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| MATR Newsletter - Tue May 5, 2009 |
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man." George Bernard Shaw
Events of interest: "MATR Roundtable - "Making Money Online" with Jesse Lakes, 5/8, Missoula" http://matr.net/articl ... .html --- "City Club Missoula Hosts Governor Brian Schweitzer, 5/11, Missoula" http://matr.net/articl ... .html --- Missoula needs to begin to plan for its economic future. What is your Community doing to proactively plan for its future? : " Economist Larry Swanson: Missoula lags behind other cities when it comes to the crucial elements of sustainable and focused economic development" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- " Missoula Jobs Director Wolf Ametsbichler, worries about Missoula work force, wages and economic future" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
MATR Roundtable Gatherings
Montana World Trade Center
- MATR Roundtable - "Making Money Online" with Jesse Lakes, 5/8, Missoula
Are you maximizing the revenue potential of your website? While it's marketing your goods and services, is it also giving you a check or checks each month?
City Club Missoula
- Canadian Regional Webinar Series: BC & the Prairie Provinces (May 7), Quebec (May 13) and Ontario (May 20)
If you want to learn about business opportunities in Canada and how to exploit them, don’t miss this event.
Missoula Children's Theatre
- City Club Missoula Hosts Governor Brian Schweitzer, 5/11, Missoula
Hear from the Governor how his budget fared in the legislature, and if we may be looking at another special session to finalize the State's plan for federal stimulus dollars. This promises to be an informative and exciting event!
The Burton K. Wheeler Center
- On the Road with the Missoula Children's Theater - Spring 2009
"The final product... always includes young students who have ‘dramatically’ blossomed personally, emotionally and socially!"
Developing Tech Jobs in Rural Communities
- Wheeler Family Seminar - "Privatization Of Mental Health Care In Montana", 5/22, Bozeman, Montana
Dorgan's research points out that from 1997 to 1999, the state of Montana privatized mental health care. She says the experiment failed, but there are important lessons to be learned from that failure. Her research, conducted in an MSU graduate seminar on public history, uncovered general problems encountered when private and public sectors intersect on health care issues.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- U.S. Cities Fare Poorly in World Livability Ranking
In terms of global urban livability, American cities are not so hot. The highest ranking city, Honolulu, comes in at 29 in the results of the Worldwide Quality of Living Survey.
Montana Business
- The Kauffman Foundation Index Of Entrepreneurial Activity Ranks Montana 3rd in the Nation. Why isnt' this great news?
New business formation increased in 2008 but, in what may be a potential harbinger of the current economic recession, U.S. entrepreneurship rates increased for the lowest-income-potential and middle-income-potential types of businesses from 2007 to 2008; it decreased for the highest-income-potential types of businesses.
- Supporting the Entrepreneur in Your Midst
Entrepreneurs have varied needs as they get on the path to success and economic development professionals have a wide-range of tools in their "tool box" to help. This session focuses on economic development in setting the conditions that allow entrepreneurs to succeed.
- Why Mentor?
You shouldn’t mentor! That is, unless you can see how critical mentoring has become both to young professionals seeking to understand the business world and seasoned professionals eager to learn new, innovative technology.
- How do you know when it is time to quit your day job?
But isn’t it crazy to start a business in this economy?
Montana Economic Development
- Good Earth Market in Billings, Montana has 1st electric car-charging station
"I think that if we're going to have more people move toward that kind of a vehicle, either a plug-in hybrid or a pure electrical, we're going to have to have an infrastructure for it," said Rick Jones, whose electric Zenn was the first car to use the station. "I commend the Good Earth Market for being the first in Billings."
- Bridger Photonics of Bozeman, Montana signs two technology licenses with Montana State University - Bridger Awarded NSF Phase II Contract For METH Detection
"These licenses are part of a strong push towards commercial product development and applications at Bridger Photonics."
- Web Presence Index News from Muzeview, LLC
Muzeview's March Law Firm Web Presence Index shows law firms need to work to stay visible
- Billings, Montana based Avitus Group takes care of business for you
As a professional employer organization, Avitus Group handles payroll, health insurance, safety, human resources management and other tasks, freeing company owners to concentrate on their core business.
- Rocky Mountain Laboratories Neighbor Bulletin May 4, 2009
This publication is intended to complement information about RML that is presented in other ways, such as regular neighborhood meetings and periodic postcards.
