Speaking Up

For many people, running a nearly 20,000-acre ranch and managing more than 2,000 cows would be enough to keep busy. For Koy Holland in Dillon, Mont., that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Holland serves on the Beaverhead County High School Board and is a high-school wrestling referee. He also chairs Montana Range Days, is former board chair of the Western Montana Bureau of Land Management and helped found the equine program at the University of Montana Western, where he’s donated horses to its Colt Challenge and Sale and helped find funding and scholarships for the program, which helps educate college students on aspects of the equine industry.

Holland credits a commonsense approach to leadership for making an impact. “I get involved in things I believe in and am a vocal advocate for what I think is right,” he says. “I’ve always felt that nobody is going to benefit from something I do unless I get involved and share my knowledge and voice.”

This article appeared as part of the cover story in C magazine. Read the full article for more stories about how others are giving back to their local communities.