Helping Businesses Thrive in Idaho
Episode 11 Bobbi-Jo Meuleman—Main Street Idaho Podcast Season 3
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President and CEO of the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce (BMCC), Bobbi-Jo Meuleman, is our special guest for episode 11 of the Main Street Idaho Podcast. Among her many accomplished roles, Meuleman highlights her past experience working with former Governor Butch Otter and current Governor Brad Little. Now advocating for businesses as the BMCC President & CEO, Meuleman explains how she plans to help businesses thrive throughout Idaho.
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0:00
welcome to the Idaho Main Street podcast
0:02
where we talk about the issues that
0:03
matter to
0:05
[Music]
0:10
you we're excited today to have a
0:12
fixture of leadership in the Gem State
0:15
uh the current CEO and president of the
0:18
boyy Metro chamber none other than Bobby
0:21
Joe mman Bobby Joe thanks for joining
0:23
the podcast today thank you I appreciate
0:25
the
0:26
opportunity we're excited today to draw
0:29
from wealth of your knowledge you've got
0:31
a lot of experience You' got this
0:33
somewhat new role with the chamber we'll
0:35
get into but before we dig into chamber
0:37
and economic development and all that
0:39
fun stuff I think it would be important
0:41
to kind of cover your origin story here
0:43
help us understand how you went from
0:45
working in Washington DC for a Montana
0:49
Congressman to end up working for two
0:51
governors in of Idaho and boisee yeah uh
0:55
yeah it's kind of a fun story to talk
0:57
about um I born and raised in Montana
1:00
and when I was a junior in college I
1:02
went to the University of Montana in
1:04
Missoula my major was political science
1:07
not because you know I thought that I
1:09
would have a career in politics I simply
1:11
liked government and history so was
1:14
thought hey why not uh when I was in
1:16
junior a junior in college I did an
1:18
internship in Washington DC with Senator
1:20
Conrad Burns and I can tell you it was
1:23
probably a very pivotal point in my life
1:26
a decision I made that was would impact
1:28
me for the rest of my life life that I
1:30
had no idea I was making at the time
1:32
went back to DC absolutely loved it fell
1:35
in love with the office just loved
1:36
working out there it's a it's a great
1:38
fun environment had one year of college
1:41
left came back graduated and had a job
1:44
with them I graduated on Saturday on
1:47
Monday my Mom and Dad and I had my Chevy
1:50
Silverado packed up and we drove from
1:52
brownie Montana to Washington DC which
1:54
to give you a sense of where Browning
1:57
Montana is it took us eight hours just
1:59
to get out of Montana because we went
2:01
from one part of the state to the other
2:03
uh but moved to Washington DC and uh
2:06
worked for Conrad Burns for a few years
2:08
and then he lost re-election to John
2:10
tester at that time I went to work for
2:14
Congressman Denny reberg from Montana
2:16
when I was working for Senator Burns I
2:18
met my husband we started dating he was
2:21
working for Senator Craig and we got
2:24
engaged my husband got a job back out
2:27
here in boisee he's B born and raised
2:29
and as politics is or just life in
2:31
general it's a lot of relationships who
2:33
you know the congressman I was working
2:35
for was very good friends with Governor
2:37
Butch a because they served in Congress
2:39
together the congressman made a call and
2:41
said hey there's this Montana Girl
2:43
moving to Idaho and if you got a job or
2:45
know something she'd be you know G gave
2:48
me a gloating recommendation and
2:51
happened to be that Governor otter had a
2:53
job opening for the same job I was doing
2:55
for the congressman which was a
2:56
scheduler and I went interviewed with
2:58
him and the rest is kind of History wow
3:02
okay there's a lot to unpack there and I
3:04
think one of them that jumps out is this
3:06
is very topical because your old boss
3:08
that lost re-election to Senator tester
3:10
at at time of recording right now that
3:12
is a neck-and-neck race that could
3:14
determine who controls the Senate the
3:16
Republicans and Democrats isn't it funny
3:19
I think about that I was watching the
3:21
news the other day and they did a big
3:23
segment on it about the sheii tester
3:26
race and it's really fascinating to me
3:29
to think
3:30
I mean to think about I mean because
3:31
that was a really close race and no one
3:33
thought tester would win and he did and
3:35
it was a huge upset and now that race
3:38
could determine you know it's a really
3:40
big race it's funny uh Conrad Burns I
3:45
