Whitefish picked for governors' annual meeting

Governors from western states will converge in Whitefish in June for the Western Governors’ Association annual meeting.

The event will be hosted by Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, the association chair, June 26-28, at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center.

Governors will engage in discussions on a number of issues facing the West, including energy security, the Canadian-U.S. relationship, highway infrastructure and the Western Governors’ National Forest and Rangeland Management Initiative.

One of the roundtable discussions will examine the growth of microbreweries and craft distillers across the West.

Among the keynote speakers is Frank Luntz, a political consultant known as the “Focus Group Czar,” who is a frequent commentator and analyst for Fox News. Conrad Anker, a well-known Montana climber, will share his story of how his ascents have deepened his appreciation for the outdoors and its preservation.

The Western Governors’ Association includes the governors of 19 western states, along with governors from the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. Established in 1984 through the merger of two governors’ organizations, the Western Governors’ Association aims to help these top state leaders with bipartisan policy development and information exchange, and is an avenue for collective action on critical issues.

Utilizing multiple media and mechanisms, the association “aggressively promotes the positions, priorities and accomplishments of Western governors,” the association website notes.