MATR Newsletter - Fri May 4, 2018 |
"What you do serves as the proof of what you believe" Simon Sinek
2018 MT State Society For Human Resource Management Conference - 5/9-11 - Missoula, Montana http://www.matr.net/ev ... =6889
Montana Department of Commerce
TechLink
- Lt. Gov. Cooney and Commerce Director Haxby-Cote Honor Affordable Housing Champions
"These housing champions have spent much of their careers focused on strengthening our vibrant communities. It's their passion and commitment which allows us to create more affordable housing opportunities across Montana." Lt. Gov. Cooney
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
- Did you know that TechLink has helped transfer over 1,000 Department of Defense inventions to industry?
Keep reading for even more technology licensing opportunities, recent success stories, and handy resources:
Early Edge Montana
- Dorsey & Whitney - California Changes the Gig Economy Game For Independent Contractor Status
Hundreds of thousands of California employers that engage independent contractors must reevaluate those classifications under the new standard embraced by the state's high court yesterday.
Visit Montana
- Innovative early learning projects vie for grant funding
"We are at a pivotal moment in early education,"
VR/AR, Blockchain, Bitcoin, Artificial Intelligence and The Internet of Things
- MPG Ranch Volunteer Opportunities
MPG works closely with local conservation groups and researchers to offer educational opportunities to students of all ages.
Energy and Climate Change
- What Is Blockchain? Three Videos Explain the New Technology That Promises to Change Our World
Blockchain could become as vital to society as the protocols that undergird the internet itself.
Come Home Montana
- Throttling nuclear power production could lead to cheaper, greener energy
According to the study, nuclear power plants do not need to operate at maximum capacity to maximize their efficiency.
- US regulatory thumbs up brings small modular nuclear reactors a step closer
The first small modular reactor (SMR) application has passed an intensive Phase 1 review by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), potentially marking the next chapter in civilian nuclear power in the US. The okay of the reactor Design Certification Application (DCA) for Britain-based NuScale Power means that plans can progress for Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems' 12-module SMR plant in Idaho, which is scheduled to go online in the middle of the next decade.
- California's power grid is changing fast, and 'we don't have a plan'
Cities are buying electricity directly for their citizens, companies like Google are sidestepping the utilities to buy power on their own and cheap solar energy is flooding the grid.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Montana Career Opportunities - Senior Transportation Engineer, Transportation Engineer, Land Survey Field Technician and more... - WGM Group
We design and develop projects uniquely suited for evolving landscapes, water resources, and communities in order to find the best solutions for the unique places we live, now and in the future.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Program & Development Coordinator - The Big Sky Film Institute
The Program & Development Coordinator will execute the development vision of the Institute and the annual festival through fundraising, program coordination and communication.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Program Assistant - Biomimicry Institute
We are looking for a top-notch Program Assistant with proven administrative skills and background to help further our Design Challenge programs, specifically the Biomimicry Global Design Challenge and the Biomimicry Launchpad.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Marketing Director - Butte Local Development Corporation
The Marketing Director will have the ability to work independently on projects, from conception to completion, and must be able to work under pressure at times to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Fiscal Analyst - Headwaters RC&D
The position performs a wide variety of business processes including payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, financial management and reporting, analysis, and budgeting.
Montana Business
- The Blackstone Launchpad Highlights Jennifer Sheets, Storysquares App (University of Montana)
Storysquares is a digital writing tool that uses storyboarding as a method to help students write their stories one square at a time -- much like a comic book's structure.
- The Wisconsin Idea for a new generation - "Tapping into the creativity of our students for the good of Wisconsin: Contributions to the Wisconsin Idea across generations."
"We need our 22-year-old graduates to believe they can have an innovative startup in our state. We believe that as a community of people committed to young innovators we can help our students achieve and stay."
- Potluck Of The Minds - Ignite Format - Presentations Of 20 Slides In 5 Minutes - 5/25 - Missoula
We all have passions and ideas and those things are amazing.
Montana Economic Development
- BioHaven floating islands help Sentinel students learn nature knows best
The system purifies the water without the use of harmful chemicals.
- Montana World Trade Center TechEX Featuring Submittable, 05/24, Missoula
Join us for a live case study featuring Missoula-based SaaS firm, Submittable.
- Advisor Group firm's settlement over Missoula-based former broker Barry Hartman's practices regarding Invizeon pushes regulatory payouts over $18M
"This guy (Barry Hartman) did stuff he shouldn't have been doing," Advisor Group CEO Jamie Price said in an interview in late April. "It's 100% resolved, and I think Montana did the job that they're required to do to protect the people in their state."
- Gibson Guitar Maker's Bankruptcy Won't Impact Bozeman Plant
Gibson is looking to ditch home electronics and focus on its specialty, musical instruments.