got a signed picture of his it's a a
3:49
United States capital and it's signed by
3:51
him it's actually in my office here if I
3:54
could if if I knew how to work this
3:55
computer I'd show you but when I was
3:57
working for governor little we actually
4:00
um Senator tester's nephew was an intern
4:03
and I called him in and I said do you
4:05
see that picture and he was like yeah
4:07
I'm like you know who that guy is and
4:09
he's like I think so and I was like it's
4:11
a guy that beat my boss and he was
4:13
terrified he now works for um Senator
4:17
rich and we laugh about it a lot about
4:18
that story but yeah it's kind of weird
4:20
to
4:21
think that now that is a really pivotal
4:23
race that could really determine a lot
4:25
of things wow and what a small world in
4:30
politics yeah yeah that's incredible so
4:32
from uh then Congressman Butch Otter's
4:35
office you then transitioned when he won
4:37
the governorship to to his to your first
4:40
stint in you know executive
4:44
office when I moved to Idaho he was a
4:47
governor at that point he was he was in
4:49
his first term as Governor okay so it
4:51
was a newly elected governor you joined
4:54
that staff great so you worked for
4:56
governor otter and you obviously have
4:58
worked for our current governor governor
4:59
Brad little talk to us about what
5:01
different experiences those were knowing
5:03
that many of our listeners have great
5:05
adoration for both men both very AG
5:07
focused business friendly but they are
5:10
different and they took different
5:12
approaches yeah they were both really
5:14
wonderful you know people often ask me
5:16
about you know my trajectory and my
5:18
success in politics and I mean I can
5:21
single-handedly said if it if it were
5:22
not for those two men I would not be
5:24
where I am today they you know being
5:26
elevated and supported by Governors is a
5:29
pretty cool thing and I will forever be
5:32
grateful for them they are wonderful and
5:34
are really I mean it every success has
5:38
people behind you lifting you up and
5:40
those two men were it for sure you know
5:42
it's really funny they're both similar
5:44
but different in their ways you know
5:46
Governor otter he's a guy that he's just
5:49
so personable right you could he'd go in
5:53
never read a memo right go in it could
5:55
be he's going to go talk to a bunch of
5:58
Educators and he'd start talking about
6:00
the Antiquities act and maybe not even
6:02
touch on education and everyone would
6:03
love it right they'd be raving and
6:05
roaring because he was just so
6:07
personable right and then Governor
6:09
little is you know he is just so smart
6:14
and such a policy guy right he knows the
6:16
details of everything which is really
6:19
fun because he he is engaged in every
6:21
level and so very you know detail
6:24
oriented data
6:26
oriented um reads everything I remember
6:29
once uh I did nuclear stuff for him and
6:32
there was a big nuclear report that came
6:35
out with the line commission and he
6:38
asked me he's like did you read this and
6:40
I was like no because I knew you would
6:42
and then you tell me about it so but
6:44
both very you know when we would go to
6:47
Republican Governor events in other
6:49
states everyone just they would Rave
6:52
about how personable and how kind and
6:55
how accessible and down toe our
6:58
Governors are and I think that's
7:00
something that's really special and so
7:02
they're very similar in that way right
7:03
that they're just genuine people and
7:05
they really do care um have such a great
7:08
understanding of the culture and the
7:11
history and the roots of this state um
7:14
it's it's really unique just the
7:16
knowledge that they that they have and I
7:18
think we're really lucky to you know
7:21
have had and have Governors that that
7:23
operate that way I I completely agree
7:26
and I'm going to shift the spotlight a
7:28
little away from them and a little more
7:29
on you at the moment because you're a
7:32
prime example of of meritocracy in Idaho
7:35
of somebody who started a position and
7:37
just I don't want to put words in your
7:39
mouth but you have a reputation as
7:41
somebody who does their homework who
7:42
works really hard who manages
7:44
relationships really well and cares
7:46
about the people she works with and you
7:48
found yourself in really significant
7:50
positions of influence in Idaho and
7:52
having the governor's years for those
7:54
who are listening uh walk us through the
7:56
approach of maybe where you credit
7:58
growth in Public Service in in in your
8:03
approach it's interesting and it was my
8:05
husband and it was when I took this role
8:08
and one of the things I had to do when I
