Havre hosts state small business conference

Press release

The Montana Small Business Development Center Network will be hosting their seventh annual Invest in Success small business conference on March 15-16 in Havre at the Montana State University-Northern campus.

The Montana Small Business Development Centers are a statewide network of 10 regional centers serving all 56 counties in Montana. The SBDC staff offer professional business counseling to emerging and growing small businesses in all stages of business.

The Montana SBDC Invest in Success conference's theme "Solving Problems by Creating Opportunities" will focus on how to meet business challenges with strategic solutions. The diversity and number of renowned speakers lined up for the 2016 conference should make the event very appealing for small business owners, who are often limited in the amount of time spent on professional development.

One of the highlights will be the Shark Tank Competition March 15 where entrepreneurs will pitch their business idea to a panel of investors, lenders and business consultants. The first prize winner will receive $5,000, the second prize winner will receive $2,500 and third prize winner will receive $1,000.

Montana SBDC representatives said they are excited to have Paul Leach, Great Falls entrepreneur and co-founder of Loenbro at the conference. Co-founders Paul and Jon Leach launched Loenbro with a small team of welders in Great Falls in 1998. They built their business on a reputation for quality and customer service and also wanted the company to lead the change on how contractors are viewed. The company has grown to 700

employees and tackles challenges in many areas, including pipeline, industrial construction, fabrication, industrial insulation, inspection services and oilfield services.

On March 15, the conference will kick off with a behind-the-scenes tour of Havre Beneath the Streets and Wahkpa Chu'gn Buffalo Jump. There will be a networking reception that evening at the Triple Dog Brewery. Space is limited, so attendees should register in advance to ensure a spot.

Joe LaPlante, SBDC director at Bear Paw Development Corp., and Lorene Hintz, SBDC director at Great Northern Development in Wolf Point, are chairing the Conference Committee and said they are excited to host the 2016 conference. In particular, their goal is for individuals to come away from the conference with new ideas to set higher standards for performance outcomes.

Organizers of the event said the Montana SBDC continues to build on the success of past conferences in Butte, Great Falls, Billings, Missoula and Helena and has high hopes that this will be the most exciting conference yet.

Interested individuals are encouraged to register early to take advantage of the early-bird registration discount. Earlybird deadline is Feb. 29. For more information, visit the conference registration website at http://investinsuccess.eventbrite.com or contact Joe LaPlante at 406-265-9226 or [email protected].