Copyright Coeur d'Alene Press
Coeur d'Alene Area Economic Development Corporation President Gynii Gilliam is retiring Friday after more than a decade with the nonprofit agency. “I am feeling very reflective, reflecting on a lot of things,” Gilliam said Monday. "Pondering the future, reflecting on the past." The CDAEDC announced Gilliam is going to see how semi-retirement suits her while spending more time with her kids and grandkids, who live out of town. "Gynii has made great contributions during her 10-year tenure, and she will be missed," the announcement said. Throughout her time with the organization, Gilliam said she is proudest of the partnerships that have formed to build a strong foundation and bigger community for everyone, leading to technology, aerospace and aviation opportunities as well as $8 million in funding for apprenticeship programs through the Idaho Department of Labor. "These tie together because we keep using the same partnerships and connections," she said. "I think my biggest accomplishment was being engaged in building those strong partnerships." The CDAEDC is the economic development organization for Kootenai County, representing the area's four largest communities — Coeur d'Alene, Hayden, Post Falls and Rathdrum — as well as its rural municipalities. Its mission is to build a healthy and diverse economy by supporting new job creation and advancing workforce development in conjunction with local, regional and state partners as well as existing businesses and industries. Its free services range from identifying potential sites and providing economic data about the area to promoting businesses through marketing and public relations. Since Gilliam took the reins in February 2015, about 75 companies the CDAEDC assisted created about 3,500 jobs, with an annual payroll of about $200 million or more and capital investment of $290 million back into the community, Gilliam said. "That translates to about $2.2 million in annual tax revenue, so it’s some really cool stuff in terms of actual numbers," she said. The agency has grown its member investors from about 50 to 80 in those 10 years, peaking at around 90 before the COVID-19 pandemic. North Idaho no longer solely depends on traditional industries as its landscape now bustles with tourism and recreation, high-tech manufacturing, health care and more, which helped it weather the COVID uncertainties of 2020 and subsequent years. "We still have ag, timber and mining, but it makes us better when we’re not relying on one industry," Gilliam said. "The fact that over the 10 years we’ve gotten more diverse and more even across the board, I think that has helped." The CDAEDC has also worked with the Housing Solutions Partnership and the Panhandle Affordable Housing Alliance as North Idaho has faced challenges related to population growth and workforce housing. It was a co-sponsor of "Next Steps: The Housing Availability and Affordability Study for Kootenai County," released in September 2023. "The truth is it’s hard for us to do our job unless people have homes to go to," Gilliam said, and if people have nowhere to live, companies can't grow. Gilliam doesn't take credit for the success of the agency in her tenure; she praises the colleagues, partners and business leaders who combine their efforts to find solutions. "I am so humbled by how this community works together; when there’s an issue, everyone bands together," she said. "I’m just privileged to contribute the little bit than I did." To her successor, she offered this advice: "Building those partnerships and collaborations is the foundation for success. It takes a village. It sometimes takes three or four villages." Josh Wise, the economic development specialist for CDAEDC, said he is happy Gilliam will now be able to spend more time with her grandchildren and family. "This community is blessed for the time she has given to the economic vitality of the region," he said. "The joint ventures she has worked on in just the last year include the Tech Hub, Creative Economy Fellow, I-90 aerospace conference and NASA grant. These initiatives will have positive impacts for many more years to come." CDAEDC Board Chair Brad Marshall said Gilliam has grown the organization to a new level and recruited a variety of businesses and industries to the area while working to retain existing businesses. "She carried our organization through the pandemic, helped us diversify our employment, assisted PAHA with housing solutions, plus played a major role in the pursuit of the Tech HUB to our region," he said. "Gynii always has a can-do, get it done attitude. She leads with energy and enthusiasm. We will miss her positive energy!" The CDAEDC board and executive committee will begin working on a transition plan at its next meeting, including the potential appointment of an interim executive director to facilitate a smooth transition, the CDAEDC announcement said. The salary for the position is currently about $120,000, but that may change throughout the hiring process, Gilliam said. The next board meeting is Nov. 3.
