Ronan Telephone Company, Rudolph's Furniture of Butte, Thompson Pools of Billings, Wendy's of Montana based in Billings, Highland Liquors in Bozeman, Johnson Hardware and Furniture of Sidney and Peter Yegen Jr., Inc. of Billings are the seven Montana businesses that have won 2002 Montana Business Awards, according to Karen Vinton, coordinator of the Montana State University-Bozeman College of Business Family Business Program.

The winners will receive their awards at a luncheon to be held Friday, Sept. 13 at the Gallatin Gateway Inn near Bozeman. Richard Semenik, Dean of the College of Business, will be the guest speaker and will also present a seminar, Branding Your Family Business. Semenik's presentation will focus on the advantages that come from using branding strategies to help grow a family business. Semenik is also an author, consultant and professor and national authority on branding. The seminar is open to the public.

"The annual Family Business awards call attention to the many positive contributions made by family businesses to Montana's overall economy," according to Karen Vinton, professor emeritus of business in the College of Business at MSU and founder of the Montana Family Business awards program.

The Montana Family Business Awards are made possible by MSU College of Business, Mass Mutual, First Interstate BancSystem, Kasting, Combs & Kauffman, Maierle Insurance Consultants and Hanson & McLeod Financial Group. The seven winning businesses are now eligible in the national MassMutual Family Business Awards.

The cost for the seminar is $25 and includes lunch, break and seminar material. For more information or to make your reservations call Mitzi Griffin 994-6796.