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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Mar 24, 2017 |
Montana - A states that gets so deep into your soul that it hurts when you're away from it.
'The Last Best Chance' to Restore an Ecosystem - Montana's American Prairie Preserve http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Big Sky Economic Development
Gov. Steve Bullock
- Big Sky Economic Development TAKE3 Newsletter
TAKE3 is Big Sky Economic Development's electronic newsletter designed specifically for our Member Investors, Board and Staff. Each Wednesday Take3 will arrive at your inbox, with the top three stories of the week, the next three events you need to know about and a Member Investor spotlight.
Montana Economic Developers Association
- Governor Bullock Celebrates the Success of Small Businesses Across Montana
"Montana is a great place to do business, and with the support of Small Business Development Centers, entrepreneurs are even more equipped to succeed." said Governor Bullock. "I appreciate the opportunity to celebrate Montana's small businesses who have translated good ideas into a successful business."
- Governor's Update: Montanans' Healthcare At Risk
Our continued progress at the state level depends largely on whether Congress proceeds thoughtfully and responsibly with efforts to improve or replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
- Governor Bullock Announces Funding to Help Build Blackfeet Community College's Health Science Facility
"Blackfeet Community College's expansion of health care industry courses will give students the tools they need to land good-paying jobs in one of Montana's fastest-growing sectors and fill an important community need," Governor Bullock said. "I commend the tribe, county, federal and state government partners in working together to make this important expansion a reality."
Montana Politics & Legislature
- Program Map - Partnerships That Work with Montana's Economic Development Organizations
These programs working together, have helped to provide the foundation for much of Montana's present economic vitality.
Northwestern Energy
- Please Take Action for Renewable Energy in Montana Today - Gov. Steve Bullock
I am asking you to take action towards combating climate change and investing in Montana's renewable energy industry by contacting the Montana Legislature, today.
- Bill to expand early education in Montana dies on party-line vote
"Today Republican legislators again told Montanans that our kids' education and futures are not a priority," Bullock, a Democrat, said in a statement. "As a father and someone who wants all of Montana's kids to succeed, I find it beyond disappointing that Republicans refuse to make a responsible economic investment that will benefit Montana families for generations to come."
- Will Price of Next Frontier Capital testified to the Senate Tax Committee in support of HB 187 to increase the pool of risk capital available in Montana
We applaud Rep Jim Hamilton for working closely with the high-tech and private capital sectors to work to create a bill that will make MT more competitive and capital more readily available.
- Hearing on Montana vote-by-mail election gets rowdy, room has to be cleared
Thursday's hearing on the bill went off the rails before proponents could finish testifying. House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Alan Doane, R-Bloomfield, gaveled down a woman who was speaking in support of the bill. The woman was testifying after the chairman cut off full testimony for time purposes, but the woman continued her testimony.
- Governor Bullock Urges Legislature to Pass Fiscally Responsible Mail Ballot Bill
"We sure shouldn't be spending more money to try to get fewer people to vote," said Governor Bullock. "This commonsense proposal is fiscally responsible and supported by hard-working public servants and Montanans all across our state."
- Governor Bullock Proposes to Ban a Statewide General Sales Tax: "Our Montana Constitution needs to reflect our Montana values"
"Montanans have rejected time and time again a statewide sales tax by large margins," said Governor Bullock. "Our Montana Constitution needs to reflect our Montana values - and Montanans do not value a statewide general sales tax that hurts hard-working, middle-class Montana families who are already paying their fair share."
Flathead Valley Community College
- $3.7 Million Ryan Dam Upgrade Will Add Cost-Effective, Low-Carbon Generation for Montana Customers
"Our hydro facilities provide more electricity generation to meet our customers' needs than any other type of generation," said John Hines, NorthWestern's vice president, Supply.
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
- FVCC Invites Community To 50th Anniversary Celebration On April 7 In Kalispell, Montana
Today, FVCC serves approximately 3,500 students annually with more than 100 degree and certificate programs.
- FVCC Continuing Education Courses Appeal to Broad Interests
Those interested in camping in the backcountry with horses can learn the basics this spring through a course taught by June Burgau, an experienced stock handler and backcountry camper.
Early Edge Montana
- Intellectual Property Webinar Series - Changes To Confidentiality Clauses - 4/26- Webinar
We will focus on recent SEC enforcement actions against companies whose confidentiality clauses do not expressly allow whistleblowers to report to the SEC, as well as language that you may want to include to maximize your rights to enforce your trade secrets under the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA).
Energy and Climate Change
- Improving the Evidence Base for Access to Quality Pre-K
In a contentious political environment with few opportunities for bipartisan commitments, cultivating evidence-based strategies supports positive change for our young children by assessing current and past risk factors and access, and tracking outcomes in the future.
