Great Falls Clinic
Mark Robinson has assumed the role of chief executive officer for the Great Falls Clinic and Hospital on Oct. 8.
Robinson has worked in healthcare for more than 20 years, coming from MultiCare, where he was the market leader and president of Tacoma and Allenmore Hospitals. Before that, he served as regional chief operating office at Steward Health Care and other positions within the HCA System.
Great Falls Clinic expanding into former Centene property [2023]
At MultiCare, Robison improved operating margins and increased surgical volumes, according to a Clinic release.
Robinson has a master of business and healthcare administration from Georgia State University and his bachelor of science in management from the University of North Carolina at Asheville.
Broadway in Great Falls
Broadway in Great Falls is returning this season with three shows.
Shows include:
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer The Musical, Dec. 4
- The Book of Mormon, Feb. 11, 2025
- Chicago, Feb. 25, 2025
All shows are performed at the Mansfield Theater in the Civic Center.
Tickets are on sale now and season tickets are 10 percent off through Oct. 18.
Human Trafficking presentation
Alliance for Youth is hosting “Look Beneath the Surface: Human Trafficking in Montana,” an informational event for the public at 6 p.m. Oct. 15 at 3220 11th Ave. S. Presenters include the Montana Department of Justice and the Great Falls Police Department.
Sisters United food pantry donation
Sisters United has donated $17,500 to the local food bank, which will directly support six food pantries in Great Falls Public Schools.
Candice English, who created the nonprofit, said that, “thanks to this incredible contribution, students who rely on the school pantries will continue to have access to nutritious food throughout the school year. Sister’s United plans to continue to turn its attention to the food scarcity we are seeing in the community. The donation will ensure that the food pantries remain stocked and accessible, helping hundreds of students in the Great Falls area.”
Sister’s United is a local, grassroot organization that supports the healing of indigenous women, children and families.
During the Oct. 14 school board meeting, Superintendent Heather Hoyer said the donation “makes a difference. We can’t say thank you enough.”
Jackie Mainwaring, assistant superintendent, said the Great Falls Public Schools Foundation supports the school food pantries but the support they were able to provide this year was less than previous years.
Those foundation has supported the school pantries since they were started a few years ago and schools have accounts at the Great Falls Community Food Bank.
Mainwaring said the foundation funds are divvied up amongst all GFPS schools based on their title status, number of students and past usage and they try to be equitable.
GFPS, foundation working to update elementary school playgrounds
Mainwaring said that English asked if she could make a donation and gave to those six schools she thought needed a little extra support.
The donation is “really, really generous,” Mainwaring said.
Schools send someone to the food bank to put together boxes that they have available at the schools.
Some schools use the food pantries more than others, she said.
For those who want to support school pantries, they can contact the foundation, the food bank or contact Mainwaring at the district office.
“We have just such a generous community,” she said.
Touro health fair
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Helping Hands and First United Methodist Church are hosting a health fair 4-7 p.m. Nov. 4 at First United Methodist Church, 610 2nd Ave. N.
The event will include health screenings, wellness services, community resources and a free meal.
Nonperishable food items and clothing will be available through a drive organized by TouroCOM students.
Free hygiene and first aid kits are available from the Great Falls Hospital and MSU College of Nursing.
Other health fair partners include Great Falls Emergency Services, Weissman Hood Institute, CCHD, Alluvion Health, Boseon Research, Thriven, Fit Familia, Opportunities Inc., Family Promise, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Great Falls Rescue Mission, Benefis Health System and Treasure State Hydrate.
New event space
The Cascade Conservation District has space to rent for meetings or events from small parties to large meetings or weddings.
“We have a wonderful view of the city, outdoor space along with a meeting room for large capacity,” according to CCD.
CCD’s new facility is at 3615 29th St. S.W.
Call 406-866-0020 with any questions or to schedule a meeting/event.
Citizens Alliance Bank
Citizens Alliance Bank is acquiring Cascade-based Stockmens Bank, which was established in 1917 and has about $42 million in total assets.
“Citizens Alliance Bank intends to maintain a continued presence in Cascade. Commitment to the customers and employees of Stockmens Bank will not change,” Chad Forkrud, Citizens Alliance Bank president, said in a release. “Customers will be doing business with the same individuals that they interact with today.”
Although the name will change, Citizens said that little will change with customer services or personnel.
Stockemens President Mike Moore and Vice President Cheryl Cruze will continue to lead the Cascade office once the sale is complete, according to a bank release.
“I feel very strongly that this transition will be a positive one for our customers. After 110 years of our family being part of banking in Cascade, and more importantly, involved with the community, it was time for a change that will ultimately result in even better products and services for our customers. It is a bittersweet time, but I am confident that CAB will continue the same dedication to the customers and the Cascade area that Stockmens Bank has for all these years,” Moore said in a release.
The transaction is contingent upon regulatory approval from the FDIC, as well as regulators in Minnesota and Montana and the shareholders of Stockmens Bank.
Following the merger, Stockmens customers will see new banking products introduced, such as bank-sourced Visa credit cards, direct access to the secondary real estate lending market, construction lending for residential and commercial real estate, an expanded bank-lending limit, enhanced digital banking technologies, and expanded cash management services.
CAB and Stockmens representatives anticipate regulatory approval in the 4th quarter of 2024 and then closing the transaction in early 2025.
