Billings, MT February 2021

F E B R UA RY 2 02 1

LI F E + C U LTU R E F U L L C I RC L E - WHAT H O RSES AN D P EO P L E D O FO R E AC H O T H ER

Success Stories: What Two Billings Newcomers Did For Us in 2020

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LIFESTYLE LETTER

FEBRUARY 2021 PUBLISHER

Robert Saunders | robert.saunders@lifestylepubs.com

Jessica and Justin Bickham

Billings: Truly a Magic City

AD DESIGNER

Miranda Read L AYO UT DESIGNER

Emily Lisenbee

MANY OF THE STORIES IN THIS ISSUE FEATURE FAMILIAR THEMES: SUCCESS THROUGH ADVERSITY, COMING TO A NEW PLACE TO BUILD A NEW LIFE, TURNING TO THE OLD TO MAKE SOMETHING NEW. Billings takes its nickname from its reputation: the city has always grown and thrived, in good times and bad, as if by magic. In this issue we find a few vignettes that exemplify some of the things that Billings stands for. Anyone who has lived here for long knows that we have an unusual selection of exceptionally talented people from all over the world. From martial arts instruction to restaurants to healthcare to music, global quality seems to find its way to Billings. Special people arrive in many ways for many reasons, then find themselves welcomed with open arms by our community. In return, they use their talents to enrich our lives. In this issue, we find a young executive from Spain who has guided the Billings Symphony to the most financially and artistically successful year in its history, in a year that gutted innumerable performing arts organizations. We meet a healthcare executive who hails from both the coast and came here with a mission: keep 5,000 Billings workers employed during the most destabilizing year for his industry in a century. And, we hear from a New York native who moved to the Blackfoot Reservation to breed Spanish Mustangs, and now uses horses to treat children with autism and trauma in Billings. All of these individuals reported the same thing: that Billings is a uniquely welcoming, kind, and healthy place to live. Billings is an intensely relational place: we treat newcomers like family, and we take care of our own.

CORPORATE TEAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson

Every place and every organization has handled the stresses of 2020 differently, but

AD MANAGER Chad Jensen

few if any have thrived through adversity better than Billings. The resilience of our

REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams

community kept all 5,000 workers at Billings Clinic employed. Our generosity helped

WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

the Billings Symphony grow its endowment by 30%, keep all its staff, and add two new full-time positions. There are many other such stories in our Magic City; if you have an inspiring tale from 2020, we would love to hear from you.

2020 has shown that our strength comes from our unity: we attract special people, give

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As we celebrate Valentine's Day, let us all take a moment to reflect on what love has done for us, for our families, and for our community.

ARIZONA | CALIFORNIA | COLORADO | CONNECTICUT | FLORIDA | GEORGIA IDAHO | ILLINOIS | KANSAS | MARYLAND | MASSACHUSETTS | MICHIGAN MINNESOTA | MISSOURI | MONTANA | NEW JERSEY | NORTH CAROLINA OHIO | OKLAHOMA | OREGON | PENNSYLVANIA | SOUTH CAROLINA TENNESSEE | TEXAS | VIRGINIA | WASHINGTON

ON THE COVER Billings Symphony Staff PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILLINGS SYMPHONY SOCIETY 4

Billings Lifestyle | February 2021

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Proverbs 3:5-6 Billings Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Billings areas’ most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

Information in Billings Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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INSIDE THE ISSUE FEBRUARY 2021

FEATURES 16 Humans and Horses: Helping Each Other The Unique Relationship Between A Woman and Her Horse

20 Meet The Executive Director How a Spanish Engineer and the Billings Symphony Have Made Music Together

30 The Doctor (& CEO) Is In What a Leader From California,

20 30

Connecticut, and Colorado Learned, and Taught, at Billings Clinic

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DEPARTMENTS 4

Lifestyle Letter

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Culinary Creations

12 DIY

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CULINARY CREATIONS

B C P A A O K R P E A C D M O E R L N IT’S THE NEW YEAR AND I THINK MORE THAN EVER WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN EXCUSE TO GATHER, LAUGH, AND ENJOY WARM COMPANY. Here is a recipe to add to your 2021 festivities, something to fill your kitchen with a bit of sweet ‘n salty— Baked Caramel Popcorn.