Come Home Montana
- The Arctic, Antarctic poles just set a terrifying new record for low levels of sea ice
Arctic sea ice reached a record wintertime low for the third straight year, while sea ice around Antarctica shrank to its lowest summertime area on record. Scientists blame the decline in ice on a combination of natural, random weather and man-made global warming from the burning of coal, oil and gas.
Montana Business
- Bozeman's city manager out of a job
The City will start a nationwide search for a new city manager in the next two weeks.
- The States With the Brightest Futures - Montana
Where Should Millennials Live for the Most Successful 2017?
- Life in Montana: 10 stories about living in the Big Sky state
There's a reason Montana is known as the Last Best Place. Living here is special. Here are 10 stories about how unique life in Montana is.
Montana Economic Development
- Podcast - Secure Your Legal Data! - Sherri Davidoff - Missoula-based LMG Security
They talk about free (that's right, free) ways to encrypt devices and emails, as well as promoting two factor identification as an extra means of protection.
- Not Digging It - Montana's Roddie Inc. and Montana Trenchless
Roddie Inc. and Montana Trenchless continue expansion of business across the globe, selling locally made trenchless line replacement equipment
Careers
- The Future of Prospera Business Network in Bozeman, Montana - Now Conducting a Salary Survey
This input showed how valuable you believe Prospera is for our members, the region's business owners, and the communities we serve
Government
- Five New Authors Share Insights on Personal Growth
Here is each author's "lightning talk" describing their work and how you can apply it to your life and career
- Young workers highly sought-after at Flathead HS Career Fair
"They kind of get a free education. Is this something I really want to do before spending thousands of dollars on college."
- What Does It Take to Climb Up the Ladder?
What drives success? Cognitive skills are important, but so are harder-to-measure strengths that fall under the heading of what is sometimes called character.
- How To Get Ready To Give A Speech Faster!
All too often when we go to create a speech we end up making the same set of three different mistakes.
Idaho Business
- A Shared Space for Operational Excellence in Government
Governments looking for ways to improve efficiency now have access to a rich trove of good ideas and best practices.
- Senate Republicans voted today to kill federal privacy rules
The vote paves the way for a big win for the country's telecom giants.
Oregon Business
- Idaho Virtual Reality Council Newsletter
There's a lot going on if you're in Boise this week.
- Idaho says 170,000 job-seeker accounts compromised in hack
The hacking incident involved America's Job Link, a Kansas-based, multistate system that operates the department's IdahoWorks job search engine.
- Never paid sales tax on Amazon orders? Now Idahoans will, like it or not
No, it's not an April Fools' Day joke.
Regional Business
- Oregon lawmakers, sensing ambitious education goals out of reach, prepare to drop them
Now, largely at the urging of the state's teachers union, a group of mostly Democratic lawmakers want the state to drop those goals, largely as an admission the state's schools and colleges won't come close to accomplishing them.
Regional Economic Development
- The Future of Health Care Is Outside the Doctor's Office
Those who enroll in the program are matched with a community health worker -- usually someone born and raised in the community.
- Sears and Kmart might not have enough money to stock their shelves - Here's why department stores aren't cutting it
Each of these companies exemplifies the factors that can still encourage a consumer to get offline and head to the mall.
Utah Economic Development
- 'Hillbilly Elegy' author J.D. Vance's plan to bring Silicon Valley to middle America
I think that cities that are the focus of the "Rise of the Rest" initiatives really do have the infrastructure and the employees to unlock a lot of startup growth.
- Wyoming, South Dakota budgets fund innovation initiatives
Our first look includes $2.5 million in Wyoming for the Economically Needed Diversification Options for Wyoming (ENDOW) program and $4.6 million in South Dakota for the Office of Research Commerce.
Workforce Development
- 19 BYU Technology Transfer inventions become new startups in the last year
"I would say that about 10 percent of those (inventions) are world class," Alder said. "They really are incredible opportunities for helping mankind with new cures for disease, new products (and) new software that solves problems."
Wyoming Business
- Closing the skills gap: Creating workforce-development programs that work for everyone
Whatever the circumstance, when people are disconnected from the workplace, they often disconnect from other social institutions as well. This is not healthy--neither for those left out nor for the societies in which they live.
- Revamped 'Talent Ready Utah' targets Utah's shortage in a talented workforce
Talent Ready Utah will distribute more than $2.1 million in grants for education and training, Gov. Herbert told an audience gathered in the Capitol rotunda.
American Prairie Reserve
- Mobile apps designed just for Wyomingites
There are a handful of apps designed to be specifically helpful to Wyomingites and those visiting the state.
