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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
The Salt Lake Chamber has stood as the voice and leader of Utah businesses for more than 100 years. For 25 of those years I had the pleasure of serving as the president and chief executive officer. I loved every day of those years and I have a great interest in the success of the organization because it has a very direct impact on the vitality and economic viability of the State of Utah.
Since I retired in January of 1996, there have been several CEOs. The most recent, Larry Mankin, resigned from the chamber last October. For the last eight months, the search committee has worked hard to find the right person for this most important position. They were pleased to announce that effective today, July 1, the new Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce president will be R. Lane Beattie.
Lane and his wife, Joy, have three children and three grandchildren. As a businessman, Lane is a real estate broker and developer. In 1989, he began serving in the Utah State Senate. He served as Senate Majority Whip and Majority Leader and was President of the Senate from June 1994 until June of 2000, when Governor Leavitt appointed Lane as State Olympic Officer. As State Olympic Officer, Lane coordinated Utah's legal, financial and inter-government arrangements for the 2002 Winter Olympics. In a recent press release Governor Leavitt said that the selection of Lane Beattie as Chamber president "is great news for the Utah economy."
Utah is only one of three states in the United States that does not have an active "State" chamber of commerce. A "State Chamber of Commerce" has the role of lobbying the State Legislature on behalf of the business community. The Salt Lake Chamber has historically filled that role so the appointment of R. Lane Beattie, with his extensive legislative experience, will make the chamber a strong, effective voice of reason on the "hill."
Welcome Lane. It's a mighty important job. I know you will do well!
For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
