Business drive surpasses goal
Nearly 100 Excellence Fund volunteers celebrated reaching the Missoula Business Drive's
$325,000 goal Nov. 2. Drive chairman Bob Burke said the drive surpassed its goal for
the 22nd consecutive year. Established in 1978, the annual peer solicitation of Missoula's
business and professional community has provided nearly $4 million for UM's academic
programs.
An economic impact study conducted by UM's Bureau of Business and Economic Research
showed that UM brought more than $200 million into Missoula last year. Citing the drive's
theme "Count Me In," Burke said, "The business community is very cognizant
of that impact and is - and has been - more than willing to help keep UM a thriving
institution."
Burke said, "With the officers, faculty and staff of the University providing
approximately one-third of the total funds for the drive, this is an outstanding example
of a community-university partnership."
Annual Fund Director Kathy Schaub of the UM Foundation presented certificates of
gratitude to the 10 Missoula businesses with more than two employees working on the 1999
drive. They are Community Medical Center; Elmore and Associates; First Interstate Bank;
First Security Bank; Garlington, Lohn and Robinson; Gillespie Realty; Lambros Real Estate;
U.S. Bank and U.S. Bank Trust; Western Montana Clinic; and Worden, Thane and Haines.
"Because the drive is a peer-to-peer solicitation of businesses, our volunteers
must make calls during working hours," Schaub said.
"We thank all our volunteers' employers for giving them time to ask their
colleagues and associates to support UM, but especially these organizations that may have
as many as five Business Drive volunteers on staff," she said.
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