November 2016 Business Journal

BUSINESS F O R S O U T H W E S T M O N TA N A

PLANTING ROOTS Clocking in with Patrick Burr, owner of Roots Kitchen and Cannery PAGE 3

JOURNAL

NOVEMBER 22, 2016

HELP WANTED EMPLOYERS STRUGGLE WITH MONTANA WORKFORCE SHORTAGE

BY LEW IS K E NDA LL

ON A RECENT AFTERNOON at the Bozeman Job Service, a nondescript brick building on North Willson Avenue, things were quiet.

Posters and pamphlets decorated several bulletin boards tacked on the room’s walls, advertising apprenticeships and offering interview tips.

Several job seekers occupied the office’s computers, scrolling through the some 850 open positions across Gallatin County. By the time 5 p.m. rolled around, approximately 30 of those positions had been filled, less than half the number posted that same day.

This imbalance between available work and available workers, well chronicled by local job service centers like the one in Bozeman, is no new phenomenon.

“In the last couple years it has been the same story: The jobs are so prevalent right now and there is always a constant need,” said Judy Callisto, supervisor with the Bozeman Job Service. “Employers are trying very hard to do whatever they can to entice workers.”

Curt Dinges, who owns tent manufacturer Montana Canvas

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BUSI N E S S JOU R NA L E DI TOR

RACHEL LEATHE/CHRONICLE

Bozeman Job Service lists approximately 850 jobs available in Gallatin County.

These jobs can be viewed online or in the physical listings book located at Bozeman Job Service on North Willson Avenue.

in Belgrade, is among the dozens of businesses with listings on the service. The company has been looking for entry-level production workers to sew, weld or help with shipping and handling, with little luck. Dinges raised his starting wage (between $11 and $13 an hour), added a sign-on bonus and offers employer health insurance, but recruitment remains a struggle.

“We fight this labor shortage, and it’s progressively gotten worse,” he said. “Most of the time it’s robbing Peter to pay Paul; taking one person from a business to another.”

The lack of workers has significantly hampered Montana Canvas’s manufacturing capacity, Dinges said, estimating that the company could produce 30 percent more with proper staffing.

“The business is out there to go get if we could find more workforce,” he said.

Though particularly prevalent in Gallatin County, where a mere 1,300 residents, or 2.2 percent of the total labor force, are without employment, the shortage of workers is a statewide concern.

Part of the issue has to do with Montana’s demographics. Around 6 percent of the state’s labor force is older than 65, the second highest rate in the country, with more than 120,000 workers set to retire over the next 10 years.

And this departing group will be extremely difficult to replace, according to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, which projects that the state will add fewer than half as many workers as jobs over the next few years. The state’s construction industry is set to grow the fastest of any industry in Montana, at 2.7 percent annually. Health care is also near the top, projected to add 1,100 jobs every year through 2025, a rate of 1.5 percent per year.

MORE WORKFORCE PAGE 4

editor ’s

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Helping businesses

Jim Drummond

Trisha Zowada

Southwestern Montana Regional President

Bozeman Kagy Branch Manager

Paul Pahut

Ryan Ballenger

Bozeman Oak Branch Manager

Belgrade Branch Manager

prosper and grow • Business Checking • Business Loans • Lines of Credit • Cash Management • Online & Mobile Banking

Kris Rochford

SBA Preferred Lender

Manhattan Branch Manager

In light of Bozeman’s newly written Economic Development Plan, which came before the City Commission last week, growth and jobs are once again at the forefront of local conversation.

The plan, which I wrote about in July, is the first since the city drafted a similar document back in 2009, and represents a collaborative attempt, officials say, to nail down specific strategies related to area economic growth.

The 40-odd page draft is fairly all-encompassing, ranging from wage discussions to job creation tactics. But arguably the most salient section is the distinction between traded sector and local sector businesses. Traded sector businesses are often national names such as Oracle that generate revenues outside the area or state, while local sector businesses, such as restaurants and small retailers, circulate their money within the local economy.

According to the consulting group that authored the plan, the Gallatin Valley needs to focus more on investing in traded

BUSINESS F O R S O U T H W E S T M O N TA N A

Kagy & S 19th 556-4100

Oak & N 19th 556-4130

Belgrade 388-5025

Manhattan 284-3100

JOURNAL

EDITOR | LEWIS KENDALL ADVERTISING MANAGER | SYLVIA DR AIN

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stockmanbank.com

sector businesses, bringing in more capital, competition and innovation.

“As the traded sector increases employment and wages, it also enables entrepreneurs to develop skills and resources to foster innovation and start new businesses and increase employment opportunities,” the plan reads.

It’s difficult to say whether this “rising tide lifts all boats” approach would be successful or not, but it does run counter to public sentiment. Many local residents, I would argue, prefer to invest in regional companies and startups and attempt to grow the economy without importing brand name businesses.

At this point, the ethos of the local movement is so ingrained that it’s tough to imagine reversing course and supporting an influx of larger corporations.

That’s not to say that the plan doesn’t advocate for local sector business growth. But it will be interesting to watch if and how the city and local business leaders follow through with this plan, and whether the public will offer its support.

EMAIL: lkendall@dailychronicle.com OTHER WAYS TO CONTAC T US: PO Box 1190, Bozeman MT 59771 Phone 406 587-4491 OUR THREECOUNTY REGION

GALLATIN MADISON

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Business Journal is published monthly by Big Sky Publishing, LLC. Contents copyrighted 2012 by Business Journal unless otherwise noted.

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CLOCKING IN ...

... with Patrick Burr, owner of Roots Kitchen and Cannery

BY LEW IS K E NDA LL

PATRICK BURR CELEBRATED his 32nd birthday last weekend with a trip to a remote U.S. Forest Service cabin nestled in the Crazy Mountains.

The week before, Burr received an early present: His company, Roots Kitchen and Cannery, had been named a finalist for the national Good Food Awards, an annual series of honors given to sustainable and socially conscious food producers across the country.

The nomination was the proverbial icing on the cake for Burr who, three years into his canning adventure, is beginning to reap some rewards.

A Bozeman native, Burr graduated from Montana State University at the height of the Great Recession in 2008 with a physics degree. Unable to find a job in his area of study, he fell back on his passion for food, working as a line cook in several restaurants around the Gallatin Valley.

He liked the work, but envisaged a world where he could be his own boss. Together with a couple buddies, Burr set out to “start something,” and after some brainstorming settled on canned foods.

“We have such a short growing season here in Montana, so it was a way to work with local farmers and benefit them,” Burr said. “I was always pretty confident in the kitchen and just started making up recipes and making up small batches. Some things worked out and some things didn’t.”

The trio “jumped into it,” according to Burr, leasing a warehouse space on Bond Street in Bozeman and converting it into a large-scale kitchen and canning facility, which they currently share with several other businesses. The company’s first foray into canning, a culinary area in which Burr admitted he had little prior experience, resulted in a plum sage jam. From there, the business took off.

The company now boasts around 25 products, Burr said, from flavored syrups and jams to smoked ketchup, huckleberry barbecue sauce and its Good Food Award-

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BUSI N E S S JOU R NA L E DI TOR

RACHEL LEATHE/CHRONICLE

Patrick Burr, owner of Roots, poses with an array of jams, simple syrups and pickled vegetables on Nov. 16 in his industrial kitchen on Bond Street. Burr’s curried carrot pickles (top right) recently qualified as a finalist in the national Good Food Awards, which celebrates “outstanding American food producers and farmers.” nominated curried carrot pickles. Most of the produce is sourced from local farms through the Western Montana Growers Cooperative.

“We started cranking away, hoping that we could make a product that people found interesting,” the owner said. “It was absolutely a steep learning curve. There’s been a lot of things that we’ve had to figure out, a lot of bureaucracy.”

To help with the bureaucracy, which included obtaining a building permit for the kitchen, submitting paperwork with the FDA and complying with inspections from the local health department, Burr and his business partners sought out guidance from a variety of sources, in particular the Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Center in Ronan, Montana.

“Basically, there was not one person that knew everything that I had to know. I had to reach out to all these different people to

build the idea of what we really needed to do to achieve our goal,” Burr said. “There are a lot of resources if you look for them.”

