Letter from President & CEO, Bill Connors
Welcome! It is a pleasure to welcome you to one of the most business-friendly metro regions in America where you will see business expansion throughout our Valley. Construction cranes in downtown Boise are raising a whole new skyline for one of the West’s most rapidly growing urban destinations. Boise has been a booming business center throughout its history and continues to be a hub for a growing tech industry as well as legacy industries in food, agribusiness, health care, state government, business and financial services.
This year, we're happy to share expansion in Boise is booming both in downtown and internationally. Our historic cultural links to the Basque Country in Spain are seen throughout our city, most specifically in our famous “Basque Block” in the heart of downtown. Our thriving tech sector has led to important business connections with Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and the greater Pacific Rim. Northwest Nazarene University’s growing Chinese language program is just one example of our growing relationships in Asia. Our Agri-business connections to Australia, Europe, Canada, Mexico and the rest of the Americas are equally significant.
Boise is also a welcoming city. Entrepreneurs looking for an affordable climate of innovation come from nearby coastal tech hubs. And, refugees come looking for a better life in a city that has welcomed hundreds of new citizens from Africa and the Middle East. Boise’s economic boom is increasingly driven by international trade, investment and a diverse entrepreneurial and human spirit. While we may be isolated, we are an internationally connected city on the rise in the beautiful American West.
Boise has been named in more “best of” lists. From our growing urban craft brewery scene to our increasingly respected winery trails, our hikeable and bikeable foothills trail system, our popular Boise River Greenbelt, our hip, happening downtown, our Boise State Blue Turf, our easily accessible state capitol rotunda, our professional hockey and baseball teams, our world class ski resort, our expanding convention facilities, as well as exciting hotel, restaurant, and arts scene, the Boise Metro area will surprise you.
On behalf of the nearly 2,000 Boise Metro Chamber member businesses, we welcome you to America’s most livable and likeable city!
This year, we're happy to share expansion in Boise is booming both in downtown and internationally. Our historic cultural links to the Basque Country in Spain are seen throughout our city, most specifically in our famous “Basque Block” in the heart of downtown. Our thriving tech sector has led to important business connections with Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and the greater Pacific Rim. Northwest Nazarene University’s growing Chinese language program is just one example of our growing relationships in Asia. Our Agri-business connections to Australia, Europe, Canada, Mexico and the rest of the Americas are equally significant.
Boise is also a welcoming city. Entrepreneurs looking for an affordable climate of innovation come from nearby coastal tech hubs. And, refugees come looking for a better life in a city that has welcomed hundreds of new citizens from Africa and the Middle East. Boise’s economic boom is increasingly driven by international trade, investment and a diverse entrepreneurial and human spirit. While we may be isolated, we are an internationally connected city on the rise in the beautiful American West.
Boise has been named in more “best of” lists. From our growing urban craft brewery scene to our increasingly respected winery trails, our hikeable and bikeable foothills trail system, our popular Boise River Greenbelt, our hip, happening downtown, our Boise State Blue Turf, our easily accessible state capitol rotunda, our professional hockey and baseball teams, our world class ski resort, our expanding convention facilities, as well as exciting hotel, restaurant, and arts scene, the Boise Metro area will surprise you.
On behalf of the nearly 2,000 Boise Metro Chamber member businesses, we welcome you to America’s most livable and likeable city!
Letter from our Board of Directors Chair, John Cunningham
I am honored to serve as the chair-elect of the Boise Metro Chamber. Admittedly, I was not an active member in the Chamber early in my professional career. After becoming much more active in the past 10 years, I now realize what a missed opportunity this was for me personally and professionally.
This year marks the 135th year of the Chamber being a leading influence in our community’s development and success. It is inspiring to review past accomplishments. Most recently, the Chamber’s move to its new home on Front Street is the kind of investment that will benefit members for years to come. Mike Mooney and Candi Allphin have led an incredible capital campaign. Thanks to the generosity of so many of you, this strategic move positions this chamber for long-term financial stability.
The Chamber is fortunate to have such a dedicated staff of professionals and the leadership of Chamber President & CEO, Bill Connors. In fact, several Chambers around the U.S. have taken note of the vibrancy of this organization and have reached out to learn from what we’re doing. Yet, as outstanding as Bill and his team are, the Chamber really is a member-driven organization. So, thank you for your membership. By being a Chamber member, you are committed to help build a better business for yourself, your family, and your community. With your membership, not only do you help drive the local economy, you are helping shape policy and practices for future generations.
Chamber members with the highest satisfaction are the most participative. There are so many ways to participate, a variety of corporate sponsorships available, and several industry-specific committees who are always looking for active participants. You’ll always find opportunities to help drive membership. Of course, the Chamber offers countless events to attend and/or volunteer for, which are great chances to learn and network. If time is a constraint, simply reading our publications and emailing ideas and concerns are great ways to stay engaged.
It is my honor and privilege to support this Chamber. We welcome your thoughts, ideas, letters, and most importantly, your involvement. Please contact me to share your successes or to provide any ideas or suggestions for improvements.
