President Barack Obama on Sept. 8 asked Congress to quickly approve his $477 billion American Jobs Act proposal, which includes $105 billion for infrastructure and construction spending. Initial reaction from built industry professionals is that any increase in federal spending on ...
Read More »Reactions mixed to President Obama’s jobs plan for construction industry
Multifamily construction continues to grow 
The multifamily housing market is steadily improving and continues to outpace residential housing growth. According to data released Sept. 8 by the National Association of Home Builders, the Multifamily Production Index – a measurement of improving conditions in all types ...
Read More »Nothing beats preparation for helping secure a loan
Small business owners who are seeking Small Business Administration loans to start up a business, expand a business or purchase equipment many times experience frustration in that process. These owners are experts about their particular products though may lack some ...
Read More »Commercial loans available to well-managed firms
You hear it a lot these days: “Banks aren’t lending to businesses.” The truth is that many banks are still lending to companies with strong fundamentals, such as proven cash flow and strong balance sheets. Also, businesses that show a compelling ...
Read More »Don’t underestimate value of the big guys
I was talking to an Idaho businessman recently about Idaho’s large employers and he said, “Well, there aren’t many companies here with more than a thousand employees, are there?” I was surprised. There are dozens of companies each employing more ...
Read More »AstraZeneca to pay state of Idaho $2.5 million for overpricing 
AstraZeneca has agreed to pay $2.5 million in a legal settlement with the state of Idaho over the cost of drugs for the state’s Medicaid program. The state bases its reimbursement rates to pharmacies for prescription drugs on the “average ...
Read More »Study estimates doctors’ impact on state’s economic health
While physicians are often recognized for their vital role in ensuring the health and well-being of the citizens of Idaho, their contributions to the economic health of the state often go unrecognized. The Idaho Medical Association, of which I am ...
Read More »Nonprofits to Fortune 100 firms feel burn of fraud
While most companies are embracing the Internet and e-commerce world alongside their brick and mortar storefronts, many are not aware of the additional ways in which cyber criminals can steal from them through these online channels. By jumping into the ...
Read More »Dad being late to your ball game didn’t cause the cash flow problem
Imagine you are in the boardroom of someone else’s business. The father, sitting at the head of the table, is the founder, CEO and all-around taskmaster. The son, sitting next to him, is the chief financial officer, operations director and ...
Read More »Letting go of the business? Any advantage to letting up?
“It took me long time to understand the difference between ownership of a company and management of a company. Since Dad was the owner and manager I had always thought the two were synonymous.” This is a quote from the ...
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