Gus Byrom Has Retired After Over 38 Years with Commerce
In the summer of 1971, Gus Byrom joined a team of fellow UC Boulder students studying the impact of the proposed 1976 Olympic games on Colorado’s small towns. In the process of examining the infrastructure challenges of hosting the Olympics, Byrom discovered a new career path. Though he graduated with majors in history and political science, that study changed everything.
“That was a turning point in my life, when I became aware of city planning as a profession,” Byrom said. “So many people have no idea that it’s a career option.”
Byrom got his bachelor’s degree from UC Boulder in 1972, then earned a master’s degree in urban planning from Texas A&M in 1973. He consulted for four years with a Denver city planning firm until 1978, when he was hired at the city/county planning department in Helena. From 1979 to June 1986, he was the planning director for Helena and Lewis & Clark County. He joined the Department of Commerce in December 1986.
After 47 years of public service, over 38 with Commerce, Byrom retired on June 2. Besides leaving behind an office filled with city planning maps and grant application guidelines, he’s leaving a legacy of commitment to community development in Montana.
Administrator for Commerce’s Community MT Division Galen Steffens said, “Gus is always available to help communities and team members troubleshoot issues as they arise, work together to complete a common goal and provide words of encouragement when someone is having a rough day. He has shown time and time again how we as state employees should approach our work and help others.”
From 1986 to about 2014, Byrom worked on the Community Development Block Grant program. He was program manager from 1990 to 2014 and remained involved in CDBG. In 2018, Byrom received the Friends of Rural Water Award from Montana Rural Water Systems. In 2024, HUD recognized Byrom’s commitment to the CDBG program with a Lifetime Achievement award.
The decades have been packed with projects benefitting Montana communities. Some were funded by CDBG grants, others by the Montana Coal Endowment.
Byrom recalled an early project in St. Regis. “My wife and I pulled into the main café and gas station, and they had a big sign on the door: ‘Septic tank problems, café is closed.’ You can imagine how devastating that is. At the height of the tourist season, the main gas station and café in town have to be closed because they can’t handle the tourist activity.”
Byrom and his colleagues worked with St. Regis and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build a wastewater treatment plant. Today, it’s a thriving, rural community. He said, “If it hadn’t been for CDBG, we wouldn’t have gotten a wastewater collection system going in St. Regis.”
With so many small towns to help, anyone would be overwhelmed by the job. “That’s where I fall back on my personal faith, and then just keep doing.” Byrom said. “I’m always inspired by Winston Churchill in May 1940, when the British forces were bottled up at Dunkirk. Churchill said, ‘We’re not going to give up. Never, never, never, never give up.’”
Byrom’s spirits never stayed down for long. He said, “It’s been a fantastic job, because you’re working with people that really care about their communities. That’s the greatest part of this job, working with Montana people and their communities.”
Byrom was quick to give credit to the people he’s worked with throughout the years. He recalled Newell Anderson, the division administrator for many years. Anderson used to say, “Government has to work. The alternative is unacceptable.” Byrom also credited Dave Cole, who set up Montana’s CDBG program in the early 1980s and was responsible for CDBG until retiring in 2010.
“Those people were critical,” Byrom said. “Nine tenths of what I pass on to all the new people I’ve been working with, it’s what I’ve learned from Newell and Dave. I’m just one employee that’s happened to be here quite a few years. They’re all fantastic people I work with. They’re very, very dedicated.”
To whomever takes on the challenge of filling Byrom’s shoes, he said, “Just jump in, and do the right thing. Montana’s a fantastic state. Stick with state government. We need the best people we can get.”
On how he’s planning to spend his retirement, Byrom said, “I’ll see where the Lord will guide me. I hope to still be involved in community development activities, and with my church and friends and family. I’ll see what’s next.”
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