C O R P O R A T E
R E C R U I T M E N T
WHERE COMPANIES CONNECT GOED pursues an aggressive course of corporate recruitment.
by R O N S T A R N E R
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BUSINE SS IN U TA H
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hen it comes to the practice of corporate recruitment, the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development leaves nothing to chance. After all, when your state is consistently ranked as one of the best states for business, growing the economy is the result of a systematic plan and a lot of hard work. “The Governor’s Office of Economic Development plays a very important role in helping the state grow and attracting businesses to the state, as well as improving our business environment and removing barriers to growth,” says Benjamin Hart, deputy director of GOED. “We help our businesses overcome any obstacle to help them expand.” One way that GOED helps
companies grow is through incentives, including the EDTIF and the Industrial Assistance Fund. “EDTIF is one of our primary incentive tools to make sure we stay competitive,” notes Hart. “The EDTIF program is not capped. The sky really is the limit. If you create more jobs and more income tax revenue, you are eligible to receive more of that back. It is an up-to-30 percent post-performance refundable tax credit.” The Industrial Assistance Fund enables Utah to help with workforce and infrastructure costs related to a project or property development. IAF receives replenishment from the Utah Legislature during years of surplus. “We are never going to be the highest bidder on a project,” says Hart. “Our goal is to make sure we have the right environment in Utah
