Opening Luncheon & Keynote Address, Noon Thursday, Oct. 9
Co-hosts: MMEC & NorthWestern Energy

Ready to Make Some  Magic?
JOE CALHOON will offer keys to unlock the chains of spending too much time on what is urgent and not enough growing your business with "Are You On The Same Page? - How to Engage Employees and Accelerate Growth."

Using proven principles, he will show you that growth is not complicated. Let Joe Calhoon inform and entertain you as he helps you learn how to achieve extraordinary results with keys to • getting your team on the same page; • setting, achieving and celebrating their most important priorities; and • consistently developing leadership throughout your organization .

For 25 years, JOE CALHOON has delivered the tools and guidance needed to get people on the same page, improve performance and achieve objectives to more than 600 different clients. His message has been delivered on four continents. Joe is president of his own consulting company, PriorityAdvantage, and was the most requested and highest-rated keynote speaker while at FranklinCovey, later Covey Leadership Center. His books include: Prioritize!, On the Same Page and The 1 Hour Plan for Growth.

Hear special WELCOME REMARKS with special guest Bob Rowe,
President & CEO of NorthWestern Energy, advancing the magic with energy that drives
the future.

JOIN US for Networking Social in the Exhibitor Hall  & Dessert Talk
 (plenty of food & cash bar and PRIZES),
Thursday Evening, Oct 9
Dessert Talk: "Open Sesame: Opportunity and Innovation in the Bakken"

featuring  Brian Cebull and Jim Haider of GTUIT™, a Montana company applying innovative solutions to create opportunity, efficiency and cost savings for its customers AND reduce environmental impacts in the Bakken.  Hear what they're doing and how they do it.

Feature Sponsor:  CHOOSE MT, the Governor's Office of Economic Development

Wood’s Powr-Grip celebrates its 50^th anniversary this year. Share in entertaining stories about “Making the Magic in Manufacturing,” first operating out of rural northeast Montana and then on to more urban Yellowstone County. With experiences that almost all Montana Manufactures can relate to, Bryan, one of the 3^rd generation involved in the business, will share insights about the family business dynamic. Along with company successes and overcoming challenges along the way, he will also reveal what they feel it will take for them to be successful into the future. 

Wood's Powr-Grip manufactures equipment that uses vacuum to lift, hold, and position nonporous materials, including glass, plastics, engine valves, sheet metal, stone slabs, and appliances - all out of Laurel, Montana.

Lacey Ehlke, ISO Manager
FELCO Industries, Missoula, and Montana Hydraulics, Helena

Hear what’s behind the magic of achieving simultaneous ISO 9001:2008 quality certification at FELCO Industries and Montana Hydraulics when ISO Manager Lacey worked with a special team to keep the two companies, of common ownership, on task towards their lofty goal.  Get a sense of how this feat over the past year was accomplished as both companies juggled a combined 40% increase in gross sales over the past five years, while increasing net profits ten-fold. Glimpse the future that increased market potential of ISO certifications predicts.   

FELCO Industries builds a product line of heavy equipment compaction attachments, along with capabilities for large custom fabrication.  Montana Hydraulics developed and sells a rail car plow and a doweling machine, in addition to offering custom hydraulics and metal machining.

Claude Smith, Plant Manager, Pasta Montana LLC

KARATE MANUFACTURING: WHAT I LEARNED WHILE GETTING BEAT UP AND MAKING THINGS.
Discover that lessons -- learned in the boardroom, on the manufacturing floor, and in violent contact -- repeat themselves in interesting ways as Claude Smith shares insights into human nature, teamwork, competitiveness, motivation, and striving for perfection. These insights come from his 30+ years of manufacturing experience, primarily in the food industry, and 20+ years of experience practicing Shotokan style karate. Claude knows the Magic from working in many different factories in many different places with many different technologies and job titles as diverse as Process Control Manager, Quality Assurance Manager, Environmental Manager, Operations Manager, Plant Manager, General Manager, and President. He has also taught karate and real world self- defense to people from all walks of life.

Pasta Montana philosophy: The best people, utilizing advanced industry technology, deliver the highest quality available.