The Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCUtah) and the Southern Utah Economic Alliance (So.Utah) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize their partnership and strengthen coordination between Utah’s statewide business recruitment efforts and southern Utah’s five-county region. 

Under the agreement, So.Utah will continue leading economic development engagement across Washington, Iron, Beaver, Kane and Garfield counties. The organization will provide companies and statewide partners with direct access to local leaders, communities, sites, infrastructure, workforce resources, and other regional opportunities. 

EDCUtah and So.Utah have also established reciprocal representation on their respective boards, creating a direct and ongoing connection between statewide and regional economic development efforts.

Working alongside state and local economic development organizations, EDCUtah and So.Utah will coordinate company outreach, project responses and site visits for businesses evaluating opportunities in southern Utah.

Ryan Starks, executive director of EDCUtah said, "At EDCUtah, our mission has always been to bring the right people to the table on behalf of the businesses we serve. Collaboration is the ingredient that makes 'Team Utah' work, and agreements like this put that principle into practice. By formalizing our relationship with So.Utah, we are building a stronger, more coordinated effort to bring investment and critical jobs to communities across our state."

“We’re honored to formalize this partnership with EDCUtah,” said Todd Brightwell, CEO of So.Utah. “Southern Utah has tremendous opportunities, and companies need a clear path to understand what we have and how to connect with the right people. We know our communities, our sites, and our local leaders. EDCUtah brings statewide and national reach, along with decades of recruitment experience, while collaborating with the state connects important state resources and programs. Bringing those strengths together gives southern Utah a stronger, unified voice and a better opportunity to compete for the projects that will bring high-value jobs and investment to our region.”

For businesses considering an expansion within Utah or a new location in the state, the agreement provides a coordinated team connecting state resources, statewide recruitment capabilities, regional expertise, and local decision-makers.

Ryan Starks and Todd Brightwell are available for interviews about this partnership upon request.‍

About the Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCUtah)‍

EDCUtah is Utah's statewide economic development organization, working with state and local government and private industry to attract high-value companies and grow Utah's economy. Since 1987, EDCUtah's mission has been to catalyze quality jobs and capital investment across the state through corporate recruitment and retention, economic research, site selector marketing, and community strategy. Learn more at www.edcutah.org.

So.Utah, the Southern Utah Economic Alliance, is a private-sector-led, publicly supported regional economic development organization serving Washington, Iron, Beaver, Kane and Garfield counties. So.Utah works to expand, recruit, and retain businesses while serving as a regional convener and connecting companies, communities and partners with the data, relationships and resources needed to succeed. Its mission is to advance a resilient, competitive and sustainable economy across southern Utah. Learn more at soutah.org