Since 2021, Carly Wheatley has excelled as the deputy director of the Snowy Mountain Development Corporation, a statecertified regional development corporation and a federally designated economic development district. Primarily serving six counties in central Montana, the corporation receives funding from various sources, including federal and state funds and contributions from surrounding communities. As the deputy director, Ms. Wheatley specializes in the management of the organization’s operations and assists businesses, local governments and communities through resource identification, strategic planning and project management. In addition to her role as deputy director, she serves as a government contracting advisor under Montana APEX Accelerators, a Department of Defense-funded nationwide program. Likewise, she is well-regarded for bridging the gap between companies and the government by assisting with registrations, market research, solicitations and related tasks.
Previously, Ms. Wheatley gained significant exposure to her field at the Snowy Mountain Development Corporation beginning in 2017, where she served as a community coordinator for two years, assisting communities with connecting community assets to the market demand through the WealthWorks model. Between 2019 and 2021, she was promoted to development director, assisting with more regional-focused support. Earlier in her career, she had experience at various companies as a bookkeeper, professional administrative assistant and business manager.
To prepare for her career, Ms. Wheatley pursued a formal education at Montana State University, from which she received a Bachelor of Science in business, with an emphasis on marketing, in 2012. She subsequently became a certified procurement professional. Adjacent to her primary career endeavors, Ms. Wheatley has contributed extensively to her local community as a board member of the Montana Economic Developers Association, Educational Opportunities for Central Montana and the Central Montana Tourism Region. Moreover, she has been a member of Kiwanis International and the Central Montana Jaycees.
In light of her outstanding feats, Ms. Wheatley earned the Rising Star Award and was named to the 15 Under 40 list in 2020. In 2024, she completed Leadership Montana, an eight-month state leadership program around building a better state through collaboration and civility. She is most looking forward to her continued work expanding programs and bringing more resources and sustainable growth to the area in addition to reestablishing Leadership Central Montana, a local leadership program building up the skills and community awareness of current and future local leaders. In accounting for her success, she credits the terrific leadership she has experienced during her career, as well as the mentorship and partnerships she has received.
Contact Ms. Wheatley
