EDCUTAH Looks Back on a Productive, Record Setting Year

Some Thoughts from Outgoing Chairman A. Scott Anderson

EDCUTAH has recorded some remarkable numbers in the past fiscal year: corporate site visits are up over 100 percent from the previous year, a record 34 companies have expanded into Utah with five new headquarter relocations and $3.4 billion in new capital investment, and an all-time record 5,636 new jobs created.

What’s more, EDCUTAH has enjoyed a 25 percent increase in project load, going from 155 projects in fiscal year 2004-2005 to 193 in fiscal year 2005-2006.
A. Scott Anderson, president and CEO of Zions Bank and outgoing EDCUTAH chairman

A. Scott Anderson, president and CEO of Zions Bank and outgoing EDCUTAH chairman

This progress has been accomplished in the past year with the support and leadership of A. Scott Anderson, president and CEO of Zions Bank, whose chairmanship will end Wednesday at EDCUTAH’s annual meeting. Anderson would shy away from the limelight, but his remarkable support helped guide EDCUTAH through the biggest expansion and most successful year since its creation. He joins a long line of previous EDCUTAH board chairs that have helped the organization become a significant force in Utah’s economic development community.

"The depth of Scott Anderson's knowledge and the high regard in which he is held have been a tremendous asset to EDCUTAH. He is an ambassador for EDCUTAH and the entire Utah business community and has spent much personal time and political capital on our behalf that will benefit us for years to come," says Jeff Edwards, President and CEO of EDCUTAH.

EDCUTAH has taken on significant new responsibilities during the year, handling all of the state’s business recruitment efforts under a new contract with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED). “This has been a real milestone and important achievement for both the state and for EDCUTAH,” says Anderson. “It has eliminated duplication and confusion that had existed for years. Now EDCUTAH’s customers deal with just one entity that can coordinate all the services they need. It’s much more efficient and a more professional approach for businesses seeking to locate or expand in Utah.”

Edwards says Anderson was instrumental in taking EDCUTAH services throughout the state this year, in collaboration with local business organizations. For the first time, EDCUTAH board meetings were held in locations all around Utah, providing opportunities for local business and political leaders to become better acquainted with EDCUTAH’s vision and services. “We haven’t finished the job of establishing local regional chapters,” Anderson says, “but I hope that initiative will go forward.”

Some other key milestones EDCUTAH has achieved this year include:

Staff expansion to meet new responsibilities, particularly the mandate to provide business recruitment and support services all across the state, to all communities, not just those who have invested in EDCUTAH. At the same time, EDCUTAH has maintained the support of its investors by providing special services to them. “I’m pleased that we have gone beyond simply recruiting new companies and have also supported internal business expansion. Development of our existing businesses offers great economic growth potential,” says Anderson.

Greater communications efforts, including the launch of this Economic Review e-newsletter and a more aggressive and pro-active public relations program to support business expansion and recruitment. Anderson says the newsletter has been a tremendous benefit to EDCUTAH and the entire community. “It keeps our mission in the forefront of everyone’s mind.”

The aggressive promotion of Utah and its business-friendly environment at trade shows, in collaboration with GOED, key businesses and other partners. EDCUTAH’s displays, seminars and other outreach efforts, which were done with partners, have been effective and professional, increasing benefits to the state.

Active involvement in the legislative process to promote economic development initiatives like USTAR and the implementation of innovative new incentive programs that are attractive to new and existing companies. “We’ve had a great partnership with GOED in supporting public policy positions important to economic development,” Anderson notes
.

Development of an entirely new program to make ready-to-develop industrial real estate site information available to site consultants from the EDCUTAH web site.

Collaboration with GOED and Utah’s research universities on two very successful industry-focused events in the advanced composites and biotechnology areas.

The hosting of a second annual site consultant event at Deer Valley, which has led to new recruiting projects for EDCUTAH’s business development team.

EDCUTAH PARTNERS

IN THE NEWS

Economic Development Headlines

Public Input Wanted for Downtown Development

- The Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce wants to get your attention and your input when it comes to downtown development. (KSL)

Salt Lake Future Taking Shape

- After a few months of planning, business and community leaders have crafted preliminary plans for what they would like to see in Salt Lake City in the next few decades. The plan, the latest version of "Downtown Rising," is an effort by the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Alliance. (Morning News) (KCPW)

National Ski Federation Members Arriving in Davis

- Members of the National Ski Federation were arriving in Layton Wednesday evening and Thursday morning — and for most it was their first glimpse of Davis County. And while their numbers aren’t huge, only 30-35 are expected, Davis Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) officials consider their visit a major coup that could lead to lots of future tourism business. (Clipper)

11 Utah Firms Named on List of Fast Growers

- Eleven Utah companies are on the 25th annual Inc. 500 ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the country. (Morning News)

Paiutes Land $8M Telecom Contract at Dugway

- A telecommunications company founded in 2003 by the Cedar Band of Paiutes in Cedar City has landed a five-year, $8 million contract to develop and maintain a fiber-optic based telecom system for Dugway Proving Ground. (Salt Lake Tribune)

