County Commissioner Joe Briggs is a native of Cascade County and has served as a County Commissioner since January of 2005. Prior to his election he had a varied professional management career that included positions such as Assistant Fleet Maintenance Supervisor for a multinational Trucking Company, Director of Information services for a company that operated a range of business including vehicle dealerships, alcohol and food distribution, travel agencies and trucking companies. This varied management background led to the creation of “Briggs Computer Consultants Inc. in 1991 which Joe operated until his election to office. Briggs Computer Consultants offered a wide range of services but specialized in Wide and Local Area Network design and administration.
While a small businessman he served as Chairman of the Board of the Great Falls Chamber, a member of the Military Affairs Committee, local Republican Party Chairman, District Chairman of the Boy Scouts of America and President of several local organizations as well as being the President of the National Federation of Pachyderm Clubs.
When elected in 2004, Briggs closed his consulting firm to focus his professional efforts on the role of commissioner but continued with most of his civic activities.
In his role as a County Commissioner he has focused his efforts on economic development and the preservation of Malmstrom AFB. He has remained active on the Military Affairs Committee and is a Past Chairman; he is a founding member and Director of the Montana Defense Alliance, Past President of the regional multi county Economic development organization, director of the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and an Executive Committee member of Great Falls Development.
He is a Past President of the Montana Association of County Officials and chaired their Community, Economic Development and Labor Committee for many years. On the national level is a Past Chairman of the Telecommunications and Technology Committee of the National Association of Counties and currently is a Vice Chair of the Telecommunications and Technology Committee, a Vice Chair of the IT Standing Committee, a Vice Chair of the Veterans and Military Services Committee and a member of RAC. In July of 2019 Briggs was elected to the position of NACo West Region Representative to the Executive Committee.
Joe and his wife Kathy have two grown children both living in North Central Montana. Jessica, the eldest, works for a local nonprofit and is an aspiring writer and her brother James is a High School English Teacher in Conrad.