearly outlining the services that will be provided.

When considering a business valuation or other business service, do your own research on the process ahead of time. For example, there are different kinds of valuations that are applicable for different businesses. If you understand these before talking to someone offering their services, then you can ask hard questions and perhaps differentiate a con artist from the real deal.

If your business has been hit by fraud, be sure to file a complaint with the BBB at www.bbb.org and with the Montana Department of Justice at dojmt.gov/consumer/ consumer-complaints/. You can also explore the resources for the Consumer Protection Division, which includes Montana businesses, at dojmt. gov/consumer.

If your business has been the victim of cybercrime, you can file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, at www. ic3.gov.

Billingsbusiness

Montana patents Below are listed U.S. patents issued to Montana inventors Dec. 23, 2014-Jan. 20, 2015. For assistance in patent filing, call Billings patent attorney Antoinette M. Tease at 406-294-9000.

Jayhong A. Chong of Brookline, Mass.; Christopher Fanger of Bolton, Mass.; Glenn R. Larsen of Sudbury, Mass.; William C. Lumma Jr. of Helena; Magdalene M. Moran of Brookline, Mass.; Amy Ripka of Wintrop, Mass.; Dennis John Underwood of Jamaica Plain, Mass.; Manfred Weigele of Cambridge, Mass., Xiaoguang Zhen of Newton, Mass., Anu Mahadevan of Westford, Mass., and Peter Meltzer of Lexington,

Bankruptcies Billings area bankruptcy petitions filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court Jan 1-31, 2015.

Addresses are in Billings unless otherwise noted.

Chapter 7 Sadie Irene Moss, 119 N. 20th St., Jan. 9.

Ernest Vernon Smith, Jonine Kim Smith, 5730 Heron Glenn, Jan. 13 Craig Russel Nelson, 1483 Westchester Sq E., Jan. 15 Ashley Ranai Marz, 2403 Pine St., Jan. 15.

Cassie Diana Granzella, 103 Amanda Lane, Acton, Jan. 22.

Chapter 13 Thomas Bryan Kirby IV, Cindy Martinez Kirby, 29 Canyon Road, Roundup, Jan. 22.

Billingsbusiness

Mass.: Compounds of modulating TRPV3 function. 8,916,550. Dec. 23, 2014. Hydra Biosciences, Inc. of Cambridge, Mass.

Christopher Allen Rager of Townsend: Broadhead having arcuate blades. 8,920,269. Dec. 30, 2014. Flying Arrow Archery, LLC of Belgrade.

Wilmer L. Sibbitt Jr. of Albuquerque, N.M., and Randy R. Sibbitt of Helena: Vascular opening edge eversion methods and apparatuses. 8,920,442. Dec. 30, 2014. Abbott Vascular Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif.

Joel R. Haynes of Bozeman: Chimeric RSV-F polypeptide and lentivirus or alpha-retrovirus Gag-based VLPS. 8,920,812. Dec.

30, 2014. Takeda Baccines Inc. of Bozeman.

Robert C. Ewell Jr. of Ballston Spa, N.Y.; Douglas L. Garmany of Pineland, Texas.; Charles T. Kelly of Houston, Texas; and Charles Philip Wasilewski of Great Falls: Device and method for monitoring a heating appliance. 8,921,743.

Dec. 30, 2014. Stovminder LLC of Houston, Texas.

Paul G. Allen of Mercer Island, Wash.; James A. Billmaier of Woodinville, Wash.; John M. Kellum of Seattle, Wash.; Anthony F. Istvan of Snoqualmie, Wash.; Dewey Reid of San Rafael, Calif.; and Philip Rogan of Bozeman:

Glasgow: Gas conditioning trocars. 8,932,248. Jan. 13. Lexion Medical LLC of St. Paul, Minn.

Wilmer L. Sibbitt Jr. of Albuquerque, N.M.; Robert M. Curtis of Santa Fe, N.M., and Randy R. Sibbitt of Helena: Redundant tissue closure methods and apparatuses. 8,932,324. Jan. 13. Abbott Vascular Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif.

