Timber businessman named Great Chief

For his efforts in the community, L. Peter Larson has been named the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce Great Chief.

Larson was the 44th winner of the Great Chief Award, the Kalispell Chamber’s oldest and most prestigious honor. The award was presented Thursday night at the Chamber’s annual banquet.

Through several businesses, Larson played a key role Northwest Montana’s timber industry and its employees before his retirement in 2002. By later sitting on several boards of different charitable organizations, Larson has given back to the community of less fortunate people in the Flathead Valley.

Larson and his family owned and operated American Timber Co., L. Peter Larson and Co., Glacier Gold Compost and American Stud Co.

Additionally, Larson sat on the boards at Glacier Bank, Semitool, Kalispell Regional Medical Center and charitable organizations such as Lighthouse Christian Home, Youth with a Mission, Immanuel Lutheran and several others.

Glacier Bank President Bob Nystuen was one of the people nominating Larson. He called Larson a “home-grown success story from both a business and philanthropic standpoint.”

Kalispell Chamber of Commerce President Joe Unterreiner concurred.

“He’s a very generous and philanthropic guy,” Unterreiner said. “Because of the success of the family and the timber industry they’ve been able to be very generous with the community in a quiet way. He’s a very humble guy.”

American Timber Co. was started in 1928 by Larson’s grandfather Hans. Pete Larson served as chief executive officer of American Timber, which closed in 2000.

During his time on the board at Kalispell Regional Medical Center, Pete Larson was an advocate for patients and their families in working with the nursing staff and administration. In 2010 he created a spirituality group for adolescents that still meets twice a month at Pathways Treatment Center.

As a donor and community volunteer for Flathead Valley Community College, Larson was described as a “behind the scenes” type who has helped many students move forward with their professional lives.

The letter supporting Larson for the Great Chief Award reads: “Pete stands out among the many people who volunteer and support the college. Maybe it is his quiet, thoughtful approach and his willingness to always look for ways to better serve the people in the Flathead Valley.”

Thursday’s banquet and auction had the theme, “Here and Now in the Flathead,” and marked the 111th year of the Kalispell Chamber. More than $16,000 raised by the auction went toward the Chamber’s Here and Now Initiative.

The initiative supports manufacturing trade scholarships at Flathead Valley Community College, a digital marketing campaign for high-tech business development, the Chamber’s business expansion and retention program, expansion of commercial air services and the completion of the Kidsports complex.

An even $100,000 was also donated to Kidsports by attendees at the banquet.

Several other awards were bestowed on members of the business community:

•  Lori Alsbury of Kalispell Regional Healthcare won the Member of the Year Award. The honor goes to someone who puts in the extra time to help achieve the Chamber’s goals. Alsbury participated in several Chamber events, including the Pond Hockey tournament weekend, Dragon Boat Festival and Spartan Races.

Alsbury is also the chairwoman of the Education and Communications Committee, in charge of education, work-force public policy and luncheon programs.

•  Chairman of the Year awards went to Mark Lalum of CHS and Jason Manger of Applied Materials.

Lalum is the general manager at CHS and chairman of the Agribusiness Committee. Lalum and the Agriculture Committee raised a new high of $364,000 at the 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction in August. Lalum has chaired the committed for more than 10 years.

Jason Manger is the production manager at Applied Materials and chairman of the Manufacturer’s Alliance. More than 750 people toured the Flathead Valley’s manufacturing sector during the Manufacturing Day event in October. Manger also supported House Bill 156 to reform the tax on pollution control equipment.

•  Jim Peterson, owner of Valley Ford, was named Businessman of the Year. The dealership has donated $130,000 to area schools, Flathead Valley Community College, Shepherd’s Hand Dental Clinic and several other programs. Peterson is on the board of the Kalispell Chamber, Flathead Valley 4-H Foundation and others.

•  Susan Pirrie Munsinger was honored as Businesswoman of the Year. Munsinger owns Western Outdoor in downtown Kalispell. She supports 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction and is a member of the Flathead County Fair Board and is the chairman of the board for the Montana Chamber of Commerce.