Though Carlos Zamora retired just last week from a long career in finance, he doesn’t plan to have much down time. 

With three-term Kootenai County Treasurer Steve Matheson not seeking reelection, Zamora will face Teresa Mallery in Tuesday’s Republican primary election. The winner will run unopposed in November.

Cuban by birth, Zamora came to the U.S. with his parents in 1966. 

“We left everything behind,” said Zamora, who moved to Hayden in 2019 with wife Priscilla. “We came here with nothing. This country’s given us everything.” 

Zamora has more than 40 years of experience in global banking and financial markets. Most recently, he served as executive director and Head of Asset and Liability Management at First Abu Dhabi Bank USA. 

He said he chose to run for county treasurer because he believes he can use his experience for the good of the office. In Idaho, the county treasurer is authorized and empowered to invest surplus or idle funds; Zamora said his background makes him uniquely qualified for this function. 

“It can actually alleviate, in a small way, the tax burden on all of us,” he said. 

Zamora noted the office’s other responsibilities, including collecting tax dollars and investigating, managing and administering certain cases of deceased Kootenai County residents. In this areas, he said, he has less experience. But he described himself as a quick learner who will rely on the office’s experienced staff. 

“I don’t have the institutional knowledge that certain people have,” he said. “I’m going to lean heavily on staff to acquire that institutional knowledge.” 

Zamora said he’s not looking to make major changes to the treasurer’s office right away. 

“Steve and his team have done a superb job,” he said. “I want to continue that legacy and expand on that legacy.” 

Though county treasurer is a partisan office, Zamora said the position is largely apolitical in his view. 

“I’m a conservative, but I don’t bow to any group,” he said. “I’m just here to help the county save some money. Any little thing I can do, I’m willing to do.”