I N D U ST RY P R O F I L E
Montana Chamber of Commerce: Working Hard for Montana Businesses By Courtney Oppel
When the Montana Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1931, US unemployment had doubled to over 16 percent from the previous year as the Great Depression tightened its grip, drought and dust storms began to wreak havoc across the Midwest and Great Plains, and in Montana, income from the state’s largest industry, agriculture, dropped by 34 percent, while mining income dropped by 37 percent. We recognized then, as we do now, the need for an organization dedicated to advocating for Montana businesses to promote economic growth and prosperity for all Montanans. WHO WE ARE Our team of professionals at the Montana Chamber work hard for you to create networking opportunities, advocate for legislative and legal reforms that benefit— not hurt—your business, help develop a reliable workforce, and promote infrastructure improvements that make Montana a safer and more attractive place to do business. We bring together almost 800 member companies, representing every size, industry, and region in the Big Sky State. Our Board of Directors— which is comprised of business leaders that serve three-year terms—reflects the diversity of our membership and acts as the compass of the Montana Chamber of Commerce. HOW WE SERVE YOU Advocacy is one of the most vital services we provide to our members. Given the size and diversity of our membership, when the Montana Chamber speaks, business and government leaders listen. We actively follow the issues that have the potential to impact your business, and advocate on your behalf in Helena and with our state representatives in Congress. During each legislative session, we provide weekly “Capitol Connection” videos to show you what we’ve been working on in our state capitol. At the end of each legislative session, we publish our Voting Review: a comprehensive analysis of business and economic issues addressed during that session. Leading up to elections, we educate you on the candidates and issues. And through our
involvement with the Montana Justice Coalition, we keep you apprised of court decisions that impact Montana’s business climate. We also make it our priority to help members get plugged into the business community through multiple networking opportunities throughout the year. Whether you have a mom-and-pop shop and need mentorship, a quickly growing enterprise and need to reach more customers, or a multinational corporation looking for new growth opportunities, our targeted networking events provide educational opportunities and enable you to connect with your peers while growing your network. Check out our website at www.montanachamber.com or contact us for more information on these events, which include the Governors’ Cup Golf Tournament, Business Days at the Capitol, Manufacturing and International Trade Day, and our Annual Membership Meeting. Our members additionally rely on us as a resource for tools to assist you with running and growing your business. In addition to educational events and publications like Eye on Business, we give you access to information about the state of our economy and where it’s headed—so you can make smart business decisions— on an ongoing basis through press releases and various video updates on our website. Additional membership benefits include access to discounts on goods and services traditionally available only to larger employers, such as a retirement plan, office supply discounts, and Electronic Certificates of Origin discounts (through a streamlined, online process).
MONTANA CHAMBER FOUNDATION The Montana Chamber Foundation (MCF) plays a crucial role in identifying and supporting the Montana Chamber’s programs and initiatives. Established by the Montana Chamber, the MCF provides an important structure for us to fund business education and encourage entrepreneurship among K–12 and undergraduate students, participate in research projects, host events that promote economic development opportunities, and administer funds that support workforce development and entrepreneurship programs in the Big Sky State. In 2017, for example, the MCF brought to Montana Youth Entrepreneurs, a nationally recognized program that develops employability traits and instills economic and entrepreneurial principles in our future workforce. Youth Entrepreneurs helps students develop the soft skills—such as creativity, focus mastery, and a growth mindset—that Montana businesses have told us they’re looking for in potential employees. In Montana, this program has grown from 4 schools in 6 communities to 41 schools in 36 communities. The MCF also serves an essential function by funding initiatives associated with the Montana Chamber’s current long-range plan for realizing our mission and vision: Envision 2026. continued on page 8
EYE ON BUSINESS SPRING 2021
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