Idaho Community Information

Paul Schaller, a former Silicon Valley pilot and high-tech executive, has spent the past five years getting Quest Aircraft Co., a turboprop manufacturer in Sandpoint, Idaho, off the ground. But just when business was taking shape, he ran into a wicked recession that has made owning a private plane about as politically correct as wearing mink to a PETA convention. Schaller's salvation has been to exploit an overlooked and defensible niche: utility turboprops for missionary and humanitarian organizations that need to access remote and dangerous regions. It's a growing $300 million market that hasn't seen much innovation since the Turbo-Beaver bush plane was introduced by de Havilland Canada in the early 1960s.

This month: Some good news, and a few words of caution. We heard recently that the recession may be over. Our nation’s economy grew about 3.5 percent during the most recent quarter, marking the first three-month period of growth in more than a year. But before we celebrate, let’s remember that while we may finally be at the bottom of this downturn and starting to turn things around, we are not yet anywhere near where we were or where we want to be.

Shoshone Medical Center received a 2009 Quorum Health Resources Excellence in Leadership honor for exhibiting exceptional strong management and success over the past year. Mike Pruitt, SMC chief executive officer, said he received notice of the award in late October from QHR — a management, consulting and educational service company with hospitals across the nation. This honor was given to 18 other hospitals that also participate in QHR leadership direction through on-site leadership, consulting, education, corporate support, purchasing benefits and regional guidance. Roughly 8,000 healthcare professionals are trained by QHR, the company reported, with a history of helping nearly 1,000 hospitals over the course of three decades. QHR ranked and selected these facilities based on overall good quality and financial performance, Pruitt explained, as well as the different programs and events that are put on throughout the year. Pruitt said hospital CEOs and Chief Financing Officers — like himself and SMC CFO Jerry Brantz — are the healthcare personnel who remain in close contact with QHR to maintain outstanding operations at SMC. “It’s always an honor,” he commented on this acknowledgment of the good job. “We all contribute for this, each and every day.” One of the biggest focuses at SMC, Pruitt added, is to have workers participate in many team and camaraderie exercises. “We are always striving for improvement,” he said. “It’s a joy to be taking care of the community.”