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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Dec 10, 2010 |
"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest." -Mark Twain
Join in the discussion: "Missoula Education Leaders View And Discuss 'Waiting For Superman', 12/13, Missoula, Montana" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html -- "University of Montana President, Royce Engstrom, to speak at next City Club Missoula meeting, Monday, December 13." http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- "Senator Baucus: Montana-Based Venture Capital Partner, Clyde Neu, with Flywheel Ventures, Is Good News For Business" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
21st Century Initiative - "You Should Care..."
Montana Department of Commerce
- At California School, Parents Force an Overhaul
250 parents in Compton, CA are using a new state law to force the failing school to be taken over by a charter school operator, the first such move in the country.
- Report: U.S. parents overconfident about kid's math
An education study suggests U.S. parents could use some math homework help.
- Our Commitment to Learning in the 21st Century - Think Globally Act Locally
We are committed to changing our programs so that our students can move on from their K-12 education confident that they are well prepared to prosper in post-secondary education, on the job, and in life.
- Cheating Themselves Out of an Education: Assignments that Promote Higher-Order Thinking and Honesty in the Middle Grades
"What happens to students during the middle school years?"
- Parents Embrace Documentary on Pressures of School - "Race to Nowhere"
With no advertising and little news media attention, "Race to Nowhere" has become a must-see movie in communities where the kindergarten-to-Harvard steeplechase is most competitive.
- How to spur more technology use in the classroom
Education leaders suggest ways for others to integrate educational technology into the curriculum
- Missoula Education Leaders View And Discuss 'Waiting For Superman', 12/13, Missoula, Montana
"We want to hash this thing out, and we need help to do it," said Dave Chrismon, executive director of the Missoula Education Foundation. "You can't do that behind closed doors - so we want to get that dialogue started as best we can, a civil dialogue that can set the tone."
- Silicon Valley startup school sees tech as a key to success
What drew me to it is that it is a bold experiment and it becomes clearer every day that if we are going to save public education in the United States, we need to embrace bold experiments.
- Teachers: What we need to do to fix schools
Few things in our world are helped by looking through an either/or lens. Reality, in my experience at least, is far too ambiguous to be seen as all one color or another. Unfortunately, many "school reformers"--often with little teacher consultation--come across as having just that sort of view, offering a short, simplistic list of "answers" (merit pay, charter schools, ending tenure, standardized testing) to the challenges facing our schools.
Globalization Partners International
- Montana Governor Schweitzer to Fellow Governors: 'Arrest Me' - "Innovate Montana"
"My advice to new governors is if they see me getting off a plane in their state, they need to have me arrested," Mr. Schweitzer said. "Because I'm coming to get their jobs."
PrintingForLess
- Best Asia-Pacific website honors awarded to GPI and Marina Bay Sands
Website Localization, Content Management and SEO Create Full Solution
City Club Missoula
- PrintingForLess November 2010 Printing Matters Newsletter
No matter what type of business you have, reaching out to your customers and prospects over the holidays is critical, since it helps build long-term relationships with customers - and keeps them coming back all year long!
Modwest
- University of Montana President, Royce Engstrom, to speak at next City Club Missoula meeting, Monday, December 13.
President Engstrom is interested in science policy, higher education public policy, program development, and in building relationships between the various stakeholders in higher education.
MSU Leadership Institute
- Hackers love the holidays: How to keep your site secure - Modwest December 2010 Newsletter
Knowing the term 'perfect software' is an oxymoron, hackers probe websites for vulnerabilities in order to find an unintentional back door into the web application or shopping cart being used.
Come Home Montana
- Today's Students Need Leadership Training Like Never Before
America is suffering a crisis of leadership.
- 31 Days to Become a Better Leader
Here's a list of 31 activities that can help you become a better leader. Each one can be done in a day.
- Montana State University Leadership Fellows students inspired to make a difference
"We're sending out students who want to make a difference in the world," said Deirdre Combs, an adjunct University College instructor. She said she was "ridiculously proud" of the dozen students in her class who presented their leadership ideas Wednesday morning at the Procrastinator Theatre.
