Steve Browning

Mr. Browning is a founding member of BKBH.

He retired as a lawyer in 2004 and currently serves as BKBH’s Marketing Director.

Education, Degrees & Distinctions

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Cambridge, Massachusetts
M.C.P. City Planning 1970

INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW
Bloomington, Indiana
J.D. Law 1966

INDIANA UNIVERSITY
Bloomington, Indiana
B.S. Chemistry 1963

Bar Admissions

District of Columbia Bar (retired in 2005)
State Bar of Montana (retired in 2005)
United States Supreme Court (retired in 2005)
State Bar of Indiana (inactive)
Formerly Registered Lobbyist in Congress
Formerly Registered Lobbyist in the State of Montana

GOVERNMENTAL APPOINTMENTS

Montana Historical Society, Board of Directors, 1997—2005
Montana Power Authority Board, Member of Board of Directors, 2001 – 2002
Montana Science and Technology Alliance, Chairman of Board of Directors, 1985—1989
Governor’s Task Force for Endowed Philanthropy, Committee Member, 1994 – 2009

CIVIC AFFAIRS

Council on Foundations, Committee on Legislation and Regulations, Committee Member, 1998 – Present
Council on Foundations, Legal Advisory Subcommittee for Committee on Community Foundations, Committee Member, 1997 – Present
American Indian Institute, Chairman, Board of Directors, 1993 – Present
Northwest Policy Center’s Leadership Council, University of Washington, Council Member, 1988 – 1992
Regional Issues Forum, Advisory Board, University of Minnesota, Hubert H. Humphrey Institute, Board Member, 1988 – 1990
Friends of Max Baucus, Treasurer of Campaign, 1983 – 1993
Center for Interfacial Microbial Process Engineering, Montana State University, Board of Policy Advisors, 1989 – 1990
Montana Committee on the U.S. Constitution, Founding Member, 1983 – 1991
Montana Constitutional Connections Committee, Committee Member 1986 – 1991
Montana Democratic Party, Member of Rules Committee, 1984—1992
Keep Montana Clean and Beautiful, Treasurer, Board of Directors, 1998 – 2000
Development Corporation of Montana, Vice President, Board of Directors, Executive Committee, 1987 – 2000

COMMUNITY SERVICE

United States Golf Association, Senior Amateur Committee Member, 2003 – present
Greater Montana Foundation, Board of Trustees, 2003 – present
Montana Community Foundation, Chairman, 1994 – 1997
Montana Community Foundation, Member of Board of Directors, 1988 – 1999
Carroll College Foundation, Board of Trustees, 1985 – 1993
St. Peter’s Community Hospital, Past Board Chairman, Board of Directors, 1988 – 1994
Myrna Loy Center, Helena, Montana, Past Chairman, Board of Directors, 1984 – 1994
Deaconess Research Institute, Billings, Montana, Board of Directors, 1989 – 1997
Helena Kiwanis Club, Board of Directors, 1983 – 1985
Helena YMCA, Board of Directors, 1984 – 1986
Member of Greens Committee, Green Meadow Golf Club, 1994 – 2004
Member of Greens and Golf Committees, Oro Valley Country Club, 2004—Present

Bio

Mr. Browning, one of the firm’s founders, retired from Browning, Kaleczyc, Berry and Hoven, P.C. as a shareholder on January 1, 2004. While Mr. Browning formally retired from the practice of law in 2005, he remains an employee of the firm, serving as BKBH’s Marketing Director. Mr. Browning earned degrees in Chemistry and Law from Indiana University and City Planning from Harvard University. For nearly eight years, he was Chief of Staff for Congressman and now Senator Max Baucus, charged with management of the Senator’s office in Washington, D.C. and his field offices in Montana. In addition, Browning specialized in the legislative work of the Senate Budget Committee for Senator Edmund Muskie and the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees on behalf of Senator Baucus. Mr. Browning served as an appointee of various Montana governmental boards, including the Montana State Board of Science & Technology [Chairman], the Montana Historical Society Board, and the Montana Power Authority Board. When he was actively practicing law, Mr. Browning’s principal areas of practice included lobbying, legislative services, banking and financial institutions, health care and hospital law, and federal and state government contracts. Mr. Browning and his wife, Judy, reside for eight months each year in Tucson, Arizona.

