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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Mar 24, 2006 |
"I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been." -- Wayne Gretzky
We're "skating to the puck" of raising the visibility of economic success in Montana and other states - "MATR Announces New Functionality - Members can now post Companies, Stories and Events. MATR Is Also Now Offering Other States The Opportunity To Have Their Own Roundtables" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html and congratulations to New West Publishing for their great news this week: http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
2006 Montana Elections
Come Home Montana
- Business group proposes change to Montana constitution
Can citizens sue each other and businesses for violating their right to a clean and healthful environment.
Montana Ambassadors
- Montana Nonprofit Association Online Career Center
The MNA Career Center allows you to view nonprofit jobs from across Montana
- Amish group plans to settle near Moore, Montana - Eventually 20 to 25 families will live in the area
While the Amish are noted as farmers in Pennsylvania, in the past 10 years the Amish have been focusing more on home industries such as kitchen cabinet-making and the manufacture of mini-barns or other wood products.
- Montana-Jobs.net Featured "Come Home Montana" Community~LAVINA
Lavina is included in the "Better for Business Program" and continues to work on assessment of the community to create a open and welcoming place for businesses and families.
- Montana-Jobs.net Featured Career ~ Facilities Manager, St. Mary, Montana.
This position is located at St. Marys Lodge, located just outside of the eastern entrance to Glacier National Park in Northwestern Montana.
Montana Meth Project
- The Pacific Northwest Chapter Of The Montana Ambassadors With Ian Davidson, 5/2, Seattle, WA
Many Pacific Northwest business leaders with ties to the Great State of Montana met with the governor and discussed how a better connection between the Pacific Northwest and Montana made sense for both communities.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Montana Meth Project: more money needed to keep ads on the air
Billionaire Thomas Siebel says Montanans need to start donating their own money to keep the graphic advertisements from his Montana Meth Project on the air in 2007.
Education
- How to Raise an Entrepreneur
Bar your kids from the family business.
- New “Plan for the Future” Competition Seeks Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
$25,000 in Prizes To Be Awarded To High School and College Entrepreneurs
Montana Business
- Students take on world's challenges
For high schoolers, 20 years might as well be a lifetime. But hand them a problem that experts say threatens the entire planet if not solved in the next two decades, and they'll simply get to work. Perhaps the most hopeful sign for the rest of us: They'll have fun while they're at it.
- Are campuses becoming battlegrounds?
Universities are in a tug of war pitting traditionally powerful professors against a new generation of business-savvy presidents hired to control costs, boost research and make classes more relevant in a global economy.
- University of Montana Web portal to make information access easier
“One of the things a portal does is hopefully it makes technology easier,” Pace said.
- Peering into the faces of three charter schools. These alternative public schools have made a difference for some students.
"the atmosphere is completely different, people actually want to be here,"
- Education: Standardized Tests Face a Crisis Over Standards
While testing errors make headlines, Mr. Toch writes that even more worrisome is the pressure on states to dumb down their tests — to switch from challenging tests with essay questions to multiple choice to save money and meet federal reporting deadlines.
- Children can become more intelligent, education expert says
“What he's shown is that you can actually - through what you do in the classroom - make permanent changes in intelligence,”
- Lecturer encourages educators to challenge students in the classroom
“Adequate intelligence stimulation early on has very broad effects,”
Montana Economic Development
- High-tech firm hits hangup. Synesis7 in Butte
“That’s a normal part of this business; you might submit 10 to 20 proposals and win one of them,” he said. “We have quite a few things in the pipeline, and it’s all about timing.” Synesis7, which started in 2003, converts technical drawings and other information into digital formats.
- New West Publishing of Missoula, Montana Closes Series A Financing with impressive list of investors
New West Publishing LLC, a next-generation media company focused on the Rocky Mountain West, announced today that it has closed its Series A financing.
