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Ever Onward Podcast
The Ever Onward Podcast is your go-to business podcast, offering engaging discussions and diverse guests covering everything from business strategies to community issues. Join us at the executive table as we bring together industry leaders, experts, and visionaries for insightful conversations that go beyond the boardroom. Whether you're an entrepreneur or simply curious about business, our podcast provides a well-rounded experience, exploring a variety of topics that shape the business landscape and impact communities. Brought to you by Ahlquist.
Ever Onward Podcast
Building Community Through Media with Carolyn Holly | Ever Onward - Ep. 48
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Carolyn Holly, whose legacy as a pioneering anchor at KTVB continues to shape Idaho's media landscape even after her retirement. Carolyn now brings her journalistic passion to her work as Vice President of Development for Idaho Business for Education, advocating for education initiatives critical to the state.
In this episode, we take a nostalgic journey through the transformation of Boise's television scene, celebrating the golden era when Carolyn graced the screens and navigated the challenging balance between career and family life. As the media landscape shifted from the pre-digital world to today's streaming and social media era, Carolyn reflects on the industry's evolution and shares insights into the powerful role of media and education in shaping the community. Idaho Business for Education stands as a testament to these efforts, elevating the voices of businesses in shaping educational policy and fostering economic growth.
The episode shines a light on the vital role of community involvement and local transportation efforts within Idaho, highlighting the partnerships that fuel educational and workforce development. With contributions from companies like Micron and the leadership of figures like Elaine Clegg, the discussion underscores the need for improved infrastructure and collaborative solutions. We wrap up with heartwarming stories about the power of volunteering and the joy of prioritizing family, leaving listeners with a heartfelt reminder of the importance of passion-driven work and cherishing the moments that matter most.
For our Ahlquist Update Segment we have Bryan McMartin, who shares the remarkable strides made by the Inspire Excellence/Teens to Trades nonprofit, highlighting the importance of connecting young talent with local opportunities and celebrating unsung community heroes.
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Today on the Ever Onward podcast, we have Carolyn Hawley. Carolyn is an unbelievable icon, legend, amazing person here in the Valley. Everyone knows her already. She had a 33-year career at KTVB as their number one anchor. She is also the current vice president of development of Idaho Business for Education. She served on every single board there is. She's an incredible human, mother and leader in the community. Can't wait to catch up with her. Carolyn Hawley. Brian McMartin, Thanks for coming by. Man, Of course, Give a little update on our teens to trades inspire excellence board. Yeah, Brian is the chairman of the board of for our inspire excellence slash teens to trades nonprofit. And man, I just got to tell you thanks. You never stop Like. It's been great, Thank you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's so exciting. It's so neat to see five years. We celebrated five years at our Inspire Excellence Awards and to take some time to look back was really cool to have some of past winners come to have Teens to Trades growing, to have these incredible events. The golf tournament second year it's just huge. It's got great momentum, incredible people surrounding it.
Speaker 1:It does have great momentum, but the momentum went like this and then you became chair, it's like boom.
Speaker 1:So thank you, it was cool. You just mentioned it, but Sherry, with Brown, like Me, was a winner several years ago and, um, she was there. It was really cool. Four generations at her table, yeah, so it was her mother, her daughter and her granddaughter. Yeah and um, but she talked about the impact that recognition meant to her and, uh, it was just incredible to hear her story. So, uh, why don't you give us a little update for next year, because we're already taking nominations for Inspire Excellence Awards? Yeah, talk a little bit about that. And then just our golf tournament, which has been a phenomenal success, thanks to you, mark Johnson, the whole team. It's been amazing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, for those that don't know, inspire Excellence Awards just had our fifth one. We had more awards handed out and had that fraternity starting to build of those award winners. So it's incredible. I mean that award is just the most inspiring day of the year for me. I mean it's really special. So that will be coming up again next year. We're finalizing a date It'll be most likely winter of 26. So keep an eye out for that. But then, yes, september 8th is our golf tournament at the river club, and so that's the the can't miss golf tournament. I think it's just so cool to see the community support and then to have the back-to-back years like get the momentum, have people look forward to it. I mean there's a wait list already. So definitely, uh, you know, reach out to us. I know a lot of people know how to get in touch with us, but visit our website or follow us on Instagram. For sure the teens the number two trades follow us. You can keep updated on all the stuff we have.
Speaker 1:And then, as far as nominations, it's anyone in the community that inspires, uplifts or serves. We look for unsung heroes, year five, eight to nine winners every year. We highlight them, we do a video on their story that they can use that video for them. And then it's just incredible, like there was. Honestly, you say it's the best day of the year, but I honestly walk away from there thinking I got to do more. Yeah, because you hear these incredible stories of these people that live their lives serving and taking care of others and lifting them up, and it's just cool to watch them get recognized where otherwise they wouldn't. And uh, man, it's, uh, it's goosebumps and tears all at the same time.
Speaker 2:I was going to say be careful, put it on your calendar, come visit, but but have the rest of the day planned for some, uh, some ideation on how to make an impact. Because, yeah, like you said, we focus on everything from your everyday teacher to just a volunteer, to people running organizations, to Dan Nelson, from Mission 43, all those stories. I mean seeing them in one place and seeing them inspired by each other too, and just the special community we have. Inspire Excellence is something that's really impactful. And now, with the teens to trades receiving that money and this is the first year we have scholarship recipients too, so we're going to start telling that story. So, uh, yeah, if you're not a part of teens to trades and inspire excellence, please join us. It's, it's, it's pretty special.
Speaker 1:I love it. Thanks for all you do, brother. Thank you, stop by. Thank you, you're so awesome. It's been a while.
Speaker 3:It's been a long time.
Speaker 1:It's been a while.
Speaker 3:How are you Never?
Speaker 1:out of sight, though I know Well you're doing the news again.
Speaker 3:I love it. Thank you for saying that, because it's such an honor.
