Great River Energy News

Thursday, April 25, 2019

In 2019, women in some parts of America still get the short end of the stick — even as they outnumber men in most states. For instance, women represent nearly two-thirds of all minimum-wage workers in the U.S. Their political representation also suffers, as women make up 51% of the U.S. population but only 25% of the Senate and 23.4% of the House of Representatives. And the prevalence of sexual harassment remains a prominent issue in 2019’s political landscape. In order to determine how women are faring and where they can find the best opportunities relative to where they live, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District...

MSP named best airport in North America for 3rd year in a row

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

It shared the honor this year with Detroit. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport continues to fly high atop the rankings for the best airports in the world. The Twin Cities travel hub was named the best airport in North America for its size for the third year in a row by Airports Council International (ACI). Click here to view the original article from Bring Me The News.

Building up gender diversity

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

If enrollment growth at Dunwoody College of Technology is a good tape measure, women are poised to made big strides in Minnesota’s construction industry. Women currently make up about 18 percent of all students in the school’s popular construction management program, up from just 2 percent a decade ago, said Heather Gay, who has taught at Dunwoody since 2008. Click here to view the original article from Finance & Commerce.

Budget for One Minnesota: Minnesota Innovation Collaborative

Monday, April 22, 2019

States and cities that create attractive environments for startups, entrepreneurs, and innovative talent are quickly distancing their economies from those who do not. For every one job created in the innovation sector, five more jobs are created in adjacent sectors – the strongest network effect in job growth today. Minnesota must put our economy on the cutting edge of this ecosystem by making strategic investments in our innovation ecosystem. The proposed Minnesota Innovation Collaborative (MIC) contains a series of initiatives focused on growing Minnesota’s innovation economy by accelerating the growth of our startup ecosystem and attracting top technology talent to the state. Comprised...

DEED Names Assistant Commissioner for Economic Opportunity

Saturday, April 20, 2019

Will lead strategic, department-wide efforts to address economic disparities ST. PAUL - The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced that Hamse Warfa has been named Assistant Commissioner for Economic Opportunity. This external-facing role will work with stakeholder groups, DEED partners, and local officials and boards across the state to advance economic equity in our State and amplify DEED programs that target under-invested and under-capitalized communities of color. Additionally, the position will work internally with DEED's senior leadership team to bring a lens of equity into the agency and champion department-specific objectives against priorities for economic equity. Click here to view the original...

Greater FF receives Otto Bremer Trust

Friday, April 12, 2019

The Greater Fergus Falls Corporation has recently been awarded $50,000 from the Otto Bremer Trust (OBT) to support economic development through new and expanded businesses in Fergus Falls. "We are incredibly grateful to OBT for believing in our mission and awarding this grant," GFFC Executive Chairman Bruce Thom said in a press release. "These funds will expand our efforts in reaching our goal of bringing in 20 new or expanded businesses by 2020. We look forward to the impact this funding will have on our community." Click here to view the original article from the The Daily Journal.

Study: Minnesota is No. 3 in the nation for life expectancy

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

The results are based on average life expectancies over a 6-year period. A person born and raised in Minnesota can expect to live 5.5 years longer on average than someone born in Mississippi. That's according to 24/7 Wall Street, which ranked each state after analyzing life expectancy data between 2010-2015 from the National Association of Public Health Statistics and Information Systems and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Click here to view the original article from the Bring Me The News.

Q & A: New DEED leader talks budget, workforce

Tuesday, April 09, 2019

Minnesota’s new economic point person is bringing a tech executive’s love for innovation to the role. Northfield native Steve Grove, commissioner of the Department of Employment and Economic Development, has spent the past 12 years as a senior leader at YouTube and Google, most recently leading a team focused on innovations in journalism. A Minnesota native, he moved back to the state in April 2018 with his wife, Mary, a San Diego native (“This is definitely her first Minnesota winter,” Grove says) and 2-year-old twins. Click here to view the original article from Finance & Commerce.

