Northern Home Essentials of Havre, Dale Plumbing and Heating, Inc. of Glasgow, TowHaul of Belgrade, Central Plumbing and Heating of Great Falls, Stockman Bank of Miles City, and Bouma Post Yards of Choteau are the six Montana businesses that have won 2004 Montana Business Awards, according to Nancy Dodd, director 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. 24 at the Gallatin Gateway Inn near Bozeman. Dr. Diedre Combs, of Combs and Company, will be the guest speaker and will present a session titled Transforming Conflict into Creativity in the Family Business. Dr. Combs presentation will focus on providing skills to better manage difficult situations and problem employees. Combs is an author, professor, and consultant and has recently published The Way of Conflict. Each family business in attendance will receive a copy of her new book, and copies will be available for purchase. The seminar is open to the public.

"The annual Family Business awards give us an opportunity to celebrate the many positive contributions made by family businesses to Montana's overall economy," according to Nancy Dodd, associate professor of management in the College of Business at MSU and director of the Montana Family Business awards program.

The Montana Family Business Awards are made possible by MSU College of Business, Bradford Roofing Management, Darigold Farms, Combs Law Firm, PC, and TwoMedicine. The six winning businesses are now eligible for 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 Karen Beach at 994-6796.