In its early days, Roots self-distributed its canned goods to local shops and hawked them at farmers markets until last year, when Burr connected with Quality Foods Distributing outside of Four Corners. The distributor helped expand the company’s reach, driving cans of apple jalapeño chutney to 30 stores across the state, as well as down into Idaho and Wyoming. Along with online sales, the company also offers a monthly delivery program — its version of a CSA — through the winter.

Despite the recent growth, Burr and his single employee (he adds a few more during the busier summer months) continue to do most of the canning work by hand, peeling and chopping vegetables for as many as 500 jars of pickles per day.

“I love being creative in the kitchen,” Burr

said. “That’s a cool thing about our products: People see (them) and think ‘I could use this in this way,’ or ‘I could use this in this sort of dish.’ So it expands their culinary creativity as well.”

“I also just love working for myself,” he added. “I roll in, make a bunch of jam and roll out.”

Locals might have tasted Roots’ food stuffs without even knowing. The company has partnered with several businesses in town, including Treeline Coffee Roasters, Rockford Coffee and Higher Ground, all of which incorporate Burr’s syrups in their drinks.

“There’s a silly amount of entrepreneurs in Bozeman; it feels like everyone has their own business,” he said. “We’re able to work with Treeline, Wildrye Distilling and 406 Brewing Company and everybody is collaborating with each other.”

Many of these entrepreneurs share a similarly steadfast vision of what they want their business to look like, Burr added.

“A lot of us in this valley are real idealists and we know what kind of product we want to make and what kind of service we want to provide,” he said. “I could just make huckleberry jam and I would probably be doing a lot better, but I’ve been pretty stubborn. I get so many people who ask me why I put curry in my carrot pickles or why I put Earl Grey in my jam, and it’s because this is the kind of product I want to make.”

According to the owner, the next step is growing the company’s out-of-state sales, finding a good distributor and getting a foot in the door with shops in the Northwest. And while this step may prove tricky, Burr is confident that the quality of his goods will speak for itself.

“We have some really unique, exciting products,” he said. “It’s just a matter of getting them out there.”

Kendall can be reached at lkendall@ dailychronicle.com. Kendall is on Twitter at @ lewdak

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WORFORCE ROM PAGE 1 While industries continue to grow, employees are slow to return to the workforce after the recession, creating what economists call a “tight labor market,” one with more jobs than workers, said Patrick Barkey, director of the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

“One of the worst recessions we’ve had in living memory is not that long ago, and during that a lot of people dropped out of the labor force, so you saw a decline in labor force participation rates,” he said. “And in that time, there’s been a pretty healthy increase in labor. You put those two together and you have some pressure on the labor market.”

Workforce and labor participation are difficult metrics to measure, Barkey noted, describing the market as a “flexible animal.”

“The labor market is like a gigantic speed dating exercise,” he said. “With increased job opportunities in one place and one industry, you can’t instantaneously manufacture workers for that, but it is like a magnet that helps correct the problem.

Ultimately, there’s a balancing mechanism.”

A tight labor market typically results in several consequences. The first is wage growth, with competition for employees forcing companies like Montana Canvas to offer higher pay to attract applicants.

“We saw wages growing much, much faster than jobs (in 2015),” Barkey said. “What it probably meant was that all wages were being bid up while employers were bidding for scarcer and scarcer labor.”

The second is increased cost of living, as com-

THE BOTTOM LINE

panies are forced to offset their higher wages by raising product costs. Barkey used the hypothetical example of a hotel in Bozeman that, as a result of having to pay its staff more, would balance its books by increasing the cost of rooms.

This is why, despite an overall increase in wages, many still feel priced out of the valley, said Jackie Haines, economic development director for the HRDC. “That’s raising the cost of living far faster than wages are rising,” she said.

A third and often longer term effect of a tight labor market is a slowdown in economic growth.

Consistently unable to meet their workforce needs, companies tend to reduce those needs over time — usually through a cutback in staffing or expansion plans — resulting in a rebalancing of the supply and demand of an area’s workforce.

This final scenario is already playing out in Bozeman, according to the city’s Economic Development Director Brit Fontenot, who said that several companies, which had been looking to move to the area, balked after assessing the shortage of workers.

“Businesses are making decisions not to come now,” he said. “The way that it will balance out is if we don’t offer that workforce, businesses will contract.”

While the city and organizations such as the HRDC and Job Service can’t control how many workers will retire this year, Fontenot said, they can influence several aspects of the labor market, namely through training, education and infrastructure.

For its part, the Job Service encourages employers to increase the available workforce by recruiting typically untapped demographics, including veterans and American Indians — whose unemploy-

ment rate is more than 14 percent.

“There are definitely a plethora of choices for the job seekers, so it’s important for employers to recruit from pools they hadn’t considered,” said Callisto, pools from senior citizens to previously incarcerated individuals. “Employers are having to think outside the box, no doubt.”

Another potential solution is to help remove barriers from those in search of work, Haines added, thereby giving as many people as possible the opportunity to enter the workforce. Along with secure, affordable housing — which Haines described as a “huge” hurdle for potential workers — the HRDC has identified childcare as a major factor holding back area residents from working full-time. The state Department of Labor has also recommended closing the gender pay gap and offering paid parental leave as a way to draw more people into the employment pool.

“How do we remove those barriers from the workforce and connect businesses to the workforce? My job is to find a meeting point for both sides,” Haines said.

Through a federal program, the nonprofit pays employers to hire young workers, essentially subsidizing their wages in order to offer companies a low-risk form of labor. The program has the added benefit of providing resumé-building experience to a demographic that might not otherwise take a job.

Rather than focus on traditional recruitment efforts, Fontenot and the city are putting their weight behind infrastructure projects like the Bozeman Fiber initiative and the Midtown renewal project, while at the same time encouraging the growth of “high potential” local industries such as photonics and bioscience.

MONTHLY ECONOMIC INDICATORS

SEPTEMBER AIRPORT BOARDINGS

MONTANA ELEVATOR CASH GRAIN PRICES

2015 2016

100,000

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90,000 80,000 70,000

2015 2016

2016 2015

60,000 Billings

4

U.S. 2 Feed Barley U.S. 1 Dark Northern Spring Wheat 14% U.S. 1 Hard Red Winter Wheat 12%

$5

Bozeman

Missoula

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$4 $3 $2

10/29

11/5

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AVERAGE PRICE PER BUSHEL FOR WINTER AND SPRING WHEAT. AVERAGE PRINCE PER CW T FOR FEED BARLEY

SOURCE: USDA-WY DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE MARKET NEWS SERVICE, TORRINGTON, WY

“We can’t be everything to everyone, but we can do some things,” Fontenot said.

Much of the city’s work happens in collaboration with local groups, from the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce to Prospera Business Network — which handles area workforce development grants — to Gallatin College and Montana State University.

Specialized and technical training can act as a relief point for a tight labor market, as it funnels workers into high-paying, stable jobs and, with generally shorter programs, reduces the amount of time that students spend not working fulltime. And the popularity of these programs is on the rise. Gallatin College saw an 18 percent increase in enrollment this fall, according to Dean Bob Hietala.

“The demand is out there both from the business side but also from the student interest side,” Hietala said.

The college has several programs, including a recently added training for photonics technicians — a direct results of conversations with local industry members. A culinary arts program and IT training course are in the pipeline for next year.

“All those are a result of work done with the industries, seeing what the demand is,” said Stephanie Gray, the college’s program development

FEEDER CATTLE PRICES

manager. “Our students and our workforce are supporting the small business growth that is happening here already.”

While Hietala and Gray admitted that the college isn’t the silver bullet for the area’s workforce shortage, it can help meet the demands of specialized businesses and by extension facilitate industry growth.

“It just helps prop up that cluster of companies and then there’s a multiplier effect when those companies build on each other,” Hietala said.

“And that could really help our local economy.”

Like many multi-faceted economic issues, it’s tricky to predict how the present workforce shortage will play out, Fontenot said, particularly with the range of voices clamoring to be included in the conversation, as well as outside factors influencing the area’s growth.

