Meet the Economic Advisory Council

The purpose of the Economic Advisory Council is to advise the Governor and Idaho Commerce on goals and objectives that further economic development within the state. The council also makes recommendations to the Governor on applications for Community Development and Rural Community Block Grant funding, and reviews Tax Reimbursement Incentive applications. Additionally, council members advise their regions on economic development opportunities and represent their interests to state government.

The council consists of eight members, appointed by the Governor, with one member appointed from each of the state’s seven economic development regions, and one member appointed at-large. Members serve three-year terms and can be reappointed. Click on the photos below to see each council members’ bio.

View a map of Idaho’s regions here.

Jeremy Grimm
Vice Chair – Region I

For the past twenty years, Jeremy has worked in the private and public sectors to lead planning and development initiatives in small towns across the Intermountain West. For nearly a decade, he served as the planning and community development director for the City of Sandpoint where he worked to spur economic development and job growth by securing public grants and working on capital improvement programs. In 2023, he was elected as the mayor of Sandpoint.

Throughout his career Jeremy has held appointed positions on the Sandpoint Urban Renewal Board, Panhandle Area Council, Wyoming Water Association, Big Horn Mountain Coalition (EDD) and most recently served on Governor Butch Otter’s 2017 Workforce Development Taskforce. Since 2007, Jeremy has raised his two children in Sandpoint, Idaho with his wife, Nichole, an independent Family Nurse Practitioner.

Today Jeremy owns Whiskey Rock Planning, a land-use planning and economic development consulting firm specializing in place-based economic development strategies, comprehensive and strategic planning, site permitting, entitlements and code compliance. Clients include municipalities, highway districts, and both commercial and residential developers. Jeremy is a 1995 graduate of the University of Denver (BA, Geomorphology) and a 2004 graduate of the University of Southern Maine Muskie School of Public Service (MA, Community Planning & Development).

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Paul Kimmell
Chair – Region II

Paul J. Kimmell is the Palouse area regional business manager with Avista Corporation. He holds a BS in Geography/Urban Planning from Illinois State University and did graduate work at the University of Idaho in the College of Mines.

Kimmell has held positions with Boise Cascade Corporation, Wyoming State Land Office and was Chief Title Officer with Security Title of Baltimore in Colorado Springs. Kimmell also served as North Idaho Regional Director for the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation, Executive Director of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and was a three-term Latah County commissioner from 1999 to 2007.

Kimmell was elected president of the Idaho Association of Commissioners and Clerks in 2004, chaired the Idaho Cities and Counties Taskforce and recognized as Idaho’s Outstanding County Official in 2006.
He currently serves as board member to the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee, Pullman Chamber of Commerce, Pullman-Moscow Airport Board, Latah Economic Development Council, Inland Northwest Community Foundation’s North Idaho Partnership Council and chairman of the Inland Northwest Partners and the Inland Northwest Economic Alliance. He also is in his third term as chair of the Avista Employees for Effective Government PAC. Kimmell resides with his wife Constance on the family farm near Viola, Idaho.

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Brian Wonderlich Headshot

Brian Wonderlich
Region III

Brian Wonderlich is the general counsel for the Blue Cross of Idaho. Previously, Wonderlich served as general counsel to Governor Brad Little and has nearly 20 years of legal experience. Wonderlich worked for nearly a decade as an attorney and partner at Holland & Hart, as a deputy attorney general for the state of Idaho and a law clerk for the Hon. Stephen S. Trott of the US Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit. Wonderlich earned a Bachelor of Science and J.D. from the University of Idaho. Wonderlich has served on the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Ada County for over a decade and is currently a member of the Idaho State Bar Character and Fitness Committee and Governor Little’s Leadership in Nuclear Energy (LINE) Commission.

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Randy Bauscher
Region IV

Randy Bauscher grew up on a cattle ranch in Fairfield, Idaho. He graduated from Boise State University in 1995 with a degree in Business Administration.

Randy went to work as manager of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service in St. Maries, Idaho for a couple years and transferred to the office in Rupert, Idaho. He then went to work as the manager of Mart Grain Company in 1986 and started farming on the side.

Farming outgrew the day job after a couple years, and now Randy is presently farming potatoes, sugar beets, corn, barley, alfalfa, and beans.

Over the years he has served on numerous boards, civic and political organizations and was the past chairman of the Idaho Potato Commission.

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Fred Titensor
Region V

Fred Titensor is a native of Preston, Idaho. He holds a B.S. degree from Utah State University.    

He is currently president of the Valley Implement company based in Preston, Idaho –  a farm machinery and equipment provider for Eastern Idaho, Northern Utah and Western Wyoming.  The company has four locations, two in Idaho and two in Utah, and is the oldest Case IH dealership in Idaho.  

Titensor has served in the Preston school district for 12 years, six  years of which he has served as chair

He also served three years on the Preston Education Foundation, and seven years on the Preston Night Rodeo Committee.

He is currently serving on the Preston City Planning and Zoning Commission, completing a four-year appointment where he served two years as chair. 

EMAIL

John Radford Headshot

John Radford
Region VI

John Radford is a City Council Member for Idaho Falls and was born and raised in Idaho Falls. Radford graduated from Idaho State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in political science. Radford then earned an MBA from Washington State University. Radford had a long successful career of 20 years as a general manager for Fortune 500 Company, Barnes and Noble, and now works for top-tier research software development firm, Accendero Software. Radford serves on the Policy Makers Council for American Public Power Administration, the Board of directors for Idaho Falls Power and Fiber and is an adjunct professor of Political Science at BYU Idaho.

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Tom Beckwith
Region VII

Tom Beckwith has spent his career working for leading technology companies. His primary role has been building and scaling Sales and Marketing organizations. Geographically, his responsibilities have included North America, Europe and Asia. His executive roles include Worldwide Vice President at Amazon.com and Senior Vice President at Sabey Data Centers. He is familiar with technology company requirements and needs as they grow from early stages to multibillion dollar enterprises. He is a native Idahoan, a product of the Boise Public School system and a graduate of the University of Idaho with a degree in Political Science. He currently serves on the board of the Frank Church Institute. Tom and his wife, Jody live in Ketchum and enjoy all the outdoor activities the Wood River Valley has to offer.

EMAIL

Eve Knudtsen headshot

Eve Knudtsen
At-Large

Eve Knudtsen serves as president of Knudtsen Chevrolet and has remained active in serving the Coeur d’ Alene community, working with Jobs Plus, Kootenai Health, North Idaho College and more. Knudtsen graduated from Northwood University in Michigan, receiving her bachelor’s degree, and later attended Gonzaga University where she earned a master’s in organizational leadership.

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EAC Meeting Minutes