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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Oct 31, 2006 |
"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein
"MEDA (Montana Economic Developers Association) Conference photos, highlights and presentation files" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Boomtown Institute
Come Home Montana
- Impact of One Movie - "Fargo"
North Dakota has a shortage of workers and the state is trying to recruit back former residents
Developing Tech Jobs in Rural Communities
- Excellent Contract Opportunity - Missoula Historic Preservation Interpretive Program Seeks Applicants for Graphic Design and Information Management
The project has a number of components including education, public involvement, technical support and the annual Preservation Awards.
Montana Education Excellence
- New York Bets on High-Tech to Aid Upstate
“The key for upstate New York, or any other region, is the ability to build the set of social and institutional relationships that encourage innovation.”
- Indiana City Draws Orthopedic Firms
Three of the world's five largest makers of artificial joints and related surgical tools have their headquarters here amid the lakes and fields of northeastern Indiana.
- Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels names next week 'Entrepreneurship Week'
“We’ve been working hard to build the best environment possible for the birth and development of high-tech, high-growth companies,” Daniels said. “The goal of Entrepreneurship Week is to aggressively reach out to Hoosier graduates and successful business professionals, including those currently living outside of Indiana, and show them how opportunities abound in their native state.”
- The Other Indian Outsourcer. Accenture and the Umatilla tribes' bold plan
Accenture Ltd. needed low-cost places to fill the growing demand for outsourced work performed in the U.S. The Umatilla tribes, based in northeast Oregon, needed jobs and a way to diversify their gaming- and government-dependent economy. Would the tribes be interested in teaming up? Within minutes, Willis' friend ushered him into a tribal board meeting already in session, led by Chairman Antone Minthorn.
Education
- Missoula's Franklin Elementary School earns national honors
To win, Franklin's students and staff had to keep a record of academic success over five years. The kids not only had to post good scores on the annual tests of reading and math, higher percentages of them had to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress each year. * In 2005, 90 percent of Franklin's fourth-graders scored proficient or above on their statewide math tests. The Montana average for that test is just 57 percent.
2007 Montana Legislature
- UM's Paleontology Center celebrates $1.3 million grant
The funding launches Stanley's decades-old dream to breathe life into UM's paleontology programs, and to imprint the state's youngest students with the love of fossil hunting and solving mysteries.
- A new alliance hoping to shape pre-kindergarten to graduate school to break down educational barriers and ensure a quality future workforce has landed its biggest grant ever.
"A vision for education that establishes a direct link between education and workforce development is critical to the region's economic vitality."
Montana Business
- Montana Chamber Enters the Blogosphere
“Blogs are a great way to provide our members and the public with current information on issues affecting economic development and business in general,” said Jon Bennion, Government Relations Director of the Montana Chamber and primary poster on the blog. “During the Legislative session, we’ll have daily posts to give people a business perspective on the latest developments.”
Montana Economic Development
- Visual Learning Systems (VLS of Missoula) Parent Company purchased by Textron - Owners of Bell Helicopter and Cessna
"Visual Learning Systems is a machine learning R&D company creating 21st century information technology tools for the GIS industry."
- Montana Companies Should Capitalize on the "Montana" Name
Montanans can be successful in the global market when branding their products with the “Montana” name, according to an international marketing consultant.
- Leaner Marines: Wesco of Helena working to help lighten equipment load on troops
Wesco, which has in the past done work for several state departments, recently became a subcontactor of Raytheon, one of the biggest national defense firms in the country.
- Helena employers struggling. Labor market painfully tight.
"It used to be much easier to find people, but unemployment is low all over Montana," said Wall, who has about 85 employees. "Here, the state is expanding, the federal government is expanding at (Fort Harrison) and the airport, and then there's all this new retail."
- Making a Global Impression - "Paper Inspirations" of Kalispell
From Tappan’s shop in Kalispell, the company ships tens of thousands of rubber stamps all over the world, from Singapore to South Africa to New Zealand to Norway. There are 800 accounts in the United States alone.
- Montana workers do commute, but without the stress of big-city drivers
The nature of Montana commuting got mention in the Wall Street Journal last week. Tapping Census data, the newspaper concluded that Cascade County residents enjoy the shortest average commute time of any county in the country.
- RightNow Technologies Reports Third Quarter 2006 Financial Results
RightNow reported its 35th consecutive quarter of revenue growth, with third quarter consolidated revenue of $30.1 million, an increase of 30 percent from the third quarter of 2005.
Funding and Building your Business
- Luncheon in Great Falls to focus on recruiting younger talent - "Hot Jobs — Cool Communities"
"We have room for 560," he said. "We are going to sell it out."
- Economic Sports Development. Advantage Butte delivers on tournament promises
Four years later, Advantage Butte is going strong, with a record 13 tournaments booked for 2007, each promising to bring in hundreds of players and fans. The group is also helping Butte Central host a major speech meet in December.
- MEDA (Montana Economic Developers Association) Conference photos, highlights and presentation files
Couldn’t make it to the MEDA Conference? This is the next best thing. http://www.medamembers.org/highlightsfall06.html
- Demand growing for economic development grant money in Butte
Requests for funds exceeds moneyvavailable by more than 5 times
Regional Business
- 5 traits often spell success for managers of start-up ventures
The best entrepreneurs are cash managers, cash conservers and cash finders.
