The Salt Lake Chamber will hold its 2026 Annual Meeting on August 25 at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, where it will release its annual report and honor individuals and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional support for the Chamber’s mission, celebrating the organization’s 139-year legacy of advancing Utah’s business community.
This year’s theme, A Beacon of Opportunity, celebrates the power of leadership, partnership and vision in shaping Utah’s future. Like a beacon guiding the way forward, the Chamber helps illuminate opportunities, navigate challenges and strengthen Utah’s economy and communities.
“There is no greater tradition than coming together to celebrate the people who make Utah, Utah,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. “This year’s honorees embody the leadership, innovation and service that strengthen our economy, enrich our communities and create opportunity for generations to come. We are grateful for their lasting contributions and proud to recognize the difference each has made across our state.”
Honorees for the event will include the following organizations and individuals:
President’s Award for Excellence: Dr. Brian Steed, Vice President for Government and External Relations, Utah State University
Honors an individual or organization selected by the president and CEO
Utah Rising Award: Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation
Honors an organization advancing the goals of Utah Rising
Legacy Award: Wasatch Electric
Honors a long-standing business in Utah
Fortitude Award: America First Credit Union
Honors a corporate business in Utah
Beehive Award: Utah Food Bank
Honors an organization that helps build our community through volunteerism
Opportunity Award: Avalanche Studios
Honors a small business in Utah
Icon Award: Bossible
Honors a woman-owned business in Utah
Trailblazer Award: Kylee Spjut, Senior Public Relations Manager, Penna Powers
Honors a “rising star” in our community
Chamber Champions
Honors exceptional Chamber volunteers
- Alicia Gleed, Community Building Officer, The Road Home
- Andrew Gruber, Executive Director, Wasatch Front Regional Council
- Tom Jacobson, Attorney, Thomas N. Jacobson Law
- Amanda Morton, Vice President of Relationship Development, Cyprus Credit Union
- Cory Robinson, Market Manager, America First Credit Union
The Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon will be held on August 25, 2026. Doors open at 11:00 a.m., with the program running from noon to 1:30 p.m. For more information or a full list of sponsors, visit the Salt Lake Chamber website.
Honoree information below:
President’s Award: Dr. Brian Steed
Dr. Brian Steed was recently appointed as the vice president for government and external relations at Utah State University. Previously, he served as the executive director of the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water and Air at Utah State University. Until July 1, 2026, he also served as the inaugural commissioner of the Great Salt Lake.
Before joining the Institute, Steed served as the executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources from 2019 to 2022. From 2017 to 2019, he served in Washington, D.C., as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)’s deputy director for policy and programs, exercising the authority of the director. Prior to the BLM, he was chief of staff to former Utah Congressman Chris Stewart from 2013 to 2017. Steed has also served as the deputy county attorney for Iron County and taught political science and economics at Utah State University.
A native of Logan, Utah, Steed earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in political science from Utah State University. He also holds a Juris Doctor and a certificate in natural resources and environmental law from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, as well as a Ph.D. in public policy with an emphasis in environmental policy from Indiana University Bloomington.
Steed lives in Logan, where he enjoys all things outdoors with his wife and three children.
Utah Rising Award: Clark and Christina Ivory Foundation
The Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation was established in 2003 and operates in service of its core goal to help build sustainable communities, meet critical demands in education (with a particular focus on improving early childhood literacy) and address housing affordability.
With an eye toward the future, the Foundation continues to serve both individual needs and systemic challenges. Through strategic collaboration with essential service providers, fellow philanthropists and visionary leaders, the Foundation aims to uplift and shape a more equitable and opportunity-rich future.
Legacy Award: Wasatch Electric
Founded in 1919, Wasatch Electric has built a lasting legacy as a leading full-service electrical contractor, delivering excellence across five specialized divisions. The company delivers innovative solutions, reliable performance and precise execution on every project. Wasatch Electric is customer-focused, committed to quality, safety and meeting the evolving needs of its customers. As the company helps drive industry progress, it remains grounded in its core values, delivering dependable results and building long-term trust through integrity, respect, teamwork and more than a century of experience.
Fortitude Award: America First Credit Union
America First Credit Union proudly serves more than 1.3 million members across the Western United States and ranks as one of the nation’s top credit unions. For 87 years, it has helped create greater financial freedom for Utahns and their businesses and helped strengthen the places they call home. By providing access to industry-leading financial services and partnering with and investing in the communities in which it operates, America First is helping to build a stronger, more connected Utah.
Beehive Award: Utah Food Bank
Founded in 1904, Utah Food Bank is the state’s leading hunger-relief organization, dedicated to Fighting Hunger Statewide. Through a network of 309 emergency food pantries and partner agencies, in addition to direct service programs, the organization provides critical food assistance to individuals and families across Utah. Last year, Utah Food Bank distributed 69.6 million pounds of food and goods — equivalent to approximately 58 million meals — from its distribution centers in Salt Lake, St. George, Springville and Blanding.
Opportunity Award: Avalanche Studios
Storytellers. Avalanche Studios is a full-service film and video production company that tells the stories of business. Commercials. Brand Films. Documentaries. Content for web and social media. For over 25 years, Avalanche Studios’ team of award-winning directors, producers, editors, filmmakers and creators have been crafting stories for their clients. They’re passionate about capturing the client’s vision and communicating it to the audience. Avalanche Studios was founded in 2000 by Dave Lindsay, and is located in Sandy, Utah.
Icon Award: Bossible
Bossible is a brand strategy company for thought leaders and small businesses to mid-sized businesses nationwide. For 10 years, the company has empowered clients to own their story, show up with confidence and build brands that reflect who they are. Through strategy, storytelling and execution, Bossible turns expertise into visibility and visibility into growth. Bossible supports established businesses, start-ups, nonprofits, entrepreneurs and professionals across industries, offering actionable insights to amplify their unique offerings and seize growth opportunities.
