Great Northern Development Corporation – April 2008 Newsletter

Great Northern Development
Corporation is pleased to announce
that Glasgow has been
selected as the 2008 SBA Small
Business Community of the Year.

Glasgow is the regional
trade center of Northeastern
Montana. It is Northeast
Montana’s second
most populous county with 7,349 residents.
Agriculture and tourism play major roles in the
region’s economy. The county is mainly prairie
and is the center of vast cattle grazing and wheat
growing. Fort Peck Lake is located 18 miles from
Glasgow. It is a recreation hub for Northeastern
Montana, with its nearly 1600 miles of shoreline
and one million acres Charles M. Russell Wildlife
Refuge surrounding the lake. Locals and tourists
enjoy live theatre at the historic Fort Peck Summer
Theatre, as well as fishing, camping, and viewing
wildlife.

One of the region’s strengths is that community
leaders are able to take obstacles and make them
into opportunities by working together for common
goals.

The Glasgow Chamber represents over 200 businesses,
individuals, and organizations in Glasgow
and Valley County. It is the hub of the activity
and the organizer for many of the local events
held to draw residents and tourists to the area.
Because recreation is a large industry in the community,
Glasgow is involved with the Missouri River Country regional tourism board that works
to attract and retain residents and businesses in
the community.

Two Rivers Economic Growth, established in
1991, was organized to provide for economic
stability and growth in Glasgow and Valley
County. Two Rivers actively supports,
promotes, and advocates for small business
retention and development in the area.
Millions of dollars in funds have been leveraged by
Glasgow and Valley County to create many
community resources. They include: Valley Event
Center, Home Run Kids Fishing Pond, Community
Resource Guide, Fort Peck Interpretive Center,
Fort Peck Paleontology Center, Fort Peck Multi-
Species Warm Water Fish Hatchery, Children’s
Museum of Northeast Montana, Hi-Line Grind
Skate Park, Valley Public TV, and New Trends in
Agriculture Seminar.

Congratulations to the community of Glasgow/
Valley County, to Diane Brandt, Executive Director
of the Glasgow Area Chamber of Commerce
& Agriculture, and to Debbie Swanson, Executive
Director of Two Rivers Economic Growth for
submitting the nomination of Glasgow/Valley
County for the SBA award.

The SBDC partners with both of these organizations
to provide technical assistance for local
small businesses, new and existing, and entrepreneurs
in Valley County.

~by Lorene Hintz

Lorene Hintz is the SBDC
Director & Certified Business Advisor.
Diane Brandt, Executive Director for
the Glasgow area Chamber of
Commerce & Agriculture will accept
award at Billings Banquet in May.

Great Northern Development Corporation http://gndc.org
233 Cascade Street
Wolf Point, MT 59201
(406) 653-2590

Full Newsletter: http://gndc.org/GNDC%20April%202008_Issue.pdf