8:10
first took this role was there was an
8:13
event where people got to learn about me
8:15
and I don't really like talking about
8:16
myself and my husband said to me you
8:20
have an interesting story to tell where
8:22
you started out as a scheduler right I
8:25
started out as a solely
8:27
administrative job and have worked my
8:29
way up through the different ranks and
8:33
you know I I don't really know how to
8:36
credit that except from you know hard
8:38
work right you you have to be responsive
8:41
you have to work hard um I think there's
8:46
real value in relationships and knowing
8:48
people and I I got to know that at a at
8:51
an early age and I think because I was a
8:53
scheduler I think that really C started
8:56
cultivating the importance of that you
8:58
know being in that role you are the the
9:00
face the front entrance to you know
9:03
these elected officials and with that
9:05
you get to know people and you get to
9:06
know their story and you get to know if
9:09
it's a good thing for your boss to do or
9:11
maybe not a good thing for your boss to
9:12
do and and through that you just build
9:15
these relationships and you really start
9:16
to see the power of knowing people and
9:19
how that just can can make things to get
9:22
done better you know I think there's
9:24
nothing more rewarding when you can take
9:28
an issue and bring people from all
9:31
different sides and Views work together
9:33
sometimes it's painful and it's torture
9:36
but there is no better feeling when you
9:39
work together towards something and you
9:41
achieve something and that gets done
9:43
through relationships and so I think
9:46
that has just been one thing that my
9:48
career I've continued to do is really
9:50
understand the importance of those
9:52
relationships Foster those relationships
9:54
and it takes time it takes time but I've
9:57
always made time for it right and I've
10:00
really been rewarded for that because by
10:02
doing that people get to know you people
10:04
see your quality people know what you're
10:06
capable of people trust you and it
10:10
really has been what has led me to every
10:13
kind of advancement that I've had in my
10:15
career I can pinpoint I think it's
10:18
because of relationships that have been
10:20
developed yeah there's definitely a
10:21
lesson there in both personal and
10:23
professional development uh so does that
10:26
mean that the learning curve when you
10:27
went from you know public service and
10:30
government to your current role at the
10:31
boisee Metro chamber was the learning
10:33
curve shrunk because of all these
10:35
experiences and relationships you had I
10:37
would say honestly the biggest learning
10:39
curve for me is when I moved from DC
10:43
from federal government and when into
10:45
state government that was a big shift um
10:49
the expectation is much different on a
10:51
state level the expectation for a
10:53
governor is much different than on a
10:55
federal level because you're closer to
10:57
the people and there was a huge learning
11:00
curve like I remember it was my first
11:02
day and I think I started it in November
11:05
and the chief of staff at the time Jason
11:07
Kerbeck came in to me and he said hey I
11:09
needed to get a meeting with the
11:10
governor and all the Constitutional
11:12
officers and I was like yeah on it I had
11:14
to Google I didn't even know what a
11:15
constitutional officer was I'm like what
11:17
is he talking about right who are these
11:20
people and so it's just it's much closer
11:23
and there's a big learning curve right
11:25
of getting to know you know obviously
11:28
you have to learn how the governor's
11:30
office works but how the how all the
11:32
agencies work how the legislative
11:35
process is the judicial process I mean
11:38
it's just all the way down to like City
11:40
County tribal I mean you're interacting
11:42
with so many different levels that it it
11:45
was that was I would say a a learning
11:48
curve from from that perspective I will
11:50
tell you going into this job I felt very
11:54
fortunate having the relationships that
11:57
I had I know a lot of people right and
12:00
so having that has been really helpful
12:02
also my time at the Department of
12:04
Commerce really I think set me up pretty
12:06
well for this job just in the sense of
12:09
kind of the economics of it and you know
12:11
the business component of it has been
12:13
really helpful um but there has been a
12:15
learning curve for sure too I've never
12:17
worked in an association world so I've
12:20
had to learn a lot about membership and
12:22
a lot about sales we have leadership
12:25
programs you know a lot of those things
12:27
