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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Jan 11, 2013 |
Montana - "and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
$1.6M from The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation Funds University of Montana, Missoula County Public Schools Partnership http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- At The Heart of it All: Your Employees Will Love Downtown Missoula http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- Startup Weekend Is Coming To Missoula Montana! Jan. 18-19, 2013 - You should be there. http://www.matr.net/ev ... =4312
2013 Montana Legislature
PrintingForLess
- Guest opinion: Keep Montana's promise to public servants
So, here at the beginning of the 63rd Montana Legislature, we call upon the elected representatives of Montanans to reject these out-of-state partisans and stand firmly behind Montana's Promise and our defined benefit pension systems.
- Health Insurance Premiums for Small Business Owners: House Bill 87 and Senate Bill 27.
Montana is one of three states without rate review authority for health insurance premiums. My premiums are increasing 20% per year, one year, 39%.
Visit Montana - Montana Dept. of Tourism
- Make It Stick - Printing for Less
What's Wrong With This Picture?
Inteneo Systems
- January Montana Tourism Update
Montanans Share Ideas and Aspirations for More Tourism Success at Strategic Planning Sessions Across the State
Come Home Montana
- Big Data Is Just For Big Companies - And Other BS
The best option is to shop around with various vendors, perhaps carrying in a subset of your data and seeing what can be done with it - and at what cost. Perhaps most importantly, this can also give you a sense of how much of a learning curve will be involved in getting up to speed with a new service.
- To boost productivity, CIOs need to trim the fat and get more agile
First, CIOs must reduce their focus on large enterprise ERP and CRM projects in favor of deploying more flexible and dynamic business intelligence, analytics, collaboration and mobility products which will more directly help transform the way users complete tasks.
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Washington to form The Northwest Institute for Advanced Computing
The Northwest Institute for Advanced Computing, to be based on the UW's Seattle campus, will tackle "big data" to address problems ranging from climate change to traffic jams.
Leadership Montana
- Montana Career Opportunity - eStore Call Center Specialist, System Administrator - Murdoch's
We will be the best. We will earn the admiration, respect and smiles of our customers, team, and supplier partners as the leader in our industry.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Instructional Technology Support Specialist Extended University - Montana State University
The Instructional Technology Support Specialist will build and maintain faculty development structures necessary to provide for successful online teaching and learning and coordinate these activities across MSU and its four campuses, where appropriate.
- Montana - "and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true"
"that's why I've chosen to call it home - until my time is up"
- Montana Career Opportunity - Executive Director/Festival Director - The International Wildlife Media Center & Film Festivals
IWMC/FF is a not for profit, year round media organization whose mission is to promote awareness, knowledge and understanding of wildlife, habitat, people and nature through excellence in film, television and other media.
- Montana Career Opportunitities - Java Software Developer, Staff Accountant - Vann's
"Solutions" isn't our official motto, and we don't put it at the top of our letterhead. Why? Because at Vann's, providing home electronics and appliance solutions is what we DO every day.
- State of Montana Job Listings
Montana Ambassadors
- Leadership Montana Alumni Named to State Posts
Leadership Montana http://www.leadershipmontana.org/ is proud to congratulate twelve alumni who have been appointed or elected to positions serving the state of Montana.
- It's the problem, not the person
Think back to a difficult situation you had to navigate at work. Were you able to distinguish the problem from the person? If not, you're not alone.
Montana Business
- Save The Date: February 21 - 22nd, MT Ambassador Annual Meeting, Helena, Montana
The theme this year is: The New Economy - Strategic Partnerships in Healthcare and Education
Montana Economic Development
- Muzeview What Do (Ever So Slightly Crazy) Firm Marketers Plan to Do Differently in 2013?
Check out our 10 ideas here, recognizing that you may need a little bit of craziness to attempt some of them.
- Behind the scenes at Blue Marble Biomaterials--or, put another way, the story of a giant metal cow that ate a swamp
Blue Marble is a relatively new company that manufactures renewable specialty chemicals for the food, cosmetics and personal care industries.
