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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Mar 3, 2009 |
"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." -- Alvin Toffler
Blackfoot Telecommunications Group
TechRanch
- Employees reinforce Blackfoot's presence in Missoula
Blackfoot Telecommunications Group actively encourages the notion of their employees "getting out in the community."
Montana Chamber of Commerce
- Montana Venture Workshop With Bill Joos And Venture Capitalists, 3/9, Missoula
Do Not Miss this Powerful, Hands-On Workshop on Critical Entrepreneurial Skills.
2009 Montana Legislature
- Montana Chamber Co-Sponsors International Trade Day at the Capitol March 13, 2009-Helena, Montana
Join us for International Trade Day at the Capitol, Friday, March 13 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Capitol Rotunda has been reserved for displays, information, and lunch to celebrate and promote the importance of international trade to Montana businesses and the economy.
City Club Missoula
- Put an end to petty partisanship
House members adjourned Tuesday for transmittal, the mid-session break, but not before two of their top leaders engaged in a public war of words.
- Some states picking economy over environment regs
The call for economic stimulus is having an unintended side effect in places like Montana, where environmental protections are on the verge of being repealed in the name of jobs.
MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association
- City Club Missoula to examine Montana energy outlook on March 9
Montana's Energy Outlook: Policy and Practice is on tap Monday 3/9 at the Holiday Inn Downtown at the Park. The event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Missoula Children's Theatre
- March MEDA Online News
Also, please note our number one legislative priority, HB123, which extends the sunset of key economic development programs is scheduled for a hearing March 10th at 8:00am in Room 317 with Senate Finance and Claims.
Modwest
- Missoula Children's Theatre Musical theater academy faces shortage of students
The program needs at least 30 students, or it will have to be canceled this year and put off until the summer of 2010, said Caron, who said he overestimated the impact of MCT's name recognition and was also slow to advertise the program.
Montana Ambassadors
- Bad Guys Want Your Password
The Bad Guys show no indication of slowing their continuous assault, so we hope everyone will take this opportunity to review and update their passwords. Even if you have nothing to hide.
Leadership Montana
- T. Boone pitches his energy plan at Montana Ambassadors Annual Meeting
In September, Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer signed what is known as the Pickens' Pledge, demanding an end to America's addiction on foreign oil. The governor says Montana can lead the rest of the country to energy independence from its position in a powerful wind corridor that gusts from Canada to Texas.
- Montana Ambassadors Honor Champions of High Performance Buildings - "BetterBricks"
BetterBricks is partnering with the Montana Ambassadors in order to reach business professionals from all corners of the state.
Montana Business
- Lipstick on a Pig? 10 Ways to Improve Your “Executive Presence”
When I work with senior managers on their development plans, or facilitate talent review meetings, one of the most frequently mentioned development needs is a thing called “executive presence”, or “leadership presence”.
Montana Economic Development
- Judge orders Portlock Software to pay $17,000 bill
This isn't the end of Portlock's legal concerns.
- "Made In Montana" Marketplace, 3/27-28, Great Falls, Montana
The 2009 Made in Montana Marketplace returns to the Mansfield Convention Center at the Great Falls Civic Center, Friday, March 27 (Wholesale Buyer’s Day) and Saturday, March 28, 2009 (Public Day) for the two-day food and gift trade show. The show is strategically timed to connect exhibitors with buyers looking to purchase for the spring and summer season. Space is limited, so sign up today*.
- Western Montana InBusiness March 2009
Nowadays, it seems, networking is much more consciously undertaken - and its forms are much more numerous and diverse. In person. Online. In formal and informal guises. During the workday. At night and on weekends. It can be a bit overwhelming.
- Muzeview's Law Firm Web Presence Index shows firm size is no barrier to online success
Muzeview LLC, a competitive intelligence services provider working with professional services firms, has released its January 2009 Muzeview Law Firm Web Presence Index™, ranking different law firms against one another according to the strength of their presence on the World Wide Web.
