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Salesman Rick Carr to succeed retiring Jobs Plus president in Coeur d’Alene

October 17, 2002 /

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Bear Paw Development Corporation is a private non-profit organization created for the purpose of administering programs to help improve regional economic conditions in Hill, Blaine, Liberty, Chouteau and Phillips Counties and the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy's Indian Reservations.

COEUR d’ALENE — A salesman has been chosen to succeed Bob Potter at Jobs Plus. Rick Carr has lived in CdA for a decade while working in corporate sales

Becky Kramer
Spokesman Review Staff writer

Rick Carr will join the Kootenai County-based job recruitment agency as president on Nov. 1. Carr has lived in Coeur d’Alene since 1991, but commuted to work as the director of corporate sales for a Boston technology company.

"He’s just the consummate salesman," Paul Anderson, Jobs Plus board chairman, said of Carr. "That’s the difference we saw in having Bob Potter as the president of Jobs Plus, compared to other executive directors of economic development agencies. He lived to get on the phone and try and get a good lead, to put together a good case, and close the sale.

"Bob Potter was the perfect salesman, and Rick Carr has the same traits," Anderson said.

Potter plans to retire at the end of the year. During a 15-year tenure, the former AT&T executive brought 70 companies and more than 3,500 new jobs to the county.

Carr was out of town and unavailable for comment Tuesday evening. His wife, Jan Carr, owns One More Thing, a women’s clothing store on Sherman Avenue.

Carr has worked in sales for 21 years. He was most recently executive director of corporate sales for Neteos Corp., a software company with products aimed at managing sales forces. Carr has also worked as a consultant, and bought and remodeled homes, according to Anderson.

Potter will work with Carr through the end of the year to ease the leadership transition.

The position attracted about 40 applicants, including people from Boise and Chicago. Carr’s sales experience stood out in a stack of strong resumes, Anderson said.

"Rick’s commitment is truly to improve the quality of life in Kootenai County," Anderson said. "If you’ve got a sales person who really can sell Kootenai County, working seven days per week, they will be successful."

Jobs Plus formed in 1987 during an economic downturn in North Idaho. The nonprofit agency is funded through contributions from local government and private business.

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