Re-Discover Anaconda: Local development and tourism nonprofit hires new executive director

Change is once again in the air for Discover Anaconda, as the organization tasked with local economic development and tourism promotions has hired a new executive director, but for her Anaconda is more of a “Re-Discovery.”

That new director is Kathleen Tarkalson, who’s originally from Butte while her husband Steve is originally from Anaconda, but for the past 16 years she’s been working for her alma mater, the University of Montana in Missoula, first as career development program coordinator and then as director of the College of Business Student Success Center – a role she held since 2011 for a program she herself had built from the ground up.

Yet she and her husband felt it was time to get back to their roots – and as luck would have it the Discover Anaconda directorship opened up at the same time.

“The timing just worked beautifully,” Tarkalson said. “This is an incredible opportunity.”

Tarkalson’s professional life has centered around exactly that, helping facilitate career opportunities for students at UM, and those are skills she’ll be bringing with her to Discover Anaconda – particularly getting out into the community and helping facilitate more opportunities for small businesses and tourism here. 

“To me, the most exciting part of this is to be so integrated into the community – and there’s just no other job that’ll let me do that,” she said. “I have a lot to learn, but the skill sets are definitely compatible and I’m excited to stretch my brain and take my skill sets in a different direction.”

On the tourism front, Tarkalson said she wants to focus on making Anaconda a stop for people traveling between Montana’s two National Parks, Yellowstone and Glacier, and as such is working on developing itineraries for visitors to the Smelter City to enjoy either “a perfect three hours” or “a perfect three days” in and around town.

“We want to let people know the different opportunities that are available here, and target different markets,” she said. 

Discover Anaconda is also working with Anaconda-Deer Lodge County and the State of Montana on resources for promoting Anaconda, including the Lodging Facility use Tax, commonly known as the “Bed Tax,” with Tarkalson saying the necessary paperwork for those funds to be dispersed locally should be completed by June.

As for the other aspects of Discover Anaconda, such as the financial assistance for small businesses and its work with the National Affordable Housing Network, Tarkalson said she’s doing training both online and with the previous director, Adam Vauthier – “it’s nice that he’s still in town, still in the building,” she said – while also meeting with members of the organization’s board.

“They all seem so supportive and I feel very fortunate. That was a big factor in my accepting this job,” she said. “All the facets of Discover Anaconda are what make it so interesting. I’m looking forward to learning all the different pieces and taking on the different sides of it.”

For more information about Discover Anaconda, visit https://discoveranaconda.com.