Idaho News & Events

"It rides perfectly, and doesn’t tip," she said. "We have a neighbor with a walker, and it’s stable for her. I can’t imagine anyone would have a wood dock."

Lean manufacturing is a new way of looking at production that starts from the premise that adding value for the customer is the primary goal. "One of the goals of a lean organization is to push down the ability to say, ‘Yes’," Buck said. "The closer the decision can come to the person doing the work, the more efficient the process."

LabMentors reports it has delivered more than 500,000 lab exercises this year.

It was bad news for the Nampa economy and the laid-off workers but good news to residents of a nearby housing subdivision who had been trying to get government help to reduce odors from the plant.

Some business people have complained that Burke hasn’t been responsive to criticisms that the college has ignored blue-collar manufacturing trades in favor of courses on massage therapy and business administration.

"We Create Jobs, Strengthen Communities and Market Idaho."

Extended Systems was an early Boise technology spinoff, founded in 1984 by five former Hewlett-Packard Co. employees who were among the original founders of HP’s Boise printer division, according to a company history. An early chairman was Ray Smelek, the man credited with bringing HP to Boise in 1973.

The Snake River Valley appellation would allow Idaho wineries to market as a region instead of an individual brand.

"They have a compelling market. This is one of the more exciting companies we work with," said Phil Reed, who is chairman of DDI’s board and a general partner at Highway 12 Ventures, a Boise venture capital firm.

Since 2001, the Idaho Falls company has grown to 11 people developing software that will allow the owners of aircraft, satellites and helicopters — mainly Uncle Sam — the means to detect component failures before they occur.