MATR Newsletter – July 10, 2020
The state with the best education wins!

Corona Virus Information

• Mask up Missoula: Health board passes measure requiring masks in all indoor public spaces

  “While a lot of people are trying and business are trying to require masks, we’ve been called upon and it’s been clearly indicated that it will take more of a mandate to support those who are trying and wish to go out and not be necessarily exposed to someone elses germs.”

• The Prospera Business Network launching tutorials on PPP Loan forgiveness

  There’s quite a bit to the process, it can be a bit confusing but, Prospera as of right now has helped 2000 businesses and are looking to help more.

Come Home Montana

• Montana Career Opportunities – Cybersecurity Consultant, Incident Response Specialist – LMG Security

  LMG staff are leaders in the cybersecurity industry. We’ve published game-changing research on cell phone intrusion detection, literally wrote the book on Network Forensics, and strive every day to push the boundaries of current cybersecurity knowledge. We routinely speak at Black Hat, DEFCON and other national security conferences.

• Montana Career Opportunity – Postdoctoral Research Associate Position – Inimmune Corporation

  Postdoctoral Research Associate Position Inimmune Corporation has an exciting opportunity available immediately in our R&D Center for a postdoctoral research associate position in synthetic chemistry. Based in beautiful Missoula, MT, Inimmune’s mission is focused on the discovery and development of novel immunotherapeutics for the treatment of allergy, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases. View full…

• Kalispell native returns to shoot movie in the Flathead

  “The Flathead Valley is just such a beautiful area that when we were coming up with shooting locations, coming back here just made sense. It’s kind of surreal to be back here, but it is fun as well.

• Is Small-Town White Montana Ready for My Big, Loud, Brown Family? It Doesn’t Matter, Because We’re Here Anyway.

  People we greet here in this town, all of whom are white, are friendly but look at my big, loud brown family with confusion, like we must be lost. We’re not; we’re exactly where we belong.

Printing For Less

• PFL’s Third Annual State of Multichannel Marketing Report

  “With marketing budgets projected to decrease over the next year, marketing leaders don’t have room for error in their multichannel strategies and campaigns.  Delivering a brand experience that breaks through the clutter is essential in today’s digital-first world, leading to increased brand recognition, engagement and, most importantly, sales.” PFL CEO Andrew Field

Montana Department of Commerce

• Montana Department of Commerce Connection – A dynamic dashboard that shows the Coronavirus Relief Fund grants

  The state of Montana has launched a dynamic dashboard that shows the Coronavirus Relief Fund grants that have been awarded to businesses and nonprofits. This dashboard will be updated weekly until all grant dollars have been expended.

• Montana Equal Pay for Equal Work Task Force and Zero to Five Montana – 7/14 – 12PM MST

  This instructional webinar will focus on teleworking and flexible scheduling best practices.

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• Playbook urges ‘overhaul’ in infrastructure financing, planning

  Localities should be given more autonomy by the federal government on which projects and areas to invest in.

• Town of Joliet to hold hearings on community development – 7/20

  The Town of Joliet is seeking public comments regarding overall community development needs(public facilities, economic development, and housing needs), including the needs of low and moderate income persons.

• Support Grows for Guaranteed Income Among America’s Mayors

  More city leaders are committing to explore universal basic income experiments that are grounded in civil rights ideals.

• The Red Ants Pants Foundation Girls Leadership Program – 2020 Program Applications Available

  The Red Ants Pants Foundation Girls Leadership Program is designed to inspire hope for our youth, develop pride in our rural communities, and foster strength and courage in our leadership.

• Shelby, Montana residents: Your input is needed ASAP

  The goals of the project include researching and assessing our existing conditions of historic buildings in our downtown district, conducting community and stakeholder sessions to gather input about the vision for maintaining and preserving our historic downtown, developing clear, understandable recommendations, reviewing those recommendations with residents and completing a planning document for the benefit of the community.

The Telecommuting and Gig Workforce in Montana

• In Migrant Worker Camps, Wifi Is a Basic Utility

  During the Covid-19 pandemic, an agricultural community comes together to expand wifi access in migrant farmworker camps.