- Heli-Basket -- Made in Montana Product by Spika Welding & Mfg. and Precision Lift, Inc. -- Being Tested by US Air Force
The ramifications for Heli-Basket becoming certified by the US Air Force, could be “quite significant,” reports Tom Spika, President of Spika Welding & Mfg
Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana
- MSU, University of the Yellowstone. "The key is human capital. And this implies an emphasis on universities. Understanding this fact is the key to success. "
I believe MSU can at last clear the tipping point toward excellence. Montana is no longer a colonial economy and because of research funds and macro cultural and demographic changes, it’s more independent of political pressures. Now the task is to capitalize on the advantages inherent to its remarkable location and accomplishments.
- Main Street Montana Spring Edition Spotlights Hill County
"Each issue of our magazine is devoted to 'doers' in our community; the people on the ground floor, who are on the fast track," said DLI Commissioner Keith Kelly. "The people of Hill County will tell you they aren't going to be Montana's economic caboose."
- MATR Announces New Functionality - Members can now post Companies, Stories and Events. MATR Is Also Now Offering Other States The Opportunity To Have Their Own Roundtables
Through the innovative efforts of the tech team at Modwest http://www.modwest.com, the Montana Associated Technology Roundtables is now able to provide more ways for the success of Montana to be publicized globally.
- Revitalizing Hobson, Montana's Main Street
"I'm seeing some real enthusiasm," said Hobson Mayor Dale Longfellow. "There are a lot of people trying to do something."
- 350 Montana business owners back preservation of state’s roadless areas
The businesses owners, who are in a number of Montana communities, said the roadless areas provide economic benefits.
- Untapped market for state growers?
Only 15 percent of the money spent on food in Montana goes for food produced in the state, participants were told. Simply doubling that to 30 percent would bring another $450 million to the state's farmers and ranchers. "We are what we eat. By eating locally produced food, we shift power from the international food system,"
GIS Technology
- Social advocates adopt venture capitalist strategies
``It's sort of venture capital with a conscience,'
Funding and Building your Business
- Free software turns laptops into GPS navigators. Loki system melds global positioning, WiFi to find services
A Boston company is giving away software that can turn nearly any laptop computer into a global positioning system, enabling users to find the nearest restaurant, hospital, or gas station at the touch of a button.
Utah Economic Development
- Bootstrapping a start-up business
Is raising money for a new venture overrated?
- How to create sales forecasts? Break your business into units
You don't have to spend thousands of dollars on market research, although that is a nice shortcut if you have the budget. You also don't need an accounting degree, mathematical prowess or software.
- How to recruit and retain top-quality employees
Focusing on retaining good employees is less expensive than recruiting new workers, Donahue said, so companies should spend more money in this area.
- Study the market potential of business before opening up shop
A: It's amazing how much information you can find on the Internet these days. But...
- Are You Sure Your Investors are Accredited? The Dangers of Unaccredited Investors from Brad Feld
Do you have any stories or insight into the dangers of non-accredited investors?
- Pickle Theory - Proof and Perceived Value
As venture capitalists, one of our jobs is assessing the value of companies that do not have a public market (and hopefully also maximizing that "value" in the final return to our investors).
- Survey of Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs Reveals Increased Confidence in Startup Venture Landscape
"Not only are venture capitalists and other investors more willing to talk and provide significant insight, but they are willing to provide capital at more attractive valuations,"
- Good Phone Call, Not So Good Phone Call
Many people have no idea how to communicate their agenda – or what they want to accomplish – in either an efficient or effective manner.
- VentureOne Summit - Exploring New Opportunities and Pitfalls
“The amount of minutes we spend connected has just grown so dramatically,” said panelist Bill Gross, the CEO, Chairman and Founder of IdeaLab. “That leads to really powerful opportunities for entrepreneurs to take advantage of that… for Internet technologies and information companies.
Idaho Business
- Glass company takes cash incentive of $3K per job, will build in St. George, Utah -
The Governor's Office of Economic Development Board agreed in February to pay the company $3,000 per job for each worker it adds, up to as many as 250 people.
