Council hopes to make a strong state stronger

If Idaho had a job for every time someone said “There aren’t enough good jobs for our children,” why, there would be more than enough jobs.
But when Jared Bauer says that, he isn’t complaining. He’s merely stating the problem before outlining his solution.
The death of an infant son helped turn Bauer from a businessman to an economic activist.
Bauer and fellow executive MBA student Jenni Herberg have created Idaho Business Council for a number of reasons. One the co-founders have in common and hold most dear is that they’re determined to help shape a more prosperous Gem State for their children.
Bauer, himself the youngest of 12 children in a Twin Falls family, lost an 8-month-old son, who was buried in Twin Falls. Two young children survive, as does Bauer’s determination to build a better future for all Idaho children.
“We all know about Idaho’s outstanding quality of life,” Bauer told NIBJ. “Unfortunately, you can’t eat quality of life. I’m doing this because I want to leave a strong legacy in the state I love, and I’m also doing it for my children. I want them to be able to not just live in Idaho, but thrive in Idaho.”
Herberg, mother of two sons and a former small business owner, echoed Bauer.
“With so many college graduates moving out of state for better jobs, I want to do what I can for my two boys to have meaningful careers here in Idaho,” she said.
Hence the birth of another child: Idaho Business Council.
This one’s a lot of work but a joy to feed, the founders said.
Idaho Business Council is unique to Idaho — and perhaps the nation — in its approach to helping improve the state’s economy. Bauer and Herberg met with the business college deans of Idaho’s three largest public universities and earned their agreement to carry out important research projects to improve the state’s economy. Data from those projects will be shared with virtually everyone:
• Lawmakers wanting to know not just what the top economic issues are, but the best steps in making economic progress in Idaho;
• Business leaders needing data that will help them better compete;
• Citizens eager for information that will lead to better jobs, better pay, better benefits — a better life.
“Idaho could be on the forefront nationally, showing how this kind of cooperation can work,” Herberg said.
Herberg and Bauer are immersed in cooperation. After gaining the business deans’ support and putting together a respectable executive board of Idaho business men and women, they’re meeting with legislators who hold a key to the council’s mission.
If they agree to do so, every legislator will pick two representatives from their district to be part of a voting commission recommending the most important topics to be researched. The 315-person commission would vote online, and Idaho Business Council’s executive board would settle on three issues for study by the universities.
Those 315 citizens — one-third legislators, the other two-thirds their appointees — are key to the whole system working.
“What that does is guarantee statewide representation,” Herberg said.
Bauer said Idaho Business Council isn’t about fixing something that’s broken but rather, finding ways to consistently progress.
“We don’t have a whole laundry list of things that are wrong with the state,” he said.
For instance, Forbes magazine last November ranked Idaho the 16th best state for doing business. That’s a slip from No. 12 in 2010.
It also means Idaho is looking up at neighbors Utah (ranked No. 1), Washington (No. 7) and Oregon (No. 9).
But Bauer has been pleasantly surprised by how quickly the alternative universes of education, government and business can merge dynamically when spurred by a good cause.
“So far one of our top priorities has been getting people excited, generating support,” he said. “We’ve seen that once they get the idea of Idaho Business Council, they’ve jumped on board. They’ve been incredibly passionate. Things are moving forward at a very fast pace.”

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The Coeur d’Alene Press will track Idaho Business Council progress through the 2012 legislative session and beyond.

Mission Statement

To increase jobs and develop innovative, sustainable economic growth, Idaho Business Council provides a neutral, comprehensive, statewide forum to facilitate business and legislative professionals to identify specific issues, and leverage university research to propose consensus based solutions.

Read all about it:

Idaho Business Council

IdahoBusinessCouncil.org