Tester announces all-star panels for July 22 women’s small business workshop

Panels feature Made-in-Montana entrepreneurs, small business experts

(U.S. SENATE) – Senator Jon Tester today announced participants for two panels at his upcoming Small Business Opportunity Workshop in Billings on Friday, July 22.

Tester’s workshop will focus on creating jobs by expanding opportunities for Montana’s entrepreneurs with a specific focus on women.

The first panel – Made in Montana Success Stories– will feature four of Montana’s rising business stars:

•    Becky Reno heads City Brew coffee, a network of ten coffee shops throughout Montana.
•    Jolene Rieck is the principal landscape architect at Peaks to Plains Design in Billings.
•    Sarah Calhoun founded Red Ant Pants in White Sulphur Springs, a company that specializes in workpants for women.
•    Kris Carpenter owns Sanctuary Salon and Spas in Billings.
          
The second panel – Access to Capital – will feature top lending experts in Montana: 
•    Sarah Fitzgerald is the Bozeman Loan Officer and Market Manager for the Montana Community Development Corporation.
•    Pam Doherty is a Commercial Loan Officer at Stockman Bank.
•    Matt Jones is the head of the Montana Rural Development office.
•    Liz Marchi is the Fund Coordinator at the Frontier Angel Fund.
•    John Klaman is a senior manager at the Small Business Administration.

Tester’s workshop is free and open to the public.  Montanans interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP at tester.senate.gov/workshop.

Tester’s Billings workshop builds on the success of his seven previous small business and jobs workshops across the state.  More than 1,500 Montana companies and individuals have attended Tester’s workshops in Great Falls, Bozeman, Kalispell, Billings and Missoula.