2023 Zions Bank Wasatch Back Economic Summit

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2023 Zions Bank Wasatch Back Economic Summit. Special thank you our hosts, the Grand Summit Hotel and our sponsors for making this annual event possible. Below you will find the presentations and recorded breakout sessions.

Morning Keynote Speaker: Robert Spendlove, Senior Vice President - Economic and Public Policy Officer, Zions Bank

An Economy in Transition
The economy continues to confound. Has inflation peaked, and how long until price increases return to normal? Is the labor market softening, or will historic labor shortages continue to keep unemployment low? How high will the Federal Reserve increase interest rates, and have they gone too far? How will the economy perform in a potential recession? Robert's presentation will examine these challenges and how businesses can continue to thrive in an uncertain environment.

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Workforce Development & Retention

Moderator: Jeff Jones, Economic Development and Housing Director, Summit County

Panelists: 

• Chris Lampe, Vice President of Human Resources, Deer Valley Resort

• Jill Shroyer, PHR and HR Consultant, Expedition HR

• Sarah Myers, Vice President of Operations and Culture, Park City Chamber and Visitors Bureau

• Lori Weston, CEO/Administrator, Intermountain Park City Hospital

• Matt Brower, City Manager, Heber City

Labor supply continues to be an ongoing issue across the United States, but it is particularly acute in Utah and the Wasatch Back due to low unemployment and challenges such as affordability. Learn best practices from local experts on developing and retaining a great team. 

Water Conservation & Its Economic Impact

Moderator: Morgan Mingle, Director of Sustainability, Park City Chamber & Visitor Bureau

Panelists: 

• Clint McAffee, Public Utilities Director, Park City Municipal

• Max Covey, Manager, Jordanelle Service District

• Andy Garland, Director, Mountain Regional Water

It’s no secret that water and water conservation are big topics in Utah and are critical to our survival and success in the mountain west. Panelists will share updates on regional water issues and conservation efforts and the economic impacts of water conservation and management.

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Connecting the Wasatch Back: Transportation, Transit & Roads

Moderator: Kim Carsen, Chair, High Valley Transit

Panelists: 

• Carolyn Rodrigues, Executive Director, High Valley Transit

• Alex Roy, Senior Transportation Planner, Park City Municipal

• Kim Fjelsted, Transit Manager, Park City Municipal

• Nathan Peterson, Deputy Director, UDOT Region 2

• Craig Hancock, Project Manager, UDOT Region 3

• Dustin, County Manager Wasatch County

As the population grows along the Wasatch Back so does the need for adequate transportation, transit, and roads to accommodate this growth. You’ll hear from local and regional experts on current and future efforts to meet our transportation, transit, and road infrastructure needs and ways we can all participate in the process.

Listen to Breakout Session

The Landscape of Development & Its Economic Impact

Moderator: Jeff Jones, Economic Development and Housing Director, Summit County & Pat Putt, Summit County Planning Director

Panelists: 

• Brooke Hontz, Vice President of Development, Extel/Mayflower

• Michael Bradshaw, President, Momentum Development/Jordanelle Ridge

• Skylar Tolbert, Land Acquisition and Development Project Manager, Cedar Crest Village, Ivory Homes

We all know that the Wasatch Back is growing with new housing, commercial, and ski developments coming our way.  This is your opportunity to hear from local land planners and developers on what the future holds in terms of development and, more importantly, what opportunities there will be to start or expand business within these developments.

View Mayflower Mountain Resort Update      View Jordanelle Ridge Update     Listen to Breakout Session

Affordable Housing: What We’re Doing & Solutions Going Forward

Moderator: David Levine, Executive Director, Mountainlands Community Housing Trust

Panelists:

• Tony Tyler,  Canyons Village Management Association

• Jamie Kimball, General Manager, Utah Olympic Park 

• Jackie Adragna, Vice President of Human Resources, The Stein Collection

• Jeff Bradshaw, Wasatch Housing Authority

• Erik Daenitz, Director of Economic Development and Data Analytics, Park City Municipal

• Jason Glidden, Economic Development Project Manager, Park City Municipal

With all the growth and opportunities coming to Utah, affordable and attainable housing needs to remain front of mind.  We’ll hear from local and regional experts on future affordable housing development and what other businesses are doing to address this for their workforce in creative ways.

