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AN EDITION OF THE IDAHO PRESS-TRIBUNE // MYMERIDIANPRESS.COM // 04.01.16
Meet the new, and first, woman at the helm of Idaho Commerce Megan Ronk talks about leading the Commerce Department, growing up in a small family business, and waking up before dawn to exercise
M
egan Ronk’s work ethic can be summed up by her morning routine. The alarm sounds at 4:30 a.m., and she faithfully gets out of bed to work out at Meridian Adventure Boot Camp before her family wakes up. At age 36, Ronk is the first woman to lead the Idaho Department of Commerce. The Meridian resident replaces former director Jeff Sayer, who brought Ronk on as public information officer when he became director in 2012. From there, Ronk worked her way up to chief operating officer and was then appointed director by Gov. Butch Otter in January.
by Holly Beech
hbeech@mymeridianpress.com © 2016 MERIDIAN PRESS
She didn’t move into her new office, which overlooks the State Capitol, until two months later. “This was my boss’s office. It just felt like too much, sort of. It’s just so beautiful,” she said March 16. According to Sayer, no one deserved to take over that office more than Ronk. “We could not have accomplished what we did at Commerce without her,” he said. “She became my right hand and my trusted partner.” In a way, Ronk has been preparing for her new role since childhood, when she’d help at her parents’ business in Mountain Home. “My parents always told me that — and it’s true — you’re never going to be the smartest at everything, but if you’re willing to work the hardest, you’ll be successful,” she said. “I’ve tried to adopt this philosophy.” Straight out of college, Ronk became the commerce and criminal justice policy advisor for then-Gov. Dirk Kempthorne. She traveled for international trade missions and helped craft policies to combat criminal gang activity. She would later become the executive director of the Idaho Meth Project.
Adam Eschbach/MP
inside
Please see Ronk, page 6 Megan Ronk is the Idaho Department of Commerce director. She is the first woman to lead the department.
SCHOOLS With a judge denying trustees’ request to halt the elections, three West Ada School District recall elections will take place in May.
C M Y K
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STATE The Idaho Transportation Department is still looking for a buyer of 13 acres near the Meridian Road Interchange after the auction bid fell through.
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ON THE TOWN
SCHOOLS
The third annual Treasure Valley Kite Festival returns to Meridian this spring with free kites and friendly competitions.
For the second time, the Ambrose School has risen to the top of the Idaho mock trial contest and will represent the state at nationals.
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