Speaker 1:I've told you this before, though, but everyone that knows you and loves you, it's years of like you're in our living room and just part of our lives, and then it's kind of sad when you retire from that part of your life, so it's awesome to have you back.
Speaker 3:Thank you, you're doing weekends. It fills my soul. I just fill in when they need me now, but I did fill in for eight months straight on weekends, yeah no, it was awesome.
Speaker 1:We love it. Do you still uh? Do you still like it?
Speaker 3:Like I said, it absolutely fills my soul. I think I was put on this earth to be a TV journalist. That's the way I look at the world. So when I get this opportunity to do it on my own time, to do it the way that I want to do it not every night at 10 o'clock, like I did for 30-something years. Was it that long? Oh yes, that was a lot of time to be away from my family.
Speaker 1:Well, and it's fascinating to talk to you about, because it was shocking the way you do it, because you do it a little like Maggie did it right. It was actually pretty good for being a mom.
Speaker 3:Oh, it was wonderful hours Because you had well, you didn't sleep.
Speaker 1:No, but I didn't need sleep, so I have no idea how you didn't age, because my line I always use was sleep's overrated right, because I did night shifts in the ER. But now I've got all these heart problems and I'm like you love your sleep. It's starting.
Speaker 3:Sleep is important to us. It's starting.
Speaker 1:I'm paying the price now, but how did you do it?
Speaker 3:Go back to those. I did it because I had a great partner my husband yeah, I don't there, but I was there a lot. It was really important to us that the boys had a hot breakfast every day before they left for school, so I got up at 545 every day, loved it, though, and make this.
Speaker 1:You've told me this, me this before, but we're going to dig into.
Speaker 3:Carolyn today.
Speaker 1:So you would get up breakfast.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so let's go back to the evening. I wouldn't get home until about probably 11, 15, 11.30 at night. Went straight to bed because I was tired. I mean, I have the ability to go right to sleep if I'm tired.
Speaker 3:Still today, yes unfortunately, it's getting earlier and earlier all the time that I go to sleep, but yes, it was really important. My husband grew up in a ranching community, and so he had a hot breakfast every day, and that was a way that I could be with my boys in the morning before they went to school, and so it was eggs and bacon and potatoes and you know what. And so it was eggs and bacon and potatoes, and you know what, to this day, and they're all grown up. You know them, yeah, is they still eat breakfast every day?
Speaker 1:I love it I know, and so then breakfast happened in the morning yeah, and then, oh, I was got him to school so for them you're with them and then they would go to school. Would you nap or you're just you?
Speaker 3:you're off, Gosh back in that day I was a gym rat. Oh, I loved working out and not like heavy weights or anything but spin and swim and things that I felt were really important if you were on the air to keep in shape.
Speaker 1:Well, that's probably why you stayed so healthy too, then yeah, I wish that I had you paid attention to your health.
Speaker 3:I did. I had to your health, I did I very much. And mental health yeah as well, because when you work out it's not just for the physical part, it's for the mental. So I'd hit the gym and then I would come home and I did something very unique and the station allowed me to do this. I worked a split shift, so I would go in about 11 o'clock and prep for their news at noon and we had an hour-long newscast at noon and a lot of interviews. It was just an awesome opportunity and so I'd come in and do that show. Then I would get home by the time they were getting out of school.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 3:It was perfect. It was absolutely perfect. I'd be home, I'd make dinner, I was the place that all the kids in the neighborhood could come, because I was home. Their moms and dads weren't necessarily home, and then they usually were in sports. So then my husband would take over, because he coached when they were young most of their sports, and so then they'd take off and then if there wasn't a game, I would go back to work at that time and prep for the 10 o'clock show. So it really worked out. But there were times, tommy, when they had games and I was at the fields in 100-degree heat until like 9.45.
Speaker 2:And you're rushing in.
Speaker 3:I'm rushing back and I had this big hat on because I had to protect my skin and my face and everything, and I'd take off this hat and I'd just fluff up my hair and I'd get on the show and do it with Mark.
Speaker 1:So big time baseball players.
Speaker 3:Yes, we love baseball in our family. I mean, that seems like a long time ago, college ball right, yeah, they both played college ball Until they graduated, and then their bodies were pretty broken down.
Speaker 2:They had the heart the soul, the talent to go on no, kevin is the one that you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Kevin's back here and the other one is ranching.
Speaker 3:Yes, he owns a ranch in Montana, Hamilton Montana and he just loves living off the land and he has a beautiful wife and two kids. He has no television set. These kids spend their time in the summers. They're jumping on their horses bareback. His wife, jen, has a garden that's the size of a football field. She's got chickens. I mean, they're living very holistic and I love seeing that They've got to figure it out. I'd like every child to grow up that way.
Speaker 1:You mentioned Mark. You guys were together for a long time TV has been. When I first got here he was the sports guy that's how long ago. And then he became the guy.
Speaker 3:I remember the changeover. He's so talented he could do it all. I mean, he probably did weather for us at some time too. I don't know.
Speaker 1:He is a unique guy. We're lucky that he's on our Inspire Excellence board so I get to see him a lot, and then he puts on that golf tournament, which is unbelievable, and he's just a great friend and just an authentic guy.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you know, I called him my Energizer Bunny because there were times that it was tough to come back for the 10, especially when the kids grew older. They weren't around, I didn't have their sports, I didn't have that time taken up between these shows. All I had to do was go back to the newsroom and there was my energizer, energizer bunny, co-anchor mark and wind him up, and here we go. He just lights up a place and I wanted to tell you what a good friend he is. One time I had a, I had um, I got sick, had to have a surgery, and it all happened within days and Marcus was the first person at my door. He had candy bars and magazines and just wanted to be there and that's all. Knocked on the door, left the gift and left.
Speaker 1:Don't you think the older you get, the more authentic. True, there, when you need them, friends, those relationships are just. It's what life is about, I think.
