Great Falls Montana SBDC Rural Business Advisor Wins National Award for Excellence
The Montana Small Business Development Center Network, headquartered at the Montana Department of Commerce, recently announced that SBDC Rural Business Advisor Rich Gannon has been named the 2025 Montana “State Star.”
The State Star is a national honor that recognizes outstanding performers from Small Business Development Centers around the country. Gannon will be honored in September at the national ASBDC conference in Orlando. Award nomination criteria names exemplary performance, significant contributions to the program and a strong commitment to small businesses as top qualifiers for the award.
“Rich goes above and beyond in meeting the needs of entrepreneurs, empowering them with tools and guidance that foster real growth and opportunity,” said SBDC State Director Chad Moore. “His commitment to practical results and his passion for supporting rural small business owners makes him an invaluable asset to the Montana SBDC and the communities he serves.”
Gannon is hosted by the Great Falls Development Alliance and offers consulting and training for entrepreneurs and small business owners across a seven-county region. Gannon joined the SBDC in 2019. Over the past six years, he has counseled 942 clients, supported 2,855 jobs and helped clients secure over $20,435,968 in funding.
"It’s truly an honor to receive this award. I’m grateful every day to have a job where I get to meet and support small business owners as they start and grow their businesses,” said Rich Gannon. “I’m also thankful to be surrounded by a team of like-minded advisors who share a common goal of serving our clients."
In 2024, Gannon remained a key resource for small businesses in the Great Falls region, accounting for 69 percent of his center’s new business starts. Additionally, his forward-thinking, technology-driven perspective to client advising contributed to improved outcomes for local entrepreneurs. He also completed training in the new national AI certification program and now serves as a member of America’s SBDC Capital Interest Section Group.
Additionally, Gannon launched a website bootcamp training event designed to guide businesses through building and managing their own websites. His expertise has enabled numerous small business owners and entrepreneurs to strengthen their online presence, which has improved their prospects for financial growth.
The SBDC network is comprised of ten statewide regional SBDC offices overseen by the lead center at the Montana Department of Commerce. The SBDC program is funded under a cooperative agreement between the Montana Department of Commerce and the U.S. Small Business Administration in partnership with local host organizations.
For more information about SBDC services and to find a regional center, visit commerce.mt.gov.
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