Conrad Burns

Conrad Burns was a former broadcaster and later a U.S. Senator from Montana who was a member of the Senate Appropriations and Commerce committees.

During his terms in the Senate he worked on telecommunications legislation, and as a chairman of a communications subcommittee he pushed for the installation of broadband in rural areas.

After working as a cattle auctioneer at the beginning of his career, Burns later provided agricultural news and market programs to four radio stations, eventually founding the Northern Ag Network, which expanded to serve 31 radio and television stations across Montana and Wyoming.

Burns died April 28, 2016, in Billings, Montana. He was 81.