By Sherrie Neff | Realtor, EXIT Realty Great Falls

Published: July 29, 2026

Real estate specialist Sherrie Neff reflects on the BBER forecast and explores Janicki Industries’ track record in employee volunteerism, park projects, food bank relief, and youth CTE training.

Listening to the economic projections at the Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) Mid-year Forecast here in Great Falls, my mind kept drifting to the real human stories behind all those charts and numbers.

When news broke that Janicki Industries broke ground on their $800 million manufacturing campus at the AgriTech Park, the headline numbers were staggering: 180 acres, 1.6 million square feet, and 2,000 future jobs.

Numbers that big can be surreal. It’s completely natural to worry about what rapid growth means for our schools, our local culture, and the quiet quality of life we love about Central Montana.

So I decided to look past the macro-forecasts and ask a simple, grounded question: "What kind of neighbors are they actually going to be?" I am deeply impressed with their history.

Hands-On Leadership

Company founders John and Peter Janicki gave us a clear preview at their groundbreaking ceremony. Instead of posing with polished gold shovels for a photo op, the Janicki brothers climbed right into the cabs of two Caterpillar excavators and moved the first earth on site themselves. That hands-on, work-ethic culture says so much about who they are. Their track record in Washington State shows how deeply they care about the towns where they live and operate.

1. Real Pathways for Our High School Graduates

As someone who deeply values our community’s youth, my favorite part of Janicki’s history is their investment in local high schools. They don't just import talent from out of state—they build opportunities for the kids who grew up right here in Cascade County.

• Classroom-to-Career Training: Partnering directly with high school Shop, CAD, and Industrial Tech programs, Janicki aligns classroom learning with real-world technical skills.

• Youth Apprenticeships: Through hands-on CTE and youth apprenticeship models, high school juniors and seniors can earn real paychecks and industry credentials while finishing their diplomas.

• Debt-Free Futures: Our local graduates can step straight out of high school into entry-level technician roles starting at $20–$25/hour—building a family-wage career without carrying heavy student loan debt.

2. Employee Volunteerism That Builds Local Landmarks

Janicki’s commitment isn't limited to writing corporate checks; their employees regularly roll up their sleeves to complete local community projects:

• 400+ Hours for Local Parks: In Sedro-Woolley, WA, when Olmsted Park needed a pedestrian bridge to complete a trail loop around Thompson Pond, 24 Janicki employees contributed over 400 hours of volunteer labor on evenings and weekends to design, fabricate, and build a custom memorial bridge over Brickyard Creek.

• Robotics & STEM Mentorship: Janicki engineers and technicians routinely volunteer as mentors for local youth participating in FIRST Robotics competitions, hosting interactive shop tours and coaching high school engineering clubs.

• Active Civic Engagement: From sponsoring employee teams in regional athletic events and charity relays to organizing community cleanups, Janicki staff actively participate in the civic fabric of their hometowns.

3. Rapid-Response Local Philanthropy & Support

When local challenges arise, Janicki consistently steps up to support essential community solution centers:

• Disaster Recovery & Food Banks: Following severe regional flooding in Washington State, Janicki issued an immediate $30,000 corporate donation to the local Helping Hands Food Bank and Solutions Center to assist displaced families, while simultaneously organizing employee donation drives to restock food pantries.

• Long-Term Non-Profit Partnerships: Rather than one-off photo-op donations, Janicki builds decades-long relationships with local human services agencies, ensuring community safety nets remain strong as the region grows.

• Youth Athletics & Recreation: Janicki routinely sponsors regional youth sports leagues, athletic complexes, and recreational fields so local kids have great places to gather and play.

• Military & Reserve Support: Recognized by the U.S. Navy as an Outstanding Civilian Employer, Janicki provides extensive flexibility and support for Guard and Reserve service members who volunteer or deploy.

Growth That Protects What We Love

Stable, high-quality jobs, well-supported public schools, and neighbors who take pride in looking out for one another is what our community needs.

Change can be unsettling, but when growth brings high-paying opportunities, youth workforce pathways, and a genuine commitment to local volunteerism, it brings a serene sense of stability to our region’s long-term future.

Up Next in Our 3-Part Series:

A great neighbor enriches our community fabric—and as it turns out, they also build serious financial stability for local families. In Part 2, I’ll break down what Janicki’s entry-level pathways and $80k+ average technical salaries mean for our economy.

Have questions about how Great Falls' industrial growth is impacting your neighborhood or housing plans?

Contact Sherrie Neff at EXIT Realty Great Falls for clear, honest, and personal real estate guidance.

📍 Office: 203 Smelter Ave NE, Great Falls, MT 59404

Local Media Resource

To see how local educators and news outlets are reacting to this community partnership, watch this news report on how the Janicki Industries campus could bring enrollment boost in GFPS.Janicki and GFPS