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Surrounded by the Boise foothills of the Pacific Northwest is Meridian—Idaho’s fastest growing city. With a population of 95,000, it is the second largest city in Idaho, known for its safe and friendly

community of nature-lovers, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists.

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Written by Samita Sarkar

“We have been rated in a number of national publi-

cations as a best city to live or the fastest growing

small city,” Mayor Tammy de Weerd tells Business in Focus. “We have also been recognized for our economic

growth and our new housing market. Notably, and perhaps the

most important to us, is that we are the safest city of our size in

Idaho, and ranked among the top 50 safest cities in the nation.”

Meridian is centrally located in Idaho’s largest metropolitan

area, the Boise MSA. It is nestled next to Boise, the state capital

and largest city in Idaho. Meridian and the rest of the area is

known for its scenic beauty and the high quality of life offered

to its residents.

“On our north end, there is the Boise River, and on the south

side you have a view of the Owyhee Mountain Range. Meridian

is in a valley that is surrounded by a beautiful outcropping of

mountains. There are reservoirs and rivers. It’s very outdoors-

oriented,” Mayor Tammy describes.

Indeed, Meridian is the ideal place for those who enjoy the

adventure of the outdoors, a city that is but a 15- to 30-minute

drive to world-class rafting, skiing, hiking, and camping facili-

Movie NightSettlers Park

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ties with several national forests and conservation areas nearby.

“It’s a draw for those who have lived here for generations. It

keeps them here, and it’s also an attraction for our talented

workforce who has those priorities of loving and partaking in

the outdoors,” adds the Mayor, when speaking of the city that

has seen an 81.5 percent increase in population since 2000.

“Meridian has further opportunities in the medical technology and

outdoor recreation sectors.”

The outdoorsy ambience is also an additional draw for business

owners, who have shown recent interest in the city due to its

focus on providing quality education to its residents and a

positive growth environment for industry.

Meridian’s thriving business district—which has recently

attracted three new corporate headquarters—is a popular

hotspot for new business, due to its favorable tax rate and easy

access to the Interstate and Boise International Airport. This

healthy environment for growth has also helped inspire entre-

preneurial inventions, including the bounceboard® and the

dental R.A.T.™.

Tammy de Weerd Mayor of City of Meridian, ID.

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“We have a company here called Bounceboard. They developed

this product that looks like a snowboard. Athletes use these in

trampoline training for conditioning and competition, and a lot

of Olympians use it. It was an invention that was birthed here

and has since exploded,” Mayor Tammy tells us.

In addition to Bounceboard, LLC, there is Beckmer Products,

inventor of the Dental R.A.T.™ foot mouse used by dental

hygienists for data entry. Beckmer Products also calls Meridian

its home.

“A dental hygienist developed this design to use your foot to

input results while doing evaluations of tooth health. What she

has found in developing that, is a growing sector for people

with disabilities who cannot use their hands. Her second

product is a wireless mouse where they can use their feet to

communicate,” explains De Weerd.

“At the end of the day, people choose Meridian because it provides them with a vibrant community where

they can feel safe.”

Mayor Tammy states that the innovative business community

of Meridian has further opportunities in the med-tech and

outdoor recreation sectors, as the city has a number of health

science-related businesses and residents with a passion for an

active, nature-oriented lifestyle.

Speaking to that commitment to medical technology, the

Idaho State University’s health science campus is located in

Meridian, where students can obtain a doctorate in pharmacy,

among other degrees in the health sector. In 2018, Meridian will

become the home of Idaho’s first medical college, called the

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Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. Moreover, St. Lukes-

Meridian has the busiest emergency room in all of Idaho, and

the headquarters of Blue Cross of Idaho is also located in this

rapidly expanding city. “There’s a strong emphasis in the health

sciences sector and on healthcare in Meridian,” says the Mayor.

Even outside of the health and medical mainstay, there are

many other corporate headquarters located in Meridian,

including the manufacturer Micro 100, PKG User Interface Solu-

tions, and Jacksons Food Stores. The multi-level, direct-selling

candle warmer and bath product company Scentsy also has its

corporate headquarters in Meridian. All of these businesses are

major employers.

There are also many professional service companies in finance

and insurance, technology firms, large construction firms, retail

companies, and manufacturers. These industries also have

room for growth in Meridian. In fact, in 2016, Idaho was ranked

as the nation’s hottest job market, due in large part to Meridian,

which had 10 percent job growth last year alone and wage

increases of 6 percent for individual wages. Meridian’s unem-

ployment rate is very low, at 3.5 percent.

Mayor Tammy would like to build on the city’s impressive

record by continuing to provide excellent services to local busi-

nesses and increase opportunities for them to expand into

Meridian’s base, bringing jobs closer to where people live. “Our

future plans are to continue to add value to our business com-

munity, to nurture an environment where they can grow and

prosper,” she says.

