|
|
|
| MATR Newsletter - Tue Jun 29, 2010 |
"There was a time I used to tell people I'd never seen a day over 90 degrees on Flathead Lake, and all of a sudden we had 12 straight days of 100-degree weather. It used to be one year in 30 we'd have forest fires, but in the last 10 we've had six where we sequester ourselves and the kids from the smoke." Phil Jackson "Western Zen: Lakers coach Phil Jackson kicks off governors' conference" http://matr.net/articl ... .html
Hellgate Venture Network
Glacier National Park Centennial
- Missoula Entrepreneurs - How many people does your business employ?
With over half the members describing themselves as Owners, Entrepreneurs, President/CEO, Investors or as holding senior management positions this group undoubtedly plays a significant role in job creation in Missoula and the surrounding area.
"Montana's Race To The Top - The State with the Best Education Wins!"
- Fundraiser for Glacier Centennial brings Governor Schweitzer out in support
The BNSF railroad also donated an additional $500,000 to Glacier's 100th birthday to help with the year's events.
City Club Missoula
- Failing U.S. Education Will Dumb Down Economic Growth
Government and business leaders have worried about the economic impact of declining U.S. education. The day of reckoning may be here.
- Could Low Educational Attainment Be Slowing the Recovery?
While people without a bachelor’s degree have experienced higher unemployment throughout the past 15 years, their rate of unemployment has typically been only about 2 percentage points higher than those with a degree. Currently, however, it stands at more than 5 percentage points higher.
- Bring school home - Montana Digital Academy offering free online classes this fall
The Montana Digital Academy will make it possible for students to get ahead, catch up or take classes that their high schools don’t offer, as well as offer home school students options, officials designing the program say.
Visit Montana
- City Club Missoula - Human Services In Missoula: A Hand Out Or A Hand Up? Help Or Hindrance?, 7/12, Missoula
Missoula is well known for its plethora of human-service nonprofits. Learn more about the diverse populations they help and the services they provide.
Come Home Montana
- Happy Wanderer: Whitefish -- It'll change how you think about Montana
Montana "... There's nothing here. Playing on a common misconception about the Big Sky state, this is Montana's tourism slogan. Turns out, the joke's on us.
- Montana ad campaign goes viral, upping expectations for tourist season
In marketing terms, “going viral” can mean taking advantage of social media to spread a message, or to relying on other, unpaid media and word-of-mouth to give a campaign legs far beyond its initial exposure and cost.
- Website offers rural excursion ideas
The site provides detailed recommendations on where to hunt, fish, hike, raft, or even picnic. With each activity, you can get as detailed as you want, specifying if you are interested in big game hunting or whether you would like to conduct your outdoor adventure alone or with a tour-group.
- Forest Grove Lodge - Grove regrown: Couple’s luxury bed and breakfast lodge helps awaken once well-traveled area near Tarkio, Montana
"In the mornings the birds here are unbelievable. Yesterday morning I heard an elk bugle, and I've never heard them bugle in the summer."
- Montana tourism ads gain added attention
There are signs of illness surrounding some of the state's tourism marketing efforts this summer - and the director of Travel Montana is delighted.
Montana Ambassadors
- Montana Career Opportunity - E-Commerce Supervisor - Bob Wards
Computer and supervisory skills necessary.
- Montana Career Opportunities - Experienced CNC Machinists - Summit Aeronautics Group
Located in the “Big Sky” State of MONTANA Founded on a commitment to provide its customers with the highest quality aerospace products and services, today Summit is known nationwide for its precision machining.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Town Manager, Big Sky, MT - NorthWestern Energy
Must be certified journeyman lineman.
- Montana winning friends fast on Facebook
Today, the fan page Doughty started on his own computer while attending college in Wisconsin is now Montana’s official Facebook page, with more than 42,000 fans and more signing up at a rate of about 100 per day.
- Montana Career Opportunity - HR Professional - Lee Enterprises
A bachelor's degree in HR or related field and professional HR experience required.