Listen to Breakout Session

The Economic Impact of Trails, Open Space & Recreational Facilities

Moderator: Heinrich Deters, Trails & Open Space Program Manager, Park City Municipal

Panelists: 

• Lora Smith, Executive Director, Mountain Trails Foundation

• Mia Yue, Executive Director, Wasatch Trails Foundation

• Don Taylor, Regional Trail Planner, Mountainlands Association of Governments

• Matt Wagoner, District Superintendent, Basin Recreation

• Corey Dutton, Executive Director, South Summit Trails

• Cheryl Fox, Executive Director, Summit Land Conservancy

• Patrick Morison, Grant Program Manager, Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation

The Wasatch Back is a recreational paradise, offering thousands of miles of trails, lakes, rivers, and some of the finest recreational facilities in North America.  Hear from local non-profits and government leaders on what it takes to develop and maintain these facilities and their importance to the Wasatch Back economy.

Lunch Keynote with Sam Beard, Founder of Gift Connect

Sam Beard has spent over six decades transforming ideas into far-reaching impact. Sam has created and implemented public service programs for eight American Presidents, from Nixon to Obama. After completing his education at Yale and Columbia, Sam focused on social justice and the elimination of poverty, working with Robert Kennedy in Brooklyn in the mid-1960s. Among his most noteworthy accomplishments include the creation of over ten million jobs in low-income communities. With Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Senator Robert Taft, Jr., Sam also launched the Jefferson Awards, an American Nobel Prize for public service and youth leadership training program (later renamed Multiplying Good). More than 35,000 students have been trained. Multiplying Good engages one million students per year. He recently founded the non-profit organization GIFT to harness the full impact of mindfulness and meditation movements to solve urgent global problems.

The Changing Economic Landscape & Its Opportunities

Moderator: Jennifer Wesselhoff, President and CEO, Park City Chamber & Visitor Bureau

Panelists: 

• Jeff Jones, Economic Development and Housing Director, Summit County

• Dallin Koecher, Executive Director, Heber Valley Chamber

• Phil Dean, Chief Economist & Public Finance Senior Research Fellow, Kem C Gardner Policy Institute

If there is one word we all keep hearing it’s “uncertainty” when we talk about the economy.  We’ll work to unpack that uncertainty with our panelist and share insights on areas of opportunities for businesses going forward. 

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Childcare and Early Childhood Development

Moderator: Kristen Schultz, Coordinator, Early Childhood Alliance

Panelists: 

• Sue Banerjee, Executive Director, PC Tots

• Sam Beard, Founder, GIFT CONNECT

• Kathy Anderson, Early Childhood Program Specialist, Park City School District

• Tara Boswell, Preschool Instructional Coach, Wasatch County School District

• Moe Hickey, Executive Director, Voices for Utah Children

• Katie Ricord, Executive Director, Utah Association for the Education of Young Children

When we speak about labor supply and our economy, we can’t do so without including childcare and early childhood development as part of that conversation.  Adequate, affordable childcare directly impacts our labor pool, and supporting early childhood development has the potential to impact our economy in the trillions of dollars. Hear from local and global leaders on the importance and impact of these issues and how you can help.

Family Friendly Workplaces      U.S. Chamber of Commerce Untapped Potential     Listen to Breakout Session

Wasatch Back Elected Officials Panel

Moderator: Eyee Hsu, Advisor, Entrepreneur, and Former TV Host.

Panelists: 

• Nann Worel, Mayor, Park City

• Heidi Franco, Mayor, Heber City

• Roger Armstrong, Chair, Summit County Council

• Mark Nelson, Wasatch County Council

• Celeste Johnson, Mayor, Midway City

• Zane Woolstenhulme, Mayor, Oakley City

Unlike previous Wasatch Back Economic Summits, we’re bringing our annual elected officials panel to a breakout session for more conversation and engagement. Hear from local elected officials across the Wasatch Back about our communities' challenges and opportunities and how we can all work together to meet them. 

Listen to Breakout Session

Presenting Sponsors

Community Sponsors

Supporting Sponsors

Friends of the Wasatch Back