Meet Our B Bar Family

El is in her 29th year at B Bar. Originally from the East Coast, El earned her degree in Health Education. Before joining B Bar, she worked in Yellowstone Park for 10 years as a manager and a health educator in a hospital setting. At B Bar, she has held various roles, including Guest Ranch Coordinator, Housekeeper, Office Administrator, and Ranch Administrator.

El and her husband, Tom, raised their children in Gardiner, Montana. Their children now reside in the Boston area and Northern Montana. In addition to her work, El serves on a local church board, manages a vacation rental, volunteers in the community, enjoys Nordic skiing, and loves to cook and read.

Amy grew up in Kansas, where she met her high school sweetheart, who eventually swept her away to Montana in 2014. After managing an outdoor adventure company in Gardiner for six years, Amy fell deeply in love with the area and all the ways to explore it. The B Bar Ranch and Tom Miner Basin were always her top recommendations for guests traveling the region, and in 2019, she had the opportunity to join the team!

In her free time, Amy enjoys fly-fishing, hiking, rafting, and embarking on adventures with her husband, Kenney (B Bar’s maintenance foreman), and their three dogs, Bella, Beans, and Bluey.

Growing up in Kansas, Kenney enjoyed annual vacations at his family’s cabin, just across the drainage from B Bar Ranch. The cabin was built in the 1980s. In 2013, he brought his now-wife, Amy, to Montana, and she fell in love with the state. Within a year, they found jobs and relocated here. Kenney worked as a river raft guide and manager and also pursued carpentry and building projects before joining B Bar. His interests include woodworking, fishing, road trips with friends, and carpentry. Kenney and Amy live in Tom Miner Basin with their three dogs, Bella, Beans, and Bluey.

Mark, a third-generation Montanan, has dedicated his life to agriculture. Married to Maria, they have two sons, Cayden and Taylor. Don’t be surprised if you see Cayden and Taylor lending a hand on the ranch alongside Mark this summer!

Katie and Troy, both born and raised in a small Utah town, spent their formative years surrounded by extended family, horses, agriculture, and the beauty of the mountains. In his past life, Troy was a business owner, historic building restorer, and a PRCA rodeo clown. Katie, on the other hand, has a background as a teacher, fiber artist, mother, and member of a professional bagpipe band. The couple relocated to the Upper Yellowstone region in 2021 and have fallen in love with Montana. They share a passion for fine dining, thought-provoking conversations, outdoor adventures, and exploring the world by bicycle.

Jackson, a native of Topsfield, Massachusetts, a small town north of Boston, grew up visiting his grandmother, Maryanne, at B Bar Ranch. Accompanied by his brother, Jackson is fulfilling a lifelong dream by working at the ranch. While he may not be cowboyin’ as he initially envisioned, he’s utilizing his business degree from CU Boulder as the Marketing and Sales Manager.

Jackson’s favorite ways to experience B Bar include splitboarding (backcountry snowboarding) and hiking. He’s particularly fond of the Petrified Forest and the summit of Ramshorn Mountain. Currently pursuing a 200-hour yoga teacher training certification, Jackson is eager to share his passion for yoga with guests at the ranch in the near future.

Willie, a native of Topsfield, Massachusetts, graduated from UNC-Wilmington in 2019. After gaining experience working in and around Boston for a few years, he relocated to Bozeman in the summer of 2022. Willie is a seasoned ultimate frisbee player, having competed in tournaments across the country and internationally. In his free time, he enjoys staying active with hiking, biking, skiing, and sledding – basically anything that allows him to explore this vast and beautiful country!

From a young age Mihail was interested in where food came from and spent a great deal of time with a local ranch family that sold beef to his parents’ restaurant in Billings, Montana. In college he worked at ZooMontana while completing his degree in environmental studies and this is where he fell in love with ecology. After graduation he went on to work as the environmental restoration manager for Montana Audubon, charged with restoring an old gravel mine to various native ecosystems. At some point it became clear to him that the best use of his restaurant and ecology backgrounds was in raising food and when the opportunity to work at B Bar arose, he jumped at the chance. Mihail approaches agriculture with his ecology background and believes that without a healthy functioning ecosystem, you can’t raise high quality food. Throughout the last ten years he’s been able to learn a great deal about regenerative agriculture and see the results of these processes as he manages the day to day and beef production of the ranch. Ecosystems are in a constant state of flux and therefore one needs to be able to adapt their management to the present and future conditions.

Coquina, Bisou, and Hadley are often seen exploring the B Bar Ranch. If you’re lucky, these friendly dogs might even let you give them some love!

Catnis “Mouse Hunter.” Though her origins are a whiskered mystery, she found herself a home at B Bar. Catniss enjoys every meal and hiding in the garage loft.

Okie is the assistant top cat. While Okie may seem aloof at times, a perfectly timed can opener will gain her attention. She tolerates chin rubs with regal indifference and dispenses purrs like precious jewels, only to those deemed worthy.