Meridian’s business boom has resulted in a lot of inward

migration into the city from every area in the nation, attract-

ing a talented, educated workforce. Those who are looking to

advance their careers are also impressed by the Meridian-area

public and private education systems and the choices it offers,

PKG, Inc. is a leading contract design, developer, and manufacturing company for system-level devices with expertise in human-machine interfaces. PKG has been a major contributor in designing and manufacturing many and varied devices for Fortune 500 companies, mid-size organizations, and start-up businesses.

With expertise in medical, aerospace, government and industrial products, PKG helps to raise your company to the next level by providing engineering solutions and technology integrations across your products.

With complete, vertical integration, PKG provides our customers with all of their product development needs:

• Idea inception and validation

• Product idea realization

• Product development

• Regulatory and compliance

Any time there is a critical connection between human and machine, PKG provides solutions to make those interactions as seamless as possible.

PKG, Inc. was established in 1989 and is a privately held corporation based out of Meridian, ID. We operate out of three locations, two in the US and one in Taiwan.

Learn more about how PKG can help your business succeed:

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• Final assembly manufacturing & testing

• Product servicing & refurbishment

• Life support and transitioning

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8 Goals are simply dreams with work boots on.

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such as in STEM fields, the arts, and technical or medical arts

charter schools, in addition to private education options as well.

But the great outdoors and ample opportunities for business

and career advancement isn’t all that draws in new residents

to Meridian. At the end of the day, people choose Meridian

because it provides them with a vibrant community where

they can feel safe, and which they are proud to call their home.

“We’re a friendly community that has quality education, diverse

housing choices, and a great workforce, but we are also a small

city with the amenities of a large city, which people really love,”

the Mayor remarks.

About five years ago, CenterCal built an outdoor lifestyle center,

the Village at Meridian, nationally known as a high performing

commercial center with upscale retail, fine dining, and Class A

office space. The Village at Meridian is situated next to a promi-

nent city park, Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park. Known locally

as Kleiner Park, it is host to a number of regional activities the

community has embraced, such as the Easter Egg Drop, which

attracted 35,000 people last year. The park was a $25 million-

dollar gift from Gene Kleiner, donated in 2012.

“The park is an amazing story of generosity and philanthropy. It’s

a 60-acre park that was donated fully developed. Gene Kleiner

didn’t just donate the land; he developed the land and then

handed us the key,” says Mayor Tammy.

There are a number of other premier parks and open spaces

in the city, including Meridian’s Settlers Regional Park, which

hosts free outdoor movies during the summer. There is a lot to

do in Meridian during the summer months, including enjoying

the concert series held at the Meridian City Hall Outdoor Plaza,

checking out the Roaring Springs Water Park, or heading over

to the local farmer’s market.

Another important community resource that was borne out of

a great act of philanthropy is The Hill. Built on donated land,

The Hill is a collaboration between the YMCA, a healthcare

provider, the school district, and the City of Meridian. When

complete, the complex will have a YMCA, elementary school,

city park, lots of amenities, and likely a library as well. Across

town, an anonymous philanthropist also donated the facility

used by the community food bank.

The giving and entrepreneurial spirit of Meridian comes from

being part of a community that people can be proud to call

their own. This is shown through Meridian’s home ownership

rate of 76 percent, which is much higher than the overall U.S.

rate of just under 64 percent.

9 Goals are simply dreams with work boots on.

www.esiconstruction.com | 208.362.3040

“We do a city survey every three years, and as we land in

these national publications as the best place to live and as a

safe city, we see that our residents validate that,” says Mayor

Tammy. “Ninety-three percent of our residents surveyed

indicated that the city exceeded expectations as a good

place to raise a family. Ninety-two percent rated Meridian as

an excellent place to live, and ninety-one percent rated the

community safe.”

As a fast-growing city, Meridian has a robust new housing

market. It is primarily a city of single-family housing, ranging

from starter homes to estate lots, though over the last several

years, there has been an increase in multi-family apartments

and higher density housing for those who are looking to

downsize or who do not wish to be tied down with a yard.

“There is a lot of housing choice; however, we have a very hot

market so there’s also a lot of demand. It’s a seller’s market,”

Mayor Tammy specifies.

Demand for new housing can only be expected to grow, as

new businesses continue to seek out Meridian for its welcom-

ing policies and residents continue to enjoy the family-oriented

atmosphere. As the Mayor says, “It fits our motto of ‘built for

business, designed for living.’ We are a full-service, self-suffi-

cient city, growing and thriving.”

“In 2016, Idaho was ranked as the nation’s hottest job market, due in large part to Meridian, which had 10 percent job growth last year alone.”

Fire Department of City of Meridian, Idaho.

33 E. Broadway Ave., Meridian, Idaho 83642 | P: 208.888.4433 | E: clerk@meridiancity.org

www.meridiancity.org

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As featured in October 2017