Executive Director's Notebook: Montana Governor Steve Bullock already a leader in WGA

By Jim Ogsbury

When I visit a newly elected Western Governor, I am prepared to brief him or her on the benefits of active participation in WGA.

When I visited Gov. Steve Bullock of Montana, however, I communicated an entirely different message. I traveled to Helena to thank the Governor for diving headfirst into the WGA pool immediately following his election in 2012.

The Governor and several of his top staff welcomed me to his stately office in the historic Montana Capitol, where Gov. Bullock proceeded to ask a number of penetrating questions about the history, structure and procedures of WGA.

Since then, he has regularly engaged in the association’s resolutions process and made invaluable contributions to the development and promotion of the WGA’s policy agenda.

Gov. Bullock moderated a dynamic and informative discussion regarding public lands at our recent annual meeting in Park City, Utah, and contributed an essay on Montana’s energy diversity – from fossil fuels to geothermal -- for inclusion in Energy Perspectives, a recent WGA publication featuring energy-related essays by 19 Western Governors. (Download it here.)

A native Montanan and graduate of Columbia Law School, Gov. Bullock previously served as the state’s Attorney General. Funny and engaging, he's as accessible as he is hard-working, and WGA thanks him for his service and leadership.

Learn more about the Governor and the great state of Montana at the state's new official website.

Jim Ogsbury is the Executive Director of the Western Governors Association. Contact him at 303-623-9378 or at   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.