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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Sep 22, 2006 |
"We live in a moment of history where change is so speeded up that we begin to see the present only when it is already disappearing." -- R. D. Laing
Hope you can join the Governor Monday night: "Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer to give "Montana State Roundup" address at City Club Missoula 2nd anniversary event 9/25" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
2006 Montana Elections
Come Home Montana
- Montana’s Electronic Voting Technology: Where are We on the Path to Montana Vote Security?
Missoula Community Access Television (MCAT) announced today that the next two weeks’ showings of “What’s Up Missoula?” will feature host Rikki Danielson’s two half-hour interviews with election integrity activist Steve Corrick.
Developing Tech Jobs in Rural Communities
- Outstanding Career Opportunity - Western Montana Economic Development Coordinator
Develops & implements economic development plans for local government & communities in Ravalli, Missoula & Mineral Counties.
Montana Education Excellence
- Lifestyle, not just high paying jobs, top draw for talent
Fewer of those who grow up in rural communities and go off to college seem to be returning home when they graduate. Instead, many are opting for destination cities. Reversing that brain drain will play a big part in attracting new businesses to the region, conference organizers have said.
Education
- Education foundation's grant provides books for Sidney's fifth-grade students
The foundation's mission statement reads, "The purpose of the Sidney Community Education Foundation is to promote, maintain and improve the quality of education in the public schools of Sidney, Mont., in ways that would not happen with traditional funding alone."
- The Montana Campus Compact Presents The Sixth Annual "Building Engaged Citizens" Training, 9/22-24, Helena, MT
The organization, based at The University of Montana in Missoula, will provide leadership training for more than 100 incoming AmeriCorps and VISTA volunteers and for students throughout the state who participate in its Raise Your Voice program.
- Bernard Osher Foundation Funds University Courses for Older Adults in the Greater Missoula Area
The public is invited to the free open house and dessert reception at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20, in the University Center Ballroom. Attendees may join MOLLI and register for classes.
- Local food, locally eaten: Kids' lunchtime peaches, melons and carrots are all Montana grown
It is part of a continuing Farm to School campaign that now involves the University of Montana, Salish-Kootenai College, elementary and secondary schools in Missoula, area ranchers and growers, and other organizations interested in local foods.
Montana Business
- The Montana Board of Public Education Elects Diane Fladmo as Chairperson
"I am very pleased to be allowed to carry on the important work of the Board in these challenging and exciting times. In concert with Governor Schweitzer and Superintendent McCulloch the Board has placed a high priority on Kindergarten to College issues. A focus on improving the entire education system will enhance Montanaís economy as we strive for a world class education system viable and competitive with the rest of the country and world."
- Business Schools Changing Approach to Entrepreneurial Education
"By and large, business schools have long had the mentality that they're training managers for big established firms," Rice said. "But if you ignore new product and market development you're missing the boat."
- Universities Green For Many Purposes
Colleges and universities are finding innovative ways to be community leaders in waste reduction, renewable energy and green procurement. But their reasons are not selfless.
- Regents to hear two proposals for colleges in Bitterroot
This summer, University of Montana officials publicly joined the discussion about putting a college in the Bitterroot - the most populated area of the state not to have close access to higher education.
- MPACT pilot program helps students better afford the University of Montana
“It’s the right thing to do, because some of these students probably wouldn’t be here,” Hanson said.
- The Top Business Schools: Something Old, Something New
Michigan owes its first-place showing in part to its emphasis on practical experience in its M.B.A. program. Recruiters say they prize Michigan graduates because they can connect theory with practice.
- Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell launches program to put 35,000 laptops in classrooms
"We are not equipping our young people with all the tools they need in a technical, global economy," he said. "We won't rest until every one of our school buildings has high-speed Internet."
- Brigham Young University's business school jumps to No. 3. Program recognized for its 'hard-working, mature' students
"We are elated that recruiters think so highly of our students and MBA program," said Ned C. Hill, Marriott School dean. "There are hundreds of excellent business schools in the country, which makes this ranking particularly rewarding. We're also very pleased that our graduates continue to be known for their high ethical standards."
- Vision of the future: Fusion of education, technology on display at University of Montana
“About one-quarter to one-third of the plagiarism we see is students swapping papers,” Goldberg said. “The system shows students where proper citation is needed. It's up to the instructor to decide if it's plagiarized.”
Montana Economic Development
- MATR Offers Outstanding Marketing Opportunities to Montana and Regional Companies and Organizations
MATR and its articles and posting are usually very high on the search engine rankings.
