The Meeting theme was “Building Connections & Community”.
MISSOULA, MT – More than 450 member owners and guests of Blackfoot Communications met April 27th in Missoula for the celebration of the cooperative’s 70th year in business. The Annual Cooperative Meeting held at the Hilton Garden Inn was themed “Building Connections & Community.”
“Once again, our Cooperative has experienced a year of growth thanks to thoughtful leadership planning, our entire employee base and of course the loyal support of our member-owners”, said Tom Eggensperger, President of Blackfoot’s Board of Trustees. “I am honored to serve the cooperative and grateful for the trust you have placed in us as we continue to invest in the communities we serve”.
“This is your cooperative, your voice matters and counts in cooperative business,” Jason Williams, Blackfoot’s CEO, said in his State of the Cooperative address. Williams shared highlights from the history of Blackfoot and paid homage to the Trustees, CEOs, and employees, and their commitment to Blackfoot over the last seven decades.
Blackfoot connected nearly 1,800 members to fiber-to-the-premises based broadband in 2023 and plans to cut-over more than 1,000 more members to fiber-based broadband in 2024.
Highlights from the meeting included:
- Business portion of meeting: Members elected the following Trustees: Butch Friede, District 2 (Drummond, Gold Creek, Hall, Philipsburg) Candy Noland-Faroni, District 4 (Arlee, Dixon) and Geoff Wilson, District 9 (DeBorgia, Haugan, Saltese, St. Regis, Superior).
- Stacey Mueller, Blackfoot CFO, gave a financial report including a positive auditors report.
- Patrick L Shepherd won the photo contest voted on by attendees.
- Tracy McIntyre, Executive Director of the Montana Cooperative Development Center presented the benefits of belonging to a Cooperative.
- Montana Telecommunications Access Program (MTAP) was this year’s community partner.
Founded in 1954, Blackfoot Communications provides broadband and voice services to more than 30 rural communities throughout its 7,000 square mile service territory in Western Montana. Our 2025 Annual Member Meeting is scheduled for April 26, 2025.