Page 15 - Helena Chamber B2B Spring22

MEET THE NEW HELENA WINS CHAIR: BILL RYAN
Bill is a Journeyman Carpenter through apprenticeship (the original 4-year degree) which he started immediately after graduation from high school. Bill worked in his trade as a foreman, job-site superintendent, project manager, and construction manager. Given this very busy construction lifestyle, Bill did not have time to start his college education. It was in the economic downturn of 2008 in which Bill was offered a teaching job at the College of Technology (now Highlands College) at Montana Tech in Butte, MT and left his steady job to pursue his interest in teaching his craft to others, as well as begin his college education.
While at Montana Tech Bill earned two associate degrees (Associate of Applied Science and Carpentry-Construction Technology degrees), a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree in Organizational Communication and Management, and a Master of Science in Project Engineering/Management and Technical Communication.
Now, Bill has completed coursework toward a Doctor of Education at the University of Montana and has begun research for his doctoral dissertation.
Bill has served as Department Chair and Associate Dean of Highlands College of Montana Tech (formerly College of Technology) and earned a tenured faculty position teaching Carpentry and Construction Technology, Historic Preservation, and Construction Management.
In 2020, Bill served as the Dean of the School of Technical and Professional Studies at the University of Arkansas -Pulaski Technical College located in Little Rock, Arkansas where his post-secondary academic areas of oversight included the Division of Technical Science (15 programs), Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management (3 programs), and Business and Information Technology (10 programs). In addition, Bill also lead UA-PTC’s non-credit Business and Industry Center which focuses on workforce development for Central Arkansas (4000 trainees/year) and UA-PTC’s Career Center which provided dual credit Career and Technical Education courses for nearly 400 high school students per semester in the Little Rock area.
Bill and his family (wife Tera, and daughter Elena, age 8) returned to Montana last June to pursue some personal projects in which they have heavily invested. Bill and his wife own a property management/property rental company, a registered construction contracting and consulting business, and a property development and holding company, and Bill accepted a position as Education Coordinator for Dick Anderson Construction developing and delivering apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and workforce development training for DAC’s seven locations in Montana and Wyoming.
Bill’s recent project (upon return from Arkansas in June 2021) was the rehabilitation and restoration of a building in Uptown Butte for business partner, SLAINTE-Butte America Pub to relocate, increasing retail space, specialty beer and cocktail service, expanding food service and selection with a larger kitchen, and adding Butte’s first rooftop pub space (coming in June).
“I am excited to work with all the great people on the Helena WINS committee to develop partnerships through networking and connecting of needs to provide opportunities for business/industry with those seeking services and employment through a shared vision of strengthening economic and workforce potential in the Helena area”.
SPRING 2022 B2B - A Publication of the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce 15