Regional Economic Development
- Montana Communities to Receive Commerce Funds Totaling $80,000 for Tourism Related Events
The Montana communities of Anaconda, Billings, Drummond, Glasgow, Helena, Livingston, Polson, Stevensville and Troy will use the SEGP funds to assist in the marketing and promotion of tourism-related events.
- NorthWestern Energy Supports Cost Effective Wind Energy
We support renewable energy development that benefits all customers. We also recognize the benefit to local economies from responsible development. The amount of wind and renewables already on our system, coupled with our commitment to build the infrastructure to support wind development, is the best evidence.
- Group pushing for Livingston, Montana passenger rail-car plant
The proposed Livingston facility would produce railroad passenger coaches, baggage cars, sleepers and diners for Amtrak, commuter railroads and excursion lines in America, said McMillan, a former engineer for Northern Pacific and Burlington Northern railroads and Amtrak.
- Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund (BSTF) 2009 Guidelines Now Available
Funding and Building your Business
- Rural and Urban Have a Shared Fate
There is now a White House office of urban affairs because President Obama says cities are the engines of the economy. Is the President implying that economic growth and innovation happen only in cities?
- Western Renewable Energy Zones
Participating in the project are 11 states, two Canadian provinces, and areas in Mexico that are part of the Western Interconnection.
Incubators and R&D
- Google's Vint Cerf on Recession, Recovery and Innovation in Hard Times
Cerf expounds on Google's role in the recovery, the best use of stimulus dollars and why we can't count on private capital or VCs to float the innovation boat.
- Paying forward pays off, says seasoned networking professional, UM Grad, Mario Schulzke
Networking is about building relationships.
- New SBA rule makes lending even tighter
Business Brokers Say New Rule on Loan Cap Would Jeopardize Entrepreneurship
- Recession Marketing 101!!
Consumers don’t go away, they just change how they buy.
- Stay Focused! Don't Get Distracted by Goals that Won't Lead to the Next Round of Funding.
Every startup whether a restaurant or advanced medical device company faces an immediate financial crisis.
Montana Education Excellence
- US should fund research, not venture capital
Venture capital is a business that can't scale with more dollars.
Regional Business
- Montana State University Native American Studies setting standard
The Montana State University Department of Native American Studies has received accreditation from the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium, the first mainstream non-indigenous controlled institution in the world to receive the designation.
- First Native American student ever runs for Associated Students of Montana State University presidency
“We want to provide the kind of environment that they can thrive in.”
- State, local officials discuss Ravalli County college plan
With plan for a local community college recently nipped in the bud and a University of Montana-run Hamilton Higher Education Center drawing lackluster support, a new push has emerged that officials hope could bear educational fruit by fall.
- McLaughlin Institute hosting free lectures on March 9 and 30 in Great Falls, Montana
The McLaughlin Research Institute will play host to two public lectures, with the goal of fostering critical thinking and furthering public support for science and science education.
University TechTransfer
- Hello from the Montana Associated Technology Roundtables
The Montana Associated Technology Roundtables provide networking and information opportunities to the Entrepreneurs, Investors and Professionals of Montana and the Inland Northwest Region.
Idaho Business
- Oregon Attorney General seeks to streamline university tech licensing
Oregon's new attorney general hopes to spark innovation at state universities by easing his office's oversight of the schools' technology licensing deals.
North Dakota Business and Economic Development
- SEC accuses Idaho businessman Daren Palmer and Trigon Group Inc. of $40M fraud
Federal regulators are accusing an Idaho businessman of conning at least $40 million from investors and using the money to make credit card payments, pay for snowmobiles and a mansion in Idaho Falls.
- New Idaho Innovation Council to help new technology thrive
"The Innovation Council will be charged narrowly with identifying and clearing obstacles to commercializing Idaho-born technology, primarily arising from the state's universities and the Idaho National Laboratory."
- Coeur d'Alene, Sandpoint, Idaho in top 'Great Towns'
"It beat out every other town in the Rocky Mountain region for its summer weather," said David Vokac, who with wife Joan crossed the country north to south and east to west to compile the guidebook first published in 1998. "From June to mid-September it is a flat-out 10."