Minnesota Innovation Collaborative

Monday, April 08, 2019

The Minnesota Innovation Collaborative will support a series of new initiatives designed to accelerate the growth of startups and innovative companies. Each initiative is uniquely designed to lower the risk required to fund, start, or grow a venture-backed startup in Minnesota. The MIC will bring all of these initiatives together under a new office that acts as a touchstone for the state to support and enhance our visibility and interest in the innovation ecosystem. Click here to view the original article from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

Expo Gets Youth to Think About Careers; Employers, the Next-gen Workforce

Monday, April 01, 2019

An HR executive, truck loader, court reporter and physical therapist will be among 25 Minnesota professionals who are blind, DeafBlind, or low-vision networking with blind students at the 2019 Career Expo sponsored by State Services for the Blind. The Expo highlights the diversity of career paths for job seekers who are blind. This free event, focused on high school and undergraduate students, will be held Sat., April 27 at Minnesota Department of Education, 1500 Highway 36 West, Roseville, Conference Center B. Click here to view the original article from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

MPMA Education Foundation offering scholarships

Monday, April 01, 2019

The MPMA Education Foundation is offering scholarships in amounts ranging from $500 - $1,000 to help motivated students with an interest in manufacturing get the training they need to become successful in the field. Applications must be submitted by April 15, and the form can be filled out online or downloaded on the Education Foundation page at www.mpma.com. Click here to view the original article from the Fergus Falls Daily Journal.

American manufacturing companies have a spring in their step

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Foxconn's latest reversal suggests manufacturing is undergoing a revival, especially among agile smaller firms and those using advanced techniques. When Taiwanese giant Foxconn announced plans to build a massive factory for high-end televisions in 2017, many cheered, including President Donald Trump. Electronics manufacturers had long ago abandoned America for cheaper countries, especially China, so the investment seemed to mark a reversal, albeit one that came with a significant amount of subsidies. But what Foxconn will do in southeastern Wisconsin is now in question. The company has discovered that it is hard to get thousands of Midwesterners to work long hours at stressful...

Walz Budget Plan Includes Restoration of Angel Tax Credit Program

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

The Medical Alley Tech Association lauds the move, noting that the Angel Investment Tax Credit generated at least $108 million in investment in the state’s health tech industry over a five-year period. In Governor Tim Walz’s two-year, nearly $50 billion budget plan, heavy emphasis was placed on funding education, roads, and health care. However, Walz also served up support for the startup community with a proposal to restore the state’s Angel Investment Tax Credit (AITC) program. The tax credit was a state-sponsored rewards program for investors who take high-risk bets on technology-focused products, entrepreneurs or startups. It provided investors or investment funds with...

Tax credits proposed to spur business investments in Minnesota

Friday, March 22, 2019

Gov. Tim Walz, legislators want to reinstate the angel tax credit program. State lawmakers and Gov. Tim Walz want to replenish funding for a lapsed program that gave tens of millions in tax breaks to investors who helped start businesses in Minnesota. The state could spend up to $20 million a year on investors who support startups, under a proposal in the Legislature. Walz did not commit to an exact amount but told members of the TwinWest Chamber of Commerce that the tax credits will be part of the budget he unveils. Click here to view the original article from the Star Tribune.

University of Minnesota launches startup incubator to aid new ventures based on university research

Thursday, March 21, 2019

The University of Minnesota announced the launch of a startup incubator to support companies that are spun out of research undertaken at the university. The "Discovery Launchpad" program was developed by the university's Venture Center to support researchers who want to bring new technology to market. It's currently working with eight startups and plans to graduate eight from the program this fiscal year. Click here to view the original article from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

Budget for One Minnesota: Child Care Investment and Integrity

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

For many Minnesota families, child care is a necessity, yet a growing number of Minnesotans can’t access it – it just doesn’t exist. The number of licensed family childcare providers has decreased almost 30 percent in Minnesota since 2005, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Census data from 2014 show that about 310,000 children in Minnesota ages 0-5 have both parents or guardians in the workforce and likely need some form of child care. Lack of affordable, quality child care is a significant barrier to workforce participation that can negatively affect job and wealth creation, business expansion and retention,...

