Business Newsmakers
Morrison joins Freedom Bank
Keaton Morrison is the new vice president and commercial lender at Freedom Bank in Columbia Falls.
With deep roots in the Flathead Valley and a passion for supporting local businesses, Morrison is eager to help individuals and entrepreneurs turn their financial dreams into reality.
Morrison brings six years of experience in commercial lending, branch management, and business development from Alpine Bank in Colorado. His expertise in commercial credit underwriting, relationship management, and digital banking advocacy will further strengthen Freedom Bank’s ability to serve our growing community.
A Whitefish native, Morrison holds a mechanical engineering degree from Montana State University and is a third-year attendee at the Colorado Graduate School of Banking. “Keaton’s background, energy, and passion for helping businesses thrive make him a perfect fit for our team,” said Don Bennett, president of Freedom Bank. “We’re confident he will make a meaningful impact in the Flathead Valley.”
North Dakota awards GL Solutions statewide contract
GL Solutions, a leading regulatory software provider based in Kalispell, has been awarded a statewide contract for licensing systems in North Dakota.
The award designates GL Solutions as one of four authorized providers of licensing systems in the state. GL Solutions produces GL Suite, a software platform designed to help regulatory agencies streamline their operations.
“North Dakota continues to be a leader in innovation and public service,” says CEO of GL Solutions Bill Moseley. “Helping simplify procurement and allowing agencies to choose the best fit, GL Solutions is proud to be awarded the ND statewide regulatory software contract. GL Solutions is dedicated to helping Noth Dakota agencies of all sizes and industries, run, grow and adapt.”
The North Dakota OMB State Procurement Office executed the award for the state contract vendor pool for professional board licensing software in December. Under the contract, GL Solutions will provide “solutions that have an online platform to process registration and renewal applications, maintain compliance with regulations, store documents, and offer license management.”
KLJ adds two new employees in Montana
KLJ Engineering LLC has added Bruce Beecher and Korey Hunter as its latest hires in Montana.
Beecher joins KLJ’s municipal team as a client relationship leader based out of Great Falls. He is a professional engineer, with more than a decade of experience in transportation and construction engineering. He has played a key role in managing multimillion-dollar projects and fostering partnerships with Tribal, federal, state, and local entities.
Beecher holds certifications in construction quality and safety, including Western Alliance for Quality Transportation Construction certifications. He earned his bachelor’s degree in construction engineering technology from Montana State University.
Hunter brings more than 30 years of experience in land surveying and construction layout to KLJ’s survey team. Hunter has nearly three decades of experience in land surveying, including construction layout for transmission lines, substations, and other civil projects. He has a strong background in training employees and superintendents in field operations and equipment setup, along with certified expertise in Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan documentation and mapping.
Lovitt joins Stockman Bank
Justin Lovitt recently joined Stockman Bank as a consumer loan officer for Stockman Bank Kalispell.
His responsibilities include administering installment loans, lines of credit and home equity loan portfolios, along with assisting clients with their financial needs.
Lovitt joins Stockman Bank with more than 10 years of banking experience in the mortgage industry. He received his Accredited Mortgage Professional designation with the Mortgage Bankers Association. He is active in the community as a youth sports coach.
WEL-Life at Kalispell Assisted Living earns award
WEL-Life at Kalispell Assisted Living received a 2025 Customer Experience Award from Activated Insights, formerly Pinnacle Quality Insight, the leading provider of training, recruitment, retention, experience management and recognition tools to improve and grow long-term and post-acute care organizations.
This recognizes WEL-Life’s outstanding performance in the categories of Personal Care, Variety of Food/Menu Choices, Quality of Food, Dining Service, Cleanliness, Individual Needs, Safety and Security and Overall Customer Experience and solidifies their position in the top echelon of care providers nationwide.
Qualifying for the Customer Experience Award signifies that WEL-Life has consistently ranked within the top 15% of care providers across the nation over the past 12 months. This achievement underscores their unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional experiences to residents and their families.
“On behalf of WEL-Life Assisted Living, residents, family, staff and guests, I would like to share our appreciation to everyone who makes our facility our home,” said Executive Director Tricia Dortch. “Those who participated in the survey process are invaluable to our continued success.
Throughout the year 2024, WEL-Life at Kalispell Assisted Living engaged residents and their families in monthly telephone interviews. These conversations included open-ended questions and ratings across various categories. WEL-Life used this feedback to drive continuous improvement in their care.
Martel Construction selected for Whitefish High School expansion
Martel Construction Inc. has been selected as the general contractor/construction manager for the academic and athletic expansion project at Whitefish High School.
A $6.1 million athletic expansion bond allows the district to construct a new 10-lane track and football field with 1,500-seat grandstands that will include admission facilities, concessions and restrooms. Martel is scheduled to begin construction on this first phase in June.
Martel will embark on the academic phase in the spring of 2026. This $26.5 million expansion will add classrooms, lab spaces, secure entrances and multi-purpose facilities, while also renovating Whitefish Independent High School.
Ryan Dunn, Martel’s flathead market president, said the company is excited to start its third project with the Whitefish School District.
“We live and work in this community and our children attend Whitefish schools — we are fully invested in the success of this expansion. Martel looks forward to delivering another exceptional project for WSD and we are honored to continue supporting positive growth in Whitefish.”
Martel is part of a team selected by the Whitefish School Board for this project, which includes Tell Construction Advisors and A&E Design.