Speaker 3:I think they're the people that you want to invest in. Yeah, you want to invest your time. You want to invest your love.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:You want to. I love where I'm at in my life right now. You know I've kind of figured it out. I love where I'm at in my life right now. You know, I've kind of figured it out. It's taken me a while because I've had this wonderful life in Boise, idaho, and at this point I believe I'm a connector and collaborator. I've gotten a chance to meet enough super cool, super talented, super passionate people and I love putting them together.
Speaker 1:I love it. Yeah, I love it. Yeah, I'm going to jump all over.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:But let's talk about where you currently are, because I do believe you've settled at something that's just perfect for you right now. Full circle.
Speaker 3:Let's talk about what you're doing Full circle. I am the Vice President of Development for Idaho Business for Education, and I know you know about us and Rod just retired.
Speaker 1:He just retired Paula Keller I know that because his retirement thing was the same night we were doing something and Andy couldn't come to our thing, and so he called because Andy hosted it, right?
Speaker 3:Yes, Andy Scoggin, who's the chair of our board. Wonderful Again. Another great human being, good to be around him. Yes, rod deserves so much to retire. And, tommy, I don't know if you know it was full circle for Rod and I. He was my news director. I didn't know that. Yes, he was my news director in like the late eighties, early nineties at channel seven, when I became a mother.
Speaker 1:I didn't know that.
Speaker 3:Which I say that because he was the perfect boss for that time in your life, when you're like oh, I love being a mother, I love my babies, but also I love my career, so how am I going to do it all Kind of unique? Back then, too, they didn't even have a policy for maternity leave. When I had my first son, yeah, so yeah, we broke ground. I had Colby Dee had Bree, I had Kevin and then she had her youngest, so like four right?
Speaker 1:in the middle. So you're bringing up Dee Sarton. Oh, I love her TV sister. I mean you guys between you, mark and Dee, it was like, and then Doug. Yes, our general manager, Our general manager for years and you think of the legacy it's a big word but it's true, it's legacy stuff that happened for a long time and you think about the Boise back then and our community back then and your fingerprints were everywhere.
Speaker 3:Kevin, my son calls it the golden years of television and I laugh because they used to call film the golden years of television, mom, and I laugh because they used to call, like film, the golden years. You know. But, um, yes, we all stayed here because we wanted to raise our families here. We put our roots deep into this community and, um, you saw that, with the things that we love to do even outside of the station, it was important to us, it we had and we didn't even know it at the time, we had such a golden opportunity to be on the front lines of all those changes and our responsibility was to tell our viewers about it all the time.
Speaker 1:Well, and you didn't ever stop giving Like this is your work life, right, so we'd see you on TV all the time. Because it was the goal I mean it was, it was pre-streaming, it was pre-phone it was pre-facebook. It was like you call it your work family, but it was like extension of our families, right, it's like where you went, it's it was every morning, every night. Um, and I think media has changed the quantity, the options for people. It's just evolved into something that's different. But I think also, times change too, right.
Speaker 1:I mean you look at just turnover, and I mean I.
Speaker 3:And you mentioned that I get to come back and fill in and I'm also their consultant oh, you are which is a beautiful thing for Channel 7. Because now I'm consumer of their product every day, so I can watch it. And what I love, tommy, because I love coaching and I love sharing my life with people and my experiences, is I I get to coach some of these newcomers that you see. And, and what I want I tell everybody is guess what? Mark d and carolyn were newcomers at one time too. Y'all just don't remember it, but we came in right out of college.
Speaker 3:You know, I I'll never forget december 5th of 1982 was the first time I walked through those doors at channel 7 weekend anchor. We had a 15 minute show on sundays. That was it, and I thought it was the most important thing in the world. That's when I talk about having a great partner, because David was by my side and he's like well, honey, yeah, it's okay, you, you know you report the news, but you know what he used to say to me too. But what's great is you are not the news, and think about it back then we weren't the news. But social media has developed a lot of TV into TV personalities.
Speaker 1:It's insane right now.
Speaker 3:Well, but you know what, when I first retired from Channel 7, somebody gave me a great quote that said don't be afraid of changing, be afraid of not. Don't be afraid of change, be afraid of not changing. And that's what. How we have to look at the media, too, is it's going to change? The legacy on 5407 Fairview Our studios will always be there. That's our legacy, but now you can catch us everywhere else, just like you're doing here. The podcast.
Speaker 1:I'm envious of you, tommy in a healthy way that you get to do this. This is where it's going. There are great stories out there, great people. There are great Idahoans that let's go tell their stories, let's go listen to them and it's still part of it right and just being able to talk, and I think the following now is really a lot of business people, people love Idaho, people love hearing people's stories and being inspired by them. It's still the same thing.
Speaker 3:And I can see in your eyes how much you get out of it. Yeah, it's cool, it's awesome.
Speaker 1:It's very cool. I mean I get to catch up with you and I get to turn the tables and ask you all these questions.
Speaker 3:Because you know, I don't know if you saw I put it on LinkedIn.
Speaker 1:I saw that.
Speaker 3:What would you like me to ask, tommy Alkris? That's not the gig here.
Speaker 1:Okay, Okay let's go back to Idaho Business for. Education, oh yes, so the organization's been around for About 17 years 17 years.
Speaker 3:And we were founded by the likes of Mr Skip Oppenheimer. Yeah, ed Dahlberg.
Speaker 1:Yeah, ceo of St Luke's. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Mike Mooney, I mean just these oh man.
Speaker 1:Those are some legends.
Speaker 3:Legends who said at the time there is no business voice for education in this state. What are we going to do about it?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And that's how they created Idaho Business for Education.
Speaker 1:Can I tell an Ed Dahlberg story?
Speaker 3:I'd love it because I love that gentleman.
Speaker 1:Mike Mooney was the first guy I met when I came to town with Debbie. So I walked in. Imagine this I walked into Key Bank, I just get here, like barely got here, and I walk upstairs and it was Debbie Cleverley, mike Mooney and Joel Hickman.