- From small businesses a mighty Idaho economy may grow - Io DuPont
DuPont's Boise company markets Power Cordz, lightweight synthetic strands that can replace steel cables in applications from bicycles and airplanes to prosthetics.
- Lava Hot Springs, Idaho soon to have wireless service
The hope is that the free service will be a draw for vacationers looking to stay connected to home or business while relaxing in the city's famed hot springs.
- Boise State University organizes center to aid local businesses
Businesses can get help with employee manuals, marketing plans, business plans, economic forecasting, employee training, information system development, compensation plans and more.
Oregon Business
- North Dakota State University tech park gets national attention
“It shows you don’t have to be Silicon Valley to be Silicon Valley.”
Utah Business
- BusinessWeek ranks Portland at top of "unhappiest cities" list
To get a sense of where the pain points are greatest, BusinessWeek.com came up with a list of the 20 unhappiest cities.
Utah Economic Development
- Utah is No. 1 - for online pornography consumption
Besides its political bent, Utah's per capita appetite for online pornography makes it the nation's run-away red-light state.
Wyoming Business
- Utah gets hip with new economic-development pitch - New Video
"We knew GOED will use this hundreds of times, so it had to have some legs to it," he said. "It's not static with a lot of talking heads, not stodgy. You get more attention with an artistic flair and being hip. How you come across is half the message."
Alberta Business and Economic Development
- Wyoming Supercomputer gets financial assurance
The proposed National Center for Atmospheric Research supercomputing center in southeastern Wyoming will make a couple of important advances this week, including the first major announcement about the project in months.
Government
- Edmonton's $100 Million Bike Plan
Coun. Don Iveson said the plan would take Edmonton from a somewhat bike-friendly city to a very bike-friendly city. "So that more citizens can enjoy cycling as a legitimate transportation choice," he said.
Montana Meth Project
- Montana Governor Brings Message of Hope, Rejuvenation to Kansas
Schweitzer shares a passion for many of the same issues as Governor Sebelius, including efforts to build up clean, renewable energy usage.
- Comedy, drama and inspiration as Montana's Governor Schweitzer wows Broward Democrats
Schweitzer displayed a gifted speaking style Saturday night at the party's Jefferson-Jackson fundraising dinner.
Connectivity & Communications
- Idaho Meth Project having an effect
"When we travel across the state, we have lots of kids tell us that they had no idea what meth could do to them." said Idaho Meth Project Executive Director Megan Ronk.
Energy
- Dialing in to a network - ‘Speed networking’ provides new way for people to build business relationships
“That’s how they develop relationships, and relationships develop trust, and people buy from people they trust. It’s simple, but it works.”
- Vint Cerf: Big Internet Changes This Year
The Internet in 2009 is undergoing the most significant set of changes of its entire history, according to one of the men who helped create it, Dr. Vint Cerf.
Government Technology
- Bright future as Berkeley, CA starts solar program
Berkeley's program allows property owners to pay for solar panels through a 20-year assessment on their property taxes. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. rebates and new tax breaks guaranteed in the federal stimulus package reduce the cost further, so most homeowners begin saving on electric bills immediately.
Non-Profit News
- Governor Schweitzer Unveils Web Site That Will Track Montana's Stimulus Funds
Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer unveiled a Web site http://www.recovery.mt.gov Friday that aims to track how this state's portion of the stimulus money is spent.
Transportation
- And now, Twitter philanthropy
In a new era of social giving, nonprofits tap the Web’s social networks.
- No guarantees on future air service
Persistent rumor: Delta cannot pull out of Butte because the federal government requires airlines to provide "essential air service" to rural areas.
- Airline to offer more flights for three Montana towns - Glasgow, Havre and Wolf Point
"For many Montanans, (the air service) is the only available medical emergency transportation choice," Rep. Denny Rehberg said. "Reliable air service also means more economic opportunities for residents and visitors who work and recreate in Montana."
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