Find and explore stories and mentions highlighting the work of the Montana World Trade Center.
May 21, 2026
At a recent Montana World Trade Center conference, industry experts and stakeholders re-emphasized foreign “sub-national” relationships as vital to withstanding tariff turbulence.
May 11, 2026
The Montana Department of Commerce, along with the Montana District Export Council, announced today that All American Pharmaceutical of Billings will receive the 2025 Montana Exporter of the Year Award. This honor recognizes Montana companies for their contribution to the state’s economic growth and prosperity through the sale of Montana products or services abroad.
April 29, 2026
Tariffs and global trade — how are they impacting Montana, and what’s the upside for global trading in the Big Sky?
April 12, 2026
Discussions with the University of Montana and technical institutions explored academic cooperation, especially in disaster mitigation, flood management and wildfire analysis, while engagements with the World Trade Center Montana centered on expanding foreign direct investment and trade opportunities.
February 26, 2026
After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled many of President Donald Trump’s tariffs unconstitutional on Friday, Montana business leaders gave their opinions on the impacts of that decision. […] Brigitta Miranda-Freer, the director of the University of Montana-affiliated Montana World Trade Center, said that the ruling will cut down on “economy-wide” tariffs in favor of narrower, more targeted trade policies.
February 20, 2026
As the U.S. Supreme Court declared many of President Donald Trump’s import tariffs unconstitutional Friday, business leaders reached by Montana Free Press were split on whether the ruling will make life easier for Montana businesses that have struggled to navigate the president’s often-volatile trade policies.
August 1, 2025
[S]mall businesses, most of the Montana market, are expected to be negatively impacted by tariffs, according to Brigitta Miranda-Freer, executive director of the Montana World Trade Center, who also spoke at Thursday’s event. […] Tariffs will put higher prices on shipments that will “have a real impact on their business. It might be the end of their business,” she said.
July 21, 2025
In January, President Donald Trump began implementing a litany of tariffs on imports from foreign countries. Trump said U.S. trade agreements had become unfair to American companies. The move sparked a series of trade wars. […] The nonprofit Farmers for Free Trade organized the panel on what the tariffs mean for Montana.
July 22, 2025
Taxes and tariffs – are they reshaping Montana’s economy?
July 18, 2025
[S]mall businesses, most of the Montana market, are expected to be negatively impacted by tariffs, according to Brigitta Miranda-Freer, executive director of the Montana World Trade Center, who also spoke at Thursday’s event. […] Tariffs will put higher prices on shipments that will “have a real impact on their business. It might be the end of their business,” she said.
July 17, 2025
Leaders and business representatives are gathering in Missoula to discuss the impact of trade policy on Montana’s economy. The event, organized by Farmers for Free Trade and the Montana World Trade Center, will highlight how tariffs are affecting local farmers, exporters, and consumers. […] Panelists will release new data on the impacts of tariffs, focusing on prices, jobs, and international markets. Notably, 20% of farm revenue in the United States comes from exports, making this a crucial issue for Montana farmers, according to the group.
July 16, 2025
A significant discussion on trade policy is set to take place at the University of Montana. Leaders in agriculture, economics and business are coming together for a town hall to examine how tariffs are affecting Montana’s economy. […] The event, hosted by Farmers for Free Trade and the Montana World Trade Center, will feature the release of new data on the effects of tariffs on Montana’s farmers, exporters and consumers. This data will include insights into the impact on prices, jobs and international markets.
May 22, 2025
To mark the Montana World Trade Center’s World Trade and Investment Day, we’ve been exploring the various opportunities and challenges facing Montana firms doing business internationally. Today, we are speaking with Chris Tilleman, founder of TeraDact, a data security company serving clients around the world.
May 13, 2025
Montana World Trade Center Executive Director Brigitta Miranda-Freer says the trade war has damaged the relationship between Montana’s agricultural sector and its northern neighbor. […] “They are retaliating in response to what the United States government has done,” Miranda-Freer said. “So, when that happens, our farmers and our ranchers, our agricultural producers across this state and across America are really on the front lines.”