Speaker 1:That's awesome, that's the first room I walk into. It's crazy and I love him and I could tell a lot of stories about him. But Ed Dahlberg, every once in a while I'm asked how medicine has changed. And back then, the old ER at St Luke's so it's before the new ER and there was one hallway and there was, you know, there was a series of maybe six rooms on each side. Ed Dahlberg was the CEO of the hospital. I would do all night shifts and I cannot tell you how many times that man would walk down the ER. Just think of the CEO walking down the thing and sitting down by me, a brand new doc out of residency and getting to know me and my family.
Speaker 3:What'd that tell you about him?
Speaker 1:But think about how I know that's a great leader it almost sounds crazy now and he would sit there and he would talk, and then every time I saw him I thought he was my best friend and he cared about patients and how are things now and?
Speaker 1:he would sit there and he would talk, and then every time I saw him I thought he was my best friend and he was just this and he and he cared about patients and how are things going? And it was he. It was he and Gary Fletcher oh yeah, I remember Gary.
Speaker 3:You remember Gary VP. Was he the VP, wasn't he? Yeah, oh yeah, right under, and they were kind of.
Speaker 1:They did it a long time and and and and that, uh, that intimacy with who you worked for in the hospital and how you wanted to be part of something that took care of people, and it just was amazing. And I think back to him. I don't stay in contact with Ed, but he had a profound impact on me because he was so community-minded, like this you think of him and Skip and Mike coming together and saying, hey, we got to do something for education. Skip and Mike come together and saying, hey, we got to do something for education 17 years ago. There's a legacy of those sort of meetings and community leaders here. That's just incredible.
Speaker 3:And Tommy, they're still doing it. Yeah, that's the incredible thing. I mean they're retired. Not Skip, obviously Skip. I don't think Skip will ever retire.
Speaker 1:I just I saw. I've seen Skip a couple times in the last couple of weeks. He's like well, I want to drink and eat what you guys are eating. He doesn't look a day older and he's still got the same energy.
Speaker 3:Yeah, how lucky was I. He was my first mentor when I moved to Boise, idaho. How did I get hooked up that way with a gentleman like him and again cares about his community? I just want to say one thing about Ed Delberg. If I understand it right and you tell me because you worked for him, I reported on him because I was a health reporter, so I got to interact with Ed a lot. But wasn't he the architect of what St Luke's is today?
Speaker 1:Absolutely.
Speaker 3:I mean that they decided to stretch out McCall, twin Falls, wood River Valley.
Speaker 1:When I first got here, there was the old downtown hospital that we all remember well, and then there was this little urgent care out here in Meridian and that's what it was. It was an urgent care in Meridian and the downtown hospital and then I was with him and Gary the whole time. The Meridian hospital came out and then there was this decision of, hey, we're going to become a regional system as a community hospital. It's an incredible story and I think I just don't think it would have been possible. I believe people follow people. I do. People follow people and they follow people that are genuine and authentic and care that you. They're. Just I want to go where you want to go. And I remember going to those meetings because he would pull the physicians in and he knew them all and he knew their families, he cared about them, he cared about the community and he didn't even like. It's like that old adage right Lead always speak when needed. That was him. You just knew he cared about everything and, man, what a great guy.
Speaker 3:I'm sure we talked about him today. No, just the foresight of knowing what this valley needed at that time, but I can tell you he's still the same. Oh yes, in fact I think it was my second week at Idaho Business for Education and he walks into my office and I'm like Ed, I haven't seen you forever. Yeah, he spends a lot of time in Arizona now, but he had his puffy ski coat on and he still loves it up here as well. Anyway, I'm glad we talked about him.
Speaker 1:So go back Idaho business. We're going to go back.
Speaker 3:Well, you know what's really great is? Our mission continues to pivot with the times, and so we are a nonprofit of nearly 250 businesses statewide, from Sandpoint to Soda Springs and all points in between, to the east and everywhere else in Idaho, who work to strengthen education and also provide pathways for our youth so that we can set them up for success in school, work and life. But what we are also doing is we're building a skilled workforce for Idaho employers.
Speaker 3:And so that's why these business leaders are so passionate about that as well. And when I say we pivot, we really have, I mean we're doing. We had the first federal registered apprenticeships ever in Idaho. We have done over 400, and I know what you're doing for teens and trades. It's where it's going.
Speaker 1:I love it. Let's talk a little bit about education.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:So Idaho. It's interesting because if you went back 25 years that I've been kind of around like what are we going to do and how are we going to keep our kids here? It's been interesting because we've had this transition from a lot of our kids would leave and then a lot of our kids. So you had kids that would just, you know, stay and work in the family business or farms or ranches or whatever. And then you had kids that would go to college, sometimes here, sometimes away, but then they would say, where's our opportunities here? And the whole idea was how do we attract and keep talent here? And then we've had this boom where we got discovered right and we need them. And now we need them here.
Speaker 3:We need that workforce and it's been incredible, that skilled workforce.
Speaker 1:And now there's just so many opportunities for them, and and now there's just so many opportunities for them. And so I do think that education has one. I think we've done a great job. There's been some transformative leaders in education that have been kind of slow and steady and here the whole time, but I think we're doing a really good job, don't you?
Speaker 3:I think we need to keep working on it. Yeah, and that's the whole thing is we need to let our youth understand, first of all, we care about you. We care about you getting the skills to earn a livable wage. That's one thing, Because, as you know, now our apprenticeships there's over 1,500 of them, so they are the traditional ones. But I love that you can get one in marketing you can. You know, the only one we couldn't fulfill was somebody wanted to be a tattoo artist and we had no sponsor for that, so we couldn't get them that. But but I love the fact that we are providing you, your organization, our organization, providing them the opportunities to figure out what their passion is and then go for it, Because you know what you can make a really good wage and our employers need you Right now. That's what I hear from every one of our members. They're still trying to get employees quality employees, Tommy. We need our kids to stay in Idaho. We need them.