- Tiny Slice, Big Market
I define a meganiche as a thin slice of the Web that nonetheless represents roughly a million users. The meganiche is something new, and it will have a lasting impact on online business and culture.
- Startups: Why You Shouldn't Compete With 37Signals
There is no better form of funding than sales. It’s like a loan that pays you interest.
Regional Economic Development
- Eide Bailly Technology Consulting Attains Gold Certified Partner Status in Microsoft Partner Program
As a Gold Certified Partner, Eide Bailly has demonstrated expertise with Microsoft technologies and proven ability to meet customers’ needs. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners receive a rich set of benefits, including access, training and support, giving them a competitive advantage in the channel.
Idaho Business
- Urban Re-Renewal. Downtowns making a comeback as places to call home
"The 'in' thing in real estate used to be sprawling suburban homes with one-acre lots, picket fences and plenty of lawn to mow. But these days, many young professionals, empty-nesters and retirees across the country are either downsizing or looking for a more chic and affordable lifestyle. And they’re finding it downtown."
- Tacoma to Portland: Let Us In!
"After years of looking to Portland as a model for Tacoma, the Tacoma City Council finally decided that it would be easier to just join the Rose City rather than try to copy everything they do. At a special Thursday meeting, the Council voted 9-0 to ask Portland to annex them."
- Counties Band Together for Regional Business Plan Competition
“The primary purpose of this competition is twofold: first, to partially fund the start-up and/or expansion of business activities to improve the per capita income of Fulton County; and second, to diversify Fulton County’s economy by focusing investment in business research that will create industry clusters requiring high-skill, high-wage employees for the county.”
- Oregon, Idaho, China sign trade memo pledging to pursue trade that involves ports in all three regions.
In five years, China has grown to be Idaho's top trading partner, with more than $550 million in annual exports from the state, including computer chips from Micron Technology.
Wyoming Business
- Zero to 65 employees in four years. By Design Publishing Inc. and Digital Print & Mail Inc. of Hayden, Idaho
“We’re sort of a personalized custom publisher,” Lee says. “We’re not a pure custom publisher, and we’re not a pure direct mailer. We’re somewhere in the middle.”
Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR)
- Out of work in Michigan? Wyoming wants you.
Employers in Wyoming are hoping that many more follow.
Universities and Economic DevelopmentUniversity Business Plan Competitions
- A new dean at Yale's management school reinvents the curriculum to fit modern realities
There is a deep-seated belief in this institution that our mission is so important -- to educate leaders for business and society -- that we have to set out a model that other schools will want to emulate."
Incubators and R&D
- BYU team takes second in national business plan competition
Thirty-eight teams competed in the contest, each team having won the business plan contest at its respective school or university (or a university-based contest open to more than one school).
Small Diameter Timber Utilization
- National Institutes of Health Scientists leaving over new job limits
Most scientists say the ethics crackdown is too severe, and nearly three-quarters of them believe it will hinder the government's ability to attract and keep medical researchers, according to a survey commissioned by the government's premier medical research agency.
Non-Profit News
- Researchers study how thinning helps stand of old-growth trees
The bottom line: The trees in the area that was thinned were healthier.
Connectivity & Communications
- Ted Turner Ranch and Gov. & Mrs. Schweitzer Help Online Special Olympics Montana Auction Nov. 6-10
In 2005 it raised $60,000 for the Special Olympics. The year-round, nonprofit program offers sports training and athletic competition for people with intellectual disabilities, according to the organization's Web site.
- Paul G. Allen Family Foundation Announces Latest Grants. More Than $11.5 Million to Benefit 93 Nonprofit Organizations Throughout the Pacific Northwest
The Foundation awarded $11,527,500 to 93 organizations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.
Space and Zero Gravity Research
- California Executive Order to Promote Statewide Broadband
"California is home to the greatest technology entrepreneurs. Let's show the world what we can do,"
- Private Conversation Is Aim Of New Blog Software
The next big blog trend is about what you and your friends see and others don't.
- A 'Medium' for Web connections
Musk likens the concept to a person walking down Pearl Street. While heading into an empty restaurant, he might bump into friends approaching a different one and decide to go there with them instead. "It gives the ability for people to see each other, learn from other people ... effectively recreate what you see on the street," he said.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- NASA Invests in Its Future With Venture Capital Firm. 'Red Planet' Nonprofit to Fund Aerospace Innovation
"We will invest with others in companies making products that aren't being made elsewhere and that NASA might be able to use," said Peter Banks, one of the organizers and managers of Red Planet. "We don't really expect the companies to be making products that can be used as is on the moon, or in other low-gravity environments. NASA would do the adapting once the technology is developed."
- Conscious effort to connect World Brain online
"We're going to merge with machine intelligence,"
- Louisiana Tech Develops Smart Paper Using Nanotechnology
This discovery enables paper to be used as electronic devices, such as capacitors, inductors and transistors.
- Computing, 2016: What Won’t Be Possible?
“This is the introduction of computing and algorithmic processes into the social sciences in a big way,” Dr. Kleinberg said, “and we’re just at the beginning.”
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