Montana State University will host Bill Hilf, board chair of both the Allen Institute for AI and American Prairie, who will present “Prairie-Size Opportunities: Translating Emerging Tech into Profit and Purpose” for the fall 2025 Orser Executive Speakers Forum.
Hilf’s talk will be held Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 5 p.m. in the Strand Union Building’s Procrastinator Theater. The event, hosted by MSU’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship, is free and open to the public and will be held in a fireside chat format.
Hilf will discuss his work surrounding the intersection of emerging technologies and positive societal impacts. At the Allen Institute for AI, a Seattle-based nonprofit, he researches how artificial intelligence can be used for the common good, brainstorming how to apply AI to everything from climate modeling and wildlife conservation to maritime intelligence to protect marine animals and ocean ecosystems. At American Prairie, he helps guide the vision for North America’s largest nature reserve: a 3.2 million-acre concept to support wild, free-roaming bison and surrounding local communities in the Northern Great Plains.
He will discuss how to spot “prairie-size” opportunities, lead through uncertainty, and ultimately help businesses succeed economically while also addressing current and future global challenges.
“We are thrilled to welcome Bill Hilf to our campus and hear his insights on how to combine a drive for business and technological advancement with mission-driven change,” said Brian Gillespie, dean of the Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship. “His career sets a great example for our students with lofty professional goals who also want to follow their passions and make an impact.”
Hilf has more than 25 years of experience scaling innovative software products. He has worked with IBM, Microsoft and HP to launch open-source software and modernize cloud platforms. From 2016 to 2024, he was CEO of Vale Group (formerly Vulcan Inc.), where he managed Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s diverse portfolio, overseeing investments spanning aerospace, real estate development, film production, brain science research and more.
In his free time, Hilf enjoys exploring remote wilderness areas and writing fiction. His first science fiction novel is scheduled for publication later this year.
The business college’s David Orser Executive Speakers Forum is named for David B. Orser, a 1966 MSU graduate who started funding the program in 1988 to inspire MSU business students to pursue careers as innovative, responsible and ethical business leaders. The program invites unique and successful speakers to deliver remarks each fall and spring. Past speakers have included Heidi Browning, chief marketing officer of the National Hockey League; Tim Solso, General Motors’ board director; and Dave Stephenson, chief finance officer at Airbnb.
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