Anoka County recognized for economic partnership

Friday, March 01, 2019

The Anoka County Regional Economic Development Partnership was honored with a 2019 Economic Development Association of Minnesota Award during EDAM’s Winter Conference in St. Louis Park. The award was given to the Anoka County Regional Economic Development Partnership — which was formed in 2017 as a collaborative effort between Anoka County, Connexus Energy and the MetroNorth Chamber of Commerce — for its Economic Development Roadmap and innovative partnership. Bruce Sayler, principal of community and economic development at Connexus Energy, was nominated for his key role in getting the partnership started, and he accepted the award on behalf of the partnership. Click here to view...

From Bold North to True North—Explore Minnesota Unveils New Campaign

Friday, March 01, 2019

“Find Your True North” ads launch this spring to promote the state’s $15.3 billion tourism industry. Minnesota’s Super Bowl may have been bold, but in 2019, the northern spirit will be marketed as true. “Find Your True North” is Explore Minnesota’s new tourism campaign, unveiled at the annual state tourism conference in St. Paul. It furthers the state’s shifting identity away from the midwest and into the “North,” a moniker that started as a grassroots movement and has grown steadily—right up to the national stage last year when Minneapolis hosted Super Bowl 52 with “Bold North” as its tagline. Click here to view the original...

Anoka County recognized for economic partnership

Thursday, February 28, 2019

Google looking at Becker to build a $600 million data center

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

The development would be powered by two dedicated wind farms, according to a regulatory filing by Xcel. Google is looking at building a giant Minnesota data center in Becker that would cost at least $600 million and be powered by two dedicated wind farms. The data center, essentially a big building full of servers, was disclosed in a regulatory filing by Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy, which would play a big role in the project. The Google server farm would create about 50 full-time tech jobs and about 2,000 construction jobs over 18 to 24 months. Click here to view the original article from the Star...

Twin Cities metro has second-highest rate of female breadwinners in the country

Monday, February 25, 2019

The Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area is the second-best in the country for women making more money than their partners, broker service Lendingtree announced. Their rankings were based on the results of the American Community Survey, which is an ongoing project by the U.S. Census Bureau. Lendingtree looked at the 50 largest U.S. cities and their metro areas. Click here to view the original article from Business Journal

These Minnesota companies made Fortune's 'Most Admired' list

Friday, February 22, 2019

Three Minnesota companies landed spots on Fortune magazine's annual ranking of the world's most-admired companies. The list, which is compiled by Fortune with management consulting firm Korn Ferry, ranks the largest 1,000 U.S. companies (along with some big non-U.S. companies from Fortune's Global 500), and solicits impressions of each from 3,750 executives, directors and analysts, using criteria like social responsibility, long-term investment value and the companies' ability to attract talent. Click here to view the original article from Business Journal

Denmark picks Minnesota as its 'bridge' to U.S. med-tech

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

A new $1.3 million economic-development initiative called MedTech Bridge is trying to capitalize on Denmark's strengths. Denmark is widely known for its large health care companies, such as Coloplast and GN ReSound, and impressive bridges like the 5-mile-long Öresund Bridge to Sweden. A new $1.3 million economic-development initiative called MedTech Bridge is trying to capitalize on Denmark’s strengths in medical inventions, and bridge-building, by creating international connections to help Danish companies grasp the vast but bewildering U.S. health care market. Click here to view the original article from the Star Tribune

These Minnesota companies made Fortune's 'Most Admired' list

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Three Greater Minnesota Cities Awarded Infrastructure Grants

Friday, February 15, 2019

Funding will support infrastructure improvements in Arlington, Becker and Hendricks ST. PAUL – Grants totaling more than $2 million were approved by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) for infrastructure projects in three Greater Minnesota communities. DEED awarded the funding from its Greater Minnesota Business Development Public Infrastructure Grant Program for projects in Arlington, Becker and Hendricks. The grants were approved during the fourth quarter of 2018. Click here to view the original article from the MN DEED website.

