When we realize that each argument—from either side and in the middle—has value. When we choose to respect those who disagree with us, we can work together to find a solution. The truth is, we’re all in this together and we ultimately have one common goal: to make Utah better.

For over two years, the Chamber has endorsed an employer-sponsored work program. Moving forward we will continue to push for a solution from the federal government. We also need to understand that any action by the state on the immigration issue will have an effect on our economy. Utah deserves a solution that is uniquely suited to this one-of-a kind state.

Members of our federal delegation want to understand the position of the business community on immigration as well as the other issues. To help make that happen, we’re taking a group of business leaders to the nation’s capital from September 12-15.

I encourage you to join us as we meet with members of our delegation and get valuable insight in four policy tracks including energy, health care, international business and technology.

You can find more information on the trip, including special airfare offers by clicking here.

The financial news network CNBC released its annual ranking of top states for business and Utah made the top ten scoring particularly high in quality of life and for our young, well-educated workforce. The Chamber has been working to strengthen the state’s education performance, recognizing the value of a first-class workforce.

Parenting magazine also ranks Salt Lake City as one of the “Best Cities for the Economy 2010.” Our ranking on this list was boosted by our low commute time and unemployment rate along with our strong property values.

Utah is a special place and something very special is happening here. Other are taking notice and that’s why we find ourselves at the top of the list when it comes to great places to live.

We celebrate the completion of projects like 222 Main and the O.C. Tanner flagship store in the renovated planetarium. We watch with great anticipation as the City Creek Center sprouts before our eyes. And this week, we heralded the announcement of a new headquarters for great Utah company and broke ground for another key piece in the Downtown Rising movement.

333 South State will be the new headquarters of Questar Corp.

Tuesday, Wasatch Commercial Management and Zions Bank announced they have partnered to build 333 South State. The building, which will be built the parking lot west of the Chamber of Commerce Building, will serve as the headquarters of Questar Corp.

This building forms a strong anchor in the Skyline district at the south end of downtown, complementing the City Creek project at the north end.

In the original Downtown Rising vision, we foresaw the Skyline District as one bustling with activity, the home of new corporate headquarters suitable for the largest concentration of office workers. The Questar headquarters fits perfectly into the vision.

The downtown Harmons is scheduled for completion in fall 2011.

Thursday, we broke ground on another critical element of the Downtown Rising movement. As residential units in the City Creek Center welcome their first residents  (with plenty more still under construction), the need for a neighborhood grocer becomes rather evident. The new 43,410 square-foot Harmons is scheduled to open in the autumn of 2011 just a few months before the scheduled completion of the City Creek project.

There has never been a better time to be associated with Salt Lake City. Something truly remarkable is going on in the capital city of the New American West. What began as a vision has become a movement and is now becoming a reality and both 333 South State and the downtown Harmons are further evidence of that.

Shop North Temple from Salt Lake Chamber on Vimeo.

Utah is one of the most forward-thinking and forward-building states in the nation when it comes to mass transit. We’re well on our way to laying 70 miles of rails over seven years. By 2015 we’ll have commuter rail running from Weber County to Utah County as well as four new TRAX lines—including one to the airport.

Just over two months ago, the Airport TRAX project took a significant step forward with the demolition of the North Temple Viaduct. Once the new viaduct is in place, it will provide better access to the Gateway, a TRAX station for the Airport line and an additional FrontRunner stop.

Businesses benefit from TRAX lines but the construction period present serious challenges. That’s why we hope you’ll take every opportunity to shop North Temple.

Throughout the valley you will see people wearing these pins that say “Shop North Temple, I do.”

The Salt Lake Chamber is proud to support the more than 100 businesses that operate along North Temple. They are all worth the extra effort it takes to shop, eat, or do business.

We honored one of these great businesses as one of our Small Business Award Winners earlier this year. If you haven’t eaten at the Red Iguana, you really haven’t experienced Salt Lake City. Businesses like the Red Iguana need our support during construction of the Airport TRAX line.

And you can find some great deals along North Temple. Several businesses are offering “TRAX Construction deals.” You can find them online at our website slchamber.com.

When the Airport TRAX line is completed, the wonderful businesses along North Temple will thrive. In the meantime, they need our support and our business.

