
![]() |
Tony Berns joined ignite cda as Executive Director in December 2001 and oversees four redevelopment districts in Coeur d’Alene which are focused on economic development, placemaking and community enhancement. Tony was born and raised in the Cincinnati area, moved to Idaho in the late 1970s, and graduated with BS & MS degrees from the University of Idaho. Prior to joining ignite cda, Tony worked for 20 years in the industrial Forest Products business sector, living in the northwest (Idaho, Oregon and Montana), the southeast (Texas) and the northeast (Connecticut and Maine). His professional background includes operations management, corporate planning, organizational leadership and development. |
![]() |
Mic Armon is a long-time community activist who has made Coeur d’Alene home since 1991. He has 34 years’ experience as a financial adviser and has been a certified financial planner since 1981. Mic served on the North Idaho College Board of Trustees from 2000-12, during a time the college experienced significant growth. He is also a member of the EXCEL Foundation board of directors and of the Coeur d’Alene School District Long-Range Planning Committee. Mic graduated from Montana State University with a BS in environmental microbiology. He has five grown children and one grandson. |
![]() |
Jim Chapkis and Kim, his wife of 34 years, first moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1994. Their son, Connor, was born at Kootenai Medical Center in 1997, and is currently attending the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Prior to relocating to Coeur d’Alene, Jim worked in market research conducting field studies and moderating focus groups. He then went on to serve as road manager and lighting director for the acclaimed singer and actress Helen Reddy. Later, he owned and operated Quake Network, a company which manufactured and distributed emergency preparedness equipment. Jim’s company was actively involved in ensuring schools, businesses, and families were prepared for any potential disaster. After moving to Coeur d’Alene, Jim was hired by Dean Witter Reynolds in Spokane, and completed his training at the World Trade Center in New York. Now entering his 21st year in the financial services industry, Jim owns and operates a full service financial brokerage office—Raymond James Financial Services—which is located downtown on Sherman Avenue. Jim’s primary focus of business is in retirement planning and managed money. Jim has had a long term relationship with the National Federation of the Blind as a consultant, financial adviser, and volunteer. He also sits on the board of the Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association, serves on the Parking Commission, and was recently selected to be a member of the Urban Renewal Commission. |
![]() |
Sarah has called Coeur d’Alene home since she moved here in 2000. She has over 23 years of finance and accounting experience, in both the private and public sectors. She has been the Controller for North Idaho College for the since 2003.
Sarah’s passion for community service included over 10 years in support of the United Way of Kootenai County, as a member of the finance committee and 6 years as a board member. She has also been a board member for Specialized Needs Recreation and participates in many community events. Sarah graduated with a BA from University of California, Berkeley and an MBA from the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird). She and her husband Frank have been married 16 years and live in Post Falls with their two sons and two Jack Russel dogs. |
![]() |
Dan was born and raised in Coeur d’Alene and has been active in the local non-profit community. Currently he is the Director of the Area Agency on Aging, a program of North Idaho College. Area 1 covers the five northern counties of Idaho. He is a former Executive of Habitat for Humanity of North Idaho and North Idaho CASA. He founded two local non-profits, Anchor House/Idaho Youth Ranch and North Idaho Youth for Christ.