- Elk River, Idaho receives $162K Community Connect Grant to build a community-wide wireless mesh network developed by Access Consulting of Missoula, MT
The system, designed by Paul DeWolfe, P.E., of Access Consulting http://www.access-consulting.net , covers the entire community and connects several critical facilities and the library.
- Montana Agriculture tradeshow expands into a big iron, heavy equipment show
This commercial, business-to-business trade show will be fifth annual Ag & Construction Expo, formerly the Ag Technology Show, and will be held at the Billings MetraPark Expo Center January 11 – 13, 2007.
- Butte plant getting boost. $50 million project will increase polysilicon production at REC Silicon
“That amount of new investment in our community is fantastic,” said Jim Smitham, executive director of the Butte Local Development Corp. “It shows they are very happy with their operations here.” “They see promise in their plant,” Butte-Silver Bow Chief Executive Paul Babb said. “That’s very positive for our area.” The county is also collaborating with REC for a solution to high energy costs.
- Whatever Happened to "Small" Business in Montana? Simms Fishing Products
Retirement dreams of running a small fly-fishing gear outfit fade away after a peek inside the operations of the real thing in Montana
- Hamilton's hotspots
Wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) access points, known as “hotspots,” are prevalent downtown - something of a phenomenon in a city of less than 5,000 residents.
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- Main Street Montana Fall Edition Highlights Silver Bow County
Each edition of the Main Street provides insightful tools from the various divisions within the Department of Labor and Industry, Department of Commerce and the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity to assist over 35,000 Montana employers in maximizing their business potential.
- An Invitation to Participate in New West's premier conference on Real Estate Development in the Northern Rockies – October 5-6 in Missoula.
This is a must-attend for anyone marketing, developing, selling, managing or buying real estate in the region. The speaker line-up is spectacular, and your fellow attendees will be the region's thought leaders.
- If you are interested and/or involved in economic and community development in the state of Montana or surrounding region….Havre, Montana is the place to be October 19th and 20th. MEDA 2006 FALL CONFERENCE, 10/19-20, Havre, Montana
What’s Happening in Your Region? Share news, projects or challenges taking place in your area. Groups will report and share ideas according to Montana Department of Commerce Regional Development Officer areas.
- St. James Healthcare Foundation awarded grant to find answer to nurse shortage
The foundation was one of 10 nationwide to receive grants from Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future. The money will be used for participation in a national initiative designed to develop and test solutions to the nursing shortage.
- Great Falls business improvement group downgrading leadership post- Frustrated search to fill job vacancy spurs new approach
The downtown Great Falls Business Improvement District will seek a lower paid executive assistant after board members opted Thursday not to hire a director seeking a benefits package of nearly $90,000.
Funding and Building your Business
- Angel investors commit $12.7B in first half of `06. Healthcare, software, and biotech are still their top choices
American angel investors continue to be the largest source of seed and start-up capital in the nation
Regional Business
- Using digg and Netscape to get traffic
Bloggers have realized that if they get their blog on the homepage of digg or Netscape thousands of visitors will flood into their blog within minutes.
- Choosing between an LLC and S corporation for your enterprise
Both entities shield personal assets from company liabilities.
- Dogs At Work: A Perk That Pays Off. Some Companies Find Furry Companions Keep Employees Productive
"Anytime you have an employee that's content, I think they become more productive in general." Replacements Ltd. owner Bob Page
- 10 tips: Avoiding the startup graveyard
Building your own business is a big gamble. Here are steps on how to play without losing your shirt.
- Intellections Newsletter
- Angel-investor session goes public. Entrepreneurs to make pitches with an audience on hand
"The audience will see all aspects, they’ll see how the presentations go," says Christina Jones, program coordinator for CTEK Angels. "They can also kind of learn from the mistakes that the presenters might make. This is going to be real."
- JSEC Presents "What Are “You” Doing To Prevent Employee Fraud?" ,11/1, Hamilton, MT
Do you know how to develop a fraud policy?
- The Art of Distribution by Guy Kawasaki (He's not talking about widgets...)
Many people use the word “distribution” as if it were a tactic when in fact it is a goal. Any bozo can say the word as if it’s a magic bullet; the test is the ability to achieve distribution.
- IBM gets start-ups onboard early
It's important for platform providers to get in early with start-ups, as limited R&D budgets mean their products will generally use just one vendor's database or middleware stack.
- Inside Entrepreneurship: Leave corporate papers to lawyers
Do I need a specialized lawyer to set up my corporation?
