Dr. Mindi Anderson’s career has been nothing short of remarkable, as she has led growing and dynamic teams in military, civilian and nonprofit roles. Five years ago, she launched Idaho’s first Veterans Chamber of Commerce and largest Veteran network navigation hub to better serve Idaho veterans and their families.

Anderson took advantage of her time in the U.S. Air Force, earning first an associate’s degree in allied health science/information systems and medical laboratory, then earning a bachelor’s in social psychology, a master’s in health care administration leadership and management, and finally earning a doctorate in health care administration.

“My primary goal is to leverage my diverse experiences to drive meaningful change,” Anderson said in her 2024 application for Idaho Business Review’s Women of the Year awards. “I aim to pay forward the mentorship and support I received from some of the greatest leaders in the Air Force and civilian sectors. Additionally, I am passionate about serving rural Idaho communities and underserved populations.”

Julie Anglesey has spent 18 years in real estate, currently serving as designated broker and co-owner at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Silverhawk Realty East Idaho. She transitioned to real estate as an entrepreneur seeking flexibility while leveraging her passion for customer service and community involvement.

Anglesey currently serves as president of Idaho Realtors Association, focusing on raising professionalism standards through initiatives including Code of Ethics video training, an Ethics and Professionalism endorsement and supporting legislation to strengthen education requirements. She has held leadership roles at local, state and national Realtor associations.

“One of the greatest challenges in real estate is maintaining discipline and consistency. Success requires more than just showing up, it demands commitment, integrity and genuine empathy for clients,” Anglesey said.

Her extensive certifications include Accredited Buyers Representative, Certified Residential Specialist and Graduate Realtor Institute designations. Beyond real estate, she holds Master Gardener certification and finds fulfillment working with plants and landscapes.

Anglesey’s goals include growing her brokerage while continuing industry advocacy and education efforts to benefit Idaho consumers.

Isaac Belden has led the Veteran Entrepreneur Alliance for seven years, transforming the Meridian-based nonprofit from a startup into a systematic support network for veteran entrepreneurs across Idaho. His organization achieved 223% growth in 2024 through deeper partnerships with Mission43 and the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation.

“We went from scrappy to systemized, fast,” Belden said. “But the real mic drop? We built a brand-new onboarding process that doesn’t just hand our members a business checklist. It gives them a customized set of tools.”

A U.S. Army veteran with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Boise State University, Belden founded VEA after discovering entrepreneurship provided direction and purpose after military service. The organization now provides veterans with feasibility studies, competitive analyses and strategic support plans rather than generic business advice.

“Veterans don’t hand out trust easily, and for good reason,” he said. “I had to show up, over and over again, and prove that the VEA wasn’t here to play nonprofit dress-up.”

Linda Coppess has led the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber for four years, transforming its scholarship program from 52 students receiving $1,000 awards in 2021 to 204 students from 15 schools this year. The initiative, supported by 77 local businesses and matching contributions from the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, represents one of the largest chamber scholarship programs nationwide.

“To our knowledge, no other chamber in the country has a scholarship program of this scale and structure,” Coppess said. “I’m incredibly proud of our members and humbled to be part of a community that prioritizes young people.”

A University of Washington Foster School of Business graduate, Coppess spent 24 years at Microsoft in sales, marketing and executive engagement before returning to her hometown. Her upcoming goals include establishing a 501(c)(3) foundation and launching engagement initiatives for professionals in their 20s and 30s.

“I truly believe I was made for this role as CEO and president, and I feel extremely blessed to serve my community every single day,” she said.

Dale Dixon has served as chief innovation officer for nine years at the Better Business Bureau Great West + Pacific, leading modernization efforts across eight states from the organization’s Meridian headquarters. Dixon’s most significant recent accomplishment was sharing the BBB’s innovation story on IBM stages, marking national recognition for the organization’s use of artificial and data intelligence.

“Sharing the BBB innovation story on two IBM stages was a milestone ― not just personally, but for our entire team,” he said. “It marked national recognition of the ways we’re using AI, automation and data intelligence to modernize how businesses earn and maintain trust.”

Dixon holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with a criminal justice minor from the University of Idaho, plus certifications in innovation and leadership development. Dixon joined BBB in 2007 as CEO of the Southwest Idaho office before transitioning to focus on innovation, communication and strategy.

His biggest challenge has been “driving innovation inside a 100-year-old brand,” balancing progress with principle to maintain trust while advancing technology.

Sean Evans has led the Meridian Chamber of Commerce since January 2020, guiding the organization through its fastest growing three years in history. His 30-plus years of experience spans organizational management, marketing, media and nonprofit leadership across multiple states.

Evans’ media career included publisher roles at newspapers in Oklahoma and Arkansas before moving to Idaho, where he served as publisher and vice president of Idaho Business Review from 2009 to 2014. He also worked with Idaho Press and Meridian Press before transitioning to nonprofit leadership as president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Idaho from 2016 to 2020.

“I have the unique opportunity to support, promote and advocate for the businesses in Meridian daily,” Evans said. “Representing an association of member businesses that want to see the community grow and prosper is a job that you can look forward to every day.”

His community involvement includes board service with Junior Achievement of Idaho, Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Board Development Committee, USGLC’s Idaho Advisory Committee and the Idaho Chamber Alliance.