David Scott Swanson of Missoula; Brian Andrew Bertlin of Mercer Island, Wash.; Donald Edward Shipper of Tacoma, Wash.; Eric Munson of Yelm, Wash., and Jerome Lee Mullins of Kingston, Wash.: Apparatus and method for power production, control and/or telematics,

suitable for use with locomotives.

8,935,019. Jan. 13. Sygnet Rail Technologies LLC of Tenino, Wash.

John W. Edwards, Alexander Christopher Edwards and Perry Keith Jones, all of Billings: Apparatus for increasing the visibility of an aircraft winglet.

8,935,987. Jan. 20. Aviation Applications Corporation of Billings.

Adam L. Beintellrger of Pittsburgh, Pa.; Gary N. Wallace Jr. of Butler, Pa.; and Michael J. Wener of Kalispell: Notifying a user of an available media object. 8,937,543. Jan. 20. Penthera Partners Inc. of Pittsburgh, Pa.

11 Custer Ave., Heringer, Michael P. & Pam Alle, Lynnrich Inc., $1,729 345 Quiet Water Ave., Pelton, Gerele D., Lynnrich Inc., $7,799 3139 Turnberry Circle, Parker, Robert D. & Julia E., Lynnrich Inc., $3,824 4141 Clevenger Ave., Wittman, Connie K., Lynnrich Inc., $1,252 4230 Arden Ave., Scheafer, Remodel Single/ Irene K & August, Lynnrich Inc., Duplex/Garage $2,801 1937 Bannack Drive, Sorensen, Martin J. & Elizabeth, — 741 Topaz Ave., Ross, Lynnrich Inc., $5,283 David W. & Debra S., Lynnrich 804 Westgate Drive, Miller Inc., $1,637 1904 Patricia Lane, Lombar- Troy A, & Breann M., Lynnrich Inc., $984 dozzi, Dominic E., $18,000 1299 Wicks Lane, Brend3634 Banff Ave., Tougas, gord, Thomas L. & Pamela J., Ben J., Lynnrich Inc., $1,448

Lynnrich Inc., $1,940 819 Betsy Drive, Jordan, George & Malinda, Lynnrich Inc., $4,952 4150 Murphy Ave., Heiser, Brett, Lynnrich Inc., $2,456 3019 Edmond St., Knutson, Wava L., Lynnrich Inc., $6,975 1724 Deep Powder Drive, Beck, Ronald W. & Sherrie A., Lynnrich Inc., $1,903 1939 Southern Hills Drive, Horn, Mark A. & Cammy M., Lynnrich Inc., $930 2029 Avenue B, Gaglia, Dominic J. & Jacalynn A., Lynnrich Inc., $9,126 2311 Kings Drive, Richardson, Louis, Lynnrich Inc., $1,375 4115 Buchanan Ave., Berns, Mike, Van Arsdale Construction, $8,000

System and method for focused navigation within a user interface.

8,924,854. Dec. 30, 2014. ARRIS Enterprises Inc. of Suwanee, Ga. Benjamin Meager of Bozeman and Andrew Powell of San Juan Capistrano, Calif.: Quick deploy fire shelter. 8,925,252.

Jan. 6. Paha Designs, LLC of Denver.

Peter A. Lucon of Butte: Automatic control of oscillatory penetration apparatus. 8,925,648.

Jan. 6.

Paul J. Taylor of Bozeman: Method and device for performing biopsies on a vesicular object.

8,927,272. Jan. 6.

Douglas E. Ott of Macon, Ga., and Duane Lloyd of

Residential Permits 1527 Ruby Range Way, Wells Built Homes Inc., Wells Built Homes Inc., $177,295 1396 Watson Peak Road, — 2941 Cactus Drive, Twin Oaks Corporation, Twin Reinschmidt Kevin, One Source Oaks Corp., $145,680 Construction LLC, $110,000 1618 Hidden Cove Lane, McCall Development Inc. McCall Development, $140,870 New Garage 1709 Hollyhock St., McCall Development Inc., McCall — 1946 Bitterroot Drive, Development, $247,875 Dwight & Diane Truchot, 6515 Northern Bluffs Way, $39,060 Classic Design Homes , Classic 111 Ardmore Drive, Cox, Design Homes, $218,225 Patrick J. and Emily R., $33,600 4041 Pathfinder Court, Classic Design Homes , Classic Design Homes, $269,355 New Single Family 3126 Reflections Circle, Reflections At Copper Ridge —1402 Watson Peak Road, LI, Bob Pentecost Const., Twin Oaks Corporation, Twin $285,000 6276 Timbercove Drive, Oaks Corp., $152,200

