UtahPolicy.com invited a number of Utah leaders to express their feelings about the leadership of Gov. Gary Herbert, who leaves office today after more than 11 years as governor.
Stuart Adams, President, Utah Senate: “Gov. Herbert has been a dedicated leader and public servant to the state of Utah. During his time in office, he has been a strong advocate for all Utahns. His focus on positioning Utah and working with the Legislature to ensure our state has a healthy, diverse economy has been monumental. It’s been an honor to work alongside Gov. Herbert to tackle big issues and find solutions to challenging problems. He will be greatly missed in the Capitol, and I wish him the best in the next chapter of his life.”
Derek B. Miller, President & CEO, Salt Lake Chamber. This week I visited the Mansion to wish a final “farewell” to Governor Herbert. It did not surprise me to see moving boxes in the halls, but I was surprised to see Governor Herbert in Levi’s and a sweatshirt packing up the boxes himself. I asked what he was going to do in his final week as Governor and he responded, “You’re looking at it.” I wondered why he didn’t have someone to do this for him, but he just looked at me and said, “Why would someone else do a job that I’m perfectly capable of doing myself.” That is the legacy of Gary Herbert. When there’s a job to do, he is the first one to get started and the last one to leave. Job well done, Governor!
Mike Mower, Deputy Chief of Staff, Governor’s Office: One of the honors of my life has been to work closely with Utah Governor Gary Herbert for over a decade. I’ve seen him in times of triumph and trial. I’ve sat with him through hundreds of meeting. What stands out to me that even in contrasting situations, he always maintained a clear head, a sharp focus and a positive outlook regarding what needs to be done to make things better for Utahns – whether you live in Federal Heights, Farmington, Ferron or anywhere else in the Beehive State. Governor Herbert has consistently been conservative in practice, moderate in tone, and inclusive in process in his work in state government. Utah is a better place because of the service of Governor Gary Herbert and his wonderful, hard-working, and talented wife, First Lady Jeanette Herbert.
Ally Isom, former Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director, Governor’s Office: Governor Herbert, it was an honor and privilege to be part of your senior team, 2010-2013. As you made crystal clear in our earliest strategic conversation, your steady leadership and firm principles will be your enduring legacy. You have honored the Governor’s office with a consistent conservative and compassionate approach to governance, priorities, and process. May you and Jeanette leave office knowing you both served nobly, giving every measure of your golden hearts and incomparable energy. With full confidence, I declare no one loves the beautiful State of Utah and its people more than our Honorable Gary and Jeanette Herbert.
Jani Iwamoto, State Senator: Wishing Governor Herbert and First Lady Jeanette Herbert a wonderful and exciting transition to their next adventure. Their love and respect for each other is clear. Politics is not easy and being Governor is challenging, especially through unknown and unprecedented times – the first of its kind during most of our lifetimes. I do believe a great leader is someone who has good people surrounding him or her, and who shows compassion with those who have given so much to others, like our veterans, first responders, teachers, for example. I have personally witnessed his compassion and time he has devoted to show them that they are important and that what they have done, matters. For those moments, thank you, Governor Herbert.
Frank Pignanelli, former State Representative and current lobbyist: Gary Herbert should be featured in curriculum for future generations of Utah school children as the ideal public servant. Foremost, Herbert is at his core a decent person – the characteristic all Utahns felt and expressed through high approval ratings. He treated everyone with respect, regardless of faith or party affiliation. Herbert’s simple brilliance was demonstrated with incredible appointments to his administration and the judiciary. Without sacrificing sense to ideology, he adhered to conservative principles in deliberations. On occasion some found something to critique from his many years of service, but most Utahns knew — and were grateful – the state was in good hands.
Evan Vickers, State Senator: As Governor Herbert nears the end of his long and productive tenure, I have been thinking about what a good man he is and what a wonderful wife and first lady, Jeanette, has been. Both have been wonderful examples to me of the right way to be public servants. I definitely feel that Governor Herbert has been effective and successful. As I think of what his legacy will be, I hope that it is his drive for economic development and the furthering of education in Utah. He guided us through some difficult times with courage and dignity.
Val Oveson, former Lieutenant Governor, state auditor, and state tax commissioner: Thank you, Governor Herbert, for your dedicated and selfless service to the people of Utah! I pay tribute to you for your long and successful career. You have an amazing track records of consistently administering the affairs of the State and standing up for regular citizens. Your legacy will include successfully guiding our economy, supporting education, and dealing fairly and competently with the Covid-19 crisis. You enjoy the trust and confidence of the citizens of the state because of your honesty, fairness, and personal approach. You have represented us well.
Jacey Skinner, former general counsel to Gov. Herbert, and current general counsel & EVP for policy, Salt Lake Chamber: Governor Herbert, I am grateful to have had the chance to work closely with you from your first days in office –I was consistently impressed that you were never interested in making reactionary or politically expedient decisions, but that you always listened, sought to understand, and focused on making the right decision for the state.
Being Governor is a thankless job, but you worked harder than anyone around you and you never lost sight of the people that you were elected to serve. I often wished the people of the State of Utah could see just how hard you worked for them and just how much you cared. Thank you for your leadership, loyalty, and example.
Ann Millner, State Senator: Governor Herbert’s service will be defined by his determined focus on the economy and education. He worked tirelessly to support significant funding for education and built a strong, vibrant economy out of what was the Great Recession. I applaud him for his sustained efforts to make a difference for the people of Utah!
Robert Grow, former CEO, & Ari Bruening, current CEO, Envision Utah: Thank you, Governor Herbert, for championing Envision Utah and long-range visioning, beginning when you were an Envision Utah vice chair during the original Quality Growth Strategy visioning effort in the late 1990s. Thank you for, like every governor since Mike Leavitt, serving as an honorary co-chair of Envision Utah and supporting visions tackling topics like clean air, water, education, and the growth of Utah County. And thank you for championing the Your Utah, Your Future vision that engaged over 50,000 Utahns in the largest statewide visioning effort in over a century.