Cleantech
- The Summer Edition of Montana Ambassador News
6th Annual Business Open – invitation from Governor Schweitzer and Registration
Montana Business
- Three Ways An Area Can Become a Stronger Place for Cleantech
1. Understand that not every problem has a quick solution.
Montana Economic Development
- 2010 U.S. Freestyle Kayaking National Championships: Whitewater wranglers take on Brennan's Wave in Missoula, Montana
Big surf, big tricks and some of the biggest names in the flamboyant sport of freestyle kayaking will converge in Caras Park this week when a national competition comes to Missoula for a three-day whitewater rodeo.
- Rivertop Renewables of Missoula,Montana Announces James Stoppert as Chief Executive Officer
Veteran Chemical and Bio-Based Industry Executive to Lead Company to Commercialization of Renewable, Green Chemicals
- Magnificent Balloons Let You Soar Over the Bitterroot Valley of Montana - Mountain Butterfly
The company offers valley flights, cross mountain flights, high altitude and long distance flights as well.
Regional Economic Development
- CORE BioFuel Inc. considers biomass-to-fuel plant Northwest Montana by late 2012 or early 2013
“CORE Biofuel has developed a novel biomass conversion process for gasoline synthesis that is both energy efficient, carbon-neutral and whose feed stocks do not compete with our food supply,”
- Internet giants, Montana entrepreneurs to take part in Kalispell business workshop hosted by Sen. Tester on July 9
"Folks in the Flathead have been especially hurt by the downturn in the economy," said Tester, who worked with the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce to bring a workshop to the area. "But, Montana has got some of the hardest working people in the country. My goal is to help ignite some innovation and outside-the-box thinking. By giving our small businesses information on the tools available, we'll get those businesses cranking again and we'll boost jobs and opportunities for Montanans."
Careers
- Civic Tourism, and the Importance of Place
Most tourism advocates support the industry because it spurs economic development, but their decisions often destroy the very characteristics of place that make the place attractive. Dan Shilling argues that tourism should be an enabler of healthy place-making, not only an economic tool.
- Fueling Local Economies: Research, Innovation and Jobs
The testimony, delivered today by Kauffman Research Manager Dane Stangler on behalf of Litan, discusses the ways in which federally funded innovation benefits national and local economies and how federal research dollars can be better leveraged to generate even greater economic and social benefits.
Economic Gardening
- Big Blunders Job Hunters Make... hilarious...
A recent candidate for an entry-level outsourcing job at Accenture Ltd. unwrapped a sandwich during an interview and asked the hiring manager if he could eat it since it was lunchtime.
Funding and Building your Business
- Economic GardeningTargeted Research Tools Help GrowFL Companies Understand their Market
When it comes to making decisions at the 30,000 foot level, some of the in-depth research and studies that our Economic Gardening Team provides can make the difference.
Incubators and R&D
- Banker uses 'sultan's tent' to woo startups
Investment banker Kelly Porter, who has bought, sold and grown dozens of technology companies in Silicon Valley, has a unique way of finding his next deal: He invites CEOs of startups to his $28 million mansion for dinner.
- Starting Up, and Conquering the Numbers
If you want to be successful, you'll need to ramp up your accounting knowledge.
- The Voices of Venture Capital
4 leading venture capitalists offer their takes on the ups and downs of VC investment, what captures their attention and the best ways to seek out VC money.
- How webinars can help your business
For the uninitiated, a webinar, or web-seminar, is an interactive online speech.
- Patent law must be flexible for technology, Supreme Court rules
Essentially, justices determined that patent law must remain flexible enough to handle a surge of 21st-century inventions. The patent office granted 185,224 patents in 2008, twice as many as were granted in 1990.
Regional Business
- McLaughlin Institute unveils $4.3 million expansion work
A $4.3 million expansion and renovation of McLaughlin Research Institute will give scientists more room to study and possibly find cures for diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis.
- The Idea Incubator Goes to Campus
Universities are getting involved now at a much earlier stage than incubators typically do.
University TechTransfer
- CEO's Rank Best and Worst States for Business 2010
More than 600 CEOs rated states on a wide range of criteria from taxation and regulation to workforce quality and living environment, in our sixth annual special report.
Idaho Business
- New York University Plans $20 Million Fund to Commercialize Money-Making Research Discoveries
New York University created a venture-capital pool to encourage discoveries by faculty and students that can turn into profit-making undertakings.
