Gov. Gianforte Announces ARPA Leadership Transition

Mike Foster Retiring, Scott Mendenhall to Lead ARPA Program

• September 21 2021

HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced Mike Foster, who serves as the state’s ARPA program director, will retire on September 30 after a long career in public service. Scott Mendenhall, deputy director at the Montana Department of Revenue and a former state legislator, will lead the state’s ARPA program on October 4.

“I’m extraordinarily grateful to Mike for postponing his retirement to join our team to lead the Department of Agriculture. When I needed a trusted, proven leader with a steady hand to quickly get the ARPA program off-the-ground, Mike stepped forward and has made Montana a national leader for our ARPA program implementation and execution,” Gov. Gianforte said. “I appreciate Mike’s hard work and counsel. Montana is a better place because of his dedicated public service and commitment to our state.”

Appointed by the then governor-elect to serve as director of the Department of Agriculture last December, Foster transitioned into ARPA Program Director in May.

“While I was looking to retire late last year, Governor Gianforte honored me greatly by inviting me to be part of his impressive team, first by championing the work of Montana’s farmers and ranchers as the director of the Department of Agriculture and then by playing a role to invest hundreds of millions of federal dollars for the long-term benefit of Montanans as the program director of ARPA,” Foster said. “It’s been my privilege to advance the governor’s successful economic comeback plan for Montana, and I look forward to rooting for more successes while enjoying retirement and time with my family in Bozeman. The ARPA program is in great hands with Scott Mendenhall taking over my position.”

The governor tapped Mendenhall to succeed Foster in leading Montana’s ARPA program. 

“Throughout his tenure in the legislature and decades of experience growing companies and responsibly managing budgets in the private sector, Scott is a proven leader who knows how to get the most out of every dollar and prioritize Montana taxpayers,” Gov. Gianforte said. “I look forward to working closely with Scott as we make investments to get us through this pandemic and to benefit our state’s long-term needs.”

Prior to serving as deputy director in the Department of Revenue, Mendenhall was a four-term member of the Montana House of Representatives. First elected in 2002, Mendenhall chaired the Business and Labor, Transportation, and Economic Affairs committees.

“Governor Gianforte and the Montana Legislature worked together to design a solid framework for investing the federal ARPA funds in ways that meet Montana’s pressing needs and provide for the state’s long-term benefit, while undergirding the governor’s visionary Montana Comeback Plan,” Mendenhall said. “Mike Foster has done yeoman’s work in leading the implementation effort, and while he’ll be sorely missed, I look forward to the challenge of building on his solid foundation to quickly and efficiently put these resources to work. I’m humbled by Governor Gianforte’s trust in me for this role.”

Mendenhall resides in Clancy with his wife Audrey. Together, they have four children.

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