Tres65 for sale
Tres 65 Celebration Studio is for sale.
“After joyfully serving families in our community, we are reluctantly putting our cherished kids play cafe and celebration studio up for sale. This vibrant space combines an engaging play area, event space, and boutique space, creating a welcoming environment for children and their parents,” according to the owners.
The business includes an established collaboration with Little Tree preschool and has hosted numerous events.
“We’re at a significant phase of life with welcoming our second baby girl, and I can no longer dedicate the time this business deserves. My heart is at home with my babies at this point in my life. It’s bittersweet for us, as this cafe has been a labor of love, and we hope to find someone who will continue to nurture it,” according to the owner.
For those interested in purchasing the business, email hello.tres65studio@gmail.com.
Life in Bloom for sale
Life in Bloom, a downtown flower shop, is for sale.
“God is taking us in a new direction so it is time for us to find a new owner who will love the floral and gift boutique as much as we do,” owner Karen Beeler said after 3.5 years in business.
The shop will remain open until they find the right person to take it on.
For those interested, email karen@lifeinbloommt.com.
Evergreen Nutrition
Evergreen Nutrition has a new owner, Kristina Lee Hoeg.
“Kristina has been training with Amber and will be such a blessing to this club. She is spunky and has so much energy, she will give Amber a run for her money,” the current owner wrote in a post.
Hoeg starts full-time Nov. 4 with new hours, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.
Hours through Oct. 31 are 6:30 a.m. to noon and the shop will be closed Nov. 1.
Punch cars and club credit will be honored through Oct. 31.
NeighborWorks Great Falls
NeighborWorks Great Falls received a grant from the Otto Bremer Trust at the Montana Community Foundation to now offer a Matched Savings Program to the Golden Triangle Area.
Residents in Blaine, Chouteau, Hill, Liberty, Pondera, and Teton County are now eligible to receive this funding.
The program is already offered in Cascade County.
This Matched Savings Program offers a 3:1 match, meaning if the individual saves $1,000, NWGF will match with $3,000.
Program participants must save for a minimum of six months but no more than two years.
The goal of the program is to help bridge the gap in financing for both a down payment and closing costs, helping more people into homeownership.
For any questions or to get started, call 406-761-5861.
Wheat Montana
Wheat Montana is expanding into to the other half of their building, where there was once an AT&T store.
The expansion will allow for additional seating, enhanced food items and retail sections, according to the restaurant.
In September, the city issued a permit for the expansion and a remodel with a takeout counter and overflow seating.
Old Chicago
In September, the city issued a permit for a 1,932-square-foot casino addition to the existing bar/restaurant and for the remodel of the existing Boston’s into Old Chicago, which is planning to open in that location this winter.
Claire’s
Claire’s in Holiday Village Mall is closing on Nov. 16.
Emerald City
The owners of Emerald City Casino, which also own the Halftime Sports Bar, Amigo Lounge and Taco Treat, are planning to open their new location in the former Eddie’s Supper Club on 2nd Avenue North and 38th Street in mid-November.
The group also owns the property at the corner of 10th Avenue South and 17th Street, where a former Emerald City Casino was location and demolished last year.
The group told The Electric in October that they have “no solid plans for the 10th Ave property.”
Providence, Touro universities partner
Students are now able to secure two degrees in five years through a new partnership between the University of Providence and Touro University.
UP’s new applied mathematics program in pre-data analytics for healthcare concentration is offered in partnership with Touro University’s Master of Science in data analytics for healthcare. Students can complete both programs in five years by satisfying 102 credits of UP requirements in the first three years, be in good academic standing and apply for UP graduation at the end of their third year.
Students can then move on to Touro’s masters program and then transfer back to UP the credits earned during the first year of graduate school to complete and earn a Bachelor of Arts in applied mathematics with UP.
This partnership marks the university’s second initiative with Touro.
The first initiative allows UP to offer students a biology degree with a health professions concentration. Students enrolled in this program will be guaranteed an admissions interview, if GPA requirements are met, for placement into the College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Students interested in pursuing this opportunity are encouraged to contact the UP Office of Admissions at (406) 791-5202 or email admissions@uprovidence.edu.
Benefis residency program
Benefis Health System has established an internal medicine residency program.
The residency program, which will officially welcome its first group of medical school graduates in July 2025, includes training in both the hospital setting and in a dedicated outpatient internal medicine clinic. The outpatient clinic space is currently under construction on east campus in Medical Office Building 12 and the residency program itself is hitting some exciting benchmarks.
Dr. Treena Sturgeon recently started her role with Benefis as the residency associate program director and the medical director of the outpatient residency clinic. She will supervise and teach the residents as they provide care for patients in the clinic.
“Patients will be established with a resident physician who will provide care over the course of the three-year program,” Sturgeon said in a release. “I think both the residents and their patients will be surprised by the partnership that can be built during that time, and the positive impact it can have on a person’s health.”
The application system for the residency program recently opened and the application review process is underway.
The program will interview applicants from October through January and residents will “match” to programs at the end of March.
Eventually, when students begin graduating from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine Montana, they’ll be eligible to apply for the residency program. Touro COM Montana’s first class of students is currently completing their second year of medical school here in Great Falls.
Got a business bite? Email it to jenn@theelectricgf.com with “business bite” in the subject line and the details in text form in the body of the email.
