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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Feb 26, 2008 |
“Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.” - Napoleon Bonaparte
"Missoula Rap Getting Hotter - ZouTown" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- "Wireless icebreaker: iCloseby of Missoula offers iPhone and iPod software that encourages real-life socialization" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Boomtown Institute
Come Home Montana
- The Agurban from Boomtown Institute. Giving Back - In a Big Way in Winifred, Montana
"I'm running a little social experiment with my old town," the 71-year-old said. "I'm trying to see what it'll take to turn around some of these failing old towns."
Come Home Washington
- Montana Career Opportunity - Loan Specialist- Rural Development Bozeman
Our programs work to improve the quality of life for rural Americans.
- Great Falls Economic Development Authority to host summit on 2/28
"Great Falls is a great place to make a living, raise a family and get a good return on your investment," Haynie said. "We'll never leave here."
- Montana Career Opportunity - Montana Director of Government Relations - The Nature Conservancy in MT
The Nature Conservancy in Montana is seeking a Director of Government Relations to plan, implement and coordinate a comprehensive program to affect government policy and legislation at all levels to further the Conservancy's mission of preserving biological diversity.
Developing Tech Jobs in Rural Communities
- Washington Career Opportunity - Executive Director - Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA)
The Director is a facilitator among diverse groups of private and public organizations, creating and maintaining excellent working relationships among the groups to create the best environment for growth.
Montana Ambassadors
- A new approach to Boise Valley growth - If you recruit the people first, the companies will follow.
Creativity may have become the Treasure Valley's most important natural resource, and the quality of life here is the raw material that sustains it.
Funding and Building your Business
- Private Screening Of "The Little Red Truck", 4/8, Redmond, Washington
When a little red truck from the Missoula Children's Theatre pulls into town, sixty local kids take on an impossible task - to stage a full-scale musical in just 6 days. This week will change them forever.
Education
- Google's best practices: valuing workers
"Google is not a conventional company. We do not intend to become one."
- Free! Why $0.00 Is the Future of Business
The trend lines that determine the cost of doing business online all point the same way: to zero.
- Nutter's 'grants' establish foothold among startups
"We're trying to identify these companies early on and partner with them at an early stage, and hopefully stay with them for a long time."
- The Future of Small Business: The Artisan Economy
By 2018, analysts project that nearly half of US small businesses will be involved in global trade.
- Workers Get Incentives to Live Greener
Perks Help Spread A Firm's Mission And Foster Goodwill
- 2008 digital outlook report. Ten digital Media Issues to Watch in 2008
It’s your digital future. Embrace it now.
- 'Talent on Demand': Applying Supply Chain Management to People
Failing to manage your company's talent needs, says Wharton management professor Peter Cappelli, "is the equivalent of failing to manage your supply chain." And yet the majority of employers have abysmal track records when it comes to the age-old problem of finding and retaining talent.
University Business Plan Competitions
- Survey finds support for early education in Idaho. Montana, what do you think?
"We wanted to see if public perception was aligned with the voting records of policy makers around early care and education," Linda Jensen, the state director for Kids Count, told the Idaho Statesman. "My hope is it will serve as a wake-up call to policy makers."
- Livingston, Montana couple has high-tech home school
Information literacy is a cornerstone of Gregory’s approach to home schooling, but he points out there are as many ways to home-school as there are people who do it.
Connectivity & Communications
- The Rice Business Plan Competition awards $600,000 in cash and prizes!
The 2008 competition will welcome 36 of the worlds' top MBA/graduate schools to compete at Rice University in Houston, Texas, in front of a judging panel of over 150 venture capitalists, investors, and business executives.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Smartphone 2010: What Your Future Phone Will Be Packing
Over the next two years a new generation of mobile processors and faster mobile networks will combine to put the power of a PC onto the smartphone in your pocket.
- Aussie Researchers Build GiFi, A Tiny Chip With Big Wireless Capabilities
The GiFi chip can transmit data wirelessly at 5 Gbps over a distance of nearly 11 yards, which could have a major impact on consumer electronics.
