MISSOULA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte this week continued his 56 County Tour in Lincoln, Sanders, Mineral, and Missoula counties, traveling across western Montana to meet with job creators strengthening local economies and their communities.
“Across Montana, our business owners are innovating, creating opportunity, and strengthening their communities,” said Gov. Gianforte. “It’s inspiring to see entrepreneurs and job creators investing in our state and building a brighter future for the next generation of Montanans.”
Gov. Gianforte and Jalon Miller touring log home construction at Meadowlark Log Homes, Libby
Starting off in Lincoln County, Gov. Gianforte toured Meadowlark Log Homes in Libby. Since 1976, the family-owned business has manufactured pre-assembled structural systems for custom log homes with lumber from Lincoln County. Over their 50 years of operations, Meadowlark has developed on-the-job training at its manufacturing facility and currently employs 38 Montanans.
“Workforce development is critical to bringing good, high-paying job opportunities for Montanans and ensuring small businesses like ours continue to operate successfully,” said Jalon Miller, third-generation owner of Meadowlark Homes.
Next, traveling to Sanders County, the governor visited Thompson River Lumber in Thompson Falls to spotlight the family business founded in 1993 supporting Montana’s wood products industry. Asthe second-largest employer in Sanders County, Thompson River Lumber harvests from private landowners, the Montana Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs and processes five different species of timber. The company’s finished wood products are sold across the country.
“Our region has a rich history of lumber production, dating back decades,” said Dan Claridge, president and owner of Thompson River Lumber. “The governor has long been supportive of the lumber industry. I thank Governor Gianforte for always advocating for responsible forest management and the lumber mills in the state.”
In Mineral County, the governor recognized White Horse Forestry for its forest management services and partnerships with agencies to harvest timber, clear land, and provide wildland firefighter training.
“Montanans are all too familiar with the effects of fire season,” said Senator Denley Loge, R-St. Regis. “Companies like White Horse Forestry are working to ensure Montana can stay prepared every year. Thank you to all the agencies who are also collaborating on fuel mitigation and responding to the fires.”
Promoting active forest management has been a top priority for Gov. Gianforte. In 2025, Governor Gianforte and the Montana Department of Natural Resouces and Conservation formalized an agreement with the United States Forest Service (USFS), to create a first-of-its-kind 20-year Shared Stewardship Agreement between the state and the USFS. This agreement dramatically increased the pace and scale of forest management. So far, the state has taken over management of 750,000 acres of landscapes.
Shared stewardship allows land managers to collaboratively identify needs, set priorities, and coordinate work across boundaries. By combining expertise, projects can move more efficiently from planning to implementation. The Forest Service and the State of Montana continue to leverage tools like the Good Neighbor Authority to accelerate forest management and reduce wildfire risk.
In Missoula County the governor toured AquaCreek products to highlight the family-owned business that has been passed to the next generation. Since 2002, AquaCreek has manufactured ADA-compliant pool lifts and aquatic access equipment for sale across the country. In 2020, owner Krystal Guilhemotonia, took over operations from her dad. AquaCreek currently employs over 70 Montanans with expectations for future expansion.
“We really appreciate the support for local manufacturing,” Krystal Guilhemotonia, owner of Aqua Creek Products, said. “Manufacturing is the backbone of America. Every job we create here makes 2.7 jobs in the community. We’ve seen a ton of growth here at AquaCreek Products and we are really excited to show it off. We are proud of what we can build, and create better economic growth for our state.”
The governor’s 56 County Tour continues today in Ravalli County and tomorrow in Lake and Flathead counties.
Source: Governor’s Office
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