Brief History of the E Center

In October 2005, Robert “Bob” Pothier was invited to speak at a Brigham Young University-Idaho Entrepreneurial Conference. Knowing he would be retiring in 2006 from Wasatch Venture Fund (now Epic Ventures), Bob and his wife, Marva, indicated their interest in serving on the BYU-Idaho campus as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The Pothiers accepted the assignment to work as service missionaries in the Business Department.

Arriving in the spring of 2006, President Kim B. Clark, the University’s President, met with the Pothiers. After explaining the vital role economic development played in the continued growth of the university and how an entrepreneurial center could help facilitate this development, President Clark asked Bob to establish an entrepreneurial center in Rexburg. Instead of being based on campus and affiliated with the University and the Church, it would be an independent, non-profit entity. Bob’s background in entrepreneurial ventures, government laboratories, investment groups, and business students provided him with distinctive experience to fulfill this charge.

Bob began to create working relationships with local economic supporters and the Idaho National Laboratory Technology Transfer Department. He also talked with Todd Stevens, Managing Director of Epic Ventures, persuaded him to see the potential for deal flow from eastern Idaho, and garnered his support for the center. 

The intern consulting program was then formulated and began in the fall of 2006 with six interns working on INL consulting projects. Relationships with Ted Hendricks and The Development Company were made during the winter of 2007, and their support was shown by housing the E Center, providing expert knowledge of the region, and assisting in grant-writing. Eastern Idaho Entrepreneurial Center (E Center) has grown into an established non-profit organization that has provided consulting services to over 100 local companies.

Robert "Bob" Pothier

Bob Pothier currently serves as the Managing Director of the Eastern Idaho Entrepreneurial Center as well as a Venture Partner with Epic Ventures, a venture capital firm focusing on technologies that will lead their industry. Prior to his work in the Eastern Idaho region, Bob was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rockford Corporation, growing the company from 15 employees to over 670 employees internationally. He was also a partner from 1978 to 1982 in Camelback Capital Corporation, an early-stage venture capital company.

Bob was the Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year in the State of Arizona in 1990. In addition, he has been the owner and president of his own consulting firm, providing high-level business consultation to various multi-million dollar corporations. Bob specializes in management team building and sales and marketing strategy development. He is a graduate with a B.S. in Finance from Brigham Young University and the Executive Program at Stanford University.

Bob has worked with New Mexico and Sandia National Laboratories and early stage businesses to get them launched. He worked with angel groups and was active in the economic development of the Phoenix area. He trained interns with Thunderbird International School of Business and worked with ASU on many projects, speaking and judging as requested.

Bob and his wife live in Rexburg, Idaho and are the parents of nine children and grandparents to thirty-one (and counting) grandchildren.

 

Corey B. Smith

Corey Smith graduated from Brigham Young University with a BS in Business Management (1985) and an MBA (1987). He managed consumer product brands for Pillsbury, H.J. Heinz Company, and Ocean Spray Cranberries from 1987 through 1996. Along with full profit and loss responsibility, he introduced new products, created award winning advertising and consumer promotions, and pioneered joint venture and trade marketing initiatives.

In 1996 Corey purchased his fathers retail pharmacy in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He added a second location in 2006. He also founded PharmEase, a closed-door pharmacy, in 2001 which operates throughout Southern Idaho and Montana. He has served on the Advisory Board and is a recipient of the Chairman’s award from AmerisourceBergen Corporation.

Corey works as a volunteer and serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Eastern Idaho Entrepreneurial Center. He also sits on the Governor's Economic Advisory Council. He is a consultant to Yellowstone Hotel Systems of Rexburg. He and his wife have four children and live in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

 

Amy K. Stokes

Originally from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Amy moved to Rexburg to pursue an education in Business Management at Brigham Young University – Idaho.  After completing her second year of Business School, she served an 18 month mission in Guatemala. In the fall of 2007, she spent a semester studying in the Middle East.  Amy then returned to Rexburg to continue her education.  Upon completing her coursework at BYU–Idaho, she was offered an internship as a Junior Analyst for Epic Ventures and the Entrepreneurial Center.  As an intern she consulted with two established businesses as well as the Idaho National Laboratory.  Since graduating with a BS degree in Business Management in July of 2008, Amy has worked with the Entrepreneurial Center as the Assistant Managing Director. She currently resides in Rexburg, Idaho.

 

Sam Peterson

Sam graduated from Brigham Young University with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering (2004) and from Idaho State University with an MBA (2008). Sam has worked as an engineer for both Idaho National Laboratories and Melaleuca, developing and optimizing manufacturing processes and managing various production teams. He has also owned and managed three small businesses. After receiving his MBA, he began working for Idaho State University as their MBA Director and Director of Business Services for the College of Business where he helped to implement E Center efforts at ISU, oversaw student advising and internship/job placement opportunities, and built relationships with local and regional firms. Sam currently works at ISU as the Director of Graduate Programs for the College of Business and also continues to coordinate the E Center efforts for the university.

Sam was born and raised in Idaho Falls, Idaho, where he and his wife are now raising their own four children. He is committed to Eastern Idaho’s continued success and is excited to be involved with projects that will help boost the economy and develop relationships between the university and the business community.

 

Enrique Sandoval

After graduating from the Merchant Marines, Enrique decided to leave his native country of Peru to pursue further education in the United States of America. After a short stint in Florida, Enrique moved to Utah, where he learned to speak English. After attending at the LDS Business College and The University of Utah, Enrique transferred to BYU-Idaho to finish his Business Management Degree. After completing an intensive semester in finance, Enrique applied and was accepted as an intern with Epic Ventures for the summer 2008 semester. After consulting a Pocatello start-up and a Rexburg-based business, Enrique was offered a unique position at the E Center. With his ties to Peru and his education, Bob Pothier hired him to develop and eventually implement a plan for opening entrepreneurial opportunities to people throughout the world. Enrique possesses a disciplined work ethic, vision, and leadership skills necessary for his current and future responsibilities. Enrique, with his wife and four children, live in Rexburg.

 

Board of Directors

Name	Title/Company
Todd Stevens	Former Managing Director Epic Ventures
Corey Smith	Chairman of the Board E Center
Fenton Broadhead	Academic Vice President BYU-Idaho
Heber Andrus	President Doug Andrus Distributing
Ted Hendricks	Economic & Community Development Manager The Development Company
Tom Harrison	Former Director, Technology Transfer & Commercialization Idaho National Laboratory
Kenneth A. Smith	Dean, College of Business Idaho State University
Arlo Luke	Chairman of the Board Varsity Contractors