Education was voted the development of our workforce followed by immigration and economic development.  There is no issue more critical to the long-term prosperity of our state than education. Going forward we’re focused not only on investment, but also on innovation to make sure we continue to benefit from a well-educated workforce.

In the past year, the Chamber has played a critical role in protecting funding for both public and higher education. Governor Herbert and the State Legislature wisely chose to invest when other states could not. The investment in the development of our workforce will pay off for years to come.

The Board of Governors also showed strong support for a number of other policies we’ve pursued over the past several years. In the coming year, we’ll work to strengthen our economy by focusing on transportation, energy, health system reform, international business and an effort to enhance air quality.

The challenges we face provide us with some wonderful opportunities to shape the future of our state. I’m grateful for a engaged board made up of business leaders that want to contribute to our efforts.

Earlier this week we held the annual Salt Lake Chamber Golf Classic. After an unusually wet late spring, we were fortunate enough to play under a clear blue sky with temperatures in the low 70s. It was what I like to refer to as a “Chamber of Commerce day.”

I use that phrase because it is the kind of day that would encourage tourists to visit and companies to relocate to our state. At first glance, the expression implies that great weather can be an economic benefit for a community. But the fact is, the quality of the air in a community often plays an even more significant role in attracting businesses and educated workers.

Just two days ago at the Salt Lake Central Station, Gov. Herbert and Mayors Becker and Corroon accepted the Clear the Air Challenge on behalf of their employees and constituencies. The challenge encourages all Utahns to “Drive Down Your Miles.” As the governor noted, half of the air pollution in our state comes directly from the tailpipes of our cars.

As individuals, we can all do our part to improve the air quality in our state—and even a small effort can make a big difference. We can start by driving less and , when we have to drive, driving smarter. That means consolidating errands into one trip, keeping up on vehicle maintenance, driving the speed limit, staying off the roads during high congestion periods and turning off the car rather than idling.

Businesses can also play an important role by encouraging employees to telecommute, carpool, walk, bike or utilize mass transit options including buses, TRAX and FrontRunner as a means to get to work.

Last year the 3,456 Clear the Air Challenge participants eliminated 110,720 trips—enough to avoid over one million miles driven. That effort saved almost 45,500 gallons of gasoline, more than $580,000 in total vehicle costs and more than 1.7 million lbs. of emissions.

This year, the bar has been raised and we hope to engage 10,000 participants, eliminate 300,000 vehicle trips, save over two million miles and reduce 3.4 million pounds of emissions. Those are some lofty goals but the Salt Lake Chamber is proud to accept the Clear the Air Challenge—and we’re anxious to do our part.

To add to the fun, your organization can work as a team or divide up for an intra-office competition. The Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance teamed up last year and eliminated 7,300 miles, reduced emissions by 13,000 lbs. and saved 350 gallons of gas. That’s not bad for a month’s work but we are shooting to do even better this year.

It’s easy to do, you just have to log on at www.cleartheairchallenge.org, set your goals and track you progress. You can even win prizes.

The biggest prize is the one we earn and enjoy together—a true Chamber of Commerce day.

courtesy: Sundance Film Festival, Brandon Joseph Baker

The Sundance Film Festival means big business for our state—and we’ve got the numbers to prove it.

Last week, the University of Utah’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the David Eccles School of Business released a study showing just how much our state benefits from the festival, which was founded by Robert Redford in 1981. At its core, Sundance Institute is a not-for-profit organization that fosters the development of original storytelling in film and theatre and is internationally recognized for its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, film composers, playwrights, and theatre artists.

The 2010 Sundance Film Festival generated an overall economic impact of $62.7 million for the state of Utah, supported over 1,500 jobs, generated over $18 million in media exposure and provided millions in tax revenue. Since 1994, Sundance Institute has brought in excess of $1.5 billion in economic activity to the state through its annual film festival.

Through its films, panels, music events, and community and student programs, the Sundance Film Festival annually brings international exposure to an array of cultural, political, and social issues. The Festival inspires visits to Utah by leading CEOs, and dignitaries, and serves as a vital platform for business development.

