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Billings business gets recognition from Vice President's wife

Posted at 12:18 PM, Sep 07, 2020

BILLINGS - Families of those serving in the United States military also make a sacrifice.

A Billings business was mentioned as part of the GOP convention nearly two weeks ago.

"Military spouse hero Jilan Hall-Johnson in Billngs, Montana is a culinary artist, who had dreamed of starting her own restaurant," Karen Pence, wife of Vice-President Mike Pence said in her speech. "Working with the Small Business Administration's development center, Jilan started her restaurant, the Sassy Biscuit. And she just opened a second restaurant in Dover, New Hampshire."

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Karen Pence during convention speech.

Karen Pence talked about the Johnsons and other military families.

In June of last year, she visited the Sassy Biscuit when she and her husband came to Billings.

Hall-Johnson received help with a veterans small business loan.

Mrs. Pence spoke to families at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Billings.

Q2 caught up with Jilan Hall-Johnson on the phone this weekend from the Sassy Biscuit in New Hampshire.

"It was a little unexpected but national news was fine for us because it's brought some attention to our business and what we do," Hall-Johnson said. "I think that she probably just appreciated that as a family we were able to still pursue the goals that we had. So I think she just wanted to highlight that."

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Hall-Johnson has been spending time at her New Hampshire Sassy Biscuit restaurant, which opened in June.

Her husband Jacob Johnson is now stationed at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

Another Billings business woman, Tanya Weinreis, who owns Mountain Mudd Espresso in Billings, gave a speech at the convention.