This festive treat can be traced back a few hundred years. Based on historical accounts, kettle corn and salted popcorn had long been enjoyed by the Dutch who came to America in the late 1700s. During holidays and special occasions, popcorn was in high demand. In 1870, two brothers named Frederick and Louis Rueckheim immigrated to the United States from Germany. They opened a popcorn shop in the middle of Chicago and began experimenting with flavors. The magic happened when they mixed popcorn, peanuts and molasses. It quickly became a hit!

A HISTORICALLY TASTY WINTER TREAT ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY ADRIANA VON HELMS

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Billings Lifestyle | February 2021

Story goes that one customer exclaimed “That’s a crackerjack!” the moment he tasted their invention. The name stayed and around 1893, the Rueckheim brothers patented Cracker Jack. Since then, various recipes have emerged including our simple but beloved caramel corn.

Popcorn is no stranger to Billings. From companies like Ceci’s Popcorn to Big Sky Kettle Corn, Montana and caramel corn go hand in hand. But perhaps this new year you can give the popular snack your own spin. Follow the simple recipe below. It is a family favorite and trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

F A M I LY R E C I P E OF BAKED CARAMEL CORN

Spread popped corn on 2 rimmed baking sheets. In a saucepan, bring toa. Boil butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt.

Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat and add soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn. Bake at 250 for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from pans and gently toss in a large bowl until cooled. Store in an airtight container.

direc t ions ingredient s

+ 1 cup butter + 2 cups dark brown sugar + ½ cup light corn syrup + 1 tsp salt + ½ tsp baking soda + 1 tsp vanilla + 6 qts. Popcorn + 1 cup of un-popped.

Pop in ½ cup batches

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DIY

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY AUDREY KUETHER

H A N D M A D E H O M E A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO ALL THINGS DIY WITH EXPERT AUDREY KUETHER

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Billings Lifestyle | February 2021

Before I made these cute gold leaf dishes, my jewelry was a tangled mess. Now I actually enjoy keeping it organized and displayed! Don’t let gold leaf intimidate you – it’s a game changer. Check out the tutorial to learn how to make some of these pretties for yourself or for gift giving.

+ G O L D E N

G L A M

J E W E L R Y

D I S H E S

+

SCAN ME FOR THE FULL TUTORIAL!

CONTINUED >

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SCAN ME FOR THE FULL TUTORIAL!

+

T E R R I F I C

T O Y

A N I M A L

P H O T O

D I S P L A Y S

+

DIY (CONTINUED)

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Billings Lifestyle | February 2021

I turned these toys into some fun photo holders, but they are also super fun used as table place settings at a kid’s birthday party.

They double as a party favor!

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It doesn’t get more fun than yarn pom poms – ok maybe I need to get a life, but nonetheless ....

In this tutorial , I show you just how easy it is to make your own pom poms and pull them together to make the cutest wall hangings.

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CHINOOK HORSES: A JOURNEY FROM BROOKLY N TO BROW NING TO BILLINGS Abigail Hornik with Horses

THE TRANSCENDENT, HEALING CONNECTION BETWEEN HUMANS AND HORSES

Buster the Pony 16

Billings Lifestyle | February 2021

ARTICLE EMMA PERLEY

“FOR WHATEVER REASON, I HAVE ALWAYS

up a Country magazine. Riffling lazily through the pages,

HAD THE BELIEF SYSTEM THAT HORSES WERE

her gaze fell on an article about a man who bred Spanish

HEALERS,” ABIGAIL HORNIK TOLD ME DURING

mustangs in Browning, Montana. His intent was to dis-

A GOOGLE VIDEO CALL FROM HER HOME IN

tract the local Native American Blackfeet children from

BILLINGS. She wore rectangular glasses and sat on

drug addiction and alcoholism. “I read about it,” Hornik

her bed, relaxed and comfortable against the pillows.

recalled, “took a plane to Great Falls, rented a car, and

A self-starter, Hornik has been an entrepreneur, busi-

drove up to Browning.” She stayed on the man’s ranch on

nesswoman, and co-founder of several divergent lines

the foothills of Glacier National Park, and at night in her

of work, including a home accessories company and

tepee she heard herds of horses galloping only feet from

breeding mustangs. But as we began to shift the con-

the entrance. She hadn’t found the horses, but rather the

versation from her work to talk about horses and their

other way around. The following summer, Hornik packed

surprisingly prominent role during the course of her life,

her belongings, bought a used pickup truck and traded

Hornik’s passion and excitement could not be contained.

