Season 3 · Episode 125

Connecting Montana and the World: Insights from EconoQuest

Dec 22, 2025

In this special on-the-road episode of The Vault, we recorded live at EconoQuest, a program designed to introduce Montana students to global economics and career pathways by the Montana World Affairs Council. We sat down with educators, industry experts, and international leaders including Mike Veselik (Montana State University), Eil Steinberg & Lukac Khomenko (Sentinel High School), Ryan Cooney (Project for Alternative Learning), Bill Woolf (Space Force Association), Jillien Streit (Department of Agriculture), Sean Clark & David Smith (Government of Canada, Trade Commissioner Service), and Steven Eror & Cynthia Ekberg Tsai.

Together, these conversations highlight Montana’s global connections, the role of economics in career exploration, and why international awareness matters for today’s students. This episode captures a mix of perspectives giving listeners a closer look at the conversations shaping the next generation of Montana’s workforce and global understanding.

Season 3 · Episode 124

Empowering Montana Students Through Global Learning with Nikki Geiszler

Dec 15, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with Nikki Geiszler from the Montana World Affairs Council to dive into her story, her background in anthropology, and the path that brought her to Montana. Nikki talks about her work expanding the Council beyond Missoula and building partnerships with teachers and schools across the entire state ensuring students in every corner of Montana have access to global programming and real-world learning opportunities.

She shares her passion for bringing the world to Montana students, her approach to collaboration, raising resources, and why global education matters no matter where a student grows up. We explore the impact of signature programs like Academic WorldQuest and EconoQuest, and how these experiences give students a chance to engage with international experts, economic conversations, and future career pathways.

Energetic, driven, and constantly moving forward, Nikki makes the case for why “Montana’s potential is unstoppable” and why global opportunity should reach every classroom in the state.

Connect with the MTWAC HERE.

Season 3 · Episode 123

Veteran Business Opportunities: Rick Brown on the VR&E Self-Employment Track

Dec 8, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with Rick Brown, Director of the Veteran Business Outreach Center (VBOC), to explore the VR&E Self-Employment Track—a program offered by the SBA and VA through a memorandum of understanding. This track leverages counselors from SBA resource partners, including VBOCs, SBDCs, Women’s Business Centers, and SCORE, to help service members and veterans with a service-connected disability turn their skills and ideas into a business.

Rick explains how the nationwide network of SBA resource partners supports veterans through the self-employment track. We dive into who’s eligible, how veterans can use the program, what to expect along the way, and how experienced advisors help turn business ideas into viable employment opportunities.

Rick also highlights how veterans have successfully used this track to launch their own businesses, with guidance from advisors who understand the veteran experience.

Connect with Rick HERE.

Learn more about Rick in these past episodes:

• Forging Community Bonds: Rick Brown’s Legacy of Service and Leadership
• Veteran Business Support Services with the Veteran Business Outreach Center

Season 3 · Episode 122

Built to Last: Jim Markel and the Red Oxx Way

Dec 1, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with Jim Markel, CEO of Red Oxx, to talk about building things that last, products, places, and relationships.

Jim shares how growing up in a military family, serving as a parachute rigger, and watching his dad start Red Oxx out of a Billings basement with surplus webbing shaped the company’s DNA: rugged, bootstrapped, and built with intention. We dive into Red Oxx’s evolution from fitness gear to American-made travel and gear bags, their early leap into e-commerce in the ’90s, and why keeping production in Billings and in the US still matters.

We also get into Factory #8, the 406 Event Lawn, and Jim’s philosophy on growth: “We are a blend of old and new, we try to always move forward but not so fast we are leaving our roots behind which is making high quality products and good customer relationships.” At its core, this episode is about hard work, craftsmanship, and honoring your roots while building what’s next.

Learn more about Red Oxx HERE.

Season 3 · Episode 121

Kelly Heaton: Shaping Montana’s Future through Leadership Montana

Nov 24, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with Kelly Heaton, Executive Director of Leadership Montana, to explore how the organization is shaping Montana’s future through leadership development.

Kelly shares her journey to Montana and how her career path led her to lead a program dedicated to preparing professionals to tackle the state’s challenges and opportunities. Leadership Montana travels to communities across the state to help participants learn, connect, and grow as leaders.

We talk about the program’s unique approach—combining immersive education, real-world discussions with accomplished leaders, and a curriculum tailored to participants’ needs. Kelly also shares how the alumni network continues to foster collaboration and service long after the program ends, giving graduates the tools and awareness to make a meaningful impact in their communities.

