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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Feb 24, 2012 |
“I guarantee you that if the community knew what their local school had to teach, support, and perform every day for their students, the community would become their school’s greatest supporter, not their biggest critic—helping to spur the true reform needed for schools rather than hindering it.” Only community can save public education http://matr.net/articl ... .html -- "Schools Cannot Do It Alone", 2/29, Bozeman, Montana http://matr.net/events ... =4030
2012 MEDA Gubernatorial Forum And Annual Meeting, 2/28-29, Helena, Montana http://matr.net/articl ... .html --- Does your Montana company sell its products over the Internet? http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- Gen. Clark says U.S. needs both strong economy and military - Public talk March 5 at Montana State University. http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- Hellgate Venture Network - Incubator Initiative, 3/1, Missoula, Montana http://matr.net/articl ... .html
Montana Department of Commerce
PrintingForLess
- Nominations Requested for Montana's Tourism Awards
The Tourism Awards are an opportunity to highlight and distinguish the people, partnerships, communities and events that contribute to Montana's successful tourism industry.
Visit Montana
- The three c's of a great brand
Every strong brand has a great story behind it.
Highway 12 Ventures
- Live like a Copper King in Butte, Montana - Copper King Mansion Bed & Breakfast
Many of the mansion's rooms come equipped with sleigh beds and other antique furnishings. The exquisite woodwork is amazing and many windows are decorated with stained glass. There is even an old-fashioned shower stall that sprays water from numerous openings set in a 360-degree circle around one's body. Breakfasts are hearty, as befits a mining town.
Come Home Montana
- New Startup? TechStars Boulder Application Deadline Looming
It takes time to for the TechStars team to get to know you, so the earlier you apply, the greater your liklihood of getting in.
Montana Ambassadors
- Open Positions for Livable Communities Northcentral Montana Project
With funding from a HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant, Opportunity Link and partners are looking for highly-motivated individuals to coordinate and lead multi-jurisdictional planning in Northcentral Montana.
- Montana - People like us, they really like us! - "You should be here starting your company and living your dream"
As with many polls of this nature, the results confirm some stereotypes and dispell others, with the end result for us being a reminder that the most important thing is to be happy with the state you're in. And we are.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Software Developer - Aydus Consulting
Note: this is a Telecommuting position.
- Oil Company Recruits Bakken Workers
The Alberta-based oil company said it's always in need of mechanics, electronic technicians, office personnel, and other oil field workers.
Montana Business
- Gallatin Valley, Montana is open to business
"Just getting out of the way is not enough today," Becker said. "We want folks to be able to invest in our community in creative ways that we can't see right now."
Montana Economic Development
- Montana Health Co-op, a new health insurer, to get $58M federal start-up loan
"We hope to be an attractive health coverage alternative for as many Montanans as possible," co-op board member and former State Auditor John Morrison said at a Capitol news conference announcing the award. "We hope to make a significant difference in terms of providing an option."
- Montana CDC Uses New SBA Product to Spur Montana Business Growth
Montana CDC just closed the first SBA 7(a) Community Advantage loan in Montana, helping a long-time Missoula business owner expand to a new location and create new jobs.
- Does your Montana company sell its products over the Internet?
MATR has been asked to determine how many Montana companies utilize the Internet as their primary sales avenue.
- Holding company buys Maclay ski-area land for $22.5 million - Bitterroot Resort
Maclay now has one year from Wednesday to redeem the loan from Met Life.
- Bryony Schwan, Executive Director of Missoula, Montana's Biomimicry 3.8 Institute: 5 in 5
Biomimicry; it's so inspiring that people want to get engaged and are excited to use it as a tool to create change.
- Crafting Paddles in Whitefish, Montana - Whiskeyjack Paddles
The paddles Brown and his crew make from red cedar get stronger as each layer is glued on. Brown employs this same mentality in several aspects throughout Whiskeyjack Paddles: playing on and reinforcing strengths.
MSU Leadership Institute & UM Global Leadership Initiative
- Senator Tester's Women's Small Business Opportunity Workshop at the University of Montana. - "Montana ripe for innovation from female entrepreneurs"
"Montana women are in a strong position to strengthen our economy and create jobs. This event was about sharing strategies and making sure women have the tools they need to start or strengthen their own small businesses." Senator Jon Tester http://tester.senate.gov/
- Missoula-based development corporation gets $60M in tax credits for projects
"What it means is $60 million worth of projects are going to get done in the state of Montana," MCDC director Dave Glaser said. "We'll be arranging financing with tax credits over the next 12 to 18 months."
Careers
- Gen. Clark says U.S. needs both strong economy and military - Public talk March 5 at Montana State University.
Clark will give a public talk March 5 at Montana State University.
Business Plan Forums
- Problem solving platform connects businesses with talented students
MindSumo https://www.mindsumo.com/ is a new platform on which businesses can invite students to solve problems, while those students are given the opportunity to show off their ideas to potential employers.
- Your first 'hello' can make or break a job search
"People are answering the phone with a 'Hey, how ya doin'?' and crazy music playing in the background," Paul J. Bailo says. "What kind of message is this?"
