John Crumley, President
I moved to the Madison Valley when I was 3 years old. Graduated from Ricks College and MSU. I taught VoAg for ten years and then moved to Ennis in 1980, and bought a ranch that bordered my Dad's ranch. I have raised certified seed potatoes and run cattle on our ranch. It is a great place to raise a family.
I have a wonderful wife, three daughters and now have 3 son-in laws, 14 grandchildren and 2 great granddaughters.
We started the MVRG in 1996 with other ranchers in the valley. The first meeting was in my home but now we have 2 offices in the Moonlight Basin building, two full time employees and several part time employees. I have been on the board of the Madison Valley Ranchlands Group since 1996.
Linda Owens, Project Director
Linda was a founding member of MVRG in 1996. In 2017 she was hired as the Project Director for the Group. Linda has spent the majority of her life in Madison County, ranching, farming and sharing her love of rural community values with those who call this place home. She lives on the family ranch northwest of McAllister.
George Boyd
George Boyd started his life in the Gallatin Valley, in a house just west of Four Corners. Soon after he joined the family they moved to the Shields Valley The family bought a ranch near Wilsall (pronounced Will-Sall) when he was 3 and he spent his childhood on that ranch. George attended the Clyde Park School and graduated in 1979 and chose MSU for university schooling Muriel (Mur) Fremont and George married in 1982. They worked at ranches in WA and MT and in 2009 moved to the Madison Valley for George to take on the ranch manager position of the historic Bar 7 Ranch. George and Mur have 7 children(and counting), numerous foster children, and 11 grandchildren. George counts his family as his largest blessing and joy. Free time is family time. Camping, shooting, and drinking coffee with family and friends are some of their favorite activities.
Nathan Ostler
Nathan grew up in the Ruby Valley near Sheridan, MT on the family ranch. After graduation from Sheridan High School he served a church mission in Arizona for 2 years. He came home in 1997 and helped his brother run the family ranch. Nathan spent 6 summers riding for the 3 Forks Grazing Association. The family ranch was divided in 2018 and Nate and Holli were able to buy the Bear Creek Ranch east of Cameron. Nate says, “ I have been married to my wonderful wife Holli for 22 years, and have 5 children; Kyeli 21, Brand 17, Kayzli 13, Treyer 12, and Kaidyn 6. I love the ranching life because it is a good way to raise kids.”
Kevin Suzuki, Weed Board Representative
Kevin graduated from the University of Montana in 1980 with a BS in Forestry with an emphasis in Rangeland Management and retired from the Forest Service in 2017 after 44 years. Kevin worked first as a Forestry technician on the Bitterroot National Forest, and then landed his first Range Conservationist job as a Technician on the Wise River District of the Beaverhead National Forest. In 1983 he moved to the Madison Ranger District here in Ennis. He started as a Range Technician and advanced to supervisory rangeland management specialist where he worked until his retirement. He managed the rangeland/grazing administration and noxious weed programs for the Madison District during those years as well as the District’s minerals, lands, sensitive plant, roads and facilities programs. Kevin found time to volunteer on the Ennis Ambulance service for 28 years and boy scouts for 8 years. Kevin loves the outdoors and enjoys hiking, photography, fishing, hunting and sharing his knowledge of the diverse plant species and communities surrounding the Madison Valley. He has been married to his wife Kaye for 35 years and they have two grown children, Travis and Elisabeth.
Tom Solomon
Tom grew up moving around the world with his Navy father/family settling in Southern California for high-school. He graduated with a degree in Biology from the University of California, Irvine! After 40 years working in the automotive industry he retired to Montana in January of 2017 having spent time in McAllister since 2007 with his wife Kim at their place on North Meadow Creek Road.
During his work life, he spent 20 years serving on the Torrance/South Bay YMCA board of managers working on marketing, fund raising and board governance. Tom joined the MVRG board of directors in 2021.
“Since moving to Montana and owning property in this beautiful valley I have been anxious to be a good steward of the land and help others do the same where I can.
I enjoy caring for our property, hosting our 4 children and 7 grandchildren (they each have their own muck rake), skiing, fishing, horse back riding and more!”