Montanya staff love to travel, but our business administrator, Melinda Hulm, has made a life of it. She came to us after she and her family lived in Scotland. They’ve also lived in Egypt, England and just to keep things interesting, have called Alaska home too. We love hearing her stories and are so grateful Melinda’s journey brought her to Crested Butte. She brings fun and sass to the office and the Tasting Room, and her title might be better described as “Jill of All Trades.” If there is something to be done, especially urgently, Melinda will often say yes to the task.

From the Midwest to the World

I grew up on a ranch in rural South Dakota and married my childhood sweetheart. After graduating University and 20 plus years in SD it was time to explore the world and experience the excitement of the unknown.

On Being a Good Traveler

I have two teenage boys and a crazy pup named Ceilidh. As a family we enjoy traveling, camping, hiking and cooking together.

Our favorite holiday was a safari throughout Tanzania, driving through the parks of untamed Africa seeing wildlife in its natural habitat along with staying at camps dotted throughout Tanzania. We woke to zebra on our deck in the middle of the night and a heard of wildebeest running rampant through our camp the next night. We did see the big five!

Our holiday choices revolve around food and culture. We are know to spend a night or two in a city and then get off the beaten path and explore. The key to a good traveler is to not have many expectations but to appreciate cultures and live in that moment.

A Dedicated Volunteer

With every move, I find a charity or organization to volunteer for. I feel it’s rewarding to give something back to a community, learn new skills, build a sense of pride, and gain knowledge. One of my most memorable and physically demanding volunteering experiences was with Wine to Water in rural Nepal. Our mission was to provide clean drinking water to a small village. We worked alongside locals using our bare hands to clean tributaries and create barriers around wells. After a demanding few days we witnessed the clean water flowing to the deserving community and partook in their celebration.

Locally I’ve been helping at Crested Butte Community School and the Center for the Arts with event coordination.