Salt Lake Chamber and Utah business leaders detail ‘Utah Rising’

The Salt Lake Chamber, in partnership with a group of Utah business leaders, has released details of a plan to make Utah the top-performing economy in the nation. The plan, dubbed “Utah Rising,” includes six focus areas with their respective goals, measurements and associated projects, representing areas of opportunity and challenge for Utah, the chamber said. The goals included in the plan are set to be accomplished ahead of the Salt Lake City-hosted 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

“Utah’s business community stands in an advantageous and unique position. For years, we’ve built a diverse and adaptable economy; now, those efforts have brought even greater opportunities for prosperity to our doorstep,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. “Utah Rising’s six focus areas are designed to lead the private sector in innovating and supporting areas that will have the greatest impact on Utah’s economic future. This is about laying the groundwork for what is to come and setting the stage for Utah to continue to be a great place for people to work, for families to live and for communities to thrive.”

The chamber said Utah Rising’s mission is to lead the private sector, which comprises nearly nine of every 10 dollars in the Utah economy, and collaborate with public-sector partners to secure statewide prosperity.

The six focus areas with their targeted goals for development and innovation are:

• Workforce: Develop a highly skilled and mentally healthy workforce.
• Transportation: Improve and maintain a reliable statewide transportation system.
• Business Environment: Elevate the business community by attracting middle-market companies.
• Housing: Make Utah a place where all who call it home can have a home.
• Livability: Increase amenities, safety and convenience for Utah individuals, families and communities to thrive.
• Natural Resources: Become wiser and more efficient stewards of Utah’s natural resources.

Utah Rising is the first statewide private-sector-led economic plan of its kind, Miller said, and the success of the goals in each focus area will rely on the private and public sector’s shared commitment to investing in and transforming Utah’s economy into a national leading force.

“The prosperity that Utah enjoys today is a result of civic and business leaders choosing to partner together, engage, invest and commit their time and resources into building up our great state,” said Spencer P. Eccles, Utah Rising steering committee chair. “Utah Rising amplifies these qualities; the more our business community collaborates and commits to accomplishing the strategic goals, the more Utah will achieve leading up to 2034. Together, we will build the foundation for Utah to lead the nation in economic progress and quality of life for Utah families today and well into the future.”

“Utah has long been known for its collaborative and entrepreneurial spirit, and this vision highlights the incredible potential of what we can achieve when public and private efforts unite toward a common goal,” said Utah Senate President Stuart Adams. “We look forward to working with Utah’s business community and leaders to help make our state an even better place to live, work and play for generations to come.”

At an event introducing Utah Rising, Tara Thue, president of the Mountain States for AT&T and co-chair of the Utah Rising’s technical committee, introduced an interactive dashboard to keep the business community informed about Utah Rising’s progress.

“Today marks a significant step forward in Utah’s economy. Our history of strategic investments has led to remarkable success and we believe Utah Rising will help that success continue,” said Thue. “To help provide an understanding of the why, how and where to stay informed about Utah Rising, as well as measure the progress of each of our six strategic focus areas, we’ve amplified the Utah Rising website, Utahrising.com, with an interactive dashboard showing the vision, mission, goals and background of this initiative. Whether you’re a business leader, policymaker, community member or stakeholder, this dashboard is a resource tailored to give you a snapshot of the metrics that matter most when it comes to measuring the success of Utah Rising.”