The Missoula Economic Partnership Hires James Grunke as CEO

The board of directors of the Missoula Economic Partnership http://www.missoulaworks.org/ has hired James Grunke as the organization’s president and CEO. Grunke has managed the operations of the Partnership on an interim basis, since the end of November 2011.

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Grunke named CEO of Missoula Economic Partnership

The Missoula Economic Project leadership removed the “interim” from James Grunke’s title Thursday, announcing that he will be MEP’s new president and chief executive officer.

By JENNA CEDERBERG of the Missoulian

http://missoulian.com/news/local/grunke-named-ceo-of-missoula-economic-partnership/article_282d8630-8fb3-11e1-84b0-0019bb2963f4.html

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As a project director with National Community Development Services (NCDS), Grunke has been involved with Missoula economic development efforts over the last two years. He helped facilitate fundraising and strategic direction for the Best Place Project, which would become the Missoula Economic Partnership. Over that time, Grunke has established deep relationships with investors and partners, dedicated to strengthening Missoula’s economic development efforts.

"We’re thrilled to have James leading the Missoula Economic Partnership," said Jeff Fee, chairman of the Missoula Economic Partnership board. "When someone is doing the job as well as James is right now, you want to build on that momentum."

Since taking over management of the organization, Grunke has led the strategy and development of several new programs with the goal of building the regional economy and creating jobs, including the Angel Network, Air Service Task Force and Innovation Initiative.

"Missoula can be a strong economic development platform for the region," said Grunke. "We’ve just begun to unlock the potential of this community, and I look forward to helping Missoula lead the way in economic development in the state of Montana."

Up until joining NCDS five years ago, Grunke served as the director and manager of economic development policy with Boise Valley Economic Partnership. At BVEP, Grunke managed all entrepreneur and venture capital efforts, attracting millions of dollars in capital investment to the state of Idaho. In addition, he led Boise’s Valley Initiative for Prosperity campaign, which raised $5 million to market the area.

"James basically ran the Boise version of the Missoula Economic Partnership," said Fee, "and although Boise is larger than Missoula, the communities have many similarities in terms of lifestyle, being a regional commerce center and having a strong university presence. James understands Missoula and knows how to market and grow our community with the businesses best suited to the region."

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Biography

James Grunke
President and CEO

James Grunke joined the Missoula Economic Partnership as president and CEO in April 2012 after serving as the organization’s interim CEO. Grunke began his involvement with Missoula economic development efforts in early 2010 as a project director with National Community Development Services. In his role with NCDS he helped facilitate fundraising and strategic direction for the Best Place Project — the initiative that would become the Missoula Economic Partnership.

As a consultant with NCDS and through his previous work with economic development organizations, Grunke has experience in working with both nonprofit and local government economic development organizations. Grunke believes that his most successful and rewarding professional experiences to date all involve working to develop the climate for successful entrepreneurship and strengthening and building communities.

In addition to his experience in Missoula with NCDS, Grunke managed successful economic development engagements in Cody, Wyo.; Modesto, Calif.; Great Falls, Mont.; and Tacoma, Wash.
Prior to joining NCDS, Grunke served as director of the Boise Valley Economic Partnership, a separately funded division of the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce that is driven by a partnership of communities, institutions, chamber organizations and businesses in the Boise Valley. Before serving as director of BVEP, which offers services and site location assistance to entrepreneurs in the Boise area, Grunke for two years was its manager of economic development policy. In that position, Grunke worked as the staff liaison to NCDS on the highly successful Valley Initiative for Prosperity campaign, which raised $5 million to market the Boise area. Also at BVEP, Grunke managed all entrepreneur and venture capital efforts, attracting millions of dollars in capital investment to the state of Idaho.

Before joining BVEP Grunke served as the director of Idaho’s Washington County Economic Development Commission, working in partnership with the Idaho Department of Commerce to develop and implement business expansion, business relations and development programs.

Grunke holds a B.S. in finance from the University of Idaho and B.S. in political science and a master’s degree in public affairs from Boise State University.