The six committees of the 11-member Big Sky Chamber of Commerce Board are comprised of individual board members as well as community members at-large. The overarching goal is to educate the public on the value of the Big Sky Chamber, and its work in line with the organization’s Elevate Big Sky 2023 Strategic Plan. Ultimately, we believe if it impacts Our Community it is Our Business as we support the evolution of our Big Sky community from a tourist destination to a sustainable community, building our town one block at a time.
If you are interested in getting involved with one of our committees, please reach out to the Big Sky Chamber at 406-995-3000 or by emailing info@bigskychamber.com.
- Executive | Nominating – The Big Sky Chamber Executive Committee has special responsibilities and authorities above all board committees. Usually it can act on behalf of the full board. Its main purpose is to facilitate decision making between board meetings or in urgent and crisis circumstances. It often also acts as the communication link to the chief executive and, in some cases, performs the chief executive’s performance evaluation. Officers including a President/Chair, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary, along with the Past Chair of the Board, are elected at the beginning of each fiscal year and form this committee. This committee also serves as the Nominating Committee, working to recruit and recommend future board members for the organization.
- Scott Johnson, President/Chair
- Katie Grice, Vice President
- Ken Lancey, Treasurer
- Frank Acito, Secretary
- Finance – The role of the Finance Committee is primarily to provide financial oversight for the organization. Typical task areas include budgeting and financial planning, financial reporting, and the creation and monitoring of internal controls and accountability policies.
- Ken Lancey, Chair
- Frank Acito
- Government Affairs | Public Policy – The Big Sky Chamber Government Affairs Committee provides strategic counsel related to advocating as the VOICE of Big Sky business, in matters related to local and state government to continually improve the business climate by partnering with the local and state political representatives, facilitating communications, and raising awareness in order to stay in front of issues that could impact the business community. Tracking business related issues and creating unified position statements on behalf of Chamber members to be presented to the Big Sky Chamber’s Board of Directors.
- Katie Grice, Chair
- Kevin Hinkle
- Leadership Big Sky – Leadership Big Sky is a program of the Big Sky Chamber, dedicated to providing leadership training to those with a passion for Big Sky, and who want to play a part in its evolution from a tourist destination to a sustainable community. This program offers established and emerging business and community leaders a unique opportunity to be part of a group that has come together to: Develop their personal and professional leadership skills; Learn about the issues affecting the Big Sky Resort Area District through open and balanced civic discussion; and, Build relationships with others who seek to find solutions to the issues facing our community.
- Shannon Sears, Chair
- Kevin Hinkle
- Matt Walker, Yellowstone Club – Co-Chair (non-board member)
- Tim Kent – First Security Bank
- Membership – The Big Sky Chamber Membership Committee provides strategic counsel related to ensuring the Chamber’s membership benefits continue to address the needs of its 450+ member businesses, developing membership recruitment and retention strategies to ensure a stable private funding stream for the organization, identifying members who would benefit from upgrading their level of investment, soliciting membership participation in and/or sponsorship of Big Sky Chamber Programs and Events.
- Joel Nickel, Chair
- Sarah Gaither Bivins
- Shannon Sears
- Joe Miller – First Security Bank (non-board member)
- Collee Wingo – The Element (non-board member)
- Jamey Perlinski – Executive Services (non-board member)
- Heather Schlauch – PayneWest Insurance (non-board member)
- Infrastructure Committee: (Combination of the Telecommunications Task Force and Transportation Committee) – Under the Big Sky Chamber’s Encouraging Community Infrastructure Investment strategic priority focuses the organization on communications infrastructure. The Big Sky Telecommunications Task Force was established in June 2018 with the $10.3 million TIGER Grant Award and Big Sky Transportation Committee allowing the organization tackle its next big challenge for our developing community: How to secure a redundant, reliable and affordable communication infrastructure -both fiber and cell service. Work on transportation issues continues with the TIGER project under way along with other MDT projects on our roadways.
- Frank Acito
- Kevin Hinkle
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- Scott Johnson
- Joel Nickel
- Taylor Rose – Bozeman Health Big Sky Medical Center
- Andrew Blessing – BSSD#72 (non-board member)
- Bill Dean – (non-board member)
- Tyler Lura – 3 Rivers (non-board member)
- Ernie Peterson – 3 Rivers (non-board member)
