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Blackfoot Distributes Over $1.4 Million to Their Member Owners in Western Montana

Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative (Blackfoot) mailed over $1.4 million to their Cooperative owner members as part of their 2008 distribution of Capital Credit checks. Capital Credits are ownership accounts created by allocating the difference between Blackfoot's operating costs and revenue to members.

"This year's Capital Credit retirement had a total value of $1,480,161 -- an average of about $116 per member. This includes a special one-time distribution of $415,000 to help Blackfoot communities in these challenging economic times. This means that our Cooperative communities will receive over 40% more Capital Credit dollars in their local economy. Sharing a portion of Blackfoot's income with our members, just makes sense. After all, they own the Cooperative," says Joan Mandeville, CEO of Blackfoot.

Each year Blackfoot turns a portion of their net income into an ownership interest for every member based on the total services purchased from the Cooperative. Longest serving Board member Bill Teague says: "One of the things I like most about Blackfoot is that we value loyalty. The longer you have service and the more you buy the more money you receive back each year. As owners, our members also have a voice in the Cooperative, influencing the future of their communication services by electing the Board of Trustees and voting at the Cooperative Annual Meeting."

Blackfoot's Cooperative communities will receive the following distributions for 2008: Alberton ($25,826), Alberton South ($13,439), Alta ($13,968), Arlee ($129,316), Avon ($35,896), Charlo ($97,222), Clinton ($81,633), Condon ($77,574), Dixon ($22,085), Drummond ($32,431), Haugan ($8,676), Noxon ($46,454), Ovando ($51,396), Philipsburg ($43,228), Plains ($85,100), Potomac ($77,114), Powell (ID) ($10,581), St. Ignatius ($157,341), St. Regis ($19,246), Seeley Lake ($144,643), Superior ($55,471), and Thompson Falls ($126,202).

Mandeville noted: "We believe these amounts make a real impact on our local communities. Especially in these turbulent financial times, it is important to come through for our members."

About Blackfoot Telecommunications Group: Named after the Blackfoot River running through much of the territory it serves, the Blackfoot Telecommunications Group (Blackfoot) was originally established in 1954 as Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative. Blackfoot offers state-of-the-art telecommunications, Internet and data solutions to customers in Missoula and 22 other communities in western Montana and Idaho. Headquartered in Missoula, Montana, Blackfoot employs more than 150 Montanans. Blackfoot can be reached at 406-541-5000 or through its web site at http://www.blackfoot.com.