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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Nov 22, 2005 |
MATR
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"I like thinking big. If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big." -- Donald Trump
"Community Development - A Guide for Fostering Better Outcomes Through Good Process from the The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation" http://www.matr.net/article-17001.html
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
Education
- Opportunity for Entrepreneurship Development Programs in Select States including Montana
Each organization that participates will receive (1) a two day site visit to meet with board, staff, stakeholders, and clients; (2) a comprehensive organizational assessment of your program and an action plan to increase capacity; (3) follow-up consulting and technical assistance to implement growth solutions; and (4) two slots for a 2 day Leadership Forum in Baltimore, Maryland in March or July of 2006.
Montana Business
- Rob and Terry Ryan donate $100,000 to equip science classrooms in Hamilton, Montana
“I think it was awesome,” high school Principal Kevin Conwell said of the contest and its outcome. Conwell envisions other schools' teachers and administrators using Hamilton High School's classrooms as a model.
- WWAMI teaches first-year students the art of being a doctor. "We are Montana's medical school,"
Montana students accepted into WWAMI spend their first year at MSU, learning their basics, before heading off for their second year at UW (often called U-Dub), known as one of the nation's top programs for primary-care physicians.
- Promoting Enrichment Activities for Kids (PEAK) students soar in Montana
One of the PEAK’s staples is to allow children to embrace their creativity in hands-on applications.
Montana Economic Development
- Missoula lands DirecTV call center
It seems that Missoula beat out its rival, College Station, Texas, thanks to plenty of phone work by Baucus and Montana Commerce Department director Tony Priete.
- Butte may lose $300 million Advanced Silicon Materials plant expansion over energy prices
“The thing they're judging a lot of their criteria on was the cost of electricity,” Smitham said. “There wasn't much we could do there.”
- Century Gaming Inc. of Missoula makes Inc. magazine's list of top 500 fastest growing firms
“It's a nice puff piece for the bankers,” said company president J. Grant Lincoln. The percentage growth is fine, if revenue is a company's only concern, he said. Profit growth in that range would be preferable, he said.
- New Gallatin County, Montana report predicts huge losses if earthquake strikes
Dozens of people dead. At least a hundred more needing hospitalization. Nearly 2,000 buildings ruined with thousands more damaged. More than $800 million in economic losses, including $111 million in lost income.
- Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) Receives Full Federal Funding for FY 2006
"The challenges before Montana manufacturers are immense" said Holland. "Federal funding is the foundation to ensure that manufacturers will have access to resources to help them be more successful and competitive in a global economy. Congress is to be commended for recognizing the important role manufacturing plays in raising the standard of living in this country."
- Made In Montana show to return in March
"There is new life for a program that gives new life to Montana," Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger said of the show and broader Made in Montana program.
- Bozeman, Mont.-based Scientific Materials Purchased for $13 Million
SMC has developed a reputation for making some of the highest-quality laser components on the market.
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- Seeking Clean Fuel for a Nation, and a Rebirth for Small-Town Montana (NY Times) - SYNFUEL: Economic panacea or pie in the sky for Montana?
"America has a substance abuse problem," Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer wrote, "and Montana may have a cure."
- Montana Community Finance Corporation Fall Newsletter
- Centene seizes instruction opportunity in Great Falls - Workforce Training Funding Available to Montana Companies
The Workforce Training Act program was established by the 2003 Legislature. It's aimed at new or expanding businesses, specifically those that add at least 10 new jobs and pay at least $12.92 per hour in wages and benefits, said Fran Viereck, the grant program officer.
Funding and Building your Business
- Pennsylvania joins states seeding tech-friendly VC firms
"Making investments that will help grow Pennsylvania's technology industry will secure our competitive place in the global marketplace, while creating new opportunities and supporting the revitalization of our towns and cities," Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell said in a statement.
