Pictured above: Matt Blazer, Intermark Steel
At Rural Day on the Hill this year, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) announced the winners of the Rural Businesses of the Year awards.
“Utah has experienced unprecedented economic growth, but not all of Utah’s communities are full participants in this success,” said Gov. Gary Herbert. “The 25K Job Initiative aims to improve economic success in all 25 counties by exploring new opportunities and clearing roadblocks impeding economic progress.”
This is the first year for the Business of the Year awards program. GOED worked with county commissioners to identify winners to represent their county. Companies were nominated based on economic impact in their community, size of the business and jobs created.
Businesses located in Utah’s 25 rural Utah counties are recognized for outstanding achievement, growth, impact in their community, job creation and innovation. The Carbon County recipient for 2018 was Intermark Steel and the Emery County recipient was Bronco Utah.
Intermark Steel, located in Price, is a fast-growing steel fabrication business providing full service pre-construction planning and design, integrated manufacturing with high efficiency output, and construction management and installation. Its approach marries new techniques and innovative procedures while reinstating timeless integrity and honesty in a blackened industry.
Located just outside the town of Emery, Utah, Bronco Operations provides quality coal for its customers and prides itself on providing safe and quality jobs for its employees. Its aim is to be the safest and lowest cost producer of product to its customers.
Rural Day on the Hill highlights economic challenges, successes and opportunities in rural Utah. The 2018 event featured updates from rural legislators, progress of the 25K Jobs initiative and a lunch with legislators in the Rotunda. During the luncheon, rural counties had the opportunity to exhibit and show off their county and what makes it great.
Gov. Herbert has spent the last several months meeting with representatives from each rural county to discuss incentives, grants, funding opportunities, resources, and each county’s strategy to grow and diversify their local economy.
“Today’s Business of the Year recipients demonstrate a commitment to growing their businesses, creating jobs and strengthening our rural communities through promising economic opportunities,” said Val Hale, executive director of GOED. “We’re confident they will continue to impact their communities and inspire others to find the resources they need to grow.”
In addition to the Business of the Year awards, the Utah Leopold Conservation Awards winners were announced. The award honors a Utah landowner’s achievement in voluntary stewardship and management of natural resources.
“Farmers and ranchers are the fathers of conservation here in the great state of Utah,” said Rep. Norm Thurston. “Long before modern organized conservationists, it was the agricultural producers that cared and tended to our land with the goal of preserving and passing it on to future generations. The families that have received this award have been a model for how conservation and agriculture go hand-in-hand in a prosperous operation. I want to sincerely congratulate Fred Thurston and the others for the incredible work they have done.”