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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Apr 18, 2006 |
“The WIRED program reflects Washington’s belief that the nation can best compete in the global economy by focusing assets on regions and regional competitiveness, and by thinking regionally when it comes to workforce and economic development.” Don Kirkman, President and CEO of the Piedmont Triad Partnership.
Outstanding Career Opportunities in Montana - WIRED Program Manager and WIRED Trust Fund Manager http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Montana Education Excellence
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- MSU professor, Steve Shaw hopes to train better engineers with prestigious $400,000 award
The money comes in the form of a National Science Foundation Career award, one of the most prestigious awards the NSF bestows. Shaw plans on using some of the money to make Montana students better engineers in a world where even ideas are being globalized. The award also ties together much of what has been on his mind of late.
Education
- Educating entrepreneurs: Campuses foster boom. Kids get feel for business
Now many colleges are racing to beef up their entrepreneurship programs as a key way to turn the schools' knowledge and technology into profitable ventures.
Montana Business
- The Great Falls School District losing five leaders - faces an imminent brain drain
"I think it's a big blow for the district to lose that much corporate knowledge in one fell swoop," "The kicker is going to be whether we're able to attract the high-quality people at the salary we're able to offer," Nicholson said.
Montana Economic Development
- Chinook Wireless plans to bring cutting-edge GSM technology to Montana
The new "GSM" phones work from a chip that can be slipped into different handsets. The chip stores the customer's contact list, ring tones and other personalized features.
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- Gov. Schweitzer ends Montana film advisory council
In a letter to council members Friday, Schweitzer wrote he "made a mistake" in appointing a 29-member council but stressed the error "in no way reflects on you or your work on the advisory council."
- Outstanding Career Opportunities in Montana - WIRED Program Manager and WIRED Trust Fund Manager
"Economic development in central and eastern Montana is a priority," said Governor Schweitzer. "The WIRED program will help get dollars on the ground to help revitalize the economy with energy development while adding value to Montana's agricultural products."
- EnterpriseMontana is seeking businesses for Asian trade mission
The mission will give eight to 10 Montana businesses a cost-effective opportunity to make international contacts, forge new business relationships and possibly ink a few deals
Funding and Building your Business
- Northwest Energy Companies Get New Source of Seed Capital
“The investors are like-minded and knowledgeable about the sector and technology. This can go a long way in stimulating deal flow and helping companies get the funding and mentorship needed to penetrate the market.”
- States Expanding High Tech Businesses - Thirty-six states run venture capital funds that have encouraged economic development through early support for local businesses.
The Maryland Venture Fund, which has not only had a large rate of return to the state for its investments -- 30% per year over the last ten years -- but more importantly, has encouraged economic development through early support for local businesses.
Regional Business
- Foster innovation through a creative workplace
Fostering creativity in the workplace can bring about astounding changes in morale, quality, customer service, research and development and profitability.
- Is your company prepared to rebound after a natural disaster?
Without disaster planning, ''you really stand the risk of losing everything that you've worked for,'' she said.
- Six More Crazy Stories of Companies Driving Their Competition Crazy.
... Finally, the company rented school buses and dressed drivers as nuns, loaded the buses with steel, and made the deliveries. No one would shoot at school buses driven by nuns, right?
- Can You Manage Different Generations?
Managing multigenerational workforces is an art in itself. Young workers want to make a quick impact, the middle generation needs to believe in the mission, and older employees don't like ambivalence. Your move.
- How's Your Workforce IQ?
Bad news: Employers are offering too few learning opportunities
- Engaging Angel Investors
If an angel doesn't fall in your lap, try these resources for finding and working with angel investors.
- The Top 6 Mistakes Inventors Make. Learn the biggest mistakes you can make in the inventing process, and how you can avoid them.
While you can expect to make mistakes along your journey--"healthy" mistakes that you'll learn from in the process--there are those mistakes that can completely sabotage your efforts, deplete your life savings, or cripple your confidence.