Report Outlines Early Outcomes of Minnesota Equity Grants

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Grants have helped further develop nearly 1,500 businesses; train almost 50,000 individuals ST. PAUL – Grants focused on programs that assist Minnesotans of color, women, youth and people with disabilities have helped further develop nearly 1,500 businesses and assist almost 50,000 career seekers and youth with employment, education and support services across the state, according to a new report released by the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The report outlines the work that resulted from passage of the Equity Article, a one-year, $35 million supplemental package of strategic investments that was passed by the legislature in 2016. In 2017, the legislature continued...

‘Optimistic’ Minnesota manufacturers expect an improving or stable 2019

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Minnesota manufacturers are starting the year with an optimistic outlook, with most saying they expect business conditions to either improve or stay the same in 2019. That was the takeaway from an annual survey released Monday by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Most of the 249 state manufacturers who responded to the survey in November said their business had improved or remained stable in 2018. Click here to view the original article from the Pioneer Press

Magazine Highlights Minnesota as a Top Spot for Business

Friday, January 11, 2019

The new edition of Minnesota: Thriving in the North spells out the benefits of doing business here. It highlights the state’s inviting business climate, innovative atmosphere and world-class workforce. The publication, available in both print and digital versions, is part of DEED’s ongoing work to promote the state’s advantages for business investment and expansion, as well as its culture of innovation and quality of life. Click here to view the original article from DEED Developments Blog

Meet R2DMoo, the Robot Cowboy on Duty at Cargill’s Beef Plants

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Cargill’s beef plant in Schuyler, Nebraska recently welcomed a new co-worker: a remote-controlled, two-armed, bag-waving robot cowboy some are calling R2DMoo. The silly-sounding robot serves a serious purpose: keeping employees safe. The average bovine that moves through Cargill’s beef plant can weigh up to three quarters of a ton, and the plant processes more than 5,000 each day. There are a lot of safety risks attached to these gentle-looking giants. Click here to view the original article from the MINNEINNO

Three Greater Minnesota Cities Awarded Infrastructure Grants

Friday, December 14, 2018

Funding will support infrastructure improvements in Jackson, St. Joseph, and Faribault ST. PAUL – Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) awarded just over $2.35 million in grants to infrastructure projects in the Greater Minnesota area. The funding awarded from DEED’s Greater Minnesota Business Development Public Infrastructure Grant Program(BDPI) was approved for the cities of Jackson, St. Joseph and Faribault. It is expected to create an additional 166 full-time jobs and prepare these cities for future growth. Click here to view the original article from MN Employment and Economic Development

DEED Launches Tool to Measure, Report Broadband Access

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Check Speed Minnesota will give insight into consumer experience, inform policymakers ST PAUL - The Minnesota Office of Broadband Development, located within the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), today launched a new tool that will allow Minnesotans to test, map and report various broadband internet speeds across the state. CheckSpeedMinnesota.com is a benchmarking tool designed to gather information about the high-speed internet consumer experience in Minnesota. By answering a few questions and running a speed test, the input captured will help create a better overall picture of broadband in the state. Click here to view the original article from MN Employment...

Minnesota's ACT scores remain steady, among best in the U.S.

Sunday, December 09, 2018

Minnesota's average declined slightly but not enough to alter its best-of-the-nation standing. Minnesota students’ scores on the ACT college entrance exam dipped slightly this year but were still higher than those of any other state where nearly all students take the test. Graduating seniors in the class of 2018 earned an average composite score of 21.3 out of a possible 36, according to test results released Wednesday. That’s down from last year’s state average of 21.5, but still above the national average of 20.8 for the test that measures students’ college readiness in math, reading, science and English. It was also enough to...