This year marks the 135th year of the Chamber being a leading influence in our community’s development and success. It is inspiring to review past accomplishments. Most recently, the Chamber’s move to its new home on Front Street is the kind of investment that will benefit members for years to come. Mike Mooney and Candi Allphin have led an incredible capital campaign. Thanks to the generosity of so many of you, this strategic move positions this chamber for long-term financial stability.
The Chamber is fortunate to have such a dedicated staff of professionals and the leadership of Chamber President & CEO, Bill Connors. In fact, several Chambers around the U.S. have taken note of the vibrancy of this organization and have reached out to learn from what we’re doing. Yet, as outstanding as Bill and his team are, the Chamber really is a member-driven organization. So, thank you for your membership. By being a Chamber member, you are committed to help build a better business for yourself, your family, and your community. With your membership, not only do you help drive the local economy, you are helping shape policy and practices for future generations.
Chamber members with the highest satisfaction are the most participative. There are so many ways to participate, a variety of corporate sponsorships available, and several industry-specific committees who are always looking for active participants. You’ll always find opportunities to help drive membership. Of course, the Chamber offers countless events to attend and/or volunteer for, which are great chances to learn and network. If time is a constraint, simply reading our publications and emailing ideas and concerns are great ways to stay engaged.
It is my honor and privilege to support this Chamber. We welcome your thoughts, ideas, letters, and most importantly, your involvement. Please contact me to share your successes or to provide any ideas or suggestions for improvements.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS | EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
John Cunningham
Block 22, LLC Chairman |
Charlene Maher
Blue Cross of Idaho Chair-Elect |
Scott Madison
Intermountain Gas Company Immediate Past-Chair |
Tom Mortell
Hawley Troxell Of Counsel |
Bill Connors
Boise Metro Chamber President & CEO |
Scot Phillips
Eide Bailly, LLP Treasurer |
Rebecca Hupp
Boise Airport At Large |
Emily Baker
Portman Square Group At Large |
Todd Cooper
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. BVEP Chairman |
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bill Avey
HP |
Joel Barker
J.R. Simplot Company |
Laura Cobb
Citi |
Chase Erkins
BYP Exec Chair Lee & Associates |
Dave Fisher
Republic Services |
Mike Garcia
COI |
Steven Goddard
WinCo Foods, LLC |
John Howard
MotivePower, Inc. |
Gerald Hunter
Idaho Housing & Finance Association |
Brett Lensing
LB President Micron Technology |
Charlene Maher
Blue Cross of Idaho |
Jeremy Malone
Oppenheimer Companies, Inc. |
Susan Morris
Albertsons |
Neil Nelson
ESI Construction |
Grant L. Petersen Jr.
Bronco Motors |
Joel Poppen
Micron Technology, Inc. |
Vern Porter
Idaho Power Company |
Justin Smith
U.S. Bank |
Jeff Taylor
St. Luke's Health System |
Dave Terrell
CVB Chair Washington Trust Bank |
Mary Pat Thompson, MWI Animal Health
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BOARD OF ADVISORS
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Albertsons
Alliance Title & Escrow Corporation Alsco, Inc. Bank of America Bank of the Cascades Banner Bank Blue Cross of Idaho Boise Airport Boise Cascade Boise Spectrum Boise State University Bronco Motors Cascadia CenturyLink Chase Bank, N.A. Citi Cards Clearview Cleaning Cloverdale Funeral Home, Cemetery & Cremation Cold Chain, LLC Colliers International Corporate Office Installations CTA Architects Engineers DIRECTV D.L Evans Bank Eide Bailly Elam & Burke, P.A. ESI Construction Gardner Company Garrigan Lyman Group |
Hawley Troxell
HP, Inc. Holland & Hart LLP Idaho Housing and Finance Association Idaho Independent Bank Idaho Power Company The Idaho Statesman Idaho Trust Bank The Idaho Venture Fund Intermountain Gas Company J.R. Simplot Company KeyBank N.A. KPMG, LLP Lamb Weston Larry H. Miller Dealerships MassMutual Idaho Micron Technology, Inc. Midas Gold Corp. Moffatt Thomas MotivePower, Inc. Mountain West Bank, Division of Glacier Bank MWI Animal Health Northwest Bank Northwest Nazarene University Oppenheimer Companies, Inc. Optum Plexus Corp. Portman Square Group Regence BlueShield of Idaho |
The Riverside Hotel
Saint Alphonsus Health System Scentsy, Inc. Scripps Media Inc. Silvercreek Realty Group Small Mine Development Sorrento Lactalis, Inc. St. Luke’s Stoel Rives, LLP SUEZ Sykes Enterprises, Inc. Synoptek Sysco Idaho, Inc. T-Mobile USA U.S. Bank UBS Financial Services Inc. United Heritage Insurance University of Idaho-Boise Vacasa of Boise Washington Federal Washington Trust Bank Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. WinCo Foods, LLC ZENFOX Strategies Zions Bank |