Speaker 1:So I want to talk about a couple of things, and we, like you know, we didn't prep for any of this, so this is just. So how important has launch been? Oh, my goodness, Because to me that was just. And let's go back a little, let's go back one step. There was this go on goal. Yes, that drove me nuts.
Speaker 3:Because not everyone was going to go on to college.
Speaker 1:Yes, and it was the dumbest thing because I think it was so well intended. I mean, if you go back to the intention and the program and everything was like go on, it was 60% by 2020 or something, I can't remember the exact date. But if you talk to kids about that back then and this is like 15 years ago they would feel like failures if they didn't go on to college. So somehow someway it got stuck with. I'm going on to college this time. Launch got it right.
Speaker 3:Most definitely. I think it's Governor Little's legacy, his legacy.
Speaker 1:But we've got to support him. I know because they're going to try to attack the funding of this right. It's got to get funded every year.
Speaker 1:It's got to get funded every year. It's got to get funded every year. But you look at the success of it in just the number one year it's got applicants through the roof and it's these kids and they understand that it's not just go on to college, it's going on to a career path that gives them a livable wage in Idaho and connects them to a business that's at need and that messaging has been so spot on and so successful and so wonderful that we're providing our youth this connection, line of sight and then connection to jobs in Idaho. I'm just, I'm like this is the greatest thing ever. We got to keep supporting it.
Speaker 3:It makes so much sense. Think about it. You're supplying again that skilled worker for in-demand jobs in our state where we can't build like you want to build without getting. We can't care for patients if we don't have the health care workers. Go on and on of what we need and what is great for the students is that there's always been a barrier of finances for you to go on whatever you want to do and how they were able to combine. It makes sense. It makes sense.
Speaker 1:So for anyone listening today, pay attention, because in this legislative session and every legislative session, the way it works is it still requires funding from the legislature. It works is it still requires funding from the legislature. It's been a tremendous success, but I think it's going to have its challenges again this year because and you know the counter arguments I don't even want to give it too much thought on this topic because it's just, it doesn't make sense, don't?
Speaker 3:then I know. No, I told myself I wouldn't get on here talking too much about politics, but the launch program makes so much sense to me and we need to let all the parents know. If you have a graduating senior, make sure that you get them signed up for this If they're going onto an on-demand career type schooling.
Speaker 1:So love it. What are some of the other programs that you're?
Speaker 3:Oh my goodness, we have. I know your apprenticeship program's huge, it's huge and that's wonderful and I know it ties right in with launch?
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, because it's all about the same thing, which is how do we keep our kids here and how do we keep them at need.
Speaker 3:Right, and so what we really need is more businesses to be sponsors of that. How do people do that? Hey, really good. So this on youtube too, right, this is getting better with maddie. You know my son? Yes, I do. I know matt, from many times that we've worked together out in the public.
Speaker 3:Um, yeah, go to our website, which is idahobeorg idahobeorg yeah idaho b as in business, e as in educationorg, and you can find out more about that, tommy. We also also have the STEM ecosystem that we've taken on through Idaho Business for Education because we know how important STEM is, again to our workforce, to our youth, to figure that out. You can see some of the different things that we do right there. We just do so much.
Speaker 1:What's the story behind the STEMs? Because didn't they take some pilot programs that were super successful in Idaho and you guys kind of brought them under your umbrella and made them more successful.
Speaker 3:We've had them for about two years now I'm not sure the background on that, but we were asked to take them. You know why people love Idaho Business for Education? Because it's the only business voice for education in the state. I love it voice for education in the state. I flew out to Florida a couple of years ago, met with 400 business leaders in Lakeland Florida because they said how are you guys doing this in Idaho? We want to create something like this. What are we supposed to do? And I basically told them the truth you got to have some champions. Those Lakeland guys were pretty proactive, aren't they?
Speaker 3:Did you meet them when?
Speaker 1:they came here. That's when I met them too, it was blowing me away that they're just like hey. Well, isn't it interesting, though, they picked Boise and the Treasure Valley out of the country. It was one or two places of hey, we want our community to be like their community. Right, it's pretty cool.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we don't need time. I checked in when they had the last hurricane and they're doing okay there. But yeah, I went out there because educators, their business community wanted to get this going, wanted to get something like Idaho Business for Education.
Speaker 1:So and then your apprenticeship program. How do you get to that and get?
Speaker 3:connected, Okay, Well, there's probably like a little tab somewhere, isn't there, Matt? And then you can find out more, and then I'll tell you what. Here is my email cholly C-H-O-L-L-Y at IdahoBEorg.
Speaker 1:Because what you do is connect businesses with these programs, with the apprenticeship, with the whole thing. We're trying to get the membership up because all of this goes back to a thriving ecosystem that keeps Idaho kids plugged into Idaho companies.
Speaker 3:And when you create an apprenticeship and it can be a job you already have maybe there's somebody within your workforce that you want to build them up, you want to get them certified in something, or if you hire one, the retention rate is something like 87% that they'll stay with you and you know what it costs when people are leaving for 50 cents down the street.
Speaker 1:It's recruitment and retention it is.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, we would love to do that and there's a whole staff that works with you, that works right with if it's your HR department or whatever, and, like I said, we put at least 420 apprenticeships together already in the state, so there's a lot of great stories about it.
Speaker 1:How, before we get off this, I want to spend a lot of time on this. I have a whole list here, but I want to go back to this. There's your website. Go on there. Apprenticeship program STEM Become a member. You're the connection. You just gave out your email. I did.
Speaker 3:I would love to talk to any business out there that would like to learn more about our mission. We are not a networking group. I say it right from the beginning. We are on a mission to strengthen education, provide pathways for our youth. We've got to set them up for success. And in the meantime, guess what we're doing? We're building a skilled workforce for Idaho employers.