Across the world Utah is known as the home of the Greatest Snow on Earth, we stepped into the world’s spotlight in 2002 during the Winter Olympic Games and the Sundance Film Festival further enhances our reputation as a world city.

Entrepreneurial Spirit Drives Utah’s Economy from Salt Lake Chamber on Vimeo.

We gather this evening to salute the entrepreneurial spirit. It is this spirit that has made America a great nation and it is the way we harness the entrepreneurial spirit that has made Utah a stronghold of our national economy.

One of my favorite films is “Man of la Mancha.” In one memorable number, “The Impossible Dream,” the entrepreneurial spirit is well defined:

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

The entrepreneur does what so many wish to do. It is the courage to do it that separates him from the rest.

Utah boasts the highest number, per capita, of small businesses in the nation. That is a tribute to the spirit of enterprise among our people. We are blessed with industrious people who want to build, create and grow. They want to work, they want to strive and they want to improve.

This spirit has proven very useful throughout our history and I believe it has played an important role as we have faced significant economic challenges in recent years.

Utah has not been immune to the global economy. Like the rest of the world we have seen our unemployment rate rise, we have seen confidence shaken and we have felt the stress that accompanies uncertainty.

But we also grasped opportunity from the challenges.

President John F. Kennedy once noted that when written in Chinese the word “crisis” is composed of two characters—one represents danger and the other represents opportunity.

As business leaders visit the Chamber, recognize that economic challenges have made them more competitive, efficient and nimble. These companies that are thriving today are those that have proven they are able to adapt and lead change.

Utah finds itself atop many impressive lists:

We are the most physically fit state in the nation.

We are the second happiest state behind only Hawaii.

Though they have better beaches in Hawaii, I think our happiness is linked—at least in part—to the fact that we have the nation’s swiftest commute and the best airport.

We are among the top states for business.

We are ranked among the five most-friendly states for small business.

We manage our public debt better than the rest of the nation.

And Utah is widely recognized as the state most likely to lead the nation out of the Great Recession.

There is something special going on in our state and it begins right here in our Capital City.

Over the past few weeks we’ve had the pleasure of hosting both the American Chamber of Commerce Executives as well as the Big 9—a group made up of the largest chambers of commerce in the western United States.

One evening during their visit, we hosted a dinner for the group on the top floor of the Zions Bank building to provide a birds-eye view of the City Creek Center construction.

One of the visiting chamber presidents turned to me and asked, “Do you know the difference between Salt Lake and my city? The cranes in your city actually move!”

The remarkable investment in our downtown has kept thousands of workers on the job in one of our hardest-hit sectors, construction.

The one-point-six million dollars being spent each day on downtown construction has not only helped during a downturn, it is an investment that has us uniquely positioned to boom when others will only hope for modest growth.

Just last week, the business publication Kiplinger’s Personal Finance named Salt Lake City among the top five on its list of the “Ten Best Cities for the Next Decade.”

The article cited our reputation as a hard-working, tech-savvy and well-educated state.

Utah is no longer a well-kept secret.

As the accolades come, we must remember what we did to earn them in the first place and we must understand that we cannot simply bask in the praise we receive. We must re-double our efforts and focus on policies that will strengthen those well-deserved reputations going forward.

Robert Frost famously wrote of two roads diverging in the woods:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Those emboldened by the entrepreneurial spirit understand the importance of taking the road less traveled.

We have seen the benefits of charting our own path in this state.

The fact is, we compete with other states—those that border Utah and those that do not.

We’re in competition when businesses look to relocate and we’re in competition when a start-up looks for a place to put down roots.

As we emerge from the economic downturn, and as Utah leads the nation out of the Great Recession—it is critical that we ensure our future prosperity by investing in education.

Our future prosperity as a state is directly tied to an educated workforce with the skills and knowledge to compete with other states and other countries.

The business community considers education and the future of our state’s workforce to be a top priority. Last year, our battle was primarily over funding. We applaud the State Legislature for working to maintain the funding levels despite significant budget shortfalls.

Going forward, the education solution will not be based solely on funding. Students today will enter a workforce far different from the one their parents faced. They must be better communicators, they must be better with computers and they must be much better in math and science. Our ability to innovate in the field of education and the investment we make to prepare our children will determine where we are as a state in the years and decades to come.