Addition Single/ Duplex/Garage

Double Dutch Const., Double Dutch Construction, $286,470 1742 Hollyhock St., McCall Development Inc., McCall Development, $327,705 1625 Hollyhock St.., McCall Development Inc., McCall Development, $181,515 1690 Morocco Drive, Amity Business Solutions, R J Mac Homes, $204,640

March 2015

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Residential Permits, continued 2505 Silver Blvd., Johnson, Josiah S., Plan/Builder Construction Inc., $18,500 4020 Wildridge Meadows Drive, Classic Design Homes , Classic Design Homes, $23,680 943 N. 32 St ., Jesse Gruel, Cold Comfort Weatherization LLC, $800 2032 Beverly Hill Blvd., Gary Howe, $1,000 1649 Augsburg Drive, Propriedad LLC, Big Sky Exterior

Designs Inc., $50,000 503 Avenue D, Rusty Gackle, $20,000 2730 Torrey Pines Drive, Justin & Martina Fredricks/ Realbird, $8,000 213 S. 28 St., Powers, John Jr., C & F Resources, $15,000 3919 Bushwood Drive, Gomendi, James R. & Diane K., Cody Handyman, $2,000 2028 Miles Ave., McMillan, Chad, A., Les Nouveau Milieux-

Bob Habeck, $200 1041 Avenue C, Christensen, Carol Fae, Ty Nelson Construction, $5,000 6327 Western Bluffs Blvd., Titus, Kevin M. & Danna K., $26,000 1442 Avenue E, Ruzick, Howard Etal, Exterior Design Solutions, $3,500 432 Custer Ave., Rudzick, Howard, Exterior Design Solutions, $10,000

2215 Golden Blvd., Beiers, G. D. & Barbara, District 7 HRDC, $500 346 Terry Ave., Webster, Warren W. & Dianne E., One Source Construction LLC, $598 3481 Windmill Circle, Green, Michael W. & Laurie K., One Source Construction LLC, $665 1739 Bench Blvd., Wilmot, Mark & Heather K., Cody Handyman, $364 1524 10 St. W., Anthony &

Jacqueline Mota, $11,000 5603 Billy Casper Drive, Petriccione, Luke L. & Donna J., One Source Construction LLC, $11,735 1197 Cortez Ave., Biondich, Steven R. & Linda A., $14,500 3015 Silverwood St., Pederson, Scott J. & Paula J., Stevens Renovations Plus, $619 New Two Family 1454 River Edge Road, River Point Edge LLC, Marsich Invest-

ments, $245,200 1452 River Edge Road, River Point Edge LLC, Marsich Investments, $245,200 1455 River Edge Road, River Point Edge LLC, Marsich Investments, $245,200 1457 River Edge Road, River Point Edge LLC, Marsich Investments, $245,200 There were 67 Fence/ Roof/Siding permits issued in January.

High Tech Solutions-Systems Group Inc., 645 Starlight Drive, 200-3773.

Family Dollar Inc. No. 11231, 4188 State Ave. Crazy Mountain Metalworks Inc., 1448 Bench Blvd. 2489880.

Old Chicago & Speakeasy Casino, 920 S. 24th St. W., 307265-3029.

Family 2 Family Sales, 3074 Lake Elmo Drive, 672-0409.

K.E. Creative LLC, 1720 St. Johns Ave., 794-3138.

A Friend, 722 N. Wagner Lane, 534-8616.

JPK TR Billings LLC, 3431 Ember Lane, 652-0111.

Ryan Grim, 3315 Central Ave., 812-0585.

Boles Global Telepsychiatry LLC, 928 Broadwater Ave. Plumb Level Construction, 2224 Highway 87 E., 794-7037.