Speaker 1:It's fantastic how tied in are you to Micron and their needs and what's going on.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we're very tied in again with apprenticeships and we love what they're doing with CWI and I mean it is the biggest thing that's probably happened to us since HP decided to come here back in the 70s.
Speaker 1:Oh man, I just think of there's a lot of unknowns because we've had this explosive growth, We've got changing things, We've got the political climate. It's just all this other stuff going on. But if you get to that next layer of fundamentals of where we are as a community, as a state, as our families, as our kids and this next generation, we've got some really good things going on.
Speaker 3:We are so fortunate, we are so blessed to be here and these are good jobs that will eventually be created, but while they're building it, those are awesome. You get paid very well out there if you're on those crews, right?
Speaker 1:Oh my goodness, yeah, so these are good jobs that are being created in our valley. And then plus the 250 companies that are going to come to support the fab, I mean we're just on the leading edge of that. So I'm really glad. And at the time when Gordon Jones is leading CWI, Perfect fit, perfect fit.
Speaker 3:What do you think as a developer here? Do you think we can handle all this, tommy?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I do. I think we, I think we've got to be smart. I mean, a couple of things I would say is you're clipping along and you've got all these master plans and you're saying, hey, how are we going to grow as a city and as a community? And you've got Meridian doing their thing and Nampa doing their thing, Colville doing their thing, and then you've got Boise, and then on the very eastern part of the valley you stick a $15 billion fab and you've got all the other stuff going on. That's already exciting everywhere else.
Speaker 1:I think it just sets you up for the question of what, ultimately, are the transportation needs of the valley? And we know that we are already horrifically behind in public transportation horrifically behind. I think you had this magical thing happen. You had Elaine Clegg say I'm not going to retire from city council after 20, whatever years. I'm going to take my talents and my life's work and I'm going to go become the director of VRT and I'm going to try to help figure out public transportation. That is a miracle and we ought to. I don't know what that window looks like, but while she's there, we ought to support her and help her with public transportation.
Speaker 3:We definitely have to. I grew up in a city where I saw the evolution of public transportation. It's a game changer. It's a game changer, but you've got to have champions.
Speaker 1:You've got to have champions, and so you've got her. I think you've got another really cool thing that people aren't talking about right now. You've got Ryan Head, who's the new director of ACHD, so Ada County Highway District and they're critical to our roads and infrastructure. You have ITD and I think everyone's getting along for the first time in a long time. In fact, I was in a meeting at Boise City last week and Ryan Head was actually there, which is like if you ever told me that ACHD would be the city of Boise, it's a critical thing. And then we've got to figure out bigger things like, okay, is there an alternate route? Are there ways to get people on to different places? I think that's big and then rail.
Speaker 3:Well, I think it's huge and we've got the rail but, I don't know all the backstory to that, but so you see us at a point that we need to do something.
Speaker 1:So you see us at a point that we need to do something. Oh yeah. With transit, public transportation, moving people around. If we don't have a really robust plan that's driven by business and working, you know, harmonizing perfectly with our local and state leaders, then we're going to find ourselves where you're like, oh my gosh, and we're like, well then, we should have saw it coming Right. So I think I think transportation will be our number one thing.
Speaker 3:Well, let's get rid of the turf wars, then it's time to work together. We're doing some good things. Garrett Lofto is doing some great things. Oh, simplot yeah.
Speaker 1:He's doing some great things and we're trying to be helpful. We're trying to do it and I think we have really good. We have a lot of great leaders right now in the Valley. If you think about Mayor Simison and Mayor Kling out in Caldwell and Mayor McLean, I think we've got people working together. They're trying to act in a coordinated way. Cuna.
Speaker 3:Right, oh yeah, so let our community know what we can do for you, that's that you know as many champions as you can get on board.
Speaker 1:Oh, one other thing. So I do think I don't know why I'm going off on this tangent, but I think if you look at who's leading, kind of all of these different things at the same time, I do want to mention Bobby Joe at the chamber, holy goodness, like the fact that she is unbelievable and so you got Bobby, joe and Elaine and good mayors and good leadership, and it seems like ACHD.
Speaker 1:it seems like a really good time for people to come together and say, okay, how are we going to help the community? How are we going to help the families? How are we going to help the families? How are we going to keep kids here? How are we going to support all this? I'm excited.
Speaker 3:Can I ask just one more question?
Speaker 1:Are we going to have to get federal funding, though, to get this done, so we need to get those elected officials In order to get the federal funding, you've got to have local, you got to have the studies done and you got to be ready so that you can get those matches Right. And if you're, if you miss those windows that come along, you don't get the funding. And so some of it is like local leadership, ready to go, studies done, ready to get the funding, and then the matches to do it, and, um, it all kind of has to come together and I think it's uh, but I think we're smart enough to do it. I feel really good about it, I'm very optimistic.
Speaker 3:This is something that's going to take steps, so I hope there are steps being taken right now to study, okay, mass transit, oh my God.
Speaker 1:So let me, let me ask you some other stuff. Okay, you, you are if I think of Carolyn Hawley, I think of community champion, probably first example mentor leader. You have been involved in so many nonprofits over the years in so many ways. I mean just support being the emcee. But then you're on so many different boards. Talk about a couple things and, if you're someone listening out there right now, talk about the importance of getting on a community board and what that can do for a young professional, for professional development. Let's start there.
Speaker 3:Okay, I am so happy that you asked me that question, because I really do get a lot of younger generation people asking me that question and my number one thing is to say well, there's two things. Number one what is your passion? What is it that you are passionate about? Because when you jump into nonprofit and you are lucky enough to serve on a board, you need to put 100% into that. It's not. Oh, I think I'll just go to the meetings and then that's all I'm going to do. Our nonprofits are some of the best, I think, in the country. I don't know if there's been studies, but it is incredible what we have for nonprofit volunteer work here.