Economic Gardening
- Venture Capital in the Rockies Winter Conference (2/28-3/1) Reveals Selected Early-Growth Companies
The VCIR Winter 2012 conference will be held at the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek, Colorado, February 28-March 1. The selected companies come from the clean technology, consumer technology, data/storage, financial, telecommunications, and information technology industries, among others.
Government
- Economic gardening helps nourish five local companies
Economic gardening is a new trend in the economic development profession and contrasts with traditional economic development, which is called economic hunting.
Idaho Business
- Power Companies Win U.S. High Court Clash Over Centuries-Old River Rights
The justices unanimously overturned a ruling that would have required a unit of PPL Corp. (PPK) to pay more than $50 million in rent to Montana for the use of riverbeds under ten of the energy company's dams.
- Montana Senator Jon Tester saves Missoula mail processing facility. Goal now is to keep as many postal facilities open as possible, Senator says
"Today's news is a victory for all of us and a reminder that public input goes a long way in making responsible decisions that are right for Montana," Tester said, noting that many Montanans wrote and attended meetings to express concerns about closing the Missoula facility.
Regional Business
- Idaho's first Women's Business Center opens in Boise
"Not everyone wants to own a business. But some women may not know what to do or where to go."
Regional Economic Development
- Northwest Energy Angels Invests $880,000 In Nine Firms
The group said it has now looked at over 117 companies, making 31 first time investments out of that batch of companies, since 2006.
Utah Economic Development
- Rural Development: Three Views
We thought these three rural residents described three important sides of this story -- how people decide to work on their communities; what rural development programs can do; and what is to become of federal rural development efforts.
- Idaho National Laboratory Offers Streamlined Partnership Agreement to Help Industry Bring New Technologies to Market
"The Agreements for Commercializing Technology will cut red tape for businesses and startups interested in working with our nation's crown jewels of innovation, the national laboratories," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "This initiative will also strengthen new domestic industries by helping to bring innovative, job-creating technologies to the market faster."
Wyoming Business21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Drug company backs out of Casper, Wyoming business center deal
The $10.5 million center needs an anchor tenant -- like a major store in a mall -- to attract and help sustain other tenants, Adams said.
Missoula Schools Excellence
- Aligning Early Education with the Common Core
"We have to be careful that those standards, particularly as they extend downward, appropriately recognize these important social, communication, and self-regulation skills that are really as critical for kids' learning in those early and later years as whether they know the alphabet."
Montana Education Excellence
- Missoula high school robotics team readies for regional competition
If Mr. T could feel pity, he'd pity the fool who tries to make more baskets than him.
Community
- Quality, affordability at Montana's universities
Here are some recent ways the Montana University System has kept costs down, reduced the time it takes to graduate, stepped up our production of a skilled workforce and boosted Montana's economy with record levels of competitive research and graduate education.
- Governor Announces Appointments of Pat Williams and Jeffrey K. Krauss to the Montana Board of Regents
Pat Williams spent 30 years as a classroom teacher and education administrator. He also served nine terms as a U.S. representative from Montana (1979-1997).
- Governor names Krauss, Williams as regents
"I would give kudos to the governor" for reaching out to a Republican, Krauss said Wednesday. "In the past, other governors have given (regents' positions) as partisan, payback, patronage appointments.
- New Montana Commissioner of Higher Education will continue work he started as regent
New commissioner, Clayton Christian of Missoula, said Thursday in Billings that despite the changes, the higher-education system will continue in the direction set by regents in recent years.
Funding and Building your Business
- Montana No Kid Hungry Initiative Launches with Governor Brian Schweitzer
In Montana, a state with just over 1 million people, 48,000 children are at risk of hunger. Despite being "The Treasure State," our state's real treasures, our children, are at risk of obesity, malnutrition, slower cognitive development, and increased illness.
Energy and Climate Change
- Startup Runway Length Depends on Your Burn Rate
Here are some recommendations on how to keep the rate low, and help your startup to prosper at the same time:
- How to Give Your Startup Idea The Sniff Test
I suggest that you complete the following analysis as due diligence on the idea before spending your life savings (and others) to roll out a solution:
- Montana Small Business Benefits from Small Business Jobs Act
The program, administered through Certified Development Companies (CDCs), typically finances acquisition of owner occupied commercial property and large equipment. In an effort to stimulate the economy, the loan program can now temporarily refinance certain eligible debt on property.
- Funny Things Entrepreneurs Never Confess To Their VCs
This is intended be a light-hearted piece that hits just close enough on some counts to (hopefully) be funny. Please don't take it too seriously. (Oh, and for the record, I've actually said more than one of these things myself).
Connectivity & Communications
- To Charge Electric Cars, Just Drive
Sounds too good to be true, but the phenomenon -- called magnetic resonance coupling -- has already been proven.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Web Firms to Adopt 'No Track' Button
The reversal is being announced as part of the White House's call for Congress to pass a "privacy bill of rights," that will give people greater control over the personal data collected about them.
- Google to Sell Heads-Up Display Glasses by Year's End
Google plans to build a $120 million electronics testing facility that will be involved in testing "precision optical technology."
- Google ready to launch pilot pay-TV program in Kansas City
Google also has reportedly been working with major media companies for rights to television shows, and of course has poured tremendous resources into its YouTube service, creating a massive pipeline of potential content.
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