Tommy Ahlquist

Ahlquist was born on January 25, 1968 in Hunter, Utah and grew up on a small family farm. Both of Ahlquist’s grandfathers worked for Kennecott Copper. His father worked as an journeyman electrician when he was young and later as a construction manager for large commercial projects. His mother has owned her own preschool for nearly forty years.

Ahlquist earned his Eagle Scout Award at the age of thirteen. He then drew national attention by becoming one of only a few Scouts in the history of the Boy Scouts of America program to earn all 121 merit badges.

Ahlquist attended Cyprus High School where he participated in athletics and student government. He earned several awards for academic excellence and leadership. After high school, Ahlquist moved to Rexburg, Idaho to attend Ricks College where he played basketball and studied pre-med.

Ahquist left school in 1987 to serve as an LDS missionary in Brazil. Upon his return in 1989, he enrolled in the University of Utah, where he managed the Pediatric Intensive Care Research Laboratory at the University of Utah while attending school. He graduated from the University of Utah with a BA degree in biology and a minor in chemistry in 1992.

Ahlquist went on to study medicine at the University of Utah, graduating as a Doctor of Medicine in 1996.

Ahlquist Family

Ahlquist is married to Shanna Mullins, his high-school sweetheart. They have four children.

Ahlquist is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and served as a stake president in the Meridian Idaho North Stake of the LDS Church from October 27, 2013 to Feb. 4, 2017.

Ahlquist completed an Emergency Medicine Residency at the University of Arizona in 1999. While there, he served as the Chief Resident and earned the award for Resident of the Year. He is board certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. After residency, Ahlquist began working as an attending physician in Boise, Idaho for St. Luke’s Health System and has worked in emergency rooms across the state of Idaho for over 15 years.

Early in his career as an ER doctor, Ahlquist saw the need for improved care for victims of sexual assault and abuse. Working with local law enforcement and the county prosecutors, he was able to help form FACES of Hope Victim Center in Boise. Ahlquist currently serves as the Chairman of the FACES Foundation Board.

Ahlquist co-founded a Public Access Defibrillator Service company, STAT PADS LLC in 2001.

Seeing a need for affordable health care for working families, in collaboration with Idaho State University, Tommy opened an urgent care and primary care clinic in Meridian, Idaho.

Ahlquist retired from full-time work as an emergency room physician in 2014.

Publications

Pappas JB, Ahlquist JT III, Banner W Jr. 1995. Oral Dimercaptosuccinic Acid and On going Exposure to Lead Exposure To Lead:Effects on Heme Synthesis and Lead Distribution in a Rat Model. Published in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 133, 121-129.

Ahlquist JT III, Banner W Jr. 1996. The Impacted of Fluoride on Lead Distribution in a Rat Model. Submitted to Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.

Pappas JB, Ahlquist JT III, Banner W Jr. 1997. Oral Dimercaptosuccinic Acid and Ongoing Lead Exposure: Toxicity Profile. Submitted to Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.

Kerr KA, Banner W Jr., Pappas JB, Ahlquist JT III. 1995. A Pharamacokinetics Study Comparing Intermittent versus Continuous Ketorolac in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Submitted to the Journal of Clinical Anesthesia.

Abstract Reviews Published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine

The Effects of Ibuprofen on the Physiology and Survival of Patients with Sepis. N Engl J Med 336:912-918 (August 1997)

Simplified Treatment of Acute Staphylococcal Osteomyelitis of Childhood. Pediatrics 99:846-850 (November 1997)

Outpatient Management Practices Associated with Reduced Risk of Pediatric Asthma Hospitalization and Emergency Department Visits. Pediatrics 100:344-341 (February 1998)

Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. J Trauma 43:904-910 (May 1998)

Participation in Scientific Meetings

Ahlquist JT III and Schunk J. The Responses of Vital Signs to Changes in Body Temperature in a Pediatric Emergency Department. Presented at the annual meeting of the Academic Pediatric Association at Carmel, California. February 17–18, 1996.

Ahlquist JT III, Pappas JB, Banner W Jr. The Impact of Fluoride on Lead Distribution in a Rat Model. Presented at the annual meeting of Society of Environmental Geography and Health

Pappas JB, Ahlquist JT III, Banner W Jr. The Effect of Oral Succimer on Ongoing Exposure to Lead. Presented at the 32nd annual meeting of the Society of Toxicology. New Orleans, Louisiana. March 14–18, 1993.