so so there has definitely been a
12:29
learning curve but I do think my
12:32
experiences in working in the state for
12:34
as long as I did and just knowing a lot
12:36
of people knowing how a lot of things
12:38
work and
12:39
operate gave me a little bit of an
12:41
advantage in this job I think yeah me
12:44
many in the business Community heavily
12:47
rely on local Chambers but many in the
12:51
general populace probably aren't
12:53
familiar for me for example I spent way
12:55
too long thinking that the Bank of
12:57
Commerce and Chamber of Commerce were
12:58
the same thing so for those who were are
13:01
as ignorant as I am can you give us a
13:04
101 on Chambers how they work and why
13:06
they operate yeah so you know Chambers
13:09
are really their business associations
13:12
right they're they're a place where
13:14
businesses come together and they come
13:16
together for different reasons but
13:18
Chambers are facilitators of
13:21
conversations of ideas they are a place
13:25
where you come to be Community Advocates
13:27
they're a place where you can get
13:29
members together to talk about issues
13:32
that matter to the business Community um
13:36
they're a place where you can foster
13:37
Future Leaders you know I think Chambers
13:41
are we do a lot of uh connecting a lot
13:44
of
13:45
advocacy um a lot of partnering you know
13:48
it's really an association where you can
13:50
come together and belong and we have a
13:52
little bit of something for everyone and
13:54
you know at the boisey Metro chamber we
13:56
have a pretty big membership base and
13:59
you know we have membership from very
14:02
big businesses to very small businesses
14:05
we have businesses that are in retail we
14:07
have businesses that are in finance we
14:09
have businesses that are in healthare
14:11
manufacturing so on and so forth and
14:14
they all join a chamber you know some of
14:16
them for different reasons but a lot of
14:18
it is to be part of something and that
14:20
has been the coolest thing I think for
14:22
me in this
14:24
job is especially in this in the metro
14:27
area is
14:29
the generosity of our business community
14:32
and how much they give back I mean they
14:35
really are the factor that we are doing
14:38
so well in the Treasure Valley is
14:39
because of that generosity I'm kind of
14:41
embarrassed that I wasn't aware of how
14:43
generous they were and all of the
14:45
wonderful things that they do and I
14:48
think that's one of the coolest things
14:50
and things I've really enjoyed the most
14:52
about this job is is really getting to
14:54
have more of a role in the community and
14:56
and being part of keeping the community
14:59
the place we all like to live work play
15:03
and where people like to come visit yeah
15:05
can you highlight some of those may
15:07
maybe just some odd examples of where
15:09
you've seen local businesses uh show
15:13
this sense of
15:14
generosity well I mean you see it
15:17
firsthand right at for a chamber right
15:19
we're membership do based we're events
15:21
based and they always show up right
15:23
they're always there supporting us at
15:25
the different entities of things that
15:26
we've done I've gotten to really
15:30
get to know a lot more about our
15:31
nonprofit community in the Treasure
15:34
Valley and in Idaho uh this past year
15:37
and you know all of them have certain
15:39
events or fundraising levels that they
15:42
do and they all get success because they
15:46
have great Partners from our business
15:48
Community another example is in Idaho I
15:51
can think of or I'm sorry in in the
15:53
Treasure Valley I can think of five or
15:56
six Capital campaigns with some
15:58
nonprofits right off the top of my head
16:00
they're all being successful they're and
16:02
these are Big projects and they're all
16:04
being successful because of that
16:06
business support that you know
16:08
investment that their business Community
16:09
is making it's just it's really eye
16:12
openening and it's really cool and it
16:14
makes you realize that it's kind
16:17
everything's kind of bigger than us
16:18
right and one thing that's been kind of
16:23
something I've thought a lot more about
16:25
is okay now what do I need to be giving
16:27
back right how can we give back how can
16:29
I individually and how can the chamber
16:32
give back and so we're we're coming up
16:35
with ways of how we can highlight the
16:37
nonprofit sectors and things like that
16:39
to to be give back like our our partners
16:43
do and I'm so glad you you brought this
16:45
up because you can't really go to a
16:48
local school or the symphony or a sports
16:51
event without seeing uh you know
16:53