“I hear from the kid who had a GED, went to Gallatin College and now has a job in the photonics industry. I hear from business owners who can’t find employees. I see all those perspectives swirling around and that’s a symptom of an area that’s going through some growing pains,” he said. “It’s a difficult situation, but not an impossible one.”

Kendall can be reached at lkendall@ dailychronicle.com. Kendall is on Twitter at @ lewdak

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B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L • N O V E M B E R 2 2 , 2 016

5

COMMUNITY

Q&A WARREN VAUGHN IS A PLANNER with Gallatin County Planning & Community Development Department and director of the Gallatin County Business Expansion and Retention program — an organization that helps local small startup owners and operators access a network of resources that can assist in growing their businesses.

One of the programs the BEAR team and Vaughn work closely with is the Incumbent Worker Training program of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.

WITH WARREN VAUGHN, director of the Gallatin County Business Expansion and Retention Program

2011, the county reformed the Northern Rocky Mountain Economic Development District, in which I participated in getting a grant, putting together a board, hiring Rob Gilmore and working closely with him for a year. With our new role in economic development, the county updated our name to reflect the change. At the same time, together with the Bozeman Job Service, we restarted BEAR — a program sponsored by the Montana Economic Developers Association — which continued my work in economic development.”

How did the BEAR program get its start?

“The BEAR program was formed Warren Vaughn How did you end up in Bozeman? statewide in 2003 in response to the “I came to Bozeman in 2004 for the formation of the workforce developcounty position after finishing a masters in comment skills based training grant program — Inmunity planning from the University of Wyoming. cumbent Worker Training — which offers up to I had done an internship with a nonprofit here in $2,000 workforce development training reimBozeman looking at some planning issues which led bursement for small businesses in operation for to applying for the county job.” at least one year with no more than 20 employees in one location. MEDA formed the local BEAR proHow did your position as a planner lead to a grams around the state to provide boots on the career in economic development? ground support to sponsor businesses and review “I did lots of grassroots planning work with volapplications for the IWT program. My experience unteer groups in Four Corners, Gallatin Gateway working with groups helped gather volunteer and Churchill developing community programs business mentors to offer business advice to and infrastructure plans where I got experience owners with specific problems. At this point, we weren’t leveraging the IWT funds.” managing large groups with diverse interests. In

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By Audrey Wooding

How did the IWT funds start to play a role in the BEAR program?

“We had a business owner who needed help with his website. The volunteer mentor I contacted gave me solutions to offer the business owner.

Instead, I asked the mentor to sit down with this owner. He agreed. This morphed into the BEAR program offering two hours of pro bono consulting to the business owners per month. The IWT funds began being accessed when another business owner needed assistance with sales.

After her meeting, she wished she could afford to hire the mentor to help implement the solutions offered. I said, ‘Why not? These are fundable skills development.’ We put together a training program and she submitted an application for IWT funds and was awarded them. This was the start of skills-based, customized business trainings unique to Gallatin County, resulting in our community receiving about two-thirds ($300,000) of the IWT funds per year and in total $760,000.”

What does the BEAR program and IWT funding look like now and how will it look in the future?

“We currently have 90 mentors in the program.

We continue to leverage the IWT program paying local business mentors to train other local business owners. The dollars from this program are benefitting our community twofold: mentors and trainees.

During this next legislative cycle, the IWT program annual budget is proposed to double to $1 million.

This would provide even more benefit to our local community.”

BUSINESS MATTERS

Red ears, blind spots

▲

[ Quarterly advice for business and life from a revolving cast of three columnists ]

DAVE MELDAHL

JIM WAS MY BOSS. He was about 6 feet 3 inches tall and built like a linebacker (and as a former West High quarterback, I can tell you that it was linebackers I feared the most). He was as smart as Simon Cowell is harsh, and he was destined for the executive offices of our company.

And his hair was red — I mean really red. Remarkably, he had the ability to turn his ears redder than his hair. Unfortunately, this red ear thing as was not a silly “Hey, look what Jim can make his ears do!” trick like we’d laugh about in high school. This was a physical reaction that occurred when he was reaching an emotional boiling point.

When those ears started taking on a tomato hue, people would duck for cover and then avoid him for the next month or two. OK, maybe for just a few hours, but you can imagine the eggshells that were being carefully tread upon for that time and the hesitancy that others felt in sharing bad news with him or challenging his point of view.

Before we continue with Jim, let me ask you a few questions: How important is it to know what the trends are in your industry (consumer, economic, regulatory, etc.)? How important is it to know what your competition is up to and how your products, services and pricing stack up against others? How important is it to know what the financial health is of your organization? How important is it to know how well your direct reports are performing? My strong hunch is that your response to all of those is “Duh, Dave! Those are no-brainers. Of course it’s extremely important to know all those things.” And I would agree with you.

Let me ask you another question. How important is it for you to know what you’re doing well as a leader and what you could

do better? Again, my hunch is that your answer is the same, that it’s extremely important to know these things if you truly want to be the best leader you can be. Yet, when is the last time you asked for feedback about your leadership from those you lead and your peers? Let me repeat that — from those you lead and your peers?

Not just from your boss, who is expected to give you feedback, but from those on the receiving end of your leadership and influence? And not from just one or two folks and not through some brief on-the-fly conversation, but from a cross-section of people using a process that encourages depth, candor and actionable feedback? If you’re at all like most leaders I speak with, the answer is “not at all,” “not very recently” or “not nearly enough.” So, most of

us are in this boat together and could use a little help.

A useful model in the context of self-awareness, communication and relationships is called the JOHARI Window. One of the windows in this model is called the “blind spot.” The blind spot includes behaviors of which I’m unaware that I’m doing or of their impact, but of which others are keenly aware (like the impact of Jim’s emotional outbursts on those around him). In terms of development, it’s essential to reduce the size of one’s blind spot, thereby increasing one’s awareness of which behaviors are productive and which are not.

A practical approach to increasing self-awareness is to ask questions — to solicit feedback from those around you who may have a perception that would be helpful to understand. Make no mistake, this takes courage and a willingness to be vulnerable (more on that in a future article perhaps). A very effective method to do this is through a 360-degree feedback process that gathers feedback from a variety of people who see you in action on a regular basis: direct reports, peers, your boss, clients and so on. One way to do that is through hiring someone like me to help guide the process so it has sufficient depth and is done in way that people are open and candid. But that’s not

the only way. A simple, do-ityourself approach would be to invite a cross-section of people to share their perspectives with you directly. You could do this one-on-one with people, in a group setting or through written feedback. If you have an HR department, they may be able to help you. If you’d like a list of questions to ask, shoot me an email.

There is an art to receiving feedback, which we don’t have space to explore, but suffice it to say that your approach needs to be listening-focused and non-defensive. Seeking clarification and examples are OK, as is saying thank you. Explaining your past behavior or disputing their perceptions is not OK. I encourage you to create an environment where providing upward feedback is welcomed and non-threatening. Baking upward feedback into meetings on a regular basis (quarterly for example) could be a useful step in doing so, so long as you approach the process with a genuine willingness to learn and act on the feedback. Your willingness to take the lead on this will encourage other leaders to follow suit as they see your effectiveness increase.

With consistent implementation, a culture of feedback can be created which will impact results across the organization.

MORE MELDAHL PAGE 9

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7

▲

REAL TALK

The future of real estate

BY ROBYN ERLENBUSH

I RECENTLY TRAVELED TO ORLANDO, Florida to attend the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Annual Convention. The conference features the best of the real estate industry in terms of speakers, committee meetings and a trade show expo for attendees from around the country to both learn and share. One of my favorite highlights is the Economic and Housing Market Outlook presentation by the NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, Ph.D. This year, Yun was joined by Dennis Lockhart, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, to update all of us on the economic challenges and opportunities facing the real estate market.

Some key points brought forward by Lockhart include the prediction of a moderate pace of interest rate growth in 2017, the “normalizing” of underwriting standards that should increase credit availability and continuing shortage of affordable housing supply that leads to pent up demand.

