Gem State Wire

Idaho businessman Paul Franz has been appointed as the newest member of the Idaho Transportation Board. The announcement was made during the board's monthly meeting in Boise on March 20. Franz succeeds Jim Thompson, whose term ended in January after nearly six years of service.

Franz will represent five northern Idaho counties on the board. He brings experience as a professional engineer and former performance manager, along with a history of community involvement. Governor Brad Little expressed confidence in Franz's abilities, stating, "Paul Franz has the personal and professional qualities to help Idaho advance historic investments in transportation to keep up with the needs of our rapidly growing state."

Idaho Transportation Board Chairman Bill Moad also voiced his support for Franz's appointment: “I’m really looking forward to working with Paul on the important transportation issues of a growing state. His engineering and management background will be an invaluable resource as we address these statewide needs.”

Before joining the board, Franz worked at CPM Development for 42 years until his retirement on March 7. CPM is a significant supplier of concrete, asphalt, and aggregates in the Pacific Northwest. In addition to his work at CPM, Franz served as President of the Idaho Association of General Contractors in 2007 and has been a board member for 22 years.

Franz holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Idaho. He has been married to his wife Elizabeth for 41 years, and they have six adult children.