Daines to Welcome Microsoft President to Montana Tech Summit

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that Brad Smith, President and Chief Legal Officer at Microsoft will deliver a keynote address at the Montana High Tech Jobs Summit.

The Summit, co-sponsored by Daines, will take place in Missoula on October 9. The Montana Tech Summit will serve as a unique opportunity to bring together the nation’s tech leaders in the hub of Montana’s growing technology sector.  The Summit will highlight Montana’s growing role in the nation’s high-tech economy and serve as an opportunity to discuss ways to create more good-paying Montana tech jobs. 

“Brad Smith knows what it takes to create high-paying jobs,” Daines stated. “I look forward to hosting Brad Smith from Microsoft in Montana to show him the true opportunity of our state – an unparalleled work ethic with an outdoor economy to match.”

“Technology is transforming the nature of work, the ways that people find work, and the skills people need for the future workplace. And this phenomenon will only accelerate in the decade ahead,” said Brad Smith, President of Microsoft. “I look forward to joining Senator Daines and discussing the role education, skills training, and rural broadband play in building a healthy digital economy.”   

Smith is responsible for the company’s corporate, external, and legal affairs. Smith represents the company on a number of critical issues including privacy, security, accessibility, environmental sustainability and digital inclusion. He leads a team of more than 1,300 business, legal and corporate affairs professionals working in 55 countries. These teams are responsible for the company’s legal work, its intellectual property portfolio, patent licensing business, corporate philanthropy, government affairs, public policy, corporate governance, and social responsibility work. 

Before being elected to Congress, Daines spent 13 years working in the technology sector. He helped grow RightNow Technologies, a Bozeman-based technology company, into a global leader in cloud computing. The company grew rapidly to 17 offices around the world and software products in more than 30 languages. Oracle acquired RightNow in 2012 and remains one of Montana’s largest commercial employers. 

For more information and to register now please visit, https://montanatechsummit.com/ 

Members of the press are welcome to attend and can RSVP by emailing Katie_Waldman@daines.senate.gov. 

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