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| MATR Newsletter - Tue May 22, 2007 |
"If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm." Vince Lombardi (1913-1970)
Congratulations to an outstanding success story in Montana. "Kalispell telecommunications firm secures $17 million in venture funds" http://matr.net/articl ... .html ------ Also, if you know of anyone who's got young children, this is an excellent program that should be utilized. - "Gear up! prepares Montana 7th and 8th grade students for early college and career awareness; financial aid awareness and planning; and improved academic support and vigor." http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Boomtown Institute
Come Home Montana
- The Agurban from Boomtown Institute. "Access Illinois Outdoors"
The overall impact from the program was $3 million in just one county.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Netflix eyes Butte, Montana - Job opportunity posted
The company’s Web site lists the job as a full-time position paying $60,000 to $70,000 a year. The qualifications include experience managing 60-plus employees.
- Montana Career Opportunities - Computer Programmer - State of Mt/Dept of Admin
Provides state agencies with design, technical support, and software maintenance of their Microsoft, Oracle and Java applications.
- Residents came together to help keep Montana town alive
"They were anxious for us to get up and going again," she said. "You can see how if you don't rebuild, a town can just go away. You don't realize what it means sometimes until you have to drive 90 miles for a gallon of milk. We were shellshocked for a while and then we decided to rebuild."
Montana Education Excellence
- Elementeo’s 13-year-old CEO, highlight of TiECON
Samar argues that textbooks are boring and kids would rather spend their time battling enemies, blowing things up with bombs, and yes, even giving their opponents lead poisoning. So he created a fantasy role playing game that combines the rapturous teenage joys of competition and carnage with the exciting properties of the periodic table of chemical elements.
Education
- Gear up! prepares Montana 7th and 8th grade students for early college and career awareness; financial aid awareness and planning; and improved academic support and vigor.
“It (GEAR UP) helped me realize the different types of grants (available),” Korman said. It also helped her focus on achievement and being prepared. “I know what to expect when I head off to college.”
- Montana Campus Compact Accepting Applications for Americorps Vista positions. Volunteers making contributions in 10 Montana towns.
Volunteers serve from college campuses and nonprofits across Montana, working to build community partnerships that address critical needs in the areas of school performance, housing, hunger and disaster preparedness.
2007 Montana Legislature
- Hedge Fund Guru: Math Education Critical. "Those who are good at math should have an incentive to teach" - "Math for America" provides that incentive.
In 2004, Simons founded Math for America http://www.mathforamerica.org/ , a program in New York City that gives stipends to people with a math background who are interested in a teaching career. The program became the model behind the national education program proposed in April as part of Congress' America Competes bill.
- Wyoming Seniors find pleasure helping preschoolers, elementary students learn
Dunder said the most important advantage for the "grandparent" and the children is the relationships that develop between them. Many of the children will remember their "grandparent" for years to come, Dunder said. "They are their favorite people. They develop a very deep relationship with one another," she said.
- Child education key to economy
"When we talk about Maine's children, we are talking about Maine's economy," he said, adding, "This is about reducing taxes in Maine."
- U.S. needs workers who can think for themselves, expert says
The U.S. needs to do a better job of teaching young people to think critically, and of preparing every student for the ever-changing work force.
- 2007 Challenge Index. The Top High Schools in the U.S.
The Washington Post Challenge Index measures a public high school's effort to challenge its students.
Montana Business
- 2007 Montana Legislative session gives much-needed boost to WorkForce Training program
The Workforce Training Development Grant program got almost $8 million for the next two years, three times the amount in the kitty for the biennium just ending.
Montana Economic Development
- Broker D.A. Davidson plans 75+ jobs in Minneapolis
Montana-based securities broker D.A. Davidson & Co. has opened an office in downtown Minneapolis, positioning the firm for a major entry into the Twin Cities market.
- Piecing together a business strategy in Bigfork, Montana. Bigfork Bay Cotton Co.
Starting a specialty shop in a seasonal resort town is a little more complicated than the notion, “If you build it, they will come.”
