Today marked the kickoff of the Boise Metro Chamber's 2024 CEO Speaker Series at the stunning Stueckle Sky Center, Boise State University. This event, presented by Bank of America, provides an invaluable opportunity for Chamber members to gain insights directly from the CEOs of the Boise Metro's leading companies, offering a glimpse into their strategic visions and industry-leading projects.

Although the series was set to commence with Dr. John Wagner, unforeseen circumstances led to a change in the lineup. Fortunately, Dr. Todd E. Combs, Deputy Laboratory Director for Science and Technology and Chief Research Officer at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), stepped in admirably. Traveling from Idaho Falls on short notice, Dr. Combs not only attended but also delivered a compelling keynote address.

The event's official airline sponsor was Alaska Airlines. Additionally, Blue Cross of Idaho, ESTECH, Idaho Business Review, and Idaho National Laboratory helped make today's event possible.

A Glimpse into Dr. Todd E. Combs’ Expertise
Dr. Combs, a pivotal figure at INL, plays a crucial role in advancing the nation’s clean energy and national security goals. His work involves pioneering new classes of advanced nuclear technologies and enhancing the resilience of critical infrastructure. With a career spanning several prestigious national laboratories and significant contributions to both energy systems and national security, Dr. Combs brings a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Before joining INL in 2017, Dr. Combs held leadership roles at Argonne National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His efforts have consistently focused on addressing global security threats, advancing energy systems, and promoting sustainable solutions. Dr. Combs’ dedication to the field is further demonstrated by his involvement in numerous advisory boards and committees, including the Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance and the Boise State University College of Engineering’s Industrial Advisory Board.

Highlights from the Keynote Address
In his address, Dr. Combs emphasized the importance of community engagement and collaboration. He praised the efforts of local partners, including ESTECH and their recent completion of the Sample Preparation Lab at INL, which will significantly contribute to nuclear materials research. Highlighting the role of state leadership, Dr. Combs expressed gratitude for the support from the state of Idaho, which has been instrumental in INL’s mission.

Dr. Combs also discussed the future of nuclear energy, acknowledging the recent addition of new plants and the vital role of both large-scale and micro-reactors in achieving energy goals. He underscored the importance of innovative pathways for engaging youth and fostering future talent in STEM fields, drawing parallels to how sports programs identify and nurture young talent early on.

Engaging the Community and Building the Future
Audience members were keen to understand INL’s engagement with educational institutions and the broader community. Dr. Combs elaborated on initiatives aimed at inspiring young minds, including partnerships with local schools and universities. He shared personal anecdotes, such as how his own daughter’s exposure to INL sparked her interest in becoming a chemical engineer.

Dr. Combs also addressed questions about INL’s support for the U.S. military, the safety of nuclear energy, and public perception. He highlighted ongoing efforts to educate the public and promote the benefits of nuclear power, referencing the film "Nuclear Now" as a resource for understanding the true potential and safety of nuclear energy.

Looking Forward
The inaugural session of the CEO Speaker Series set a high standard for the upcoming events. Dr. Combs’ insights and dedication to advancing clean energy and national security were both enlightening and inspiring. As the series continues, the Boise Metro Chamber looks forward to featuring the following leaders to share their vision and expertise, further enriching the community and fostering growth:

CEO SPEAKER SERIES #2
October 14, 2024 from 3-5 P.M.
Diane Hendricks, Founder of Hendricks Commercial Properties
Learn More & Register

CEO SPEAKER SERIES #3
November 20, 2024 from 4-6 P.M.
Garrett Lofto, President and CEO of the J.R. Simplot Company
and Tommy Ahlquist, CEO of Alquist
Learn More & Register

Stay tuned for more updates and be sure to join us at the next event in the CEO Speaker Series!

On Tuesday, December 12th, members of the community attended a fireside chat with the new Boise Metro Chamber President and CEO, Bobbi-Jo Meuleman, facilitated by Jess Flynn, Founder and CEO of Red Sky. The event was the second-to-last Boise Metro Chamber event in 2023. The final installment of Business After Hours on December 14th will close out the year.

During the CEO Speaker Series, Meuleman gave insight to how she’s achieved her current success. She shared that throughout her career, she took every opportunity she could to advance herself. She asked for more, put herself out there, and never shied away from a challenge. Meuleman credits her time with the present and past Governors of Idaho for her ability to lead. When working with Governor Otter, she learned not to accept “no” for an answer and how to work with others to create an outcome that benefits everyone. Alongside Governor Little, Meuleman honed her skills to manage a crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She feels that Governor Little has always been a “resource of guidance.”