At its core, this episode is about leadership, connection, and the ways one program can empower Montanans to make a difference across the state.

Learn more about Leadership Montana HERE.

Season 3 · Episode 120

The Front Porch: Cultivating Community, Creativity, and Connection in Laurel

Nov 17, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with Cheryl and Robin of The Front Porch in Laurel. Two women who have been intentionally building a place for people to gather, create, and feel connected.

What started as a small sign-making operation in a garage has grown into a true community hub: DIY workshops, a welcoming venue for events and celebrations, and a boutique that showcases products from more than a dozen local makers and small businesses.

We talk about how they have created a place for people to come together and create a strong community. We dive into their growth, both as a company and with their physical space, and how COVID underscored the need for spaces where people can show up, be together, and cultivate community. Cheryl and Robin share how they play to each other’s strengths, one leading classes and gatherings, the other running the boutique, and how their dynamic reflects the energy of The Front Porch itself.

At its heart, this episode is about cultivating community on purpose and creating a front porch where everyone feels welcome.

Connect with The Front Porch HERE.

Season 3 · Episode 119

Cultivating Community: Insights from the MEDA Fall Conference

Nov 10, 2025

In this episode of The Vault, host Marcell Bruski takes the podcast on the road to the Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA) Fall Conference. Recorded live in Polson, she sat down with economic development leaders and partners from across the state, including Christy Cummings Dawson with Montana West Economic Development, Terra Burman with Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation, Eric Seidensticker with Montana Business Assistance Connection, Wylie Phillips with Northern Rocky Mountain Economic Development District, Jolene Schalper with Great Falls Development Alliance, Sonya Scheetz with Langlas and Associates, Allison Corbyn with Montana Economic Developers Association, and Amanda Tonn with Cushing Terrell.

Together, these conversations highlight the collaborative work driving Montana’s economic growth—sharing insights on community development, business expansion, workforce, and housing efforts across the state. This episode captures the energy, innovation, and connection that define economic development in Montana today.

Connect with MEDA HERE.

Season 3 · Episode 118

Made in Montana: Paddy Fleming on Leadership, Legacy & Manufacturing

Nov 3, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with Paddy Fleming, Director of the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC). Paddy shares his journey from growing up in small-town Montana to leading manufacturing operations across North America and Europe.

We talk about leadership, learning from others, and the experiences that shaped his career—from solving complex problems to managing teams and driving improvement. As Paddy puts it, “There’s something quite satisfying watching trucks roll out full of material that you made.”

Today, through MMEC, he’s helping Montana manufacturers strengthen their businesses, innovate, and build the next generation of industry across the state.

Learn more about MMEC HERE.

Season 3 · Episode 117

The Marketing Visionary: David Allen on NASCAR, Rodeo, and Montana’s Western Culture

Oct 27, 2025

In this episode, we sit down with David Allen, General Manager of the NILE (Northern International Livestock Exposition) and veteran marketing executive whose career has shaped some of the biggest names in western sports, rodeo, and conservation.

From his roots in Deadwood, South Dakota, to working alongside legends like Dale Earnhardt and Ty Murray, David shares stories from over 50 years in PRCA ProRodeo, Wrangler, NASCAR, PBR, and his tenure as CEO of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Now leading the NILE in Billings, he talks about the importance of preserving western heritage, strengthening agriculture, and what’s next for Montana’s western legacy.

Connect with the NILE HERE.

Season 3 · Episode 116

Raising Legends: Toby Tooke and the Legacy of the Tooke Bucking Horses

Oct 20, 2025

In this episode, host Marcell sits down with Toby Tooke—radio host, DJ, and social media manager at Tooke Bucking Horses—for a conversation close to home. Toby shares the remarkable legacy of his great-grandfather, Feek Tooke, the visionary horseman from Ekalaka, Montana, whose breeding program shaped nearly every bucking horse in modern rodeo.

From growing up on the ranch to producing a documentary honoring Feek’s story, Toby talks about family, small-town roots, hard work, and carrying forward a legacy nearly a century in the making. Together, they reflect on pride in where you come from, the lessons learned on the prairie, and the enduring spirit behind the Tooke Bloodline—because, as Toby says, “If you ain’t proud of it, why the hell are you doing it?”

Connect with Toby HERE.

Connect with the Tooke Bucking Horses HERE.