Developing Tech Jobs in Rural Communities
- Montana Career Opportunity - eBusiness Manager - Montana Silversmiths
This position will be responsible for managing the P&L for the eCommerce business, the key drivers of contribution dollars and growing the business.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Chemical Engineer - Montana Silversmiths
This entry level position will be responsible for monitoring the performance of manufacturing processes and supporting the troubleshooting of operational issues, and equipment maintenance.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Linux Administrator to help me configure a box with Fedora -
Can anyone recommend a good Linux Administrator to help me configure a box with Fedora?
- Montana Career Opportunity - Finance Coordinator - homeWORD
Experience with property/asset management preferred.
Montana Ambassadors
- A Bypassed Small Town Makes a Visual Statement: "Here We Are"
"We needed our identity brought back."
Warren Miller Freedom Foundation
- Montana's Economic Development Report Card, 12/14, Great Falls, Montana
The Montana Ambassadors And The Governor's Office of Economic Development Invite you to attend the presentation of Evan Barrett, Montana's Chief Business Development Officer, regarding Montana's Economic Development Report Card http://www.innovatemontana.com/montana-by-numbers/.
Leadership Montana
- Best Career Advice Ever: We're All Entrepreneurs Now
When do we need to start thinking this way? Now.
Montana Business
- How to Be a Great Mentor Without All the Fuss
Some tips to help you start off on the right foot with the person you are mentoring:
Montana Economic Development
- SBA Designates Missoula, Montana based GCS Research As Hubzone Certified
A HUBZone is a Historically Underutilized Business Zone and focuses on areas with historically fewer economic development and US government procurement activities than others.
- Smurfit-Stone Container sale in works for Frenchtown, Montana, Michigan mills
"I'd like to think this is kind of like a Christmas present for our communities," Dix said. "I'm hoping for the best."
- Grow
I will tell you all of these things. But today I am going to tell you about my third baby. My business.
- La Cense Beef and Moonlight Basin Announce An Exciting New Partnership
La Cense Beef http://www.lacensebeef.com is a pioneer in the grass fed beef industry
Regional Economic Development
- Montana Department of Labor & Industry Rolls out WIN and WorkKeys Pilot Programs
These programs are being implemented in select offices to prepare Montana's workforce through skill development and certification in any of 17,000 different jobs through the National Career Readiness Certificate.
- Industrial tax-increment district considered to help Bonner mill site near Missoula, Montana
"From my perspective, Bonner is very pro-industry," he said. "We would be more than willing to work with Missoula Area Economic Development Corp. and the county commissioners to develop this area into a thriving industrial park."
- Great Falls Development Authority open to ideas for updating strategic plan
"We're open to ideas," said GFDA CEO Brett Doney. "We're kind of looking at what's next."
Bill Payne
- The 10 States Where Income And Quality Of Life Are Soaring
If you live in one of these low growth states and plan to move to a better place, here are the top 20 states with the highest income per capita growth rates:
- Western Governors: Increasing Demands for Water Requires Greater Efficiency, Water Banking and New Infrastructure
"The water supply and demand equation is out of balance."
- Education Wars: States Battle For Brains
The end of stimulus -- as well as the power shift in Congress -- will have a profound effect on which regions and states can position themselves for the longer-term recovery. Nowhere will this be more critical than in the battle for brains.
- How to Bake an Economic Development Cake
Like baking a cake, economic development strategic planning involves nine steps:
- States to try outsourcing economic development
The question of how to empower business leaders to play a more meaningful role in state economic development efforts without sacrificing the accountability and transparency with which public funds are used is hardly a new one. A number of states -- including Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Texas, Utah and Virginia -- have privatized some aspects of their economic development functions in recent years, with mixed results.
- Study finds details lacking in economic development deals
The national economic downturn has turned many governors into salesmen-in-chief, moving aggressively -- and often in direct competition with one another -- to lure more private-sector jobs to their states.
- Cities That Prosper, Cool or Not
The recession has shown, once again, how fragile import-based economies are.