South Dakota Economic Development
- Be innovative - Siren Operated Sensors - A little sweat and a little Idaho dirt develops an international company
Wayne Skeem, founder of an international company built from his own sweat and a little Idaho dirt, has four words for youngsters today: “Be lazy. Be innovative.”
2011 Montana Legislature
- Vision California Calls for Compact Development in Established Cities
"bringing commuters closer to their jobs can help Californians drive 3.7 trillion fewer miles and save 140 billion gallons of gasoline by 2050."
Education
- 2011 Montana Legislature budget cuts may close eastern high schools and take money from school’s flex funds
One of the options being considered by the Montana Legislative Fiscal Division in June pertaining to education is requiring high schools to consolidate if the high school has less than 40 students and is within 20 miles of another high school.
MAPS™ : Media Arts in the Public Schools
- Utah last in spending per pupil
Every year, the U.S. Census Bureau comes out with a state-by-state education funding per pupil report. And every year, it seems, Utah comes in dead last.
Government
- Attention Ravalli County, Montana High School Students - Got MAPS?
Why interviews for an after-school program? Because 99% of our students get paid to make movies, design websites or shoot documentaries...so MAPS is a bit "different" than school.
Community
- Western Governors, Experts say Potential Water Crisis Looms without Smarter Water Planning, Management
"As a region, we have to become more aggressive and a lot smarter in how we manage this resource."
- Western governors discuss "race for energy technology" in Whitefish, Montana
"The future is cleaner."
- Western Zen: Lakers coach Phil Jackson kicks off governors' conference
"There was a time I used to tell people I'd never seen a day over 90 degrees on Flathead Lake, and all of a sudden we had 12 straight days of 100-degree weather. It used to be one year in 30 we'd have forest fires, but in the last 10 we've had six where we sequester ourselves and the kids from the smoke." Phil Jackson
- Western Governors Adopt Report on Climate Adaptation Priorities
Western states will be on the front lines of climate response, and we are uniquely positioned to lead on this issue. We are pleased to share this report with you, and we urge continued and determined steps toward building state capacity to respond to climate change in the West.
Connectivity & Communications
- FOUR New Grant Opportunities
- Road Diets: Making Streets Slim Down Is Good For Pedestrians, Businesses And Even Traffic
A recent project in Long Beach, California shows how curb extensions and street furniture can have a huge impact on the economics of downtowns.
Energy and Climate Change
- Foreboding trailer for "The Social Network" movie about Facebook
"You don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies."
- How Facebook has changed our idea of 'too much information'
Facebook, Twitter and other companies, many consumer advocates and some lawmakers say, should do more to protect users who may not understand how widely their data is exposed.
- Tech giants, Utah companies try to cash in on Internet TV
“The current cable-operator business model is vulnerable, so they’re fighting tooth-and-nail to retain the world as it is today.”
- Broadband Availability to Expand
The Obama administration is seeking to nearly double the wireless communications spectrum available for commercial use over the next 10 years, an effort that could greatly enhance the ability of consumers to send and receive video and data with smartphones and other hand-held devices.
- 'Togetherville' founder calls growth of kids' networking site 'phenomenal'
"Facebook with training wheels"
- Speak Your Piece: The Battle for Broadband
The best result for rural communities is to have locally-owned and operated broadband networks. The telephone and cable duopoly has a different vision of the future.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Americans' Awareness of Smart Grid Lagging, Survey Finds
70 percent of Americans haven't even heard the phrase "smart grid" before, according to 1,000 online interviews
Legislative Newsletters
- Smart Walls Keep House Comfy
Effectively incorporating phase change materials into buildings has been tough, though, because for a long time it was simply too flammable. But a new process promises to transform this changeable material.
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- Montana Representative Denny Rehberg Schedules Seven Montana Listening Sessions in Five Days – Bringing the Total Up to 51
Town Hall Meetings Set For Toole, Glacier, Flathead, Lake, Mineral, Ravalli & Missoula Counties
- Along the Divide: Ivan Doig weaves Butte, Montana into latest book - “Work Song”
“Some people call Butte the Pittsburgh of the Rockies, but I thought, ‘why not the Constantinople of the Rockies?’”
To subscribe or unsubscribe from the free weekly MATR newsletter, please visit our list info page