Next Generation Broadband in Montana

• Western Governors approve new resolutions on Broadband Connectivity, Rural Development

  Recommendations to address broadband data and mapping, investments in scalable infrastructure, and strategies to help connect tribal communities across the region’s vast distances and unforgiving terrain.

• Klobuchar’s Bill Would Put $100 Billion Toward Broadband

  Klobuchar’s Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act is intended “to close the digital divide and connect Americans to ensure they have increased access to education, health care and business opportunities.”

• On Broadband, Tester Tells FCC: Don’t Leave Rural Communities Behind

  It is irresponsible for the FCC to allocate $16 billion using incorrect data that gives an incomplete picture of the nation’s broadband gaps. I fear this will turn into another broken promise from the FCC and rural America deserves better.”

• Sen. Jon Tester – Update on available Broadband assistance

  The fund would estabish a fund to compensate rural broadband providers for offering free or discounted services to families who are struggling to keep up with their bills due to COVID-19.

Montana Business

• Inimmune raises $22 Million in Series A Funding Led by Two Bear Capital – Investment believed to be largest Series A funding in state history – Montana Career Opportunity

  “We are excited to partner with Two Bear Capital for this Series A investment. We could have looked outside of Montana for investors but were happy to find a local VC firm that connected with our vision to grow a world-class biotech company right here in Montana,” said Dr. Jay Evans, President and CEO at Inimmune.

• Missoula, Montana based ATG Presents: ‘The Future of Quote to Cash’ -7/14-16 – Virtual Summit

  Join us July 14th through 16th – from the comfort of your own home or office – as our fourth annual Quote 2 Cast Summit tackles the latest in Quote to Cash best practices, and challenges the status quo with deep dives into these new technologies to understand the value they can bring today, and into the future.

• Red Ants Pants Foundation Newsletter – The Show Must Go On

  Our second class of girls have graduated from the our Girls Leadership Program.

Funding and Building your Business

• How To Develop A Mentoring Team

  It is well documented that those who are mentored outperform and out-earn those who are not. They get promoted more often and report lower burnout rates.

Wyoming Business

• Wyoming Governor offers new details about budget cuts, announces second round of reductions

  The reductions are being planned in response to a massive decline in projected state revenue driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and a downturn in the energy industry.

Government News & Events

• New Office, Leadership Will Drive Future Mobility in Michigan – The Office of Future Mobility and Electrification

  The Office of Future Mobility and Electrification is set to become a catalyst of transportation innovation in the state. Trevor Pawl, a former executive at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, will lead that charge.

• No new taxes: Missoula’s FY21 budget eyes investments in housing, roads, police and equity

  Mayor Engen said the proposal won’t increase property taxes but rather, will shift funding to areas based on the city’s strategic goals and community values.

Government Technology

• CIO journey from the ivory halls of academia to Montana CIO – Tim Bottenfield

  He attributes his appointment and his continued success to his experience at DOR and his emphasis on relationship management, no mean feat in a CIO’s role.

Washington State Business

• Seattle passes big business tax on salaries of top earners after years of false starts

  Seattle’s years-long effort to tax the wealth generated by tech and other lucrative industries crossed a new milestone Monday.

Transportation

• Our World Accelerated: Analyzing the Impacts

  During the last 120 years, our mobility increased by an order of magnitude, but so did associated costs. Are we better off? Could we do better?

• Elon Musk says Tesla is ‘very close’ to level 5 autonomous driving – Is your state and community preparing for level 5?

  “I remain confident that we will have the basic functionality for level 5 (no driver input needed) autonomy complete this year.” Elon Musk

Energy and Climate Change

• At this new net-zero energy McDonald’s, on-site solar provides 100% of the power

  By 2030, emissions from McDonald’s restaurants and offices will need to drop 36%, compared to 2015, to meet the company’s science-based targets. This new restaurant now open at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is one step toward that goal.

MATR Newsletter Supporters: