Meet Class 1 - Real Montana

Walt ANSETH Helena. Ag
finance officer at the Montana Department of Agriculture; president
of the Northern Rodeo Association;
serves on the board of the National
Association of Rural Rehabilitation
Corporations
CLASS I (2013-2015)
Nineteen adults were
competitively selected for
Bryan MUSSARD Dillon.
Owner/operator of Big West
Management, which includes
Reminisce Angus Ranch and Big
West cattle feeding facility; board of
directors, Montana Stockgrowers
Class I. They represent
Tara BECKEN Billings.
Specialist for the United States
Department of Agriculture Risk
Management Agency; actively
involved in the family cow/calf
operation in Big Timber; runs a
small commercial cowherd with her
husband
Scott BLAIN Joliet. Owner/
operator of a fourth-generation
farm and ranch; former agriculture
teacher; serves on the fire
department and county weed board
a broad cross-section of
natural resource industries
across Montana and have
demonstrated leadership
potential and willingness
to serve in decisionmaking roles upon
completing the program.
Breahna PATTEN Broadus.
Works on Graham Montana
Ranch, a family cow/calf operation;
roustabout hand at Five Star
Roustabout Oilfield Service; District
5 chair/Powder River/Carter County
Farm Bureau for Young Farmers &
Ranchers
Shaud SCHWARZBACH Big
Sandy. Primary relationship
manager for Northwest Farm Credit
Services in Havre; owner/operaor of
small grain farm; board of directors
for Bear Paw Development Corporation; vice president of North Central
Montana Regional Water Authority
Cindy DENNING Sun River.
co-owner of D-CAT Construction,
LLC; co-owner of Denning Ranch;
active in the Montana Farm Bureau
and Cascade County Farm Bureau
Howard SKJERVEM
Helena. Community relations
manager for NorthWestern Energy;
serves on the boards of the Helena
Regional Airport Authority and the
Montana Business Assistance
Connection
Joe DOOLING Helena. Senior
project manager at KLJ Engineering;
operates a malt barley, alfalfa hay,
and cattle operation in the Helena
Valley; serves on the Lewis and Clark
County Fair Board, Lewis and Clark
County 4-H Foundation Board, and
the Helena schools infrastructure
advisory group
Tyler SMITH Havre. Owner/
estimator and Vice President
for Lakeside Excavation Inc., a
second generation construction
business; serves on the boards
of the Montana Contractors’
Association and H. Earl Clack
Foundation
Montana’s natural resource
industries gain educated
and empowered leaders.
Daniel JONES Conrad. Partner
in Frontline Ag LLC; owner of Jones
Legal Services, PLLC
Kristen KRUEGER Kalispell.
Owner/operator of Krueger Farms,
Inc.; raises wheat and canola; serves
on the board of directors for the MT
Grain Growers Association
Kate VOGEL Ballantine.
Principal agronomist & co-owner of
North 40 Ag, serves on the board of
the Montana Soil and Water
Conservation Society, Certified
Professional Agronomist and Soil
Scientist
Dan KERSLAKE Stevensville.
Owner of Lazy K R ranch; raises
hay crop and cattle; manager of a
small sheep ranch
Andy MATAKIS Havre. Game
Warden for Montana Fish, Wildlife,
and Parks; member of the North
Central Montana Stock Growers
Association
Daniel WEAVER Big Sandy.
Owner/operator of Weaver Land and
Livestock, Inc.; raises dryland wheat
and hay; serves on the Chouteau
County Livestock Protection
Board, Chouteau County Extension
Committee, and is board chairman
of the Warrick School Board
Whitney KLASNA Lambert.
Partner in family farm/ranch; raises
spring and winter wheat, barley,
hay, and cattle; serves on the State
of Montana Livestock Loss Board;
serves on the board of directors for
Montana Women Involved in Farm
Economics (WIFE)
Kate MONTGOMERY Worden.
Owner/operator of Montgomery
Livestock, a cow/calf operation; 4-H
Cloverbud leader; member of the
Yellowstone Cattlewomen
Bruce WRIGHT Bozeman.
Owner/operator of Bruce Wright
Farms, Inc.; vice president of
Montana Farm Bureau Federation;
co-owner of Montana Gluten Free
Processors