Carol Peterson owns Way Out West with her husband Tom. She grew up in Great Falls, met Tom at MSU where she got a degree in microbiology, and they have lived in Wilsall for over two-and-a-half decades. They have three kids, Melissa, J.R., and Stephen. Carol got her Commercial Drivers License, but stopped short of an air brake endorsement so she "wouldn't have to drive semis full of fertilizer." Even so, she loves work that occupies her both inside and outside regardless of the weather, and she gets that at Way Out West and at home. She's also a skier and a hiker and a pretty darn good personal shopping consultant.

Tom Peterson, grew up in Dillon and acquired a whole lot of work experience after completing his agricultural business degree and before he bought Shields Valley Grain and settled with his family in Wilsall. Everyone in the family has taken a turn working at the grain elevator which the family still owns and operates. Tom has served on many ag boards across Montana, and is past president of the Montana Agricultural Business Association and the Montana Grain Elevator Association, but he likes it best when he is at home in Wilsall.

Tom and Carol were honored as 2005 Agricultural Business Leaders by MSU for their outstanding contributions as a Montana agricultural business, their work for many statewide organizations, and their management of Shields Valley Grain.
Peterson family history >

Chase Rose attends Shields Valley High School where he competes in track and plays on the basketball team. He's a summer staffer at Way Out West and an all around "go to" man, whether it's loading a ton of feed or gift wrapping a bustier for a customer. Loading feed isn't all though. He can also fly you almost anywhere since he recently got his private pilot's licence. Congrats Chase!

Our Legendary Staff:

Deanna Atwood came to Livingston in 2003 to work at the 63 Ranch as a wrangler. She fell in love with the area and never went back home to Georgia. She enjoys riding and cooking, and, if you listen carefully, you will detect a hint of the southern drawl in the wrangler who now calls the West home.

Nate Baumann is the one in the hat and boots that belie his unique upbringing in Senegal, West Africa. He and his wife spent several years in northern Idaho and then a few in Florida before choosing Livingston as home. With a growing family, he chose the rural lifestyle that Montana has to offer, and he and his wife look forward to raising their family here. Ask Nate about feed or fencing, animal care, fertilizer, seed, muck boots, or how he came to be here all the way from across the world.

Stephen Peterson is a business major along with a minor in politics, philosophy, and economics at The King's College in New York City. He's a Way Out West jack-of-all-trades. Although he is glad to live in the beautiful Shields Valley, he'd never turn down an opportunity to explore other places and make new friends. Being the Montana FFA President for 2004-2005 has helped with that. He's musical, too, playing the drums for the Shields Valley High School band when he was just in the 3rd grade, and in the MSU Marching Band while he was in high school. Determined? Well, he once practiced the drums for 425 days straight.

Marcia and Beryl Rogers are Texas transplants with interesting resumes. Marcia played for the Texas Rangers (the ballpark organ that is!), was featured in a TV ad for Major League Baseball, and played the organ for the 1995 All Star Game. Born in Leroy, New York, her varied career also included managing operations for a Texas legal recruiting firm. When she's not doing a little bit of everything to help run Way Out West, you'll find her with the delightful aprons and quilts that she designs and makes at the Big Timber Market on summer Saturdays. Beryl was born in Jacksonville, Florida and in addition to teaching History and English, he's served in both the Air Force and the Army as an engineer, both on active duty and in the reserves. A logistics engineer with Bell Helicopters for nearly three decades, Beryl is now taking care of logistics as the "back lot engineer" at Way Out West.

Jessie Franck is a graduate from Park High wandering through the valley of the shadow of "Oh boy, now I have to go to 'the big school.'" While learning at the National Institute of Learn-on-the-fly Way Out West style, she has also taken an appreciation for horses and the outdoor life. No matter where she goes, she always enjoys getting outside and getting a little dirt between the toes. She's a great addition to the team and we only hope she's learning as much from us as we are from her.

Tom and Carol Peterson

Marcia Rogers was the ballpark
organist for the Texas Rangers.

Deanna Atwood

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