Longtime lawmaker appointed to lead the Montana Hospital Association
Rep. Ed Buttrey speaks about House Bill 60 during the 2025 Montana Legislature. (Photo courtesy of Montana Public Affairs Network).
Following a national search, the Montana Hospital Association Board of Trustees today announced that it has appointed F. Edward 'Ed' Buttrey as President and chief executive officer for the Association.
Buttrey will begin in the role on July 1.
In this role, Buttrey will provide strategic leadership for association activities as well as provide direction to the association's charitable arm, the Montana Health Research and Education Foundation, and for-profit subsidiary, MHA Ventures.
'Ed is uniquely qualified to lead the Montana Hospital Association into its next chapter, thanks to his extensive experience in both healthcare policy and decades leading successful businesses. Ed understands the challenges and opportunities facing healthcare in Montana, the various solutions that can help or hinder them, and how to build and lead successful organizations. He has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to improving the lives of the people and communities he serves, and we believe Montana patients will continue to benefit from his vision and leadership,' said Craig Aasved, MHA Board Chair and CEO of Shodair Children's Hospital in Helena.
Buttrey, a graduate of Montana State University, is a business owner and long-serving state legislator from Great Falls. As a lawmaker, he's worked on the state's healthcare policies and future, including improving access and affordability, and was the sponsor of the 2015 Montana Medicaid expansion bill and bills to renew and revise the program in 2019 and during the 2025 session.
He has served as a board member on the Benefits Health System (Great Falls) Board of Trustees since 2015.
In addition to his legislative work, Buttrey has extensive experience in business, with a focus on real estate, hospitality, technology and manufacturing. He has volunteered with numerous local organizations, including efforts aimed at improving healthcare accessibility, supporting youth programs, and promoting economic development in Great Falls and surrounding areas, according to the press release.
'This is an exciting opportunity to move from crafting policy to driving meaningful change in the healthcare system itself. For more than 14 years, I've worked hard on a variety of healthcare policy issues because I have seen firsthand the importance of healthcare to our neighbors, our communities and our local economies. While the MHA is actively involved in the healthcare policy space, it also supports our state's hospitals by providing quality improvement, safety, workforce development, emergency preparedness and other programs that enhance care in rural and frontier communities. I am deeply committed to applying both my legislative and business experience to build a stronger future for all Montanans who rely on the care our healthcare system provides,' Buttrey said.
Buttrey will succeed Robert W. 'Bob' Olsen, who has served in leadership positions for the Association since 1989 and has led the organization as president and CEO since 2022. During the course of his more than 30-year career with the association, Olsen has made significant contributions to federal and state regulatory, policy and advocacy matters. He was awarded the MHA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 and the Frederick C. Morgan Individual Achievement Award from the Healthcare Financial Management Association in 2025.
'I've witnessed significant changes in Montana's healthcare system during that time, yet one constant has remained: The need to adapt. Montana patients and healthcare providers will be well served by Ed's innovative approaches, ability to bring together diverse stakeholders, and a longstanding commitment to improving healthcare for our state,' Olsen said.
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