Event to recognize Humanities Montana directors

Next to an old fireplace in the main office of Humanities Montana http://www.humanitiesmontana.org/index.shtml hangs a branding iron with the letters “HM.” Ken Egan, who took over the keys to the office on Feb. 1, casually pulls the iron off its hook as he explains the job he sees before him.

“One of my main tasks is to spread the brand, reinforce the brand, and explain what we do at Humanities Montana,” says Egan. “A lot of folks, I tell them what I do, and they don’t recognize the new name, so I want to focus on getting that out there.”

For those who don’t know, Humanities Montana is the relatively new moniker (as of a year ago) of the organization previously known as the Montana Committee for the Humanities. A federally funded nonprofit group that keeps offices on the University of Montana campus, Humanities Montana is responsible for – among other things – the Montana Festival of the Book, which occurs every autumn in Missoula.

By JOE NICKELL of the Missoulian

Full Story: http://missoulian.com/articles/2009/03/13/news/local/news03.txt