Business Plan Forums
- What Grows An Economy?
What can the US do to motivate entrepreneurs?
Careers
- Ann Arbor Hosts "World's Largest" Biz Plan Contest This Week, $1M-Plus for Winners
"The goal of the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is to highlight Michigan as the destination for innovation, and we feel the world has listened."
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- 10 Ways To Ditch Your Job And Never Work For Anyone Else Again
"Now, more than ever, you need to be entrepreneurial to be successful; you need to create a job to keep a job."
- Western Governors University Extends Economic Turnaround Scholarship Program
The need-based program provides up to $1,250 per six-month term for up to four terms to new WGU students who have lost their jobs in the past 18 months.
Funding and Building your Business
- Senator Baucus: Montana-Based Venture Capital Partner, Clyde Neu, with Flywheel Ventures, Is Good News For Business
"This is what the Montana Economic Development Summit was all about: bringing the right people together to create solutions to grow the economy and create good-paying jobs," said Baucus.
- Is Angel Investing just a "pile of angels" who can't lead?
Joshua Schachter doesn't like the idea of start-ups taking money from "a pile of angels" instead of a venture capitalist who's built a syndicate to fund a company. "No one is leading," he says of the angels, "and so no one has responsibility when it's time to raise money again."
Incubators and R&D
- Be Sure Your Startup Has a Clear Value Proposition
While entrepreneurs freely throw around the term "value proposition," they rarely offer a thoughtful explanation for the "value" their business is providing and, more importantly, an understanding of who their real customer is and what valuable benefit their customer perceives they are receiving.
- What American Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Their Foreign Counterparts
When working to maximize scarce resources, look for abundant ones.
- ULTIMATE GUIDE: How To Fund Your Business Idea
But before you chase the greens, there are some things to consider.
- What's your entry strategy?
Long before we can talk about exit strategy as anything other than some far of dream, we need to focus all our attention on market entry.
- 10 Burning Questions About Why Some Entrepreneurs Fail And Others Succeed
How can an entrepreneur position themselves to succeed when the majority of small businesses fail? It helps to know which odds are in your favor.
- John Landry's fix for angel capital: Get rid of the exit
Angel investor John Landry has been telling anyone who will listen about a new term sheet he wants to write for high-tech startups. Revenue royalty is a financing structure often used to fund large-scale energy projects, in which investors take no equity, but instead draw a percentage of income until the company has paid off a pre-arranged return.
Montana Education Excellence
- University of Utah biologist's device rids heads of lice - The LouseBuster
The LouseBuster http://www.lousebuster.com/ , a new federally approved device that kills head lice in 30-minute treatments without chemicals.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Montana Digital Academy - Online classes work for well-organized students, but others struggle
"You have more freedom," Swoboda said, "but you have more responsibility."
- The Economic Benefits of Reducing Montana's Dropout Rate
Convinced that the percentage of adults who do not have their high school diploma represented a serious economic problem in our state, we want to show high school dropouts that they can take the first step towards obtaining their GED; they can forge ahead to better lives for themselves and the state.
- Montana State University alum and successful businessman gives more than $3 million to College of Business - Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship for the New West
Moshavi said that the gift will be earmarked for the newly renamed Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship for the New West http://www.montana.edu/cob/centernewwest/ , sustaining it for years to come.
Universities and Economic Development
- Click here to learn: Darby, Montana unveils new computer lab and technology equipment thanks to the Donald T. Valentine Foundation
Kurt Kohn recently had some parents come to him concerned that if they signed the permission slip for Darby Elementary School's new computer lab, they might end up paying if something expensive wound up broken.
- University of Montana Students Compete In Website Design For Local Nonprofit
Student teams met with representatives from the institute to analyze their business needs. Based on the analysis, the teams designed and developed a website shell, which may be further developed for full functionality and taken live by the organization.
- Business leaders: Support our schools
To keep our economy growing and attracting business opportunities with good paying jobs and to improve our quality of life, let's continue to work together.
