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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Jan 6, 2012 |
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"There is a way to create jobs and grow the economy while raising the bar for social and environmental responsibility. With this new law, we are attracting new socially conscious companies, investors and consumers." Assemblyman Jared Huffman " Businesses seek state's new 'benefit corporation' status " http://matr.net/articl ... .html
City Club Missoula - Myths, Reality And The Powerful New Mission For Missoula's Two-year College, 1/9, Missoula http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
2012 Elections
Montana Department of Commerce
- Tester says jobs No. 1 priority when Congress reconvenes
"It was very unfortunate what happened at the end of the year," Tester said. "Denny Rehberg made it clear that he'd do his best not to allow a vote on it. We haven't had a wilderness designation in 30 years, and the jobs that can be created by this bill are tremendous. We'll keep fighting until we can get it passed."
- Rehberg talks budget, blame
Rehberg said he decided to give up his House seat and the House Appropriations subcommittee chairmanship he gained through seniority, "because I can do more as a senator." "I'd have more staff and resources, serve on more committees and be one of just 100 senators," he said.
- Rehberg looks to small businesses, natural resources to boost economy
"Either you have access to the forest or you don't," he said. "If you close the Rocky Mountain Front to oil and gas development, that takes one of those chips off the table."
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Montana SBDC Network Highlights January 2012
2011 was a very successful year for the SBDC Network. Some impressive statistics include:
Missoula Schools Excellence
- Edmodo's K-12 Social Network Helps Teachers Connect with Students---and One Another
"Edmodo is really built around the teacher-student relationship and what a classroom is," Borg says. "There are a lot of roles in a social network when you look at the education side of things, and Edmodo really captures that."
- Experts share their ed-tech predictions for the new year
Nearly all agreed that technology's potential to create personalized, student-centered learning environments will be even more fully realized in the coming year, thanks to powerful developments in blended instruction, data analytics, formative assessment, and more.
Highway 12 Ventures
- Missoula's DeSmet School wins national honor
DeSmet School has been tapped to receive national recognition for their efforts to close the Title I Award for closing the Achievement Gap.
City Club Missoula
- Highway 12 Ventures - Portfolio News | December 2012
Updates from Highway 12's portfolio of industry leading firms
Visit Montana
- City Club Missoula - Myths, Reality And The Powerful New Mission For Missoula's Two-year College, 1/9, Missoula
Myths, Reality and the Powerful New Mission for Missoula's two-year College: What you need to know about this vital asset for education, community and economic growth and development.
Come Home Montana
- Money still needed for repairs to avalanche damaged Sperry Chalet in Glacier National Park
The organization also recently implemented an adopt-an-animal program. For a donation, donors receive a plush animal toy of their choice. Ratzlaff said similar programs in other national parks have proven very successful.
Come Home Washington
- Mid-Rivers Communications Current Job Vacancies
Mid-Rivers provides telecommunications services to 30,000 square miles in a 21-county area of eastern Montana and three counties in North Dakota. Mid-Rivers is the largest land mass telephone cooperative in the Continental U.S.
- Governor Schweitzer: Montana Hits the One Million Mark
It's official, one million people now call Montana's Big Sky Country home announced Governor Brian Schweitzer today.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Web Designer - Zee Creative
Zee Creative, a Billings, Montana based web design firm, is seeking an experienced web designer with a minimum of 5 years of proficient work experience
- For Montana Tech Industry, Help Wanted - FVCC hopes to train more students as local firms look to fill jobs
"We're desperate for people to work for us."
- Spreading a boon: A salute to go-getters in Shelby, Montana
We bring all this up by way of noting a point that's sometimes forgotten as area communities vie for economic development projects: What's good for one town in northcentral Montana is almost always good for the others; a boon for Shelby is a boon for the rest of us as well.
- Montana Career Opportunity - COE Technician - Mid-Rivers Communications, Inc.
Advanced working knowledge of digital central office equipment and microwave radio. Working knowledge of fiber optic equipment. Desirable to have an understanding of Cellular and other wireless communications.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Budget Analyst - Governor's Office
Permanent/full-time, located in Helena.
- Business on a roll for Iowa trucking company that opened in Missoula - Decker Truck Line Inc.
"We chose our Missoula location because the area boasts such an abundance of quality personnel who have a heritage of transportation experience," said Wallace, who has relocated to Iowa to serve as Decker's general manager of refrigerated operations. "We're thrilled at what they've been able to accomplish is such a short time, especially considering that the division has continued to grow despite the tough economic environment."
Montana Business
- Washington Career Opportunity - Senior Computer Specialist - University of Washington
Our University Libraries has an outstanding opportunity for a GIS Infrastructure & Support Specialist. The Senior Computer Specialist will serve as the technical and operational lead for the implementation, configuration, maintenance, and support of the Libraries' GIS infrastructure.
Montana Economic Development
- Missoula Chamber says it doesn't condone ads attacking Senator Tester
"We pay dues to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. ... They have a separate entity that does their political advertising."
- Halo Heaven forced to layoff 25 employees in Connor, Montana
Halo Heaven was notified that they faced a potential violation by the Ravalli County Environmental Health Department in early December.
- American Expedition Vehicles Launches New Website!
In the coming weeks and months we will be adding even more information and features to our website, including detailed manufacturing information, informative FAQs, more videos, and off-road/overlanding tips and tricks.
- Jeff Ruffner, president and CEO of Butte, Montana based MSE Applied Technologies Resigns
MSE is owned by Montana Economic Revitalization and Development Institute, or MERDI. The head of MSE works at the pleasure of the MERDI board of directors.