- ATG Inks Lease for New Missoula Offices at the Old Sawmill District
OSD will support ATG's rapidly growing team of 130+ employees with a central location, great proximity to downtown, the river, trails, housing, and entertainment.
- Sold! $58M - Missoula's Southgate Mall sale expected to be largest in Pacific Northwest in 2018
The $58 million sale of Southgate Mall to Washington Prime Group closed this week, completing what's expected to be one the largest mall transactions this year in the Pacific Northwest, according to NKF Capital Markets, which handled the deal.
- Bozeman, Montana based Diamond B Technology Solutions. A leader in technology and logistic solutions
Custom Software Solution
- Bozeman-based Homestake Venture Partners
Connecting community-minded investors, local "HomeGrown" businesses needing capital, and experienced business folks to create more economically communities.
- Report: Montana is no fun. Even North Dakota has more of a jolly good time.
Could a survey that found North Dakota significantly more fun than Montana be anything but fundamentally flawed?
Careers
- How would Billings pay for One Big Sky? Leaders learn how
"If you want your town to be producing for the entire state, you've got to look at doing something different. I get frustrated by people who try things over and over again and expect a different result."
Rural Communities
- MicroMasters Credentials are a Pathway to Today's Top Jobs
MicroMasters programs are a series of graduate level courses from top universities designed to advance your career.
- The rise of the blue-collar signing bonus -- BNSF offering up to $25,000 for hourly workers, including electricians, boilermakers and pipefitters
"We want to meet our customers' needs, and we're going to do what we need to do to hire for our company," said Amy Casas, the railroad's director of corporate communications.
- Lead Like a Woman
7 Traits of Successful Female Leaders
Business Plan Forums
- Rebuild America's rural infrastructure
Together, we can ensure that USDA investments in rural infrastructure will create jobs, expand economic opportunities and help ensure that rural communities continue to be great places to live, work, start a business, and raise a family.
City Club Missoula
- Can You Pick the Winner of the Penn Wharton Startup Challenge?
Thirty teams of entrepreneurial hopefuls were winnowed down to just eight finalists, who competed to win the alumni judges' hearts and minds and garner a total of $135,000 in cash and business services during the Startup Showcase on Penn's Campus last week.
Government
- Montana tourism marketing stays flexible after big 2017 fire season - City Club Missoula Presents: Western Montana's Changing Firescape: How Does It Impact Our Community - 5/14
Researchers estimate more than 800,000 visitors didn't come to Montana last year, with the state losing as much as a $250 million. Yet, there was a silver lining in all those clouds of smoke.
Idaho
- Tester's Bipartisan Bill to Promote Precision Agriculture and Expand High Speed Internet Takes Big Step Forward
Precision agriculture is an approach to farming and ranching that uses information technologies, such as wireless internet and mobile devices, to better manage crop cycles, irrigation, soil health, harvests and other aspects of production agriculture.
- Gianforte looks to tuck forest management reform policies into pending Farm Bill
While Gianforte believes such reforms will enhance forest management, opponents see it as an effort to circumvent the public process, whether it's hindering environmental reviews or eliminating the right to challenge a flawed federal decision on public lands in court.
- Budget Cuts Force Closure Of Montana Department Of Revenue Offices
Hardest hit is the Department's Property Assessment Division, where staff calculate new property tax values and reassess old ones. Until last year there were offices in all 56 counties. By this time next year that number will drop to 28.
- Montana budget cuts hitting mental health case workers, clients
"I had a client who -- because of this news -- did attempt to kill himself. [He] wasn't successful, but that's just the beginning," Leon said in December. "You know, I don't know how many more, I've got people going into crisis people calling me up freaking out...I don't know what to tell them."
- The Key to Optimizing Your Water Utility
6 billion gallons of water (enough to support 15 million households) is lost daily to leaking pipes and an additional 2 trillion gallons are lost annually to main breaks.
Oregon Business
- Chobani - Idaho company praised for parental leave policy
Chobani now offers six weeks of 100 percent paid parental leave for all employees. It's offered to both moms and dads who've given birth, adopted or fostered a child.
Other Economies
- Oregon's tech industry appears to have plateaued
Oregon tech has continued to expand over the past four years and still pays some of the state's best wages, the research indicates. But its growth rate now lags the broader state economy.
Regional Business
- Innovation and the Wisconsin Idea
We have all the ingredients for innovation. With that in mind, a greater focus on supporting our student entrepreneurs will help more innovators create startups that will improve lives and grow our economy.
Wyoming Business
- New Hiring Policy Threatens Seasonal Employees at National Parks
Guideline change has resulted in some part-time workers losing 'rehire status'
Montana Education Excellence
- Wyoming's ENDOW focuses on foundation first, building second
Last year, Gov. Matt Mead asked me to do a difficult thing -- join the Economically Needed Diversity Options for Wyoming initiative executive council. He charged the council with bringing bold, game-changing ideas to the table that would help diversify Wyoming's economy for the long term.
