August, 2008 - the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Presidents Report . .
by Patti Furniss Chamber President
To continue with your Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce’s effort to evaluate what
are we doing well and what can we improve upon for the benefit of our membership, I’d
like to keep you current with Leadership Bitterroot. This is a dynamic program sponsored
by our Chamber and through each year’s graduating class it changes in an effort to
maintain its purpose. Each year’s graduating class has the responsibility to plan and organize
the next year’s sessions, which makes it an ever growing program.
The current Leadership Bitterroot graduates are doing just that and have come up with
some progressive changes for the new class. The first change is reworking the mission
statement into a mantra: ‘Helping Build Community Leaders’. The major change that is
being incorporated into this coming year includes restructuring the monthly sessions in
order to spend more time in each of our individual communities from Sula to Missoula.
These sessions will include an Orientation/Retreat; three (3) Hamilton sessions; a
Stevensville/Florence session; a Darby/Conner session; a Corvallis/Victor session; a day
at the Montana State Capital during the legislature; a Missoula session which will include
a joint meeting with the Missoula Leadership program; and of course, an Ending Retreat
to include graduation and planning for the next year. Each session will include the topics
that have traditionally been a session: History & Culture; Business on the Move; Economics
& Labor; Government & Politics; Human Services & Education; Law Enforcement;
Transportation & Communication and Natural Resources.
In addition, this year’s graduates are eager to form an Alumni Leadership Bitterroot
program to partner activities and create an opportunity for continued leadership seminars
and discussion themes. There will be opportunities for Alumni to participate in some of
the sessions; specifically, insuring that we send a full bus to Helena to access our state
government. In order to help fund some of these activities, which will include increased
travel, the Leadership Bitterroot graduates suggested not increasing the cost of this program,
but marketing the benefits in order to insure the class is full. Because most of the
valley doesn’t realize that the Leadership Bitterroot graduates are the organizers of our
annual Fair Parade, there will be a choice for Parade entrants this year. Groups or individuals
who want to participate in competing for a ribbon and cash prize in their category
will pay $10.
Leadership Bitterroot is an exciting program and benefits those who participate by learning
not only about our ever changing valley’s programs, issues and potential, but also provides
an opportunity to network with other businesses. It is my hope that all graduates find
ways to use their leadership abilities for the betterment of our Bitterroot Valley, either by
joining positive causes, joining a Board of a local non-profit or even running for public
office. We love seeing Leadership Bitterroot graduates names in the news developing
ways to improve our economy, culture, and causes.
Leadership Bitterroot has been identified as ‘the best kept secret in the Bitterroot’.
So contact the Chamber today as applications are being accepted for the new class members
now!! Class begins September 17, 2008!
This years graduating class: President, Cassie Romano, Lakeland Feed & Supply;
Marti Bowland, Bitterroot National Forest;
Cassie Buhl, GSK; Ruth Carmona, Plum
Loco Saloon; Jeffrey Fuller, Rocky Mountain
Bank; Sharon Holland, Ravalli County Bank;
Summer Howe, Sterling Savings Bank; Katie
Huls, Bitterroot Drug; Matthew Olson,
Ravalli County Electric Coop; Joel Stuber,
Hamilton High School; Jamie Tadvick,
Farmers State Bank; Diana Thomas,
Bitterroot Job Service; Don Welling,
Northwestern Energy; and Bob Koch,
Kinetico Quality Water.
PAGE 4
Updates . . .
Sherrie Adolphson will no longer represent
Cherry Creek Radio, however, she
will still be very involved in the Chamber
- she will be helping her husband in
their business Bitterroot Cabins.
Sherrie’s replacement for Cherry Creek
will be Mark Servoss.
Curves New Manager
Curves in Ravalli County of Montana,
located at 924 Adirondac Avenue in
Hamilton, is pleased to announce the
promotion of Cheri Stahlecker from Assistant
Manager to Manager. She started
as a Fitness Technician in December
2005 and was promoted to Assistant
Manager in December 2007. Stahlecker
has completed the Curves Learning Experience
Series I, II and III and continues
her studies in business managment,
leadership and customer service.
Sr. Pro
What a great event for Hamilton to host
- the Sr. Pro Rodeo. The Chamber hosts
a food wagon for the contestants both
Friday and Saturday. Breakfast burritos,
hamburgers, polish dogs, chips etc. were
available for hungry cowboys and they
took advantage of it!
Special thanks to Linda Glover and
Carol Saylor for all their help during
those two long days. Also all the volunteers
who were there to help us serve for
the event. Thank you - Thank you!
Volunteers
Honored
At a Volunteer Luncheon hosted by
RSVP Volunteer Center, John Trangmoe
and Frank Wright were honored for their
many hours of service in our community.
Frank and John also volunteer here at
the Chamber office along with Lois
Klement, Patti Weeda, and Ruth
Carmona. Special thanks to Donna Gordon
who filled in for us.
Volunteers are a very important asset
to our Chamber, for without them, we just
cannot seem to get anything done. They
answer the phone, wait on customers and
in general just help keep the Chamber
running. Thank you Chamber Volunteers
for everything you do!