Western Washington University’s College of Business and Economics invites you to join other entrepreneurs for a real world, hands-on experience in developing a startup company.

Work in teams to:

• Develop ideas into workable businesses
• Learn how to use a business model to develop each part of a company
• Encounter the chaos and messy uncertainty of how a start up really gets built
• Explore how lean product development can help rapidly iterate your product/service into something consumers want and use

Each week will be a new discovery!

Evening and weekend classes begin March 27th.

Visit www.ExtendedEd.wwu.edu for more information.

Information Sessions:
Thursday, February 16, 6:00-7:00 p.m.,
Communications Facility 420, WWU Campus

Tuesday, March 6, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Technology Development Center, Port of Bellingham

Dear TAG friends and members,

In support of the efforts of many political leaders to strengthen science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) higher education in Washington even during this challenging budget climate, Western Washington University, on behalf of the College of Sciences and Technology (CST), has submitted a proposal to establish an engineering degree-granting program at Western. We seek your support.

As you know we have a powerful vision for the future of all of the programs in CST, but the challenging budget times in Olympia don't allow us to be as aggressive as we would like.  However, we do have one opportunity in front of us that has resulted in Western submitting a proposal to the state legislature.  That proposal is to transition our Engineering Technology Programs to full Engineering status.  Western's leadership is lobbying hard on behalf of this proposal, but that will not be enough.  We need your help.

We respectfully ask that you write letters in support of this proposal to your respective elected representatives in the state legislature, the leaders of the legislature, and to Governor Christine Gregoire.  It is the voice of the people who make a difference and we need your voice to be heard.

Attached you will find a list of talking points that you may use in your letter.  You certainly don't have to include all of them in your message, but rather, pick out the ones that resonate best for you.  They are only suggested facts and if you have other points you desire to make in support of the proposal, please do so.

We have attempted to make the writing of a letter as easy as possible.  Below is a link to Western Advocates, an organization that is a coalition of Western alumni, students, faculty and concerned citizens working to ensure that higher education is a priority in Washington State.  This link will enable you to enter your zip code (and if needed also your street address) to inform you who your elected representative are within the district you live and a list of the leaders of the state legislature.  It also provides you with an e-mail ready form in which you can write your letter to those representatives and Governor Gregoire.  You will then need to enter your name and contact information and then simply hit the send button and your work is done.

We thank you in advance for making your voice be heard by writing to your elected state representatives and Governor Gregoire in support of the Engineering proposal and helping it become a reality.  If you have any questions, or if we can be of additional assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Respectfully,

Jeff Wright
Dean of the College of Sciences and Technology
Jeff.Wright@wwu.edu

Steve Swan
Vice-President for University Relations
Steve.Swan@wwu.edu

MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL OFFER – FOR A LIMITED TIME

TAG memberships start at just $50/year for individuals and $100/year for businesses.

As an added bonus, we are offering the first 25 new members a free voucher for your next TAG monthly program if you sign up on or before February 29, 2012.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU

• Networking – Connect with people you know and make new contacts
• Specials – Receive special deals and discounts for our events and from WTIA partners
• Visibility – Get listed in our member directory with a logo and description
• Opportunities – Be one of the first to know what is happening in the local tech industry and what resources are available to you and your company
• Advocacy – Add your voice to a broader base that we represent

Visit www.tagnw.org/membership to become a member today!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Finally, I am looking for help in building our committees in 2012 and would love to hear from you if you are interested in being involved. Volunteer opportunities exist in Advocacy, Events, Job & Internship Connections, Marketing, Membership, Scholarship and Sponsorship. Please contact me at sommer@tagnw.org for more information.

Sincerely,


Sommer Cronck, Executive Director
Technology Alliance Group (TAG) for Northwest Washington
360-318-7710
www.tagnw.org

TAG informs, represents, and connects Whatcom area technology businesses and professionals.