Wyoming Business
- Burley man, Neil Justesen named Idaho Small Business person of the year
"Neil stepped in and acquired the business through the SBA's loan program and was able to save a lot of local jobs by retaining 15 former employees."
- Positron Systems of Boise, Idaho ready to market its product
Its patented technology can detect virtually invisible damage to aircraft wing parts and other metal, polymer, ceramic and composite objects.
Other Economies
- Three Colorado aerospace firms flying north to Wyoming with their 14 employees for more than $6 million in incentives.
"These are new companies, but you've got to start somewhere," said Karen Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the Laramie Economic Development Corp. "We've done our homework, and we believe these are the real deal."
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- Florida Proposes $75 Million for Startups. Gov. Jeb Bush wants the state to promote entrepreneurship and rely less on tourism.
“We have to continue to grow our innovation economy if we are going to compete worldwide,”
- Bay Area brain drain. Lack of Affordable Housing, Education Gaps Stunting Economic Growth, Report Says
"The Bay Area's educational performance is showing improvement, but that's not sufficient.''
University Business Plan Competitions
- Finding Humor in Meat Patents
When Daniel Wright needs new comedic material, he turns to an unlikely source: the website of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Incubators and R&D
- Students battle it out to win a chance to start their own company at the Northwest Venture Championship in Boise, Idaho
After every team presented their ideas, the judges sat down with them individually in a closed-door session to give them feedback on their business proposal. "Why do I do this? Because of the young adults, the young minds," said Elwood Kleaver, chief executive officer of Primary Health who volunteered as a judge. "It renews my confidence in society."
University TechTransfer
- Oil firm, EnCana Oil and Gas USA, gives $2MM to University of Wyoming research
"Industry has been saying it can't get enough qualified petroleum engineers," said Brian Towler, head of the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering. "With an anticipated 40 undergraduate students entering the program, we will be able to provide such engineers in the near future."
The Creative and Cultural Economy
- Stanford University still the golden goose of valley tech. How do you build the next Yahoo or Google?
``After teaching 180 students per quarter for two quarters in a row, I said, `To hell with this, I can do better with a company,' '' Jim Clark, former professor and founder of Silicon Graphics and Netscape.
Careers
- Wyoming native makes film on small-town life. "Losing Lusk"
The juxtaposition is harsh: Old-school Americana versus futuristic cityscape. But in Wyoming-native Vance Malone's short documentary, "Losing Lusk," the two places are getting closer than we think.
Energy
- You Play World of Warcraft? You're Hired! Why multiplayer games may be the best kind of job training.
Gaming tends to be regarded as a harmless diversion at best, a vile corruptor of youth at worst. But the usual critiques fail to recognize its potential for experiential learning.
Connectivity & Communications
- Contest looking for clean tech. State competition focuses on making energy smarter
The competition is designed to spur interest in the emerging field of making energy in smarter ways or using it more efficiently.
- Eureka School district to pursue biomass power generation. Receives $400K from Forest Service as first step
"It's a win-win-win," Blaz said. "This project will not cost taxpayers anything at all. We plan to pay back the loans with our fuel budgets and Lincoln Electric can use a portion of the loan funds for economic development to help local businesses. Plus, the biomass system will extend the life of our existing boilers."
Leadership Montana
- Ten Questions “With” Jackie Onassis. "What Would Jackie Do?" How to show class
I enjoyed the book because it provides insight into showing class--and showing class is something that's lacking in the blogosphere.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- A Reading List for Leaders On Their Way to the Top
"This book encourages leaders to make sure they recognize the pride that their workers have in their products. It gets you to focus on who's really doing the most meaningful work."
- What You'll Wear in 10 Years - It's time to reboot your pants....
Last year, Adidas released Adidas 1 footwear, a running shoe with an embedded microchip that monitors the terrain underfoot and accordingly adjusts the level of shock absorption provided by the shoe's heel.
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