Representative Matters

Legislative Practice – Mr. Browning’s primary focus in his law practice, before he retired as a shareholder and founding member of the firm, was on legislative and public affairs. While he was active in lobbying matters, Browning was registered as a lobbyist both with Congress and the Montana legislature. Mr. Browning also represented corporate and non-profit clients on other public affairs matters

Among Mr. Browning’s proudest legislative accomplishments as a lobbyist are the following:

Taxes – During the period 1995 to 1997, Mr. Browning was the principal lobbyist for and drafter of the Montana tax credit for planned gifts to Montana charitable endowments. Since its enactment in 1997, the Montana tax credit has generated more than $100 million in planned and outright gifts to hundreds of charitable endowments located all over the state of Montana.
Environmental – Over nearly a ten year period, Mr. Browning was the principal lobbyist for two Montana-based cabin owner associations (The Canyon Ferry Recreation Association and the Fort Peck Lake Association) that resulted in the creation and funding of the Montana Fish & Wildlife Conservation Fund (MFWCF). Over the past ten years, MFWCF has distributed millions of dollars for the acquisition of private rights of way to public lands in Montana.
Banking Laws – Throughout the 1980’s Mr. Browning represented several Montana-based bank holding companies and was the principal lobbyist that resulted in the following statutory changes:
- Merger and Consolidation – Successfully lobbied enactment of bank consolidation and merger laws (see 32-1-371 MCA) following an eight-year effort to permit out-of-state bank holding companies to merge banks in Montana.
- Branch Banking and Detached Facilities – Successfully lobbied enactment of laws allowing both expanded branch banking and construction of additional detached banking facilities (see 32-1-372 MCA) following a six-year lobbying effort.
- Interstate Banking – Successfully lobbied amendments to Montana’s banking code permitting out-of-state banks to acquire in-state banks and bank holding companies (see 32-1-383 MCA) following a six-year lobbying effort.
- Opt-Out Legislation – Successfully lobbied the defeat of legislation proposed by Montana independent bankers to “opt out” of the 1993 Federal Interstate Banking Law.
- Bank Holding Companies – For the period 1983 – 1995, Mr. Browning lobbied on behalf of various interstate bank holding companies, domiciled outside of Montana, that own and operate banks in Montana. Mr. Browning represented the interests of these bank holding companies on a variety of legislative issues.
Appropriations Lobbying
- McLaughlin Research Institute – Successfully lobbied Congress to appropriate construction funds for a research facility in Great Falls (1991).
- Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center – Successfully lobbied Congress to obtain a matching appropriation for the construction of the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center on the Missouri River in Great Falls, Montana.
  Mansfield Center for Pacific Affairs – Successfully lobbied legislation to protect the availability of state funds for a conference center in Lake County, Montana.

Professional Experience

BROWNING, KALECZYC, BERRY & HOVEN, P.C.
Helena, Montana, Retired Attorney, Marketing Director, 2004 – Present

BROWNING, KALECZYC, BERRY & HOVEN, P.C.
Helena, Montana, Past President and Shareholder, 1985 – 2003

BROWNING & KALECZYC
Helena, Montana, Partner, 1982 – 1985

SENATOR MAX BAUCUS
Washington, D.C., Chief of Staff, 1978 – 1982

CONGRESSMAN MAX BAUCUS
Washington, D.C., Chief of Staff, 1975 – 1978

UNITED STATES SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE
Washington, D.C., Staff Counsel, 1975

LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS UNDER LAW
Washington, D.C., Staff Attorney, 1970 – 1974

NEW COMMUNITY PLANNING ASSOCIATES
Cambridge, Massachusetts, Partner, 1968 – 1970

E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, INC.
New York, NY, Manager, Marketing Systems, 1966 – 1968