Greg Gianforte, born April 17, 1961, in San Diego, California, is an American businessman and politician serving as the 25th Governor of Montana.[1][4][7] He graduated from Upper Merion High School in Pennsylvania and earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a master's in computer science from Stevens Institute of Technology.[4][7] Gianforte's career spans over three decades in the private sector, beginning at AT&T Bell Laboratories in the 1980s. He co-founded Brightwork Development Inc., serving as president before selling it to McAfee Associates in 1994, where he briefly acted as North American vice president.[4] In 1997, he and his wife Susan founded RightNow Technologies from their Bozeman, Montana, home, growing it into the city's largest commercial employer with over 500 high-paying jobs before selling it to Oracle for $1.8 billion in 2012.[1][4] Entering politics, Gianforte ran unsuccessfully for Montana governor in 2016. He won a special election in 2017 to represent Montana's At-Large District (later the 1st) in the U.S. House, serving until 2021 on the Energy and Commerce Committee.[3][4] In 2020, he was elected governor with more votes than any candidate in state history and the largest margin for a first-term governor since 1920; he was reelected in 2024, the first Republican to secure a second term since 1996.[1][2] As governor, Gianforte has prioritized job creation, tax cuts, eliminating state debt, record education funding including teacher pay raises, law enforcement support, and expanding public land access by over 100,000 acres.[1][2] Under his leadership, Montana achieved record employment, low unemployment, and business growth.[1] Recent initiatives include pushing for cell-phone-free schools, conserving 50,000 acres in eastern Montana, regulatory reviews to cut red tape, and advocating fiscal responsibility.[2][5] Married to Susan since 1988, the couple raised four children in Bozeman, embracing outdoor activities like hunting and skiing.[1]