Regional Economic Development
- Frazier Healthcare brings in experts to get more bang for its bucks in drugs and medical devices
The Seattle-based venture investor, one of the nation's largest health-care venture firms with $1.2 billion under management, is trying to adapt to the rough reality of biotech investing.
- News has downtown Seattle on edge. Athletes compete. Companies compete. Newspapers compete. So do downtowns.
Seattle's downtown isn't immune from such competitive battles. Whether competing with Vancouver, B.C., for cruise-ship calls, Portland and Boise for corporate and regional headquarters offices or Bellevue for shopping and entertainment.
- Mountain states region is among the hottest tech job markets in the nation.
"More and more nontechnology businesses are relying on technology to improve their internal operations and increase revenue,"
- Oregon group seeks $40 million to seed innovative businesses
"This is about the state providing seed money to get innovation initiatives off the ground,"
Idaho Business
- Population Gains Eat Up Available Land in the West. Just what is sprawl, and why is it really a concern?
"Plan" and "zone" used to be treated as other four-letter words uttered in some parts of the West, but as waves and waves of newcomers fill up subdivisions that are popping up all over the region, land-use efforts are gaining ground in new areas of the West and are being revamped in areas that have had such plans in place for decades.
- It's The Middle Class, Not The Creative Class
The craze over coffeeshops and condos won't revive American cities. Improving urban life for the middle class will.
Wyoming Business
- Most Idaho jobs short of living wage. Only 17 percent of jobs in Idaho are paying a living wage
67 percent of jobs in state fall under single, no children category
- Post Falls, Idaho Chamber, college offer workforce opportunities to retain local employees
"If they leave you for a signing bonus, they might leave the next one," she said. Helping provide continuing education, whether through tuition reimbursement or an education bonus is a better idea, Thomas believes. It's also a good value, she said.
- Audit finds excessive bonuses at Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
The contractor running the Idaho National Laboratory has received more than $2 million in overly liberal bonus money, an audit has found.
Incubators and R&D
- Florida Polo company, Polo Gear considers move to Wyoming
"If there are any drawbacks to the location, they're far surpassed by the quality of life,"
Business Plan Forums
- Research Roundup at Montana State University (#263), Katrina lessons, Bite of bikers?, Ship of death, Grain bin rescues, Phew, no flu
The single voyage of one ship, the Hankey, changed the history of North America, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean Islands, says MSU historian Billy Smith who is writing a book on the matter.
Careers
- Economic development consortium launching $100,000 business plan competition
"Our region has a history of innovation and creativity. We're looking to rekindle that mentality, and tap our collective brainpower to uncover the next big entrepreneurial success story,"
Non-Profit News
- Griffin-Hammis Associates LLC, (Florence) to establish a National Self-Employment Technical Assistance and Research initiative. Labor Department Awards Nearly $5 Million in Grants to Advance Self Employment Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities
This initiative will provide direct technical assistance to the Sub-National Projects of Systemic Innovation and Technical Assistance; develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for increasing the capacity of existing systems for providing self-employment services to people with disabilities through training, technical assistance, and research; conduct research and analysis of resources currently available to persons with disabilities for pursuit of entrepreneurship; and analyze structures currently in place that either promote or impede the expansion of business ownership in the disability community.
- How to Find the Next Hot Job
My advise is to be like a VC and do due diligence on the new prospect like they do.
- Older workers in record demand
Older workers appear to be in demand these days, with Americans working in their 50s, 60s, 70s and even 80s hitting a record high, according to a new study.
Energy
- Five years later, the Idaho Women's Charitable Foundation has donated nearly $500,000 to nonprofits
"What you're doing is a vital part of the energy that has made America strong,"
Connectivity & Communications
- UC Davis gets $25 million for biofuel research from Chevron
The research could lead to the use of farm and forest vegetation as well as urban waste as transportation fuel. Crops may be harvested for fuel as well.
- Bio-Diesel As A Rural Development Strategy
Already the world's largest producer of ethanol, Brazil is now betting on biodiesel, with an eye to helping small farmers like De Sousa capitalize on what some see as the next big thing in green energy.
City Club Missoula
- Gov't Wants ISPs' User Data
"This is a problem that requires federal legislation," Gonzales told the Senate Banking Committee. "We need information. Information helps us makes cases."
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Governor speaks at City Club Missoula Monday
More specifically, Schweitzer will talk about his administration's plans and priorities for economic development in the state.
- 11 companies changing the world
From battling traffic and developing new software, to fighting cancer and powering electric cars, Business 2.0 chose these innovators for their big ideas that will change everything.
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