Western Planner Home
Overview of the Western Planner Magazine
Overview of the Western Planner Magazine
Contents of the Current Issue
The 2008 Cheyenne Conference
The 2007 North Dakota Conference
The Origins of the Western Planner
The Legends of the Western Planner
The Membership of the Western Planner
The Board Members of Western Planning Resources
Western Planner Advertisers
Selected Links for Western Planners
Our traditions are tied to the time when The Western Planner was first produced in Powder River coal development era in Wyoming, Montana, and the Dakotas. Since that time, legends have surfaced including:

Lester, Karen B. Smith, and, Sheldon Gerber

These legends are remembered at annual rotating conferences and join the annual Wyoming versus the World softball game and Western Planner of the Year in marquee events.

The Launching of The Western Planner and Founding Editorial Board

The Western Planner movement began during a time characterized by intense land use issues and with a vision of a western states network of planners to cope with these issues. In the summer of 1979 at Chico Hot Springs, Montana, representatives from several states gathered at the annual conference of the Montana Association of Planners to talk over the prospects of forming an alliance. A mood for innovation took over at the meeting and The Western Planner dream was given definition.

In the next few months the presidents of the planning associations in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota and a support crew busied themselves gaining the support of their associations and packaging the jointly sponsored professional journal. The first issue was launched in January, 1980.

Of the original Editorial Board, Stan Steadman emerged after the 2nd year as the Owner/Managing Editor, a position he held for the next 8 years. Then after selling his ownership to Western Planning Resources, Inc (WPR, Inc).

WPR, Inc. continues to operates as a non profit organization that is run by a volunteer board of directors. Eight journals are produced each year. In addition, WPR works with state organizations that hold the annual Western Planner conference. This conference provides an opportunity for planners to network in person and the proceeds allow the magazine to continue to be produced.