(Helena, Mont. – May 29, 2025) Following a nationwide search, the Montana Hospital Association Board of Trustees today announced that it has appointed F. Edward “Ed” Buttrey as President and CEO for the Association. Mr. Buttrey will begin in the role on July 1, 2025.

Ed Buttrey has been selected as President and CEO for the Montana Hospital Association. He begins in the role July 1, 2025.

In this role, Mr. Buttrey will provide strategic leadership for Association activities as well as provide direction to the Association’s charitable arm, the Montana Health Research and Education Foundation, and for-profit subsidiary, MHA Ventures.

“Our mission is to improve the health of all Montanans and Ed is uniquely qualified to lead the Montana Hospital Association into its next chapter, thanks to his extensive experience in both healthcare policy and decades leading successful businesses. Ed understands the challenges and opportunities facing healthcare in Montana, the various solutions that can help or hinder them, and how to build and lead successful organizations. He has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to improving the lives of the people and communities he serves, and we believe Montana patients will continue to benefit from his vision and leadership,” said Craig Aasved, MHA Board Chair and CEO of Shodair Children’s Hospital (Helena, Mont.).

Mr. Buttrey is an accomplished business leader and long-serving state legislator from Great Falls, Montana. With a career that spans public service, healthcare policy, and business, Mr. Buttrey has established himself as a trusted figure in both local and state-level initiatives, with a deep commitment to improving the lives of Montanans.

With over two decades of experience in healthcare policy, Mr. Buttrey has dedicated much of his career to shaping Montana’s healthcare landscape, advocating for reforms that improve access, affordability, and quality of care for all residents. He has served as a board member on the Benefis Health System (Great Falls, Mont.) Board of Trustees since 2015.

During his time in the Montana State Legislature, Mr. Buttrey has been a strong advocate for policies that enhanced healthcare access, improved education, and supported economic development, particularly in rural areas. He played an integral role in advancing Medicaid expansion, mental health reform, and other critical healthcare initiatives. His legislative work earned him a reputation as a pragmatic and results-driven policymaker, always focused on the practical needs of Montanans, particularly those in rural communities.

In addition to his legislative work, Mr. Buttrey has extensive experience in the business world, with a focus on real estate, hospitality, technology and manufacturing. Outside of his professional career, Mr. Buttrey is deeply involved in his community. He has volunteered with numerous local organizations, including efforts aimed at improving healthcare accessibility, supporting youth programs, and promoting economic development in Great Falls and surrounding areas.

Mr. Buttrey is a graduate of Montana State University. He and his wife Jessica have three daughters (Kenzy, Macy, and TayLee).

“This is an exciting opportunity to move from crafting policy to driving meaningful change in the healthcare system itself. For more than 14 years, I’ve worked hard on a variety of healthcare policy issues because I have seen firsthand the importance of healthcare to our neighbors, our communities and our local economies. While the MHA is actively involved in the healthcare policy space, it also supports our state’s hospitals by providing quality improvement, safety, workforce development, emergency preparedness and other programs that enhance care in rural and frontier communities. I am deeply committed to applying both my legislative and business experience to build a stronger future for all Montanans who rely on the care our healthcare system provides,” said Ed Buttrey, incoming President and CEO of the Montana Hospital Association.

Mr. Buttrey will succeed Robert W. “Bob” Olsen, who has served in leadership positions for the Association since 1989 and has led the organization as President and CEO since 2022. Over his more than thirty-year career with the Association, Mr. Olsen has made significant contributions to  federal and state regulatory, policy and advocacy matters. He was awarded the MHA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 and the Frederick C. Morgan Individual Achievement Award from the Healthcare Financial Management Association in 2025.

“It has been an honor and privilege to lead this organization the past two and a half years, and to be a part of the Association’s work for more than 30 years. I’ve witnessed significant changes in Montana’s healthcare system during that time, yet one constant has remained: the need to adapt. Montana patients and healthcare providers will be well served by Ed’s innovative approaches, ability to bring together diverse stakeholders, and a longstanding commitment to improving healthcare for our state,” said Bob Olsen, retiring President and CEO of the Montana Hospital Association.  

About MHA
The Montana Hospital Association (MHA) is the principal advocate for the interests of members in their efforts to improve the health status of the communities they serve. MHA, in partnership with our communities, will make Montana a “Top 10 Healthy State.” Learn more at www.mtha.org.

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