Yun highlighted many statistics reporting the market’s health and some forecasts for what to expect in 2017. Annual home sales continued to show small but positive gains yet again last year. We have seen upward growth since the low point in 2009, but the proportion of new home sales to existing home sales is still much smaller than what we saw during the peak years. Median and average home prices continue to make steady upward strides at or above the record levels. The median existinghome sales price for September 2016 came in at $234,200. Having ready and able home buyers is key to keeping the numbers grow-

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ing. According to a national map provided, Montana is categorized as having strong buyer traffic, with only Washington and Oregon hitting the very strong mark.

Pending home sales are closely tracked and are considered a top indicator of real estate market strength. Recent numbers through September 2016 show a 1.5 percent upward shift. That puts the index at 2.4 percent above the same month in 2015. In fact, NAR states the reported value has been higher when comparing year-overyear in 22 of the last 25 months.

While demand is still strong, the shortage of inventory is the main contributor to why these numbers are not even higher.

A less positive note is the rate of home-ownership reported. The nation is currently near a 50-year low, with the most recent rate hovering above 63 percent. In the early 2000s, we were seeing home-ownership rates above 69 percent. Younger households, ages 34 and younger, are significantly

lower at 37 percent than the 65+ households which are right below 80 percent. A couple of factors that contribute to this disparity include the wealth gap between the two demographic groups and the increase in student loan debt carried by many younger adults, among others.

Social benefits of home-ownership were also emphasized for an abundance of reasons. Children fare better with school performance and socially; higher levels of community and volunteer involvement are reported; and even overall health improves especially from increased confidence. To go a step further, sustainable home-ownership is truly the key, as foreclosure strips away those benefits. Fortunately, the level of borrower delinquency continues to decline as well as the number of both short sales and foreclosures.

Yun made a comparison of “normal versus now,” which was quite interesting. Using the year 2000 as the baseline for normal, existing home sales were at 5.2 million and now are at 5.3 million. New home sales dropped from 900,000 to 500,000. The population has increased from 282 million in the United States to 324 million, while jobs have only increased from 132 million to 145 million. Interestingly, the total household wealth in our country increased from $44 trillion in 2000 to $85 trillion in 2016.

The nation’s overall economy goes hand in hand with the housing market health. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is one measure relied upon to compare an economy’s

growth over the long run. The GDP utilizes rates of personal consumption, business investment, government spending and imports/exports.

The annual rate has been below 3 percent for 11 straight years now.

Though 2016 has been quite low, the forecast for the next two years is more optimistic. Unemployment figures can be a bit tricky to decipher but very pertinent as they reflect adults actively looking for work. Recent numbers reported for the nation were 4.9 percent. If you look on the flip side, the employment number (a figure accounting for adults who do have jobs) shows a fairly flat trend with no rise year over year.

As we look to the future of real estate and some predictions, the housing forecast is promising. New home sales are anticipated to be as high as 700,000 by 2018. Ideally existing home sales will go as high as 5.7 million. Median price growth has been very high and is likely to taper off and decrease. The mortgage rates for a 30-year loan are predicted to rise to as high as 4.5 percent, which is still very low historically speaking.

The bottom line after looking at all of the facts and figures is that home-ownership matters. It is important on an individual, community, regional and national level for both personal and economic reasons.

Robyn Erlenbush is a downtown business owner and the broker and owner of ERA Landmark Real Estate, NAI Landmark Commercial and Intermountain Property Management.

Contact her at robyn@eralandmark.com.

WHAT’S UP WITH THAT? TO CONTRIBUTE CALL 582-2651

What’s going on at Grille 406?

Local food truck Grille 406 has revamped its menu and redoubled its focus on catering.

The new menu includes a pulled pork sandwich, stuffed elk nuggets and mahimahi tacos. The truck parks in downtown Bozeman Thursday through Saturday and at Beehive Basin Brewery in Big Sky two days a week.

In the winter months, the business, which has a license to serve alcohol, will focus on catering parties and events, its manager said.

“That’s where we’re headed. There is a better market and opportunity in that area,” said sales and marketing manager Frank Gazella. “We’re trying to get active and innovative and not just be another food truck.”

MELDAHL ROM PAGE 7 Let’s go back to my former boss, Jim. I ended up talking with him about the impact his behavior was having on me as well as what I perceived the impact to be on others, and asked him if he would be willing to listen to these concerns. He agreed and I facilitated a process of upward feedback that, while not comfortable for him or others involved, was incredibly powerful and served to reduce his blind spot considerably. He became much more sensitive to how his behavior may be impacting others and learned to prevent himself from

Wisetail named to Outside’s Best Places to Work list Outside Magazine named Bozeman-based learning management software system company Wisetail to its annual list of 100 Best Places to Work in the U.S. The top companies represent those that best balance work and play, according to the magazine.

“Honestly, this is the only business recognition I’ve ever wanted because it represents the intersection of business performance, being a great place to work and a commitment to social and environmental responsibility,” Wisetail CEO Justin Bigart said in a release.

Earlier this year, Wisetail was named one of the fastest growing companies in the country

by Inc.com and one of the 50 Best Small Businesses in America by Fortune Magazine.

losing control most of the time.

Others also became more willing to challenge his point of view and issues were worked through more constructively. While his ears still turned tomato-esque at times, they were definitely a lighter shade.

My hunch is that we each know the results we are striving to achieve in our respective organizations; those results likely center around revenue, profit, market share, corporate reputation and the like. As leaders and members of teams, our job is to deliver these results consistently and over time.

That’s a reasonable expectation.

What I see happening however, is that we sometimes fall into the

?

What happened to the Craft Beer Cellar?

Bozeman’s Craft Beer Cellar has closed.

Owners Reid and Aimee Mikkelson shuttered the store, located in the Bozeman Gateway shopping center off Huffine Lane, on Oct. 29.

While the owners wouldn’t specify the reasons behind the closure, the business — which is part of a national franchise — had been for sale for more than four months.

“While we had lots of interest, we were unable to find a buyer. We decided to close and move forward with other opportunities that were presented to us,” Aimee Mikkelson wrote in an email.

The business, which boasted more than 500 beers and ciders from around the world, first opened in May 2015.

trap of focusing so much on the outcomes we want that we forget to channel sufficient energy into some of the people-related causes that create those outcomes.

The development of leaders and teams are two of those causes that deserve as much attention as product development, marketing, and customer service. In my humble opinion, at the end of the day the success of any organization is limited primarily by the quality of its leadership. Providing opportunities for leaders and the teams they lead to become increasingly self-aware is essential to their development and to the long term success of our organizations.

After all, we are all still works in progress. To quote the not-sofamous philosopher Scott Horton, “As long as you think you’re green, you’ll grow. As soon as you think you’re ripe, you’ll rot.” Let’s ensure that we as individuals and the other leaders in our organizations continue to grow. Let’s reduce our blind spots and take our effectiveness to new heights.

Your employees and customers will thank and reward you.

Through his executive coaching and team development work, Dave helps clients reduce their blind spots, increase their effectiveness and get to where they want to go faster. He is Sr. V.P. of think2perform and can be reached at 406-587-5884 or dmeldahl@think2perform. com.

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BOZEMAN AREA BUSINESS CALENDAR BOZEMAN

11/23 • Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Meeting, 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., at the Bozeman Chamber, 2000 Commerce Way. More information at www.bozemanchamber.com.

11/26 • Small Business Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., small businesses throughout the Gallatin Valley. Visit www.smallbusinesssaturday.com for more information.

12/1 • Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce Business Before Hours, 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., at Greater Gallatin United Way, 945 Technology Blvd. Ste. 101F. Free for members, $25 for non-members. More information at www.bozemanchamber.com.

12/3 • 36th Annual Bozeman Christmas Stroll, 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., in downtown Bozeman. Visit www.downtownbozeman. org for more information.

12/6 • Downtown Bozeman Association Board Meeting, 8:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., Downtown Bozeman Partnership Office, 222 E. Main St. Suite 302. All are welcome.

Visit www.downtownbozeman.org for more information.

12/7 • Montana Women’s Business Center presents Women-Owned Business Tour featuring Alara and Bozeman Spirits, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., 42 W. Main St.. No cost.

Please register by 12/6. Visit www.prosperabusinessnetwork.org for more information and registration.

