Montana WTC Premier Accreditation: Beyond Big Sky

By WTCA Membership Programs Coordinator, Aubrey Ball

Working in Member programming for a global organization like WTCA means spending much of my time focused on the collective strength of our network. Through the WTCA Accreditation Program, I get the unique privilege of working more closely with individual Members and slowing down long enough to discover the individual stories that bring that collective impact to life.  

Still, sometimes it takes seeing a WTC-branded business like Montana World Trade Center (MWTC) in action to fully appreciate everything that exists between the lines of an accreditation application.  

For me, attending the Montana World Trade & Investment Day was one of those moments.  

Admittedly, before arriving in Montana, my knowledge of the state was shaped less by firsthand experience and more by stories — I was born there, but not raised there, so most of what I knew came from my mom speaking lovingly about the state, along with photographs of wide landscapes and the phrase "Big Sky Country." I did not expect to spend a day learning about export documentation, critical minerals, foreign direct investment, biotechnology, cattle production, and "Incoterms" (which was not a term I had ever heard, but anyone in trade development is likely able to speak about for hours).   

What I discovered instead was something much more meaningful: a WTC business that perfectly reflects the place it serves.  

MWTC, Premier Accredited in Business & Member Services, and Trade Development, is led by Executive Director Brigitta Miranda Freer and supported by a team of just one additional staff member, Bowie Daniel Hall. At this event they were also supported by student interns Hazel Park and Juncheol Cha. On paper, it is a remarkably small operation.  

In practice, it feels anything but.

Their premier annual event, Montana World Trade & Investment Day, welcomed more than 150 participants and brought together leaders from across government, industry, academia, and international trade. Representatives from the Consulate General of Ireland, the Montana Departments of Commerce and Agriculture, and perhaps most notably, Governor Greg Gianforte, shared the stage with business leaders who are actively shaping Montana's future.  

As someone who recently helped organize the WTCA Global Business Forum with the support of a larger team, I was astounded by the scope of what MWTC produced. The agenda was ambitious in the best possible way — filled with exceptional speakers, diverse programming, site visits, and conversations that made every hour feel worthwhile.  

What impressed me most wasn't even the event itself. It was the unmistakable trust MWTC has earned across the state. Wrangling this kind of engagement across the fourth largest state in the country takes something special, and the enthusiasm in the room made it immediately clear that MWTC has built exactly that.    

Every session of the day reflected an organization deeply connected to its region. Discussions moved from practical export training and current tariff trends to conversations about the industries that define Montana's economy: agriculture, critical minerals, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, cattle production, photonics, and optics. Local expertise was consistently paired with international perspectives, reinforcing the role MWTC plays as a bridge between a regional economy and global opportunity.  

That connection became even more tangible once we left the conference room.  

The conference didn't just talk about Montana's economy — we got the opportunity to experience it firsthand. Tours of a major inland port, Foreign Trade Zone, and one of the state's active mines brought the day's discussions to life, reminding me that trade isn't just data — it's alive, it's tactile, and it's the heartbeat of the state.  

That same philosophy extends well beyond just this event: beyond the conference, MWTC is helping shape Montana's economic future. Through foreign direct investment, export services, market intelligence, and strategic partnerships, the team is connecting local industries with global opportunity while championing the state's emergence as a world-class technology corridor of the West. With nearly a dozen federally designated tech hubs specializing in remote, autonomous, and smart sensing applications, Montana already has the foundation – this team is helping ensure the world takes notice.    

That same sense of connection extends beyond industry and into education, where MWTC has built an equally impressive partnership with the University of Montana.  

Across the WTCA network, several WTC businesses collaborate with universities, but MWTC offers an exceptional example of what true integration can look like. The organization operates from the School of Business, Executive Director Brigitta Miranda Freer teaches at the university, and that relationship creates opportunities that benefit students, businesses, and the broader community alike. Access to collaborative spaces, academic expertise, and future talent strengthens programming while ensuring international business remains woven into the educational experience. It's a model worth noting and one that other WTC businesses may find useful.  

Of course, no visit to Montana would be complete without spending time outside in nature. You don’t go to the Louvre and skip the Mona Lisa.  

The time spent exploring the landscape and hiking with the team offered another perspective on the work they do every day. Sometimes their meetings happen on these hikes — a philosophy rooted in the idea that people are often at their most honest when they're outside, moving, and connected to their surroundings. Their pride in representing Montana is unmistakable, and so is their respect for the land that has shaped its history and economy. The relationship between people, industry, and nature feels like a shared responsibility.  

My biggest takeaway from my visit with MWTC besides the mountains (wow, the mountains): this is a team that thinks every bit as big as the surrounding landscape , whose vision and partnerships are creating opportunity far beyond the state's borders. I'm grateful that WTCA Accreditation gave me the opportunity to experience it firsthand — and even more grateful to help tell their story.  

To learn more about MWTC’s Foreign Direct Investment initiatives, visit their website:  https://www.mwtc.org/foreign-direct-investment/.

WTCA will continue to spotlight Accredited Members throughout the year, so stay tuned for more one-on-one interviews with these excellent Members! If you’re interested in starting the WTCA Accreditation process, please contact Aubrey Ball at aball@wtca.org.