When North Idaho's main economic drivers of timber, mining and agriculture began to sputter more than 30 years ago, Duane B. Hagadone invested in tourism.

Forty years before that, when the chairman of the Hagadone Corp. began selling advertising for The Coeur d'Alene Press, tourism was almost unheard of here.

"I imagine if you would've had a meeting 60, 70 years ago you could have sat those involved in tourism around one table," Hagadone said.

Hagadone, who has invested in marine, golf, restaurant, newspaper and hospitality businesses including the iconic Coeur d'Alene Resort, was named the Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce's 2017 recipient of the Kyle M. Walker Champion of Tourism Award on Tuesday at the nonprofit's Upbeat Breakfast at The Resort.

The award is named after the chamber's former executive director who was at the helm when Hagadone was president of the organization nearly 60 years ago/

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