May 7, 2025
The Montana Department of Commerce along with the Montana District Export Council announced today that GTUIT of Billings received the 2024 Montana Exporter of the Year Award. This honor recognizes Montana companies for their contributions to the state’s economic growth and prosperity through the sale of Montana products or services abroad. […] The Montana DEC presented the award to GTUIT at the Montana World Trade Center’s World Trade & Investment Day today in Billings.
April 3, 2025
Montana is set to participate in the upcoming Global Business Forum in Marseille, France. The Montana World Trade Center, operating from the University of Montana’s business college, will represent the state in international discussions on tariffs and trade policies.
March 20, 2025
In this episode of our Voices of Trade miniseries, Justin and cohost Brigitta Miranda-Freer, the executive director of the Montana World Trade Center, speak with KC Tolliver, CEO of Summit Resources International. They discuss Montana’s role in global trade, Tolliver’s journey from a persistent entrepreneur to running an international apparel business, and the challenges of navigating tariffs, supply chains, and manufacturing in a globalized economy. Tolliver shares insights on trade policies, intellectual property protection, and the impact of geopolitical instability on business.
February 13, 2025
In the first episode of our new Voices of Trade miniseries, Justin speaks with Brian Cebull, CEO of GTUIT, an energy company based in Billings focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They discuss GTUIT’s innovative approach to mitigating natural gas flaring, the company’s expansion into international markets, and the challenges of conducting global business from Montana. […] In the lead up to the Montana World Trade Center’s World Trade and Investment Day, our Voices of Trade miniseries will be exploring the various opportunities and challenges facing Montana firms doing business internationally.
December 12, 2024
Six years have passed since the University of Montana met with city and county leaders to discuss the makings of an innovation campus – a place to serve as a hub of research across a range of studies. […] The effort remains alive, according to project partners, and it now includes architectural renderings of what a “Missoula Innovation District” might look like next to Missoula College and the Montana Technology Enterprise Center (MonTEC) off Broadway.
May 23, 2024
Technical excellence, integrity, honesty, teamwork and a strong Montana work ethic drive success at Bridger Photonics, according to speakers at the company’s Thursday morning celebration after winning the 2023 Montana Exporter of the Year award. […] The celebration followed an award presentation yesterday at Montana World Trade Center’s World Trade & Investment Day in Bozeman.
November 1, 2023
Members of the Headwaters Tech Hub team gathered at the University of Montana’s Missoula College to hear President Biden announce the newly designated Regional Innovation and Tech Hubs.
May 23, 2023
Angela Marshall Hofmann, Executive Board member of the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT), presented the award to SRS Crisafulli on May 18 at the Montana World Trade Center’s World Trade & Investment Day in Missoula. A second celebration is planned on May 25 at the SRS Crisafulli location in Glendive.
May 10, 2023
Brigitta Miranda-Freer is Executive Director of the Montana World Trade Center at the University of Montana. The MWTC is hosting a large trade event – World Trade and Investment Day – in Missoula May 18. […] We’ll be joined by Australian Consul General Nick Nichles and Laura Fleming with SRS Crisafulli, Montana’s Exporter of the Year.
June 16, 2022
This week’s guests are panelists from The Faces of Trade panel discussion held at the Montana World Trade Center’s Investment Day Conference. The panel included Heather McDowell, VP of Legal, Environmental and Government Affairs for Sibayne-Stillwater, the South-African owned operator of the Stillwater and East Boulder Mines; Patrick Flanagan, Chief Commercial Officer at Administrate, a software firm based in Scotland; Cassidy Marn, Executive Vice President of the Montana Wheat & Barley Committee; and Michelle Huie, the founder and CEO of Vim&Vigr. […] In this discussion we hear about the global forces that affect production worldwide, hear from panelists on the challenges within their industries and learn what excites panelists looking toward the future.
