Governor Gianforte Appoints Commissioner of Labor and Industry

• August 10 2023

HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced his appointment of Sarah Swanson to lead the Montana Department of Labor and Industry (DLI).

“As a proven leader in both the private and public sectors, Sarah is a champion for reimagining workforce development and building sustainable public-private partnerships to empower hardworking Montanans,” Gov. Gianforte said. “I look forward to partnering with her to build a stronger future for our state.”

Swanson assumes the role of commissioner after serving as the Director of Strategic Engagement for DLI, where she focused on bridging the gap between education and workforce needs.

Prior to government service, Swanson served as an owner and General Manager for Farm Equipment Sales, Inc. (FES), a four-store John Deere dealer organization headquartered in northeast Montana. Sarah’s tenure at the company saw record growth with the addition of three locations, over 100 new employees, and 1300 percent growth in company sales.

After overseeing the successful sale of FES, Swanson helped design and lead Build Montana on behalf of the Montana Contractors and Equipment Dealers Associations, which helped open access to John Deere’s proprietary training platform to Montana high school students. Swanson then served as chief of staff for the Montana Office of Public Instruction before joining DLI.

“As a lifelong Montanan, I am honored to serve the people of Montana and am humbled by the confidence Governor Gianforte has placed in me. As a former small business owner, I personally understand the significance of meeting payroll, caring for employee needs, helping rural communities survive, and struggling to find qualified employees,” Swanson said. “I look forward to working hand-in-hand with DLI’s dedicated team, industry partners, and Montana workers to continue to address the long-standing disconnect between employers and education, to modernize IT systems, and to deliver meaningful red-tape relief to Main Street.”

A native of Valley County, Swanson assumes the role of commissioner on Monday, August 14. 

A headshot for Sarah Swanson may be downloaded here.

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