New York skylines for the Big Sky country.

Her confidence and assuredness struck me as she

Hornik reconnected with a photographer friend

explained Chinook Horses, the nonprofit organization

in Browning who eventually became her husband.

she began in 2016, and the revolutionary equine therapy

Together they began an interior high end home acces-

that has helped transform her perspective completely.

sories company called Western Goods, which often fea-

Hornik’s experiences are a series of stories with a

tured equine themes. “The West was won with horses,”

single, subtle thread that weaves together the fabric of

Hornik said. “Historically, we are so deeply connected;

her life. When she was a child in New York, she loved

it’s very profound.”

to take horseback riding lessons, and as she dipped her

The 2008 financial crisis forced her company to close

toes in the corporate world, her years of working online

its doors, and Hornik went on the hunt for meaningful

in marketing and advertising seemed like only a detour

work again. She recalled her first days in Montana, seek-

until she got back to what she called her “first love”: con-

ing out a brave new life breeding mustangs on the wild

necting with and training horses. In 2000, Hornik was

plains. Hornik soon discovered the practice of equine

sitting in the lobby of a doctor’s office when she picked

assisted therapy and its fast-growing field of research.

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

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CHINOOK HORSES (CONTINUED)

18

She dove headlong into it, earning two certifications

I definitely think they have their people.” When

of Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association

Hornik’s father passed away, she found incredible

and becoming certified as a therapeutic riding

comfort in her first horse, a failed racehorse thor-

instructor at Rocky Mountain College in Billings

oughbred named Montana Joe, or MoJo for short.

and as an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and

“He was the only creature I could cry in front of,” she

Learning. Having acquired the know-how, Hornik’s

said. She also trained an exceptionally high strung,

impatient, self-propelling nature pushed her into

difficult horse named Vixen, whom she nicknamed

founding a nonprofit organization centered around

ViVi. “She went from being almost scary to being a

horse therapy, and Chinook Horses was born.

very sweet horse. There’s this saying of ‘love some-

The structure of the practice is simple but pro-

one through it’, and I think I’ve loved her through it.”

fessional. The EAGALA model—in which a mental

In addition, training and owning horses has dramati-

health specialist and an Equine Specialist to work

cally improved Hornik’s confidence in herself and her

together with clients alongside the horses—has pro-

abilities. It has also forced Hornik to be patient—after

duced positive outcomes in the patients who need

years of high speed city life, Hornik has learned to

help the most. Clients, most of them children, arrive

slow down around the reactionary, emotional ani-

at Chinook Horses with troubled backgrounds or

mals. “I had to be really really patient until [ViVi]

having experienced some form of trauma, needing

got to a place where she trusted me,” she recalled.

the peace that comes from quiet, gentle animals who

Physiologically, horses have also been proven to slow

help them rediscover emotional stability.

down human heartbeats during bonding times.

During a session, clients are introduced to two

Part of Hornik’s motivation for beginning a nonprofit

or three horses while a mental health specialist and

organization was that many people cannot afford

Equine Therapist stand alert nearby. The horses are

horse therapy. The clients often come from poor or

not tied up, and are free to approach the client if they

unstable backgrounds, and the extensive care required

choose. Whether or not the animals investigate is gen-

is usually too expensive to foster any real change. With

erally based on the client’s emotional state; horses can

the grants and donations given to Chinook in the past

sense whether people are volatile or afraid. However,

few years, they are now looking forward to expanding

horses tend to be very nurturing and affectionate

their organization. Chinook Horses aims to have its

when they sense that a person is sad or lonely, and

own facility, as well as respites and places of employ-

will approach them in order to comfort. “They’re like

ment for people with learning disabilities. Additionally,

sponges,” Hornik said. “They truly are healers.”

