Marie on fishing boat in yellow rain gear
The outdoors has always held a special place in Marie Price’s heart. So, it should come as no surprise that for eight summers she spent her days working on commercial fishing boats cruising for salmon in remote waters off the Kodiak Island, the Alaska Peninsula – King Cove, Port Moller, Cold Bay, Sand Point, and southeastern Alaskan waters near Craig and Ketchikan.
Price, who is IFG’s Director of Training and Development, lived and worked on the vessels in the 1980’s to earn money for college. Price also admits the idea of spending summers prepping nets, checking gear and harvesting wild salmon was also a way to spend time with friends on the docks in her hometown of Seattle.
As a deckhand, she set nets, helped bring nets back on board and offloaded salmon. Her favorite task was cork piler, which required her to pile the corks at the top of the net on the back of the boat in such a way that the nets could be cast out without getting tangled. She also helped navigate and at times cooked meals for the crew (her specialty was wild berry pies).
“Working on fishing boats in Alaska was not always fun, but it was a great experience. I worked with people from all walks of life in confined conditions and remote locations. We worked long hours, got little sleep, and had to get along to get the job done,” Marie said “This type of experience prepares you to work hard, focus on your goals, endure challenges, make the best of any situation, and enjoy time off.”
Marie (back center) in the woods with the IFG 2021 Leadership Team
Marie earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Seattle University, then decided it was time to explore other parts of the Pacific Northwest. She moved to Missoula where she earned a master’s degree in Recreation Management. In 2008 she moved to Idaho and enrolled at the University of Idaho. In Moscow, she became an education specialist in Organizational Learning and Leadership. She also earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education/Higher Education Administration.
As Training and Development Director for IFG, Marie’s responsibilities include identifying training needs, planning training programs, and overseeing learning activities, curriculum, and resources.
“My goal is to ensure that our employees have opportunities for continuous learning and career development, that students are aware of the career opportunities at IFG, and that IFG has the best learning resources to achieve our goals,” she said.
Marie joined IFG three years ago and appreciates working for a company that shares so many of her own values.
“IFG is a company that has a vision, understands the market, looks to the future, takes care of its people and invests in its people in so many different ways,” she said. “I have high expectations for myself, and I love that this company also supports and drives that high expectation of excellence.”
Marie is the mother of two adult sons, Steven, 26, is living his dream as a fighter pilot for the U.S. Navy in Lemoore, California, while Anthony, 23, earned his degree to become a Certified Public Accountant and is living in Reno, Nevada. Marie says her proudest accomplishment is the fact her sons remain best friends despite living so far apart.