Midvale Slag Site Cleaned for New Development

- Something is in the air again in this Salt Lake City suburb. But this time it's a mix of residential, office and retail development, not the unpleasant odors and taste of ore smelters. (KUTV2) (Salt Lake Tribune) (KCPW)

Davis Tech's New Center Zeros in on Business

- Davis County Applied Technology College aims to do its part to expand Utah's economy. With a $2.2 million gift from the Roy and Elizabeth Simmons Family Foundation and other donations, DATC administrators - joined by government officials and business leaders - opened an entrepreneurship center Wednesday on the school's main campus in Kaysville. (Salt Lake Tribune) (Standard-Examiner) (Clipper) (Utah Business Magazine)

Davis Service Sector Shows Strong Gain

- While the manufacturing sector of Davis County’s job picture saw a slight dip, preliminary figures for this year indicate, the giant service sector continues to see solid gains. That’s the word from the Utah Department of Workforce Services, which has released preliminary figures for the first quarter of this year, January-March. (Clipper)

New St. George Airport Likely Boon to Business

- The Federal Aviation Administration has given its final approval for a new, expanded airport in St. George. That's particularly good news for Southern Utah businesses. (KCPW News) (Morning News) (Salt Lake Tribune) (Spectrum) (KSL)

Developer Takes Aim at Historic Utah Shopping Complex

- Blake Hunt Ventures of Danville has partnered with ScanlanKemperBard Cos. to renovate and expand the historic Trolley Square shopping center in Salt Lake City, Utah...The first phase of the redevelopment will be renovating the existing building by eliminating dead-end corridors, creating a central court and creating other efficiencies to increase the square footage of the main building from 160,000 square feet to 180,000 square feet, said Mark Blancarte, Blake Hunt's vice president of development. (Business Times)

Cabela’s Exceeds Goal of Four Millon Visitors

- When outdoor retailer Cabela’s opened in Lehi a year ago, they projected the store would draw four million visitors annually. Turns out they were wrong—by about a million. According to the numbers reported by Cabela’s to the Utah Office of Tourism, the store has drawn five million visitors since the doors opened on Aug. 25, 2005.
(Utah Business Magazine)

Utah Designer Goes National With High-Fashion Undergarment

- Provo-based clothing designer Suzy Q will feature her high fashion, feminine undertease shirt at the Project Show, a major fashion event that runs in conjunction with Magic Marketplace, in Las Vegas, Nevada today through Wednesday. (Utah Business Magazine)

New Condos to Double Size of Brian Head

- With the Brian Head Town Council’s blessing in the form of a $3.7 million special improvement district that was approved Tuesday, roadway and utility work for the Summit at Brian Head resort complex will begin next week. The project is one of four developments in the pipeline for the community. “At total build out, we’ll more than double the size of Brian Head,” said Mayor “Dutch” Deutschlander. (Utah Business Magazine)

Nidecker Snowboards is Most Recent Snow Sports Company to Make the Move to Ogden

- Nidecker Snowboards will move all of the company's North American distribution to Ogden, the city's mayor, Matthew Godfrey, announced Thursday. Nidecker becomes the seventh snow sports company to move to Ogden in the last two years. (Utah Business Magazine) (Ski Press)

Matheson Addresses Business Issues at Sandy Chamber Luncheon

- U.S. Congressman Jim Matheson covered a myriad of business issues from the Central America Free Trade Agreement to industrial loan banks during a Sandy Chamber of Commerce luncheon Wednesday. (Utah Business Magazine)

U of U Offers New Course: ‘Beginning Hindi For Business’

- India is the second-fastest growing market in the world. By 2040, it is expected to boast the world’s third-largest economy. This projection prompted the Bush administration, last March, to announce a strategic partnership between the United States and India. (Utah Business Magazine)

ATK Receives $22 Million Dollar Contract to Develop Composite Production Technologies

- Alliant Techsystems has received a five-year, $22 million contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop automated composite technologies designed to reduce the manufacturing costs, and increase the performance of large composite launch vehicle structures. (Utah Business Magazine)

CALENDAR

Sept. 13-15:

Utah League of Cities and Towns (Salt Lake City)

Sept. 28:

"What's Goin' Down Up North" - A summit to partner and showcase business and economic development activity in Northern Utah. (USU Innovation Campus--8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.; RSVP by Sept. 15 to icstaff@usu.edu or call (435) 797-9610. Click here for more details)

Nov. 12-15:

CoreNet Global Summit (Orlando, FL.)

Jan. 10, 2007:

Washington County Economic Summit (St. George)
7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., for more information contact:
Dixie Business Alliance, 225 South 700 East, St. George, 84770. Call (435) 652-7724 or email; website:
http://www.whatsupdownsouth.com

PRESIDENT'S

MESSAGE

Our Thanks to Scott Anderson, Outgoing EDCUTAH Chairman

FEATURE