NIC trustee field down to 8

Eight finalists have been named for three openings on the North Idaho College board of trustees.

On Monday, the Idaho State Board of Education released the names of the finalists and included their cover letters and resumes.

NIC Trustee Zone 1

• William H. “Hal” Godwin, PhD – Coeur d’Alene

• David Wold, MD – Coeur d’Alene

NIC Trustee Zone 2

• Brad Corkill – Cataldo

• John Goedde – Coeur d’Alene

• Rachel Wickham – Coeur d’Alene

NIC Trustee Zone 5

• Pete Broschet – Hauser

• Marlon B. “Brad” Patzer – Post Falls

• Paul Sturm, EdD – Spirit Lake

Finalists were picked by the SBOE executive officers from 37 applications. The three selectees will be seated May 6.

​​The following background information has been gleaned from the letters of interest and resumes collected by the SBOE. Applications from all trustee candidates are posted on cdapress.com.

ZONE 1

WILLIAM GODWIN, COEUR d'ALENE

Godwin has been a resident of Coeur d’Alene for over 20 years. Over the course of 31 years serving as a professor and administrator at the University of Idaho, he said he was fortunate to be involved in and oversee many aspects of the institution, both internally and externally.

Godwin holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Washington State University. His professional experience at the University of Idaho includes holding the roles of professor emeritus, director of student health services, professor of guidance and counseling, vice president for student affairs and vice provost, vice president for student affairs and university relations, presidential assistant for the transition and more. He also served on a number of boards as a member, chair, representative, consultant or president.

“I have the depth of experience and knowledge required for this trustee position and I look forward to the opportunity to discuss my qualifications, along with the opportunities and challenges facing North Idaho College,” Godwin said.

DAVID WOLD, COEUR d'ALENE

Wold said his passion for education has led to a deep commitment to the vision of NIC, and he has served on the NIC Foundation board for the past 15 years. Wold has attended many board meetings and has had no active participation in any political party. He said he believes the position should be nonpartisan.

Wold is a retired ophthalmologist at North Idaho Eye Institute, after 45 years in Coeur d’Alene. In retirement, he said he will have the time to commit to the position and knows the importance of the issues needing to be addressed. He said he has no interest in running for the position in November.

Wold got his MD from the University of Washington and has served as president of the Kootenai-Benewah Medical Society, served on the Idaho Medical Association board of trustees for six years, served as speaker of the Idaho Medical Association House of Delegates for four years and more.

Wold said he has had children attend NIC and currently has a granddaughter attending the college.

ZONE 2

BRAD CORKILL, CATALDO

Corkill has been a resident of Idaho since 1978, and has worked in the timber industry his entire adult life, now the owner and president of Whiteman Lumber Company, Inc.

Corkill said he applied to help return NIC to what it used to be, a community college whose sole purpose is to offer students an opportunity to better themselves.

“NIC should not be a battleground for conflicting political or ideological ideas,” he said.

Corkill holds a bachelor of science degree from Oregon State University and has served on a few school district boards. He also has served as an Idaho Fish and Game commissioner.

Corkill said he wants NIC to be a respectable, accredited institution that his granddaughters can be proud to attend. If appointed, he said he will run in the November election.

JOHN GOEDDE, COEUR d'ALENE

Goedde is part of Save NIC, a 501(c)4 formed to raise awareness of the importance of college accreditation, and has served 18 years on the NIC Foundation. He is also legacy donor.

“It pains me to see Foundation endowments withdrawn and scholarships unfunded due to the current board upheaval,” Goedde said. “I believe I can bring some balance to the board which will reassure donors of the benefit of their investment in education.”

Goedde graduated with a bachelor's degree in hotel and restaurant administration from Washington State University.

He has also served in many other roles, including former Idaho State senator from 2000-15, former chairman of the Senate Education Committee, former board member of the North Idaho Republican Forum, and more. He was also a member of the Coeur d’Alene School District board of trustees from 1997 to 2000.

RACHEL WICKHAM, COEUR d'ALENE

Wickham holds a bachelor of science in nursing from Lewis Clark State College, and a bachelor of arts in mathematics from Whitworth College in Washington. She said she recognizes the current sanction of warning at NIC as a serious issue and understands actions must be taken quickly.

Wickham works as a perioperative in the operating room, clinical coordinator, and dedicated charge nurse at Kootenai Health. She has board experience serving as president of the board of the Eastside Fire Protection District, region No. 1 director for the Idaho State Fire Commissioners Association, and serving on the North Idaho AIDS Coalition.

