Originally published in Utah Business.

Many times in public policy we share a common goal, but choose a different path. This is the case with the minimum wage debate. Utahns share a sincere interest in helping low-income families secure a more stable future. Some policy makers choose the minimum wage policy path to lift these families out of poverty. Other people, like me, choose a different path. I favor enhanced training opportunities and the earned income tax credit as superior policy interventions.

With California, New York and other jurisdictions pursuing a $15 minimum wage, it’s time to consider the right policy intervention for Utah.

Continue reading Minimum Wage Debate: Utahns should consider alternative ways to lift families out of poverty →

Originally published in Utah Business.

I’m a native Salt Laker, so I should know how to describe Utah’s capital city to someone new to our state. Still, when I’m asked by a non-Utahn to describe Salt Lake City, I struggle with the right response. Salt Lake City, for all its stereotypes, is difficult to fit in a box.

The British poet John Betjeman invented a word that captures my feelings about this place. He combined the words topos, which means “place,” with the Greek word philia, which means “love of,” to coin the term topophilia or “love of place.” For me, it’s the combination of love and place that makes me so proud to be a Salt Laker.

Continue reading The soul of our city →

Originally published in Utah Business Magazine.

When my daughter got her driver’s license I remember asking her if she could find her way around town. She turned to me with a confident smile and said, “I know how to get to The Gateway.”

Her answer spoke volumes. A 16-year-old, newly minted driver, who lived in the suburbs of Salt Lake City, knew the directions to a downtown shopping destination eight miles away. The Gateway was THE place to go and she had found it.

A lot has changed in the intervening years. The Gateway today is a shadow of the gathering place it once was. Thankfully, Phoenix-based developer Vestar recently purchased the property and will invest $30 million to support an inspiring vision. I couldn’t be more exited to welcome Vestar to town.

Continue reading The Gateway Re-Imagined →

Originally published in Utah Business.

By the time this column is read, the 2016 presidential election will be in full gear. Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina will be a fait accompli or thereabouts. No longer will voters be able to settle for entertainment and cheap talk. It’s time to vote.

If you are like me, you find the 2016 presidential election absolutely confounding. One need to look no further than to the remarks made by Gov. Nikki Haley in her official Republican response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address. Instead of focusing her criticism on the Democratic Party, she challenged the front runner of her own party: “During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices. We must resist that temptation.”

Continue reading Moment of truth: A confounding presidential election year →

Originally published in Utah Business.

I’m looking forward to the excitement of the coming year. From global happenings to local challenges—and a presidential election year—there’s a lot to keep an eye on in 2016.

Summer Olympics in Rio

The spirit of the Olympic flame burns bright in Utah, and we look forward to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this summer. It’s bound to be a remarkable international celebration of sport as images of Copacabana Beach and the statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado are beamed around the world. Unfortunately, the Brazilian economy is suffering from its worst recession in over three decades and many wonder whether the country will pull off a successful Games.

Continue reading Five Things to Watch for in 2016 →

Originally published in Utah Business.

Last month, Gov. Gary Herbert announced the arrival of the three millionth Utahn. We should all stop and take into account this important milestone.

There is a saying among demo-graphers that “demography is destiny.” If you understand the characteristics of your population, you gain a much better understanding of your future. In no state is this more important than Utah because of our unique demographics. And it all starts with births.

Continue reading Three Million Utahns →

Originally published in Utah Business.

I’ve learned over the years to pay attention when stars align in a powerful way. It happened when my daughter, who was attending an out-of-state college, landed a job with the school paper, committed to a major and established great friendships. Suddenly, her college education and experience took off. It happened when Urban Meyer brought his coaching skills to build a team with a 22-2 record and reinvigorated the MUSS, or the Mighty Utah Student Section, at Rice Eccles Stadium. Stellar coaching and engaged students helped the Utes win and laid the foundation for a winning program.

When stars align, a better future unfolds. I’m always working and watching for these moments. And one of those moments happened last month, when the University of Utah launched the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.

Continue reading When stars align: A new policy institute will help Utahns make informed decisions →

Originally published in Utah Business.

Just as a coach reviews game film to assess his or her team, I like to read economic game film to understand Utah’s economy. While sports analogies are often overused and frequently incomprehensible to those who lack specific sports expertise, I find the ‘game film’ analogy to be quite useful in thinking about Utah’s economy.

What is economic game film? It’s not unlike the game film Kyle Whittingham and Bronco Mendenhall review after each Ute or Cougar football game. The footage shows every play call, every pass, every tackle, every block, every punt and every turnover. The term “reading game film” is used because coaches study and evaluate every play they see in order to make changes. Did the quarterback make the right throw based on the coverage? Did the offensive line make the assigned blocks? What caused the fumble? How did the field goal kicker perform in a game time situation? Did the game plan work and what needs to change?

When you apply the same process to the Utah economy, you gain a better understanding of what’s working, what’s not and what needs to change. Here’s my take.

Continue reading Reading Utah’s economic game film →

Originally published in Utah Business.

I once visited the National Archives in Washington, D.C., with a group of Utah business leaders as guests of Sen. Orrin Hatch. I will never forget the experience. Serving as the senior U.S. senator gives you extraordinary access to the nation’s archival treasures.

At one table I saw the actual handwritten first inaugural of George Washington. It was breathtaking. In it Washington declares, “I was summoned by my country, whose voice I can never hear but with veneration and love.” This was a man who understood love of country.

What I saw and heard at another table has also stuck with me over the years. That table had the actual handwritten radar readings from Pearl Harbor. In the center of the two-foot by three-foot document (it looked like a white poster with polygons in the middle) was the island of Oahu. Drawn in increments of time were lines depicting the incoming squadrons of Japanese aircraft. Those of you familiar with our history will not be surprised to learn the lines stopped about an inch away from Oahu as the radar technicians were called off and told “Don’t worry about it.” A first lieutenant with the Army Air Forces mistakenly assumed the incoming aircraft were a flight of U.S. B-17 bombers expected from the mainland.

Continue reading Summer Reading — The Road to Character: Advice for Developing Inner Virtues →

Originally published in Utah Business.

Most people are familiar with the “Broken Windows” theory of solving social problems. In a nutshell, it says to pay attention to little problems because they are a precursor to bigger problems. If a broken window is left unrepaired, then passersby will conclude nobody cares. Over time, more serious things will happen.

Continue reading Broken windows Utah →