With the opening of our new local office in Helena, Montana, McGough is once expanding the frontiers of our business. Montana has a long history as a place where there are opportunities and space to grow, and we are excited to put- down roots in a new!
Understanding the opportunities in Helena and the surrounding area shows why McGough is making the investment to open an office in this city of 32,000. Meegan Bennett, who joined McGough in July of 2025 as the Business Development Director for our Mountain West region, notes that some of the sectors poised for growth dovetail with McGough’s strengths and areas where we are expanding.
“Science and technology, healthcare, industrial power-gen, education, federal, and datacenters – these are all areas where there are opportunities now or in the future in Montana,” says Meegan. “By opening this office and hiring local team members who understand Helena and the region, we are confident we can be part of that growth.”
Ready to Catch the Next Growth Wave
Meegan notes that her job is to think strategically and get McGough positioned for success – “I’m seeing the chess board and thinking about what is coming four or five moves down the road.” But opportunity waits for no one. Even in the relatively short time since McGough established a presence in Helena, that forward-thinking approach has already proven relevant by the network Meegan has built with influential organizations, business leaders, economic development centers, and Montana’s Department of Commerce.
I’m seeing the chess board and thinking about what is coming four or five moves down the road.”
Other trends are also creating opportunities for McGough, particularly in rural healthcare. Healthcare centers across Montana will be receiving federal rural health grant funding that can help offset infrastructure costs tied to new initiatives. These investments may include updating and furnishing labs to expand services, strengthening patient access while helping stabilize facility finances. McGough’s experience delivering to major hospitals and supporting rural healthcare providers aligns well with the evolving needs of this.
In terms of industrial opportunities, Meegan notes that Montana has relatively few agricultural processing plants relative to how much food it grows – many crops need to be shipped out of state for processing, then re-imported as food. McGough’s long history as a builder of complex industrial process facilities positions us well to support future investment in agricultural processing.
There’s also a bright future in Montana for our Industrial power-gen team. NorthWestern Energy’s 2026 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) has signaled near-term winter reliability gaps, summer capacity timing, and constrained local load pockets — we’re positioning McGough to help Montana meet its evolving need for firm, fast-ramping, and hybrid capacity.
Building Local Teams with National Support: An Approach That Fits
Opening an office in Helena reflects a strategic, long-term view of the market. Growth trends across multiple industries and an opportunity for a larger contractor position Helena as a strong next step for McGough, Meegan says.
Strong local and national relationships position McGough for success in the region. New team members who are Montana natives bring valuable market knowledge and trusted relationships to the table, complemented by McGough’s established partnerships with architecture and design firms already active across the state. That local presence is then supported by McGough’s national sector teams and expertise, allowing us to pursue projects that benefit from greater scale and specialized experience than the local contractor base can provide.
Looking ahead, Montana also presents longer-term opportunities across emerging sectors. The state could be the future site for hyperscale data centers, an area where McGough has deep experience. Federal and defense-related initiatives may also open the door to new project types aligned with McGough’s capabilities. Meegan has been actively building relationships within Montana’s aerospace, space, and defense sectors, where existing air force bases, available land, and testing environments make innovation increasingly appealing.
“Geographically and demographically, there are a lot of possibilities,” Meegan says. “Helena and other Montana communities have the land, educated workforce, and low costs that can fuel immense opportunity for the right kind of business.”
With a local presence in Helena, McGough is positioned to support these opportunities and partner with clients as growth continues across the region.