- Schedulicity partners with multi-billion-dollar company
"It's just something that their company's very excited about. Quite frankly, I was shocked at the excitement and aggressiveness with which they pursued this partnership. They have bought in wholeheartedly," said Jerry Nettuno, CEO of Schedulicity, in his office on Tuesday.
The Missoula Economic Partnership
- Insurance company considering 100-worker call center in Great Falls
If opened, the 100 worker-center would be new jobs, not a shuffling of BCBS of Montana's 500 current employees, most of whom are based in Helena
- $15M in Superfund dollars will promote Butte, Anaconda heritage tourism
The $15 million Heritage Tourism Plan is designed to create revenue that would then be put back into preserving historic buildings and uphold the local economy.
Developing Tech Jobs in Rural Communities
- Missoula Economic Partnership introduces new website
The site -- now located at http://www.MissoulaPartnership.com -- reflects months of work by Partnership staff, investors and key strategic partners in the community, all aimed at providing a one-stop source of local business and community information.
Government
- "Strategies for Economic Improvement in Distressed Rural Counties."
Based on the experiences of ten representative counties, the study examines the challenges to economic and community development efforts in rural Appalachian communities and the ways in which local governments, agencies, and community organizations are responding.
Idaho Business
- Montana Department of Revenue - Montana Tax News You Can Use
On January 7, Mike Kadas became the 17th Director of Montana Department of Revenue. Governor Steve Bullock appointed Kadas to the position.
- Montana Revenue Department report: Tax system fairly balanced, but difficult
Based on studies, here were some of the assessments of Montana's tax system.
Other Economies
- Taxes on computing irk Idaho tech businesses - some software firms receive huge tax bills
"We don't want anybody to move out of state because of this." Neither Montana nor Oregon have sales taxes.
Washington State Business
- Bill targets Colorado startups for state grants
"It will help make the state more competitive in world markets." Gov. John Hickenlooper
Workforce Development
- Magazine ranks Spokane third-gayest city in the nation
"Most of eastern Washington is somewhat conservative, but like many western cities, Spokane is becoming steadily more diverse, boosted by an energetic LGBT populace."
Wyoming Business
- Metrics for Success: Critical Elements for Workforce Development Programs
Dr. Weigensberg discusses her recent research on key components of successful workforce development programs and provided recommendations on how to improve the effectiveness of the existing programs.
- Montana Senator Max Baucus says he's declaring 'war' on veterans unemployment
U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, speaking to the Montana Legislature on Thursday, said he's declaring a "war on veteran unemployment" and will be pushing legislation to help veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan get jobs.
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Opposition Mounts for Wyoming Governor's Tourism Funding Cuts
More than $500,000 of the money would be taken from an advertising program that lets small business piggyback on advertisements paid for by the state. Through the program, businesses can buy ad space on inserts and pamphlets that promote Wyoming.
Education
- How to include the community when making key school decisions
Getting more minds in the mix is essential to building consensus and support for your programs; here's a new technology tool that can help
Missoula Schools Excellence
- Colleges Lose Pricing Power
Facing stagnant family income, shaky job prospects for graduates and a smaller pool of high-school graduates, more schools are reining in tuition increases and giving out larger scholarships to attract students.
- Benefits of College Degree in Recession Are Outlined
Young adults have long faced a rough job market, but in the last recession and its aftermath, college graduates did not lose nearly as much ground as their less-educated peers, according to a new study
- Idaho commerce director pleads for technology in the classroom
Their most important concern about the economy? Building a robust workforce. Their biggest workforce problem? Getting skilled employees. Top business priority? A competitive tax structure.
Montana Education Excellence
- MCPS announces plan to establish three committees to review school safety topics
"I know that this work is extremely important to our staff and parents, and they want to contribute. The Newtown school shooting reminded us of how essential it is to prepare for a variety of emergency situations."
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Chamber teams with SD2 to push for improvements to education
The chamber moved forward with the Education 2020 initiative because members believe almost universally that quality, community-supported public education is vital to the economic well-being of Billings.
Community
- $1.6M from The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation Funds University of Montana, Missoula County Public Schools Partnership
The funding, which is the largest programmatic donation the foundation has ever made, will help transform Missoula County Public Schools for 21st century learning over the next three years.