IT Solutions Provider Completes Microsoft Software Updates Free-of-Charge and with No Service Interruption to Customer and Reseller Network

SEATTLE - February 8, 2012 - FiberCloud, Inc., the leading provider of colocation, cloud computing and IT services, today announced that its cloud-hosted software customers were upgraded to MicrosoftR 2010 ExchangeR and SharePointR 2010.

This FiberCloud upgrade was made available for both customers and resale partners at no charge and was successfully accomplished with no interruption in service.  With this release, FiberCloud clients will now benefit from improvements in Microsoft Exchange 2010 and SharePoint 2010 software.

FiberCloud upgraded all hosted Exchange and ShareP-oint customers to the latest version of the software, including subsequent Microsoft-released security updates.

The upgrade was conducted by FiberCloud's team of experts and was released to all customers and resellers in January. The upgrade allows customers to benefit from the latest software securely, without additional license fees and the IT personnel typically ne-eded to perform upgrades in house. The upgrades occurred with the same security and uptime FiberCloud customers experience during non-maintenance periods.

FiberCloud customers will now benefit from enhanced communication tools included in the new Microsoft Exchange and SharePoint versions. This messaging and collaboration platform is now more focused on enabling mobile access to files for the purpose of improving continuity and productivity.

This includes the integration of robust security capabilities and business continuity features. This focus is reflected in a recently published Radicati Group report that estimates Microsoft Exchange will reach an installed base of 187 million mailboxes for both insourced and hosted Exchange, and it is expected to grow to a total of 285 million this year.

This represents an average annual growth rate of 11%.

"FiberCloud is pleased to offer these Microsoft upgrades recently released from Microsoft to our clients as a part of our service offering," said Susan DeFlorio, chief operations officer at FiberCloud. "Our team of IT professionals worked diligently to ensure the upgrade was successful, and completely transparent to our clients and resale partners. This is yet another example of FiberCloud's long record of outstanding service, while offering best-in-class cloud services and colocation in SAS 70 Type II audited facilities to any business of any size anywhere."

Since 2008, FiberCloud's cloud-hosted software platform has offered best-in-class software, including Microsoft Exchange and SharePoint.

FiberCloud's cloud-hosted software is securely provisioned in secure SAS 70 Type II audited data centers that feature multiple layers of physical and virtual security. The facilities are monitored and maintained by FiberCloud's team of experts and connected to the Internet through a redundant MPLS network.  FiberCloud conducts regular maintenance and updates on all software systems and consistently maintains a 99.9 percent Service Level Agreement (SLA).

To learn more, visit www.fibercloud.com, email solutions@fibercloud.com or call 877-926-3282.


About FiberCloud

FiberCloud, Inc. is a leading provider of colocation, cloud computing and IT services. Recognized as an outstanding service provider by Seattle Business Magazine, FiberCloud offers the tools client's need to maximize efficiencies through best-in-class software solutions hosted in high quality data centers. FiberCloud's Cloud City Hosting provides cloud computing accessibility to small businesses, offering enterprise-class cloud software at affordable prices and eliminating long-term service contracts. FiberCloud maintains highly secure data centers, which have successfully passed the stringent SAS 70 Type II audit and earned the MSP Alliance UCS Certification. FiberCloud was recently recognized by Seattle Business magazine as a leading service provider. Learn more about FiberCloud at www.fibercloud.com,
Cloud City Hosting at
www.cloudcityhosting.com, email info@fibercloud.com  or call 877.926.3282.

Dear Bellingham Public Schools Supporter,

Thank-you for your support and endorsement in the upcoming election for two levies that are essential for the basic operation of Bellingham Public Schools. As you know, our schools cannot rely on our federal and state government to adequately fund a high quality education for our local children.

View the 2-page Levy Fact Sheet (PDF)

Ballots have been mailed and should arrive in your mailbox at the end of January. The Citizens’ Advisory Committee strongly urges you to vote YES and return your ballot as soon as possible, postmarked no later than February 14, 2012.

Renewing these levies in the Feb. 14, 2012 election is critical for the future of our community's children. They are not new levies, but replace levies that expire in 2012 and pay for nearly 25 percent of education in Bellingham Public Schools as well as technology, which is not funded by the state.