- Baucus, Tester announce money for innovative wind power research - "Wind Innovations" of Bozeman, MT
Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester, both Montana Democrats, last week announced the company has obtained an $80,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which offers competitive grants to companies working on projects or technology that could benefit rural America.
- Kalispell telecommunications firm secures $17 million in venture funds
“We will grow in Kalispell, Montana - I can guarantee you that,” Smith said.
Funding and Building your Business
- Major Business Opportunity With Chinese Delegation Looking To Ink Montana Deals, 5/23. Billings
The Chinese business delegation is designed to buy U.S. goods and services, foster investment, and strengthen economic ties.
- Montana Community Finance Corporation elects board and officers
In 2006, MCFC received approval from the Small Business Administration on 20 loans for $6.4 million for projects located across the state, creating 117 new jobs.
- The Montana Department of Commerce's Trade Mission Assistance Fund for 2007-2008
The Montana World Trade Center http://www.mwtc.org is preparing for a trade mission to Brazil, Chile and Argentina in August, so this funding might help you join the delegation and open new markets!
- Burton K. Wheeler Center Forum: Growth can spawn affordable housing crunch. “The Price of Paradise? Affordable Housing in Montana,”
Titled “The Price of Paradise? Affordable Housing in Montana,” the conference was organized by the Burton K. Wheeler Center, a nonpartisan group based at Montana State University.
- Chinese trade delegates coming. Baucus organizes visit to Billings on Wednesday
"It's a real opportunity for us in Montana to put our best foot forward and show the Chinese, 'Hey, we're the Big Sky State, and we do have great products here,' " Baucus said during a press briefing at Granite Tower in Billings, where his offices are located.
- State's Main Street communities generate $82M
"These investment figures show how the Main Street program enhances a community's livability and job creation, while maintaining the historic character of its downtown district,"
- 16 Montana organizations receive PPL grants
The grants will be used to address quality-of-life issues related to education, the environment and economic development.
Regional Business
- Company Leaders Are Spending More Quality Time With Customers
Having the CEO make a "ceremonial visit" to only the biggest customers to tell them, "You're important to us," isn't cutting it anymore, says Kevin Coyne, a Harvard Business School professor. "They're getting substantively involved in the biggest deals, showing up for key parts of a negotiation," he says. And they're following up to make sure employees deliver what they've promised. At a time of product proliferation, they're thinking about customers around the globe, he adds.
- Ask SCORE Big dreams start with small steps
If you are one of thousands of U.S. workers who have been affected by the wide economic swings of the past few years, this may be a good time to consider starting that small business you have always dreamed of.
- Fixing the Marketing-CEO Disconnect
Why has marketing evolved so far from the executive suite over the years? You'd think corporate leaders would want to align the marketing function with the overall direction of the company.
Regional Economic Development
- Oregon tire king Les Schwab rolls to success
"I never thought I'd do $1 million in sales, so I've been 1,000 times more successful than I ever thought I'd be," said Schwab, who doesn't have a college degree and was orphaned at age 15.
- Les Schwab, 1917-2007: Tire tycoon built regional empire from ground up
Les Schwab, a cowboy-hatted icon of Oregon who turned a dilapidated tire shop he bought in 1952 with borrowed money into a regional empire, died Friday at age 89, his company said.
Utah Business
- How TechStars was born
The idea: Find 10 of the most innovative ideas in technology, and bring their teams to Boulder. Give them office space, up to $15,000 for expenses, and unfettered access to about 40 mentors to help guide them through the strategy, implementation, funding, marketing and legal obstacles every startup faces. TechStars will also take a 5 percent stake in each of the companies that participate this summer.
- Jobs victories start in school
For the record, Jobs Plus is, pound for pound, as good as any economic development outfit in the nation. They understand the integral relationship between educational advancement and the overall economic well-being of an entire region. Please do what you can to ensure our students understand that, too.