June 8, 2022
The award presentation was part of the Montana World Trade Center’s International Trade & Investment Day. Featured speakers at the daylong event on the University of Montana campus included Consul Generals from Canada, Korea and France, executives from BNSF and the Washington Companies, and others.
May 1, 2022
The Montana District Export Council (DEC) announced today it is awarding the 2021 Montana Exporter of the Year award to Wood’s Powr-Grip of Laurel.
April 30, 2022
The Montana World Trade Center at the University of Montana will hold a forum to highlight the importance of international trade and investment for the economy. […] May is World Trade Month, originally established in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Since then, it has expanded from one week to the entire month of May.
October 22, 2021
How do Montana businesses stack up to the rest of the world’s? What resources or courses of action are available to help them break through into bigger markets?
October 8, 2021
Brigitta Miranda-Freer, who oversees the Montana Technology Enterprise Center and serves as executive director of the Montana World Trade Center, said the proposed innovation corridor would support additional biotech startups and other industries in the tech sector.
September 30, 2021
Brigitta Miranda-Freer, who oversees MonTEC operations and serves as executive director of the Montana World Trade Center, said the 10-acre corridor ultimately will house best-in-class businesses, from startups to Fortune 100 firms. It also will build on the wealth of existing assets – what she calls the “secret sauce” – already provided to Montana businesses by UM and MonTEC.
April 7, 2021
The University of Montana-based Montana World Trade Center and Bureau of Business and Economic Research completed an analysis of data from a survey aimed at better understanding the prevalence and importance of international trade and investment engagement for Montana firms.
March 19, 2021
Two leaders of the COVID-19 vaccine effort in Israel – a country that has reportedly inoculated its citizens at the fastest per capita pace of any country – will speak April 6 at a free online event hosted by the Montana State University Leadership Institute.
February 16, 2020
The spread of coronavirus and whether it’s contained to China could impact Montana’s economy, though predictions aren’t easy to make and continue to shift.
February 10, 2020
Check out MWTC’s Executive Director, Brigitta Miranda-Freer, on Montana Public Radio’s podcast about the impact global trade wars have on Montana industries.
June 25, 2019
Brigitta Miranda-Freer is the Executive Director of the Montana World Trade Center and the Director of Operations at MonTec. If you think that sounds like two jobs, well, you’re right. So we ask Brigitta how she does it all in this 3rd installment of the S.E.A. Change series. As a prominent leader in the Montana economy, Brigitta is known for getting things done. We talk about her experience leading two important organizations in the Montana economy and her perspective on gender equity in the workplace and on campus.
May 15, 2020
“Bioscience is significant and growing in Montana,” said Brigitta Miranda-Freer, executive director of the Montana World Trade Center. “Major pharma is expanding in our state. We have several smaller, agile bioscience firms that are playing essential roles in combating COVID-19, from supply change solutions to vaccine development.”
April 22, 2019
Brigitta Miranda-Freer, executive director of the Montana World Trade Center, discusses the significance of the SBA award and the potential of the bioscience industry in Missoula and elsewhere in the state.
December 28, 2018
Many Montana entrepreneurs looking to enter into the global market turn to Brigitta Miranda-Freer, executive director of the Montana World Trade Center. The MWTC is located on the University of Montana campus in Missoula, and offers an array of services to assist businesses in taking their products into the world.
April 16, 2018
An Israeli high-tech company has announced plans to open a U.S. office in Missoula and hire as many as 100 employees over the next several years, according to Gov. Steve Bullock’s office.
January 30, 2017
With the Israeli consul general in attendance, the University of Montana rolled out a new program Thursday night, one that will house seven different platforms designed to help startup businesses succeed at various stages along the journey. […] The program, Accelerate Montana, covers an entrepreneur’s first stop at Blackstone LaunchPad to a business’ ambitious decision to export its product on a global scale with the aid of the Montana World Trade Center.