Education
- 'The Last Best Chance' to Restore an Ecosystem - Montana's American Prairie Preserve
"I would boil it down to a single line. How would you like to have had the opportunity to be a co-founder of Yellowstone National Park? This is an opportunity that is personally attractive both because of the scale and the chance to do something for all time -- not for the credit but for the satisfaction of doing it." George Matelich, a managing director of New York-based private equity firm Kelso & Co.
Montana Education Excellence
- Supreme Court Sets Higher Standards for Students With Disabilities
A child's individualized learning program "must be appropriately ambitious in light of the circumstances," Roberts said. "The goals may differ, but every child should have the chance to meet challenging objectives."
Funding and Building your Business
- MSU Peaks and Potentials youth camp (grades 5-7) open for registration
Registration is now open for Montana State University's Peaks and Potentials program, a week-long enrichment camp for high-potential students entering grades 5-7 in the fall, offered June 18-23 on the MSU campus in Bozeman.
Connectivity & Communications
- Techstars Startup Program updates, news and resources
Calling Founders: Techstars Accelerator Programs are Accepting Applications for 13 Programs Worldwide
- Be In The Five: Montana Business Owners Exit Planning And Value Acceleration Program, 4/07-5/18, Online And In Person
Business owners typically have 80-90% of their wealth tied up in their businesses, and every owner will eventually exit. It's not a matter of if, it's a question of when and how.
- QuestMT 2017 registration will open tomorrow, Thursday, March 23rd.
This forum will feature nationally-renowned speakers presenting on cutting-edge topics related to harnessing the power of marketing analytics, including (1) using data to enhance the customer experience, (2) delivering relevance across multiple channels, and (3) generating automated insights using machine learning.
- 9 Ways To Spot An Opportunity To Start A New Business
The best opportunities are recognized from painful needs, plus a growing population of customers with money to spend.
- Relationships Are 100/100, Not 50/50
When I talk about my relationships with a CEO in a company that I'm an investor in, I describe it as one where I only ever want to make one decision, which is whether or not I support her.
- Generation Z Wants a Job. Are You Ready to Hire Them?
Studies show that the people just joining the workforce may present a different set of challenges and opportunities than their predecessors.
- MSU to co-sponsor program about maximizing business value
The series, called "Be In The Five," will educate business owners on the fundamentals of building business value, reducing risks and options for drawing wealth from the business as part of a comprehensive personal financial plan.
- Marc Andreessen: "Take the Ego out of Ideas"
The venture capitalist explores how to shape an innovative mindset.
Government Technology
- How Facebook's Big Bet on Video Could Change TV
For social video, there is YouTube. For premium content, we have Hulu and Netflix," Hosanagar says. "So it's unclear what niche Facebook can occupy in that market. Unless Facebook identifies a clear niche ... it's not clear it will have mass market success."
- Phone Companies Will Soon Banish Robocalls. For Real This Time
Last year the IRS estimated that scammers posing as tax collectors used robocalls to make off with about $26.5 million from the public.
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- A New, Powerful Data Tool For Cities - The Peer City Identification Tool
The tool is a powerful online tool that allows policymakers, planners and researchers to truly identify cities facing similar challenges, and in the process find the ones that may have developed appropriate policy responses.
- 5 Tech-Centric Legislative Trends Coming to Your State
A slew of new legislation proves that technology is at the forefront of the collective legislative mind at the state level.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Videos of The Top Ten Innovation Speakers
What is certain to event professionals is that when they book an innovation speaker, audiences demand that that keynote is relevant, intriguing and creates excitement.
Events
- The Future Called: We're Disgusting And Barbaric
Humans have always done things that were considered normal at the time, that now seem horrific.
- Forget Bitcoin. The Blockchain Could Reveal What's True Today and Tomorrow
Silicon Valley now sees a new way of building markets that predict the future: the blockchain.
- The First Diabetic Patient Who No Longer Needs Insulin Therapy
The doctors of the University of Miami's Diabetes Research Institute have successfully treated a patient who has been suffering from high diabetes by a unique method of treatment.
- TECH DAY - 6/5-6 - Spokane, WA
- Students In The Culinary Arts Program At Missoula College To Host Prix Fixe Chef's Tasting Event, 4/5-7
- IQA Certification Training, 03/29, Bozeman
- Systems Engineering And Process Improvement Course, 04/07, Bozeman
- Networking Strategy Workshop For Business Growth, Starting 4/27, Kalispell
- Parlez Vous Global? Professional Skill Building In A MulticulturalWorld, 04/13, Missoula
- "Tell Us Something" Community Storytelling - "The First Time" - 4/6- Helena, Montana
- 1 Million Cups, 04/05, Bozeman
- "Building Skills For An Inclusive Community" - 3/25 - Billings, Montana
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