GREAT FALLS – While several long-standing businesses in Great Falls have recently closed their doors, the Great Falls Development Authority said that August has been busier than ever.
Jolene Schalper, the vice president of the GFDA, said they’ve increased their efforts to attract companies.
She said they focus on areas they know that Great Falls has a competitive advantage in, such as agriculture and processing. Some of those companies they’ve helped bring in include Pasta Montana, General Mills, and the Montana Egg expansion.
Part of those efforts include advertising at different economic development and trade shows across the country.
“In going to the right shows, where we can attract those types of clients, and it is working. For example, two month ago, we went to the Institute of Food Technologists, IFT, and we got so many leads from the booth,” said Schalper. “We lead with ‘Montana, Great Falls, Montana’ in big letters and everybody wants to talk to us, but then several of those conversations turned into, ‘Oh, I didn’t realize that you’re the number one area for pulse crops in the United State.’”
She added they had three companies come visit Great Falls after that show.
Reporting by Kaley Collins for MTN News