In additional to serving a current term as a council member for the City of Coeur d’Alene, he is the former elected Clerk-Auditor for Kootenai County from 1995 through 2010 and served for two years previously as a Coeur d’Alene City Councilman and five years as a Trustee for the Coeur d’Alene School Board. Dan holds a Master Degree in Counseling Psychology from Gonzaga University, a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from San Jose State University, and an A.A. Degree from North Idaho Junior College. He has been a Licensed Professional Counselor for over 20 years. Dan and his wife Cory, a physical therapist, have three adult children, two of whom served in the military and are Iraq war veterans. They have six grandchildren and are active members of Calvary Lutheran Church. |
![]() |
Mayor, Steve Widmyer. Passionate about the city in which he has lived for more than 50 years, Mayor Steve Widmyer has a deep love for Coeur d’Alene, raising a family here and operating several successful businesses. Steve has great appreciation for the men and women who serve the city with an unwavering commitment to excellence, both as elected officials and staff professionals.Steve brings a strong business background to the Council – a combination of financial prowess gained from his years as controller for The Coeur d’Alene Resort, and his ownership and management of a diverse portfolio of commercial and rental properties throughout the city. He also has a strong understanding for the role of small business in our city.Since 1995, Steve and his wife Marie have owned and operated two women’s clothing stores, Marie’s Boutique and Marmalade. He has also opened two successful restaurants and continues to own and operate the historic Fort Ground Grill in the higher education campus. Steve earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and MBA from the University of Idaho.
An active member of the community, Steve currently serves on the Jobs Plus Board of Directors. He is a past trustee of the North Idaho College Board of Directors and Past President of both United Way of Kootenai County and North Idaho College Booster Club. |
![]() |
Brad is a native of Coeur d’Alene and a lifetime resident of the Coeur d’Alene area. Brad obtained his real estate license in 1979 and has engaged in a wide variety of aspects in the real estate business over the years including sales management, marketing, leasing and development. Brad has a long history of involvement in the community and currently serves as chairman of the Coeur d’Alene Planning and Zoning Commission in addition to his duties on the Ignite CDA board of directors. Brad and his wife of 26 years, Debra, have two daughters. |
![]() |
Brinnon Mandel has always had a passion for public health, starting in the Peace Corps in Honduras in 1999-2001 and strengthening primary care and HIV/AIDS programs as a health volunteer. In 2004, she completed her MPH and MBA from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD and has been working in public health ever since, ranging from domestic community health programs in Baltimore and Madison, Wisconsin, to global health programs and technology innovation for low and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. When Brinnon moved to Coeur d’Alene in 2013 with her husband Ben and their two young children, she wanted to find a way to participate in community health in the area and Heritage Health has been the natural fit because of its mission, its growth, and the role it plays in improving healthcare for everyone regardless of ability to pay. |
![]() |
Scott Hoskins is retired from Verizon after 33 years, working throughout the Northwest and Alaska. He has been married for 26 wonderful years, has a daughter attending WSU, and a son in Coeur d’Alene High School. Scott has been the recipient of the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce Ed Abbott Memorial Award, Kootenai County United Way Volunteer of the Year, Idaho Education Association’s Friend of Education Award and 2 Verizon Presidential Leadership awards. He is currently active in Jobs Plus Board of Directors and US Bank Advisory Board. Scott’s past involvement has been with: Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Kootenai County United Way Board of Directors, School District 271 Long Range Planning Committee, and The Festival of Sandpoint Board of Directors. In 1998 Scott designed and implemented a literacy program for the public schools in Coeur d’Alene known as the Help Encourage A Reader Today (HEART) Reading Program. The program teams a caring adult with at risk children to improve literacy and life skills. Currently the program is in 5 school districts in Northern Idaho and over 20 elementary schools. |
![]() |
Alivia Metts is owner of The Metts Group. She has a degree in Economics from the University of Michigan. Her insightful economic and demographic analyses guide decision makers in economic and commercial development as well as transportation and environmental planning.
Alivia has worked in both the public and private sectors. Most recently she served in the Idaho Department of Labor as the Regional Economist for the state’s five most northern counties. There she focused on the special needs of communities and performed economic analysis across all industries for businesses, governments, and economic development agencies. She helped organizations all over the five north Idaho counties with grant assistance. She built a reputation as a trusted source for data on the Inland Northwest. Alivia was previously employed by the national consulting firm, HDR, Inc., where she worked out of their Washington, Chicago and Alaska offices. Her projects ran the gamut from convening stakeholders and master planning urban centers to land use forecasting and transportation modeling. |