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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Feb 13, 2009 |
"Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present." -- Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 AD - 180 AD)
If you're a research scientist, entrepreneur or you'd just like to improve your company, please plan on attending this event. Great networking opportunity. "Montana Venture Workshop With Bill Joos And Venture Capitalists, 3/9, Missoula" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- University R&D and tech transfer are vital to a state's economic vitality and visibility in the research and investment community. Montana has challenges but there are other programs that we can learn from. "Gov. Schweitzer criticizes Montana university system over research and development funding accountability" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- "Gazette Opinion: University research a big benefit to Montana" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- "Idaho TechConnect Partners with wendykennedy.com to Bring Commercialization Success Tools to Idaho" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- "University of Utah second only to MIT in tech company creation" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
Blackfoot Telecommunications Group
Destiny University School of Medicine
- Blackfoot Launches Customer Advisory Council in Missoula
“We strive to be an excellent long term business partner by constantly seeking ways to improve our customer service and provide the services our customers want. At Blackfoot, we not only embrace new ways to do business, we initiate changes that will continue to keep our company’s technology at the forefront of communications.” Joan Mandeville, CEO of Blackfoot
- Dave Martin Promoted to Vice President of Product Management and Chief Technology Officer at Blackfoot Telecommunications Group
Over the last 13 years at Blackfoot, Martin has provided strategic direction and managed operational support teams for implementation of advanced services of some of the most advanced communications services available.
- MATR is pleased to welcome the Blackfoot Telecommunications Group as an advertiser and supporter.
"We’re bringing you the future. It’s being delivered by our state-of-the-art digital networks, the newest in Western Montana. And it’s taking the form of services that will save you time and money—and revolutionize the way you work and play. After all, we’ve been breaking new ground for more than 50 years."
TechRanch
- Doctors Are where Patients Aren't
Dr. Robert Bowman, M.D., describes the broken design of American health care: physicians are concentrated in locations and careers that fail to serve the majority and the most urgent medical needs.
- Destiny University - Montana Tech grads with B average guaranteed a spot in Caribbean medical school
Destiny's program offers the core medical classes for the first two years before sending its students on to clinical programs at teaching hospitals, he said. The college also offers a program in which students take some classes online and others on campus to help current health-care professionals further their education.
Idaho National Laboratory
- Business Incubators Are Best Investment of Public Dollars, Study Says
“While investments in best-practice incubators have always shown high returns, maintaining and expanding these programs is even more important, given the fast-declining economy,” says Adkins. “Any economic stimulus should take into account the importance of our nation’s entrepreneurs and be based on verifiable data about program impacts.”
- Montana Venture Workshop With Bill Joos And Venture Capitalists, 3/9, Missoula
Do Not Miss this Powerful, Hands-On Workshop on Critical Entrepreneurial Skills.
- Montana State University sophomore finds success in budding career with Bozeman, Montana biotech company, CTW Energy that got its start at TechRanch
"A year and a half ago, I was writing essays to get into college, and now I'm writing grant proposals," she said.
Montana World Trade Center
- Idaho National Laboratory announces availability of 2009 grants for K-12 programs
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory http://www.inl.gov is announcing two grant programs for 2009 in support of excellence and innovation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education.
- Idaho high schools compete in 19th Idaho National Laboratory Scholastic Tournament
Approximately 800 Idaho high school students representing 79 high schools will put brain power to work over the next 45 days in an attempt to capture one of three state championships and berths at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C., April 30-May 5.
2009 Montana Legislature
- Understanding NAFTA Documentation, 2/18, Webinar And Missoula Workshop
International trade specialist JoAnn Queen will discuss how to use free trade agreements to become more competitive within Canada and Mexico and the resources available to you within the federal government
- Montana World Trade Center Newsletter
The Montana World Trade Center (MWTC) works to increase international trade through public-private partnerships, business networking, and student education. In the entire state of Montana, and well beyond its borders, there is no other source of information and access to global trade opportunities that is comparable to the Montana World Trade Center.
Boomtown Institute
- Bitterroot Valley Community College plan goes before Legislature
“If you build it they will come.”
City Club Missoula
- Boomtown Institute - USDA’s 2007 Census of Agriculture – Part I
In BoomtownUSA we foresaw a movement of Americans to rural communities and farms primarily because of quality of life issues. Who wanted to be caught in one hour traffic jams five days a week?
MAPS™ : Media Arts in the Public Schools
- City Club Missoula - Tongue tied - Officials avoid alleged mental health failures
City Club Missoula’s most recent lunch forum discussing public safety and the mentally ill managed to scratch at the surface of what local officials admit is a growing concern.
Come Home Montana
- Peter Rosten asks Montana legislative committee for Media Arts In Public Schools (MAPS) funding
“Our expansion is a stimulus, an economic stimulus that will create jobs,” Rosten said. “We’re trying to do something unorthodox: we’re combining education with the economic. This is education that can create revenue and we can create a public-private partnership and can redefine, reinvigorate, and renew how that partnership works.”