Regional Business
- Performance Reviews: Tips for Effective Appraisals
“There is little correlation between pay and performance,” Tschohl says. “Recognition is much more effective. People have an incredible need for recognition.”
- Micron co-founder: Love your work, create a quality team - Ward Parkinson
"If you pick something and get really good at it and still like it after you get really good at it, it doesn't matter what it is, you'll be a financial success," Ward Parkinson
Utah Economic Development
- Outsourcing to the Heartland - New Study Concludes IT Outsourcing Benefits U.S. Economy
the U.S. economy has much to gain from global sourcing including net new job creation, higher real wages, higher real GDP growth, contained inflation and expanded exports.
Idaho Business
- Call centers find Utah is great place to grow
Call center operators are expanding along the Wasatch Front, adding jobs that in some cases pay much more than the entry-level positions that traditionally have dominated the industry.
Other Economies
- Micron and Intel pledge $5.2 billion for joint venture
The deal, announced Monday, will give Micron the cash it needs to ramp up production of NAND flash memory, which industry analysts call the hottest product in electronics.
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- Iowa Governor Vilsack wants panel to foster innovation in business
“Innovation is the key folks. We have got to step up our game,” he said.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Generous hunter, meat lovers linked to Montana landowners
"DoeCowHuntMontana" was designed to reduce elk, deer and antelope populations, so the site focuses on hunters who want to shoot doe deer, doe antelope and cow elk and landowners who have those.
Careers
- The Gold Standard For Town-Gown Relations
University a 'model' of how schools should behave in urban areas
Non-Profit News
- Finding Time: Blending Networking Into Your Life
"People think of networking as going to a function," says Karen Susman, a Denver-based coach and speaker on networking. "You need to realize you are building your network everywhere all the time."
Energy
- Symetra Offers Medical Coverage to Montana Nonprofits: State’s Nonprofit Association Seeks to Improve Member Access to Insurance
The partnership with MNA will help make medical insurance more attainable for more than 5,000 Montana nonprofit organization employees and their families.
Connectivity & Communications
- More Powerful Batteries - A new, fast-charging battery will make drills and hybrid cars more powerful.
The new batteries are based on an advance by Chiang in his lab at MIT's department of materials science and engineering.
Transportation
- EBay Takes a Step Into Local Classifieds
This could signal a major shift in the way consumers shop for such services and greatly affect pricing and competition among local shops.
- Underground, but not unconnected -- BART offers wireless service to riders
"With the technology (making it possible), why should we go without it?'
- Gathering blogs into one place - "Gather"
The idea is to tap the exploding blogging community not only for breaking news, but for expertise and commentary in niche topics such as fly-fishing or fuel cells.
- National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) announced the release of its new research brief, We Need to Talk: Governance Models to Advance Communications Interoperability.
"What needs to be addressed when contemplating a communications interoperability initiative; and what is being done at the state and federal levels to develop communications interoperability governance models?"
- Paul Graham on Web 2.0
Those who dislike the term are probably right, because if it means what I think it does, we don't need it.
Community
- Horizon Air Callis it Quits in Pocatello, ID
"Horizon Air is discontinuing service to Pocatello January 8th for the bottom line reason. We have been unsuccessful in getting enough passengers to make the route profitable."
- Billings lobbies America West for air service
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Portland, Maine At A Crossroads - Housing imbalance may hurt city - (First in a multi-part series)
(Sound Familiar??) Much of the development is driven by Portland's growing national reputation as a "cool" place to live, work and play. It's attracting a variety of young, creative professionals, baby-boomers and empty-nesters, many of whom are escaping the stress and congestion of larger cities across the United States.
- Community Development - A Guide for Fostering Better Outcomes Through Good Process from the The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
“As anyone who has observed a successful community development initiative knows, it is not a solo act,”
- Say Sayonara to Blurry Pics
"We just think it'll lead to better cameras that make it easier to take pictures that are in focus and look good," said Ng's adviser, Stanford computer science professor Pat Hanrahan.
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