Why Is RGA, a company fueling  International Business Growth based in Boise, Idaho?

Where exactly is Boise, Idaho, and why is RGA based there?  Boise, Idaho is at the base of the western edge of the Rocky Mountains, about 375 miles south of the Canadian border.

Why live in Boise?  Quality of Life — metro area of 226,000 people, with the greater valley (DMA) of approximately 800,000 people (the 100th largest market in the USA).  Boise sits on the edge of the “Great Basin” high desert of the American West, immediately adjacent to the Rocky Mountains and high alpine wilderness, and offers untouched land for hiking, road-biking, mountain-biking, rock climbing, river running, skiing, camping, backpacking, etc.  Come visit and see!  See also The Economist, In Praise Of Boise.

I’m a product of the New York Metropolitan area, and have lived in many places across the USA and the world.  Prior to Boise, I began my family in Melbourne, Australia and, upon return to America, I found Boise to be a very good place to raise a family of three boys, who are now 18 years of age and older.

The local economy has historical roots in agriculture, mining, and forestry, but growth for the past couple of decades has been centered around high tech.  Hewlett-Packard launched its LaserJet/Printer Division in Boise in 1973.  MICRON Technologies (Gross Revenue US$20 Billion annually), one of the largest “FLASH” / DRAM memory chip manufacturers in the world, was a start-up here in 1978.  Those two companies have provided a backbone for spin-offs and tech-focused start-up companies that have attracted an influx of people abandoning life in the big cities for a place that offers four seasons, loads of sunshine, and immediate access to nature and outdoor fun.

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