SANDPOINT — Deep into his career at Intel, Rick Howarth was asked if he would consider a two-year stay in Asia. 

After deep thought and prayer, Howarth and his wife agreed, packed up their things, headed for Shanghai, China. The first weekend they were there, Howarth recalls a conversation he had with his wife while he was preparing for work. 

“She said, ‘Tell your boss one year, I can’t handle it for more than one year,’” Howarth said. “We kind of joked it’s like the three-hour tour from ‘Gilligan’s Island,’ it became a 15-year tour.” 

Despite the difficulty adapting to their new world at first, Howarth said he looks back on his 15 years in Asia fondly. Howarth said it’s where he adopted his two daughters and is thankful that time allowed him and his family to see so much of the world.  

Howarth grew up in Grangeville and graduated from the University of Idaho with a master’s degree in engineering. He said that a professor at U of I pushed him to continue his education and become the first person in his family to graduate from a university.  

“What I learned from all this was being obedient to God, but also to put yourself out there and say yes to opportunities that come in front of you,” Howarth said. “Not being afraid to see how you’re going to stretch in new ways.” 

When it was time for the couple to settle down in 2017, Howarth said his wife wanted to return to her hometown of Sandpoint. After retiring and becoming a full-time Sandpoint resident in 2020, Howarth said he never thought he’d find himself as any kind of politician. 

"That was probably the last thing ever on my mind,” Howarth said. “I’m a business guy; I spent 40 years in a high-tech industry. At times I loathed politics because of how nasty it's gotten.” 

When Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm approached Howarth about filling the vacant seat on the council left by Jason Welker leaving to work at the city, he said that it wasn’t an easy decision. Howarth said that he mulled the decision over for two months before accepting the offer.  

In those months, Howarth said that he spent time talking with Grimm and councilors Justin Dick and Joel Aispuro to get an idea of what the city’s goal were. He said that, as a long-time engineer, he was always searching for facts to ground him in the decision. 

"Selfishly it was to get to know the city,” Howarth said. “So much of it was prayer and looking for god’s direction, but also that fact finding process. In the end, it all came together, and it felt like the right thing.” 

Howarth is seeking election for a first term on the Sandpoint City Council during the election Nov. 4. There are three seats available, which will go to the three candidates with the most votes. His name will appear alongside Aispuro, Joe Tate and Joshua Torrez.