Cd'A Regional Chamber of Commerce Endorses Broschet, Corkill and Zimmerman for NIC

The Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce announced it is endorsing Pete Broschet, Brad Corkill and Tarie Zimmerman in the upcoming North Idaho College board of trustees race.

“The Chamber rarely endorses candidates, but felt it was necessary to support Broschet, Corkill, and Zimmerman because of the important role the community college plays for business across the region,” said a news release announcing the endorsements. “Many companies have come to depend upon North Idaho College for workforce training, ongoing talent development, and recruitment.”

The following is from the Chamber’s news release:

Earlier this month, the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee met to discuss North Idaho College’s importance to the business community and “how nearly two years of leadership turbulence have jeopardized NIC’s future.”

The resulting statement issued by the committee was, “Now, more than ever, North Idaho College needs leaders who believe in the value of higher education and who want to help get things back on track for Idaho students, businesses, and our community. We are confident Pete Broschet, Brad Corkill, and Tarie Zimmerman are the best candidates for the job.”

Broschet, Corkill and Zimmerman will all face opponents Nov. 8 in the nonpartisan board of trustees election.

Notably, Broschet, Corkill and Zimmerman’s challengers are all backed by the same group who took control of the board in 2020. At the same time, the North Idaho College board started experiencing turmoil, including firing the college’s president without cause and paying a half-million dollar legal settlement.

Broschet was appointed to fill a vacancy on the North Idaho College board of trustees by the Idaho State Board of Education in May. He is now officially running for the Zone 5 seat. Broschet has many years of business experience and is currently the director of human resources for Empire Airlines.

Corkill, owner and operator of Whiteman Lumber is running for the Zone 2 seat on the North Idaho College board of trustees. His past public service experience includes serving eight years on the Idaho Fish and Game Commission, with two years as chairman.

Zimmerman started her higher education journey at a junior college. The once aerospace engineer, now financial advisor, credits the experience with setting her up for success in her career. Zimmerman is running for the Zone 1 seat on the North Idaho College board of trustees.

The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities issued a warning to North Idaho College in April after investigating complaints regarding the conduct of the board of trustees. North Idaho College has until spring 2023 to meet specific accreditation eligibility requirements.

The Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce executive committee discussed the negative impact of North Idaho College losing its accreditation, resulting in the school being unable to transfer credits for students, provide scholarships, award financial aid or offer dual credit programming. The devastating consequences would affect not just students but our businesses and the entire community.

North Idaho College plays a vital role in training the region’s workforce and significantly impacts the local economy. Last year, the school served more than 18,000 students, 87% of whom were Idaho residents. Most North Idaho College students depend on financial aid or scholarships to pay for their education, which requires the school to maintain its accreditation status.

Broschet, Corkill and Zimmerman have all pledged that their top priority will be to maintain North Idaho College’s accredited status and rebuild the community’s trust.

Pete, Brad and Tarie’s commitment to stand up for education, fight for Idaho students and advocate for the workforce training our business needs is impressive and starkly contrasted to their opponents. The Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce proudly endorses Pete Broschet, Brad Corkill and Tarie Zimmerman for North Idaho College Board of Trustees.

Election day is Nov. 8. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. To find out more voting information, please visit VoteIdaho.gov.

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The Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber is a nonprofit membership organization that works on behalf of the business community in the Coeur d’Alene region to strengthen our economy so our businesses can thrive. We promote, assist, and advocate for our members, helping to improve our business climate and ensuring today’s profitability and tomorrow’s prosperity.

For more information, please visit www.cdachamber.com. You can also check us out on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.