Montana Business
- Dedicated to Montana's education excellence. Cartwright, North Dakota, native Megan Anderson’s experience includes volunteer work in Haiti
Educators are the foundation of the future.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Computer Specialist - Assistant Library Director - Detention Officer I - Missoula County
- World-renowned economist, Dr. Jerry Pohlman signs on as adjunct professor at Carroll College in Helena, Montana
“I had lived in cities so long, I was worried it would be too small. But it’s very easy to get around and I don’t miss the city,” he said. “It feels like home so much, I bought a horse.”
Montana Economic Development
- Sidney, Montana Mayor Brett Smelser: Area must stay competitive
Smelser said by educating the western population, it might direct where the money is being used. If that isn’t understood, the mayor teased eastern Montana should create its own state. “If they can’t accept that, then I’m up for the 51st state, and I’m your first candidate up for governor.”
Regional Economic Development
- Sun Ranch Group - Montana's Conservation Cowboys: Real Estate Trend Leverages Wide Open Spaces for Eco-Savvy Investors
While a number of real estate concerns throughout the Rocky Mountain West are marketing conservation as amenity, Sun Ranch Group is particularly known for applying big ideas to a big landscape -- its market-driven business model combines environment and economics toward an ambitious mission of putting 1 million acres into conservation over the next decade
- The Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce grants aim to help local economy
“Basically, this is a new enrichment program for our communities,” Easley said. “We’re trying to help businesses here in the valley and to keep money in the valley and to stay strong.”
Funding and Building your Business
- Watch That Stimulus
The Economist suggests that some states are better than others -- and that 19 states make all their requests public.
- New state climate report indicates coming decades will be challenging
"I hope government and agencies take this very seriously and use the time available to begin planning in detail how they will respond and what they want citizens to do."
- Stimulus Deal A Bonanza For Tech Industry
While health care clearly represents the largest piece of the pie, the legislation contains countless opportunities for tech vendors through a vast array of programs and proposals.
- SBA Ill-Equipped to Handle Obama Stimulus Funds
Can the SBA administer it effectively?
Incubators and R&D
- Calling all startups: send us your best pitch and we'll print the best in the San Francisco Chronicle
The San Francisco Chronicle is giving readers a chance to pitch their startup idea in the newspaper.
- “Model Seed Funding Documents” that anyone can use.
These are a great starting point for anyone doing an early stage financing.
- Second Spin - Who will replace all those retiring baby boomers? How about more boomers.
While governments have stepped up on recruiting young employees to replace those heading out the door, there's another simple if not always obvious group to look to for replacements: more baby boomers.
- The Art of Generating Buzz
Which comes first: buzz or sales?
- Advance Planning Pays Off for Start-Ups - How business plans pay off
A study from the Small Business Administration finds that entrepreneurs who write formal business plans early in the startup process tend to get their companies up and running more quickly than those who put off their plan until later.
- 10 Tips on How to Lead a Global Virtual Team
#10 - Don’t allow co-located team members to gather in a conference room during team conference calls.
Montana Education Excellence
- Idaho State researchers experimenting with using accelerators to produce medical isotopes
If the ISU researchers are successful, southeast Idaho could potentially produce medical isotopes commercially to supplement other medical-isotope sources.
- DoD Small Business Technology Transfer Partnering Opportunities
Organizations are looking for new research and funding opportunities, some in places they haven't been before.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Gov. Schweitzer criticizes Montana university system over research and development funding accountability
The issue dates back to the problems uncovered a few years ago at a heavily criticized space research center at the University of Montana.
- MSU professor, health-care work team up to improve communication in Libby
A Montana State University student who recently interviewed Libby residents for a research project said her visits to that community illustrate the complexity of the place and the people who live there.
- WWAMI - Living, working the rural life in Libby, Montana while learning to be a doctor.
“The idea is to see what rural medicine is like and give you exposure to continuity of care.” Beck said. “Being in one place for five months, you see the same patients over and over again and establish those relationships.”
- “My Learning Plan” - Online program supports career development for Montana school district
Birkeland said prior to implementation of the program it was difficult to manage a professional development portfolio for each educator, not to mention time-consuming.
- Gazette Opinion: University research a big benefit to Montana
University research has been and should continue to be a boon to Montana students, higher education and economic development.
- NASA works with girls-in-science event in Billings, Montana
"Our program provides, hopefully, inspiration," Leavitt said. "It's about the cool things you can do with math and science and the cool careers you can pursue if you gain those tools."
Regional Business
- Siegel Service Technology Scholarships Available at Montana Universities
Scholarships are available for second-year students enrolled at Montana Colleges who are pursuing careers in the mobility community and that demonstrate academic achievement and community spirit.
University TechTransfer
- Idaho ranked best on healthcare costs for small businesses - Montana #20
The Health Care Policy Index ranks states according to five policy measures that impact the cost of health care: Politically imposed mandates; “Play or Pay” mandates; Health Savings Accounts; Self-employed guarantees; Community rating.
