Sunday, June 28, 2009

The Big Sky Economic Development Corp. hosts a member investment forum from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Yellowstone Art Museum, "What's the Bottom Line on Business." Steve Brookstein, chief operating officer, Bresnan Communications; Bill Brown, president, Energy Laboratories; Todd Gainan, president, Gainans Flowers; and Bill Underriner, president, Underriner Motors, will be part of a round-table discussion on the current state of the economy.

Big Sky Economic Development Authority will present a free introductory workshop about the grant-seeking process from 3 to 4:30 p.m. July 8 in the Big Sky EDA conference center, located on the first floor of Granite Tower, 222 N. 32nd St. Pre-registration for the grants workshops is required, and seating is limited to 25 attendees per session. Call Mary Lou at 256-6871, ext. 100 to reserve a place on or before July 7.

The Montana Department of Labor and Industry's Occupational Safety and Health Bureau is accepting nominations for the 2009 Governor's Safety and Health Awards. The awards recognize employers in the public and private sector for making safety a fundamental part of the work culture.

Winners will be recognized in a formal award ceremony during the 2009 Governor's Conference on Workers' Compensation and Occupational Safety and Health, where they will be presented with a banner and plaque. There are eight categories for the award.

The application period for the 2009 Governor's Safety and Health Award ends July 31. Applications can be submitted online or via hard copy by downloading the form at erd.dli.mt.gov/upevents/governersconf.asp.

There are $300,000 in tourism funds available for tourism-related projects through the 2009 Tourism Infrastructure Investment Program. The deadline for TIIP grant applications is Aug. 3.

The Commerce Department's TIIP grants are for tourism-related "brick and mortar" projects sponsored and operated by nonprofit organizations or local and tribal governments. Information about eligible projects, program guidelines and application forms are available on the Montana Office of Tourism's Intranet site www.travelmontana.mt.gov/forms, or contact Victor Bjornberg at the Montana Office of Tourism, 406-841-2795 or e-mail vbjornberg@mt.gov.

Yellowstone Mediation Services LLC, founded by David A. Darsow, has recently opened in Billings. Yellowstone Mediation Services specializes in facilitative mediation where there is an ongoing relationship between the parties involved in a dispute, such as parenting plan issues and elder care issues. For more information, visit www.YellowstoneMediation.com

Darsow holds a communication degree from MSU Billings and a law degree from the University of Montana.

Diversified Transfer and Storage has joined the SmartWay Transport Partnership, a collaboration between U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the freight industry designed to increase efficiency while reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution. Diversified Transfer and Storage will contribute to the partnership's goal to reduce 33 to 66 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and up to 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxide per year by 2012 by improving the environmental performance of their freight operations.

For more information about DTS, go to www.dtsb.com or call 245-4695. For more information about the SmartWay Transport Partnership, go to www.epa.gov/smartway.

Sanderson Stewart is celebrating its 40th year of providing engineering and community development services throughout the Rocky Mountain region. Incorporated as Engineering, Inc. in 1969, the firm started by long time Billings-area engineer and land surveyor Jack Mueller and the then newly-graduated Bob Sanderson has seen many changes over the years. The first was when John Stewart joined the firm after returning home from Iowa in 1971, and the company became Sanderson/Stewart/Mueller Engineering, Inc.

John and Bob bought the company from Jack Mueller in 1976 and remain active on the board.

In 2002, Engineering, Inc. as it was then called, was purchased from Bob and John by the current principals: Rick Leuthold, President; Dennis Randall, Vice President; and Michael Sanderson, Managing Director.

The firm employs more than 60 professionals in five offices. In February of this year, the company announced a name change from Engineering, Inc. to Sanderson Stewart, which better defines the company's more comprehensive service offerings and vision for the future while honoring the integrity and hard work of the founders.

Business news

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