“As I’ve developed my leadership skills, I have learned the value of strengthening my soft skills to be able to excel in communication, emotional intelligence, and conflict management,” Wickham said. “This skill set has allowed me to be an integral part of a leadership team that has successfully transformed a toxic work environment into one of the best places to work.”

ZONE 5

PETE BROSCHET, HAUSER

Broschet has lived in the Hauser Lake area since 2015 and is the director of human resources for Empire Airlines. Broschet said he has held senior level human resources positions for several local companies, and routinely works with the same significant business matters that the NIC trustees face daily. Past roles include vice president of human resources and human resources consultant.

Broschet is a graduate of Eastern Washington University with a bachelor of business administration, human resources management.

“My practical, no-nonsense approach to business and risk management, will assist North Idaho College with the issues that they are facing,” Broschet said. “Throughout my career, I have learned to consider all sides of an issue before forming an opinion and making non-biased decisions that is best for the organization.”

Broschet said he is also interested in running in the November election.

MARLON PATZER, POST FALLS

Patzer has been a professional educator for 30 years, and presently serves as the District Services Manager for the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance. He and his wife have both attended NIC and Patzer said they fully appreciate its value.

The Patzers own Amaris Behavioral Health, a business that specializes in serving patients who require intensive outpatient behavioral health services.

He said he fully supports the mission of the college and believes he would be a dispassionate voice of reason concerned for the wellbeing of the college and community. He holds a masters of science in economics education from Boise State University, and has an education specialist degree, superintendent endorsement from the University of Idaho.

Patzer is also an Idaho SBOE principal evaluation reviewer, served as a former member of the SBOE online learning subcommittee, a former board member of the Northwest Education Association, and served in other professional roles.

PAUL STURM, SPIRIT LAKE

Sturm said he is interested in NIC for two main reasons: He is a product of the community college system and he sees how important it is for the economic wellbeing of North Idaho.

Now retired, Sturm said he has the time to devote to the challenges facing the board, and is not interested in promoting any political or religious perspective.

Sturm holds an Ed.D in educational leadership from Washington State University, and an MA in educational administration from Whitworth College. He served as superintendent of Pullman Public Schools District in Washington from 2006 to 2016, and was an assistant superintendent from 2002 to 2006. Sturm has also served as a principal, vice principal and teacher in Washington schools, along with serving on various boards, committees and associations.

“My interest rests in assuring that faculty and students are able to pursue their educational interests according to applicable laws and policies and without intrusive interference by the board,” Sturm said.

On Thursday, the eight finalists will be interviewed by President Kurt Liebich, Vice President Linda Clark and Secretary David Hill of the SBOE on NIC’s main campus from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Christensen Gymnasium.

The committee will make recommendations to the full state board, which will convene a special meeting starting at 1 p.m. on Friday in the Schuler Performing Arts Center to deliberate and select the new trustees.

Both meetings will be open to the public as well as live streamed.

The trustee seat for Zone 5 has been empty since January, when former trustee Michael Barnes resigned amid concerns he was a South Dakota resident and not living in his NIC Trustee Zone, a requirement to be eligible to serve on the board.

The two other seats will be vacant today when the resignations of trustees Ken Howard (Zone 2) and Christie Wood (Zone 1) go into effect. Howard and Wood announced their resignations April 8.

Their resignations will leave the board with two members, board Chair Todd Banducci and trustee Greg McKenzie, and unable to function without the minimum of three trustees for a quorum.

The board by law consists of five members. According to Idaho Code, vacancies shall be filled by the State Board of Education if there remain on the board less than a majority of the required number of members.

On Wednesday, a judge denied an attempt by Banducci and McKenzie to block the appointment of the three new board members by the SBOE. Banducci said he felt the SBOE was overstepping its authority and should be appointing just one trustee to give the board back a quorum, arguing that the reading of the statute referred to only a singular vacancy.

District Judge Cynthia Meyer said she thought the “board is doing exactly what it is empowered to do,” noting that the statute referred to “vacancies” in plural form.

With the appointment of three new trustees, there could be a change in the board majority. Prior to Barnes' resignation, Banducci, McKenzie and Barnes controlled the board with 3-2 votes. Since then, the board has been deadlocked in multiple 2-2 votes. Bringing in three new trustees could shift the board majority power.

The appointed trustees will serve until the next trustee election in November.

This story has been updated.