Larry Swanson: Larry is the O'Connor Center director and leads the Center’s work on the region’s economy. He received a doctorate in economics and community and regional planning from the University of Nebraska in 1980. He worked as a journalist, educator, policy analyst, and economic consultant before joining the University of Montana’s Business School in 1988. He moved to the O’Connor Center in 1995 and became Center director in 2005. more...

William Farr: Bill is the O'Connor Center’s associate director, senior fellow in regional history and culture, and former Center director. He also is a professor in UM’s History Department, serving there since 1967. He is author of several books including Montana: Images of the Past and The Reservation Blackfeet, 1882-1945. Bill received his doctorate in history from the University of Washington. more...

Bob Brown: Bob is an O'Connor Center senior fellow in public policy, joining the Center is 2005. Formerly he was a high school teacher, state legislator in both the Montana House and Senate including one term as Senate President, Montana Secretary of State, and candidate for Montana Governor. He received an undergraduate degree from MSU-Bozeman and masters degree in education from The University of Montana. more...

Daniel Kemmis: Daniel is an O'Connor Center senior fellow in public policy and former Center director. He served as mayor of the City of Missoula prior to joining the Center in 1996. In the past he also was a Montana state legislator, serving as Speaker of the House of Representatives. He has authored several books including Community and the Politics of Place (1990), The Good City and the Good Life (1995), and This Sovereign Land (2001). He is a graduate of Harvard University and The University of Montana Law School. more...

Pat Williams: Pat is an O'Connor Center senior fellow in public policy and former nine-term Montana representative to the U.S. House of Representatives. As a member of Congress, he served as House Deputy Whip and member of the House Budget, Education, and Labor; Interior and Agriculture; and Post Secondary Education Committees – serving the latter as chairman. He is a native of Butte, Montana, and former school teacher. He received degrees in business administration from Denver University and in education from Western Montana College. more...

Doug Lawrence: Doug is the O'Connor Center’s computing systems coordinator and IT specialist. He also provides technical support on Center research projects and studies. Doug also regularly teaches in UM’s computer sciences department. He is a graduate of The University of Montana with an M.A. degree in computer sciences. more...

Shellie Nelson: Shellie is the O'Connor Center’s editor of Headwater News, the Center’s web-based daily source of news and editorial opinion from across the Rocky Mountain West region. She is a graduate of The University of Montana with a degree in journalism. more...