By May Hunter, For Iron County Today
The 2026 One Utah Summit was held August 4–6 at Southern Utah University’s America First Event Center. The One Utah Summit is Utah’s premier annual business and rural economic development conference, bringing together leaders from across the state to discuss frontier energy, agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, education, and global trade.
A highlight of the event was an address by Governor Spencer Cox, who celebrated Utah earning the top spot in the national Independence Index, recognizing the state’s excellence in job growth, volunteerism, educational freedom, and overall quality of life.
“If we invest in people, steward the places that make Utah special, and create opportunities that reach every community, we won’t just remain the best state in America,” said Governor Spencer Cox. “We’ll continue to show the rest of the country what One Utah really means.”
Another highlight of this year’s summit was the Summit Service Project, led by First Lady Abby Cox and UServe Utah. Summit attendees assembled 2,246 literacy kits for first- and second-grade students in Iron and Beaver counties. The summit also recognizes outstanding organizations and leaders who are expanding economic opportunities and strengthening communities throughout rural Utah.
2026 One Utah Summit Award Recipients:
- Utah Business of the Year — Intermountain Electronics (IE): Honored for the company’s continued growth in Price, including the creation of hundreds of technical jobs, development of a residential campus and partnerships with area colleges to prepare workers for advanced manufacturing careers.
- Statewide Investor — LS Electric Utah: Recognized for its significant investment and expansion in Iron County. The company is investing $168 million to expand its Enoch campus, with plans to add more than 250 jobs and nearly 294,000 square feet of manufacturing space by 2030.
- Horizon Award — Valar Atomics: Recognized for reaching a major milestone with the groundbreaking of its Ward 250 reactor project in Emery County.
- International Business of the Year — Merit Medical Systems: Honored for the company’s continued international growth and expanding presence throughout Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa.
- Distinguished Service Award — Lauri Garfield: Recognized for her leadership and contributions to the day-to-day operations of Southern Utah University.
- Utah Rural Influencer — Geri Gamber: The executive director of SERDA was honored for helping bring resources and development opportunities to communities throughout southeastern Utah.
- Utah Rural Rockstar — Lesha Coltharp: Uintah County’s director of tourism and events was recognized for creative marketing efforts that have helped promote the Dinosaurland area as a tourism destination.
- State Bank of Southern Utah Rural Legacy Leader — Carl Albrecht: Honored for his longstanding service, leadership and commitment to rural communities across Utah.
- Transformational Leader Awards: Nate McDonald of URLA, Michelle Tullis of ILA, Larry Jensen of CULA and Derrin Owens of ELA were recognized for their leadership and contributions to workforce and industry development.
- Transformational Leader Legacy Award — Christine Watkins: Honored for a career marked by leadership, service and contributions to communities throughout Utah.
The three-day One Utah Summit wrapped up with breakout sessions, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities that brought together leaders from education, government and business. The conversations centered on workforce development, collaboration and ways to support continued growth in communities throughout Utah.
Southern Utah University President Mindy Benson said bringing the summit to Cedar City gives students and the surrounding region an opportunity to connect directly with leaders shaping Utah’s economy.
“Hosting the One Utah Summit on our campus brings the future of Utah industry directly to our doorstep,” Benson said. “When we bring innovative state and business leaders together in Cedar City, we create direct employment pathways for our students, strengthen our regional workforce, and ensure our rural communities have the tools to thrive for generations to come.”
Donna Law, SUU Associate Vice President of Community and Government Relations, also highlighted the role individuals and organizations play in strengthening communities across the state.
“Utah’s rich culture and strong sense of community are built on the dedication of people who pour their hearts into making our state better every single day,” Law said. “The contributions of this year’s award winners uplift our neighborhoods, preserve our vibrant quality of life, and inspire us all.”
What an incredible week at the 2026 One Utah Summit! Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s event such a tremendous success. Every detail was thoughtfully planned, the event was exceptionally organized, and even Southern Utah provided beautiful weather.
