Montana – Good for Business

Sen. Jon Tester will host another workshop to help Montana contractors and companies compete for federal contracts and create jobs in Montana.

All Montana contractors and businesses are invited to attend the day-long event, scheduled for Feb. 19 at the Best Western GranTree Inn in Bozeman.

Representatives from federal and state agencies will be on hand to answer questions and share information on how Montana businesses can compete for federal contracts and bring more jobs to Montana. Participants include Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana Department of Administration, Montana Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. General Services Administration, U.S. National Park Service.

No sign-up is required to attend the workshop, however businesses attending are encouraged to RSVP by calling Tester’s office at (866) 554-4403 or (406) 586-4450.

Source:  Bozeman Daily Chronicle

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News Release
Economic Development Tool Made Available to Montana Communities

10/15/2009
Sarah Elliott
Jayson O’Neill

(HELENA) – The Governor’s Office of Economic Development, Montana Department of Commerce, Montana Department of Labor and the Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA) have partnered to make the BEAR (Business Expansion and Retention) Program available statewide. The Montana BEAR project provides economic development teams with the tools to help local business owners and operators access resources to improve and/or expand their businesses. The State’s purchasing the rights to the BEAR program has made it far more affordable for Montana communities.

Complete Release

In the near future I will be writing a post about my excellent experience with the BEAR program.  Keep an eye out for it.

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Tags: business expansion, economic developers association, economic development tool, governor brian schweitzer, montana bear, montana communities, office of economic development, retention program

REMINDER…this is the last week top register for MTIP’s fast-paced and entertaining workshop “Licensing Your Innovation” presented by Marti Elder @ MT Tech in Butte on November 5th.  Simply go to www.mtip.mt.gov and click on MTIP Events: Montana for the link and brochure.  The cost is $75 for the 9AM – 4PM event which includes lunch and breaks.  Call Mary McMahon @ 406-841-2749 if you have questions.

I received the above reminder via email and wanted to comment on Marti Elder.  I was put in touch with her through the MT Business Expansion & Retention (BEAR) program.  She provided consulting on a project of mine  a couple of different times.  I highly recommend her as a consultant.  She has excellent knowledge and ideas.  Marti also knows a great deal about Montana business and the people doing business here.   I have not heard her presentation but I am sure it is excellent.

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Stillwater Mining Company reports third quarter production and profits are up.  In spite of General Motors and a bad for Montana bankruptcy court ruling the mine is now flourishing.  It does help to be the only source of platinum and palladium in the western hemisphere.

Here is a news article and the companies press release:

Profits Surge at Stillwater Mines
Short but Complete Article

Steve Fetveit (10/14/09) KECI.com
Montana’s Stillwater Mines are reporting a full recovery from the economic doldrums of a year ago that threatened to put more than a thousand miners in the unemployment line.

Last July, bankrupt U.S. automaker General Motors was scrambling for survival.  A bankruptcy court allowed the automaker to scrap a production contract with Montana’s Stillwater Mining Company in favor of cheaper foreign suppliers in Russia and South Africa.  The move threw the future of the mines into question.

Complete Report
COLUMBUS, MT, Oct 14, 2009 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) — STILLWATER MINING COMPANY (NYSE: SWC) released today preliminary third quarter and year-to-date production results, total cash costs per ounce and realized metal prices for its two operating mines and volumes processed in its platinum-group metal (PGM) recycling activities.

While the Company believes that the statistics presented below are accurate, the quarterly review by the Company’s independent auditor is not yet complete. Consequently, the information shown may be subject to revision in the Company’s forthcoming Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the third quarter 2009.

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Tags: automotive supply, catalytic converter, general motors, miners, mining areas, nyse, palladium, platinum group metal, stillwater mining company

Here is an article about a fishing trip put on by a Idaho business to promote their flyfishing products.  Of course they come to Montana to demo the products.  The writer left the warm Willamette Valley, Eugene, Oregon to go to Helena and fish the Missouri.  The fishing was great even in cold, snowy conditions.

Here is the article:

Trouting in the snow on the Missouri River Montana

October 20th, 2009 by Matt Stansberry

This past Tuesday I sat in the Eugene Airport contemplating the weather. The Willamette Valley was looking at 65-71 degrees, perfect water conditions and steelhead. My destination Helena Montana was looking at snow and temps down to 7 degrees by weeks end. I had to be back in Eugene by Friday night for our Two Fly Tournament, this was going to be a quick trip. Was it a good idea to leave ideal weather and prime time at home? Honestly I almost bagged the Montana trip.

Read the complete article her

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Tags: equipment, fishing report, fly fishing, fly lines, flyfishing products, manufacturing, missouri river montana, montana trip, perfect water, rio fly, snowy conditions

This is not about Montana but hopefully this will be good news for Montana businesses and innovators.  Developing ideas into products and services can be a major project that requires resources and capital.  This new office at the US Dept. of Commerce is to provide both.

Commerce Secretary Locke Announces New Commerce Initiatives to Foster Innovation and Entrepreneurship

WASHINGTON—U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced today his plans to create a new Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the Department of Commerce and launch a National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Both substantial new initiatives will help leverage the entire federal government on behalf of promoting entrepreneurship in America. The new office is expected to announce additional initiatives in the coming months.

Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The mission of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship is to unleash and maximize the economic potential of new ideas by removing barriers to entrepreneurship and the development of high-growth and innovation-based businesses. The office will report directly to Locke and focus specifically on identifying issues and programs most important to entrepreneurs. Working closely with the White House and other federal agencies, this new office will drive policies that help entrepreneurs translate new ideas, products and services into economic growth. The office will focus on the following areas:

- Encouraging Entrepreneurs through Education, Training, and Mentoring
- Improving Access to Capital
- Accelerating Technology Commercialization of Federal R&D
- Strengthening Interagency Collaboration and Coordination
- Providing Data, Research, and Technical Resources for Entrepreneurs
- Exploring Policy Incentives to Support Entrepreneurs and Investors

Read the Press Release

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Prospera Business Network has been awarded a $750,000 grant to establish the Montana Women’s Business Center in Bozeman, with satellite offices across the state, Prospera and the Montana District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration announced.

Complete News

By Tribune Staff • September 16, 2009
Great Falls Tribune

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Tags: business assistance resources, economic development organizations, entrepreneurial assistance, nonprofit economic development, sba, women entrepreneurs, women in business

UM brings big dollars for research in to Missoula and Montana in general.  That research trickles down into the economy and creates jobs and new opportunities for the state’s residents.

Here is an interesting article about this from the Montanan – UM’s Magazine about the university.

The Ideas Market
UM research brings money, jobs, innovation to state
By Jacob Baynham | Photos By Todd Goodrich

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A Great Falls-based nonprofit that provides technical assistance to cooperatives was awarded a $200,000 grant Tuesday from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The grant to Montana Cooperative Development Center, Inc., was part of approximately $4.8 million in grants announced by Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan.  Keep Reading Article

By Tribune Staff • September 16, 2009
Publisher:  Great Falls Tribune

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A national restaurant chain known for chicken wings, beer and sports on television is advertising for employees for a new Helena location with an eye toward a February opening.

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar is looking for managers for a new store here. The restaurant is headed for the development between Shopko and Lowe’s on the north side of Custer Avenue.   Continued

By John Harrington | Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2009
Publisher: helenair.com – Helena, MT

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Tags: buffalo wild wings, business story, director of marketing, kids menu, restaurant chains, sports memorabilia