Business newsmakers: Flathead Valley residents participate in REAL Montana program

Flathead Valley residents Marla Chappell, Tim McEntire and Wes Gadwa are participating in the REAL Montana (Resource Education and Agriculture Leadership) program. 

Chappel, McEnitre and Gadwa recently participated in their first of 10 seminars as part of the two-year educational program.  

“Class VI represents diverse industries and dynamic leadership across the state. I was deeply humbled and inspired by the authenticity and vulnerability of our new cohort,” said Wes Gadwa, Montana engineering manager for Weyerhaeuser Wood Products. 

“I feel honored to represent the timber industry as a participant of Real Montana Class VI.  I’m excited to learn more about Montana’s other natural resources,” said Tim McEntire, northwest region representative of the Montana Logging Association. 

“Meeting Class VI of REAL MT was exciting and eye-opening.  We each come from very different backgrounds however have common interests and opportunities to tackle within our respective industries” says Marla Chappell, director of sales for panels for Weyerhaeuser. 

Twenty of Montana’s emerging and established leaders were competitively selected from a pool of qualified candidates representing a wide variety of agriculture and natural resource industries across the state to take part in Class VI of REAL Montana.  REAL Montana builds a network of informed and engaged leaders to advance the natural resource industries in Montana.   

REAL Montana is funded through a partnership with Montana State University Extension and private industry.  Oversight is provided by an advisory board of industry leaders.   

Complete program information is available at http://www.montana.edu/realmontana