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Brian Obert

Executive Director

Brian joined MBAC in January of 2006 as the newly created Community Development Specialist and was appointed Executive Director in January of 2015. In this role, Brian leads the economic development initiatives in Broadwater, Lewis and Clark and Meagher Counties to improve the business climate, increase the taxable value and create a more conducive and attractive quality of life. In this role, MBAC/GEDD is responsible to create and implement a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the tri-county region.

Before joining MBAC, Brian was a Manufacturing Engineer at the Boeing Company in Seattle, a drafting/manufacturing consultant and head of logistics and sales for a small business. Brian holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Montana State University and sits on the Helena College Advisory Council, Board of directors for Broadwater County Development Corp (BCDC), Townsend Rotary past president and several Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA) working groups. Brian’s wife Laura, is a Broadwater County Commissioner.

Mark Menke

Director of Lending

Mark joined MBAC in June 2012 as a Loan Officer and is currently the Director of Lending. On behalf of MBAC, Mark manages multiple public and private revolving loan funds and conducts economic and community development lending and consulting activities for Lewis and Clark, Broadwater, Meagher, and northern Jefferson counties. In addition he manages the statewide Montana Department of Environmental Quality Alternative Energy Revolving Loan Program and the Lewis and Clark County Wastewater Revolving Loan Program.

Before joining MBAC, Mark was a senior level commercial banker in Bozeman, Billings, Missoula and Helena. Mark received his Bachelor of Science – Business Finance degree, from Montana State University and is a graduate of the American Bankers Association-National Commercial Lending Graduate School, University of Oklahoma. He is currently the Advisor for the Helena Kiwanis Aktion Club for developmentally disabled adults, an At Large member of the Lewis and Clark County Fair Board, and a member of the Montana Economic Developers Association.

Winona Bedell

Business Manager

Winona has served as Business Manager since 2013 and is responsible for the overall management of the office as well as the accounting and financial operations of the MBAC.

Winona has over 30 years in the hospitality and gaming industry including working as Controller for Indian Housing grants and as a Tavern General Manager. Winona earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Phoenix. She is an avid member of Society of Human Resource Management and American Payroll Association.

Tammy LaVigne

Loan Technician

Tammy was hired in September 2015 to assist with MBAC’s growing loan portfolio. She is primarily responsible for processing Montana Department of Environmental Quality Alternative Energy loans.

Tammy retired from state government after 34 years of service as a senior level manager including serving as Department of Labor’s Centralized Services Administrator and Department of Administration’s Deputy Chief Information Officer. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Montana State University- Billings and teaches Business Finance for the University of Montana –Helena.

Eric Seidensticker

Program Manager

Eric Seidensticker, joins MBAC as the Program Manager-Community Development Specialist. Eric is involved with community and business projects in the MBAC Gateway Region: Lewis and Clark, Broadwater, and Meagher Counties. Eric spends most of his time on the road, building relationships with individuals, businesses and organization throughout Montana

Eric is a graduate of the University of Montana-Missoula, earning a BA in Political Science. Eric has worked in administrative positons at the University of Montana, including the Office of Alumni Relations.