Diane Smith, a Whitefish-based entrepreneur who co-founded a successful high-tech company, has announced that she is entering the Democratic primary for Montana’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The state’s current congressman, Republican Denny Rehberg, is running against incumbent Jon Tester in the 2012 U.S. Senate race.
“Montana needs Congress to focus on creating jobs, and that is what I have spent my life doing,” Smith said in a press release.
I wrote an article about Smith’s book “TheNewRural.Com” in April. The book outlines her vision of rural America’s capacity for nurturing a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Smith is the co-founder of Avail-TVN, which has an office in Kalispell. According to her press release, the company, which Smith is no longer part of, has grown to more than $190 million in annual sales. She has worked as a consultant with other Montana start-ups.
Smith is a graduate of the George Mason University School of Law and a member of the Montana Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs, according to her release. She has been married to her husband David Pickeral for 31 years and their daughter Ally is part of Whitefish High School’s class of 2012. For more information, go to www.dianesmithformontana.com.
“I have a lot of ideas to simplify government and support our innovation economy,” Smith said. “I’m not looking to make elected office a career, but I think my experience as an entrepreneur can be put to good use in Congress. I want to work to get America moving forward again so that Montanans have a better future here at home.”