(Butte, MT) - Montana's Senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus delivered the following remarks today closing the 5th Montana Economic Development Summit in Butte. More than 150 businesses and well over 2,000 participants joined the Summit over the past two days to learn from an impressive lineup of keynote speakers, participate in a trade show and engage in nearly 40 panels and breakout sessions with entrepreneurs from around the state, business leaders from around the country and ambassadors from around the world.

Baucus was instrumental in lining up the Summit's speakers including: Chairman and CEO of Microsoft Steve Ballmer; legendary investor and philanthropist Warren Buffet; ambassadors from China, Japan, Ireland, New Zealand and Chile; Chairman and CEO of General Electric Jeff Immelt; Media Pioneer and Internet executive Barry Diller; Disney CEO Bob Iger, Chairman & CEO of Sabre Holdings Sam Gilliland and U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

Baucus has vowed to continue working with Montana businesses long after the Summit to further connections among Montana entrepreneurs and National business leaders and investors and help spur innovation. Baucus has also asked Summit participants to submit feedback online at www.montanaeconomicsummit.org, to help him find more ways to make this year's Summit and future Summits work even better for Montana.

Baucus delivered his closing remarks to the audience in Butte via video today so he could return to the Senate and lead the effort to pass his Small Business Jobs Bill this week.

Baucus' closing remarks follow below:

It's been a really great couple of days here in Butte.

Once again, I want to thank the hundreds of people and co-sponsors who have made our Montana Economic Development Summit such a hit.

We've learned a lot. We've made new friends.

Hopefully, these new friends are folks we can keep working together with even after we leave to accomplish our mission: creating Montana Solutions for Montana Jobs.

There's no doubt that we've come together and generated momentum and excitement about economic development. We've focused our collective efforts on creating jobs. Now it's time for solutions. Now it's time for action.

The success we've had with past summits is still paying off for Montana workers, and this year we have potential to do even better.

In 2007, one of GE's top brass, Jeff Bornstein came to Butte for the last summit. He'd never been to Montana before. Things went so well, GE decided to build a commercial finance center in Billings. That center now employs 150 Montanans and is looking to expand.

Just a couple days ago, GE's top guy, CEO Jeff Immelt, popped in to say hello and thanks to the hard-working employees in Billings and their families. Those families really show the true success of finding Montana solutions for Montana jobs.

Another example - the biotech firm in Bozeman, LigoCyte walked away from the last summit in 2007 with a $28 million dollar investment that allowed them to offer around 50 Montana workers good-paying jobs. LigoCyte is also making a global contribution and they're going like gangbusters to this day.

These are just a couple ways past summits are continuing to benefit folks across the state. We're committed to making this year even more successful.

As Montana's elected public servants, Jon, Denny, Brian and I all have our own priorities. We're working every day on many different issues that affect Montanans. But at the end of the day, we're all working together when it comes to creating jobs in Montana. Montanans truly have an opportunity to be heard in Washington because we're all committed to working for you.

Montana workers and products are among the best in the world. And I promise to continue doing my part to connect Montana agriculture and business leaders with national business leaders and open new markets for Montana products around the globe. Sometimes, as history has proven, it's as simple as picking up the phone and inviting folks to do business in Montana.

It's been said "80 percent of life is just showing up."

Well we've certainly shown up, but the work has just begun. We've made real progress over the last two days. Now it's up to you folks to put the lessons we've learned into action creating Montana solutions for Montana jobs.

From here, we all need to take the new friendships, ideas, and knowledge we've gained to build something real. It won't be without elbow grease on your part, or without commitment from Jon, Denny, Brian and myself.

I can promise you I'll keep working in Washington to: push for legislation that cuts taxes, rewards entrepreneurs, inspires investment, and gives incentives for hiring new employees; ensure businesses have a reliable, affordable source of energy; hold down freight costs; boost Montana's transportation and education system; and boost investment in technology.

Once again, I want to thank all of the amazing co-sponsors who made all of this possible. Thank you to the hundreds of volunteers. And, thanks to each and every one of you for coming here with an open mind and a commitment to creating a better future for our kids and grandkids.

Together, we can come up with Montana Solutions for Montana Jobs. Together, we can show the world, and ourselves, that Montana isn't just the last best place - it's the best place to do business.

Thanks again, and see you soon.

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