The Salt Lake Chamber has announced that Governor Gary R. Herbert will be honored as the 41st Giant in our City. The award honors those with exceptional and distinguished service and extraordinary professional achievement and is widely recognized as the most prestigious business award given in Utah.
“Over the past twenty years, Governor Herbert has worked with a singular focus of making Utah the top state in America to live and work — from fostering economic growth after the 2008 recession, increasing education funding as his highest budget priority, attracting world-class businesses, supporting innovation and investment, and keeping our communities vibrant,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance, in announcing the award. “Because of Gary Herbert, Utah is the best place to ‘live, work, learn and play,’ and his influence will be felt for years to come.”
The award will be presented at the 2020 Giant in our City celebration, March 26, 2020, at the Grand America Hotel.
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Honoree bio below:
Giant in our City: Governor Gary R. Herbert
Governor Gary R. Herbert took office in 2009 and is currently the nation’s longest-serving governor. During his time in office, he has kept a resolute focus on economic development, improving Utah’s educational excellence, and working today to guarantee that Utah will continue to maintain its high quality of life far into the future. Under his leadership, Utah’s economy has risen to a position of national and international success.
Governor Herbert was born and raised in Utah County, where he would eventually serve as a County Commissioner for 14 years. He attended Brigham Young University, served six years in the Utah National Guard (from 1970-1976), and started a successful real estate brokerage and development company, Herbert and Associates Incorporated.
He served as the past president of the Utah Association of Realtors and the Utah Association of Counties.
Governor Herbert has also served as chair of both the Western Governors Association and the National Governors Association. He currently serves as the national president for the Council of State Governments. Prior to becoming governor, he served as Utah’s lieutenant governor for five years.
Governor Herbert is most proud of his roles as husband, father, and grandfather. He has encouraged his children to “follow in his footsteps and marry up.” His wife, Jeanette Herbert, before becoming the First Lady of Utah, owned and operated a commercial child care and preschool, The Kids Connection, for 23 years. The First Lady’s initiative is called “Uplift Families.” The goal of this initiative is to promote good parenting skills, strengthen families, and offer resources to parents throughout the state.
Governor Herbert is tremendously proud of the successes of his wife, children, and grandchildren, and he is grateful to serve as the 17th Governor of the great State of Utah.
