Whitefish hosts Western Governors meeting
For the second time this decade, Whitefish will play host to the annual summer meeting of the Western Governors’ Association next week as the top elected officials from 10 states join other dignitaries to discuss issues facing the American West.
The conference, held mainly within the Whitefish Performing Arts Center, is expected to draw about 500 attendees. It begins Monday afternoon and concludes Wednesday with the election of a new chair and vice-chair.
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock is currently in his final year as the association’s chair.
Headliners at the event include: Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke — a Whitefish native who was the state’s lone U.S. Representative until President Donald Trump tapped him for his current post; U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell; actor and musician Jeff Bridges; Bozeman-based mountain climber Conrad Anker; and Republican pollster and commentator Frank Luntz.
The event was also held in Whitefish in 2010, when the annual conference celebrated its 100th year. Former Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who was also the association chair at the time, hosted the event which that year included David Letterman and legendary basketball coach Phil Jackson — both of whom are part-time Montana residents.
The conference is open to the public, although a registration fee is required to attend. Individuals can register at the arts center beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, 8 a.m. on Tuesday and 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
Here is a partial list of events taking place at the three-day conference:
Monday
- 9 a.m. — Registration opens
- 1:15 p.m. — Opening remarks by Bullock and WGA executive director Jim Ogsbury
- 1:45 p.m. — “Connecting Canada and the West,” a roundtable discussion featuring Canadian Ambassador David MacNaughton and the premiers of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, focusing on economic development, wildfires, forest management, energy and bilateral trade between the U.S. and Canada
- 3:15 p.m. — “Cybersecurity for the Power Grids,” a roundtable discussion featuring Montana Public Service Commissioner Travis Kavulla and Scott Aaronson of the Edison Electric Institute
Tuesday
- 8 a.m. — Registration opens
- 8:45 p.m. — Keynote address by Frank Luntz, who developed the “Instant Response” technique is considered one of the most influential communication professionals in America
- 9:15 a.m. — Western governors’ national forest and rangeland management forum, moderated by Gov. Bullock and featuring Tidwell, acting Natural Resource Conservation Service Chief Leonard Jordan and other panelists
- 10:15 a.m. — Keynote address by Zinke, followed by a conversation with governors
- 11 a.m. — “Brewing up an Economic Force” roundtable discussion, featuring owners of KettleHouse Brewing and Headframe Spirits as panelists
- 11:45 a.m. — Keynote address by Conrad Anker, a Montana mountain climber who will “share how is triumphal ascents have deepened his appreciation for collaboration and the outdoors”
Wednesday
- 7:30 a.m. — Registration opens
- 9 a.m. — Roundtable discussion featuring No Kid Hungry spokesman Jeff Bridges and Lisa Davis of Share our Strength
- 10:20 a.m. — Roundtable discussion on infrastructure in the West
- 11:20 a.m. — Election of incoming Western Governors’ Association Chair and Vice Chair