Sparky’s Electrical Service,

Worden, 839-8423.

Practical Taxes Inc., 1503 13th St. W., 860-7969.

Uintah Refrigeration & Electrical LLC, Farmington, Utah, 801-451-7488.

Jennifer L Webber PLLC, 519 Yellowstone Ave. 5349798.

Fresh Coat Painting, 5032 Poly Drive, 672-2447.

“ALB” Cleaning Services, Shepherd, 696-1378.

Progressive Roofing, Missoula, 258-7250.

American Decks and Remodeling, 7130 Lakeshore Drive, 855-5760.

KB Bookkeeping, 1341 Avenue D, 860-8223.

Principal Construction, 2316 Sixth Ave. N., 672-4062.

VIP Nail and Salon Spa, 805 24th St. W., 656-1414.

Wagenhals Enterprises Inc., 4847 Cedar Ridge Circle,

672-1448.

Maple Falls Landscaping, 2428 Howard Ave., 855-4356.

Awesome Industries LLC, 315 Main St., Suite 200, 5810867.

K & F Construction, 6132 Arthur Ave. 839-4698.

Liberty Vending Inc., 132 Burlington Ave. 647-7046.

Prodgid Inc., Thousand Oaks, Calif., 818-879-0035.

Imagine That Interiors, 2985 Colonial Place, 690-4911.

Ron Gordy Construction, 143 Yellowstone Ave. 3200882.

ABC Advance Auto Care, 1175 S. 25th St. W. The Bean Grinder, 509 24th St. W., 694-8032.

Lady Painter, 2502 Rainbow Lane, 690-6296.

Apollo Retail Specialists LLC, Tampa, Fla., 813-7122589.

Hilger Construction Inc., Tacoma, Wash., 253-584-4766.

Rockin It, 1106 Primrose Drive, 670-8990.

R and A White Tornado LLC, 1112 Princeton Ave., 696-9117.

Beyond Average Joe’s Fitness, 3016 First Ave. N. 670-5798.

Legacy Investment & Property, 1745 Forest Park Drive, 670-0739.

406 Photography, 111 Moore Lane, 861-8290.

Mountain Mudd, 1212 Grand Ave., 321-2090.

Li’s Massage Therapy & Foot Soak, 900 S. 24th St. W., 651-5888.

Montana Mold Services, 1409 Teton Ave. 702-219-1171.

Billings Herbal Center, 2822 Third Ave. N., Suite 208, 6723174.

Dodge Construction, 9026 Kautzman Road, 702-0278.

Coolbeans Coffee LLC, 925 Broadwater Ave., 661-3081.

The Sucklebuckle, 5225 Blue Heron Drive, 696-6495.

Bodine Bunch 5, 1808 Patricia Lane, 670-4104.

Peter Herzog Photography, 2624 Minnesota Ave., 3711085.

Elite Knietic Massage, 710 Grand Ave. 208-704-1906.

Accent Roofing, Laurel, 628-7242.

Montana Mobile Sharpening, 4524 Audubon Way, 890-3906.

Western States Steel Erection Co. LLC, 137 Sugar Ave. 259-9275.

Stumm’s Lawn, 2616 Old Hardin Road, 672-6612.

TKO Roofing & Construction, 5112 Laurel Road, 876-3424.

Business licenses The following business licenses were issued during January, 2015. The information is collected by the city of Billings.

Daisy Dukes Saloon & Dance Hall, 222 N. 28th St., 671-3549.

Queen Nails and Spa, 111 S. 24th St., 969-5215.

A Spa, 2018 Main St., 5343600.

New World Enterprises Inc., 2925 First Ave. N., 672-7839.

King Spa, 1117 Central Ave., 656-0057.

King Photography, 3914 Victory Circle, 461-7397.

Montana Pines Inc., 1213 Howard Ave., 839-6163.

Big Sky Safety, 3427 Glenfinnan Road, 371-3358.

D & J Snow Removal, 7925 Alderson, 839-0771.

Iron Ridge Exteriors Inc., 2643 Country Lane, 860-4777.

38

I March 2015

Billingsbusiness

GO GREEN. GET GREEN.

GET GOING!

