A Plethora of New Courses Offered at CRI
The Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation will be offering a series of non-credit courses beginning in October, covering a variety of topics from learning QuickBooks software to dealing with bullies.  Many courses are offered online and a few will be offered in a traditional classroom setting at the CRI. 

October 13, ONLINE
*CANCELLED - "The Basics of Fundraising for Non-profits", Dr. Charles Alberti

October 13, ONLINE
*CANCELLED - "Dealing with Bullies", Dr. Charles Alberti

October 20, ONLINE
*CANCELLED - "Quickbooks", Mr. Gary Sorenson

October 27, ONLINE
"What's New in Word 2007?", Mr. Cal Rice

October 30, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
*CANCELLED - "Time Management", Dr. Charles Alberti

November 3, ONLINE
"Human Resource Management:  Performance Appraisals, Coaching and Termination", Ms. Lyndi Odegard

November 6, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
*CANCELLED - "Teaching Children Skillful Thinking", Dr. Charles Alberti

November 10, ONLINE
"Developing Forms with Adobe Acrobat", Mr. Brandon Odegard

November 10, ONLINE
"Grant Writing", Mr. Nathan Dorr

Registration form for all above courses is online.

"Business Grammar:  The Most Common Errors"
Rick Demers will cover the basics of business grammar during a noon Brown Bag Lunch program Wednesday, October 8 at the Bemidji State University Center for Research and Innovation (CRI), located at 3801 Bemidji Avenue North.  "Faulty punctuation associated with sentence construction is a very common problem in business," said Rick Demers, who is a training specialist at Leech Lake Gaming in Cass Lake, Minn.  "Correct grammar equates to professionalism, so it is hard to look good while sending out poorly written materials." A full schedule can be found at www.cri-bsu.org/BrownbagSeries.html.      

Northern MN Safety Council Presents "Real Incident Reviews"
Steve Pecharich, who works with the MNOSHA Workplace Safety Consultation, will review real incidents or accidents in the workplace and extract relevant information and actions that apply for business, industry, and organizations today.  He will also look at examples from general industry, such as carbon monoxide exposure, that have the potential to result in illness. "One of the goals for the presentation is to have participants understand the underlying causes for incidents and accidents, including those that we can't see, such as the culture of an organization."  This session will be held at CRI on Wednesday, October 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.   Advance registration is encouraged to guarantee lunch and materials.

"Specialty Forest Industry and Related Legislation"
Primarily items harvested for non-lumber interests, specialty forest products in Minnesota encompass both large-scale industries and mom-and-pop operations in such areas as crafts, food, and unique wood products.  Many are intended for niche markets and are seasonal in nature, and include such items as birch bark baskets, mushrooms, medicinal herbs, and holiday decorations.  A forester with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for more than 27 years, Mimi Barzen will provide background into such specialty forest products as balsam boughs, Christmas trees and ground pine, another plant used in Christmas ornamentation.  Join us Monday, October 20, from 3 ? 4 p.m. This free information and discussion session will be held at the CRI, 3801 Bemidji Avenue North, Suite 4.  The full schedule is online. 

Academy of Lifelong Learning Continues Fall Series
Michael Hansen will describe life in early Minnesota during a Tuesday, October 7 lecture.  During the lecture, Hansen will draw from 51 years of delivering presentations on history to outline the origins of Minnesota, the arrivals of different groups, early problems of statehood, and the growth of mining, lumbering, manufacturing and medicine.  Dr. Mary Jo Hrenchir will present the facts and discuss the fiction of the Children's Crusade during the Tuesday, October 14 presentation.  "Just like the magnificent cathedrals of Chartres and Notre Dame, the Crusades were a crystallization of medieval faith," said Hrenchir, who is an associate professor of history at Bemidji State University.  Other topics include Dr. Pat Donnay and selected BSU students discussing "America's Other Election Battle: The Fight for Control of Congress" on October 21 and Mr. Paul Ericsson will present "Current Issues and Challenges Facing Libraries" on October 28.  More information on the various presentations is online.

Regional Employer Support Network Presents "MN Works Employer's Guide"
Karen Underhill, marketing specialist with the Department of Employment and Economic Development, will share information on how employers can get the most from using the MN Works website.  Participants will learn to post jobs and search resumes effectively.  This FREE presentation will be held at the CRI on Thursday, October 30 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.  More information is online.

News from our Partners
Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce Presents, "The Changing Face of the Workforce"
In partnership with Bemidji State University, and Northwest Technical College, Bemidji Chamber of Commerce will present a 3-part workshop addressing various facets of our changing workforce.  Join us at the Center for Research and Innovation on Wednesday, October 29 from 8-11 a.m.  More information and registration are online.

Check out the Lifelong Learning Series from Northwest Technical College

IDEA Competition Officially Launched
Northwest Minnesota entrepreneurs with breakthrough business ideas are invited to enter the IDEA Competition ? Northwest Minnesota's first entrepreneur competition.  The purpose of IDEA is to assist the most promising local entrepreneurs in the commercialization of innovative products, processes and deliveries by connecting them to the best resources available, along with access to the capital it takes to launch a successful venture. Read the press release and flyer online.

Small Business Development Center Learning Opportunities
QuickBooks Pro
Learn how to quickly and easily manage basic tasks like printing checks, paying bills, generating reports, invoicing customers, and tracking expenses.
Oct 15 & 16 - Mahnomen
$150.00

Marketing Your Business - Holiday Essentials
This session will provide you with proven marketing techniques and strategies that will separate your holiday marketing efforts from the competition.
Oct 16 - Park Rapids
$30.00 

SBIR/STTR 101: Utilizing Federal Grants to Fund Your High-Risk Innovative Technology from Concept to Commercialization
This course covers what it takes to compete for your share of the $2.3 billion, which agencies to target, how to put together a quality proposal, and information on the new Office of Science & Technology.
Oct 21 - Bemidji
$20.00

Website Building Workshop
Get your business online today by building your own website.  This hands-on workshop will help you build and launch a professional looking website.  The tools are simple, point, click, drag, and drop images and text; no HTML required.
Oct 23 - Bemidji
Oct 27 - Park Rapids
Oct 30 - Thief River Falls
$75.00

So You Want to Start Your Own Business
This session will cover the basic steps to starting a business in Minnesota and will focus on feasibility, business plan basics, legal requirements, and understanding financial aspects of financing a business.
Nov 6 - Bemidji
$40.00

Please visit http://mnsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/ConferenceList.asp for more information about these offerings from the Small Business Development Center.