Community
- MSU - Advancing The Field Of Education With Dr. Alison Harmon - 5/17 - Missoula, Montana
Joining us will be special guest speaker, Dr. Alison Harmon, Dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Development.
- Revelations Over Koch Gifts Prompt Inquiry at George Mason University
The newly released documents were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by Samantha Parsons of UnKoch My Campus, a group that seeks to expose the influence of the billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch over colleges and universities.
Funding and Building your Business
- The Disassociated American Dream
The only way the American Dream can be set back on track; back to a place where opportunity and the ability to access it align, is to construct cities Americans want to call home; not yesterday's Americans, but today and tomorrow's Americans."
- When Blue-Collar Jobs Disappear, White-Collar Workers Leave
Some places are losing more lawyers and accountants than factory workers.
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- Today's TED Talk - Why tech needs the humanities
He shares why tech companies should look beyond STEM graduates for new hires -- and how people with backgrounds in the arts and humanities can bring creativity and insight to technical workplaces.
- Closing the doors versus selling your business
During a recent meeting with a client, I discovered his intent was not to exit, but to liquidate his business, and he was looking to me to support his decisions.
- Welcome To The Missoula Mastermind - Every Thursday Morning - Missoula
Is this a networking group? No, it is not a networking group. We are not selling stuff to each other. We thrive on helping each other break through marketing and business issues.
- What does it take to create a workplace in which women thrive?
Four women leaders shared common issues that women face and offered advice for tackling these challenges during a panel discussion at this year's ASU+GSV Summit.
- How your workplace is killing you
These practices don't help companies - and warns governments are ignoring an emerging public health crisis.
- Tech Founders Embraced Control Over Companies. This One Is Giving It Up.
Now Zynga, a once high-flying maker of popular internet games such as FarmVille and Words With Friends, has taken the unusual step of scrapping its founder-friendly structure -- a change that could make it easier for the company to sell itself down the line.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Cannes Film Festival to Include Two Montana-Made Selections
"Festivals are great exposure for films made in Montana or by our talented filmmakers," said Montana Film Commissioner Allison Whitmer. "To be selected for screening at Cannes is an honor itself, but to be the only American film screening during Critics' Week is an additional distinction that speaks to the quality of the work being done here."
HACKING AND VIRUS ALERTS
- 15 Biometric Sensors in the Work That Will Replace Medical Records and Diagnose the Most Common Disorders
Take a look at some of the incredible biometric technologies poised to change the health industry in the very near future.
- Noise-canceling windows soften the sounds of the city
Noise-canceling systems don't just block sound, they actively counter it with their own sound waves.
Transportation
- Change Your Twitter Password Right Now
While Twitter has fixed the bug, and doesn't think any of the exposed passwords were accessed in any way, you should still change your Twitter password right now to make sure your account is secure.
Events
- Warren Buffett: Driverless cars will dramatically reduce insurance premiums
"If driverless cars are successful and people don't hack into 'em, that will reduce auto insurance premiums -- and perhaps drastically reduce them."
- Editorial: Driverless cars will save lives and money
UW's Automated Vehicle Proving Grounds is one of 10 federally designated labs testing autonomous vehicle technology, a distinction Wisconsin should be proud of, and which could lead to spinoff businesses and jobs.
- South Korea is building a $35 billion city designed to eliminate the need for cars
The $35 billion district -- currently a work-in-progress about the size of downtown Boston -- was designed to eliminate the need for cars.
- BMW, Ford, GM, and Renault Join Blockchain Consortium Focused on Automotive Industry
MOBI says it aims to create common standards of using blockchain in the industry and wants to drive for a new digital mobility ecosystem, that ranges from ride-sharing to self-driving vehicles and everything in between.
- How Uber Plans To Get Flying Taxis Off The Ground
While burning through cash on the ground, Uber zooms ahead with plans to launch an affordable air taxi service in five years.
- Sandpoint, Idaho based Solar Roadways brings home the gold on CBS's 'Innovation Nation' competition
The CBS television show "Innovation Nation" with Mo Rocca named the Sandpoint company, Solar Roadways its champion Sunday.
- The transition to self-driving cars may be bumpier than you think
...he called autonomous vehicle technology "the best way to prevent nearly 40,000 U.S. road deaths each year."
- 2018 MT State Society For Human Resource Management Conference - 5/9-11 - Missoula, Montana
- Human-Machine Interfaces & The Future Of Interaction - 5/16 - Seattle, WA
- Open Invite - Welcome To The Missoula Mastermind - Every Thursday - Missoula
- Open Public Meeting - A Call To Action: Public Lands & Waterways - 5/9 - Billings, Montana
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