Trailblazer Award: Kylee Spjut
Kylee Spjut is the senior public relations manager at Penna Powers, where she is dedicated to bringing meaningful connection and thoughtful storytelling to her clients’ work. With a background in PR and communications, she takes a strategic approach to media relations that has helped secure coverage at both local and global levels. She is especially passionate about public health initiatives and finds deep fulfillment in the behavior-change campaigns she works on that encourage safe driving, raise awareness of the harms of social media on youth, promote the responsible use of natural resources and more.
In addition to her work at Penna Powers, Spjut serves as an adjunct faculty member at Brigham Young University, teaching PR writing and media relations to future industry professionals. A graduate of BYU herself, she values the opportunity to bridge classroom learning with real-world agency experience and to support the next generation of communicators. Spjut is also a nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, helping educate caregivers on proper car seat installation.
Chamber Champions
Alicia Gleed
Alicia Gleed is a seasoned nonprofit leader with nearly two decades at The Road Home, where she serves as community building officer. During her 18-year tenure, she has helped shape the organization’s voice, visibility and connection to the community. As former director of marketing and communications, she guided the agency’s public presence through periods of significant growth and change, helping elevate awareness of homelessness and the solutions needed to address it.
In her current role, Gleed leads efforts to strengthen relationships with community partners, donors, volunteers, advocates and other stakeholders who play a critical role in advancing The Road Home’s mission. She is passionate about building bridges between the organization and the broader community, fostering understanding, collaboration and shared responsibility in addressing homelessness.
With a background in education and strategic storytelling, Gleed brings empathy, authenticity and clarity to complex social issues. She believes that meaningful change begins with listening to people’s experiences and creating opportunities for communities to engage in solutions. Throughout her career, she has worked to challenge misconceptions about homelessness, elevate the voices of those with lived experience and promote policies and practices that support long-term housing stability.
Gleed holds a bachelor’s degree in English education from Utah Valley University. She believes strong communities ensure everyone has a place to call home and is dedicated to advancing systems that create greater opportunity, dignity and belonging for all.
Andrew Gruber
Andrew Gruber is executive director of Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC), the metropolitan planning organization for the majority of Utah’s Wasatch Front. WFRC provides a forum for public, private and community stakeholders to plan for transportation, land use and economic opportunity, all embodied in the Wasatch Choice Vision and Utah’s Unified Transportation Plan.
Gruber grew up in New York City, attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, where he practiced law and worked in the transportation industry until he and his wife and kids moved to Utah for its natural beauty and quality of life in 2010.
Tom Jacobson
Tom Jacobson is an experienced attorney licensed to practice in Utah, California and Texas. Jacobson received his bachelor’s degree from Utah State University and his law degree from the University of Utah. Upon completion of law school, Jacobson entered the United States Air Force, where he served for a little over four years and was the recipient of many awards, including Junior Officer of the Year. Upon leaving the Air Force, Jacobson entered private practice and was a partner in a law firm for over 30 years before becoming a sole practitioner.
Jacobson focuses his practice on business and real estate matters, and during his career, he has handled significant cases, such as the Newmark Superfund Site Case and California Desert Wilderness Case. Jacobson also assists international clients with doing business in various countries.
In addition to his law practice, Jaconson is active in the community, serving on the Utah Transportation Commission, a member of the executive committee and Board of Trustees of Congregation Kol Ami, Board of Directors of the Heber Valley Railroad, Board of Trustees of Utah Symphony | Utah Opera and is the president elect of the Park City Sunrise Rotary Club. Jacobson has also served eight years on the Utah Alcohol Service Commission and on other boards and community committees. Jacobson has been published in the California Real Property Journal and Utah Bar Journal, and has taught classes in real estate.
Amanda Morton
Amanda Morton is vice president of relationship development at Cyprus Credit Union, where she leads community partnerships, public relations, financial education and strategic outreach initiatives across Utah. Through her work, she collaborates with businesses, educational institutions, nonprofits and community organizations to create opportunities that strengthen local communities and expand financial well-being.
Prior to joining the financial industry, Morton spent nine years in the salon industry as both an executive leader and entrepreneur, giving her firsthand experience with the challenges and opportunities faced by business owners. That perspective continues to shape her passion for supporting entrepreneurs, workforce development and economic growth.
Morton is deeply committed to community service and currently serves on the Women’s Business Center Board, the Salt Lake Community College Foundation Board and the Westminster Gore School of Business Advisory Board. She also serves on the boards of the Canyons and Jordan Education Foundations, helping advance educational opportunities for students and educators throughout the region.
Known for her collaborative leadership style and dedication to building meaningful partnerships, Morton is passionate about connecting people, organizations and resources to create lasting impact in the communities she serves.
Cory Robinson
Cory Robinson is a market manager with America First Credit Union, where he leads branch operations across the Salt Lake Metro area. In this role, he oversees service delivery, drives performance and supports business and community development initiatives. As a strong advocate for the credit union movement, Robinson is dedicated to expanding financial access, supporting working families and small businesses and strengthening community partnerships.
Robinson serves as chair of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee, where he works to build meaningful connections between Utah’s military community, policymakers, business leaders and service organizations. He brings to the committee the conviction that supporting the military is not just about recognition, but about understanding needs and advancing thoughtful advocacy among business, civic and community leaders. He is also actively engaged in efforts supporting Utah’s defense and aerospace ecosystem and serves on the board of the Fort Douglas Military Museum Association.
A graduate of the University of Utah and a Utah native, Robinson lives in the Salt Lake area with his wife and three children. He remains deeply committed to serving and strengthening the communities that helped shape him.
