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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Jul 25, 2008 |
"Brick walls are there for a reason. They let us prove how badly we want things." Randy Pausch (Rest in Peace Randy. You've left us with inspiration that we will not soon forget.) http://online.wsj.com/ ... _news
What a great example of the spirit of Montana's businesses: Kudos to Rob Hunter at Paradigm Group "Iraqi Refugee Finds Welcoming Home In Billings, Montana at Paradigm Group" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
2009 Montana Legislature
Idaho National Laboratory
- Montana cities to try again for local option sales tax
The league — which represents 129 cities — has unsuccessfully pushed this measure since the 1980s.
Missoula Children's Theatre
- Idaho National Laboratory team to study reuse of spent nuclear fuel
"It'll basically make nuclear fuel more efficient and have less waste."
Come Home Montana
- On the Road with the Missoula Children's Theater - Summer 2008
"I don’t think the young actors in Ireland quite understood what they were in for!
Highway 12 Ventures
- Montana Career Opportunity - Communications and Marketing Specialist - Missoula
The Marketing and Communications Specialist actively collaborates to develop the DAISY Consortium’s marketing and communications strategy to engage a world-wide audience, primarily through digital media.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Part-time administrator - City Club Missoula
This position supports the members, board of trustees, and committees that compose City Club Missoula.
- Missoula one of the skinniest communities in the nation...and getting healthier! - AARP The Magazine's Healthiest Hometowns
These cities have made robust living—and active retirement—a priority. After reading why, you might want to move there too.
- Iraqi Refugee Finds Welcoming Home In Billings, Montana at Paradigm Group
"Billings, Montana is small by size, very big by heart."
- Bozeman ranked No. 2 on ‘dream town’ list. - Helena 5th and Kalispell 6th
High scores went to “well-rounded places” with light traffic, healthy economies, moderate costs of living, impressive housing stocks, strong school systems and easy access to big-city attractions.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Idaho venture capital, angel market makes solid increase
“The quality of businesses we see since we started in 2000 has increased noticeably,”
Leadership Montana
- Michigan Universities Join Forces for $75M Entrepreneurship Initiative
A consortium of Michigan’s 15 public universities recently announced a decade-long initiative to launch 200 new businesses in the state.
- Starting up: Women entrepreneurs face unique challenges in the business world
Here is an opportunity to critically examine how women entrepreneurs operate, what special challenges we face, and how we effectively compete.
Montana Business
- College credits now offered through Sidney, Montana leadership program
“Sidney Area Leadership is designed to bring together individuals of diverse backgrounds and experiences who have demonstrated talent and commitment for leadership. The program offers these selected individuals a unique opportunity to explore the resources of their community and the impact of social and economic changes on the Sidney area.”
Montana Economic Development
- CEO: Plum Creek here to stay in Montana
“Economically, Montana is very important to Plum Creek and Plum Creek is very important to Montana,” Holley said, noting that 1,400 of the company’s 2,000 employees reside in the state — most of them in Northwest Montana.
- Triple Creek Ranch resort south of Darby, Montana judged one of best places to vacation in the world
“It’s good for the community,” Dunn said. “Our guests come through town and contribute to the businesses ... someone is always forgetting their cowboy boots or something else they want to buy in town to have an authentic Montana experience.”
- New Documentary Explores 'Clean Coal' in Montana
Titled “Dark Energy: The Clean Coal Controversy,” the program will premiere at 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 29, on Montana PBS.
- St. Patrick Hospital: Docs argue heart fixes at Missoula gathering of the Rocky Mountain Valve Symposium
This is the 18th annual symposium on cutting-edge heart science in Missoula.
Regional Economic Development
- The Montana Department of Commerce is offering training awards to pay for up to $1,750 for qualified Montana manufacturers to attend a Eureka! Winning Ways session.
The number of awards is limited.
- Talks between Rey, Plum Creek under investigation. Plum Creek's top officials detail intentions in state
Federal investigators have begun looking into closed-door negotiations between the Bush administration and Plum Creek Timber Co., the nation’s largest owner of private land.
- Don't keep assets hidden, Great Falls business community told
"Your assets are hidden!"
Careers
- The Measure of America: American Human Development Report 2008-2009
“This report provides a rich analysis which will help us forge ahead in creating more economic dynamism, more effective social policies and an expansion of everyone’s freedom and opportunities.” --William H. Draper III, former administrator of the United Nations Development Programme
- America's Dying Middle Class
Whether we like it or not, America is in the midst of revolutionary economic changes that are crushing the middle class.
Funding and Building your Business
- How To: Promote Yourself, Boost Your Geek Cred, Be the Hero, and Fake It
Our third annual How-To issue covers the gamut — learn to gain Internet fame (even if you're nobody), snag VC dough, crash a party, and look good on TV.
Montana Education Excellence
- Work & Life: Dealing With Disabilities
People with disabilities or chronic conditions face unique challenges when they embark on the path to entrepreneurship. The good news is that a growing number of resources are now opening doors once previously closed to this group.
- Why Innovation Is Overrated
It's a vague, subjective term that distracts from what you're really trying to do: enjoy your life. Or in the case of a business: profit by making good things.
- The Magic of Marketing
For good or for bad, misdirection and illusion are probably principles of marketing too.
- Do You Experiment at Work?
What was the last experiment you did at work?
