John Thomas Ahlquist III (born January 25, 1968) is an American businessman, commercial real-estate developer, and retired physician from Idaho.
He is the CEO of the development firm, Ball Ventures Ahlquist (BVA) and founder and medical director of MN Solutions.
Prior to that, he was the COO of the Gardner Company where he helped develop projects like the Eighth & Main building and City Center Plaza in downtown Boise.
[7] After high school, Ahlquist moved to Rexburg, Idaho to attend Ricks College (now Brigham Young University–Idaho)[2] where he played basketball and studied pre-med.
[27] As COO of the Gardner Company, Ahlquist has led the development of numerous other properties in the Treasure Valley area, including the West Valley Medical Complex in Caldwell,[28] Library Square in Nampa,[29] Mace River Ranch in Eagle,[30] and the ongoing Pioneer Crossing development in Downtown Boise.
[19] In September of that year, Ahlquist announced plans for a 90,000 square-foot medical office complex in Meridian called Central Valley Plaza.
[35] BVA is planning to include Saltzer Health locations in its Ten Mile Crossing, Central Valley Plaza, and other developments.
[13] Other projects that Ahlquist is working on as CEO of BVA include Eagle View Landing in Meridian[36] and an as yet unnamed development off of Interstate 84 in Caldwell.
[37] New BVA Projects include: Eagle View Landing, TopGolf, 4th and Idaho, North Ranch, 8th and Main, Pioneer Crossing, Ten Mile.
[38] Ahlquist was a finalist for the Idaho State Department of Education Board opening in July 2014 when Milford Terrell announced that he was stepping down early from his term.
[42] Ahlquist supported Marco Rubio in the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries and served as his financial co-chair for Idaho.
[44] On March 1, 2017, Ahlquist announced his candidacy for the 2018 Idaho gubernatorial election in an event at the Zions Bank tower he helped develop.
[49] Throughout the race, Ahlquist was considered one of three Republican front-runners alongside Idaho Lieutenant Governor Brad Little and U.S. Representative Raúl Labrador.
[52] On May 15, 2018, Ahlquist earned 26.2% of the vote in the Idaho Republican Party primary election, falling behind Raúl Labrador (32.6%) and the eventual governor Brad Little (37.3%).
[53] Ahlquist has served on multiple community boards and subcommittees, including Family Advocates, United Way of the Treasure Valley,[54] YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, Boy Scouts of America Ore-Ida Council Board, Treasure Valley Leadership Alliance,[55] Boise Valley Economic Partnership, Idaho Technology Council,[56] Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce,[57] Idaho State University President's advisory board,[58][59] University of Arizona Emergency Medicine Research Center Advisory Board, American Heart Association,[60] March of Dimes, Go Red for Women,[61][62] and the FACES of Hope Victims Center.