You can visit the levy website at bellinghamlevy.org for more details and see the full list of endorsements. You can "Like" and share on your Facebook wall our Vote Yes for Bellingham Schools FaceBook page to show your support. Also, please forward this message to friends and family so they can also show their support for students, schools, and the levy. If they would like to be listed and a levy endorser, please have them email us their first and last name and contact information at this address: yesforbellinghamschools@gmail.com

If you wish to make a contribution to the campaign, please write your check and send the donation to:

Citizens’ Advisory Committee
P.O. Box 1082
Bellingham, WA 98227

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Janice Walker, Workforce Education Coordinator
jwalker@whatcom.ctc.edu
360.383.3172

Bellingham, WA, Jan. 26, 2012 - Whatcom Community College announces it will launch four new mobile application development courses starting this fall, making it one of only six colleges or universities in the nation – and the first in Washington state – to offer a mobile applications program to prepare students and professionals for advancement in this dynamic sector of the technology industry. The courses, which are made possible by a $15,000 Perkins Innovation Grant, exemplify Whatcom’s commitment to providing progressive science-technology-engineering-math (STEM) instruction. The new courses are designed for students or professionals who have a computer programming background and are seeking non-credit continuing education or a credit-bearing certificate to help them advance in the mobile application development field. Enrollment for fall courses will begin in August.

The courses, which will be offered through the College’s Science, Math and Engineering division, target mobile application development for Android, iPhone and Windows-based mobile platforms (smartphones, tablets, etc.). With the support of the Bellingham-based Technology Alliance Group Northwest (TAG) and the Association of Washington Business, the College conducted regional surveys of individuals and employers who verified the need for courses on these topics. An advisory group of community members who are active in the mobile technology industry will provide input to Whatcom faculty in the development of the new curriculum.

In the Perkins Grant application, Whatcom grant writers shared that mobile manufacturer Ericsson has predicted within three years 80 percent of people accessing the internet will do so from mobile devices, and internet-capable devices will outnumber computers within the next year. “The transition to hand-held devices is fueling the development of mobile applications -- or apps -- and the continued emergence of the industry,” says Linda Maier, Dean for Workforce Education. “Community colleges – especially an institution such as Whatcom that has respected computer science faculty and an acclaimed Computer Information Systems program -- are the ideal training ground for students and working adults who want to find a job in the field.” Nationally, median hourly wages for programmers range from $38-$42. Perkins Grants are federal funds provided through the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 for the advancement of career and technical education.

Whatcom will leverage the expertise of its faculty and industry advisory members from the College’s Continuing Education, Computer Information Systems, pre-Engineering, and Visual Communications programs in cooperation with local resources to develop the curriculum for the four foundation courses and short-term certificate. The focus of each course and the certificate will be new programming skills and applied entrepreneurship specific to each mobile application development platform. This will prepare certificate-earners not only with the necessary technical skills but also the entrepreneurial mindset needed to be successful in the fast-paced world of technology development.

Whatcom Community College is an accredited, comprehensive two-year college with a committed, accomplished faculty and staff who serve more than 7,600 students quarterly. On its beautiful 71-acre campus in Bellingham, WA, and through on-line courses, Whatcom offers transfer degrees, professional and technical training programs, as well as basic education, job skills and enrichment classes. For more information about WCC, please call the Public Information Office at 360.383.3310 or visit www.whatcom.ctc.edu.

