Idaho is no longer a hidden gem. It has been discovered. With growth comes responsibility to ensure businesses can continue to thrive and opportunity exists for citizens. To ensure continued success, we must have effective education institutions with strong leadership at the helm.
That is why the selection of Dr. David Hahn as Boise State’s next president is not just good news for higher education in Idaho. It is good news for every business owner, employer, citizen, and family in Idaho.
As members of the presidential search committee who represent industry and business in the state of Idaho, the opportunity to help identify the next leader of Boise State was both a privilege and a responsibility. The committee took its charge seriously, the field of candidates was strong, and Dr. Hahn distinguished himself not through credentials alone but through the quality of his listening. He asked substantive questions about Idaho. He wanted to understand what makes this place different, what the business community needs, and where the university has room to grow. That kind of intellectual curiosity from an accomplished leader is not something to take for granted. From the moment we first met Dr. Hahn, it was clear that he was excited about Boise State University and recognized the trajectory it is on.
Dr. Hahn is a builder. At the University of Arizona, he transformed the College of Engineering by doubling research funding, growing enrollment substantially, and creating hands-on programs built around the challenges that industry needs solved. His earlier career at Sandia National Laboratories and the FDA gave him a practical understanding of how research moves from a university lab into the real world. That translation between discovery and application is exactly what Idaho’s economy needs more of right now. Dr. Hahn understands the importance of a strong partnership between higher education and industry.
We all represent industry and business throughout the state of Idaho across different sectors of the economy from healthcare, technology, energy, construction, finance, hospitality, and the small businesses that are the backbone of this community. What they share is a common challenge: finding and retaining qualified workers. Idaho is competing for talent with other states far bigger than ours. Winning that competition requires more than lower costs. It requires a university that prepares graduates who want to stay in Idaho and build their careers here.
Dr. Hahn’s focus on workforce development, hands-on education, and university-industry collaboration speaks directly to that challenge. His longstanding commitment to expanding access to engineering and technical fields means a broader pipeline of talent for businesses across every sector.
The business community is ready to be a full partner in the work ahead. Dr. Hahn has an open invitation to engage with our teams and membership, and we intend to hold the university accountable to the kind of deep, sustained partnership that this state deserves. Boise State University is at an inflection point, and the decisions made in the next few years will shape this community for a generation.
Dr. Hahn arrives ready to build. The business community is ready to build alongside him.
Lisa Grow is President and CEO of IDACORP and Idaho Power. Bobbi-Jo Meuleman is President and CEO of the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce. Scott Gatzemeier is Corporate Vice President of Front End US Expansion at Micron Technology. Mike Reynoldson is Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at Blue Cross of Idaho.