12/9 • Downtown Bozeman “Winter” Art Walk, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at various locations in downtown Bozeman. Visit www. downtownbozeman.org for more information.

12/14 • Bozeman Business and Professional Women Lunch Program “.Living the Dream”, 11:30 p.m. to 1 p.m., at Holiday Inn, 5 E. Baxter, $9 for members, $12 for nonmembers. Visit www.bozemanbpw.org for more information.

12/15 • Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Ressler Motors, 8474 Huffine Ln.. Free for members, $25 for non-members. Register at www.bozemanchamber. com.

12/17 • Bozeman Winter Farmers’ Market, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the Emerson Center for Arts and Culture, 111 S. Grand Ave. Visit www.bozemanwintermarket.

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com for more information.

12/28 • Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Meeting, 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., at the Bozeman Chamber, 2000 Commerce Way. More information at www.bozemanchamber.com.

BELGRADE

11/22 • Belgrade Chamber of Commerce Rise and Share, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., at the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce.

Visit www.belgradechamber.org for more information.

12/6 • Belgrade Chamber of Commerce President’s Circle, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Meeting open to past presidents and past board of directors of the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce.

12/13 • Belgrade Chamber of Commerce Rise and Share, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., at the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce.

Visit www.belgradechamber.org for more information.

12/15 • Belgrade Chamber of Commerce Building Belgrade 2016-2017, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce, 10 E. Main. Visit www.belgradechamber.org for more information.

12/15 • Belgrade Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.. Visit www.belgradechamber.org for more information.

12/20 • Belgrade Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Meeting, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., at the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce, 10 E. Main. Visit www.belgradechamber.org for more information.

12/27 • Belgrade Chamber of Commerce Rise and Share, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., at the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce.

Visit www.belgradechamber.org for more information.

THREE FORKS

12/2 • Three Forks Christmas Stroll, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., on Main Street. Visit www. threeforksmontana.com for more information.

12/12 • Three Forks Chamber of Commerce Meeting, 7 p.m., at Three Forks City Hall. Visit www.threeforksmontana.com or call (406) 285-4753 for more information.

MADISON COUNTY

N O V E M B E R 2 2 , 2 016 • B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

12/1 • Ennis Chamber of Commerce

To contribute the Business Calendar email srandrus@ dailychronicle.com

N O V. 2 1

Business After Hours, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Fan Mountain Inn, 204 Main St. Free for chamber members and their guests. Visit www.ennischamber.com for more information.

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DEC. 27

10:30 a.m., at the Big Sky Chamber, 55 Lone Mountain Trail. Visit www.visitbigskymt.com for more information.

12/15 • Big Sky Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Visit www.bigskychamber.com for more information.

12/6 • Greater Ruby Valley Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture Board Meeting, 5 p.m., at the Ruby Valley Bank, 103 N. Main St., Sheridan. Visit www.rubyvalleychamber. com for more information.

LIVINGSTON

12/1 • Network Live! Livingston Business After Hours, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Livingston Food Pantry. Visit www. livingston-chamber.com or call (406) 2220850 for more information.

12/13 • Big Sky Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., at the Big Sky Chamber, 55 Lone Mountain Trail. Visit www.bigskychamber.com for more information.

12/29 • Livingston Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting, 12 p.m. Visit www. livingston-chamber.com for more information.

12/14 • Ennis Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting, 8 a.m., at the First Madison Valley Bank. Members welcome. Visit www. ennischamber.com for more information.

12/15 • Network Live! Livingston Business After Hours, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Livingston Home Outfitters. Visit www. livingston-chamber.com or call (406) 2220850 for more information.

12/15 • Big Sky Chamber of Commerce Visit Big Sky Board Meeting, 8:30 a.m. to

2-Year college degrees Find a clear path to the degree or career you want.

Gallatin College MSU can help you get there.

Gallatin College’s transfer and general education degrees are designed to meet the needs of a variety of students. You can choose between: 2-Year Associate of Arts (A.A.) This degree provides a foundation of general education studies with a concentration of coursework in the arts, humanities and social sciences.

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• You’ll gain a solid foundation for further education.

• You can earn a college degree in 2 years.

• You can graduate sooner and save on tuition.

Plus, scholarships are available.

To learn more visit: gallatin.montana.edu or call 406-994-5536

ON THE RECORD PERMITS

Commercial Restaurants & Bars 780 Boardwalk, Marinefighter LLC, Langlas & Associates Inc., 8,147 Sq. Ft., $1,023,100 Commercial Stores & Customer Service 3004 N. 27th, Swissdetail Inc., Punch List Plus LLC, 7,200 Sq. Ft., $834,696 Commercial Structures Other Than Building 325 S. Church, City of Bozeman, Highland Construction Services, 640 Sq. Ft., $90,000 Commercial Addition 1123 Research, Yellowstone Center LLC, Project Counsel LLC, 1,128 Sq. Ft., $130,769 25 W. Main, Five’s The Most LLC, CS Structures Inc., 11,250 Sq. Ft., $252,000

PERMITS FILINGS PATENTS BANKRUPTCIES

Commercial Alteration 1530 W. Main, Harris Brothers L P, Langlas & Associates Inc., 771 Sq. Ft., $70,000 MSU, SUB (Strand Union) MSU, Diamond Construction, 945 Sq. Ft., $125,000 MSU, Hosaeus Fitness Ctr MSU, Diamond Construction, 1,441 Sq. Ft., $101,000 2550 Catron, Target Corp, Taylor Bros Construction Co., 89 Sq. Ft., $50,000 Commercial Tenant Improvement 14 S. Tracy, Masonic Temple, Walker Construction, 2,250 Sq. Ft., $1,300,000 451 E. Main, Terry Groth, Crowder Construction Inc., 1,225 Sq. Ft., $16,500 3255 W. Technology, Mitchell Development, Langlas & Associates Inc., $28,658 4515 Valley, Commons Dib LLC, Langlas & Associates Inc., 2,081 Sq. Ft., $200,000 424 E. Main, Moose Point LP, Langlas & Associates Inc., 400 Sq. Ft., $14,840

4720 Classical, Petra Academy Inc., Mayville Landscaping Inc., $17,500 5 W. Mendenhall, 5 West LLC, L. Keeley Construction, 19,490 Sq. Ft., $2,166,667 5 W. Mendenhall, 5 West LLC, L. Keeley Construction, 19,490 Sq. Ft., $2,166,667 5 W. Mendenhall, 5 West LLC, L. Keeley Construction, 19,490 Sq. Ft., $2,166,667 3011 Max, Bob Ward & Sons Inc., Saddle Peak Construction & Rem, $31,781 507 E. Bond, Big Country Development LLC, Green Mountain Electric, 275 Sq. Ft., $10,000 1401 Gold, Gold Properties LLC, 3,569 Sq. Ft., $35,690 2047 W. Oak, Stone Ridge Partners LLC, CRC Construction, 2,040 Sq. Ft., $65,000 1530 W. Main, Harris Brothers L P, Harris Brothers LLC 428 E. Mendenhall, Frank C. Seitz, Beartooth Builders Inc., 2,048 Sq. Ft., $200,000 1285 N. Rouse, Montana Avenue Partners LLC, Langlas & Associates Inc., 3,078 Sq. Ft., $200,000 699 Farmhouse, Western MT Mental Health, Langlas & Associates Inc., 322 Sq. Ft., $60,000 129 W. Main, Tyler Hill, Coubrough Con-

business f o r s o u t h w e s t M o n ta n a

journal

Financial ServiceS

struction Inc., 2,518 Sq. Ft., $10,000 Demolition Permit 901 N. Black, Gallatin County Fairgrounds Owner is General Moving Permit MSU, Chemistry Research, Randy Schubert Big Sky House Moving LLC, $15,000 MSU, Chemistry Research, Randy Schubert Big Sky House Moving LLC, $15,000 MSU, Chemistry Research, Randy Schubert Big Sky House Moving LLC, $15,000 MSU, Chemistry Research, Randy Schubert Big Sky House Moving LLC, $15,000 Fire Protection Systems Permit 1601 Baxter, State of Montana Key Construction Inc., $118,500 751 Osterman, Christopher J. Burgard, Martel Construction Inc. 8645 Huffine, Rocky Mountain Credit Union, Coppermine Fire Suppression, $15,500 109 E. Oak, Cannery District Partners, Western States Fire Protection, $39,624 244 S. Cottonwood, Kathi Cowdrey, Coppermine Fire Suppression, $12,175