Hornik hopes that the Billings community will become

Interacting with horses not only heals but also

more aware of the benefits and efficacy of horse ther-

cultivates learning in children or adults who are

apy. “If we save one kid from the foster care system,

atypical thinkers. People who have undeveloped

heal trauma and change their story,” Hornik said, “the

social thinking or are nonverbal can thrive when they

course of their life is going to look very different than if

interact with horses. “We teach things like thinking

there wasn’t intervention.”

with your eyes,” said Hornik, “body awareness, and

Chinook Horses has already seen tremendous suc-

paying attention to [the client’s] relation to the ani-

cess. Over the Christmas holidays, Hornik received

mal.” While human therapy has its limits, horses are

a phone call from an elderly woman in Kansas

non-judgmental and can manage learning difficulties

concerning her grandchild, who had attended sev-

with ease. “Sometimes kids just tell their story to the

eral therapy sessions. The child had formerly been

horse,” Hornik said. In facilitating an environment

nonverbal, and her parents feared that her disability

of physical and emotional connection, Chinook

would never be overcome. However, the woman

Horses helps clients rewrite their stories.

told Hornik, in a seemingly miraculous recovery, she

The relationship is not one-sided: horses them-

was now speaking and talking like everybody else.

selves are emotional creatures who learn as much

Instead of giving presents that year, the woman gave

from humans as we learn from them. “I own three

a sizable donation to Chinook in gratitude. “I don’t

horses,” Hornik said. “They recognize my voice, the

think she ever really would have talked if it wasn’t for

people that are emotionally connected to them . . .

your program,” she said.

Billings Lifestyle | February 2021

Children are Trained to Lead the Horses

comfort noun:

A McCALL HOMES COMMUNITY

a feeling of ease and enjoyment

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Success Story: Ignacio Barron Viela

The Full Billings Symphony Orchestra

BRINGING INTERNATIONAL EXCELLENCE TO THE BIG SKY COUNTRY

THE GIFT OF A CELLO WHEN HE WAS FIVE MAY HAVE HAD MORE EFFECT ON IGNACIO BARRÓN VIELA THAN HIS PARENTS INTENDED. As one of the few people who wears a big warm overcoat on a mild winter day in Montana, Barrón Viela might stand out in a crowd. He certainly stood out to the Board members of the Billings Symphony Orchestra and Chorale when they were interviewing for a new Executive Director.

Barrón Viela has been the Executive Director of Billings Symphony and Orchestra for over two years and is excited and passionate to continue engaging the community in his career of music management.

Performing arts management in Montana is not where Barrón Viela started, however. First, it was Spain, with a master’s in industrial engineering from the University of Zaragoza.

Then, he spent seven years as a senior management consultant and project manager for two energy companies — two of the largest private investor-owned energy companies in the world. His work there spanned from offshore wind power plants to traditional fossil fuel energy sites.

While working in Dusseldorf, Germany as an engineer, Barrón Viela formed part of the Heinrich Heine Orchestra Ignacio Barron Viela

and helped them manage European tours. Desiring additional business education, Barrón Viela then traveled to America to take his MBA from USC Marshall School of Business with an emphasis in arts leadership through the USC Thornton School of Music.

ARTICLE BETH WHITEHEAD PHOTOGRAPHY BILLINGS SYMPHONY SOCIETY 20

Billings Lifestyle | February 2021

The Bi l l i ngs Sy mphony seeks to heal th rough music and not merely entertai n.

Guitar Lessons at the Women's Prison CONTINUED >

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SUCCESS STORY: IGNACIO BARRON VIELA (CONTINUED)

His extensive business management and orchestra experience, taken with his professionalism and enthusiasm, was enough to convince the Billings Symphony Board that this was the guy they needed. Since being with Billings Symphony, Barrón Viela has successfully navigated and routinely sold out performances while transitioning between three different venues in two years. The current Billings Symphony concert hall is Lockwood High School’s brand new, 200-million-dollar auditorium, located five miles out of town.

Over the last twelve months, the Billings Symphony has increased its national presence with five different mentions in national outlets and was selected by the the Steering Committee of New Music for America, a national consortium commissioning program, to premiere high end national composer Jennifer Higdon during 2022.

Barrón Viela is proud that despite national employment drags the Billings Symphony has been able to maintain its team and hire two new full-time staff members. The coronavirus has initiated a change that Barrón Viela has long been pushing but regrets not being more proactive about: live streaming. “If this pandemic hadn’t happened,” he says, “we wouldn’t be where we are today, in a good way.”

