In December 2014, the Alliance Board met for an extended strategy session to set our mission and goals for 2015. Our mission for Montana's High Tech and Manufacturing companies is summed up in three verbs: Connect. Promote. Accelerate. Here are some of the ways the Montana High Tech Business Alliance is delivering on that mission so far this year.

In November 2014, the Alliance commissioned a survey from the UM Bureau of Business and Economic Research of 101 members with high tech and manufacturing operations in Montana. The results are in!Member responses allowed us to capture - for the first time ever - data measuring the size and growth potential of Montana's high tech sector.

What started out as a two-person shop on a family farm has grown into a multi-million dollar company, which employs 50 people in the heart of Montana.Spika Welding and Manufacturing specializes in designing and manufacturing industrial work platforms and ground support equipment for people working on military aircraft, tactical vehicles, and satellites. Last year, Spika Welding was named “Manufacturing Exporter of the Year."

Situated in the geographic center of Montana in the midst of rolling hills, farms, and ranches is something a little unexpected: one of the most vibrant manufacturing communities in the state. With a population of about 6,500, Lewistown, Mont. has a cluster of companies that design, engineer, and manufacture products for airports, oil companies, federal agencies, food distribution centers, sports arenas, hospitals, banks, schools, the military, and the aerospace industry, to name a few.

In 2015, remote work options will allow more Montana workers to find high-paying jobs where they want to live and Montana companies to hire the specialized skill sets they need.

Related to the maturation of key industries in Montana is the emergence of a number of highly sophisticated startups that could be poised for big growth in 2015.

Over the last nine months, I’ve had the privilege of hearing from members across the state about their plans for the year ahead and some patterns have emerged. This is the first of a series of three posts detailing trends I see coming in 2015.

Running a ranch with vast landscapes and numerous livestock can be complicated, but University of Montana student Walker Milhoan has a technology that he thinks will make ranching more sustainable and profitable.

Executive Director Christina Henderson was invited to promote Montana jobs and internships with Alliance member companies to more than 80 Computer Science majors - from Freshmen to Grad students - in three different classes.

It started with a little “Cats vs. Griz” rivalry. Students from the University of Montana and Montana State University submitted their favorite short films to an online competition and then had two weeks to spread the word – via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and in person – and encourage friends to vote for their films. The student with the most votes would win the competition.

More than 100 guests turned out for the Montana High Tech Business Alliance's second member reception in Missoula on November 13, making it clear Montanans are willing to brave cold weather and travel long distances to network with other leaders in high tech and manufacturing.

As one of Montana’s longest-running and most successful tech companies, PrintingForLess.com (PFL) has had nearly 20 years to develop its playbook of best practices for recruiting in Big Sky Country.

Rick Hill didn't pick up and move to LA or New York where all the action was. He stayed in Alabama and focused on mastering his craft, producing Grammy-winning albums and turning local musicians into the best rhythm section in the country. Hill developed a reputation for making hit records and the industry came to him.Montana high tech companies do the same thing.

Jeff White went into the Victor schools searching for a student who was good with computers to help him with a project. The teachers recommended Jeb, a 7th-grader who was passionate about coding, hungry to learn, and grateful to find a mentor who validated the way he thought.

As I'm out talking with people, I sometimes hear them say things about Montana's business community that are based on false assumptions. To counter, here are two truths I've learned working with Montana's high tech and manufacturing companies.

Two years ago, in July 2012, the Montana Programmers persuaded Brad Feld, a Boulder venture capitalist and author of the book Startup Communities, to give an inspiring talk to the Montana tech community. Rob Irizarry wrote up a great summary.

Today I mark two milestones as director of the Montana High Tech Business Alliance - the end of my first 90 days on the job, and the enrollment of our 90th member…

When we launched in April 2014, the MHTBA board and I set a goal to sign up 50 members by January 2015. I am an optimist, and I always believed we would meet our goal. But the Montana High Tech Business Alliance has grown faster, and bigger, than I ever imagined.