New local jobs creation leader is named

John Regetz is already eyeing some of the players in Pocatello and around the region he believes are critical to attracting new business and expanding existing companies.

   “The community has some really great resources with Idaho State University and the Idaho National Laboratory,” said Regetz via telephone from Indiana on Thursday. “You really have a strong basis for economic development and expansion. You have already have seen the benefits of that with the organization when Gynii Gilliam was running it.”

   Gilliam had been executive director of Bannock Development Corp. for more than five years when she left at the end of December to take a position as the state’s chief economic development officer on Jan. 1.

   While she will still play a role in attracting new business to Southeast Idaho along with the rest of the Gem State, the search for a new leader here in Bannock County has been on since December.

   Darlene Gerry, associate general counsel at Idaho State University, has been serving as interim executive director since last month, but on Thursday, the BDC announced that Regetz would take over the position full-time beginning March 19.

   Regetz is a 25-year economic development veteran who is currently executive director of the Michigan City Economic Development Corporation and co-director for the La Porte County Economic Development Alliance in Michigan City, Ind.

   Regetz spent some time working in Idaho early in his career when he worked for the University Inn in Moscow [correction], also taking some supplemental classes at the University of Idaho.

   That made tossing his name into consideration for the BDC opening a pretty easy decision, he said.

   “I’ve lived in the West before and my wife, Sue, and I like it out there,” he said. “We really wanted to get back to the Intermountain West.”

   Tim Forhan, chairman of the BDC’s board of directors, touted Regetz lengthy experience, new perspectives and contacts as an invaluable future asset for the economic development agency.

   “His years of both community and regional economic development experience are a great fit for our needs,” Forhan said in a release Thursday. “It was a pleasure to see the immediate chemistry John developed with the people he met when he visited. I am confident he will build upon the great economic development we have been building in recent years.”

   Regetz also took note of some of that recent growth, mentioning the addition of Allstate’s call center and this week’s announcement of ON Semiconductor’s planned expansion.

   “The first order of business in economic development is retaining and expanding existing business,” he said. “(The ON) announcement shows you (Pocatellans) have the resources to do that.”

   To that end, the first thing he’ll be doing when he hits town in March, Regetz said, is to get to know those who are already here, business, civic and community leaders.

   Getting to know the BDC board members better is also a top priority.

   “I will depend a lot on their support,” he said.

BY JIMMY HANCOCK
 jhancock@journalnet.com  
February 16, 2012