The 2017 Annual Meeting, hosted by WGA Chair and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, saw the Western Governors take on topics such as U.S.-Canada relations and crumbling infrastructure, and hear keynotes from pollster Frank Luntz and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. The Governors also talked with Academy Award-winning actor Jeff Bridges about his work to end childhood hunger, and learned about the workforce development initiative of incoming Chair and South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard.

Ten Western Governors took part in the three-day meeting in Whitefish, Montana. In addition to Gov. Steve Bullock, attendees included WGA Vice Chair Dennis Daugaard (South Dakota), John Hickenlooper (Colorado), David Ige (Hawaii), Butch Otter (Idaho), Brian Sandoval (Nevada), Doug Burgum (North Dakota), Ralph Torres (Northern Mariana Islands), Gary Herbert (Utah), and Matt Mead (Wyoming).

DAY ONE: Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and Canadian Ambassador David MacNaughton joined the Governors for a spirited discussion of transboundary issues such as energy, trade and forest management. The following roundtable explored the challenge of cybersecurity for the electric grids, featuring the expertise of Montana Public Service Commissioner Travis Kavulla and Scott Aaronson of the Edison Electric Institute.

DAY TWO: Compelling keynotes by renowned pollster Frank Luntz, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and famed alpinist Conrad Anker dotted the day's agenda. Roundtables included a look at the first year of work on Gov. Bullock's central policy effort, the Western Governors National Forest and Rangeland Management Initiative, and the growing impact of craft brewing and distilling in the West.

DAY THREE: The final day began with No Kid Hungry advocate  Jeff Bridges sharing opportunities for Western Governors to confront the issue of childhood hunger and included a Western Governors' conversation on how to update aging infrastructure. The meeting closed with Gov. Bullock passing the gavel as WGA Chair to South Dakota Gov. Daugaard, who talked about his upcoming workforce development initiative.

WGA'S NEW BRAND: WGA unveiled the association's new brand, which better reflects the collaborative, bipartisan work of Western Governors and the dynamic states they represent. We also reimagined and relaunched our website.