Glacier Bank hosts 75 tech leaders at Aug. 31 reception in Kalispell
Glacier Bank hosted more than 75 leaders in high-tech and manufacturing at Desoto Grill for the Montana High Tech Business Alliance’s reception in Kalispell on August 31, 2017. Photos by Paige Pavalone, Pistol Creek Photography. Glacier Bank Market President Bob Nystuen speaks at the Desoto Grill, where reception attendees dined on delicious hors d'oeurves and drank wine and beer. Nystuen said Glacier Bank is having a great year in the Flathead and they're looking for more ways to get involved in the high-tech sector. This is the third year Glacier Bank has hosted the Kalispell reception.
View the reception album on Facebook.
CONNECT: Kalispell reception drew attendees from 11 Montana cities
Dave Hanson, VP Community Banking Officer of Glacier Bank (left), and Paddy Fleming, Director of Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (center), chat with startup adviser Sue Larew at the Kalispell Member Reception on Aug. 31, 2017. Attendees came from as far away as Helena, Bozeman, Billings, and Missoula to connect with fellow Alliance members.
PROMOTE: Kampgrounds of America in Billings and Frontier Fund 2 in Polson give lightning talks about their growing companies
John Adams, AVP, Information Services of Kampgrounds of America in Billings, and Liz Marchi, founder of Frontier Angel Fund, gave a five-minute lightning talk on their organizations at the August 31 reception. Adams said he faces a lot of incredulity when people learn KOA has a dedicated tech support staff with seven developers and a number of contractors. "We are a software shop," Adams said. "And that is why a campground company is part of Montana High Tech." KOA is growing quickly and now has more than 470 franchisees.
Adams said the company has been revamping its reservation software, preparing to move to a cloud-based system that will be more able to meet rapidly changing franchisee needs. By November, KOA will be ready to announce a full migration to the new software system. Liz Marchi spoke about Frontier Angel Fund 2, which recently committed its remaining capital into 19 investments. During the talk, Marchi said she was proud to have written her 40th check as part of the Frontier Angel Fund. See the story below for more information on Frontier Fund 2 and its evolution to new leadership, a new fund, and a new website. Marchi also announced that she will be moving to a new position with the Montana Chamber of Commerce Foundation where she working on the innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology piece of the Chamber's Envision 2026 initiative.
ACCELERATE: Montana Executives discuss adapting their workforce to a changing economy
Ryan Weisser, President of AXIOM IT Solutions, Inc., speaks about his company's experience with remote workers and hiring millennials during the Kalispell CEO Roundtable discussion about adapting your workforce to a changing economy in Montana West Economic Development's meeting room on August 31. Watch for takeaways from the conversation in future newsletters.
