Leaders look at Great Falls, Montana area economy

Great Falls business, agriculture and development leaders aren’t sure exactly when the economy will turn a corner and start producing more jobs.

But they sense it will pick up soon and they have a variety of ideas on how their businesses, the community and state can be ready for it.

The Tribune sought the views of the four leaders in advance of a Burton K. Wheeler Center conference Monday and Tuesday in Bozeman, where Montana business leaders and national experts will discuss the state of Montana’s economy .

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The Wheeler Center – "The ‘Next’ Economy: A Public Discussion On Jobs And Innovation" including keynoters Craig Barrett (Intel Corp) and Paul Kedrosky (Kaufmann Foundation for Entrepreneurship), 4/5-6, Bozeman, Montana http://matr.net/article-38127.html

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The four leaders are:

# Bill Johnstone, president and CEO of Davidson Companies;

# Brett Doney, president of the Great Falls Development Authority;

# Lola Raska, executive vice president of the Montana Grain Growers; and

# Cable Technology President Ed Buttrey.

Here’s what they had to say.

By PETER JOHNSON

Full Story: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20100404/NEWS01/4040306/1002/Leaders-look-at-area-economy