How Minnesota became the Land of 10,000 Startups

Friday, December 07, 2018

Minnesota is no stranger to big business. It’s home to such names as Target, Best Buy, General Mills, and Ecolab — all of which have made their homes in Minnesota for generations and have become a source of pride. But a new industry — technology — is taking Minnesota by storm, boosting the local economy and putting the state on the global map once again. Minnesota has long been known for its high standard of living, agriculture industry, and flourishing community of performing arts. But over the past decade the Twin Cities area has made great strides to become a forward-thinking...

The University of Minnesota’s craziest, most interesting innovations

Thursday, December 06, 2018

The University of Minnesota is a research giant. Sure, most colleges and universities have an active team of researchers, but few institutions churn out inventions at the same rate as the U. Last year, the U was named by the National Science Foundation as one of the nation’s top 10 research institutions. A report released by the university in late 2017 estimates that it has had an $8.6 billion impact on Minnesota, and that its inventions generated more than $320 million for the state between 2009 and 2015. Simply put, the University of Minnesota is, and always has been, at the heart of the state’s...

An Enterprise of Entrepreneurs

Wednesday, December 05, 2018

Entrepreneurs, makers and artists networked with DEED representatives from the Offices of Small Business Assistance, Business Finance, Business Development, Small Business Development Centers, Minnesota Trade Office and Unemployment Insurance to learn about technical support and financing programs DEED offers that help get startups up and running. DEED’s Startup open house, held Oct. 9 at the First National Bank Building in St. Paul, competed with some major Startup Week events taking place that morning, such as Manova Global Summit and specialized tracks in FinTech and Food Ag Ideas. Startup Week program attendees had twice as many events to choose from this year, compared to...

Three Greater Minnesota cities awarded infrastructure grants funding will support improvements in Jackson, St. Joseph and Faribault

Tuesday, December 04, 2018

ST. PAUL – Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) awarded just over $2.35 million in grants to infrastructure projects in the Greater Minnesota area. The funding awarded from DEED’s Greater Minnesota Business Development Public Infrastructure Grant Program(BDPI) was approved for the cities of Jackson, St. Joseph and Faribault. It is expected to create an additional 166 full-time jobs and prepare these cities for future growth. “These grants demonstrate how state government and the private sector can collaborate to create greater opportunity and continued economic growth throughout Minnesota,” said Governor Mark Dayton. “Working together these business expansions will support vibrant communities and create...

DEED launches tool to measure, report broadband access

Monday, December 03, 2018

Check Speed Minnesota will give insight into consumer experience, inform policymakers ST PAUL - The Minnesota Office of Broadband Development, located within the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), today launched a new tool that will allow Minnesotans to test, map and report various broadband internet speeds across the state. CheckSpeedMinnesota.com is a benchmarking tool designed to gather information about the high-speed internet consumer experience in Minnesota. By answering a few questions and running a speed test, the input captured will help create a better overall picture of broadband in the state. “The Minnesota Office of Broadband Development is charged by law...

Rochester, Twin Cities ranked among most innovative on earth

Monday, November 12, 2018

ROCHESTER, MN — Innovation isn't easy. Case in point, your kids have heard of Netflix and Facebook, but will give you a blank look if you talk about Blockbuster or MySpace, two companies routinely listed among the biggest to fail specifically because they didn't innovate. So when we say three Minnesota cities were just ranked among the most innovative on Earth, it's — with apologies to Ron Burgundy and the movie "Anchorman" — kind of a big deal. The Australian data research company 2thinknow, which crunches numbers from cities across the globe, released its 11th annual Innovation Cities Index rankings of the...

How are we doing? Minnesota near top of 'best economy' states

Friday, November 09, 2018

A ranking of state economies using metrics like poverty rate, home ownership, job growth and education puts Minnesota ahead of California (and, more important, Wisconsin). USA Today reports on the listing, compiled by financial site 24/7 Wall Street. Minnesota comes in No. 7 overall, just behind Hawaii. The state scored points for its low unemployment rate (3.1 percent at the time of the survey), GDP annual growth rate of 1.7 percent (the 14th best in the list) and an especially high home ownership rate of 71.3 percent. The top-ranked states overall were Colorado, Utah and Massachusetts. Louisiana, Alaska and West Virginia came in last. Continue...