When asked to describe leadership, Meuleman said she believes that being a leader means, “guiding the ship.” It takes someone to make the decisions, elevate others around them, and give them tools to succeed.” Meuleman’s vision for the Boise Metro Chamber is to continue the great work with the same enthusiasm as her predecessor. She plans on continuing to create a strong membership base by deep-diving into what members find most valuable. During the process, she will identify what’s working and what isn’t. Her hope is for the Chamber to become a beneficial partner through community engagement, advocacy, and support.
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Meuleman plans on working with all Chambers here in the Treasure Valley. As she mentioned, “Many businesses across Idaho are facing the same issues such as workforce, housing, and transportation. By narrowing in on what we can handle locally, through partnerships across the valley, we the community can take care of itself over time.” Meuleman gave kudos to the Boise Metro Chamber’s Board members and said they’ve been active advocates within the community who want to help. She said that many of them have approached her with new ideas and projects to partner with. She reported that the support from the Board has been magnificent and that she’s eager to be working with them.

When Jess Flynn pressed about the Chamber’s efforts in policy, Meuleman answered, “You will see more of a presence in the state house,” mentioning the Chamber’s own Policy Committee and members who have government affairs staff. Going forward, she plans for the Chamber to have a more visible presence with advocacy, in lieu of working behind the scenes. Meuleman encouraged members to reach out to her, the Policy Committee, or Tori Thomas, the Chamber’s Community and Government Affairs Manager, to share thoughts and inquire about how they could become more involved.

As the event began to conclude, Bobbi-Jo spoke about her vision for the next year to be filled with continued growth for the Chamber, creating new opportunities for its members and making an impact within the Treasure Valley as an influential partner.

Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO of Micron Technology, discussed the future benefits of cutting edge memory manufacturing in Boise and the USA during his fireside chat with Dr. Marlene Tromp, President of Boise State University, at the Boise Metro Chamber's second 2023 CEO Speaker Series. The event took place at the Stueckle Sky Center.

Today is the eve of Micron's 45th birthday. It humbly began in 1978 with four founding members in the basement of a dental office on Cole Road. Today it is a 30 billion dollar global company with 40,000 employees in 17 countries that represent 67 nationalities, and over 54,000 patents.

During the CEO Speaker Series event, Mehrotra talked about the $15 billion expansion of Micron's Boise campus which will be the size of 10 football fields. "Micron is a great source of pride for Boise and the United States," stated Mehrotra. "We are working hard to help develop and advance the workforce for the future starting with a dedication to bringing back production to Boise and the United States." He said the facility is estimated to bring 2,000 direct jobs and 15,000 community jobs over the next ten years. "This expansion project will improve wages in the community and aide child poverty." 

The leading edge memory fabrication plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2025 with production starting in 2026. With it, Micron will invest further in K-12 STEM programs, and work with colleges and universities to provide education training. Mehrotra said, "Micron is striving to put in place a workforce that’s under represented in society - women, people of color, veterans, and rural populations. Chip camp, targets middle school students, and aims to spark their interest in STEM fields. It began with 50 students and now has over 1,000." Without this type of intervention, studies suggest there will a be a shortage of 67,000+ semiconductor workers in the nation by the end of 2030.

"Currently only 2% of memory is made in the U.S., and it is all produced by Micron," shared Mehrotra.  Micron has its sites set on increasing domestic production over the next two decades through the manufacturing plant in Boise, and a megafab, which will be the largest semiconductor fabrication facility in the United state, in Syracuse, New York. These plants will, "Strengthen U.S. technology leadership as well as economic and national security, driving American innovation and competitiveness for decades to come," according to Sanjay Mehrotra.

He predicts Micron will have a very important role in the development of AI since Micron is creating the industry's fasted high bandwidth memory (HBM) which is also low powered. As AI continues to develop it will rely more heavily on memory and Micron is poised to grow alongside it. 

"This is going to be an exciting decade plus for Boise," said Mehrotra as the event drew to a close. He thanked Dr. Marlene Tromp and Boise State University for being one of their biggest sources of recruiting, BVEP for it's partnership, and Mayor Lauren McLean and Governor Brad Little for their support.

The Presenting Sponsor for all our CEO speaker events is Bank of America. Other sponsors included the Idaho Business Review, ESI Construction, the Boise Airport, Exyte, and Perkins-Coie.  

There will be one more CEO Speaker Series in 2023. It will feature the Boise Metro Chamber's new president & CEO, Bobbi-Jo Meuleman. Watch our event calendar for details.​