Governor Schweitzer and Office of Economic Opportunity help support expatriated Montanans quest to "Come Home".

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July 29, 2005

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Under Governor Brian Schweitzer, this year for the first time, the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity has supported Montana Jobs Network (MJN) http://www.montana-jobs.net with a contract for $5,000. Along with the Governor, Chief Business Development Officer Evan Barrett put together a contract with Montana Jobs Network to promote Montana communities for the purpose of economic development.

Montana Jobs Network (MJN), a non-profit organization based in Stevensville, is a comprehensive, Montana centric talent portal geared to supporting, attracting and retaining highly skilled human capital for Montana. Montana Jobs Network began 4½ years ago to help those that were dreaming of "coming home" to Montana make dreams reality.

According to Montana Jobs Network (MJN) Director Julie Foster, "efforts to fund the project have not been easy. First Interstate Bank has been the sustaining financial support for the program. Qwest Foundation, Montana World Trade Center, and Davidson Companies have made contributions as well. Having the support of the Governor Schweitzer and his Office of Economic Opportunity means a great deal. It tells us that they believe the work we are doing is a valuable, should be continued and is a good service to Montanans.

Governor Schweitzer noted, "Montana Jobs Network has been providing an invaluable service with little support. We are glad to that we can help them in their efforts which mirror our efforts to market Montana to those who already have a connection to our state."

Foster said that Montana Jobs Network has "paved a road that just a few years ago was a rocky path at best. The innovative use of Internet technology enables MJN to provide communication between Montana communities and those that have ties to the state but may not currently be living in Montana," according to Foster.

"Over the past 35 years many Montanans have left to the state for better career opportunities elsewhere. Now, with families of their own, these expatriated Montanans began looking for ways to raise their family in the state they call home.

"Email lists with over 3000 subscribers help us communicate with those that wish to live and work in Montana. We have 12,000 web site visitors to the Come Home Montana and Montana Jobs Network sites each month.

"Come Home Montana (http://www.comehomemontana.org) is a program of Montana Jobs Network that began with funding provided through a Montana Economic Developers Association grant from the Qwest Foundation. (Come Home Montana is listed as a success story on the National Rural Development Partnership web site.)

"Come Home Montana promotes our communities. The web site connects two groups of people. The first group, those that make up Montana Jobs Network, our community of talented entrepreneurs that want to make Montana home. And, the second group Montana communities, many of which are being de-populated.

"Prior to Come Home Montana, alumni and entrepreneurs that would like to come into the communities had no invitations and no information. Community resources and assets were largely unsung outside the general locale.

"Today many Montana business people and communities use the services Montana Jobs Network and Come Home Montana provide. Over 738 Montana employers have posted a career opportunity on MJN or mined the data base of over 5000 resumes.

"Montana Jobs Network services are delivered cost free to expatriated Montanans, Montana employers and job seekers, and Montana communities.

"Each week a Montana Community, a resume, the Featured Talent, and Career are "Featured" in the Montana Jobs Network (http://www.montana-jobs.net) electronic newsletter and the Montana Associated Technology Roundtable (http://www.matr.net) electronic digest. This correspondence goes out to several thousand entrepreneurs that have an interest to locate in Montana, expand an existing business or start a new business in Montana."

************************************************ MJN Web Site Visitor Profile

46% hold a Bachelor's degree.

20% hold a graduate degree.

74% make over $25,000 per year.

39% make over $95,000 per year.

Helping these people to live and work in Montana is one of our best, most cost-effective, opportunities to improve the state's economy.

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What's Next For Montana Jobs Network and Come Home Montana? During a Come Home Montana outreach workshop in Butte, Montana Jobs Network was asked to address the problem of businesses in small towns closing without much warning. Prior to the end of the workshop a possible solution was provided by Steve Huntington.

Losing small businesses in rural community's can severely impact economic sustainability. Jobs, human, intellectual and investment capital can be lost for decades when a business in a rural community is closed or moves out of town. Some types of business loss encourage or force residents to spend dollars outside their community in order to receive needed or desired services.

Citizens have emotional ties to their small business community. Businesses in rural community's provide jobs, character and pride, civic and financial support, their niche in the state economy. To preserve jobs and small towns across Montana we must preserve businesses in rural areas.

A plan to " Preserve Montana Businesses" for future generations and keep jobs in rural communities has been developed. Funding to implement the project has been sought through the USDA. " Preserving Montana Businesses", will provide education on succession planning through a series of workshops across Montana, delivered by Montana Accountant Professionals from Anderson ZurMuehlen & Co., P.C. and other financial professionals.

A critical element to the success of this project is a market for businesses that become available for a change in ownership. Montana Jobs Network has that market. A survey of MJN users found that 56% had an interest in starting a business in Montana.

The project has received Statements of support from The Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, The Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana Cooperative Development Center, all of the Certified Regional Development Corporations (CRDC's) as well as local economic development organizations and one of the unassigned counties.

CRDC and Economic Development Organization List

Bear Paw Development Center

Beartooth RC&D

Big Sky Economic Development Authority & BEAR Program

Eastern Plains Resource Conservation & Development

Flathead County Economic Development Authority, Jobs Now Inc.

Gateway Development Corporation

Great Northern Development Corporation

Headwaters Resource Conservation & Development

Lake County Community Development Corporation

North Central Economic Development District

Rocky Mountain Resource Conservation & Development

Snowy Mountain Development Corporation

Southeastern Montana Development Corporation

Two Rivers Growth Economic Growth Inc.

Work on the Montana Business Preservation project will begin as soon as funding is available.

With the generous support from the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity and our corporate sponsors Montana Jobs Network will continue to be the catalyst for innovative rural human capacity building.

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