The August 2017 issue of Utah Business magazine features a cover story on uncommon companies that are contributing to Utah’s booming economy, a special on the air quality crisis and the steps that rural cities are taking to increase tourism.
Creating a Niche:
Utah’s high rate of business success isn’t news anymore. The state continues to lead the nation in low unemployment rates and top-notch economic development, and the number of companies bringing their organizations to the business-friendly state only continues to climb.
But with all the hoopla surrounding such accolades, sometimes the unique stories behind these companies get lost. Meet four unusual businesses in utah at the forefront of their industries, creating products and services that are changing the world.
A Hazy Outlook:
Be honest. Have there been days when you’ve wanted to invest in a gas mask when you walk outside? Days where the outlines of the mountains fade into a blur, and the fog is tinged a murky brown?
That’s the reality of the inversion days in our state’s metropolitan areas. And while inversion is a meteorological phenomenon, it doesn’t change the fact that on the days that phenomenon occurs – on average 18 days a year – we’re all stuck breathing a dusty soup of pollutants.
The Visitor Effect:
A few years ago, Uintah County found itself in a tight spot: its dominant industry was floundering, and there wasn’t a strong enough secondary industry to take up the slack.
“With the total crash of the oil and gas industry, it was time to diversify,” says Lesha Coltharp, director of tourism for Uintah County. While today that temporary tailspin is in the past, the lessons they learned form it aren’t. The county has been vigorously building up other sectors to promote a more balanced economy, and one of their brightest stars is promoting tourism to create a more comprehensive visitor economy.