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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Dec 9, 2005 |
Senator Jeff Mangan is circulating a petition to get a change to an error to SB133 on the agenda of the upcoming special legislative session. SB133, which was passed by both legislative bodies and signed into law by Gov. Schweitzer, creates a $60 Million "fund of funds" to bring private investment to Montana. Unfortunately, the bill was passed and signed without authorization for the $200K administrative fee necessary to organize the fund. This legislation will correct this omission. This is being supported by the Montana Ambassadors and the Montana Chamber of Commerce among others. MATR encourages you to contact your legislator and encourage them to support this petition and the legislation. Please pass this along to others who can also help get this important funding opportunity enacted for the economic future of Montana. Thank you, Russ --- "The Montana Equity Capital Investment Act (SB 133) Needs Your Support to be Effective. The solution could be implemented during the upcoming Legislative Special Session." http://www.matr.net/article-17251.html
Come Home Montana
Education
- Cities' success tied to attracting young educated - "The Young and Restless in a Knowledge Economy"
"This is a watershed moment for cities and city leaders,"
- Featured "Come Home Montana" Community~FAIRVIEW
Fairview is a wonderful place to work and live, with good safe schools, job and business opportunities, and access to recreational and tourism assets.
- Montana-Jobs.net Featured Career ~ Hard Rock Operating Permit Section Supervisor
- Montana Jobs Network Featured Talent of The Week Desired Field: General Manager
Montana Business
- Schools build 'cultures of excellence' - City schools bring home better report cards
Experts say bold, systematic leadership is key to success.
- Einsteins at five - In the 'new' kindergarten, kids no longer just tie shoes, but read, write, and calculate.
School districts are pushing students to new levels as a growing body of research indicates the importance of early learning and the demands of a competitive world close in on the American classroom.
- Report Says States Aim Low in Science Classes
The report, released Wednesday by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, suggests that the focus on reading and math as required subjects for testing under the federal law, No Child Left Behind, has turned attention away from science, contributing to a failure of American children to stay competitive in science with their counterparts abroad.
- Supporting the Next Generation of Scholars - The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
WICHE was chosen to direct the U. S. Department of Education-funded State Scholars Initiative (SSI), a national program that works to motivate students to complete a rigorous course of study in high school.
- National survey shows University of Montana faculty focus on teaching
UM faculty members emphasize as primary goals for undergraduates to develop abilities to think critically, promote writing abilities and prepare students for employment.
Montana Economic Development
- RightNow Technologies (Bozeman, MT) Touts Open-Source and On-Demand Apps
The main reason that customers turn to on-demand applications is because they don't want to bear the expense of installing licensed software that runs on their in-house IT infrastructure, Gianforte said.
- Montana Governor's Excellence in Exporting Awards 2005 Winners, Pasta Montana, Quake Industries and Carey Hester Announced. The value of Montana exports exceeded $842 million in 2004
Exports are an important and growing sector of Montana's economy. The value of Montana exports exceeded $842 million in 2004. For more information on Montana's exports go to www.exportmontana.com.
- Shop globally but consider locally
SUMMARY: How local government buys things is important, too, not just what it buys and for how much.
- Safe Shop Tools, Inc. of Missoula has the Answer to a Good Grasp: High-Tech Sling Provides the First Secure Grip on Tapered Utility Poles.
Officials at the Missoula, Montana company explain that the BoaGrip uses patented grippers to hold tight to the shaft of any kind of utility pole: tapered or straight; metal or wood; wet or dry.
- Whitefish label company plans big expansion - Resource Label Group of Montana
"We underestimated the amount of business" he said. "Business has prospered far beyond our original expectations." Resource Label Group is actively promoting its products as "made in Montana," Farris said. The company expects to invest $5 million to $7 million over the next five years. "We're dug in here for the rest of our lives," Farris said.
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- EERC on Track to Make Zero-Emission Coal-Fired Power Generation a Reality in North Dakota
"MT should be assisting with research, education and development of all energy sources. ND site. http://www.undeerc.org/default.asp They are looking at many sources of energy: fuel cell, hydrogen and others. Coal, wind, hydrogen and other energy sources are a huge opportunity for MT....." Tod Kasten
- Sharpening swords - Bitterroot Job Service expands to provide cutting edge business, employment services
“I continue to be impressed with the quality of our job seekers,” she said. “But unfortunately the competition is really tight - people want to live and work here because of the quality of life. We have all the jobs people from other places are used to - we just don't have very many.”
