Experts will share ideas on improving job opportunities

    POCATELLO—The Idaho State Journal, Southeast Idaho Business Journal and Idaho State University will sponsor a forum on the local economy next week.
    The forum is free and open to the public and will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, in the Wood River Room of the Idaho State University Student Union.
    It will feature a panel of several experts who will provide their insights into Eastern Idaho’s economy and will answer written questions from the audience.
    Panel members are:
    • Former Pocatello Mayor Roger Chase.
    • Bank of Idaho President/CEO Park Price.
    • Premier Technology CEO Doug Sayer.
    • Gynii Gilliam, chief economic development officer, Idaho Department of Commerce.
    • Chubbuck Mayor Steve England.
    • Kent Rudeen of Power County Economic Development Authority.
    • Pocatello City Councilman Jim Johnston.
    • Fort Hall Business Councilman Tino Batt.
    • Professor Neil Tocher of the Idaho State University College of Business.
    • Local economic development expert Arlen Wittrock.
    • Bear Lake County Commissioner Vaughn Rasmussen.
    • Linda Martin of Grow Idaho Falls
    • Tim Forhan of Bannock Development Corp.
    Other local officials and business leaders will also be on hand in the audience to comment about the issues raised at the forum.
    The moderators will be Journal Editor Ian H. Fennell and Dan Cravens, the regional economist for the Idaho Department of Labor and vice chairman of the Bingham Economic Development Authority.
    Fennell encourages Eastern Idaho residents to attend the forum to gather insights on the local economy and explore ways it can be improved.
    “Eastern Idaho has a lot of potential but it’s clear that we have a lot of challenges too,” Fennell said. “We hope that this forum sparks a new spirit of cooperation to get all of us on the same page with the goal of attracting new jobs and businesses to the region.”
Fennell said the forum will also give the public a chance to ask questions about things such as Pocatello’s ill-fated Hoku plant and how the lack of college educated people hinders economic development in Eastern Idaho.
    “The forum will offer a rare opportunity for local residents to interact with those officials on the front lines in the effort to bring new jobs and businesses to our region,” Fennell said. “We all want to see Eastern Idaho’s economy be the best it can be.”
    Cravens added, “The forum will provide the community at-large an opportunity to understand what is being done by state and local officials and agencies to support economic development. Also, the gathering will give the public an opportunity to see how the experts view our local economy, both strengths and weaknesses.”
    One of the forum’s sponsors is the Southeast Idaho Business Journal, an Idaho State Journal publication that focuses on the region’s business community. Free copies of the Business Journal will be available at the forum. Readers can also check out the Business Journal online at biz.idahostatejournal.com.