businesses who are willing to put their
16:54
name on things to are willing to try to
16:56
make the community better but it's not
16:58
all one-sided they need something back
17:00
and it's not just our patronage but as a
17:03
voice for business they also need
17:05
government to work in a certain way in
17:07
what ways have have you decided that
17:10
it's important for Idaho to better
17:11
foster the business
17:14
Community well you know I think that's
17:17
one of the biggest things it's one of
17:19
the things I'm the most excited about in
17:21
this job because it's it's you know my
17:25
it's where I came from and that's that's
17:26
government that's advocacy right and how
17:29
can we how can we be the voice you know
17:31
we get to be the voice for business and
17:33
so how can we be better at that and
17:36
Advocate better for them and I think a
17:38
lot of it is too is how do we ensure
17:40
we're the voice for all of our members
17:42
right and so one of the things we're
17:44
really trying to do is we have
17:46
committees and councils broken up
17:47
education Transportation all the
17:49
different big issues making sure that
17:52
we're listening to the members that
17:54
participate in that so we know the
17:55
challenges that business is facing right
17:57
now and so that's the first thing right
17:59
you need to know what those challenges
18:02
are for your
18:04
membership um you know some of the
18:06
things we're dealing with here in the
18:07
metro area is you know transportation
18:10
and homelessness and things like that on
18:12
a community level and so really being
18:15
engaged in understanding and being at
18:18
the table at those conversations you
18:20
know someone said to me what do you want
18:21
to see the chamber in in a year what
18:25
success for you and and really obviously
18:27
it's membership we need to Main mainin
18:29
membership and continue to grow but I
18:31
also want the boisey chamber to be
18:32
someone that everyone's like they need
18:34
to be at the table for these discussions
18:36
right like we need to be part of the
18:39
conversation and so it's understanding
18:42
our members needs it is maintaining
18:44
relationship with uh government
18:47
officials from all levels from State
18:49
local and federal having those
18:51
relationships so when there are those
18:53
issues that our members are having we
18:56
have the opportunity to sit down and
18:57
have those convers ation and then just
19:00
making sure we're present right we got
19:02
to make sure we're present when these
19:03
conversations are going on and
19:05
partnering I'm a huge advocate for
19:07
Partnerships and that's one thing I've
19:09
really tried to do this past year is get
19:11
out to our other associations members
19:14
you know folks like us and say hey let's
19:16
partner how can we work together because
19:18
I really think we're better together and
19:21
you know high tide floats all boats or
19:23
whatever that saying is I truly believe
19:25
that so it's kind of a a there's diff a
19:29
lot of things we have to do but it is
19:31
something for me that is a it's a
19:33
priority and I think it's a real benefit
19:35
for being part of a chamber is is having
19:38
a strong voice yeah and you you
19:41
referenced earlier the the learning
19:42
curve between the expectations of
19:45
working in Washington DC and then at a
19:47
state level and I I'll I'll fill in the
19:49
Gap that I'm I'm guessing the references
19:51
the expectation in DC if something
19:53
doesn't move gridlock is you know kind
19:55
of the the the it's it's the normality
19:58
right it's
19:59
it is whereas in in Idaho especially in
20:01
Idaho the expectation is that uh we will
20:04
have a balanced budget that the governor
20:06
will be able to step up and help with
20:07
whether it's infrastructure needs or
20:09
great programs like launch or cutting
20:10
red tape and all the things that you
20:11
were involved with it's kind of the same
20:14
in your role now in that businesses are
20:17
less concerned about the partisanship
20:18
but the expectation is that they they
20:20
need they need uh solutions to
20:23
infrastructure Workforce things like
20:25
that do you find yourself kind of pulled
20:27
between the needs of the businesses and
20:30
then a willing and welcoming government
20:32
to help solve
20:34
them you know I think so far we've been
20:37
successful right you know a good example
20:40
of one of the things that we have been
20:42
huge advocates for is Idaho launch uh
20:45
continue to be advocates for Idaho
20:47
launch I think from the business sector
20:49
obviously Workforce and the talent is
20:52
you need the people without the people
20:54