- Inside Entrepreneurship: Starting a family business? Plan ahead
In recent months I've received considerable mail from entrepreneurs who want to start businesses with best friends, neighbors, siblings, spouses or other family members.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Hamilton Chemistry Teacher, Anthony Favero Honored
The Rob and Terry Ryan grant has allowed me to purchase the type of technology that allows my students to easily and very successfully gather data that leads them to some of the most essential principles in chemistry and physics.
- Governor Schweitzer Announces $140,000 in AmeriCorps Youth Scholarships Available to Montana Students
"I hope every Montana student takes advantage of the opportunity to become involved in their communities through community service. Montana needs their energy, enthusiasm and leadership," said Governor Brian Schweitzer.
- Student program at Montana State University Billings means business
The programs help kids who are from low-income families or are first-generation college-bound students discover their potential and the opportunities available to them.
- University of Montana protesters win award for sweatshop sit-in
“I think it is really exciting and wonderful,” said Katie Pritchard, a member of the group. “We've made ripples in the country and that's really humbling.”
Regional Business
- Billings Gazette Opinion: Schools, businesses team up
Billings Partners in Education has grown into 42 school-business partnerships.
Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR)
- Making hay off the land
“Is this a real estate bubble, or has the economic climate changed so dramatically that there is a sustainable price increase?”
- Value-added Manufacturing by State, 2002-2006
The average value-added per employee in manufacturing in the U.S. as a whole increased from $128,485 in 2002 to $177,485 in 2006 – a 38.2 percent increase. Louisiana, Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, and Texas experienced the highest value-added per employee in 2006.
Idaho Business
- SBIR Phase I Statistics by State, FY 2007
The State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI) has compiled award and proposal statistics by state for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants.
Washington State Business
- Two new Web sites aim to help businesses select sites in Idaho
Idaho will try and speed up and simplify the process of attracting jobs and companies to the state
- Stoel Rives Launches Nomination Period for 2008 Idaho Innovation Awards and Expands Scope of Recognition to Include Innovative Professionals and Companies
“We expanded the scope of the program in light of the role that innovation plays in all of Idaho’s industries and business sectors.”
- Report credits Idaho job and business growth to 'high-impact' (Gazelle) firms
The businesses are those whose sales have at least doubled over a four-year period and whose employment "growth quantifier" (the absolute change in employment multiplied by the percent change) is two or more.
Education
- New medical college in Yamima, Washington expected to make deep impact
By the time Cadwell graduates in 2012, the student body is expected to have as many as 400, according to current plans, with 200 on campus.
- Venture Capital: Business owner can rev up with Accelerator
Industry groups such as the Washington Technology Industry Association and Northwest Entrepreneur Network also regularly hold informational meetings for entrepreneurs. Seattle-area business incubators, including StartPad and Founder's Co-op, also are looking to help entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground.
Government
- 'Turning point' arrives as U.S. community colleges' purview grows. Wyoming Panel wants recognition for community colleges
Tired of their image as the Rodney Dangerfields of higher education, they have become increasingly vocal in their demand for respect. Nothing less than the nation's economic future is at stake, they argue.
- 'Math class is tough' no more: Girls' skills now equal boys'
In the largest study of its kind, girls measured up to boys in every grade, from second through 11th.
- National Lieutenant Governors Association Sponsors Resolution for Children's Low-Cost Laptops
"We are in the eighth year of a new century and I find it inexcusable that our most valuable asset, our children, do not have all the tools they need to compete in the global economy." Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Catherine Baker Knoll
Community
- Walmart helping with Montana energy audits
Governor Brian Schweitzer says the four buildings chosen for the audit are some of the state's oldest buildings. The state also plans on conducting it's own energy audits in about 50 additional facilities throughout the year.
EnergyMiscellaneous Ramblings
- Charge of the plug-in brigade
Silicon Valley legend Andy Grove said Tuesday that the nation should convert millions of gas-guzzling pickups and SUVs into plug-in hybrids to dramatically cut our use of foreign oil.
- Montana Gov. Schwietzer signs executive order to provide $1MM for weatherizing homes of low income Montana residents.
"With rising energy prices, too many Montanans are feeling the crunch," Schweitzer said. "Now is the most efficient time to weatherize homes and with rising energy prices and winter not far away, the time to start is now."
- Western governors offer emissions plan
It would cover up to 90 percent of the global warming emissions across Oregon, Arizona, California, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Washington and would extend to British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec in Canada.
- Confronting a World Freshwater Crisis
As the global population grows--and freshwater supplies dwindle--ensuring that everyone has sufficient supplies of life-giving H2O has become an enormous challenge. Here's how to start.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Google In Final Negotiations To Acquire Digg For “Around $200 Million”
The companies are now in final negotiations according to our sources, although it could be a couple of weeks before it closes.
Global Telework
- Electronics giants to create wireless HD standard
Sony, Samsung and other consumer-electronics heavyweights are uniting to support a technology that could send high-definition video signals wirelessly from a single set-top box to screens around the home.
- "Within five years, technology will obliterate the need for business travel." - Inspired by new videoconferencing technologies and rising fuel costs
AT&T has reportedly reduced employee air miles by 15% through video conferencing and Web meetings, while Accenture plans to have 22 video conferencing rooms installed around the world by the end of this year.
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