Utah: A State of Opportunity
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tah’s business and governmental leaders are engaged in an effort to harness our State’s strengths and ensure that we step boldly into the future from a strong economic foundation. Utah was recognized by The Pew Center on the States as the “Best Managed State in the Nation.” A fiscally conservative legislature has supported the administration over the years to establish a well managed and progressive governmental plan that provides Utah workers have stability and long been considered predictability one of the most proin spending, tax Governor Gary R. Herbert and Spencer Eccles, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. ductive and well edupolicy and a cated populations in business friendly climate. If there is anything business leaders around the world crave, it is a growing, yet safe, stable and predictable place to conduct business; the country. Boasting Utah is that place. the youngest workforce in America, at an average age of 28 years old, the State has many years of power house success ahead of it. All of that is true, but there
Governor Gary R. Herbert announced in September his selection of Spencer Eccles as Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) along with Josh Romney who agreed to serve voluntarily as Utah’s National Business Recruitment Policy Adviser. These men will join with Derek Miller, Managing Director for Business Incentives and Growth, to make an agile and powerful leadership team which will help strengthen Utah’s economy and position it for significant future growth.
is more.
In his inaugural address, Governor Herbert noted that together we can work “toward economic recovery, educational excellence and energy security. My first and highest priority will be the economy in Utah. A state with sufficient employment opportunity is a state that can expect economic stability. Jobs pay the bills—for individuals and for families. Jobs, and the taxes they generate, produce the revenue that allows state government to support education, healthcare, transportation, infrastructure, public safety and other vitally important social services. If we can get the economy right, most everything else falls into place. It is time for unprecedented partnerships. Together we can and will be a state that leads the nation in many areas and serves as an example to those around us.” As we continue to improve Utah’s business friendly environment, GOED will focus on: • Strengthening and growing existing Utah businesses, both urban and rural. • Encouraging entrepreneurship and investment. • Attracting national and international business. • Supporting education as an important component to Utah’s long term business viability.
Governor’s Office of Economic Development • Annual Report 2009
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