Careers
- Western Montana InBusiness May 2009 - Clark Fork's Cash Flow - Missoula Builds a 'River Economy' and Saves Its Historic Downtown
Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters." — Norman Maclean (A River Runs Through It and Other Stories)
- Economist Larry Swanson: Missoula lags behind other cities when it comes to the crucial elements of sustainable and focused economic development
At the economic forum last week, which attracted hundreds of community leaders, business representatives and concerned citizens, Missoula's educational community was absent. “When Jane Karas asked for a show of hands in the audience to see what sector of the community they represented, there was not a single educator in the room,” Ametsbichler said. “I thought it was pretty gutsy of her to do that - and the room looked around and duly noted the absence of our university and educational professionals.”
- Missoula Jobs Director Wolf Ametsbichler, worries about Missoula work force, wages and economic future
Missoula has the potential to become stronger by joining up its educational forces, but the challenge is bringing everyone to the same table.
- "THERE'S NOTHING HERE" - New Montana tourism advertising campaign will 'stop you in your tracks,' but slogan still elusive
According to Travel Montana, a test group was not put off by the unusual statement that Montana has nothing. Potential visitors understood the irony when accompanied by artwork showing spectacular views of the state.
Funding and Building your Business
- Career counselors see 'giganomics' as new job trend
More workers piecing together part-time gigs to make full-time money
Incubators and R&D
- CEOs Need to Bring Investors Along for the Ride
"There are just two basic questions"
- The National Venture Capital Association Rolls Up Sleeves to Fix Industry
“The recommendations we are making need a return to stability in the public markets to be effective," said Dixon Doll, NVCA chairman and general partner at DCM. "We are not going to solve the financial meltdown.”
- Training done right
Approach networking as an opportunity to connect with other people to benefit their life.
Montana Education Excellence
- Montana State University computer scientist,Jian Tang wins prestigious award for wireless tech research
Tang's work focuses on a relatively new wireless technology called WiMAX, which allows engineers to build flexible and dynamic networks that transmit data at high speeds over long distances.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- 'Corona' shines once again at Montana State University
"Every piece that is included is multilayered and used in very different ways to teach and to engage," he said. "Everything is multisensory."
- Funding education vital for Montana's future - Exercise your right and voice your opinion by casting your ballots Tuesday.
Exercise your right and voice your opinion by casting your ballots Tuesday.
- Montana student ambassadors to head Down Under - People to People Student Ambassador Program
"We'll certainly have a wonderful time while we're gone, but at they same time, they're representing their hometown, Montana and the United States."
- The Montana University System is looking to turn every community into a college town and they’re starting in the Bitterroot.
“To keep pace with leading nations, the U.S. needs to produce 64 million more undergraduate degrees by the year 2025 .... The U.S. is on track to produce about 48 million; that leaves a big gap,” Stearns said. “The only way we can address that as a country is to do it county-by-county and school-by-school. The way we, in the university system, feel that we can be a part of that is to work on a national agenda at the county level.”
Idaho Business
- Missoula's Mountain Line Bus schedule system, designed by U of M student, available on cell phones
The site was designed by Jordan Hess, a University of Montana geography student who also launched Google Transit for the Mountain Line.
North Dakota Business and Economic Development
- Ground Force Manufacturing of Post Falls, Idaho honored for exports
Ground Force Manufacturing has shipped six million-pound fuel and lube trucks, believed to be the largest of their kind, around the world.
Oregon Economic Development
- Energy Insider: New Minot State University Energy Degree
"We`re very excited about this program. I think North Dakota will always be an agriculture state, but it`s turning into probably one of the leading energy states," says Dr. Frank Moseley, MSU Associate Professor.
Education
- Tech entrepreneurs defy recession
These aren't the heads-down geeks of yore, but a hyper-social, mixed-gender crew shouting out to one another across Twitter, Facebook and a score of other online communities.
- Here Comes the Sun. Right? SolarWorld, a German company, is betting big on its solar cell operations in Hillsboro, Oregon
SolarWorld’s plant here, which makes enough cells to fit 1,700 solar panels a day, is the biggest of its kind in the United States.
Government
- Community Colleges Challenge Hierarchy With 4-Year Degrees
The line between community colleges and four-year universities is blurring.
Energy and Climate Change
- States back push to collect sales tax on online commerce
Brick-and-mortar stores, from Wal-Mart to the neighborhood craft shop, say online competitors enjoy an unfair advantage because sellers on the Internet are not required to collect sales tax in states where they do not have a business presence.
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- Renewable energy consortium accepts funding proposals
A public-private consortium of research institutions, energy sector companies and venture capital organizations is accepting funding proposals related to the commercialization of renewable energy technologies.
- Fort Missoula headlines historical sites in Montana’s cultural mecca
Late author-poet John Updike called Missoula, Mont., the Paris of the 1990s. A decade of so later, Missoula remains the cultural mecca of the Treasure State.
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