Speaker 1:I actually think there's some data that shows that that is actually true.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we were built really on the work of nonprofits. But if you're going to get involved in nonprofit work and I want to tell you the good side of it I want you to figure out what makes you tick. You know what is it that you want to do? Because you're not just going to sit in a chair for an hour once a month and try to make a decision. You need to give and give give of your resources, give of your talents, give of any way you can give, connect people to that nonprofit. But the beautiful thing that I've experienced in nonprofit work are, well, two things there too the incredible relationships. I mean when you get to work alongside movers and shakers, that you're not doing it in the workplace, you're doing it outside of that. You're both on the same page. It's amazing what doors open up later on in life.
Speaker 1:It's one of those ironies of life. As you're talking, first of all, passion has come up several times. You're talking about the very first day you took your job and how you went in the running. They just kill it.
Speaker 1:You found your passion and it's been your life's work, but that's come up a whole bunch. But then the other thing is sometimes in life and boards are this way you go in to give and then when you get done with that experience, or in the middle of the experience, you'll sit back someday and go. I am getting back tenfold what I'm putting in, and so it's one of the first things I tell people too Find a passion and then go dive head in and you're going to sit back and go. Oh, my goodness, I'm getting Like it's supposed to be the other way around.
Speaker 1:Like my endorphins are releasing, I was supposed to be the one giving and instead I'm being richly rewarded in my personal life, my professional development, my relationships, my connections in the community. It's not why I but if you do it right, right, you're going in to really make a difference.
Speaker 2:So I look at your list Faces of Hope.
Speaker 1:Right, yes, st. Look at your list. Faces of hope. Oh, right, yes, st al's foundation foundation, st luke's children's board, idaho youth sports commission, boise school district foundation and funsy I mean you've done there might be a few more that aren't even on there, but I'm sure we're even.
Speaker 3:But, tommy, here's the thing that I always say too is we truly, by jumping into this non work, is we do get what we give because we're building a great community? Faces of Hope. When I led that, and you were the first leader of it, and then I got to take over for seven years before I retired from that and I always ask this question to our executive director or to our board or whenever a decision had to be made is are we serving those who need us the most? Are we making the decision for that? And truly, I don't know where we'd be in this community without FACES. I mean, it's been an awesome organization you started it with.
Speaker 2:Gene.
Speaker 3:Fisher, didn't you? It was before. Gene's was the story behind it is.
Speaker 1:It's very authentic. I, I, I, I'll just tell it. I mean, we got a little time. I, I, I, I just left Tucson, my residency, came to Boise and it was literally the first month working here, night shifts in downtown Boise, and I had two young women that came into the ER that were raped. And in Boise, in Tucson, we would have called the SANE team and they would have so the sexual assault nurse examiners. They would have come to the ER. That patient would have been handled by people that were trained to take care of them in their moment of greatest. I can't imagine a more. I can't imagine a more humiliating, sensitive, horrible time than having to go through a, to be a victim of a sexual assault and then have to go to an ER.
Speaker 3:Sterile Sterile, nobody knows you.
Speaker 1:Nobody knows you.
Speaker 3:Yes, so you need people like these same nurses.
Speaker 1:Multiple people asking the questions all over again and you reliving this. So down there, that's what happened. And it was these caring, wonderful people that came in and then, as the ER doc, you were very aware of what was going on, but that's what happened. So the first one happened here and it was two young ladies. So they came in and I see them pop up on the board. In the old days we didn't even have computers, right, so you had a board with it written on there, right. And I remember going to my charge nurse and saying, okay, I'm, I'm, they'll call, and they're like well, we don't have anything like that and I said
Speaker 1:well, what do you mean? You don't have anything like that. They're said well, what happens? They said, well, the police come and they go interview the patient first and then they determine if a sexual assault happened and then they'll come get you. So, um, I have no reason to second guess. I'm go see patients and I'm running around and and then I go back and I said, hey, what's going on down there? And they're like, oh, they're not done yet. So then I keep going around and then finally they come to me and say, oh, you can go in there now. They've determined it wasn't a sexual assault and they're gone and you can go see the patient now.
Speaker 1:And I thought at first, I thought this is the what. And then I went in and interviewed and and and took care of them and they were clearly raped and I was so pissed because they were gone and I'm like this is not freaking right, this is like. And I called the hospital administrator and I got mad the next day and I met, went and met the police chief at the time, I want to tell you who it was came and met with me and I got up out of the meeting and I said you're freaking wrong, and at the time those kits came out of the budget of the police department and they were trying to decide okay, we're going to. It was so back ass word. It was the craziest thing, and so that's where the passion started. It's like we've got to figure this out.
Speaker 1:So initially I went to two of my partners. Stephanie Botas took the lead. We had two female partners and it needed to be one of them and she back in the day if you think about how this is, this is in the nineties. Oh goodness, it wasn't that long ago. We had to. She put together a training video and she went and got trained and then four of us were on call 24 seven for the next couple of years and we would come back in and we just took call and then we started working with the very first thing we started doing.
Speaker 1:And then there was a couple nurses and then it grew from there. But anyway, it was definitely a passion, but it was out of need, because sometimes you see something like that and you're like we've got to do this, so let's flash forward. Ultimately, it ends up going to becoming Faces.
Speaker 3:Yes, Faces of Hope. And then it's.
Speaker 1:Faces of Hope, but it really is evolved into what I think is a model for the country. If you have someone that's a victim of sexual assault. They now go to a facility that is not the ER. The patient is put first and trained people come in from second one and take care of them. And it's just not the physical needs which is very important, but it's also the emotional, psychological.
Speaker 3:Right all the follow through that happens short term housing get you out of if it's a domestic violence situation. But, tommy, what I love about this model in our community is you are not charged a dime and that's because of our community support and the more people that hear about it that realize it that there is this help in our valley. Thank you for what you did, because one of the questions somebody had on my LinkedIn page is what makes you get up every day, tommy, and keep moving forward.
Speaker 1:You're really going to ask me a question yeah and keep moving forward.
Speaker 3:This is a perfect example.
Speaker 1:Maddie, I told you this was not she would do this.
