COEUR d'ALENE - Those who honored John Barlow on Tuesday said he improves everything he touches.

Barlow, who recently retired from Hagadone Corp. after 34 years, became the first recipient of the Bob Potter Excellence in Economic Development Award.

"I have seen him change meetings in moments," said Steve Griffitts, president of Jobs Plus. "I have seen him ask questions that have allowed us to find the issues - then fix them."

Barlow received the award Tuesday during the Jobs Plus annual meeting of member investors at The Coeur d'Alene Resort.

"Everything that has been achieved was really because of you, because of our community - it is so special that it funds an organization like (Jobs Plus)," Barlow said. "Through good times and through really bad times, it never missed a beat. And because of that we look pretty good."

Bob Potter was one of the founders of Jobs Plus in 1987.

Barlow said Jobs Plus - which operated with a $309,000 budget last year - has helped the community in many ways, including the Kootenai Technical Education Campus (KTEC).

Barlow said he plans to stay connected to the community and Jobs Plus. He remains a consultant to Hagadone Corp., providing guidance on special assignments and projects.

Barlow has been on the Jobs Plus board of directors since 1993, and has been chairman the past three years.

He has served on other community boards, too, including the Coeur d'Alene School District Long Range Planning Committee, the North Idaho Health Network, Concerned Businesses of North Idaho, KTEC, and the McEuen Park steering committee.

He joined Hagadone Corp. in 1979 as president of Hagadone Construction, which built projects like The Coeur d'Alene Resort.

In 1987, he was named vice president of administration and development for Hagadone Corp., overseeing corporate affairs and development.

In 2002, he was named president of Hagadone Real Estate Holding Co.

Also during the annual meeting, guest speaker Jeff Sayer, the Idaho Department of Commerce director, laid out some of his strategic thinking when it comes to luring new businesses to the state.

While the Gem State has the 46th largest economy in the nation and roughly 1.6 million residents, the incentive packages Idaho can offer prospective businesses will be limited.

"We're going to be challenged for the rest of our history by being a small state," Sayer said. "We also have a small checkbook."

Idaho is not going to be competitive, in the near term, trying to recruit businesses bringing 500 to 2,000 jobs, he said.

He recently took a look at incentive packages offered by Utah.

"They've had some notable wins lately," he said. He ticked off some names: Google, Adobe, Goldman Sachs, Procter and Gamble.

Compared with Utah, Idaho's incentive-package offers were $15 million to $25 million lower on each deal, he said.

What Idaho needs to do, he said, is be as competitive as possible recruiting companies to the state bringing 50 to 100 jobs.

"And every once in a while we're going to hit a trophy like we did with Chobani," Sayer said. Chobani picked Twin Falls to open one of the world's largest yogurt-processing plants, with hundreds of employees.

"We're the third largest dairy producer in the nation," Sayer said. "They came because they needed milk supply."