Armed with a solid education, our students will be better employees. And those who choose to follow their entrepreneurial dreams will be better positioned to succeed.

The spirit of enterprise, the entrepreneurial spirit, the burning desire to live the American Dream—these are all raw energy. That energy must be combined with the knowledge, the skill and the vision that a first-class education provides.

What makes Utah great and what makes our nation great is the spirit of our people.

Let us take the road less traveled. Let us support those who “dream the impossible dream.”

We can make the most of this passion to build and to create. We can help the budding generation of entrepreneurs become what they dream to become. We can make the Utah economy not just what it is, but what it should be.

Thank you very much.

Prepared remarks given by Lane Beattie at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards June 2, 2010 at the Salt Palace Convention Center.

Since 1970, when Eric C. Aaberg was named the first Giant In Our City, we’ve honored many remarkable business leaders.

In recent years, we’ve honored President Gordon B. Hinckley, Jon Huntsman, James Sorenson, Larry H. Miller and Bill Nelson. Just last year, we honored both Ellis Ivory and Roger Boyer.

Each of these names represents more than just a person; it represents a contribution that will outlive the individual.

Since we last met to honor A Giant In Our City, our community lost one of its Giants. B.Z. ”Bud” Kastler, passed away in November. He was 89 years old. Bud was director and former chairman, president and CEO of Questar Corp., Mountain Fuels Supply Co. and its subsidiaries. Bud was a great businessman and a stellar individual and he is greatly missed. Born in Billings, Montana, Kastler came to Utah to pursue his education and became a pillar of the community.

Another of our Giants, Fred Ball, recalls that “Bud was very knowledgeable, very capable and a champion of the free enterprise system.”

Bud served as Chamber president in 1977, a position now equal to chair of the Board of Governors. A decade later, in 1987, he was awarded the Chamber’s highest honor, being named a Giant In Our City.  He was a giant in our community and a major force for good and growth for our state.

We are also honored to have several “Giants” here tonight.

Would you please stand and be recognized as I read your name?

G. Frank Joklik
Verl Topham
Roger Boyer
Spence Eccles
and Fred Ball

It is wonderful to have all our Giants with us this evening— but if I may, I want to say it is particularly nice to have former Chamber President Fred Ball with us.

Fred was the president of the Salt Lake Chamber from 1971 until 1995 when he was named a Giant In Our City.

You may have noticed something about the honorees we just recognized… they all have something in common.

Tonight we add to our esteemed group of Giants, the first female honoree.

The Giant In Our City award was created in 1969 to honor lives of exceptional and distinguished public service and extraordinary professional achievement.

It is the Chamber’s most prestigious award and is given periodically by the Chamber’s Board of Governors.

To say the Right Reverend Carolyn Tanner Irish is a deserving recipient of this award would be an understatement.

She is the epitome of all that the Giant In Our City Award was created to honor.

Civic engagement, service to the community and a love for our great state are all qualities that distinguish a successful individual from a one worthy to be counted as A Giant In Our City.

Bishop Irish will be the 30^th person honored by the Chamber Board of Governors as A Giant In Our City, and she will be the first woman.

The 29 previous recipients, as well as Bishop Irish, constitute a remarkable group of individuals who have been presented the most prestigious business award given in Utah for their success as business leaders and for something more.

Those who have been named as A Giant In Our City are more than just successful business people. Just in the past decade we’ve named Giants including Spencer Eccles, Mitt Romney, Don Cash, Nick Rose, President Gordon B. Hinckley, Jon M. Huntsman, James LeVoy Sorenson, Larry H. Miller, William H. Nelson, Ellis Ivory and Roger Boyer. Going through that list you can see these names are all synonymous with business leadership. They are also the business leaders who have made contributions to our community that transcend the ledger sheets of their organizations.

The work of A Giant In Our City is to make our community better, to improve lives and to help others succeed.

Bishop Irish is a perfect example of everything A Giant In Our City should be. As the chair of the board of directors at O.C. Tanner, she has overseen a remarkable business; as the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Utah she has served as a spiritual leader and greatly enhanced our community.

The Chamber is proud to honor Bishop Irish as A Giant In Our City. We’re looking forward to a wonderful event this week.