Incubators and R&D
- Gates sees diminished role for keyboards
In five years, Microsoft expects more Internet searches to be done through speech than through typing on a keyboard
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- Staff begins moving into Rocky Mountain Labs addition in Hamilton, Montana. The West's first biosafety Level 4 laboratory
When the building is completed, Bloom expects it to be "probably the best-designed and best-functioning" laboratory of its kind in the world.
Montana Business
- Angels can expect more investment, fewer exits
The field is growing, as more individuals accumulate wealth and startup costs have fallen significantly over the past decade.
Montana Economic Development
- Seven Montana towns hit by airline's demise
"You take that away and it's going to drastically affect people," said Pete Pederson, who represents Glasgow on the state's Essential Air Service board. "We don't have bus service. We're 280 miles from the nearest hub. (By plane) you can leave and get to Billings in a half hour."
- National Center for Health Care Informatics at Montana Tech, (Butte, Montana) Representative Ray Rogers to provide training in Nigeria
“The idea behind our program is ... to establish some method-ologies by which we can actually train physicians in Nigeria using distance education,” Rogers said.
- Survey Investigating the Business and Economic Impacts of Montana’s Child Care and Early Education System
This survey to Montana's businesses is designed to understand the links between business and child care in Montana that will, in turn, assist in growing the industry to meet the needs of both consumers and business.
- Wireless icebreaker: iCloseby of Missoula offers iPhone and iPod software that encourages real-life socialization
"There is really no end to what is going to be possible with cell phones that are basically computers. These are two of the sharpest business guys I know in the area. It is how things are moving forward here."
- Shattering the glass dilemma. New World Recycling of Kalispell, Montana
By practicing what he preaches and giving good service, Cullen grew his pickup customers to several hundred with about 20 percent representing green-minded businesses such as MacKenzie River Pizza and Montana Coffee Traders.
- Environmental restoration is big business in Montana
The “restoration economy” is creating thousands of jobs - and some of the same kind of get-rich-quick dreams that existed in mining's heyday.
- Sen. Tester listens to small business concerns
“We have a system where probably most people in this room can’t afford to get sick because they don’t have health insurance,”
- Bigfork, Montana Style N’ Tile ordered to stop violating the Montana Securities Act
“Violating securities law is a serious matter and registration requirements have an important consumer protection purpose,” Morrison states in the press release. “Montanans must use caution when deciding where to invest their hard-earned dollars. I encourage any resident who has been offered a questionable investment to contact my office. We rely on these reports to find and take action against individuals who should not be offering financial products in or from Montana.”
Regional Economic Development
- Largest Montana wind farm shaping up
"This is probably the largest economic development project ever in the Golden Triangle," Shelby Mayor Larry Bonderud said.
- Noted Montana Economist, Paul Polzin calls it quits
Polzin's official retirement date is set for June 30, but he plans to keep working for the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana for another year. That means he'll probably be doing one more outlook tour.
- Bear Paw Development celebrates 40 years of success
“You can all be assured that Bear Paw Development’s work has just begun.”
- Most dislike branding idea - Helena - “The West’s Learning Center for the Arts.”
"You’ve got to be kidding me! Is this what we paid the consultant to produce?"
- Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation Newsletter
MAEDC 2007 Annual Report, 2007 Progress Report and 2008 Work Plan to be available on http://www.maedc.org this week.
Utah Economic Development
- Western Governors agree on actions to speed development of alternative fuels, improve fuel efficiency
WGA’s lead governors for the initiative are Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger (Calif.), Brian Schweitzer (Mont.), Brad Henry (Okla.), Michael Rounds (S.D.), Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. (Utah) and Christine Gregoire (Wash.).
- Governors Discuss Securing a Clean Energy Future and Unveil New Partnership at NGA Winter Meeting
Opening Plenary Session Highlights the Role States Can Play in Improving America's Energy Future
- Indian tribes exercising water rights
"It's one of the most important resources we have available for the development of our economies."