Idaho Business
- Sunset Magazine: five top 'Montana' campgrounds in Wyoming
"Montana, Idaho and Wyoming - we all claim the park," Betsy Baumgart, Montana's travel director, said while laughing at the magazine's gaffe. And with good reason - a 2001 study found about 40 percent of Montana's out-of-state tourism could be attributed to Yellowstone. Although most of the park lies in Wyoming, three of the park's entrances - including the only year-round entrance at Gardiner - are in Montana.
Wyoming Business
- Idaho hopes to hit silver screen. New law gives 5 percent tax rebate to production companies for hiring locals
To qualify, a production company must make a minimum investment in Idaho of $200,000 or more over a three-year period.
- 200 to lose jobs at Meridian, Idaho Bushnell Outdoor Products plant for gun accessories
"Fortunately, our current economy will offer lots of hope for these people," Smith said. "Companies are expanding throughout the state, and the Ada County unemployment rate is at an all-time low of 2.7 percent, which means area businesses are looking for good employees with transferable skills."
Other Economies
- Made in Wyoming
Along with the "Why didn't I think of that?" gold mines, the world of invention is littered with both horrible ideas and good ideas that didn't sell.
Universities and Economic Development
- High-tech learning helps flatten Appalachia's world
"It's very important for this community to get in charge of where it would like to go - either we're in charge of our future, or someone else will be."
University Business Plan Competitions
- Tools and Insights for Universities Called to Regional Stewardship
In a world increasingly driven by brain power, the focus is shifting from inherited assets (climate, geography, natural resources) to created assets (educated population, cultural amenities, environmental quality).
Incubators and R&D
- University of Washington venture capitalists best of the best - Grueling VCIC Contest Draws Praise as Venture Capitalist Training Ground
“There is no better way to learn about starting new ventures than to pretend to be an investor and looking at new ventures as potential investments.” For the second time in two years, MBA students at the University of Washington are the best budding venture capitalists in the country.
Careers
- AMI Semiconductor and Idaho State University officials ink deal for semiconductors
a joint research agreement to develop "organic semiconductors" for the production of optical devices, such as light-emitting diodes, solar cells, photodiodes, contact image sensors and diode lasers.
Non-Profit News
- CEOs say how you treat a waiter can predict a lot about character - The CEO's Secret Handbook.
If you are a CEO or know a CEO or can spell CEO, you should read this, make a copy to post on the wall in front of your desk and read at least once a week. Doing so will make you a better leader in everything you do. "The book is something you can carry around with you like a Bible and live by every day." Bruce Whitman, president of FlightSafety International
Connectivity & Communications
- Risk Management Essentials For Nonprofit Leaders, 6/6, Bozeman, MT
MNA is sponsoring a top notch training to answer all of your nonprofit risk management questions.
Leadership Montana
- Dial *228 for better reception throughout Montana. Your cell needs to be taught the location of the new cell towers
Most companies recommend that you update your phone once every three months or so. Rural Montana's rumpled landscape of mountains and coulees — coupled with a sparse population — presents a challenge to cell phone companies and their customers.
- Telecom in the city. Critics of taxpayer-funded Net systems point to financial losses
Qwest and Comcast, the state's largest telecommunications and cable company, were critical of city-sponsored broadband initiatives from the beginning.
- Strategy Paper Explains How Community-Wide Wireless is Coming to the Rescue
How governments can use ever-changing wireless technology to bring governments to constituents.
- Instant wireless networks for emergencies. Redwood City firm's software to be used at terror-attack drill
As a result, first responders connect directly to each other without any need for infrastructure. And this means that they can communicate even if mobile networks are dead, the Internet is down or they find themselves in the middle of a desert.
- How to Adjust Your Decision-Making Style
To move up the ladder, it's important that your method of making decisions develops as you do. This excerpt from Harvard Business Review reports on research drawn from a comprehensive Korn/Ferry International database
- Rachel Hofacker Wins Daniel E. Czech Excellence in Leadership Award at Montana State University Bozeman
This scholarship is awarded to an individual that works at the MSU Leadership Institute, has active leadership roles, and demonstrates proficiency in up to 16 leadership traits such as courage, judgment, and integrity.
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