Adam Altwies serves as general manager of Inn at 500 Capitol, a boutique hotel in downtown Boise, where he oversees daily operations and financial management. Prior to his current role, Altwies spent 14 years in Las Vegas managing poker rooms for a major luxury casino resort brand.

His career in the gaming industry rose from an on-call dealer at the Bellagio in 2002 to director of poker operations at Aria Resort and Casino over the course of a decade. At Aria, he successfully managed the prestigious Ivey Room, providing exceptional service and hospitality to high-stakes poker players.

Altwies served as board chair of Visit Boise (the Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau) in 2023, having previously served as chair-elect in 2022. His hospitality experience and passion for creating memorable guest experiences have made him a valuable leader in Idaho’s tourism and hospitality industry, bringing world-class service standards from Las Vegas to Boise’s boutique hotel market.

Jeremy Chase has led tourism and marketing efforts for the Idaho Department of Commerce for two and a half years, overseeing Visit Idaho’s groundbreaking initiatives. He and the Visit Idaho team are responsible for creating and launching “The 3100,” a six-episode series and documentary about Idaho’s whitewater that premiered at Boise’s Egyptian Theatre and was featured at the 2025 Outside Festival in Denver. 

“In the past 18 months, Visit Idaho has achieved things we’ve never done before,” Chase said. “Long-form storytelling, brand partnerships, and experiential marketing are new territory for us, and it’s incredible to see how boldly the team has embraced and delivered.” 

A University of Idaho communication graduate, Chase previously worked at advertising agencies in Idaho and Utah, where mentor Bill Drake sparked his passion for travel and tourism. His biggest challenge has been learning that collaboration produces the best work. 

“Realizing that you can’t go it alone has been the biggest challenge,” he said. “The best work happens when it’s treated as a team sport.” 

Chase and team also launched “The Power of Idaho Tourism” initiative to underscore tourism’s vital economic role statewide. 

“In the past 18 months, Visit Idaho has achieved things we’ve never done before,” Chase said. “Long-form storytelling, brand partnerships, and experiential marketing are new territory for us, and it’s incredible to see how boldly the team has embraced and delivered.”

A University of Idaho communication graduate, Chase previously worked at advertising agencies in Idaho and Utah, where mentor Bill Drake sparked his passion for travel and tourism. His biggest challenge has been learning that collaboration produces the best work.

“Realizing that you can’t go it alone has been the biggest challenge,” he said. “The best work happens when it’s treated as a team sport.”

Chase also launched “The Power of Idaho Tourism” initiative to underscore tourism’s vital economic role statewide.

Pam Eaton has led the Idaho Retailers Association since January 2001, also serving as president and CEO of the Idaho Lodging & Restaurant Association and Idaho State Pharmacy Association. She recently concluded successful legislative defense work, addressing health care reimbursement issues for pharmacies, and creating workforce development initiatives for retail and hospitality industries.

“In the political and association world, quite frankly, back when I started in the industry, it was being young and being a woman ― and then being a mom” that was her biggest challenge, Eaton said. “There weren’t a lot of young women in the field at the time, and there especially weren’t new moms continuing in the field right after starting a family.”

A Washington State University graduate with degrees in political science and business, Eaton represents industries comprising one quarter of Idaho’s workforce. She created Wander Idaho as the public-facing tourism arm to promote lesser-known Idaho destinations.

Her goals include highlighting retail and hospitality career opportunities, expanding educational partnerships, and increasing awareness of pharmacy reimbursement issues affecting Idaho’s health care system.

Cal Elliott has operated The Avery Hotel & Brasserie since purchasing the building in 2015, bringing 35 years of culinary experience to downtown Boise. His most significant recent accomplishment was being nominated for a James Beard Award in 2025, following his previous Michelin Star received at Dressler in New York in 2006.

“Being nominated for a James Beard Award has definitely been a big moment,” Elliott said. “It’s pushed us to keep raising our standards, but still stay approachable and true to who we are. We’re not trying to cook just for rich people. We want to make great food that’s rooted in honesty and heart.”

His biggest challenge has been perseverance through financial difficulties, including opening a restaurant during the 2008 financial crisis and maintaining operations through the pandemic. Elliott’s work preserved a 120-year-old building on the historic Gem Block while employing 80 Idaho locals.

His goals include expanding partnerships with local farmers and Idaho businesses while continuing to mentor young chefs and give back to the community through their craft.

For more than 18 years, Janet Gallimore has been the executive director and state historic preservation officer at the Idaho State Historical Society, overseeing the management of archives, resources, museums and the preservation of Idaho’s past.

She earned her master’s degree in management and business administration from National Louis University in Chicago. She also holds a fine art degree from Barat College, and she is a graduate for the J. Paul Getty Museum Management Institute.

Gallimore has more than 35 years of experience in cultural resource management, and she has served on many boards and committees, many dedicated to historical preservation.

Before her current position, she was the director of cultural resources for the Lake County Forest Preserves for 22 years, where she was in charge of the Lake County Discovery Museum, the Adlai Stevenson Historic Home and other cultural sites.

Among her many honors have been Idaho Business Review’s CEO of Influence in 2018 and a Women of the Year honoree in 2010.

Dwayne Griffiths has spent eight years as executive chef at Boise Centre after building 45 years of hands-on experience in the banquets, catering and events industry. His culinary career began at age 15 washing dishes, evolving through determination and hard work into his current leadership role.

Griffiths focuses on building and maintaining what he calls a world-class team while managing the challenging and ever-changing work schedules that define the hospitality industry. His biggest professional accomplishment centers on team development rather than individual recognition.

“To WOW every guest that attends an event at Boise Centre,” Griffiths said, describing his primary goal.

His work contributes to Boise’s economic impact through the events and catering services provided at the convention center. The venue hosts numerous conferences, meetings and special events that bring visitors and revenue to the city.

Griffiths credits his long tenure in the industry to starting from the ground up and working his way through various kitchen positions. Outside his culinary career, he harbors interests in veterinary medicine and professional golf, though his passion clearly remains in creating memorable dining experiences for event attendees.