Barrón Viela says one the biggest challenges he has found is “to keep growing and to restore the connection with the audience.” “Sports and entertainment are the most affected by what’s happening, [we need] to stay strong and restore our connection.” The Billings Symphony used to entertain around 1,400 people per live concert but since the 2020-2021 season started, they moved from a total live capacity of 200 people per concert to only livestream events, with around 1,500 attendees per performance.

The Billings Symphony is more than concert hall performances, however. Its “work and mission is beyond the theatre,” Barrón Viela says.

The Billing Symphony seeks to heal through music and not merely entertain. From nursing homes to hospitals to prisons, the Billings Symphony has over 120 various community engagement programs, bringing music to people who need healing. In the Montana Women’s 22

Billings Lifestyle | February 2021

Prison, many, if not most, of the women incarcerated are imprisoned for committing petty crimes. Those who learn how to play guitar have a lower recidivism rate than those who do not. Barrón Viela believes in the healing power of music, and through the Billings Symphony’s outreach he is able to live out this dream to provide music to people in need. Barrón There is an element of Montana heart that Barrón Viela finds noteworthy - this desire to help the community. To Barrón Viela, what makes Montanans unique in the world is “their genuine, sincere welcoming.”

Having been to 45 countries, lived in four of them, and resided in 15 different cities, his impression of Montana was decided when the people considered him friends without knowing him. After he was hired as the Executive Director and upon the Board discovering that he was new to the state, Board members had him over to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.

He remembers how, one day, he got his car stuck in the snow in temperatures below freezing and this stranger pulled off the road and hopped out. Flips flops hit the snow and the man’s shorts amazed Barrón Viela.

The stranger set to work quickly and in no time the car was back on the road, with the stranger trudging back through the snow to his car in his flip flops and shorts.

Adjustment to winter was certainly one of the challenges Barrón Viela faced upon moving to Montana. Another, he says, was learning how to “to keep his roots and culture intact, to incorporate his identity into his new lifestyle,” especially with different ethnic calendars. Having married a Montana woman, Barrón Viela feels like he has been adopted by a Montana family, although he has yet to purchase the cowboy boots and hat. When he is not in the kitchen cooking tapas with his wife, you might find him at at Bin 119 , one of his favorite local businesses.

Magic City Music

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

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T h e Te s t o f G i v i n g

Billings Lifestyle | February 2021

ARTICLE MARY MUNCY

TH E TE S T 24

DO YOUR KNIVES GO BLADE UP OR DOWN IN THE DISHWASHER? The argument is that up makes the blade cleaner, but you run the risk of cutting your hand, down and the blade may not get clean, but it’s safer. I’m a blade down person. It’s mostly because I’m klutzy and who needs one more thing to think about? My roommate, however, is a blade up person. Yes, there have been arguments.

much time their spouse spends doing house-

I got a little petty and googled the best way

work. This says nothing about who did more, or

to load the dishwasher and, to my surprise, not

even what kinds of work was being split, simply

only did an extensive list of articles about how

that at least one of them was dissatisfied and

to properly load a dishwasher come up, but

each thought they were doing equal or more

so did studies about how to split chores fairly.

than their partner–until a social scientist put

They piqued my interest, so I read a few. Okay I

time-cards in their hands, that is.

wanted to prove my roommate wrong, but that

While the studies were varied and interest-

just means I read them more carefully. I found

ing (I’ll link a few at the bottom), they brought

that some of the only consistent things between

a dissatisfaction to light. Some studies argued

studies is that women are more dissatisfied

that the dissatisfaction is the result of gender

than men and many couples underestimate how

disparity, and perhaps it is, but the frustration was often present in both genders no matter how the chores were originally split. So, I think there’s something more subtle happening here: human’s innate selfishness.

We do not give easily. And often, when we do give, it is not fully. The simple act of splitting up chores gives us an opportunity to take the temperature of our attitudes. Are we trying to help our partner, or get out of as much work as possible?

Several different studies split up chores in several different ways. Some said one should cook, the other clean up. Others said one should drive the kids, the other clean the bathrooms. But I’ll bet, unless there truly was a huge disparity, any greater satisfaction with the splitting of chores was from a researcher telling the couple it was fair and their choice to believe him.

