Join Utah’s Second Lady Abby Cox as she moderates a panel discussion with some of Utah’s rural female leaders who have powerful stories of community partnerships that demonstrate their innovative leadership.  

• Moderator: 
  • Abby Cox, Utah’s Second Lady
• Presenters:
  • Irene Hansen, County Commissioner - Duchesne County
  • Donia Jessop, Mayor - Hildale
  • Maile Wilson, Mayor - Cedar City 
  • Tina Cannon, County Council Member - Morgan County
  • Emily Niehaus, Mayor - Moab

Join some of Rural Utah’s leaders who are living the remote work dream and can guide you and your community through successful ways to thrive in a remote work environment.  

• Moderator:
  • Paul Hill, Extension Associate Professor & County Director - Utah State University
• Presenters:
  • David Lisonbee, Senior Director - Nice, Inc.
  • Lindison Webb, Director of Development Success - Ticketmaster.com
  • Brooke Jones, ESL Teacher - Magic Ears

The Small Business Administration (SBA) and USDA Rural Development are partnering to promote stronger businesses and agricultural economies throughout the state of Utah.  This session is an opportunity to learn from representatives of the SBA and USDA on how the federal focus on rural economic development can benefit your local economy. The Utah Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Initiative explain how their partnership with SBA leads to improved outcomes and opportunities. Entrepreneurs, lenders, and resource partners are highly encouraged to attend.  

Presenters: 

• Randy Parker, State Director - USDA Rural Development
• Perry Mathews, Business Programs Director - USDA Rural Development
• Marla Trollan, District Director - Small Business Administration
• Karl Wernick, Lender Relations Specialist - Small Business Administration
• Jeff Edwards, Executive Director - Utah Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Initiative

When partnership comes together in a community amazing stories are designed.  The presenters in this breakout have some powerful examples that illustrate how important it is to connect with partners and programs while you are making your vision come true.  

• Moderator:
  • Don Willie, Executive Director - Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Dixie State University
• Presenters: 
  • Chris Pengra, Economic Development Director - Rocky Mountain Power
  • Andrew Deceuster, Assistant Professor of Manufacturing, Advanced Prototyping Technologies - Utah State University
  • Ezra Roper, Founder - Product Power Up
  • Chris Roybal, Executive Director - Northern Utah Economic Alliance EDCUtah

Does diversity really impact rural Utahns? Increasingly, the answer is yes. For rural leaders, increased diversity presents challenges but, more importantly, opportunities for economic and cultural growth.

Join Lt. Governor Spencer Cox, community advocate Byron Russell, and Director of the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs Nubia Pena for a timely discussion on their work surrounding many types of diversity in Utah. The panel will introduce the efforts of the Utah Multicultural Commission and available resources for rural leaders seeking to understand and lead out in areas related to diversity, inclusion, and strengthening vulnerable communities throughout our state.

This session will include a Q&A with panelists.

Presenters:

• Spencer Cox, Lieutenant Governor of Utah
• Byron Russell, Co-Chair - Multicultural Commission
• Nubia Peña, Director - Office of Multicultural Affairs

Utah’s communities work to build local economies and create jobs. Local economic development incentives are often used to help close the deal with companies looking to locate or expand. What are your community assets? Are incentives needed? To what level? Will the incentives package prove to be a benefit for the company, community and its residents?  Learn from the experiences of our rural economic development experts about the implementation, successes, and potential pitfalls of local economic development incentives programs.

• Moderator:
  • Alan Rindlisbacher, Director of Community Strategy - Economic Development Corporation of Utah
• Presenters
  • Malcolm Nash, Economic Development Director - Sevier County
  • Danny Stewart, Economic Development Director - Cedar City
  • Adam Long, Attorney/Partner - Smith Hartvigsen

The Census is a once-in-a-decade opportunity and makes a lasting impact on every community, business, and organization. Not only does Census data improve understanding of our residents and customers, it has a significant impact on the distribution of state and federal funding, political representation, and planning and economic development efforts.  Come prepared to make the wealth of Census data work for you.

Presenters: 

• Evan Curtis, State Planning Coordinator - Utah Governor's Office of Management and Budget
• Mallory Bateman, State Data Center Coordinator - Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute

Some of Utah’s biggest wins have come because leaders have stepped up and faced challenges through innovation and the creation of unique partnerships. Join this group of key leaders in Utah as they showcase innovation that is tackling some of rural Utah’s biggest hurdles. 

• Moderator:
  • Linda Clark Gillmor, Director - Office of Rural Development / Governor’s Office of Economic Development
• Presenters: 
  • Brandy Grace, CEO - Utah Association of Counties
  • Brian Steed, Executive Director - Utah Department of Natural Resources
  • Mark Preiss, Director - Zion National Park Forever Project
  • Darin Bushman, Commissioner - Piute County

The competition is intended to help identify and support high-potential early-stage businesses and business ideas. All entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs are encouraged to consider entering the competition to have their ideas heard and evaluated. Initial judging of entries will occur in a breakout session on September 3 at 2:00 PM, with final judging in a general session of the Summit on Sept 4.