Commerce Staff Receive Ally Awards from Great Falls Development Alliance
HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that three employees recently received Ally Awards from the Great Falls Development Alliance: Carolyn Jones, program manager for the Montana Facility Finance Authority’s C-PACE Program; Olivia Kettenring, business development manager for Commerce’s Business MT Division; and Chad Moore, director of the Montana SBDC were honored with the awards at GFDA’s annual meeting in Great Falls on June 17, 2025.
“Carolyn’s work with our C-PACE Program, Olivia’s contributions to the Business MT Division and Chad’s work with the Montana Small Business Development Center have strengthened communities in and around Great Falls,” said Montana Department of Commerce Director Marta Bertoglio. “This recognition from the GFDA is a tribute not only to their outstanding work, but to Commerce’s goal of fostering partnerships across Montana that stimulate economic growth.”
Established by the GFDA in 2023, the Ally Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment and support for its mission of transforming Great Falls and the surrounding rural and tribal regions into a thriving economy that raises the standard of living, particularly for underserved populations and economically distressed areas.
Carolyn Jones has been with Commerce for 17 years and manages MFFA’s C-PACE Program, Last Best PACE. Jones said, “In my various roles at Commerce, I’ve really enjoyed building relationships and collaborating with partners such as GFDA. These partnerships make my work more effective, impactful, rewarding and fun.” The MFFA is a quasi-judicial board which is administratively attached to Commerce. C-PACE financing through MFFA’s Last Best PACE helps commercial property owners fund energy efficiency, water conservation and renewable energy projects. It allows commercial property owners to cover up to 100% of project costs.
Olivia Kettenring, business development manager for Commerce’s Business MT Division, said, “I’m truly honored by this recognition and proud of my team’s work alongside our dedicated partners to support Montana’s communities and businesses.” Commerce’s Business MT Division supports innovative industries to grow businesses locally, state-wide and internationally, which strengthens Montana’s economy and creates job opportunities for hard-working Montanans.
“The Montana SBDC is grateful to have strong partnerships with organizations such as Great Falls Development Authority,” said Chad Moore, director of the Montana SBDC. “I am truly honored by this recognition and deeply appreciate our long-standing partnership in serving Montana’s small businesses.” The SBDC network supports 10 regional centers across Montana that help small businesses achieve their goals of growth, innovation and success. The Montana SBDC is Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and Commerce.
For more information on the MFFA’s CPACE Program, Commerce’s Business MT Division and the SBDC, visit commerce.mt.gov.
Tags: Business, Community Development and Press Release
