People pose for a photo at the lighted “Invest in Utah” sign at the recent Utah Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit in Salt Lake City. (Brice Wallace/Salt Lake Business Journal)
The event was billed as a 2026 economic outlook, but the leader of Utah’s largest business association called for the Legislature, businesses and others to think beyond this year as they work to improve the state.
Derek Miller, president and CEO of both the Salt Lake Chamber and the Utah Chamber, put an emphasis on future generations of Utahns and stressed the need “to recognize that investment means making the hard choice because it is the right choice.”
“It is about making decisions that take effort, collaboration, even sacrifice, always with future generations in mind,” he told the crowd at the 2026 Utah Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit in Salt Lake City. “We aren’t just looking in Utah for short-term rewards. We want long-term outcomes — outcomes that allow families, communities and businesses to succeed, not temporarily, but sustainably. That requires sacrifice, transparency and, of course, working together.”
The event’s theme was “Invest in Utah,” and Miller asked the crowd to consider what Utah’s future generations “need from us today to succeed.”
“Utah’s success never happened by chance,” he said. “It has always come from leaders choosing to build the future together, choosing to invest.”
Miller cited several examples from Utah’s past. They include decades-long investment in “Utah’s beautiful recreational jewels,” including Alta, Snowbird, Solitude and Brighton in the Cottonwood canyons. “And yes, growth once again requires us to plan for the continued access and enjoyment of our canyons — decisions that we make now will determine quality of life for future generations.”
The Daybreak community, nearly two decades old, was built through intentional planning, infrastructure investment, and anchor partnerships. With Utah facing unprecedented housing shortages today, “we should be asking ourselves, ‘How do we make investments and projects like that again?’”
He also noted the formation of the Economic Development Corporation in 1987, established as a way for state and local government and private industry to attract high-value companies and spur expansion of local Utah businesses. While Utah then had 1.7 million people, an economy heavily dependent on manufacturing and mining, and many college graduates leaving the state for better opportunities elsewhere, community and business leaders chose to invest in a long-term strategy to diversify Utah’s economy.
“And it worked,” Miller said. “Today, Utah enjoys one of the most diverse economies in the nation. We consistently rank at the top of ‘best of states’ lists, both for business and quality of life. And for nearly 40 years, that organization those businesses created, EDCUtah, has been the bridge between the private sector and government, helping companies continue to grow in Utah.”
Those examples, he said, demonstrate “how we must plan for the state we want to become, not the one we used to be.”
Utah’s population, economic and industry growth provide “incredible” opportunities but also challenges that require proactive leadership and long-term thinking, he said.
“Utah’s long-term success depends on deliberate choices to invest in Utah, in our people, our infrastructure, our communities and our shared prosperity,” Miller said. “Investment is the key that unlocks the solutions to our challenges. As one example, investing in more infrastructure will give us more access to more land to build more homes.”
Investing in the state will require developing workforce and education, building modern transportation infrastructure, supporting the business environment, addressing housing issues, enhancing livability and protecting natural resources, he said.
Many of those themes are echoed in the Utah Chamber’s legislative priorities for 2026: education and workforce; energy and critical minerals; environment and public health; the Great Salt Lake; health care; homelessness and public safety; housing affordability; natural resources and growth; tax and regulatory environment; technology, innovation and AI; transportation and infrastructure; and the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Miller called for businesspeople to be involved in setting the state’s future. “We build community on common ground and working together. We must avoid silos and instead always work collaboratively,” he said.
“I am confident that Utah will continue turning challenges into opportunities, if — if — we do it together. Utah’s future will be shaped by the investments we make now — in people, in policy and in partnerships. As we begin today, I invite you to engage with curiosity, collaborate with respect, and commit to a shared purpose. That purpose is to ‘Invest in Utah.’”
The Utah Chamber’s public policy guide is available at https://www.utchamber.com/legislative-priorities/.
The Utah Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit was hosted by the Utah Chamber, Salt Lake Chamber and the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.