Salt Lake events will explore Utah's recent past and near future economy

A pair of Jan. 18 events will look both at Utah’s recent economic past and into its near future.

The Utah Economic Review and the Utah Business & Policy Summit will take place at the Grand America Hotel, 555 S. Main St., Salt Lake City. The review will be from 7:30-9:30 a.m. and the inaugural summit follows from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Speakers during the economic review are Lane Beattie, president and chief executive officer of the Salt Lake Chamber; Gov. Gary Herbert; and Natalie Gochnour, an associate dean in the David Eccles School of Business and director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, and chief economist for the Salt Lake Chamber.

The annual event is hosted by the chamber, in collaboration with the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, the David Eccles School of Business, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and Economic Club of Utah. Attendees will receive a copy of the 2017 Economic Report to the Governor and a copy of Utah Informed 2017.

The summit, with the theme “Sketching Utah’s Next Economic Blueprint,” is hosted by the chamber and will feature Utah business leaders and elected officials discussing the critical issues that affect the state’s businesses and the release of the chamber’s 2017 Public Policy Guide.

A panel discussing the state’s large economic development initiatives will include Derek Miller, president and chief executive officer of the Trade Center Utah; House Majority Assistant Whip Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville; Senate Majority Whip Stuart Adams, R-Layton; and Val Hale, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED).

Another panel will discuss the top issues for the next legislative session. It features Beattie; House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper; and Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy.

Activities conclude with a lunch and keynote by John Burchett, state policy counsel for Google, who will discuss “Business Leadership in a 21st Century Economy.”

The cost is $95 for both events; $65 for the Utah Economic Review breakfast only; $40 for Utah Business & Policy Summit lunch only. Details are at slchamber.com.