“Mountain America believes in hiring and retaining the best talent possible. Providing an environment that allows employees to grow, develop and give back to their local communities is vital."
Q
uiet confidence. Words that appropriately describe both the state of Utah and Sterling Nielsen, Mountain America Credit Union's president and CEO. Utah is often unlikely to attract the national attention of some of its louder siblings like California and New York. Yet, during both the Great Recession of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic, Utah quietly moved forward with one of the country's most robust economies and best living standards. Sometimes a whisper carries farther than a scream. Mountain America was born in the mid1930s in Salt Lake City, with the credit union philosophy of "People Helping People." Today, the credit union continues that mission by guiding individuals and business owners forward to achieve their 36
LIFE IN UTAH 2021 | SLCHAMBER.com
financial dreams. The credit union also supports local communities in becoming better places to live and work. Born and raised near San Francisco, California, Nielsen first came to Utah for college. After graduating with bachelor's and master's degrees from Brigham Young University, Nielsen quietly began his career with an international accounting firm here in Utah. His family decided to make this pretty, great state their permanent home. What hasn't been so quiet is Mountain America's growth and success. As one example, assets have grown an average of over 12% annually since Nielsen became president and CEO in 2008. The values and social capital that attracted Nielsen to Mountain America make
Utah a top state for doing business. In his book, "Bowling Alone," Robert D. Putnam defines social capital as the "social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them." One report rates Utah as the leader of the 12 states with the highest social capital. Utah is known for giving back and as a place where people help one another. AmeriCorps ranked Utah as the top state for volunteering. According to Nielsen, Mountain America believes in hiring and retaining the best talent possible. Providing an environment that allows employees to grow, develop and give back to their local communities is vital. Utah's pool of top talent has contributed to Mountain America's growth over the years. In the past five years, Mountain America
