 IKONICS Breaks Ground on Duluth Project
WDIO-TV-8/6/15
IKONICS Corp. broke ground last week on a $4.3 million expansion in Duluth that will result in 20 new jobs. Lt. Gov. Tina Smith and Mayor Don Ness attended the event, with Ness calling IKONICS the best-kept secret in Duluth. DEED is assisting the company with $508,500 from the Job Creation Fund.
Governor Announces Mexico Delegation
Minneapolis Star Tribune-8/5/15
Three dozen Minnesota delegates will join state officials, including DEED's Kathleen Motzenbecker, Thomas Norman, Tim Odegard and Barbara Mattson, on a trade mission to Mexico this week to expand business opportunities with the state's second-largest trading partner. “Mexico is a very important trading partner for businesses and farmers throughout our state,” Gov. Dayton said.
Commissioner Named to Walleye Group
Duluth News Tribune-8/4/15
Commissioner Sieben was among the state leaders appointed last week by Gov. Dayton to a working group on the Mille Lacs walleye shortage. The group's first meeting was held at the State Office Building on Tuesday. Rep. Tom Hackbarth, R-Oak Grove, and Sen. David Tomassoni, D-Chisolm, will co-chair the group.
 Take heart, commuters. The Road Information Program (TRIP) says the Twin Cities ranks second in the country for the quality of its highways. The Washington, D.C., based nonprofit says 59 percent of metro freeways and highways are in good shape. Only Nashville ranked higher, with 65 percent of its urban highways in good condition.
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DEED Awards Job Training Grants
DEED awarded nearly $70,000 in grants from the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership last week to train workers at seven manufacturing firms in the state. The biggest grant, $48,943, will help pay for training workers from Northfield-based All Flex Flexible Circuits. A separate grant of $20,599 will train workers at six manufacturing firms in the Mankato area.
$12 Million in Angel Tax Credits
The Angel Tax Credit Program has allocated $12 million in tax credits for investments in more than 80 Minnesota startup companies so far this year. An additional $4 million in tax credits is still available for angel investments specifically targeted at startup businesses based in Greater Minnesota or owned by women or members of minority groups. Any funding for those targeted groups still unused after Oct. 1 will be made available for investments in other Minnesota startups.
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Minnesota's workforce placed 13th in CNBC's recent ranking of America's Top States for Business. Read our DEED Developments blog for an in-depth look at the state's workforce and why it stands out. |
The latest issue of Trends magazine takes a comprehensive look at how the Minnesota economy is doing six years after the end of the recession. The state is outperforming the country in many areas of the economy, but there is still room for improvement. Pick up a printed copy of the magazine in the DEED lobby or go here to read the stories online.
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