- Expanded Skills Assessment Testing Services Now Available Statewide in Montana
"Hundreds of cutting edge skills tests that have been successfully assisting Flathead Valley and Missoula area employers to identify and select the most skilled candidates for their openings are now available in all Job Service Workforce Centers across the state," said Labor Commissioner Keith Kelly.
- New Montana Downtown Revitalization Program to Hold Application Workshops 12/12, 12/14, 12/16
The purpose of the program is to assist Montana communities with revitalization of their historic downtown districts.
- University of Montana Offers Economic Outlook Seminars
At the 31st Annual Montana Economic Outlook Seminar, Jack Morton and Michael Harrington, both lawyers and professors at The University of Montana School of Business Administration, will discuss the relationship between our state’s business and legal environments.
- Premier cancer center signs on in Great Falls. Sletten Cancer Institute and McLaughlin Research Institute in Great Falls join forces with the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
For Great Falls, the arrangement has economic growth implications and a potential influx of high-paying high-tech jobs.
- A ‘sense of place’ will attract jobs
In the 21st century, access to the human capital of creative, knowledgeable workers drives economic decisions and investment in local communities.
Funding and Building your Business
- The Montana Equity Capital Investment Act (SB 133) Needs Your Support to be Effective. The solution could be implemented during the upcoming Legislative Special Session.
The Montana Legislature was innovative enough to pass the Montana Equity Capital Investment Act during the last session. Unfortunately, the funding to enact this law was omitted so nothing has happened.
- Finding The Right VC For Your Company
"We are somewhat competitive with technology transfer programs from universities. We are willing to go get them and fund them – instead of the company waiting for it."
- Wisconsin's Act 255 heats up angel investment in 2005, though VC involvement lags
"Act 255 was a driving force behind us getting investment," said Devon McGlenn, CEO of NeoClone in Madison. "It may even assist with [additional] funding in this calendar year"
- Model Venture Capital Documents & Intellectual Property Issues Present Challenges In Venture Capital Transactions
The National Venture Capital Association offers this "'template' set of model legal documents for venture capital investments put together by a group of leading venture capital attorneys.
Utah Business
- LLC format offers businesses flexibility, plus tax advantages
Like a corporation, an LLC is a separate legal entity that limits the liability of its members. However, it has the tax benefits of a partnership.
- Why Governance Matters. Good IT governance is the secret weapon of effective CIOs and agile organizations—but it has to be done right.
Effective IT governance is the secret weapon for successful CIOs. Initially, many CIOs think that spending time on governance will make their lives more complex. They soon realize that the opposite is true: Done right, it reduces complexity and makes life much simpler.
- A Year in the Life of Seeking Venture Capital
If you want to do a software start up, boot strap it and then go after money once you have got a product.
- Inside Entrepreneurship: Your growing business needs a stronger base
I never really know who will show up each day. As a result, I'm always behind schedule. I'm getting too old for this. Help!
Utah Economic Development
- Utah's LDS influence is turnoff, some firms say
"We still have a perception problem,"
- Utah Valley firms win entrepreneur awards
"These individuals and companies are ambassadors of the best that Utah and Utah Valley has to offer," said John Richards, UVEF board chairman. "They are representative of diverse efforts to continue the common goal of growing Utah business."
Government Technology
- Salt Lake City high on list for company location
"You can have a nice quality of life for less in Salt Lake City compared to some other locations,"
Idaho Business
- Top 10 Digital Cities Named for 2005
The annual study examines how city governments are utilizing digital technologies to better serve their citizens and streamline operations.
GovernmentOther Economies
- North Dakota CIO To Retire
The Governor's office will organize a search process to accept applications and review candidates for a new CIO over the next several weeks, with a goal of making an appointment in mid-February.
Incubators and R&D
- Iowa studies 'economic road map' - “It’s going from a good place to a better place,”
Iowa’s newly appointed chief technology officer says a three-part economic development “road map” recently completed for the state by the Battelle Memorial Institute, an Ohio-based consulting group, will help Iowa advance its high-tech infrastructure.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Discovery of dinosaur soft tissue in Montana speciman revolutionizing paleontology
"I personally think it's the greatest discovery in paleontology in the last century. It's so incredible because our assumptions were that it couldn't happen." Jack Horner
Business Plan Forums
- Higher Education in Pennsylvania: A Competitive Asset for Communities
This paper surveys Pennsylvania's higher education landscape and its economic impact, proposing a number of policy approaches to boost town and gown collaboration—especially on community revitalization—for the mutual benefit of both institutions and communities and, ultimately, the state.
