Regional Development Bureau

Contact the RDO offices

Montana is divided into five regions with a Regional Development Officer (RDO) assigned to each area as a representative of the Montana Department of Commerce. The RDOs live in their regions and are a resource to businesses, local development corporations and communities in the area. The program serves as an access point to all relevant Commerce Department resources, and all other relevant business and community development resources. The primary purpose of this Finance Information Center program is to provide technical assistance to businesses for the purpose of obtaining financing for start-ups, expansions, business locations from out of state, and retention projects.

Regional Development Goals & Objectives

  • Ensure that all areas of Montana have reasonably equal access to funding and technical assistance resources.
  • Develop close and effective working relationships with businesses and the resources that benefit them in their efforts to grow and create new employment in Montana. Work closely with the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity with its economic development activities, including business recruitment efforts.
  • Assist Commerce programs with efforts to maximize leverage of other funds, help businesses create higher paying and sustainable jobs, and provide equal access to information and programs across Montana.
  • Improve the capacity of local development efforts through technical assistance and working with the Certified Regional Development Corporations Program.

The major projects worked on by the Regional Development Officers include significant levels of cooperation between businesses, local development organizations, local governments, banks, federal and state agencies and available business resource programs. The intent is not to take credit for the projects but to show the extent to which positive results are being achieved through the hard work of all entities involved. Regional Development Officers facilitate, coordinate, and expedite business projects by working with others in the regions they serve.

Results: (CY 2003)

  • 25 completed business and local development projects
  • Total financing for those projects of $94,310,230
  • Businesses were projected to create and retain 1,025 jobs in Montana

It is important to note that in addition to the projects mentioned above, several large energy (coal), irrigation, and mining projects are being worked with. These projects include the following:

  • Dry Prairie Rural Water System irrigation and livestock water project - $200,000,000 in Eastern Montana
  • Northwest Area Foundation Montana Community Ventures coalition project - up to $75,000,000 over ten years in Northcentral Montana
  • Rocky Mountain Ethanol Refinery - $28,500,000 near Hardin
  • MDU Power Plant - $112,000,000 near Hardin
  • Bull Mountain Power Plants - $12,000,000 to date near Musselshell
  • Stillwater Mining - 1500 jobs and $220,000,000 near Columbus

Contact: Gary Morehouse, (406) 841-2732