USDA Rural Development in Montana is led by State Director Anthony J. Preite.

Preite got his start in economic development working as Director of Bear Paw development in Havre where he worked to implement economic development plans for Hill, Blaine and Liberty counties as well as Fort Belknap and Rocky Boys Indian Reservations.

He previously served as USDA-Rural Development Montana state director in 1993, before going on to work as Regional Office Director for Economic Development for the U.S. Department of Commerce in Denver (1999) and the Director for Space Commercialization and Economic Development Outreach at the University of Montana (2003). In 2004, Preite became the Director of the Montana Department of Commerce. Since 2010, Preite has been working as the Director for outreach and economic development at Montana State University - Northern (MSUN). Preite is a native of Havre and graduated from Northern Montana College (now MSUN) in 1963.