Attendees at the Salt Lake Chamber's recent annual meeting get a chance to learn about the Argentine black and white tegu at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium prior to the start of the event. (Brice Wallace/Salt Lake Business Journal)
The leader of the Salt Lake Chamber recently issued a challenge to have the organization continue to be a source of inspiration for Utahns.
During the chamber's annual meeting, Derek Miller, president and CEO, used the event theme of "A Beacon of Opportunity" to encourage the chamber and its members to illuminate opportunities, navigate challenges and guide the state forward.
Speaking at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, Miller told the audience that lighthouses use a special lens that keeps the light from scattering but instead produces "a powerful single beam that helps to guide and to help."
"We're here together in a similar fashion," he said. "Like the lighthouse lens, we magnify our individual lights into a single, collective, powerful beacon."
Miller called upon everyone to get involved, noting that lighthouses do not build themselves. "Someone chose the spot, hauled the stone, crafted the lens, established the light and climbed the stairs every single night. The lighthouse keeper did it for ships they would never see, protecting people they would never meet.
"That, my friends, is the work in front of us. You are the lighthouse keeper of the Utah economy. That is the work of the chamber: the services, the initiatives, the work of your businesses, your employees and our communities."
The future has "tremendous opportunities," he said, because the foundation that the chamber has built through advocacy, partnerships and a shared commitment to excellence "positions us to meet whatever challenges and opportunities await."
"We're not just sustaining Utah's economic success," he said. "We are collectively shaping a future where businesses can thrive, communities can flourish and individuals can achieve their highest aspirations."
Miller also urged unity in a world full of conflicting sentiments.
"You all may have noticed that there is an interesting debate going on in our country right now. It's a debate that asks you to pick sides," he said. "Are you for business or are you for people? Are you for employers or are you for employees? I want to state plainly that this is a false choice, and Utah is the proof. You are the proof, because the businesses that make a significant impact in our state are also the ones who succeed alongside their employees and their communities.
"That is the Utah model, because in Utah, we know that prosperity is not a zero-sum game. We believe in helping each other, in lifting each other, and paving a better way for those that come behind."
The annual gathering also included noting the chamber's achievements during the past year, including by organizations in the chamber family: the Downtown Alliance, the Women's Business Center of Utah, Utah Community Builders and the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. The chamber also saw all of its priority legislation passed during the Legislature's general session and continued the "Utah Rising" initiative with its newest iteration.
The chamber, Utah's largest and longest-serving business association, also used the event to release its annual report and honor individuals and organizations that have shown exceptional support for its mission.
The chamber's annual award recipients are:
President's Award for Excellence (honoring an individual selected by the president and CEO): Brian Steed, vice president for government and external relations, Utah State University, and principal advisor, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water and Air at Utah State University.
Utah Rising Award (honoring an organization advancing the goals of Utah Rising): Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation.
Legacy Award (honoring a long-standing business in Utah): Wasatch Electric.
Fortitude Award (honoring a corporate business in Utah): America First Credit Union.
Beehive Award (honoring an organization that helps build the community through volunteerism): Utah Food Bank.
Opportunity Award (honoring a small business in Utah): Avalanche Studios.
Icon Award (honoring a woman-owned business in Utah): Bossible.
Trailblazer Award (honoring a "rising star" in the community): Kylee Spjut, senior public relations manager, Penna Powers.
Chamber Champions (honoring exceptional chamber volunteers): Alicia Gleed, community building officer, The Road Home; Andrew Gruber, executive director, Wasatch Front Regional Council; Tom Jacobson, attorney at law, Thomas N. Jacobson Law Offices; Amanda Morton, vice president of relationship development, Cyprus Credit Union; and Cory Robinson, market manager, America First Credit Union.
Details about the award recipients are at slchamber.com.
