Some people quietly become the steady hands a team relies on.
For the past 15 years, Dave Knaff has been exactly that for the Flathead County Road Department, bringing skill, consistency, and a genuine love for his craft to work each day.
Dave was hired as an autobody repair and paint specialist, later expanding his role to include radio and GPS installation. In fact, he holds a position that is unique within the County, the only one of its kind. When he applied, nearly 300 applicants were vying for the job. What set Dave apart wasn’t just his autobody expertise, it was his hands-on experience with radios and GPS systems, skills he developed long before résumés and interviews ever entered the picture.
Dave grew up in Great Falls, spending summers on his grandfather’s farm outside the city. “Working on farms gives you fundamental life skills that go with you everywhere and can be used in just about everything you do,” he says. Those early days of fixing what broke and figuring things out laid the groundwork for a lifetime of craftsmanship.
At just 12 years old, Dave bought a 1968 Chevelle and taught himself how to paint it. Since then, he’s mastered airbrushing and even has a fender displaying flames he’s done hanging proudly in the Road Department shop. That dedication to detail and love of the process never left him.
Dave’s path, interestingly, wasn’t always headed toward engines and equipment. Early in his career, he was on track to become a registered nurse before deciding to fully commit to the automotive world. Helping people had always been deeply meaningful to him, but the emotional weight of working in medicine was difficult to carry. “I still wanted to help people, but in a way that didn’t feel so heavy when I came home at night,” he reflected. That desire to serve, without losing himself in the process, ultimately led him to a different kind of public service with the County.
Today, Dave’s work keeps County vehicles, radios, and GPS systems operating reliably, sometimes even assisting the Sheriff’s Office when time allows. His role may be behind the scenes, but its impact is felt across departments.
He speaks most fondly about the people he works alongside. “There isn’t a single person here I don’t think is great,” he says. The team culture, the willingness to lend a hand, and the camaraderie are a big reason he’s stayed for 15 years. “At the end of the day, I go home with a smile on my face.”
Looking ahead, Dave plans to retire from Flathead County when the time comes, but retirement won’t mean slowing down. He hopes to possibly return to building hot rods, taking what he describes as “a pretty worthless shell of a thing and build it up into an incredible machine that people drool over.” It’s a process that “envelops you,” he says, one that demands dedication and perfection.
That description could just as easily apply to the way Dave approaches his work here.
For 15 years, Dave Knaff has brought craftsmanship, precision, humility, and heart to Flathead County. We are grateful for the skill he shares and the quiet leadership he models. Congratulations Dave, and thank you for fifteen years of excellence.