COEUR d'ALENE - The recession hasn't stopped new businesses from moving to North Idaho.

Job growth is on a promising upswing in Kootenai County, announced John Barlow at the 24th annual meeting of members for Jobs Plus, Inc. on Thursday.

"In these tough economic times, it's amazing to me and I imagine many of you how well we've been able to continue our endeavor of bringing in and keeping jobs in Kootenai County," Barlow said, speaking at The Coeur d'Alene Resort. "Today we have good news: The positive results continue."

The economic development corporation brought in several new businesses in 2010, President Steve Griffitts said, and helped previously recruited companies expand.

Altogether, Jobs Plus saw 362 new jobs created last year.

"I could say we had an outstanding year," Griffitts said.

Job growth has been up in Kootenai County for the last six months, he added, after seeing only negative job growth throughout 2009.

Some industries saw bigger spikes than others, Griffitts said. Manufacturing job growth jumped by 10.9 percent last year, and health care 14.9 percent.

"That's indicative of the opportunities that do exist in Kootenai County," he said.

His corporation is taking advantage.

Jobs Plus, which seeks to recruit environmentally sensitive companies with a national or international market, brought in five new companies to Kootenai County last year, Griffitts said.

Those include Apogee Physicians, Focus Manufacturing, Next Generation Arms, and BioLife Plasma Services.

Griffitts estimated BioLife Plasma impacts the community by $6 million, including staff salaries, the amounts paid to donors and the cost of its facility.

"If you've ever been a college student and needed money, you're familiar with this company," he said.

The new companies brought in roughly 50 new jobs last year, Griffitts said.

The rest of the new openings were created by previously recruited companies, he said.

Ground Force Manufacturing, for instance, has started a new company, Under-Ground Force. And companies like Empire Airlines, L.A. Aluminum and Sunshine Minting have broadened their operations and added more jobs.

"One of our most important jobs in 2010 was to help existing companies expand or not relocate," Griffitts said. "To help them expand and continue to be prosperous and vibrant."

He lauded the Coeur d'Alene Tribe for its resort expansion that will add another 150 jobs to the current 450 there.

John Stone and his financial partners have also invested tens of millions more into the Riverstone development, Griffitts said.

"The way to keep this success is to ensure there is a skilled workforce to fill openings," he said.

Jobs Plus spent about $300,000 last year, Griffitts added, and its 87 recruited companies paid $4 million in property taxes.

"You tell me if we're worth it," Griffitts said.

He acknowledged there is still much work ahead, with 11 percent unemployment in the county and a growing population.

But the corporation is still working to bring in more businesses, including a software engineering company, a nutrition and fitness company and distribution facilities.

"If they make sense and can make us better, we'll go after them," Griffitts said.

Guest speaker U.S. Sen. Jim Risch said an economic development entity is not a luxury but a necessity in today's economic environment.

He remembered when timber, mining and agriculture were the region's economic mainstays.

"All of those three have scaled back considerably," Risch said. "So it's important to have an entity like Jobs Plus."

Bobbi Rollins, whose company, Sterling Codifiers, was recruited by Jobs Plus years ago, said there is plenty this area has to offer relocating businesses.

"We've got to be sure that North Idaho College, especially with KTEC (Kootenai Technical Education Campus), gets to work on getting better qualified employees," she said. "That's what will bring in better businesses."