Idaho Business
- Idaho TechConnect Partners with wendykennedy.com to Bring Commercialization Success Tools to Idaho
“Our mission is to turn Idaho ideas into Idaho businesses,” said Rick Ritter, CEO of Idaho TechConnect, “the national lab and the universities bring in a fair share of research and development dollars. TechConnect wants to increase the return on that investment.
- University of Utah second only to MIT in tech company creation
"The support from the state of Utah and the local business community is one reason why the University of Utah has been so successful in getting new companies started," Brian Cummings, director of the University of Utah's Technology Commercialization Office, said in a news release. "The state has established an extremely friendly climate for entrepreneurs. The results are reflected by these national rankings."
Oregon Economic Development
- Idaho Commerce Department to cut rural-development grants to save money
“It sounds like a de-emphasis of the rural programs through your department,” said Post Falls Republican Rep. Frank Henderson. “I hope that’s not true.”
- If You had 5 minutes and 20 slides to tell the World something, what would you say?
Ignite Boise brings together an inspiring and unexpected blend of thinkers from business, art, technology, government and academia. All with ideas. And all willing to share them.
Utah Economic Development
- As electric cars gain currency, Oregon charges ahead
‘Green’ state is working on plan for public charging stations; Nissan will debut its electric vehicles here.
- Twitter "Twisitor Center" Helps Travelers Follow the Tweets to Portland, Oregon
"Other cities are connecting with visitors through Twitter," explained Martin Stoll, CEO of GoSeeTell Network, the company that created Portland's Twisitor Center concept. "But Portland is the first city to set up a virtual visitor center to which people can direct travel questions just by adding a simple tag to their tweets [messages]."
- Portland Ten: Incubating 10 $1 million startups by 2010
Portland is one huge R&D shop. Which is great for innovation. But not always as good for revenue-generating business.
Education
- Your Idea Could be Next!
The state of Utah and many businesses have worked together to foster entrepreneurship and Utah is a leader in creating this type of climate that opens doors to people with great ideas.
Government
- States Link Investment in Education to Economic Health
Several states are trying to improve education and training so they match business needs and the labor pool.
- The National Center for Education Statistics - State Education Reform Efforts
Data on state-level education reform efforts in four areas: 1) standards, assessment and accountability; 2) school finance reforms; 3) resources for learning; and 4) state support for school choice options
- Schools See Flex Time As Valuable Exercise
Between regular courses, students are assigned to a flex classroom to review material or work independently.
Montana Meth Project
- Virginia Governor Launches Stimulus Project Web Site to Encourage Citizen Input
"Every locality and citizen has a stake in our economic recovery and should have a voice in deciding how this money is spent." -- Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine
- Montana State Auditor Monica Lindeen to Meet with Sen. Baucus and Sen. Tester on Financial Crisis - Securities and Financial Fraud, Scams on the Rise in Montana
“We must make sure that there is system of financial services which regulation protects investors, markets, and the economy as a whole. Main Street investors deserve a regulatory structure that is accessible, comprehensive, and strong.”
- National Governors Association Standing Committees to Meet During Winter Meeting
The nation's governors will explore strategies to increase the skills and competitiveness of the American workforce, health care reform, foreclosure and the role of energy infrastructure in the 21st century economy.
Community
- Rally for Montana Meth Project set for Monday 2/16 - “March Against Meth”
New economic study from RAND estimates Meth use costs the nation $23.4 billion annually.
Connectivity & CommunicationsEnergy
- Broadband Connection Highs and Lows Across Rural America
Highest percentage of broadband connections cluster in recreation counties and those places with large farms and ranches.
- Twitter? It’s What You Make It
There’s nothing quite like Twitter.
- What the U.S. can learn from international net neutrality, broadband policies
Broadband investment, return to common carrier rules could improve U.S. 'Net quality, some experts say
Legislative Newsletters
- Highlights from Harvesting Clean Energy Conference XI January 25-27, 2009 / Billings, MT
The conference, held in Billings MT, January 25 -27, drew over 520 people from 25 states and three Canadian provinces to hear dozens of speakers present the latest in wind power, sustainable biofuels, energy efficiency, carbon opportunities and rural clean-energy strategies.
- With Higher Densities Come Smaller Footprints
As it turns out, living in a high density area is one of the best things one can do for the environment.
VIRUS ALERTS
- Rep. Denny Rehberg E-Newsletter for February 13, 2009
Stimulus Package Isn’t What The Doctor Ordered
- Scam artists at work in difficult economy
“The man I talked to there told me it’s just a scam,” McMillan said. “People need to know not to go online with this outfit … times are tough and people are trying to take advantage of the situation.”
- Microsoft Offers $250,000 Bounty For Worm Authors
The company has formed a cybersecurity posse with technology companies, academic organizations, and Internet infrastructure firms to dismantle the Conficker/Downandup worm's infrastructure.
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