Originally published in Utah Business.
I attended the launch last month of the Women’s Leadership Institute, a group of men and women in Utah committed to elevating the stature of women’s leadership in our state. Pat Jones, who serves as CEO of the institute, said it best: “Our state will fall behind if we don’t use the full capacity of women.”
Originally published in Utah Business.
As a college student interning in Washington, D.C., I heard a friend offer a view of conservatism and liberalism that still affects me decades later. She said our job as responsible citizens is to conserve ideas that are right and true and liberate ideas that are right and true. This simple concept is a guiding light for me in public policy deliberations. Public policy is informed by ideology, but should not be controlled by it. The best public policy occurs when we draw the best ideas from the left and the right to avoid or solve complex problems. We are fortunate to live in a state that does this quite well.
Originally published in Utah Business.
I recently returned from a 10-day vacation in England with my daughter. My husband picked me up at the airport and during the drive home we compared stories about my trip and his time here at home. Within about 15 minutes of conversation a theme emerged that gave me pause. I think our community needs to be careful not to lose our edge, and it starts with the little things.
Originally published in Utah Business.
I live by a Costco store and watch in amazement as people line up in their cars to purchase fuel. Am I imagining it or have lines gotten longer since motor fuel prices have been sliced in half? The plummeting price of oil has caused a rippling effect through the global, national and Utah economies. It’s the biggest economic news since the Great Recession and something we all need to understand better. Here’s my attempt at describing Utah Oil Prices 101:
Originally published in Utah Business.
One of my favorite signs in Utah is the electronic sign along I-80 just east of the airport that notifies drivers that downtown Salt Lake City is a mere five minutes away. It is a powerful reminder of the convenience of the Salt Lake City International Airport and the extraordinary asset it is to the Utah economy.
Continue reading Flight Plan: Utah quite possibly has the best airport in the country
Originally published in Utah Business.
The New Year is a great time to take stock and learn new things. I am often asked what is the best source for information about the Utah economy. Thanks to a wonderful collaboration between the David Eccles School of Business and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, you can learn all of the latest and greatest facts about the Utah economy in a single report. The 2015 Economic Report to the Governor, released this month, provides the single best compendium of information about Utah demographics, employment, income, taxes, exports, prices, major industries and other indicators. If you want to gain a better understanding about the Utah economy, go online and download your copy today.
Just to whet your appetite, here are some of my favorite factoids included in this year’s report:
Continue reading Required Reading: The best source for information about the Utah economy
Originally published in Utah Business.
Editor’s note: In this month’s Economic Insight column the author shares a holiday message of hope.
Judy Garland touched many people during her Hollywood career. Perhaps no performance of hers has been as enduring and meaningful as her 1944 rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”
I love the song, in part, because of its history of inspiring troops during World War II. I also love its message of resilience and hope. We all face challenges, but hope prevails.
Originally published in Utah Business.
I serve on the board of Primary Children’s Hospital. At a recent board retreat we heard a compelling presentation about Healthy Utah from David Patton, the executive director of the Utah Department of Health. Healthy Utah is Utah’s alternative to full Medicaid expansion, and Patton is on point for Gov. Gary Herbert. I think the governor has created and negotiated an innovative and elegant policy solution to a difficult and complex policy problem. The Utah Legislature should support the Healthy Utah proposal.
Originally published in the Utah Business.
We’ve been through a tough patch as Americans. The unity we felt after 9-11 is now a distant memory. Divisive political battles continue as the mid-term elections draw near. The thought of our hearts beating as one seems a far-off dream.
Congress is most interesting to me. For years congressional favorability ratings have been below hair lice, root canals, Brussels sprouts, colonoscopies, traffic jams and cockroaches. Yet as a body—Republicans and Democrats alike—Congress doesn’t seem to have any interest in changing its behavior.
Originally published in Utah Business.
I apologize for being personal, but I experienced something recently that many Utahns have experienced either personally or as a parent: I dropped my son off at the Provo Missionary Training Center (MTC) to start his volunteer service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Those who have done this know it is a riveting moment filled simultaneously with joy and sadness. It’s very hard to let go of the people and things you love. It’s also a sacrifice that contributes to Utah’s economic success. Faith preferences and traditions aside, the Mormon missionary program pays dividends to the Utah economy.
Continue reading Global Ambassadors — Economic Impact of LDS Missionaries