Former Billings City Council member, Michael Yakawich, was the unanimous choice of Yellowstone County Commissioners to complete the term of Montana HD 51 which was left vacant with the untimely death of Frank Fleming (R) in March.
On Monday, commissioners interviewed three candidates nominated for the position by the Yellowstone County Republican Central Committee, as required by state law.
Besides Yakawich the other two nominees were Debbie Rowe and Mike Scheppele.
Yakawich had already filed as a Republican candidate for the office.
Yakawich has previously served on the Billings City Council, Ward 1, from 2014 until he was termed out last year. He was Deputy Mayor from 2019 to 2021.
He was also co-chairman of the USS Billings Commissioner Committee and is a regional director for the Global Peace Foundation.
Yakawich is the executive director of the Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools, and has been a small business owner in Billings, Yakawich Gifts, for over 20 years.
Yakawich holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Montana, where he graduated in 1980.
