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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Nov 7, 2006 |
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City Club Missoula - "Global Business", 11/17, Missoula http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Come Home Montana
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Come Home Montana - Rural Development Vacancy - Billings
This position manages the activities of a staff primarily involved in underwriting loan products and is responsible for the overall production of the housing loan/grant programs within the area.
- Come Home Montana Career Opportunity - SMART Seeks Executive Director
Economic Development Director to represent Southeastern Montana. Must have knowledge of business economics and marketing principles, office management, budgeting and accounting, use of computers, power point and intermet.
Montana Business
- All Hail the Entrepreneur. Big-and-old companies remain important. But in a global marketplace, start-ups are our best weapon.
Today roughly 45 million Americans, about 30 percent of the labor force, run their own businesses. Sometime during their careers, well over half of university graduates will start a business.
Funding and Building your Business
- Resodyn Corp. Develops Beneficial Products in New Building Financed by the Montana Community Finance Corp.
The construction of Resodyn's new 20,320 sq. ft. building was financed by a 504 loan from Montana Community Finance Corp. http://www.mtcommunityfinance.org (Helena, MT) and the First National Bank in Butte.
- Provider shortage takes toll in Havre - Too Few Workers in the Flathead
“Looking forward to the hiring shortage is a big issue right now, but it’s going to be nationwide with baby boomers exiting the marketplace,”
- Rick Hays, President of Qwest Montana to Retire this Week.
Hays, 54, the president of Qwest Montana, is retiring this week after more than three decades with the company.
- Business Profiles: Dealing with the Unexpected - Diversified Plastics of Missoula
Diversified Plastics has doubled in size over the past three years, with $2.5 million in annual sales. With five automated-molding machines in place, the company has been growing at the rate of 22 percent a year, reported Reid.
- Two more banks headed for Missoula - Treasure State Bank and Bank of Montana
Missoula's two new banks are therefore set to be very different institutions. But one thing both Boutelle and Swenson agree on is this: Providing exceptional customer service will be the most critical element of their success.
- Technology troubles set off tantrums, tears and tirades - RightNow Technologies to the Rescue
"As the Internet has sped up the consumer experience, customer expectations are higher," says Greg Gianforte, CEO of RightNow Technologies, a company that helps Electronic Arts, Nikon and others provide better customer service. "Customer service is not always worse, but that's the perception."
- Livingston Mercantile begins buying clothing
Members of the Livingston Mercantile board have raised enough money to begin purchasing clothing for the store, and they hope to open around Thanksgiving or Livingston's annual Christmas Stroll.
- Heritage, U.S. Bank to merge
United Financial's Heritage Bank operates 15 branches in 13 Montana communities, including three in Great Falls.
- Report says tourism industry gaining ground
“Visitation in Montana has been going up on a nice, basic, steady, smooth trajectory for some time, so that part isn't new,” said Norma Nickerson, director of the ITRR. “The new part is when we look at the kind of visitors from outside the state, and the large increase in their expenditures.”
Regional Business
- Counterpoint: Patents and Defensibility
The bottom line is that if your patent attorney tells you that you must patent everything without regard to the bigger picture, do yourself a favor and find a new one. A good patent attorney looks at the bigger picture and proposes a strategy—not a bunch of disparate tactics.
- Where elite meet: Web 2.0. Big-name CEOs gather to look for opportunities
Thanks to wider Internet adoption, the spread of high-speed connections, the growth of online advertising, particularly on search engines like Google, and the availability of low-cost or open-source software, it's much easier to create an Internet business this time around.
Regional Economic Development
- October Naming Names-- 2006: Monthly Local Better Business Bureau Hit Parade
Naming Names is not about revenge or vindictiveness, it is about accountability. The BBB enforces membership standards and holds area businesses accountable for their actions. Naming Names is a monthly release of the complaint handling activities of TheLocalBBB from the previous month.
Utah Economic Development
- Montanans need to enlist in war against climate change
We, most particularly those of us living here in the Rocky Mountain West, must accept our responsibility for this planetary abuse. We should also recognize that we have an integral place in the solution as well. The planet is not beyond repair; there are small signs of progress and we must commit ourselves to enlist in the healing effort.
- Governor Jeb Bush Announces $1.2 Million Grant to Empower Florida Adults and Youth with Disabilities in Coordination with Griffin-Hammis & Associates, LLC (Florence, MT)
“Persons with disabilities make a valuable contribution to the character of our state, the quality of life in our communities and the strength of our economy,” said Governor Bush. “This funding will play a vital role in ensuring individuals with disabilities have the necessary tools to optimize their talents and achieve their goals.”
- Ranches near scenic Yellowstone National Park work as retreats for rich
Well-heeled outsiders, dubbed "amenity ranchers," are not a new phenomenon, but their growing appetite for these retreats is. Even as housing prices slump in cities and suburbs, the market flourishes for getaways with hundreds or thousands of acres of mountain, forest or prairie.
Idaho Business
- Centers of Excellence Tech Transfer Program called a bargain for Utahns
"This is a program with a history of producing companies and having an important impact on the state's economy," said Jan E. Crispin, who wrote the review for the University of Utah's Bureau of Economic and Business Research. "And yet the state continues to fund it on, what I think, are these low levels."
Careers
- Albertsons jobs to leave Boise. Employees can relocate to Minneapolis or they will receive a severance package
"There are many good reasons why companies and their employees want to locate in our state, and Supervalu should open their eyes and follow the leaders back to Idaho," Sen. Craig said.
- Idaho Office of Science & Technology November 2006
The University of Idaho ranked 101 overall and fifth in publication impact in a worldwide study of the biotechnology transfer process at universities by the Milken Institute.
Non-Profit News
- Delete Your Bad Web Rep
The mistakes you make on the internet can live forever -- unless you hire somebody to clean up after you.
Hydrogen News
- $500,000 that should be staying with non-profits
As a donor/advisor/board member to several non-profits, the point of this post is to lay out strategies and tactics that are applicable to most non-profits so they can redirect as much money as possible towards delivering their services.
Connectivity & Communications
- Electricity from Sugar Water
Researchers announce a faster way to make hydrogen from cheap biomass.
Community
- Key Web 2.0 sites, people and why do we care?
Some of the key people in the Digital Utopian and Web 2.0 movements. Where possible, the list includes links to their blogs.
City Club Missoula
- Using Google Earth To Illustrate A Comprehensive Community Plan
To guide the citizens in using the technology, the City produced a 5 minute video showing how to download Google Earth, load the plan and view the results.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- City Club Missoula - "Global Business", 11/17, Missoula
This month’s City Club Missoula forum will feature a look at the global business climate and the role and opportunities for the Missoula community. Three local business leaders will discuss their experiences:
- Company Creates Cyberbikes To Whip Young Gamers Into Shape
A British company has created technology that won't allow video game controls to work unless the player is moving on an exercise machine.
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