Speaker 3:She can't stop being a reporter, yeah but it was an injustice that you saw it was and you couldn't sit back.
Speaker 1:It was and it was. You know, and I look at all the people that got involved and it's probably one of the richest. I'm going to tell you that I don't tell a lot of people this, but I had a loved one who had to go through the experience and I was sitting in the lobby and this was a couple years ago. And so I'm in a lobby at Faces and I'm thinking to myself I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe I'm here and I was thinking about how everything kind of comes full circle and how that loved one would have been treated and how amazing and wonderful it was. Now I'm old enough now that no one even knew who I was when I was going through this, but thank you, jesus for that full circle.
Speaker 3:But Tommy— knew who I was when I was going through this, but thank you, jesus for that full circle.
Speaker 1:But it's an amazing thing to watch and watch how it went and just how amazing it was.
Speaker 3:I'm sorry for your situation.
Speaker 1:Plugged into services, but it was really cool.
Speaker 3:Just think of your loved one if they would have been told we don't believe you Because we have changed that message completely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and the whole thing about was it you know and it just it was so wrong, because we have changed that message completely. Yeah, and the whole thing about was it you know and it just it was so wrong. And they need and the point is, you can gather all of the evidence in the best way possible and then work through the story and do it in a way that is so much more nurturing and healing, and you know. Anyway, thank you for all your help with that. Yeah, thank you, Gosh, dang Goodness.
Speaker 3:Should we talk about anything lighter here, can we? But these are things that create our valley, the reason why we are the best place in America to raise a child. I started out by saying that Mark Dee D and I really knew that we wanted our families to be raised here. We we had opportunities to go on, but we knew this was a beautiful place and you know channel seven is such a beautiful place. We were doing things back then that weren't done before, like it used to be a big thing to do, like a satellite shot from somewhere out, you know, like even like a Boise State game to be.
Speaker 1:I got to do a lot of Boise State pregame. Bring in the truck and the whole thing would go out.
Speaker 3:And you know in our community loved that stuff and for us it was the cutting edge of television. It was. It was a beautiful time yeah.
Speaker 1:Oh gosh, we only have like 10 more minutes.
Speaker 2:So let me ask you a question.
Speaker 1:So you've done a lot of things. You've been like Carolyn I'm not going to put this lightly. I mean I just I don't know if I've ever known anyone quite like you with energy and the ability for people to follow you and look up to you and your passion and energy. It's just, it's infectious. What advice would you give someone out there? I mean, you've given a little bit, but what's? What's if you, if you had to drop a pearl or some?
Speaker 3:wisdom to someone. What would it be? Well, first of all, thank you, Tommy, because as I get older, I take in those compliments. Now it used to be, oh, just brush them off. But now I think, oh goodness, yeah, this is great. I guess this is who I am. I'm going to tell you what. I always kind of shoot from the hip, so I'm not a big planner, but here's what I would tell somebody like as far as their work. Let's start with that. I truly believe, and I have seen, that if you love what you do, first of all, it's not work. It's not work, and you need to spread that goodwill among your coworkers and your family as well as oh yeah, I'll be at the station for a couple of hours now. It's not like, oh, I have to go to work. I really believe in uplifting that message go to work. I really believe in uplifting that message.
Speaker 3:But if you work so hard at your craft and your skills, that you'll become indispensable and you will have earned the right for certain things that you need. When it comes to that balance between what you do to get your paycheck and the people you love, that you want to take care of too, be indispensable, work that hard at it, love it. There is no reason not to be a student of your industry. There are so many avenues out there for you to learn. We should be continuous learners. When I do my coaching with the young people at Channel 7, the first thing I come in and say is I'm not here to change you, but I am here to enhance you and I want you to be a student of the industry. So that's a little pearl for you. That is powerful. You like that. It's happened. It's the truth. I love that.
Speaker 1:I got chills when you said that to me, because it's so. One of my mentors in life is a guy named Sam Kime. He's my residency director at University of Arizona and the very first night we did a shift together in Tucson, arizona. I walked in and I was all you get out of medical school and you're ready to go set the world on fire. And I'm running in and I sit down and he just calmed me down and he says he's like hey, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I'm going to teach you to be a pro. And I remember him saying that and thinking what does that even mean? He's like what does it mean for you to be a professional, to be at the top of your trade and to care for it so much that you're going to go work your butt off, but you're going to be the best at what you do and you're going to make yourself indispensable?
Speaker 3:It's like it's almost the same speech you just gave.
Speaker 1:It's the truth. It's the same kind, but it's this. It's that is.
Speaker 3:That is wonderful wonderful wisdom, yeah, and I think the other thing is something that, um, you know I love being a mother, I'm a grandmother, um, I love my family. My family does come first, even though I've been able to have this beautiful life outside of the doors of the house. I guess to say, put your family first. I really used to preach this in little league is. We had a lot of parents who were high up in their businesses and everything, and I'd say, do not miss your child's ballgame. They know when you're in the stands and it's important, it's a comfort for them. They know that you care enough to come watch them play. But also you're going to miss that memory that you can never talk about at the dinner table because you weren't there. When little Joey makes a catch in left field, he's put out in left field and he finally catches the ball and you missed it. Make family your first priority and it'll all work out as well.
Speaker 1:Let's just drop the mic right there. Let's just stop.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much.
Speaker 1:You're the best. This has been so much fun for me and I didn't get like halfway down my list, tommy, what you're doing here is a beautiful thing, and I'm going to tell you this.
Speaker 3:I told Matt this when I came up. I really envy what you're doing in a very healthy way. I think being able to let people speak and tell stories and bring those things out of them so that they can are lessons for everyone that's listening and watching right now, but also for the individual. They get to think hmm, okay, yeah, I guess, so Maybe I do have some words of wisdom. So keep doing this and if you ever need a fill-in, let me know.
Speaker 1:I love you. Thanks for coming on, Thanks Tommy, Thanks everybody.