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1) President Trump announced that Department of War is going to establish a new super range in Montana for testing advanced weapons and technologies, including potential autonomous weapons, space and electronic warfare technologies, supersonics and hypersonics. See Sen. Sheehy's release regarding the range.
2) Congratulations to ADF for their announcement of $82 million in new contracts to be supported by their Canadian and Great Falls facilities. Congratulations on the grand opening of The Prairie Table Restaurant in Shelby. Owners Tyler Smith and Alston Zhao opened the restaurant October 10; see Pioneer Press. Congratulations to Tilleraas Landscaping & Nursery whose flower baskets in Downtown Great Falls won statewide recognition from the Montana Main Street Program. 7 Brew Coffee plans to open in Great Falls and Little Loon bagel and coffee food truck has begun operations in Great Falls; see TheElectric's Business Bites.
3) Janicki Industries announced that Dan Voorhies has joined the company as Senior Director of Operations for the Great Falls manufacturing campus; see KRTV.
4) Calling all the entrepreneurs, business owners, and innovators across North Central Montana! Join us at our annual Entrepreneur Celebration, an event honoring the business owners whose vision, determination, and hard wok strengthen our communities and fuel our regional economy. November 10 at The Newberry in Downtown Great Falls from 4:30-5:30 PM. From new startups to established businesses, every entrepreneurial journey deserves recognition! RSVP today and join the celebration!!
5) GFDA approved a $50,000 Brownfields loan to help a local non-profit community organization fund a cleanup effort on a vacant upper floor of a building in Downtown Great Falls. The redevelopment will create space for a much-needed community service. GFDA’s Brownfields loan program supports cleanup and redevelopment efforts, helping create safer, healthier spaces for future community use. If you or someone you know is interested in developing a property that may have contamination, such as asbestos, contact Shandi Gebhardt Jones at 1-406-590-9037 or Shandi@GrowGreatFalls.org to discuss available options and resources.
6) The Montana Department of Commerce won a major $700 million federal grant to support the important North Plains Connector transmission line that will connect Montana to the mid-west power grid; see Gov. Gianforte release. Great work!
7) Last call! GFDA will host a Data Center Task Force meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 21 from 5:00 – 6: 30 PM at Heritage Hall, Great Falls College MSU. The speaker will be Monical Tranel, an attorney who has practiced energy focused law in Montana for more than 25 years. Ms. Tranel will share insights into labor, water, electricity, noise, and community benefits with respect to potential data center development. All community members are welcome to attend, please register here. Notes from all previous meetings are available on GFDA’s website here.
8) Brett and Jolene returned from the Governor’s Business Development mission to India with 23 company leads and have already scheduled two red carpet tours for later this month. This was a target rich environment for business development leads and we’re excited to see deals flowing!
9) Registration is live for the Meadowview Village Home Ribon Cutting and Public open house event on November 5th. Come walk through the finished home, meet the sales team, review current home plans and pricing, and get a closer look at the community taking shape in Great Falls.
10) Jake was on the road for the Big Sky Bright Future Economic Summit hosted by Governor Gianforte and the Montana Chamber of Commerce. At the event, several exciting developments in Great Falls were highlighted. While in Bozeman, Jake was able to follow up with two developers who attended our Red Carpet Developer tour last month.
11) The average annual wage in the Great Falls MSA (Cascade County) increased by 4.5% in the four quarters ending 2026Q2, more than the state average of 3.9%, according to data released by the JobsEQ online economic data system we subscribe to. The local average annual wage grew to $58,681, a one year increase of $2,506. Total wages earned in the Cascade County increased by $83 million in the twelve months ending 2026Q2.
12) Planning to purchase a building or equipment for your business? October SBA 504 rates are 6.974% for 25-year loans, 6.975% for 20-year loans, and 6.600% for 10-year loans. Refinance rates are 6.975% for 25 years and 6.978% for 20 years. SBA 504 loans provide long-term, fixed-rate financing for owner-occupied commercial real estate and equipment, helping businesses preserve working capital as they grow. To find out more, contact Shandi Gebhardt Jones at 1-406-590-9037 or Shandi@GrowGreatFalls.org.
13) Kristen Blue networked with energy developers, utilities, regulators, and other regional energy stakeholders at the Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation and Western Interstate Energy Board meeting in Missoula. Topics covered energy efficiency, demand side management, transmission development, large load tariffs, permitting, market seams and more. Modern energy challenges and opportunities cross state lines, making regional coordination essential for access to reliable, affordable power.
14) We are fortunate to have Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Montana Air National Guard as part of our community, but maintaining a strong defense presence takes continued effort. The Central Montana Defense Coalition brings local voices together to support these missions and make sure our region remains part of the conversation about future defense opportunities. Thank you to the investors helping fund this work. Contact Jenn at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org to get involved.
15) Capability statements are making an impact! Great Falls Regional APEX is helping businesses of all sizes and industries increase their visibility with government agencies and prime contractors by providing guidance on creating capability statements that highlight their products, services, experience, and strengths. A capability statement is a powerful marketing tool that can help your business stand out, communicate your value, make a lasting impression, and showcase the solutions you bring to the table in a competitive contracting market. To create or strengthen your capability statement and put your business in the spotlight, contact Shannon Clancy at SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1184.
16) We have a career opening for a Business Development Officer who will focus on growing and diversifying the region's food, ag, and bio processing industries and for a Small Business Advisor who will help entrepreneurs to start, sustain and grow businesses in the region. Download our Career Opportunities. Please pass along to great candidates.
17) Virtual Sentinel Industry Day, October 21. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Seattle District, is hosting this virtual event to discuss upcoming utility infrastructure improvements supporting the Sentinel project at Malmstrom Air Force Base and its planned contracting approach. This event is open to businesses of all sizes and industries. Register: CLICK HERE! To learn more about connecting with government agencies, contact Shannon Clancy at SClancy@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-590-1184.
18) Andrew Burr started work as a Business Advisor with GFDA's regional Small Business Development Center. Andrew brings decades of successful business ownership experience to our team. Welcome Andrew at Andrew@GrowGreatFalls.org or 1-406-217-7738.
19) There are a lot of moving pieces behind every business expansion and development project. GFDA helps put those pieces together. We work with businesses, lenders, developers, and community partners to find solutions, secure resources, and move projects forward. Our investors give us the support needed to keep showing up and getting things done. Learn more about them in this short video. Now is the time to get involved, to learn more, contact Jenn at 1-406-781-9499 or Jenn@GrowGreatFalls.org.
We made progress on a very important project this week thanks to great partners!
Brett
Brett Doney
Great Falls Development Alliance
BDoney@GrowGreatFalls.org
1-406-750-2119
Connect with me on LinkedIn.
Subscribe to the Grow Great Falls Montana YouTube channel!
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."
Albert Einstein
Edition 759
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