we not successful um and you know that
20:57
has been a successful program
20:59
again I think it goes back to having
21:01
those relationships and you have to be
21:03
able to have conversations and you have
21:08
to know that maybe sometimes you're not
21:09
going to get exactly what you want but
21:11
maybe you hopefully you can meet in the
21:12
middle and so right now I think we've
21:15
felt pretty good right um you know as as
21:18
there's been things that we've advocated
21:20
for and I think we're going to continue
21:23
with that approach right is how can we
21:25
help move the process forward how can we
21:28
engage our members and the business
21:30
Community to help move things forward
21:33
how can we if you know there's things we
21:35
don't agree with how can we be at the
21:37
table to say okay this is why this is a
21:40
problem for the business Community how
21:42
can we work together to try to you know
21:45
come to Solutions and I know that
21:46
doesn't always happen right and uh I
21:49
think we've been fortunate you know in
21:51
this the past year that you know it some
21:54
of the things we really cared about
21:55
worked out in our favor and you know
21:57
we'll see as we're going into the next
21:59
legislative session of of things that
22:01
we'll be watching and following but it
22:04
is all just it's a it's kind of an
22:06
approach of how you take it and just
22:08
making sure we can be part of the
22:10
conversation is something that I know
22:12
we're going to really work hard on Yeah
22:15
you mentioned the upcoming legislative
22:17
session I know one of your goals in the
22:19
vision is you kind of took the lead at
22:21
the the Metro chamber was to have a
22:23
larger presence in the State House are
22:26
there certain and I know that that's
22:28
largely due to as you referenced the
22:30
importance of relationships it's not
22:31
there to twist arms it's it's there to
22:33
keep those relationships alive and well
22:34
but are there certain legislative issues
22:36
that you already know that the the
22:38
chamber is going to want to have a voice
22:40
on yeah I mean I I go back to Idaho
22:43
launch um Idaho launch will be one that
22:45
we continue to advocate for to ensure
22:47
you know it continues to get funded
22:50
that's a program that the business
22:51
Community just really supports so we
22:54
always watch those um you know urban
22:57
renewal there's typically always an
22:59
urban renewal Bill and those give us
23:00
some concern we like watching you know
23:03
we support tax cuts right those benefit
23:06
our businesses things related to
23:08
Transportation you know education I
23:10
think will be a big topic this year and
23:13
you know part of that is being present
23:15
is it's it's you know making sure you're
23:18
paying attention but you hear things by
23:21
that collaboration by talking to people
23:23
you gain information so you can better
23:25
relay that information to your members
23:27
about what's going on and try to have a
23:29
plan we have a policy committee that
23:32
meets once a week uh during the session
23:34
and they're a very active committee so
23:36
we're excited you know now that I've got
23:38
a gear under my belt and you know
23:40
feeling settled and and I'm really ready
23:43
for this session because I think it's
23:44
going to be fun and I've got a great
23:46
team here that is ready to kind of roll
23:48
up their sleeves and be part of it but a
23:51
lot of it too is to be present is you
23:52
gain so much information because you
23:54
hear things from people right it's you
23:56
know a pass in the hall or you see
23:58
someone or sometimes it's just giving
24:00
you're like oh what's that person doing
24:02
here right and uh so I think just being
24:06
around and present it's it's really
24:09
important and it just it'll allow us to
24:12
make sure we know exactly what's going
24:13
on so we can relay that to our
24:16
members yeah for for those listening who
24:19
uh whether they live in the Treasure
24:21
Valley or other parts of Idaho who have
24:23
suddenly gotten excited about the idea
24:25
of their local Chambers what what advice
24:28
would give for anybody who now wants to
24:30
participate business owner or
24:32
not yeah I would say you know reach out
24:35
to your local chamber and and just see
24:37
what they can offer you uh have that
24:40
conversation um it never hurts to ask
24:42
and explore things you know I think one
24:45
thing too I want to highlight is I go
24:48
back to Partnerships and working closely
24:51
with my treator Valley Chambers as a
24:53
priority of mine uh the chambers of so
24:57
boisey n Meridian in Caldwell yesterday
25:00
