Former Billings City Administrator Dennis Taylor called his two years of service with VISTA in the early 1970s “one of the most formative experiences of my life.”

It brought him to Montana, for one thing, and it brought him into contact with the woman who would become his wife. It also quickened his interest in working in public service, leading to a 30-year career with state and local government. Last month, he came out of retirement to accept an offer to become executive director of the Montana Meth Project…

…Cody Lillstrom, AmeriCorps VISTA program manager for the Montana Campus Compact, said Taylor is one of many high-profile Montanans who got their start in public service through VISTA.