Business briefs for Feb. 26

TEAM Industries participates in MMC

Representatives from TEAM Industries attended the Minnesota Manufacturers' Coalition meeting on Feb. 10 in St. Paul, Minn. The MMC is a consortium of association leaders representing 26 entities from across Minnesota who serve the needs of manufacturers.

The coalition is lobbying the Minnesota State Legislature to make capital equipment purchases exempt from sales tax at the point of sale.

On Minnesota Business Day at the Capitol, April 6, a large contingent of manufacturers plan to turnout to lobby their legislators on this and other key issues. Efforts are also underway to build awareness of manufacturing workforce issues. A task force is being formed and will meet in the near future.

The next meeting of the MMC is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon on March 15 at the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce in St. Paul. For details, call Jim Russ at TEAM Industries, Inc. at (218) 694-4174. To learn more about TEAM Industries, visit TEAM-IND.com.

Otter Tail Power will present workshop

Otter Tail Power Company will host its 2006 Electric Technologies Workshop and Trade Show from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 6 at the Shooting star Event Center in Mahnomen, Minn.

Workshop topics will include underfloor hydronic thermal storage, geothermal heat pumps, residential demand controllers, control hours and equipment sizing considerations, controlled-load wiring diagrams and procedures, fuel price comparisons and information about Otter Tail Power Company's rebates and incentives for various energy-efficient applications.

In addition to Otter Tail Power Company representatives, the other main presenter will be Brandon Darnell, vice president of operations at energy Dynamics of Carthage, S.D., which markets and provides 24-hour technical support for the Hydron Module geothermal heat pump.

Registration is due by Feb. 27. The fee for this workshop is $20 per person, which includes lunch, breaks and handouts. For details about the 2006 Electric Technologies Workshop and Trade Show or other training opportunities, call Otter Tail Power Company's Idea Center at (800) 493-3299. To receive email alerts about upcoming workshop, register on Otter Tail Power Company's Web site at www.otpco.com .

Hook named EVP at Kraus-Anderson

Kraus-Anderson Construction Company, one of the Midwest's top commercial general contractors and construction managers, has promoted Gary Hook of Northwest Minnesota to executive vice president. In addition, Hook will become EVP of business development, overseeing all Kraus-

Anderson construction company entities in their business development efforts. Hook will be based in Minneapolis.

Established in 1897, Kraus-Anderson Construction Company is one of the country's top commercial general contractors and construction managers.

BEC accepting Youth Tour applications

Beltrami Electric Cooperative is now accepting applications for its 2006 Youth Tour to be held June 10-15. Each year the cooperative sends one high school junior, whose parents or guardian is a member of Beltrami Electric, on an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.

The successful candidate will join hundreds of other cooperative representatives as they tour the nation's capital, visit historic sites and learn the role government plays in the electric industry. To qualify, candidates must submit an application, write a 500-word essay on the importance of the cooperative business model, and submit two letters of recommendation from teachers, group or community leaders. Finalists will be interviewed by cooperative staff before a selection is made.

Applications must be received by March 27 and are available at Beltrami Electric or through area high school guidance counselors. Applications can also be downloaded from the cooperative's website at beltramielectric.com. Those interested should mail their application to Youth Tour, Beltrami Electric Cooperative Inc., P.O. Box 488, Bemidji, MN 56619-0488.

Minnesota Job Skills awards CRI funding

Lueken's Village Foods is one of three large grocery stores serving the greater Bemidji area. Over the past three decades, the store has expanded considerably and now has two locations with 262 employees.

The Center for Research and Innovation will deliver a training program that will help employees develop a perspective in future-oriented thinking with a deliberate, planned approach to growth. Project results include identifying and implementing business strategies that lead to a high performance culture, develop a market research methodology and creating a streamlined approach to administrative process will decrease the overhead.

Deanna Murphy will present an in-depth look at Covey's philosophy in the updated "7 Habits for Highly Effective People" on March 8 and March 22 at CRI.

Course and registration information are available at www.cri-bsu.org/covey.html . A new three-day course in project management will be offered March 7, 14 and 21 by the Bemidji State University CRI.

Students will work in teams and are encouraged to use existing projects instead of instructor-provided case studies. Teaching the course will be Michael Wellcome, associate director of CRI. In addition to project management, his experience includes systems design, electronic commerce and organizational development. He is the project officer for the Northern Tier High Technology Corridor project and has more than 10 years experience in designing, managing and implementing projects.

The course fee is $425, including lunch and all materials, with a discount offered to any company sending four or more people to this course.

For details, visit www.cri-bsu.org/projectmanagementpr.html . The registration forms are available online.

Local Angus breeder recognized nationally

Wayne Wilde of Shevlin has been recognized nationally by the American Angus Association for having 10 registered Angus cows included in the Association's 2006 Pathfinder Report.

The Pathfinder Program identifies superior Angus cows based upon recorded performance traits that are economically important to efficient beef production. These traits include early and regular calving and heavy weaning weights. All registered Angus cows that meet the strict Pathfinder standards are listed, along with their owners, in the pathfinder Report that is published annually by the Association.

The 2006 Pathfinder Report lists 9,321 individual cows and 258 Pathfinder sires. It is published in the April issue of the Angus Journal, and copies are available from the Association. The reports appear on the website at www.angus.org .

Tribal communities can apply for grants

Minnesota's tribal communities were invited to apply for $800,000 in grants from a foundation established by three fellow tribes in Minnesota including the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Prairie Island Indian Community and Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux community. The goal of the Minnesota tribal Government foundation is to promote tribal sovereignty, advance economic development and improve conditions on the state's Indian reservations.

For this first round of grant making, priority will be given to grant proposals that support economic and workforce development on reservations and grant will only be made to tribal governments. The focus may expand in the years ahead to reflect evolving needs.

Grant proposals must be received by March 15. Awards will be announced in April.

Most Beautiful Baby Contest scheduled

The Most Beautiful Baby Contest will be held at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday at the Paul Bunyan Mall. Registration begins at 5 p.m.

Boys and girls will compete separately in the following age divisions: 0-7 months, 8-14 months, 15-23 months, 24-35 months, 3-4 years and 5-6 years.

The entry fee for the main age division is $45. There are eight optional categories to enter which are all $5 each.

The winner of each age division will win entry fee paid to the state competition, a trophy, a crown or medallion and a test photo shoot with a Chicago fashion photographer. The first four runners-up in each age division and the special award winners will each receive a trophy and entry fee paid to the state competition.

Century Farm applications available

The Minnesota State Fair's Century Farm program will once again honor Minnesota familes who have owned their farms for at least 100 years.

The Century Farm program recognizes family farms according to the following qualifications:

--The farm must be at least 100 years old according to authentic land records.

--The farm must have been in continuous family ownership for at least 100 years (continuous residence on the farm is not required.

--The farm must be at least 50 acres.

Since 1976, a total of 8,342 farms have been designated Century Farms.

A commemorative certificate signed by the president of the State Fair, the president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation and Gov. Tim Pawlenty, will be awarded to qualifying families, along with an outdoor sign signifying Century Farm recognition.

Information on all Century Farm families will be available at the Minnesota Farm Bureau exhibit during the 2006 State Fair, Aug. 24-Sept. 4.

Applications are available by writing Century Farms, Minnesota State Fair, 1265 North Snelling Avenue, St. Paul, Minn. 55108, email fairinfo@mnstatefair.org or call (651) 288-4446. Applications are also available at statewide county extension offices and Minnesota Farm Bureau offices. Deadline for application is June 1. Previously recognized families should not reapply.