Georgia Simmons’ career in the retail field began in 1971. Among her positions was that of Executive Vice President of Newport News, a Catalog Division of Spiegel, Inc. part of the multi-million dollar international catalog company, Otto Versand. She moved to Sandpoint in 1998 when she joined Coldwater Creek as Vice President and Director of Merchandising. In 1999, she was promoted to President of Catalog and Retail Sales Divisions and in 2002, became President and Chief Merchandising Officer. She received a “Life Time Achievement Award” from the International Fashion Group in 2000. Georgia retired from Coldwater Creek at the end of January 2011.

Community involvement has long been an important part of Georgia’s life. While living and working in New York City, she was a member of the Committee Concerned for Children (CCC), which dealt with life-threatening or terminal illness for under privileged children. She received the “Woman of the Year Award” for her work with the CCC in 1996. After arriving in our community, it was obvious that education was the biggest need for our children.

Georgia and her husband, Howard, who is also retired, remain involved in the Sandpoint community, particularly in the areas of children and health.