Leadership Montana Confluence to be held in Havre and Rocky Boy next week

Sept. 28 through Sept. 30 Leadership Montana will be holding its 2022 Leadership Confluence, its signature event, in Havre and Rocky Boy featuring speakers and panels for its graduates and alumni.

Leadership Montana Board of Governors Chair Debbie Vandeberg said this event will celebrate 20 years of leadership education for Montana youth and will give those that are part of the program an opportunity to learn more about Havre, Rocky Boy and their partnership.

“It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be educational, and folks will learn a lot about our wonderful communities,” Vandeberg said.

She said the event will begin Wednesday of next week with a reception at the Havre Historic Post Office followed by lunch at Montana State University-Northern’s Donaldson Hall, after which Northern Chancellor Greg Kegel will provide a tour around campus.

Before the tour however, attendees will hear from a panel of local people and hear their stories of the community, she said.

Among these panelists, she said, will be Montana Actors’ Theatre Executive Director Jay Pyette who will talk about his experience creating the organization which has since become a famous local institution.

Other panelists, Vandeberg said, will include Brett Patrick of Patrick Construction and Dave Martens of the Bear Paw Ski Bowl.

The next day, she said, the group will be taken to Rocky Boy which has a full agenda of its own that day, after which they will return to Havre to meet with Jim and Lindsey Bennett who still talk about their experience starting Havre Trails and their partnership with Beaver Creek Park and Rocky Boy, as well as a showcase of Havre’s Art Alley.

She said there will also be an panel on the areas challenges in the agriculture industry run by Jim Bennett and Jennifer Dees of Northwest Farm Service Credit Union.

Vandeberg said this is a very exciting event and she’ss looking forward to showing people the area.

Later, during her tenure as Chair, she said, Leadership Montana’s current class of 40 will also come to Havre, coming back again later for their masters class.