Hello,
I am Mike Pohanka, and I am running for District 26, Seat A for Jerome, Lincoln and Blaine Counties. I am here to hear your voice and represent you.
I am a proud, first-generation citizen born in Twin Falls, Idaho, and I have been a Jerome County resident for the past 32 years. My parents immigrated from Czechoslovakia and Germany to the United States. My father escaped Czechoslovakia in the late 1940’s when Communism took over the country. He met my mother in Germany and they immigrated to the United States.
They taught me strong work values and ethics and taught me that you must work hard in life for what you want and not to expect things to be handed to you.
As a child, I would pick rocks every spring on the family farm and worked for my Godfather with his Custom Farming Hay business. I enjoyed my childhood days on the farm and would not trade those days for anything.
I have been married to my wife Susan for 44 years. We have two children and 10 grandchildren who we love spending time with. We also enjoy hiking, gardening, and just being outdoors.
Education
Diploma – Twin Falls High School
Associate of Arts Degree – College of Southern Idaho
Bachelor of Science Degree – Lewis Clark State College
Master of Arts in Business Management – City University-Seattle.
Civic Involvement
Coached Little League baseball and football
Past Board member and President of the Jerome Chamber of Commerce
Past President of the Jerome High School Boosters
Past Board Member and Chair of the Board of the Twin Falls Chamber of Commerce
Past President and current member of the Jerome Rotary Club
Awards
Citizen of The Year – Jerome Chamber of Commerce
Lifetime Achievement Award – Jerome Chamber of Commerce
Paul Harris Fellow – Rotary International
Work History
Buttrey Foods (14 years) – Bag Boy – Worked up to the rank of Assistant Manager
Idaho Power (30 years) – Meter Reader to Industrial Representative covering Southern Idaho
College of Southern Idaho (18.5 years) Adjunct Instructor – Economics
College of Southern Idaho (4.5 years) Full-time – Assistant Professor – Economics
Jerome County Sherriff’s Office – Former Reserve Deputy
Jerome County Sheriff – Chaplain
Idaho State Police – Chaplain
Strong Faith
Strong Families
Strong Communities
IDAHO STRONG
Paid for by Mike Pohanka for State Representative – Brenda Haberman Treasurer