Development group hires new president
Marchi steps down after seven years
The Daily Inter Lake
An Oklahoma corporate executive will replace Liz Marchi as president and chief executive officer of Montana West Economic Development in Kalispell.
Mike Strotheide, chief executive officer of Claremore Industries & Economic Development Authority in Claremore, Okla., comes to Montana West with a strong background in economic development. He begins June 1 and has been an active economic development leader for city, state, and regional organizations since 1988.
Strotheide has a degree in psychology from Minot State University in North Dakota and was selected by Southern Business and Development Magazine as one of the top economic developers in the Southern United States.
Marchi has resigned from Montana West after more than seven years at the organization. Her tenure has been marked by exponential growth of the organization and a growing Flathead economy.
She grew the former Jobs Now Inc. from a one-person bootstrapping operation to a four-person economic development organization.
Marchi brought a fresh, progressive perspective to economic development in the Flathead, focusing on fostering entrepreneurship, private capital, marketing of the region and growth of high-tech, low-impact industry. She is the fund coordinator for the Frontier Angel Fund, Montana's first angel fund.
Total Label USA, TeleTech and several other small companies relocated to the Flathead during Marchi's tenure. She also oversaw the acquisition and growth of a $4 million loan portfolio that provides gap financing to area businesses.
Marchi is a founding member of the Montana Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs, a group that teaches, supports and recognizes distinguished entrepreneurship through the University of Montana School of Business.
She serves as a judge, coach and emcee for the John Raffato Business Plan Competition, and serves on various state and local boards.
Montana West Economic Development is a privately funded economic development organization in Northwest Montana, focused on fostering high value job opportunity.