Dear Rion,
You damn genius, you make an exquisit point below:
On Tue, 27 Jan 2009, Rion D'Luz wrote:
On Monday 26 January 2009, Paul Flint wrote:
The invitation below is to meet with some of the most powerful folks in
Information Technology with the attention of the current
state administration.
I hope you've said above whilst keeping your tongue in cheek.
"The most powerful folks"... where? In whose mind's eye? The greater
Burlington Chamber of Commerce?
Exactly! Why does "hi tech" mean Colchester or Essex!!!!!
..."have demonstrated tremendous growth during the past five years"...
News Flash: what hasn't grown tremendously during the past 5 years
(besides my salary?).
Elvis has left the building...
Richie Tarrant Jr? 5 will get you 8 that myWebGrocer hasn't seen a dime
of profit since it's inception. Not that there's anything wrong with
rich kids and deep pockets, but it begs asking: "What's the relevance of
the questions in and of themself; and the panelists' answers to the
questions juxtaposed against the soundness of their company's business
model?"
Truth to power, I wonder what part of the State Executive Bureaucracy set
this up? The same one that gives our cash to lobbiest organizations?
#1 Why are you in VT? Who cares; they grew up here, their spouse grew up
here, they like the working landscape, sailing on the lake, they dislike
the corridor and traffic ....
They like the country club called Vermont, as long as they can control the
"help" (you and me) mostly through starvation and ignorance.
#2 is probably "No, not growing" considering the national economy. But
even if the answer is otherwise, it is no indicator of increased
revenue, only access to capital. And if the company is publically owned,
or even not, what officer will say anything other than "our company is
sound and coping OK"?
Publically owned - I prefer politically owned... Take VITAL (please!!!
:^).
#3 Vermont's economic development strategy? Buy lobbyists?, line up for
Fed Funding? Call-centers in the kingdom? If even coherently answerable
at all, it will probably be spun beyond recognition; because though
Douglas is able to explain it in under 100 words, where are the markers
or milestones by which to measure it.
Hummmm... You always were a bit of a troubleshooter - or should I say
troublemaker. Anyway a perfect analysis as far as I can see.
#4 A State makes itself attractive by lowering taxes, (legalizing pot:),
reducing crime, improving education in K-12 and community colleges;
raising the quality-of-life index. It should not be pimping for any
business sector. That's how State's get themselves in trouble;
incentives like deep tax cuts to out-bid their neighbors last only until
the good-times end and operations move overseas. I repeat for effect:
businesses have no loyalty beyond maximizing shareholder profits; they
make THEMSELVES attractive, or not. A States' loyalty should belong to
it's citizens. Recognizing trends and the writing on the wall. If
leadership cannot make that work, then they should be thrown out of
office for lack of vision.
Rion, are you related to the Eathan or Ira Allen? You got the vibe here...
#5 By what authority would they have an answer to the effectiveness of
education in VT? Inferentially? Their ability to hire better .Net/mono
programmers? Their employees' skill running MSOffice/Powerpoint, or
balancing their checkbooks and choosing an IRA?
Rion what else is there but Powerpoint(tm)?
Granted, three of the companies are solidly based in engineering (vs
SAAS); and fulfilling the need for talent locally should be everyone's
desire. But that is related to post-secondary education and is more
apropos to be asked of UVM, Champlain college, St. Mikes, et al. It
should not be the State's business, unless the question is defined to
mean office/administration personell who have little advanced education.
Besides, for all the rants of "how difficult it is to find talent to
hire" nobody has yet to argue that people won't move to our state for a
decent job. I know, 1st hand, so many people who would move to VT in a
heartbeat if there was work to be had. Because of the winter, or despite
the winter, Vermont is as attractive to the 20-30 crowd and to the
family-values crowd as much or more as it is to retirees or 2nd
homeowners. Yes, we obviously need industry and jobs, but is it really
the State's role to be the economic engine?
One of the companies moved out of Waitsfield Stowe to join the big teets
in Williston, but who is counting that....
I'm not trying to say that the panel won't have something to offer. It
appears that all are small businesses (under 500 employees or under 5
million in sales) and Vermont, like the rest of the nation, runs on
small business.
Paul Millman certainly seems like a person of interest:
www.inc.com/magazine/20080701/a-socialist-grows-up.html
and fun to have a beer with:)
Steve Arms seems like a good "local boy makes good" success story:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/6/bb1/a21
http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Arms_Steven_764119.aspx
Thanks for the background.
Lisa Baril-Groeneveld likes bernie, peter, and in deference to forrest,
most likely doing something right.
www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/lisa-baril-groeneveld.asp?cycle=06
I would have prefered that Logic Supply be a bit more community
accessable.
But, do these people deserve the full "attention of the current state
administration" or is this another dog-n-pony show that's sucked into
the pro-business paradigm that Douglas has persued, uneventfully, for so
long?
Bingo!!!
We need to bring some truth to these powerful people.
Truth is in the eye...... and (powerful) people do not like hearing
anything that counters their own 'facts'. They only recognize truth in
the external actions/events that force them to confront those beliefs
they cherished. If you want to get their attention, then create
something that works better, differently, and is more successful.
I am trying as hard as I can.
Anything else is just in the realm of ideas (of which we have so many:)
Nice cut. Come to this session and you can pour on the salt my friend!
Rion
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:09:26 -0500 (EST)
From: Vermont 3.0 <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: Wednesday: Legislative Forum at the Statehouse
Hi Flint,
Tech CEOs to Speak at the Statehouse
Please join us for the Vermont 3.0 Legislative Forum, a report from the front
lines of Vermont's creative/tech economy.
Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Time: 4-6 p.m.
Place: Rm. 11 at the Statehouse in Montpelier
Guests:
- John Canning, President, Physician's Computer Company, Winooski
- Lisa Baril-Groeneveld, President/Owner, Logic Supply, South Burlington
- Paul Millman, President, Chroma Technology Corp., Rockingham
- Rich Tarrant, Jr., CEO, MyWebGrocer, Colchester
- Steve Arms, President and CEO, MicroStrain, Williston
Moderator:
Paula Routly, Publisher, Co-Editor and Co-Founder, Seven Days, Burlington
Purpose:
Vermont lawmakers will have a chance to meet and talk with five chief
executives from locally owned, creative/tech companies that have demonstrated
tremendous growth during the past five years.
Our panelists will come prepared to discuss the following questions:
- Why did you locate your company in Vermont? What keeps you here?
- Is your company currently growing, and if so, at what rate?
- Which aspects of the state's economic development strategy are working?
- What more can the state do to help you attract and retain qualified employees?
- Are Vermont schools adequately preparing students for tech jobs in the state?
Kindest Regards,
Paul Flint
(802) 479-2360
/************************************
Based upon email reliability concerns,
please send an acknowledgment in response to this note.
Paul Flint
Barre Open Systems Institute
17 Averill Street
Barre, VT
05641
http://www.bosivt.org
http://www.flint.com/home
skype: flintinfotech
Work: (202) 537-0480
Fax: (703) 852-7089
Consilium
gratuitum .~.
valet /V\
quanti /( )\
numerantur ^^-^^
