Red Ants Pants founder to headline Chamber annual meeting

From Havre Area Chamber of Commerce

Sarah Calhoun, owner of women's workwear company Red Ants Pants and producer of Red Ants Pants Music Festival in White Sulphur Springs, will be the keynote speaker at the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce annual meeting and luncheon at noon, Thursday, Jan. 20.

"We are so thrilled and excited to have Sarah Calhoun be a part of our 107th annual meeting of the Havre Chamber of Commerce and to share her business story and her enthusiasm for business," said Chamber Executive Director Debbie Vandeberg.

Calhoun had nearly two decades of experience in the nonprofit and small business sectors before she founded Red Ants Pants in 2006.

Calhoun has been called a woman of courage, a community mobilizer and an inspiration. The unlikely story of a farm girl turned national award-winning entrepreneur has struck a chord with audiences across the country.

She tells the story of how Red Ants Pants came to be. How success was found by simply working hard and listening to her gut. How big things can happen in small towns.

Calhoun has been called a revolutionary figure in rural business today and a powerhouse of inspiration for women in business. She has been featured on national television programs such as CNBC, CNN and Bloomberg.

In 2011, the Red Ants Music Festival was born. The first Red Ants Pants Music Festival, brought 6,000 fans to celebrate rural Montana in a cow pasture. A total of 14,000 people attended the 2015 event.

Over the years, the concert headliners have included Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris and Charley Pride.

The Red Ants Pants Foundation was formed as the nonprofit branch of the project in support of women's leadership, working family farms and ranches, and rural communities.

The  Chamber's annual meeting and luncheon will be held at the Duck Inn Olympic Room. To RSVP call the Chamber at 265-4383. General admission is $25 and $20 for Chamber members.

Chamber President Shawn Holden, owner of Holden's Hot Wheels, will preside over the meeting.

"The annual meeting is an opportunity to say thank you to our nearly 300 members that support the work we do," said Vandeberg.

The meeting will recognize the board and thank the nearly 225 volunteers who include the members of the Chamber's 12 committees, whose efforts allow the Chamber to leverage its manpower to accomplish the board's goals.