ABOUT WHATCOM’S STEM INITIATIVE: The need to increase STEM (science-technology-engineering-math) graduates is critical, according to the National Science Board. There are many efforts underway at Whatcom Community College to expand offerings and attract students to STEM subjects. Whatcom’s commitment to STEM instruction includes its Associate in Science degree, which prepares students to transfer to a four-year university to complete their studies in fields such as atmospheric science, biology, chemistry, computer science, earth science, engineering, environmental science, geology and physics. In addition, the College’s Professional Technical degrees include its acclaimed Computer Information Systems program. Whatcom is one of only 13 community colleges in the nation to be designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance by the Department of Homeland Security and National Security Agency. The designation affirms the quality of the College’s Computer Information Systems program, noting the caliber of the curriculum, faculty credentials and nationally recognized program certifications. The designation covers academic years 2011-2016 and recognizes Whatcom’s commitment to cyber security as part of its focus on STEM-related initiatives.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Diana Duggan                                                                        
Call: (360) 734-8715 ext. 3007
Send: Duggan@vshcpa.com

BELLINGHAM – VSH’s Christopher Landry, CPA and state and local tax expert, will host a seminar for local business titled “Avoid State Tax Surprises.”

The seminar is from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 31st at the Bellingham Golf and Country Club. Registration is required for the free presentation, which includes breakfast. Participants can register online at the Eventbrite page: http://vshsaltseminar.eventbrite.com/

Unexpected state taxes can mount quickly, causing some companies to go out of business. In this seminar, participants will earn about traps in Washington's unique tax structure and potential pitfalls to avoid when doing business across state lines.

Topics will include:

• When a company or individual owes taxes and what it means to be determined as "doing business" in a state.
• Know taxes are owed on related party transactions (exchanges between commonly-owned enterprises.)
• Find out what tax credits are available to minimize state taxes.

VSH is a dynamic and responsive full-service CPA firm located in the Barkley District of Bellingham. We proactively cultivate new ideas to further the business success of our clients. For more information, contact us at 360-734-8715 or visit us at www.vshcpa.com.

WCC is putting together goodie bags with information and cool stuff (such as pens, mouse pads, paper pads, candy bars, etc.) for the participants in their upcoming Cybersecurity Camp.  They are looking for anything that is “techy” that they can find, plus they are gathering “even cooler” items students can win for prizes during various competitions.

If you have giveaway items (pens and the like) to offer, they need 24 of each item.

If you have prizes to offer, they are accepting one or two of any item.

There are six sessions in the camp and one or two prizes will be given away each week. If they have leftovers we can use them for next year’s camp.

Items are needed next week and a representative can stop by and pick them up.

To make a donation, contact Janice Walker, Workforce Education Coordinator at jwalker@whatcom.ctc.edu or 360-383-3172.  Please let her know that TAG referred you!

About the Cybersecurity Camp
WCC was recently awarded a National Science Foundation grant to host two cybersecurity camps for high school students on WCC's campus. This project is focused on increasing awareness and interest of the emerging and growing field of information security through hands-on activities and a cyberdefense competition, as well as related educational and career pathways.  The first camp is full with 24 students and will be underway starting this Saturday, January 28th.   For more information go to www.whatcom.ctc.edu/cybercenter or contact mtalbot@whatcom.ctc.edu.

Alaska Airlines announced today it will fly this summer from Portland, Ore., to Bellingham.

This summer Bellingham and Portland, Ore., will seem a bit closer when Alaska Airlines will offer daily non-stop service between the two cities. The flights will take less than an hour and the schedule will allow for easy day trips.

The carrier will resume its summer flights to Bellingham. The service will begin June 4 and operate through Aug. 25, 2012. Flights will depart from Bellingham at 6:30 a.m. and will return to Bellingham at 9:54 p.m. daily during this period.

"These new routes give our customers additional options to access some of the most popular summer markets out of Portland," said Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines' vice president of marketing. "With these low introductory fares, summer travel between these cities and Portland has never been more affordable."

Alaska Airlines is offering special introductory one-way fares of $89* between Portland and Bellingham. Tickets must be purchased by Jan. 25 and can be used for travel between June 5 and July 18, 2012. Visit www.alaskaair.com to purchase a ticket or call 1-800-ALASKAAIR (1-800-252-7522 or TTY/TDD line 1-800-392-0228).

Alaska's sister carrier, Horizon Air, will operate the Portland flights to Bellingham with 76-seat Bombardier Q400 turboprops.