Besides being a noted hotelier in Billings, Mike Nelson is a tireless advocate for business in the Billings community, which is why he has been name as this year’s Small Business Champion.  Nelson is always showing up to educate, inspire and support those around him, according to Steve Arveschoug, Executive Director at Big Sky Economic Development Authority, who nominated Nelson.

He is a hands-on business leader and serves on the board of Big Sky Economic Development and was recently appointed Chair of the Billings Chamber of Commerce Board in 2020. 

Nelson is actively involved with MSU-Billings College of Business and with entrepreneur students at Billings School District 2.  He provided a unique opportunity for culinary students from the Billings Career Center to take over the kitchen of the TEN Restaurant, located in the Northern Hotel, for one day.  Students designed the menu, ordered the food, prepared meals, and presented their creations to the community and civic leaders they had invited. The evening was an overwhelming success, showcasing the talents of area high school students and supporting young entrepreneurs in their beginning stages.

Mike has been an instrumental part of the community effort to address public safety challenges.  He has twice hosted community panel discussions to talk about how to make Billings a safer place to do business.  These discussions spurred an actionable plan by the Downtown Billings Alliance and the Billings Chamber of Commerce to provide small business owners with matching funds to assess and provide recommended infrastructure improvements to their businesses.

Mike successfully breathed life back into the historic Northern Hotel when he and his brother purchased the run-down, vacant building in 2009.  He spent the next five years restoring this important piece of Montana history located in downtown Billings. The re-opening of the Northern hotel has created a new hub for business travelers, tourists and visitors and has revitalized the downtown area. The economic impact of this project is estimated at roughly $82 million.

Mike Nelson is a catalyst for growing the Billings small business community and knows that it takes hard work and dedication to make it happen. He stands out from other leaders as a true champion as he is more than just a voice, he is a partner on the ground.