BUSINESS & SERVICE

DIRECTORY

84.9% of Bozeman and Belgrade Business Owners read the Business Journal every month (Alta Marketing Research Survey)

advertiSe here

window treatmentS

Buyer & Lessee Representation

Dennis Hardin

BROKER/OWNER Residential or Comemercial Our 35th Year

5871211 www.HardinRE.com

Call Sylvia Drain (406) 580-2060 B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L • N O V E M B E R 2 2 , 2 016

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3266 N. 27th, Cattail Investments I LLC, J & K Contractors Inc., $39,500 3234 N. 27th, Cattail Investments I LLC, J & K Contractors Inc., $39,500 3230 N. 27th, Cattail Investments I LLC, J & K Contractors Inc., $39,500 104 N. Church, 503 Mendenhall LLC, JWH Development LLC Sign Permit 3400 Laramie, Bridger Orthopedic Prop LLC, Cat Graphics Inc., 232 Sq. Ft., $25,000 539 E. Main, Decker Building LLC, Signs of Montana 855 S. 29th, Mitchell Development, Signs of Montana, 65 Sq. Ft., $12,291 4515 Valley, Commons Dib LLC, Signs of Montana 815 Manley, Old Marsh Holdings LLC, Big Sky Metal Art LLC 2270 Boothill, Calvary Chapel, ChaseSkogen Homes Inc. Residential Accessory Dwelling Unit 319 S. 3rd, Susan A. Macgrath Rev Trust 50%, Weppler Construction Inc., 600 Sq. Ft., $87,456 530 N. Montana, Turecek, Anna Cary Contracting Inc., 1,470 Sq. Ft., $107,134 Residential Duplex (2 Units) 5404 Glenkirk, Laurel Park Development LLC, Great Western Investments LLC, 4,712 Sq. Ft., $433,835 2926 Warbler, Gallatin Peak Ventures LLC, Stoneridge Builders LLC, 4,496 Sq. Ft., $414,127 Residential Single Family Dwelling 3477 Lemhi, Trail Von Construction, Von Construction Inc., 2,855 Sq. Ft., $243,054 1830 Chippewa, Lot 78 Legends LLC, Franklin Builders, 3,932 Sq. Ft., $359,340 3470 Lolo, Von Construction, Von Construction Inc., 2,855 Sq. Ft., $243,054 1847 Chippewa, Daniel B. & Anne E. Cantrell, Daniel B. Cantrell, 3,096 Sq. Ft., $292,530 3754 Ellis, View Mahar, Joe Parks Builders Inc., 4,430 Sq. Ft., $401,452 3439 S. 21st, Southbridge Development LLC, Alpenglow Homes Inc., 1,830 Sq. Ft., $213,966 3450 S. 22nd, Southbridge Development LLC, Mountain High Homes Inc., 1,830 Sq. Ft., $213,966 3462 S. 22nd, Southbridge Development

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N O V E M B E R 2 2 , 2 016 • B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L

LLC, Mountain High Homes Inc., 1,830 Sq. Ft., $213,966 3429 S. 21st, Southbridge Development LLC, Alpenglow Homes Inc., 1,830 Sq. Ft., $213,966 2987 Westwind, Schuelke Properties LLC, Matt Cooper Construction LLC, 2,924 Sq. Ft., $273,318 4526 Mccafferty, Steve & Keven Jean Comer, HJM Construction LLC, 2,254 Sq. Ft., $272,502 1193 Advance, Bald Bros Construction LLC, Kamp Kreek Designs LLC, 1,969 Sq. Ft., $178,038 3110 Tschache, Roset & Associates, Roset and Associates Inc., 2,180 Sq. Ft., $199,966 3802 Bur, ROI LLC, ROI LLC, 2,035 Sq. Ft., $182,649 5379 Delft, Peerless Homes LLC, MC Homebuilders Inc., 2,380 Sq. Ft., $273,223 1446 Kenyon, Bozeman Deaconess Real Estate, Chase-Skogen Homes Inc., 1,870 Sq. Ft., $218,402 3656 Lemhi Trail, James & Sandra Moore, Chase-Skogen Homes Inc., 2,095 Sq. Ft., $248,968 3505 W. Babcock, Scott Walker, Walker Construction, 2,889 Sq. Ft., $268,817 3527 W. Babcock, Scott Walker, Walker Construction, 2,812 Sq. Ft., $259,801 526 E. Cottonwood, Van K Bryan & Wallis Morger, Bar T Design Build, 3,955 Sq. Ft., $440,939 3493 Lolo, ICCL LLC, Lifespace Homes, 2,646 Sq. Ft., $244,597 3453 S. 21st, Southbridge Development LLC, Alpenglow Homes Inc., 1,830 Sq. Ft., $213,966 3465 S. 21st, Southbridge Development LLC, Alpenglow Homes Inc., 1,830 Sq. Ft., $213,966 3351 Lolo, ICCL LLC, Sunrise Homes LLC, 2,157 Sq. Ft., $258,443 3389 Lolo, ICCL LLC, Sunrise Homes LLC, 2,600 Sq. Ft., $295,731 865 Windrow, Flanders Mill LLC, Kirchhoff Construction, 2,008 Sq. Ft., $235,410 3020 Tschache, Lake Davis, Davis Development LLC, 2,504 Sq. Ft., $295,998 2467 Cree, Steven J. Millen, M Squared Construction LLC, 2,749 Sq. Ft., $212,546 Residential Townhouse (Attached Single Family Dwelling) 1077 N. 12th, Pierce Ironwood LLC, Ironwood Inc., 1,622 Sq. Ft., $192,928 1065 N. 12th, Pierce Ironwood LLC, Iron-

wood Inc., 1,622 Sq. Ft., $192,928 3090 Lori, Taylor Properties, Denman Construction Management, 2,225 Sq. Ft., $202,288 3098 Lori, Taylor Properties, Denman Construction Management, 2,414 Sq. Ft., $201,315 Residential Triplex, Fourplex 2928 Warbler, Gallatin Peak Ventures, Stoneridge Builders LLC, 6,312 Sq. Ft., $697,117 Residential Addition 715 S. 3rd, Amy Arlee Anderson, Green Construction Inc., 166 Sq. Ft., $17,584 612 E. Davis, Brian Whitlock, Owner is General, 461 Sq. Ft., $48,834 2206 Spring Creek, Harold Holmes & Barbara Mall, Owner is General Residential Alteration 129 W. Main, T & ME LLC, Richard Jensen, 26.75 Sq. Ft., $870 222 S. 7th, Jennifer Brown, Owner is General 405 N. Church, Robert & Kathy Tamosaitis, Marc Weideman Construction Inc., $19,500 214 S. 8th, Peter G. Ramos, Owner is General, $16,000 117 S. Wallace, Stephen M. Gay, Owner is General 208 Westridge, Scott L. Powell, Motif Construction LLC, 1,000 Sq. Ft., $36,000 1442 Ash, Patrick R. & Gayle M. Callis, Rocky Mountain Woodwright Inc., 200 Sq. Ft., $45,000 1318 S. Church, John Yarington, Owner is General 328 S. Tracy, Chris Kurowski, Montana Craftsman Woodworks, $20,300 316 Sheridan, Michael S. Van Vuren, Dieterbuilt, 324 Sq. Ft., $25,000 1433 Ash, Ryan A.S. Heemstra, Hathaway Construction Inc., $20,000 Residential Reroof 220 S. 8th, Michael C. & Lori Uhl, Vernon Fry Construction 310 E. Peach, Deborah L. & Roy D. Kaiser, Meridian Roofing Services Inc., $10,475 2020 Charlotte, G & H Commercial LLC, Ever-Green Construction & Roof, $23,000 244 Greenmore, Meghann J. Anthony, Yant Roofing, $19,500 156 Peace Pipe, Paul Harris & Marguerite Kirk, Dark Horn Construction

Window Replacement Permit 717 N. Rouse, April Renee Callahan, Owner is General PATENTS

Steven Dufresne of Hartland, Wisc. The Comfort Companies, Inc. of Bozeman. Wheelchair back. D770,945. Nov. 8.

