Articles written by dianne swanson


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  • Lance Averett

    Dianne Swanson|Jun 19, 2013

    Lance Averett has come a long way with Blue Rock, from mowing lawns to Vice President and general sales manager. He started in 1967, working part-time through high school mowing, trimming trees and loading trucks. After graduating from college in 1975, he became assistant manager at the sales center in Plentywood for a few months, then manager for 4 ½ years. He relocated to Sidney in 1979 as sales manager. “I can’t imagine working for better people than John and his family,” Averett said....

  • Tracy Hagen

    Dianne Swanson|Jun 19, 2013

    When Tracy Hagen talks about Blue Rock, she is as enthusiastic today as she was in 1981 when she joined the company. She truly loves her job, and the people she works with. Hagen started in the office, just when Blue Rock was beginning to computerize and do their own data entry in house. “It was wonderful,” she said. “It was my introduction to the computer world and I loved it. We would do data entry for hours every day. It was a good education on the computer and the company itself.” The Sid...

  • Ron Messmer

    Dianne Swanson|Jun 19, 2013

    Ron Messmer has worked for two companies in his life – Mon-Kota Fertilizer in the summers during high school, then Blue Rock beginning December 7, 1979. The Fairview native started as a warehouse worker. After about a year, he started doing routes part-time and then full time as a route salesman, delivering soft drinks and beer. In 1985, he was promoted to sales center manager in Glasgow, a position he held for six years. 1992 saw him back in Sidney taking over Les Pierce’s job as a sales center...

  • Tim Feeley

    Dianne Swanson|Jun 19, 2013

    Tim Feeley worked for Blue Rock in Sidney from 1973 until his retirement in December of 2011. He started as sales manager when the company had three facilities - Sidney, Plentywood and Williston and since added two more facilities – Glasgow and Miles City. He was promoted to general sales manager and then general manager as the company grew. Feeley knew John Olson from way, way back, when Feeley was a student and Olson his teacher in Hysham. “My family had a high regard for John,” Feeley state...

  • Lois Frank

    Dianne Swanson|Jun 19, 2013

    Lois Frank came to Sidney in 1963 from Ennis, MT to join her fiancé Bob who was teaching school. She worked at Sidney National Bank which was located where the Cheerio is now. “There were no computers back then,” she laughed. She then joined Blue Rock as an administrative assistant and stayed for 20 years, retiring in 2004. “Each gal in the office is responsible for the book work for each plant,” she explained. Frank took care of Sidney Blue Rock Products (pop), then Blue Rock Beverage...

  • Jill Hill

    Dianne Swanson|Jun 19, 2013

    Jill Hill knew when she walked in the door that Blue Rock was where she wanted to work. “It was the feeling and the people,” she said. That was over 20 years ago, after Hill moved to Sidney from Billings. She started as an office bookkeeper and administrative assistant to John Olson. In January of 2011, she was promoted to Controller for the company. “It’s been a great ride,” she said. “I’ve been treated so wonderfully. It’s like a big family. To be part of this team is fantastic, espe...

  • Connie Tabbert

    Dianne Swanson|Jun 19, 2013

    Connie Tabbert of Fairview joined Blue Rock August 18, 1981. “There were four of us. We worked in the warehouse, sorted bottles and helped with the bottling,” she explained. She worked part-time at Blue Rock until 1993. After moving full-time into the production department, Connie currently makes syrup, runs the RO system and other tasks as needed. “I like the people,” she said of her years at Blue Rock. “Especially the ones who have been here as long as I have.” Connie is justifiably...

  • Mark Hauge

    Dianne Swanson|Jun 19, 2013

    Mark Hauge began his career with Blue Rock in 1981 in Williston loading trucks and then becoming a service tech. Blue Rock had purchased Wildwood Beverage in Plentywood in the early 1970s. “In 1982, John and Tim (Feeley) asked me to relocate there. They had a new manager and needed a dedicated service guy.” Wildwood was an old established soft drink manufacturer and distributor. The building was old and decrepit, but nine or ten months after Hauge’s move there, Blue Rock built a new facil...

