b'2024 State Report done with the board, PTRCB staff and numerous members of DEQ. The interactions and communication between all the stakeholders continues to improve.Duane Williams, Executive Director for the Montana TruckingAssociation, discussed key issues from the trucking perspective.He echoed the statements from Jeff and talked about how his orga-nization works to help members stay on top of issues. A variety of topics were discussed and included driver shortages, CDL issues, driver retainment, and much more. MPMCSA will continue to work with the MTA and look for areas of synergy, as many of Duanes members are also members of the MPMCSA. Jack West from Federated Insurance talked about Federateds triple protection plan. Federated has been a trusted partner for decades for the MPMCSA. Jack and his teams dedication to the petroleum industry is second to none. They continue to provide solutions to our members needs and challenges. If you havent had an opportunity to talk with someone from Federated, you should. Scott Askin, Senior Market Manager at Altria Group Distribution Co. discussed the Montana tobacco landscape. He gave an over-view of how the product landscape is changing and how the FDA is reviewing and approving the products that are now able to be sold. New products are entering the market and traditional products con-tinue to be strong but as customer preferences change, so will the market. Altria continues to be a strong partner and we thank them for their continued support of the MPMCSA. Tim Sheehy, GOP Senate Candidate, spoke to the entire convention group after lunch. He discussed his reasons for running and what his key values are. He took several questions from the audience and stayed after to mingle with everyone. He seems to be passion-ate about small business and wants to ensure that companies can operate in an environment that works for Montana and its varying businesses. Dinner on Wednesday night is always a good time and did not disappoint again this year. As always, there was fabulous participation in both the live and silent auctions. Aaron Bethke won the heads and tails game this year and walked away with a sweet prize. We are very grateful for the donations of auction items and for the groups ongoing dedication to the scholarship fund. We hope to see everyone again in Fairmont June 3rd and 4th, 2025.Brad Longcake Executive Director SWPMA News / Summer 202439'