- My Hometown Helper grants available for local groups interested in making a difference in their community.
The General Mills Corporation, maker of Hamburger Helper, is offering My Hometown Helper grants for local groups interested in making a difference in their community.
- Creating a Task Force on Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing
It has been well established by study after study, as well as by practical application, that regulatory barriers can increase housing costs anywhere from 10 to 35 percent and, in many cases, can even prevent its construction.
Government Technology
- COE Grants to be Given to Licensees
Any startup or existing company headquartered in Utah is eligible to apply for a grant. One application per technology will be accepted, and companies cannot apply for more than one technology.
Idaho Business
- New Hampshire Governor Tells DHS Not to Impose Real ID Requirements. Montana’s Last Stand Against REAL ID. REAL ID could be a real headache
"New Hampshire and many other states across the nation have raised legitimate questions about privacy protection and the costs of Real ID." "There are going to be real consequences for the citizens of states who chose not to comply."
Government
- City of McCall, Idaho could declare bankruptcy
The city told its residents it may not have a choice this time. Bankruptcy would be a historic – and extreme – measure, but the city says the alternative is much worse.
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- Governors Highlight Role of States in Securing a Clean Energy Future. Montana's Gov. Schweitzer tussles with other governors
"This Initiative is not just about improving the way we produce energy in this country, it's about improving our national security, our economic well-being and our overall quality of life."
- Governors target transportation funding
In a White House meeting with governors, Bush shot down the idea -- pressed mostly by Democratic governors -- of passing a second economic stimulus package with money for roads and construction projects, arguing it is premature.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Facebook's Death Spiral Has Begun
To understand the gravity of Facebook's decision and of the coverage of it, we need to recall the halcyon days of America Online.
Energy
- Montana Tech students tour Rocky Mountain Laboratories and GlaxoSmithKline looking at possible jobs after graduation
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, The Montana Minds Scholarship Program is a part of a national effort to increase the science and engineering workforce.
Transportation
- Hamilton, Montana hosting bio-fuel symposium on March 1.
The symposium is slated to discuss and explore the potential transformation of wood wastes into ethanol and methanol and burning them, in hopes of creating steam to generate electricity and heat.
- Energy execs believe sustainability is critical, but companies not embracing concept
''The less-progressive companies are putting themselves at risk as key stakeholders will hone in on this issue.''
- Plug-in cars could actually increase air pollution but there are solutions
Charging a plug-in with electricity from renewable resources — wind or water, for instance — cuts overall greenhouse gas emissions to as low as a conventional gasoline car getting 74 mpg. No current gasoline car does that.
- Proposed nuclear power plants stir debate nationwide
Companies are racing to provide radioactive fuel for America's nuclear renaissance, and are powering debate along the way.
Montana Education Excellence
- Montana's Sen.Tester gets OK for Amtrak route study. Billings to Missoula and beyond. Public meeting on the subject Feb. 29 in Helena
“We are excited about that, and look forward to doing that, should the measure reach passage,” he said. “We want to expand our network and carry more passengers.”
Community
- UM student documentary “Beyond the Myths: Growing Up in Montana” named best in country
Student filmmakers exposed issues of teen pregnancy, racism, drug use and mental health. They profiled subjects as they celebrated rural life, family, sports and Native culture.
- UM Officials mum on Elton John contract
We’d like to offer some answers to these questions. But until UM gives up their game of hide -and -seek, thanks to UM’s disregard for openness and a pervasive culture of silence, we can’t.
- "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" author to speak tonight 2/26 at MSU
"We are doing our best to allow as many students and community members as possible to hear Beah's story of hope, redemption and leadership," said Carmen McSpadden, director of the MSU Leadership Institute http://www.montana.edu/leadership/ that broght Beah to campus.
- Missoula Rap Getting Hotter - ZouTown
"I still hear from people who say, dude, saw your video... Hilarious."
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