When reading those studies, I realized that very few of my relationships are characterized CONTINUED >

O F G IVI N G

WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR YOUR RELATIONSHIP?

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THE TEST OF GIVING (CONTINUED)

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Billings Lifestyle | February 2021

by giving and part of that comes from who I have chosen to live life with. To be able to give in a relationship, one needs to be able to support the ones they’re giving to. So, if you’re not working towards the same things, how can you give fully? This can be especially difficult in romantic relationships because, as C.S. Lewis put it in The Four Loves, romantic partners spend their time looking at each other, while friends spend their time looking at something else together. In other words, friends give their time and energy to each other easily because they’re pursuing their own goals with a companion while romantic partners must give up some of their own interests for the purpose of pursuing each other. This could be a very telling way to decide if someone is a good romantic partner; can you give your time, energy, money, or anything else to their endeavors? If not, you shouldn’t be with them.

Giving can also be a litmus test for the health of a relationship. Is one person always and obviously giving much more of their time, energy, CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

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THE TEST OF GIVING (CONTINUED)

or resources? Every couple will go through seasons where one will have to support the other, but if you’re constantly giving or constantly taking, it may be time to sit down and evaluate where the relationship is headed.

In the long term, I’m sure my roommate and I will come to an agreement about how to properly load the dishwasher.

That, or one of us will move out. But in order to preserve our friendship through these trying times, I think I might just take over dish duty.

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AR TICLE E

M A

PE RLE Y

Success Story: Dr. Scott Ellner

M

Dr. Scott Ellner, CEO

HOW NATIONAL TALENT HELPED THE MAGIC CITY: THE NEWCOMER WHO BROUGHT BILLINGS CLINIC THROUGH THE CRUCIBLE

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Billings Lifestyle | February 2021

his first few days of accepting his post has given him reasons to go the extra mile, and then another. However, even in the day to day rigor of the pandemic, Ellner assures his team and colleagues that tough decisions can be made without sacrificing jobs or lives.

Ellner prioritizes mental health and strength, especially among his employees. “I wanted to create a culture of psychological safety,” Ellner said. He coined the term from Dr. Amy Edmondson of Harvard University; essentially, employees should feel safe to IMAGINE MOVING TO A NEW STATE AND STARTING A NEW

be themselves within the workplace without fear of negative con-

JOB, WHERE THE BUCK STOPS WITH YOU, AT THE BEGINNING

sequences. Ellner’s vision is not to delegate tasks, but rather to

OF THE MOST DESTABILIZING EVENT FOR YOUR INDUSTRY

ensure that employees are heard and valued, no matter whether

IN THREE GENERATIONS. Dr. Scott Ellner knows the feeling:

they are healthcare workers, physicians, or the janitor at the hospi-

he moved from Colorado to Billings to take the position of CEO at

tal. Only a year after he began working at the Clinic, Ellner headed

Billings Clinic in February of 2020.

up a campaign called “I Am The Difference”, whose goal is to create

Newly hired, Scott Ellner embraced the challenges of maintaining Billings Clinic’s high reputation, keeping all of the hospital’s

a safe environment for people to voice their opinions: “Everybody should feel that they have the courage to speak up.”

5,000 workers employed in a time that all but eliminated elective

Billings Clinic is governed by a local board of healthcare direc-

surgeries, and providing top quality health care to patients suffer-

tors and employs over 5,000 people, currently the largest private

ing from acute cases of SARS-CoV-2.

employer in the state of Montana. Over half of the patients cared

“For me, this is a dream job,” Ellner said, “to be part of an orga-

for at the Clinic come from outside of Billings, largely hailing from

nization with such an incredible reputation; with great physicians,

northern Wyoming and the western Dakotas. “People don’t realize

great nurses, great people. To top it off, I love Billings—my family

the extent to how many lives we impact,” Ellner said. When the

really enjoys being part of the community.” Ellner had always been

pandemic gained traction in April, the Clinic had to briefly close

eager to improve health and safety in his own beginning position

many units down to comply with state mandates. According to

as a trauma surgeon in Connecticut before he even began seek-

Ellner, he made sure that all of his employees stayed employed as

ing leadership positions. Before relocating to Montana, Ellner was

the world was thrown into chaos; moving forward, Ellner hopes

appointed to the position of President of the Saint Francis Medical

CONTINUED >

Group in Hartford, Connecticut, and completed the Comprehensive Patient Safety Leadership Fellowship with the American Hospital Association at the same time.