Pappas JB, Ahlquist JT III, Banner W Jr. ,Winn P. The Effect of Oral Succimer on Ongoing Exposure to Lead. Presented at the annual Scientific Meeting AAPCC/AACT/ABMT/CAPCC. Tampa, Florida. September 19–22, 1992.

Vuignier BI, Pappas JB, Banner W Jr. ,Beauson D., Ahlquist JT III, Bitters A. A Study of Lead Poisoning Among Utah Children. Presented at the annual Scientific Meeting AAPCC/AACT/ABMT/CAPCC. Tampa, Florida. September 19–22, 1992.

Research Projects

Ahlquist JT III, Kei S. Changes in Emergency Department Perception by Parents Following Implementation of a Child Awareness Program. 1997

Ahlquist JT III, Tranmoe N, Linsey D, Walter FG. Effects of Delayed Dosing of Crotalid Antfenom Following Crotalus antrox Envenomation in a Rat Model. 1996

Ahlquist JT III, Kohler S, Guisto J. Ambulance Transport: Patient Demographics. 1997

Ahlquist JT III, Schunk J. The Response of Vital Signs to Changes in Body Temperature in a Pediatric Emergency Department. 1995

In 2006, Ahlquist founded Ahlquist Development and began developing commercial real estate.

After developing several smaller buildings, Ahlquist Development partnered with Gardner Company. Their first major joint development was Portico at Meridian, a 7 building, 328,000 square foot mixed-use project in Meridian Idaho. Multiple projects followed in the Treasure Valley including St. Luke’s Medical Plaza in Nampa, West Valley Medical Complex in Caldwell, Library Square in Nampa, Eagle Island Crossing in Eagle, Mace River Ranch in Eagle, and Twin Falls Surgery Center in Twin Falls.

In 2011, Ahlquist Development merged with Gardner Company and several significant projects have followed. Many in the state of Idaho are familiar with the “Boise Hole” at the corner of 8th and Main, which, for 25 years, served as a reminder of prior failures. Led by Ahlquist, Gardner Company successfully filled the hole with the tallest building in Idaho, the Zion’s Bank Building.

Gardner Company followed that success with the 400,000 square-foot City Center Plaza in Boise, a place of commerce and activity in the heart of the city. This project includes an underground transit center, new retail, an expanded convention center, Boise State University Computer Science Department and the corporate headquarters for Clearwater Analytics.

In 2016, Ahlquist led the formation of a new division of Gardner Company focusing on a continuum of care for seniors through independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities all tied in seamlessly into local health systems, called Veranda Senior Living.

Ahlquist has served on multiple community boards and subcommittees, some are: Family Advocates, United Way of the Treasure Valley, YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, Boy Scouts of America Ore-Ida Council Board, Treasure Valley Leadership Alliance, Boise Valley Economic Partnership, Idaho Technology Council, Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce, Idaho State University President’s Advisory Board, University of Arizona Emergency Medicine Research Center Advisory Board, American Heart Association, March of Dimes, Go Red for Women, and the FACES of Hope Victims Center.

Ahlquist was a finalist for the Idaho State Department of Education Board opening in July 2014 when Milford Terrell announce that he will step down early from his term. David Hill, formerly with Idaho National Laboratory, received the appointment.

He founded Idaho 2020 in 2014. This bipartisan think tank brings together business leaders from around Idaho to focus on challenges facing the state. In 2015 the group tackled investing in infrastructure and developed suggestions for leaders and lawmakers. In 2016, in collaboration with the Boise State University Policy Institute, the group studied transportation in Idaho and recently published the results.

2016 Presidential Election

Ahlquist supported Marco Rubio in the Republican Party presidential primaries, 2016 and served has financial co-chair for Idaho. He did not support President Donald Trump in the general election and wrote in Marco Rubio.

Idaho Gubernatorial Race 2018

On March 1, 2017, Ahlquist announced his candidacy for the Idaho gubernatorial election. His slogan is "a conservative blueprint for building an even better Idaho". His main three platforms are fixing Idaho's health care gap, economic development, and education.On September 5, 2017 he add a plank of ethics/ Term limits. He did a 97 tour stop of Idaho to kick off his campaign, which he finished in May 2017.

Endorsements for 2018 Gubernatorial run

• Kristin Armstrong
• Damond Watkins - Idaho Republican Party National Committeeman
• Tammy de Weerd - Mayor of Meridian, Idaho
• Kevin England - Mayor of Chubbuck, Idaho