Developing an Angel Network in Montana
- Colleges Are Urged to Play a Greater Role in Regional Development Efforts
Economic development is "no longer about attracting businesses," said Sam M. Cordes, co-director of the Purdue Center for Regional Development. "It's about attracting people, about attracting talent."
Idaho Business
- Gathering new angel investors is missionary work
While those who run venture capital funds may get more attention, angel investors invest in far more start-ups in a given year.
Oregon Economic Development
- Boise State University Research Details Positive Economic Impacts From Idaho National Laboratory Operations
INL is responsible for more than 24,000 Idaho jobs and generates a total economic impact exceeding $3.5 billion.
2011 Montana Legislature
- Portland Seed Fund wins conditional backing from Oregon Growth Account
The city created the fund this year with $500,000 in general fund money, routed through the Portland Development Commission. The goal is to provide early-stage financing for Portland startups to help them develop and test their products.
Education
- 2011 Montana Legislature Session Committee Assignments Available Online
House and Senate leaders of the 2011 Montana Legislature have released the names of legislators-elect assigned to session committees.
- Legislative Leaders Meeting With Montana Employers, 1/8, Helena, MT
"We have scheduled Saturday, January 8, 2011, for a special joint meeting of the Legislature to create an opportunity for private-sector Montana employers to come tell us what we can do to help put Montana back to work," Senate President-elect Jim Peterson.
Other Economies
- Top Test Scores in Math and Science From Shanghai Stun U.S. Educators
"Wow, I'm kind of stunned, I'm thinking Sputnik," said Chester E. Finn Jr., who served in President Ronald Reagan's Department of Education, referring to the groundbreaking Soviet satellite launching. Mr. Finn, who has visited schools all across China, said, "I've seen how relentless the Chinese are at accomplishing goals, and if they can do this in Shanghai in 2009, they can do it in 10 cities in 2019, and in 50 cities by 2029."
- Wharton, Rebooted
The nation's oldest graduate school of business is adopting sweeping changes to its M.B.A. curriculum that come with a unique acknowledgment: two years of study alone cannot prepare graduates for decades of future unpredictability.
- $50-Million School Gift Paying Off
Melanie Lundquist is $15 million into her pledge to assist low-performing L.A. Unified campuses. So far, the results are pretty good.
Community
- "Nevada: 50th in the Nation for Education" - To diversify, Nevada must better educate, community leaders conclude
Nevada's historically stingy funding of K-12 and higher education is the foundation of a report -- "Nevada: 50th in the Nation for Education" -- prepared by state leaders in fields such as banking, architecture and real estate. The report says Nevada will never rise above its dependence on boom and bust cycles tied to tourism and construction if its government leaders continue to depend on low taxes -- instead of top-notch schools -- as their ace in the hole for attracting businesses.
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- ALL HAZARDS - Resources to help rural communities prepare for disasters and other hazards.
- Most Americans believe community is important
"You want to help out the people that you live next to to make things as nice as possible. The back you scratch ...
Government Technology
- Which hand should I hold the baton in?
Beethoven's fifth, by a conductor who could give us all lessons in enthusiasm:
- These 30 Websites Will Teach You "How To" Do Just About Anything
Each of these Internet How To's can help you with a variety of resourceful and/or fun Internet tasks. Each How To is offered free and outlined below:
Non-Profit News
- IBM Accepts Applications for Smarter Cities Challenge
IBM would like to help make your city smarter. I encourage you to apply for a Smarter Cities Challenge grant.
- Mentors help Utah nonprofits do more with less
"Utah's nonprofits know they need to develop innovative strategies and to re-examine their strategic plans to increase revenue and their value to the community."
- $30,000 awarded in Capacity Building Grants to 6 Montana nonprofit organizations
Mike Schechtman, Executive Director of the Big Sky Institute for the Advancement of Nonprofits (BSI), today announced that $30,000 in Project Grants is being awarded to six Montana nonprofit organizations to help them better serve their communities.
- 16 Tycoons Agree to Give Away Fortunes
"There's so much that needs to be done, it would be better to start now." Mark Zuckerberg
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