Opportunities to improve quality and safety in healthcare require strong situational awareness, and Ellner focuses on listening to people and understanding what motivates them. “Leadership is about building strong foundational relationships,” he said. Ellner achieved a Master’s degree at Harvard University in Healthcare Administration and went on to work in Colorado for four years as the

Patient Care is a Priority

Group President and CEO of Centura Health Physician Group. When the Billings Clinic position opened up, Ellner relocated to Montana in January, 2020 with his wife and two children.

He was immediately faced with the complexities of managing and handling the health and welfare of his employees as well as creating a safe COVID mitigation environment within the Clinic. While Ellner experienced the difficult demands as a trauma surgeon at the beginning of his career, leading a health Clinic during a pandemic within

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

31

SUCCESS STORY: DR. SCOTT ELLNER (CONTINUED)

that while his employees can keep their jobs, they can also keep

physicians . . . getting us through this challenging time.” Some opera-

their faith in the Clinic and in his leadership. Under his careful

tional challenges have presented themselves during COVID, including

leadership so far, the Clinic has survived and thrived. Ellner finds

capacity, workforce, and staffing issues. But Ellner is optimistic about

ways to constantly improve standards at the Clinic and look to the

the future of the Clinic and the possibilities that lay ahead. “Some of

future for even more growth.

these changes we are instituting are going to position the clinic to be

The Billings Clinic’s reputation preceded Ellner’s arrival. In 2018-2019, Billings Clinic was rated as the No. 1 hospital in patient

more sustainable,” Ellner said. “We’re going to be much stronger for the next five years at least,” he said. “This is a learning opportunity.”

safety in Montana, and has garnered Best Hospital recognition for

During his 10 months in Billings, a large part of Ellner’s job has been

seven consecutive years by the U.S. News & World Report. These

to simply roll with the punches. However, despite tough decisions and

rankings are based on quality of nurse staffing, patient recovery

pandemic challenges, Ellner’s vision for the Billings community hasn’t

rates, common procedures, and patient experience. The Clinic also

changed. “Our goal is to continue to be a strong and vibrant health

earned a Beacon Award for Excellence for its ICU, placing it among

system to serve the community of Billings and surrounding commu-

the top critical care units in the nation and alongside nationally

nities,” he said. Ellner’s goal is for Billings Clinic to become a regional

ranked, prominent hospitals such as Lenox Hill Hospital in New

healthcare system, as well as the No. 1 trauma center in the area. “We

York. Ellner remarked that Billings Clinic’s nurses, physicians, and

have an interest in impacting the community in a positive way, where

leadership consistently go above and beyond for their patients, and

our efforts can truly make a difference [and] where Billings can be a

the culture of hard work was what drew him to the Clinic.

thriving and vibrant city,” Ellner remarked. Additionally, the Clinic is not

Having lived in southern California, Denver, and the East Coast, Ellner has seen his fair share of different cultures. But for him, Billings

just a hospital in downtown Billings but also holds partnerships with 15 other hospitals across Montana and Wyoming.

already feels like home. “The people of Billings have been the best

Giving the best possible care in tough situations is a priority, and

to get to know,” he said. “The community is vibrant and it’s a healthy

Ellner has always measured his own success with the success of

environment.” The outdoor activities are no different: Ellner hikes the

the people around him. “At the end of the day, the way that I get

mountains with his dogs, runs the trails and competes in Spartan

peace or I look at success is, did the people around me feel like they

races to decompress after long days at work. His favorite place in

made a contribution?”

Billings is Thompson Fitness, where a personal trainer helps keep both his body and mind in shape.

Ellner is determined to remain positive and provide quality care.

The Billings Clinic CEO boosts morale whenever possible. While the virus has been an unfortunate and saddening experience for everyone, Ellner aims to use the event as a motivator and a springboard for future successes. “Our people are getting us through this crisis,” he said. “There are tremendous examples of our nurses, CNAs and

32

Billings Lifestyle | February 2021

“For me, this is a dream job,” Ellner said, “to be part of an organization with such an incredible reputation; with great physicians, great nurses, great people.”

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

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