Dean Folkvord of Wheat Montana Farms & Bakery Named to SBA’s National Advisory Council

Administrator Hector V. Barreto of the U.S. Small Business
Administration announced the appointment of Dean Folkvord, Co-founder of
Wheat Montana Farms & Bakery of Three Forks, MT, to the SBA’s National
Advisory Council.

"We’re delighted to welcome Dean Folkvord as a member of the National
Advisory Council," said Administrator Barreto. "I’m sure that he will be a
strong, independent voice for small business, someone we can rely on to
inform and advise us on issues that are important to entrepreneurs across
America. I personally will appreciate the opportunity to draw on Dean’s
expertise as a supporter of small business."

The NAC serves as a key private sector advisory group to SBA, Congress, and
the President on small business issues. The council includes small business
owners and leaders who volunteer their time over the course of a two-year
appointment to provide the SBA with diverse and expert advice, ideas, and
opinions on small business issues and SBA programs nationwide.

Barreto has asked each council member to be keenly aware of the challenges
the President has outlined for the SBA. These include:
* Increasing small business access to capital, federal contracts and
technical assistance,
* Expanding the availability of opportunities offered by SBA programs
to as many small businesses as possible,
* Improving the SBA’s programs to ensure that they remain relevant to
all small businesses,
* Reducing the regulatory and paperwork burden on small businesses
* Serving as the voice of small businesses to the Bush Administration
and as the President’s eyes and ears in the small business community

"We are very fortunate to have such an ardent small business supporter in
Dean Folkvord," said Montana SBA District Director Michelle Johnston.
"Dean’s experience, leadership, vision, and community involvement will
enable him to see, hear and speak about the real issues affecting Montana’s
small business community, and small businesses nationwide."

Folkvord graduated from Montana State University in 1982, with a degree in
Agricultural Business, and co-founded Wheat Montana Farms with his father in
1987. He currently serves on various boards including: Blue Cross/Blue
Shield of Montana, Federal Reserve Bank-Chairman, and Federal Reserve Bank
Advisory Council on Agriculture. Some of his many honors and awards
include: Outstanding Conservation Farmer 1985, National Association of Wheat
Growers Conservation Award 1992, Montana Family Business of the Year 1994,
Dennis R. Washington Entrepreneur of the Year Award 1996, Montana
Entrepreneur of the Year – Entrepreneur Magazine 1996, Montana’s SBA Small
Business Person of the Year 1997, Best Managed Farm in the United States
1999 – by Farm Progress Companies, and 2003 Top Producer Award by Top
Producer Magazine.
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For more information about all of the SBA’s programs for small businesses,
visit the SBA’s extensive Web site at http://www.sba.gov
<http://www.sba.gov> .