Funding and Building your BusinessEnergy and Climate Change
- At The Heart of it All: Your Employees Will Love Downtown Missoula
If you're thinking about moving your company, consider downtown Missoula. Last Best Office Space
- Start a Business That Fits Your Idea of Having Fun
In deciding which of these startup models is right for you, the best place to begin is to ask yourself why you want to own a business rather than be an employee:
- 17 Hot Industries to Watch in 2013
The smartest entrepreneurs don't emulate trends -- they set them.
- Kick-Start Your eCommerce Business for $100 or Less
If you have a unique creation or invention, and you are not selling it around the world on the Internet, now is the time to start.
Legislative Newsletters
- New Montana PSC chairman pans wind power
Gallagher, a Republican Helena attorney, wasted no time in spelling out what he sees as the panel's central thrust: That it opposes using subsidies or mandates to promote any type of power, particularly wind power.
Connectivity & Communications
- Senator Baucus' Address to the Montana State Legislature
Nothing of consequence can be achieved alone.
Government Technology
- Google to offer public Wi-Fi in NYC neighborhood
In New York, Google and the Chelsea Improvement Company are paying for the network, which cost $115,000 to set up and will cost $45,000 a year to operate. Wi-Fi, which allows for a connection to the Internet without the use of cellular service, would be free outdoors and in some indoor spaces such as a senior center.
- California Attorney General Issues Privacy Guidelines for Mobile App Developers
Recommendations for the Mobile Ecosystem, has suggestions for app developers to show consumers the required privacy policy; for example, the report recommends using small icons or pop-ups to inform consumers how the developer will use the information.
Non-Profit News
- County data analytics Web portal improves citizen connectivity to government services and organizational effectiveness.
"Open data leads to mobile applications, which lead to entrepreneurial activity and academic research," he said. "Our residents clearly benefit from these applications." The program is also intended to make the county government run more efficiently.
- Montana Leads Major Multi-State IT Projects
Montana, geographically large with a population of less than 1 million, is showing that governments of any size are capable of truly innovative thinking.
- 5 Tips for Montana's Next CIO
On the occasion of his retirement, announced Dec. 10, Government Technology spoke with Montana CIO Dick Clark about what advice he has for the state's next Chief Information Officer. Clark talked about 5 priorities that deserve a place on the state's next top technology official's agenda.
- Madison, Wis., Launches Open Data Platform
"This is to promote transparency and the expansion of government transparency. It also has an economic development benefit to it."
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- International Wildlife Film Festival director, Janet Rose on move after 13 years
"Janet has been the heart and soul of that organization," said Dan Pletscher, director of the University of Montana's Wildlife Division. "There's been lots of volunteers, contributors, filmmakers and financial contributions, but Janet was the face of the organization. She had boundless energy - always upbeat, with a smile on her face."
- Nonprofits need innovators, too
Baumgartner also says innovation is a means to achieving a strategic goal. That sounds like vision to me. Does your nonprofit have one? Here's how you can tell. If board meetings consist of listening to reports about things that happened last month, your innovation trolley is off the track.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- The business of art: Stevensville, Montana-area artist completes Artrepreneurship program
Agosto-Simonetti believes it was one of the best things that he ever did.
Transportation
- CES 2013: Some of the Best Gadgets and Apps on Show
Some cool electronics and software emerge as the annual trade show gets underway in Las Vegas.
- Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds
Our effort is to encourage decisionmakers--whether in government or outside--to think and plan for the long term so that negative futures do not occur and positive ones have a better chance of unfolding.
- 3-D printers could bring manufacturing to your home office
Just a few years ago, 3-D printers were as big as industrial refrigerators and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars each. Now anyone can order one online and put it on a desk.
- Talking To Your TV, Your Car, Maybe Your Fridge?
It's kind of like Siri, except it works.
- Hands-On With The Lockitron, The Easiest Way To Control Your House's Locks With A Smartphone
To be honest, the story of Lockitron is much more interesting than the Lockitron itself.
- Missoula makes short list for low-cost service by Frontier Airlines
Frontier http://www.flyfrontier.com/ spokeswoman Kate O'Malley said the company's planning department has had conversations with Missoula's "community group," but has no timeline for a decision.
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