- Bobcat engineers brew up solutions to real-world problems
"I think it was a wonderful learning experience,"
Careers
- Wisconsin's Governor's third business-plan contest kicks off - entrepreneurs – quite likely hundreds of them – will vie for recognition and a $100,000 pot.
All 2004 and 2005 finalists are still in business and more than half have received financing, according to Tech Council statistics.
Non-Profit News
- Field Guide to Chief Marketing Officers - Traditionalist or Technologist? Lifer or Firefighter?
Today's chief marketer is an evolving species whose role is no longer just advertising campaigns, cool creative and media buys: It is expanding to include responsibility across the organization for driving innovation, competitive advantage and, ultimately, business success.
Energy
- Nonprofit health care plan offers hope - The Montana Nonprofit Association
The move could perhaps serve as an example other economic sectors could duplicate in an effort to get health care coverage for more Montanans.
Connectivity & Communications
- FutureGen agreement reached - Montana, Wyoming and other states being considered
Government and industry officials in 14 states have said they are interested in hosting the prototype plant, according to the alliance.
Space and Zero Gravity Research
- Telecom law of 1996 Rewrite Breaks Faith With Earlier Version
"This is an inappropriate federal and private industry intrusion into our streets and sidewalks,"
- Simplicity of design-like Google-drives success
Google has only six links on its home page, while Yahoo! and MSN have over 50 links on their's with advertising.
- AOL and InfoGin can transcode the Internet so that full Web pages fit on the tiny screens of mobile phones, bypassing the need for WAP-compatible pages
AOL's Mobile Search Service automatically adapts search results and Web pages to handheld devices using content-analysis and transcoding technology from InfoGin, the companies said in a statement.
- Skype Adds Video, Blogs to VoIP
"With the release of our new software, it's never been easier for people to talk to one another for free, and now they can see each other with video as well."
- Sunnyvale, Calif., Launches First Advertising-Sponsored Community Wi-Fi
Sunnyvale's new Wi-Fi service allows anyone with a Wi-Fi enabled device such as a PC, laptop or handheld computer to receive a high-performance, portable link to the Internet.
- Yahoo's new online phone calls near
The long-expected move could make the Sunnyvale company one of the biggest players in the Internet phone-calling market, along with eBay-owned Skype Technologies, Vonage and others.
- Open Source Turns Strategic
At first glance, it looks like open source is kicking the pants off proprietary software. But we're not trumpeting the demise of Microsoft Corp. yet.
- The All-Mobile Workplace Will Change Everything—Eventually
A ubiquitous wireless broadband network will change business strategy—once it finally gets here.....Promise
- As Wi-Fi spreads, more free locations popping up... and they're the best
As the number of Wi-Fi hot spots grows, consumers will become less willing to pay for it, predicts JiWire CEO Kevin McKenzie. "We'll see more free Wi-Fi popping up, becoming a public utility like electricity and water."
- The Denver Post may launch free newspaper
Younger readers from the ages of 18 to 34 "resist purchasing paid distribution dailies because they are accustomed to getting their news free from the Internet and television."
Community
- INSA News The Latest in Aerospace Development and Public Outreach News for the Inland Northwest December 8, 2005
INSA News is a publication that provides information about the Inland Northwest Space Alliance, our public education and outreach activities, research and development and INSA's ongoing projects and partnerships.
2005 Montana Legislature
- The Center for the Rocky Mountain West Newsletter - December 2005 - January 2006
For those of us lucky enough to live in the Rocky Mountain West, we know we live in a special place.
- The Montana Community Foundation is now accepting applications for a new grant program, Building Rural Communities.
Projects must serve communities under 5,000. This new grant program replaces the regional grant programs in place during recent years.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Special sessions rarely live up to the name
Even when the governor wields the sessions as a hammer to force something through, however, he needs to go in with some agreement from the legislature, Erickson said. Otherwise, a snubbed legislature simply will not act on the governor’s proposals.
VIRUS ALERTS
- Samsung's 7-inch LCD screen can be rolled up; largest flexible screen in the world
The plastic will not break when flexed, according to Samsung, and its pliancy paves the way for flexible color screens.
- Automatic License Plate Reader Alerts Trooper to Kidnapping Suspects
As a trooper pulled up behind the vehicle, its license plate was automatically "read" by a camera mounted on the cruiser and processed through a database installed in the trooper's onboard computer.
- Sober.X worm clogs inboxes. Virus sends e-mails that look like ones from feds
The junk traffic generated by Sober has bogged down e-mail systems at some of the nation's largest Internet service providers.
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