  • 2013 Town & Country June 22

    Dianne Swanson|Jun 12, 2013

    Plans are being finalized for the annual Town & Country Festival which will take place in Sidney Saturday, June 22. The full day of events starts off at 7 a.m. with registration for the Sidney Healthworks Fun Run. The run begins at 8:00 a.m. at Sidney Health Center. The Sidney Jaycees will host their annual pet parade. Registration begins at 9 a.m. at Veteran’s Memorial Park with the parade starting at 9:30 a.m. Businesses and individuals are encouraged to enter a float in the parade that morning. The parade will begin in the Reynolds Market p...

  • Communications Steadily Improving in Richland County

    Dianne Swanson|Jun 12, 2013

    The first trunked radio site for Richland County was installed in the tower which is located behind the Nutter Building in Sidney last Friday. Sidney Public works will now be able to communicate with their trucks all the way to the landfill, plus it will provide better communications for all Emergency Services in Richland County. Way up in the tower is Richland County communications director, Max Pangburn with Disaster and Emergency Services. On the ground assisting are, right bottom, under...

  • Used Backpacks Needed

    Dianne Swanson|May 29, 2013

    Not everyone in the State of Montana is as fortunate as we are in this area. Not only is our economy good, but we have companies like Continental Resources that donate a new backpack to every child in Richland County who wants one. There are schools in the western part of the state that are having to provide backpacks to many of their students who can’t afford one, and some schools can’t even do that. As a way to share our good fortune with those students who have less, Diane Sorenson, her daugh...

  • 2013 Town & Country June 22

    Dianne Swanson|May 15, 2013

    Plans are being finalized for the annual Town & Country Festival which will take place in Sidney Saturday, June 22. The full day of events starts off at 7 a.m. with registration for the Sidney Healthworks Fun Run. The run begins at 8:00 a.m. at Sidney Health Center. Businesses and individuals are encouraged to enter a float in the parade that morning. The parade will begin in the Reynolds Market parking lot and travel north on Central Avenue to 2nd Street NW. Please call the Chamber to register your entry. Main Street will be the site for a...

  • "Fill the Truck" Event May 21-22

    Dianne Swanson|May 8, 2013

    Four local agencies have teamed up to conduct a “Fill the Truck” event Tuesday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 22 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day at the Reynolds/Shopko parking lot. The Richland County Food Bank, the Salvation Army, ROI, Inc. and Richland County Coalition Against Domestic Violence are all experiencing increased demands on their services due to the growth in our community. The idea to “Fill the Truck” was originally presented by Glendive to Candy Markwald of the Richland County Food Bank. She contacted the other agencies, which t...

  • Fairview Chamber Adds Erase Your Ewaste Event to Spring Cleanup

    Dianne Swanson|May 1, 2013

    Saturday, May 11 has been designated as City Wide Cleanup Day in Fairview. Bins will be available at the fire hall from 8 a.m. until noon. No dumping is allowed after noon that day. Seniors or others requiring assistance may call City Hall at 742-5616. In conjunction with the cleanup, residents and businesses are encouraged to bring their electronic recyclables to the fire hall as well. There will be a small charge for the shredding of hard drives, otherwise, the event is free. Please do your part in keeping harmful components out of our...

  • Leadership Graduation

    Dianne Swanson|May 1, 2013

    The Sidney Area Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture held its Leadership Class graduation on Wednesday at the Sidney Moose Lodge. During the past year, members of the class have attended seven Issue Days, as well as various government meetings. Ryan Kopp outlined the class project which is an exercise station along the walking path....

  • Sidney TBID Is Looking For Projects to Fund

    Dianne Swanson|Feb 13, 2013

    On January 1, 2013, collections started for the new Tourism Business Improvement District. Guests of all the hotels in Sidney are assessed a $1.50 per night fee which goes to the TBID. There are state and federal exemptions, as well as exemptions for extended stays over 30 days. The TBID is run by the hotels, with Bryce Baker, Best Western Golden Prairie Inn as chairman; Brandon Taylor, MicroTel Inn & Suites as vice-chairman; Rachel Reed, Richland Motor Inn as secretary/treasurer; and board members Ray Johnson, Holiday Inn Express; Tami Roth,...