Conservation rebates available for high-efficiency natural gas furnaces, boilers and water heaters.

For more information visit www.montana-dakota.com

Billings Commercial Building Permits January 1-31, 2015 Remodel

1601 Grand Ave.

American Exchange Corp.

Langlas & Assoc. Inc.

$350,000

Remodel

4525 Grand Ave .

Cornerstone Community Church

$350,000

Remodel

920 S. 24 St. W.

Johnson Restaurant Group

$130,000

Remodel

2255 Overland Ave.

Lads Riverside LLC

Langlas & Assoc. Inc.

$850,000

Remodel

3302 3 Ave. N.

Sumner Howard A.

Fisher Construction Inc.

$200,000

Remodel

1541 Custer Ave.

Valley Credit Union

Fisher Construction Inc.

$350,000

Remodel

217 N. 27 St.

Yellowstone County

Fisher Construction Inc.

$23,000

Remodel

3395 Gabel Road

Miller Land Co. LLC

Ty Nelson Construction

$10,000

Fence/Roof/Siding

1221 28 St. W.

Grand Park LLC

Lynnrich Inc.

Remodel

2290 King Ave. W.

Property Tax Dept 69

Remodel

2202 32 St. W.

School District No. 2

Cucancic Construction Inc.

$850,000

Larsen G. A. Inc.

$110,000

$5,000 $150,000

Remodel

100 24 St. W.

Central Avenue Mall

Remodel

1911 King Ave. W.

TNC Development LLC

Remodel

1510 24 St. W.

Larson And Carpenter Partnership

Remodel

1537 Avenue D

Grizzly Peak LP

Remodel

120 Lexington Drive

School District 2

Remodel-Change In Use

100 N. 28 St.

Stapleton Property Investment

Fence/Roof/Siding

4077 Grand Ave.

Mulberry Mountain Company LP

Broken Arrow Construction Inc.

$15,600

Fence/Roof/Siding

2311 Central Ave.

Sweetacres No. 2 LLC

Broken Arrow Construction Inc.

$12,550

$700 AHB Construction

$8,000 $10,000

Fisher Construction Inc.

$303,000 $62,500

Fence/Roof/Siding

27 Custer Ave.

Sweet Rental Properties LLC

Fence/Roof/Siding

1225 Wicks Lane

Evi Billings LLC

Aspen Contracting Inc.

$40,000

Fence/Roof/Siding

1645 Avenue D

Shaffner Ranch

Sprague Construction Roofing Division

$30,000

Fence/Roof/Siding

1123 1st Ave. N.

B Who U R LLC

Haran Roofing

$20,282

Fence/Roof/Siding

1815 1st Ave. N.

Sticka Vicki

ABC Seamless Of Billings Inc

$19,844

New Office/Bank

1221 S. 31 St. W.

TGC LP

Treco Constructors Inc.

New Parking Lot/Non-Building Structure

1125 Lake Elmo Drive

Michael S Eastwood Trust

Remodel

1944 Monad Road

Montana Power Co.

Remodel

4188 State Ave.

T & N Properties LC

Remodel

303 N. 28 St.

First Building Corporation

DPS Company LLC

Remodel

3470 Gabel Road

Bottrell Family Investments

Hulteng Inc.

Fence/Roof/Siding

1645 Central Ave.

Root Gary J. & Robyn

C’s Construction Of Billings

$27,772

Fence/Roof/Siding

124 N. 24 St.

Mountrail Properties LLC

Wyomont Exterior Design

$9,600

Fence/Roof/Siding

326 Westchester Square N.

Sokoloski Mark & Lana Kay

Ekle Construction

Billingsbusiness

$4,300

$1,015,970 $391,000

Dick Anderson Construction

$100,000 $11,500 $50,000 $116,000

$10,000

March 2015

I

39

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Lines of Credit

Lot Loans

Billings #1 Construction Lender

King Ave 655-2700

Hilltop & Main 896-4800

Shiloh & Grand 655-3900

Downtown 655-2400

14th & Grand 371-8100

Worden 967-3612

Ranking based on market-share reports gathered by Rocky Mountain Statistics (RMS) Information Services.

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I March 2015

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