MATR Newsletter – July 31, 2019
The state with the best education wins!

Economist: Graying workforce continued challenge for Montana businesses

“Destroy the idea that you have to be constantly working or grinding in order to be successful. Embrace the concept that rest, recovery, and reflection are essential parts of the progress towards a successful and ultimately happy life.”  

Zach Galifianakis

Montana Department of Commerce

• 2019-2020 Annual Action Plan Public Comment Period – Montana Department of Commerce

  The Departments would like to invite you to participate in the public hearing for the 2019-2020 Annual Action Plan.

Northwestern Energy

• Data center to lease old Rainbow Powerhouse from NorthWestern Energy

  Susteen is a technology company established in 1992 specializing in digital forensics, providing hardware and software products to international law enforcement and government agencies.

Great Falls Development Authority

• Great Falls Development Authority August Business Education Calendar

  Here are our upcoming educational events for business owners, managers, and professionals for August 2019:

TechLink

• TechLink -H2 Power, hydrogen fuel startup, licenses new formula from Army Research Lab

  The U.S. Army announced that it signed a patent license agreement with a Chicago-based hydrogen fuel company that hopes to disrupt transportation and portable energy markets.

• U.S. Army scientists invented a wearable air conditioner long before Sony’s Reon Pocket

  Opportunity for a business to commercialize is still hot

The Telecommuting and Gig Workforce in Montana

• How Companies Benefit When Employees Work Remotely

  Companies that let their workers decide where and when to do their jobs—whether in another city or in the middle of the night—increase employee productivity, reduce turnover, and lower organizational costs, new research suggests.

Next Generation Broadband in Montana

• Having Broadband Issues? This Tool Helps You Learn Local Laws

  The Pew Charitable Trusts Wednesday launched the State Broadband Policy Explorer.

Montana Economic Development

• New resources available from Headwaters RC&D to help local businesses that use Montana-grown food, crops

  The designation allows the organization to assist businesses that produce and commercialize food, agricultural products and more with practices like grant writing, financing, food safety and marketing.

• University of Montana economist discusses workforce shortages, possible solutions at Bozeman seminar

  Business leaders and a University of Montana economist led a discussion in Bozeman on Tuesday on how local businesses can prepare.

• Economist: Graying workforce continued challenge for Montana businesses

  A new report from UM shows Montana has the oldest average workforce in the region. In 2021, the largest number of residents in the state will be age 66.

Montana Ambassadors

• Interview with Montana Ambassador Jeff Wright President of Montana Outdoors Foundation & RecCon Montana

  I fell in love with Montana and knew it was a unique and special place.

Montana Business

• July Tourism News You Can Use – An update for members of Montana’s tourism industry

  Not only is tourism leading in job growth in the U.S. and Montana, but the increased demand has led to a construction spree.

Funding and Building your Business

• Montana schools need support to continue developing strong future employees – The State with the Best Education Wins!

  I will hire a Montana kid any day over someone from out of state because of the quality of young people in our communities.

• Looking for work? Your next job interview might just come by text message

  When the text message popped up on his iPhone, Malcolm Barnes was skeptical. Could this really be from a recruiter? Sure, he had applied online for a job. But in the era of data breaches, spam and scams, he wasn’t sure whether to trust it. “I’ve always had face-to-face interactions when hiring people (myself) or when I…

Regional Economic Development

• Communities of Solution: The Folsom Report Revisited

  Health is not a commodity that can be given. It must be generated from within.

Idaho News & Events

• 10 years, $1 million spent, still no deal: This man plans to remake downtown Meridian, Idaho

  Overpriced properties have become common in downtown Meridian

Wyoming Business

• Rural States Bear High Per-Capita Cost for Nation’s Road System

  Wyoming’s transportation director says rural highways serve the nation’s needs, not just the interests of local communities. Congress should remember that in funding levels, he says.

Education News

• University of Montana Earns Montana’s First Nationally Accredited Master of Public Administration Program

  Dr. Sara Rinfret, chair of the Department of Public Administration and Policy and MPA director, said the accreditation allows UM to elevate its commitment of excellence in law, policy and public service.

Montana Education/Business Partnerships

• Montana State University engineering students help state design transportation infrastructure

  “It’s very real-world,” said Hannah Joki, a Helena native who started by working in the Design Unit during the summer after her sophomore year. “A lot of internships aren’t this hands-on.”

Government News & Events

• Wellbeing and Devolution – Reframing the Role of Government

  Wellbeing in Politics and Policy will bring new lenses through which to understand the significance of the dramatic rise of interest in wellbeing as a goal of public policy.

Transportation

• German Greens want to ban domestic flights by 2035 and shift completely to rail

  Alliance 90/The Greens, a political party in Germany, wants the country’s domestic travel to shift completely to rail.

• After Lowering Speed Limits for Pedestrian Safety, Town Writes 1,000% More Speeding Tickets

  “It’s not like we’re doing this for revenue,” said acting Police Chief Todd Darby. “The public safety factor is the most important reason to lower speed limits.”

Cool Stuff That’s Coming

• How an electrical tickle to the ear could help apply the brakes to aging

  Targeting the vagus nerve could help slow some of the effects of aging.

• Discovery of liver cell with stem cell-like properties could eliminate need for organ transplants

  The researchers suggest the potential for triggering activity in HHyP cells already in a person’s liver to repair any damage.

Energy and Climate Change

• Verizon’s Smart-Grid-as-a-Service Business Grows Up

  Four years on, the U.S. cellular carrier’s cloud-based energy IOT platform is gaining customers among smaller utilities and expanding its applications.

• Another community embraces big batteries, distributed energy, efficiency and a few reciprocating engines.

  “The future envisioned herein represents a complete transformation of the way GWP provides reliable, affordable, and clean energy resources to the citizens of Glendale,” the utility wrote in a new integrated resource plan approved last week.

• Tesla outs new Megapack battery for massive, modular clean energy storage

  Tesla says they can be installed 10 times faster than current systems, and will take up 40 percent less space.

Other Economies

• Opening a small business is about to get easier in San Francisco

  The San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a plan Tuesday to streamline the lengthy, complex permitting process for small businesses amid the rise of empty storefronts in the city.

TED and TEDX Talks

• Today’s TED Talk – Why governments should prioritize well-being

  In 2018, Scotland, Iceland and New Zealand established the network of Wellbeing Economy Governments to challenge the acceptance of GDP as the ultimate measure of a country’s success.

Privacy, Hacking and Virus Alerts

• Capital One looked to the cloud for security. But its own firewall couldn’t stop a hacker.

  The bank said the hack will cost the company $100 million to $150 million in the near term.

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