Utah Economic Development
- Ex-Utahn gets top Yahoo job
Jorgensen's investment banking background suggests that Yahoo wants more expertise in identifying and negotiating takeovers that will help the company regain its stride and become a more formidable challenger to online search leader Google Inc
- Utah tech industry is robust. But officials seek to strengthen it further
"We're at the top of the mountain, and one might argue that there's only one place to go," West said. "And if we're not paranoid about that, there will be only one place to go. If we get complacent, we'll go back to an ugly place quickly."
Idaho Business
- Utah offers $1M 'carrot' a "key infrastructure company" to build a $5 million unit in Salt Lake City rather than Rock Springs, Wyo.
"To get 224 percent (of the county median wage) in the valley here is quite unusual," said Michael Nelson, in charge of corporate recruitment and incentives for GOED.
Washington State Business
- Idaho gov cutting $1.5 M from education programs
Despite a $75 million budget surplus, Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter is eliminating $1.5 million in family and early childhood programs.
Wyoming Business
- For $6 billion, Microsoft buys huge slice of online-ad pie
Microsoft on Friday announced the biggest acquisition in company history in a bid to grab more of what Microsoft estimates is a $40 billion global digital-advertising market from arch-competitor Google.
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- Wyoming company, Rocky Mountain Forest Products closes, takes 150 jobs
The company made wood molding products before closing May 11. The company has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to a release given to the laid-off employees.
University Business Plan Competitions
- Shipwreck yields estimated $500M haul
"For this colonial era, I think (the find) is unprecedented," said rare coin expert Nick Bruyer, who examined a batch of coins from the wreck. "I don't know of anything equal or comparable to it."
Incubators and R&D
- High School teens majoring in business world savvy. Competition today at Berkeley's Haas School
This afternoon, Lopez and about 75 other Oakland teenagers will talk profit margins, marketing schemes and capital outlay at a business plan competition at the University of California, Berkeley's, Haas School of Business.
Careers
- MSU researchers to compare Montana, Japanese copper mines
Brett Walker, Tim LeCain and six MSU graduate students will compare how Montanans and Japanese residents dealt with the technology, science and pollution associated with two huge copper mines that existed in the late 1800s and early 1900s. One mine was at Butte/Anaconda, the other at Ashio, Japan.
Non-Profit News
- Youthful self-confidence is money in the bank
The analysis of about 7,000 people found that those with high opinions of themselves as young people earned more in middle age than those with less confidence.
Energy
- Montana’s Hidden Sector: Non-Profit Wages and Employment
There exists a sector of the Montana economy that does not show up in the NAICS system, yet it employs over 35,000 workers and pays wages in excess of one billion dollars.
Transportation
- Debunking 26 Climate Change Myths
So for those who are not sure what to believe, here is our round-up of the 26 most common climate myths and misconceptions.
- Entire Town Off-grid in Oregon
Everyone in small town of Lake Billy Chinook powered by solar, wind energy
Leadership Montana
- More bike lanes? No thanks. Treat cyclists as motorists' equals, not as pesky afterthoughts.
By law, my bicycle is considered a vehicle with the same right to the road as your car or truck. Bike lanes provide an arguable buffer zone of safety (as well as a great place for people to put their garbage containers on trash day), but they marginalize cyclists and reinforce their status as second-class commuters who shouldn't be on the road.
City Club Missoula
- University of Montana President Dennison Wins State Leadership Award
The award was presented Wednesday, May 16, by the Montana Interagency Committee for Change by Women and honors those who create positive change for state employees by promoting the full participation of women in government.
- Workplace Coach: A leader brings out the best in everyone. Do you have what it takes?
Here are a few questions and core competencies to help you gauge if you "have the right stuff."
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- City Club Missoula - MCPS superintendent says funding still jumbled in Montana
Until the Montana Legislature deals with the second and third parts of a court mandate requiring it to fund quality education in the state budgeting for school districts will continue to be more difficult than it should be.
- Japanese researchers tinker with bacteria to store data for a million years
While ink may fade and computers may crash, bacterial information lasts as long as a species stays alive -- possibly a mind-boggling million years -- according to Professor Masaru Tomita, who heads the team of researchers at Keio University.
- Little car, big assets
“It’s a very forward thinking concept and it really is a revolutionary vehicle on so many levels.”
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