Innovation Voucher Award Program

Friday, November 09, 2018

Financial Awards Give Small Businesses Access to Technical Assistance The Innovation Voucher Award Program provides $5,000 to $25,000 awards to help small businesses purchase technical assistance and services necessary to advance research, development or commercialization of new or innovative products and services. Qualifying businesses receive awards – which the recipient must match on a 50 percent basis – to reimburse for expenses incurred for assistance and services rendered by public universities, colleges, technical schools and non-profits in Minnesota. Reimbursable expenses include purchased technical assistance and services in research, technical development, product development, commercialization, market development, technology exploration, and improved business practices, including strategies to...

More Minnesotans are working past 65

Monday, October 29, 2018

NUMBER PROJECTED TO INCREASE WITH FUTURE GENERATIONS DULUTH — Sixty-five came and went, and Marcia Gurno didn’t bat an eye. “As long as I feel like I’m still making a contribution, and as long as my mind is sharp and I’m still willing to learn and be open to new ideas, and my body holds out — that’s my order for how I look at retirement.” The St. Louis County social worker turns 67 in November and has no plans to stop punching the clock anytime soon. “People expect me to show up and perform, and it keeps me going.” She’s not alone — both...

MnDOT announces availability of competitive grants for community transportation projects

Friday, October 26, 2018

Minnesota communities, schools and their partners are invited to apply for funding on local projects that enhance transportation goals, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. For the 2018-19 application cycle, MnDOT is conducting a joint solicitation for the Transportation Alternatives and Safe Routes to School State Infrastructure programs. Applicants submit a single letter of intent to be considered for both programs. A regional representative will contact applicants to help review the project proposal and the steps necessary for delivering a funded project. Applicants will then submit a full grant application. A total of $6.5 million is available in federal funding through...

Minnesota Manufacturing Week

Thursday, October 25, 2018

Governor Mark Dayton has proclaimed Oct. 1-7, 2018 as Minnesota Manufacturing Week. Because manufacturing is a vital part of Minnesota’s economic health. One in nine jobs in Minnesota is in manufacturing – and these tend to be high-quality jobs that pay well. The average manufacturing job paid $65,728 in 2017. That’s over $9,500 – about 17 percent – higher than the typical job in Minnesota. “Manufacturing plays a critical role in the growth of Minnesota’s economy, providing access to high-quality, high-wages jobs,” said DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy. Manufacturing contributed $49.2 billion to the state’s economy (Gross Domestic Product) in 2017. Minnesota has 319,000 jobs...

Minnesota looking to attract 'mass timber' producers

Thursday, October 04, 2018

A burgeoning industry based on a relatively new type of material may be coming to Minnesota. Known as mass timber, the material is an alternative to steel in building construction. While dozens of buildings constructed with the product are dotted around the country, the majority stand in the Pacific Northwest. "This type of building product is new to the U.S.," said Brian Brashaw, a program manager with the U.S. Forest Service. "It's geared at taller buildings; it's building more along the lines of four, five and six stories. That product is seeing a lot of growth in the United States." Now, local groups...

Helping startups succeed—and stay—in the Midwest

Wednesday, October 03, 2018

At the University of Minnesota, launching a new company is one of several ways that breakthrough research can move beyond the lab to benefit the public. But finding the right leader, with the right experience, to bring these new technologies to market can be difficult. “Leadership is just as important as intellectual property to a startup’s success,” said Mary MacCarthy, Venture Center program manager with the U’s Venture Center in the Office for Technology Commercialization. “The biggest challenge the U of M has with launching our startups is finding skilled, available CEOs with experience in particular industries.” A new network comprising 11...

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3rd

MN Is Best

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US News Ranks MN

CNBC Ranks MN

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MN Ranks 1st