MATR Newsletter – August 5, 2022
The state with the best education wins!

Bozeman aerial firefighting company, Bridger Aerospace poised to go public

The merger valued the company at $869 million, and could earn Bridger Aerospace $345 million in cash when the deal is completed, according to a release.

Kurt Vonnegut tells his wife he’s going out to buy an envelope:

“Oh, she says, well, you’re not a poor man. You know, why don’t you go online and buy a hundred envelopes and put them in the closet? And so I pretend not to hear her. And go out to get an envelope because I’m going to have a hell of a good time in the process of buying one envelope.

I meet a lot of people. And see some great looking babies. And a fire engine goes by. And I give them the thumbs up. And I’ll ask a woman what kind of dog that is. And, and I don’t know. The moral of the story is – we’re here on Earth to fart around.

And, of course, the computers will do us out of that. And what the computer people don’t realize, or they don’t care, is we’re dancing animals. You know, we love to move around. And it’s like we’re not supposed to dance at all anymore.“

Let’s all get up and move around a bit right now… or at least dance.

Today’s MATR Newsletter is sponsored by:

Come Home Montana

Montana Career Opportunity – Director of Development and Communications – Prospera
The Director of Development and Communications is a new senior-level position that serves on the management team at Prospera with a leadership role in helping to build the organization. This position…

Montana West Economic Development

Montana West Economic Development – August Business Bulletin
New job opportunities posted on the MWED Job Board:

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

Economists’ midyear outlook forecasts changing growth trends in Montana
“The view out the rear-view mirror is fantastic – what a great year it’s been!” said BBER director Patrick Barkey. “What’s ahead is what the problem is – that’s what we’re worried about; we don’t see it as clearly.”
Missoula College, businesses pave way for Montana workforce development
It’s an opportunity UM is taking advantage of as well, with Missoula College using ‘Accelerate Montana’ to propel its students forward.
Made in Montana Monthly August 2022
If it’s produced in Montana, it’s produced with pride.
Montana Young Professionals Summit 2022 – The Best Conference For All Young Professionals in Montana – Butte, MT – August 15-17th, 2022
Hands down, the most FUN you’ll have while doing business!
…but don’t take our word for it, take theirs from past years’ summits
Montana League of Cities and Towns – 91st Annual Conference: October 5-7, 2022 – Kalispell
Telling Your Story: Strengthening Trust for Successful Communities
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte looks to simplify construction permitting process
Gianforte said in a news release he and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality worked with the Montana League of Cities and Towns on a simpler construction permitting process. They created a template contract to have city governments review public water supply plans for building projects.

Montana Businesses Seeking Investment or For Sale

Bozeman aerial firefighting company, Bridger Aerospace poised to go public
The merger valued the company at $869 million, and could earn Bridger Aerospace $345 million in cash when the deal is completed, according to a release.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte

NBC MT Today: Exclusive interview with Gov. Greg Gianforte on housing, abortion & more
Wildfires, flood relief, housing needs, and abortion were discussed when Governor Greg Gianforte stopped by NBC Montana’s studio Thursday morning for a live interview with Heidi Meili.

Housing

Corporate Landlords ‘Aggressively’ Evicted Tenants During Pandemic, House Report Says
A new report from a House subcommittee alleges that four companies, including Invitation Homes and Pretium Partners, used harsh tactics to push out thousands of renters.

Montana Business

Montana medical providers struggling as Medicaid gap grows to more than $80M
Hospitals, mental health, nursing homes all warn of problems without a change from the state

Visit Montana

Montana – Things to Do – Places to Go – Where to Stay – Plan Your Trip and more….
Montana is the kind of place that, just at the mention of it, sparks curiosity and fuels adventure. They say it will stay with you forever. Discover miles of inspiration here, and find out for yourself.

Funding and Building your Business

If You’re a Startup Founder, Watch Out for This ‘Harsh Term’ From Investors
Some venture capitalists are changing term sheets to give themselves more favorable positions.
More states will require employers to list salaries – Does Yours?
More employers are being required to include salary in their job postings. Colorado already does this, New York City will require it in November and Washington state’s requirement starts in January.

21st Century Education Initiative – “You Should Care…”

College Students Can Future-Proof Their Careers With These Five Skills
Students will need to learn new skills, as well as hone some older skills, to keep pace in rapidly developing fields, educators say.
‘Never seen it this bad’: America faces catastrophic teacher shortage
“I have never seen it this bad,” Dan Domenech, executive director of the School Superintendents Association, said of the teacher shortage. “Right now it’s number one on the list of issues that are concerning school districts … necessity is the mother of invention, and hard-pressed districts are going to have to come up with some solutions.”

Transportation

GM & INRIX Safety View Software Available For City Planners
GM says the cloud-based program gives transportation planners crucial insights based on crash, vehicle, vulnerable road user (VRU, or people walking and using micromobility), and US Census data to help them prioritize and assess the impact of road safety initiatives on neighborhoods.
A long, strange, EV trip: Father-son drive from L.A. to Seattle illustrates road ahead on charging needs
Fun stories, memes, humor and other random items at the intersection of tech, science, business and culture.
In-road inductive charging tests demonstrate unlimited EV range
The world’s fifth-largest automaker has built and tested a charge-as-you-drive system – a loop of road in Italy with wireless EV charging coils embedded under the surface, so that electric cars can charge as they drive and unlock unlimited range.