Board, Staff & Fellows

Board Members

The Wheeler Board of Directors hail from around the state and across the country. They help direct the Center's activities and determine conference and roundtable topics.

• Thomas Colman, West Glacier - grandson of B.K.Wheeler, retired Florida real estate developer, manager and investor; part-time Montana resident
• Robert Colman, Ketchum ID - grandson of B.K. Wheeler, managing partner of Colman Partners, a private investment fund, formerly in the investment banking business in San Francisco
• Bradley Snow, Livingston - great-grandson of B.K. Wheeler, former high school social studies teacher, PhD student in History at Montana State University, trustee for Livingston School District
• William Tietz, Bozeman - PhD in Veterinary Medicine, President Emeritus, Montana State University, and former CEO, Deaconess Research Institute, Billings
• Matt Gibson, Missoula - owner and publisher, Missoula Independent and Montana Headwall magazine
• Robin Wheeler Azqueta, Palm Beach, Fl - great-granddaughter of B.K. Wheeler, Marketing Consultant and former Brand Manager of Dewar's Scotch Whisky at Bacardi, USA, part-time Montana resident
• Gordon Brittan, former Director of the Wheeler Center, current Director of New Projects for Exergy Development Group of Boise, Idaho
• Marilyn Wessel, Bozeman - Dean Emeritus, Museum of the Rockies, Montana State University and former Director of University Relations, Montana State University
• Albert Wells, Belgrade - former California venture capital partner, life-long interest in environmentalism and public policy, board member of non-profits from Massachusetts to California
• Whitney MacMillan, Minneapolis - Chairman Emeritus of Cargill, operates a cow/calf ranch in Montana
• Shiell Anderson, Big Timber - former state legislator, former Chair of the Montana Transportation Commission, lifelong Park County rancher
• Aidan Myhre, Helena - Government and Public Affairs Consultant for clients in the Northwest, Trustee for the Helena School District
• Dorothy Bradley, Clyde Park, Chair - former attorney and Montana State Representative, currently Chair of the Wheeler Center Board of Directors
• Kendall Wheeler, Washington, D.C. - granddaughter of BK Wheeler, former dance studio owner, part time Montana resident

Staff

Center staff provide research services as well as conference design and management.

Executive Director Ralph Johnson joined the Center on July 1, 2008. He is professor of Architecture at Montana State University, former Director of the University Honors program and current director of the Community Design Center. Ralph brings a deep knowledge of Montana's communities as well as a broad sense of the issues that are of most concern to Montanans.

Associate Director Julie Hitchcock has been with the Center since 1998 and is responsible for the day-to-day functioning of the Center. She holds a Master of Public Administration degree from MSU and has worked in both the public and private sectors for the past 25 years. Her previous work in the travel industry and in University Relations at MSU gave her the opportunity to travel the state extensively and to work with many Montanans involved in business, government and education.

Fellows

The Center is pleased to work each (calendar) year with a varied number of Wheeler Fellows, who assist the Center staff in researching, planning, and coordinating our events and programs. There is no set stipend, but travel expenses are paid by the Center. Students are at both the graduate and undergraduate level, and need not necessarily be based at MSU. Fellows are invited to maintain close contact with the Center upon graduation. We urge you to contact us to learn more and/or apply.