Mark Perkins of Bozeman, Tyler Tempero of Bozeman, Zach Halverson of Lansing, Iowa, and Ben McGregor of Bozeman. Quantel USA, Inc. of Bozeman. Apparatus for facilitating micro-rotational calibration for an NLO crystal enabled laser system. 9,482,928. Nov. 1.

Matthew C. Pace of Bozeman, David William Johnson of Hastings, Minn., and Thomas Joseph Mettler of Hudson, Wisc. Waterous Company of South St. Paul, Minn. Proportional dynamic ratio control for compressed air foam delivery. 9,480,867. Nov. 1.

Daniel L. DeFrance of Bozeman. IGT of Las Vegas, Nev. Gaming system and method providing a keno-type primary game associated with persistence pools that may be incremented to trigger one or more bonuses.

9,472,062. Oct. 18.

Ed Austin of Mountain View, Calif., William J. Ritter of Bozeman, and Martin Albini of Bozeman. Evergreen Innovation Partners I, LP of Englewood, Colo. Deployable and disposable container assemblies with bendable support members. 9,469,474. Oct. 18.

BANKRUPTCIES

James Frederick Clark aka Jim Clark, 534 Quinn Creek Rd., Livingston, Chapter 13, Oct. 17, Drummond.

Epicurean Enterprises, Inc. aka John Bozeman’s Bistro, 3093 Rose St., Bozeman, Chapter 7, Oct. 24, Richardson.

William Norton Taylen and Deana Ann Taylen, 5170 Durston Rd., Bozeman, Chapter 13, Oct. 24, Drummond.

Dustin Michael Walker and Tayler Hains Walker, aka Tayler H. Long, 101 Jackson Ln., Belgrade, Chapter 7, Oct. 26, Richardson.

My Two Cents

this week, “Is it possible there are deeper reserves of good intent lurking in there than we know?” That’s what we need to find out with each other.

Do you want to lead a conversation like that, or let old emotional and reactive habits lead you?

Need motivation? Consider the following poem the next time you find yourself reacting.

A woman was waiting at an airport one night With several long hours before her flight.

She hunted for a book in the airport shop, Bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop.

She was engrossed in her book but happened to see, The man beside her as bold as could be.

He grabbed a cookie or two from the bag between Which she tried to ignore to avoid a scene.

She munched cookies and watched the clock, As the gutsy cookie thief diminished her stock.

She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by, Thinking if I wasn’t so nice I’d blacken his eye.

With each cookie she took, he took one too.

When only one was left she wondered what he’d do.

With a smile on his face and a nervous laugh, He took the last cookie and broke it in half.

He offered her half as he ate the other.

She snatched it from him and thought,”Oh Brother.”

This guy has some nerve and he is also so rude, Why he didn’t even show any gratitude.

She had never known when she had been so galled, And she sighed with relief when her flight was called.

She gathered her belongings and headed for the gate Refusing to look back at the thieving ingrate.

She boarded the plane and sank in her seat, then sought her book which was almost complete.

As she reached in her bag, she gasped with surprise.

There was her bag of cookies in front of her eyes.

If mine are here, she moaned with despair, Then the others were his and he tried to share.

Too late to apologize she realized with grief That she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief.

■

To no surprise, this intensifies the emotional reaction in us, validating our earlier perception of the other person as yet again mean or uncaring or rude or whatever we thought they were.

You can see where this is going. Our negative judgment of the other person actually becomes more robust and “certain” as this reactive cycle continues.

And the other person’s negative judgment of us does the same, plummeting both of us into a downward cycle of emotional reactions that disconnects and breeds distrust. Who wants to live with that?

Here’s the amazing piece of this cycle: We created it. It was our emotional reaction that started it and yet we blame the other person. The good news is that since we’re the ones that started it, we are also the ones who can end it.

Breaking the reactive cycle starts with curiosity. Without that, the other person never gets to show up any other way for us.

Start with yourself. What is the issue you are so upset about? Get curious about that. Ask a question about that to the other person. When you hear their response, stop yourself from saying, “Yes, but…” Instead, ask, “What else?” or “Tell me more.” Keep asking that until you do understand the issue from their point of view. Getting curious doesn’t mean you agree. It means you are willing to listen so you can understand.

Isn’t that what you really want from the other person as well? To be listened to and understood? Here’s a funny thing about being able to identify what we really want. Giving another the very things we want — being listened to and understood — often leads to getting that from another. I have found giving what we want heals us so we can move on.

Are you willing to let go of being right so you can find a way through this?

It’s the conversations people don’t have but are starving for that cause emotional reactions and disconnections. A curious conversation enables people to have those conversations as a civil discourse. That is what opens up hope. One of my favorite writers, Peggy Noonan, wrote in the Wall Street Journal

■

I’M NOT TAKING ON A QUESTION this month.

There is already one staring me in the face as I meet and work with clients since the election last week.

How do we get past the rancor and disappearance of civil discourse that seemed to surround the election season? The after effects are showing up in many business conversations I’m having, and I think it boils down to this: How do we get past making them wrong and us right? It’s an important question.

Here’s what I’ve learned about stressful conversations. When we’re in the middle of one, it’s difficult for the best version of us to show up. Typically, we’ll find ourselves blaming the other person for not listening, or not understanding our point of view, or not caring. According to us. When we make another person wrong for those reasons, it’s hard for them to show up any other way. We can’t see past our own filter of judgment.

When that happens we are in the middle of a reactive cycle. It quickly spirals downward fast.

Here’s how the reactive cycle works.

We experience a tense conversation or confrontation with another person and think they are way off base. We feel irritated because they said or did something that we disagreed with. We know from brain research that within a second, we will have an emotional reaction, forming a negative judgment of that person.

Our emotional reaction is to want to either fight back with them or close down and close them out from us. We take steps to offend or defend. This emotional reaction of ours is actually a reactive habit that we have practiced for years. Usually unconsciously.

Not surprisingly, the other person can feel this negative reaction from us, even if we don’t open our mouth. Others can pick up on uncomfortable feelings through our subtle non-verbals that we’re not even conscious of. They just know something is off.

This other person, in turn, has their own emotional reaction in a second and forms a negative judgment of us, taking their own protective steps to offend or defend.

By RIS HIGGINS

Ris Higgins is a leadership coach, change agent, and innovative thought leader. She has spent the last 24 years learning the joys and challenges of leading her business with her husband, Joe. If you have any questions you would like Ris to address, send them to her at ris@leadership-outfitters.com.

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Professional

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES General Help

Join our Team.

We have positions available full time and part time.

Full time Positions offer Company paid medical/ dental & retirement benefits.

Paid vacation & holidays Local delivery driver Employee must have a valid Class A CDL Starts at $15 Plus Commission Incentives Warehouse and Merchandisers $10 to $12 DOE If interested please apply in person at Harrington Pepsi-Cola 32550 East Frontage Rd. Bozeman MT 59715 or send resume to Construction:

framing & siding exper.

Multiple positions.

Wage DOE. 406-539-6442 General

HRDC, your local non-profit community action agency, is hiring for an Asset Manager.

For additional information about the position, or to apply, please visit www.thehrdc.org. TTY 1-800-253-4091 EOE/AA. 14

Professional: This full-time position manages programs and psychosocial services offered to people affected by cancer; supervises clinical staff; develops professional outreach; building relationships to further the mission of Cancer Support Community. Send resume/references to:

General:

Enjoy Talking with People?

Need a flexible schedule?

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle is looking for independent contractors for subscription sales.

Independent contractors will work at various locations/events at kiosk implementing subscription promotions.

We offer a competitive reimbursement program and flexible event scheduling.

If you have retail sales or service experience, outstanding communication skills and are self-motivated, we want to talk with you. For details contact Lee Williams: Call 582-2614 or email

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Office:

As a City of Bozeman employee, you will be part of a team that is committed to impacting & serving the community. This great opportunity also provides enrollment in an established retirement system, with significant employer contribution, generous vacation and sick time accruals, & excellent medical / dental / vision benefits. Join us at the City of Bozeman, the Most Livable Place!

