Making Dreams a Reality | My Member Story

We all have items on our bucket list we’ve been dying to complete. Maybe it’s skydiving, traveling to see one of the wonders of the world or finally quitting the nine-to-five to follow a passion. For Lisa Rich and her husband, Ivan, it was running their very own restaurant.

An unexpected opportunity

Lisa, a branch manager at Mountain America Credit Union, and Ivan lived in Utah with their family for many years. It had always been their home, and they never thought they would leave!

When an unexpected opportunity came to move to Missoula, Montana, they were hesitant but ultimately decided to take the leap and head for the Treasure State.

Watching their dreams come true

In their search for a new house, Lisa and Ivan finally found their own little treasure. It was more than just a house—it also came with a flourishing restaurant on the property.

The restaurant, lovingly known as the Buck Snort Steakhouse, needed a new owner. After discussing the opportunity, they decided to move forward with the purchase of the property, and they began to see their dream coming to life. Soon, they were the proud, new owners of the Buck Snort.

Rewarding work

Lisa and Ivan began this journey knowing difficult times would come, but they were determined to live their dream to the fullest. Having day jobs and running a restaurant at night is not an easy task—especially without previous restaurant experience. But with Ivan’s business expertise, a lot of hard work, great service and even better food, most nights there’s a wait to get a table at the Buck Snort!

It’s all about the people

Of course, if you own a restaurant, the food needs to be top notch. Luckily, if you crave expertly grilled steaks, juicy sauteed salmon or country fried steaks with rosemary gravy from an old family recipe, the Buck Snort is the place to be. They are well known for their fan favorite: slow-roasted prime rib. People drive for miles from all over to just to try it!

But good food alone won't necessarily make a successful restaurant. Although it’s been a lot of hard work, Ivan and Lisa say running their own restaurant has been quite the rush. Their favorite part? The people.

“We truly enjoy working with our amazing employees and serving our customers,” says Lisa. “We’ve had the opportunity to become friends with a lot of our regulars and get to see many of them daily.”

Finding the right financial partner

As they continue to learn about their new restaurant, Lisa and Ivan are grateful to have a financial partner like Mountain America by their side. Even though Lisa is a branch manager here—and very familiar with how great the member experience is—throughout the loan process, they were impressed with the quick responses and attentive guidance every step of the way.

That meant they had more time to focus on making great food!

Above all, they felt Mountain America was a key component of bringing their dream of owning a restaurant to life. Lisa says, “If you have a dream and a business plan, Mountain America can help you make it a reality.”

So, whether your business is just starting out or you’re a seasoned owner, get in touch with our team for business loans or business services to get a competitive edge.

Mountain America is in the business of finance. But caring about our members is at the core of everything we do. We love working with members like Lisa and Ivan and watching their dreams take flight. Congratulations on the new place, and we wish you much success!

If you ever find yourself in Missoula, stop by the Buck Snort for a great time and amazing food!