Introducing Our New Executive Director

After much hard work and deliberation, the First Best Place steering committee has selected a new leader to direct the organization. We are pleased to introduce Steve Paugh as our new executive director! Thanks to the ongoing support of folks like you, First Best Place has been growing, and the selection of a new executive director completes a transition driven by our continued success.

Steve comes to First Best Place equipped with decades of experience in business management and volunteerism, with successful careers in title insurance and commercial real estate. Following his son, who is a local business owner living in the Flathead Valley for the last 12 years, Steve and his wife Betsy moved to the area from Pennsylvania three years ago and currently live in Martin City.

“Steve was chosen from a field of incredibly talented people from all over the valley,” says Ron Nash, Vice President of First Best Place. “We are so fortunate to have had such a great pool from which to choose.”

Steve has already begun training for the position to ensure a smooth transition, and will formally take on the Executive Director title on January 22nd. As Director, he will be responsible for all aspects of the planning and implementation of our mission, to develop quality of life amenities for the community.

“We absolutely made the right choice by bringing Steve into this leadership position,” says Barry Conger, who is a co-founder of the organization and has served as Executive Director for the last three and-a-half years. Barry now supports First Best Place by volunteering on the steering committee as Fundraising Chairman. “This is a major step forward for us in our ongoing growth. Steve will chart a strong and steady course for FBP, and we will be able to charge forward on our fundraising effort for Discovery Square.”

“I am ready and excited to work with the community volunteers, local service groups, government and the Board on the exciting projects of First Best Place,” says Steve. “It is the beauty and opportunity of this place and its people that motivates me to give all I have to the betterment of our community.”