as I'm sure October 16th everyone knew
25:03
was National support your local Chamber
25:05
of Commerce day and so we did kind of a
25:08
progressive series of events all day
25:10
which was really fun and I'm excited
25:13
about that about that partnership right
25:16
you know is anyone who lives here knows
25:19
the Metro we're we're becoming just one
25:22
right and again working together we're
25:26
just better together and and so I'm
25:28
excited about those Partnerships but
25:30
yeah if you're interested or kind of
25:32
curious you know what a chamber could do
25:35
for you you know reach out go to an
25:37
event you know get go sit down and and
25:40
you might walk away say maybe that's not
25:43
for me but it might be an opportunity
25:46
that you're you want to
25:48
explore I love that great advice so
25:50
we've got a long list of things that
25:52
next time you come on the podcast when
25:54
when you have have the time we would
25:55
love to dive into but we know how busy
25:57
you are when we wrap up we want to make
25:59
sure that there's a tradition here on
26:01
the podcast we do with our guests for
26:02
their first time where we put them on
26:04
the spot and we quiz them on one book
26:06
they've read in their life that they
26:08
would recommend uh to anybody out there
26:11
so is there a book Bobby Joe that you
26:13
think would be lifechanging for any of
26:15
us oh my goodness a book that would be
26:19
lifechanging no pressure do you have any
26:23
other questions that you
26:25
ask I don't know if any of the books
26:28
that I've read have been
26:31
lifechanging I think uh your old partner
26:34
in crime Alex Adams he we always
26:36
reference that's not fair you can't com
26:38
you can't compare the book question to
26:40
me and
26:41
Alex Alex not only did they have a lot
26:43
but they all sounded uh very boring I'm
26:46
sure there's a better way to word that I
26:47
think he referenced putting his daughter
26:48
to sleep with the regulation books he
26:50
would read her at night he gave me a
26:52
book for my birthday one year and I was
26:55
like you know I it's I mean huge it's I
26:57
don't even
26:58
know and he was like I
27:02
know okay so I take it you haven't read
27:04
that birthday present yet no I haven't
27:08
um there is I will tell you and I'm I
27:11
wish I could remember the name of it but
27:14
when I took this job there was a friend
27:16
of mine in uh North Idaho uh who was a
27:19
CEO of um of a hospital at the time and
27:23
he sent me a book uh and in the note it
27:25
was you know it's very lonely at the top
27:28
and it was a book kind of about right
27:30
like when you're the leader of an
27:31
organization it can be lonely and you
27:33
know there's a lot of decisions and
27:35
things you have to to do and so I read
27:37
that book and it was actually very
27:40
helpful um and I've used some of those
27:42
Concepts throughout the year and it was
27:45
it was good I think to prepare me for
27:47
what I was going into but I can't for
27:49
the life of me remember what it was
27:50
called but it was good come it'll come
27:52
to you the second we stop recording
27:54
that's kind of how it works but yes that
27:55
does sound like a very value book well
27:57
there is one another question that we do
27:59
ask that that's a little easier and more
28:01
topical because we're all about
28:02
supporting local businesses so are there
28:05
is there as you've traveled around the
28:07
state uh a hole in- thewall restaurant
28:09
that you would advise whether it's in
28:11
the boisee metro area or somewhere else
28:13
that everybody if they're right there
28:14
they probably should stop and
28:18
try I will tell you um in all of my
28:24
travels it's not so much a restaurant
28:27
it's just the experi experience I think
28:29
everyone in Idaho needs to go to Wallace
28:32
Idaho the center of the universe that is
28:35
what I will say on that lovely
28:37
restaurants lovely amenities but Wallace
28:41
is a place that I think everyone should
28:43
should see if you live in Idaho wow
28:46
we've had a lot of people sidestep that
28:47
question we've never had anybody give us
28:49
a whole city though so well done Bobby
28:51
Joe I love that K that's the
28:53
advertisement for the tourist Department
28:56
of Wallace Idaho go visit the center of
28:57
the
28:58
I love it thank you so much for your
29:00
time thank you for the you know over two
29:02
uh well over decade at least in the in
29:04
the Idaho governor's office and and all
29:06
the great your work doing with the
29:08
businesses over in Boise Metro we can
29:09
see it and we appreciate it thank you I
29:12
appreciate the opportunity okay until
29:14
next time
29:18
[Music]