The CITY OF BOZEMAN is recruiting to fill the following positions: ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT II Perform a variety of complex clerical and administrative support duties for the City's Community Development Department. Wage: $15.2654 - $17.9596/hr.

Application Deadline: Nov 28, 2016 @ 5:00pm.

The Adolescent Office Associate provides administrative support to ADSGC/Adolescent Resource Center and the Director, performs required activities of Minor In Possession Programs, types correspondence, court correspondence of client compliance / non-compliance, files, schedules appointments and/or classes, greets clients and answers phones.

Must be detail oriented, extremely organized and work as a team player Great Benefits Salary dependent on experience.

To Apply Send Resume To: ADSGC 2310 No. 7th Bozeman, MT 59715 Or Email To: beckyw@adsgc.org General:

Pay DOE. Apply in person at 109 W. Main, Belgrade.

PARKING PROGRAM MANAGER Plan, organize, and direct the activities and operations of the City's parking programs, facilities and districts. Experience in Building/Facilities Management, Parking Management, or a closely related field is required. Must possess excellent communication skills. Wage: $49,515 - $58,253/year depending on experience and qualifications. Application Deadline: November 20, 2016 @ 5:00pm POLICE OFFICER The Bozeman Police Department is seeking individuals who want to make a difference in their community. Few careers can offer the variety of work assignments and opportunities for growth, enrichment, and range of experience. This is a career that allows you to be part of the community, resolving the real life problems of those we serve. Salary range $4,497.30 to $5,020.24 per month depending on experience.

Application Deadline: November 27, 2016 @ 5pm.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Performs a variety of general clerical and administrative support duties for the City's Shops Complex. Wage: $12.5250 - $14.7404/hour depending on experience and qualifications. Full-time opportunity with benefits!

Application Deadline: November 20, 2016@5pm PART-TIME RECREATION LEADER I Organize, implement, evaluate, and market r ecreation programs/events for people of all ages and abilities in the community. Experience in ice-skating, curling and working with children ages 5-12 is preferred. Wage: $11.25/hour Application Deadline: Open until filled TO APPLY: Go to www.bozeman.net/jobs, click on the position listing, and follow the specific application instructions

Professional: SAFETY OF DAMS / ROADS PROGRAM MANAGER (MAY BE EMPLOYED UNDER CONTRACT) NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT The successful applicant must possess a minimum of a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, or closely related field AND five (5) years of professional experience, most of which must be in the planning, design, construction, maintenance, as well as administrative experience of dams, roads, and appurtenant facilities. Must be registered as a licensed professional engineer (or the ability to obtain such license within 6 months of hiring) and must possess or be eligible for a valid Montana Motor Vehicle Operators license. Also must wear Tribal Government identification and safety apparel when conducting field activities. All applicants are required to submit a Tribal application, copies of relevant transcripts and/or certificates, a copy of a valid driver's license, proof of enrollment from a federally recognized Tribe if other than CSKT and if claiming veterans preference, a copy of DD214 must be submitted.

This position is not a (TDP) within the definition of the CSKT Drug Testing policy. The successful applicant, if not already employed by CSKT must pass pre-hire drug test and serve a mandatory six (6) month probationary period.

This position is exempt and salary is negotiable which includes benefits. To apply, contact Personnel at (406) 675-2700 Ext. #1029. Tribal applications are also available online at cskt.org. This position will be open until filled.

CSKT IS A TRIBAL MEMBER PREFERENCE EMPLOYER

General

ASSISTANT MANAGER RESTAURANT POSITION

We are currently looking for an enthusiastic, team building to join our growing team at the airport. Extensive restaurant experience preferred but we would train the right person.

Also hiring baristas, servers, day-time host staff and On The Fly personnel (cashier, counter and food prep).

Great benefits include medical insurance, Simple IRA, holiday bonus, paid vacations, and an incentive program. Apply at the Copper Horse Restaurant Bistro at the Gallatin Field Airport. You can also send resumes in confidence to the Attention Jason, PO Box 1860, Bozeman, MT 59771.

General

The Montana Gift Corral is currently looking for a full time for our airport gift shops.

Assistant Managers must be organized, self-motivated, flexible, creative and retail minded. Also looking for enthusiastic, out-going .

Excellent opportunities for advancement. Good wages and great benefits including medical insurance, Simple IRA, holiday bonus pay, vacations, 50% associate discount and an incentive program. Apply at our downtown, Walmart, or airport locations. You can also send resumes in confidence to the Montana Gift Corral, Attn Amy, P.O. Box 1860, Bozeman, MT 59771.

For additional information about these positions, or to apply please visit . TTY 1-800-253-4091 EOE/AA

Immediate Openings for General Laborers Great Pay w/Benefits

Duties include jobsite protection/trash collection, material management, forklift operation, various construction tasks, snow removal, shoveling and other winter related items.

Construction experience and good work ethic desired. Forklift Certification pref'd but not nec.

Must have reliable transportation and valid driver's license.

Fuel stipend provided if commuting from Bozeman. Please email your resume, if possible, as well as phone number and/or email for contact: admin@theprggroup.com 406-995-3400 CONSTRUCTION:

Medical:

General

HRDC, your local nonprofit community action agency, has multiple openings for Part-Time positions:

CONSTRUCTION

Pediatric Practice Seeking P/T Receptionist Approximately 20hrs/wk Must have excellent people, computer and organizational skills, be detail-oriented and able to multi-task in our fast-paced office.

Salary D.O.E. Submit Resume to: Anya@hatch.md

Full Phase concrete contractor seeks form setters, finishers, and laborers. Valid driver's license a must.

Full benefits after probation period. Wages based on experience.

Call Jim 406-580-4233 or send resume to:

is hiring for the for the following FT positions: Scrub Technician Certification Preferred -ANDOperating Room Circulation Nurse Required: RN Montana State License. Basic Life Support Certification.

Please send resumes to: 1450 Ellis Street Suite 101 Bozeman, MT 59715

Professional

Wages DOE + health, dental, 401(k) & holidays.

Applications available at 2010 Gilkerson Drive in Bozeman. Resumes can be e-mailed or faxed to or 406-585-7554.

Full benefit package EOE/DFW. Email sw060608@gmail.com

Carpenters wanted for a Big Sky custom home builder. Full time position with benefit package.

Wage D.O.E. Vehicle, References, and a background check required.

Inquiry by email only to: info@bigskybuild.com General:

Saturday and Sunday Evening Porter / Meeting Set Up. 4pm-midnight.

Must have valid driver's license. Pick up application at 1370 N 7th Ave Medical: Part-Time day / evenings (every other weekend) 22.5 – 30 + hours per wk.

Pick up application at Bearcreek Respite, 1002 E Kagy, Bozeman General: Flying Fur Custom Meats early shifts 6am – 2:30pm Skinner, Meat Wrapper & Sausage Dept. Person Will train. FT/PT positions

Construction:

Continental Construction is currently looking for

Construction:

Medical

Construction

Driver Straight truck and Class A CDL positions available, pay starting at $19.30 DOE, with an employee owned company with great benefits. Apply with in or send resume to

PROFESSIONAL Golden Helix is hiring a savvy and polished quota-carrying Sales Area Director in our Bozeman, MT office.

5-7+ years B2B phone sales, preferably in scientific software. Must be able to quickly learn genetics domain knowledge, prospect & sell complex statistical software to sophisticated users. If you have a proven track record, excellent communication skills and are results-driven, apply by emailing your resume.

Will also consider lessqualified candidates for sales prospecting with growth potential to full Area Director.

BioScience Laboratories needs 150+ participants WEEKLY to test hand soaps, hand sanitizers, lotions, cosmetics & more.

We pay participants to help us test these products.

Sign up today at 1765 S. 19th near the corner of 19th & Kagy. Learn more:

Construction: Great Western Insulation is hiring F/T INSULATION POSITIONS. In need of Experience preferred but will train. Hourly pay DOE. Overtime available and benefits included Call Ryan 406-586-7240

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