- Shared/collaborative office space in Bozeman, Montana
We are looking for a quick indication of interest before we proceed with any improvements.
- Bones and beetles: Florence, Montana taxidermist cleans carcasses and skulls with help of 10 million employees - Big Sky Beetle Works
Gary Haas has 10 million employees, give or take a couple hundred thousand.
Regional Economic Development
- Ravalli economic panel looking at all ideas
Like many small counties in the Northwest, the changes from an obvious resource-based economy to a mixed economy have created a challenge for Ravalli County.
Bill Payne
- Real job creation lies in power plant upgrades, not Keystone XL pipeline
American voters are smart enough to see through the ridiculous pipeline gambit. And they will surely listen if Mr. Obama makes a compelling argument for both protecting the environment and investing in clean energy industries that will create lasting jobs.
Funding and Building your Business
- Limiting the Number of Shareholders in Private Companies
Most recently, the number of shareholders issue has arisen as Congress considers legalizing crowdfunding which may allow hundreds or even thousands of smaller investors to make equity investments in startups.
Incubators and R&D
- So, What's Your Algorithm?
How analytics harvested from massive databases will begin to inform our day-to-day business decisions. Call it Big Data, analytics, or decision science. Over time, this will change your world more than the iPad 3.
- Get a mentor, not a critic.
The job of entrepreneur is tough enough without a critic on your team, second-guessing your every move. Here are some tips on how to recognize whether a partner, consultant, or employee is a mentor or a critic:
- New Online Course Introduced for Native American Small Business Owners
Native American Small Business Primer: Strategies for Success is a free, self-paced online business course developed for Native American business owners.
- 10 Startup Survival Tips in the Age of the Platform
Whether you believe his conclusion or not, you can learn a lot from the tips he offers on how to build a competitive business model today:
- 25 Eye-Popping Internet Marketing Statistics for 2012
88.1% of US internet users ages 14+ will browse or research products online in 2012.
Montana Education Excellence
- Cal scientists find lizards' secret to robot success
Similar robots could eventually be used, the scientists say, to search for bodies buried underneath earthquake rubble, or to land a spacecraft on low-gravity asteroids, or - as the Army suggests - to sneak inside buildings where enemy combatants lurk.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Montana Governor Announces "Governor Schweitzer's One in a Million" Scholarship Fund
Governor Brian Schweitzer announced today that he is starting the "Governor Schweitzer's One in a Million" scholarship fund for Montana kids born between December 25, 2011 and January 1, 2012, who will go on to study math or science at a unit of the Montana University System.
- Mansfield Center Director Top University of Montana Grant Recipient In 2011
The Center houses programs that embody the core interests and characteristics of Sen. Mansfield's career, namely modern Asian affairs and ethics in public affairs.
- Mustang speeds to victory: Great Falls students win car restoration competition
"It's real exciting," teacher Joe Wilkins said. "The best thing is that it shows our students have the skill sets to be competitive on a national scale."
Idaho Business
- Plum Creek Contributes $10,000 for New FVCC Nursing and Health Science Center
Since 1999, the Plum Creek Foundation has donated more than $130,000 to support programs and building funds at FVCC.
Utah Economic Development
- Teachers Resist High-Tech Push in Idaho Schools
Last year, the state legislature overwhelmingly passed a law that requires all high school students to take some online classes to graduate, and that the students and their teachers be given laptops or tablets. The idea was to establish Idaho's schools as a high-tech vanguard.
- Eagle, Idaho-based ALMSA Acquired By Yardi
According to Yardi, it will continue to have an office in Eagle, Idaho, and will maintain all of ALMSA's key personnel in the acquisition.
Making the Most of the American Prairie
- Utah Valley University establishes new business-support center
A recent economic analysis, for example, found UVU generates nearly an 8-to-1 return on public investment, for an annual total of $534 million.
Government
- American Prairie Foundation - eNewsletter December 2011/January 2012
I'm very excited about the 70 new bison that will be coming to our herd this winter, as well as the improvements we're making to visitor facilities. None of this would be possible without your continuing support.
Connectivity & Communications
- Montana Supreme Court upholds election spending limits
Montana has engaged in a long, slow dance between corporations and politicians through much of its history. The free-spending audacity of the copper kings during the early 20th century -- when mining czar W.A. Clark bought himself a seat in the U.S. Senate -- are the stuff of Western lore.
Energy and Climate Change
- Senator Jon Tester, Montana Officials, Facebook reps tout social media safety
"Our focus is on strengthening online safety, especially in social networking," said U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D.-Mont.
Non-Profit News
- Paint-On Solar Cells Developed by Notre Dame Researchers
Called "Sun-Believable," the paint is still a ways from being commercially available. But its development could ultimately lead to a new generation of inexpensive power generation.
- A Youngster's Bright Idea Is Something New Under the Sun - Aidan Dwyer Took a Leaf from the Trees and Electrified International Debate
Maybe a better title would be an intellectual Hannah Montana. That's because the scientist, Aidan Dwyer, is 13 years old.
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- Viral charitable donations based on users' interests and activities
Snoball aims to encourage viral social giving, via a platform that enables users to donate based on an event or action.
- Businesses seek state's new 'benefit corporation' status
It was the first business day they could register under a recently approved state law that gives companies a way to legally structure their businesses to consider social and environmental efforts as part of their missions.
- Fueling the Creative Economy
While I thought for certain that other states would have their own Offices of the Creative Economy, mostly what I came across were Arts councils or agencies whose primary focus was frequently cultural, as opposed to economic development. Although, the cultural focus is undoubtedly important it only represents a portion of the value of creative enterprises.
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