Welcome to 2025 and the focus is already turning to the upcoming State of Utah Legislative Session, and the Utah Manufacturers Association (UMA) is working diligently to prepare manufacturers for what lies ahead. To kickstart this process, UMA hosted its annual Policy Summit, bringing together key stakeholders to shed light on the critical policy changes, challenges, and opportunities that will shape Utah’s industrial and economic landscape in the coming year.
With a range of expert speakers, the summit provided valuable insights into the proposed legislation and its potential impact on businesses, individuals, and the state’s manufacturing sector. Whether you’re a business owner, policy advocate, or simply looking to stay informed, the summit delivered essential takeaways to help you navigate the road ahead. Here’s a closer look at the key moments and insights from the event.
The first speaker was Josh Brown, COO at UMA. He provided a comprehensive outlook on the state of Utah’s manufacturing industry, current policy trends, environmental impact, and upcoming legislative priorities that will impact manufacturers.
Key take away: Get to know your legislators.
Next attendees were able to hear from Des Barker, President of Des Barker Associates. His presentation focused on effective advocacy strategies for manufacturers to influence public policy decisions in the state legislature.
Key takeaway: Build relationships with lawmakers and engage in the legislative process.
“Don’t just know your legislators, make sure they know you.” – Des Barker
After a brief break for coffee and networking, we got right back into it with Billy Hesterman, President of the Utah Taxpayers Association. He focused on key legislative tax policy issues affecting Utah manufacturers and gave an in-depth look at where taxpayer money goes.
Key takeaway: Manufacturers get involved to keep taxes fair.
Up next was a dual presentation from city council members Kate Bradshaw of Bountiful and Clint Morris of Layton. These council members focused on the local/city economic impact of individuals and businesses.
Key takeaway: Think about how your local city government affects you the most. Cities are trying to work with legislators on behalf of the residents of their city.
“We can talk about the State and Federal, but where rubber meets the road, or really meets the pothole, is local government.” – Clint Morris
Closing out the summit was Ben Hart, Executive Director of Utah Inland Port Authority. about the progress and current state of the Utah Inland Port Authority and its docs on manufacturing and it’s future.
Key take away: We need to make the right investments in Utah’s infrastructure and that takes manufacturers being at the table for those logistics’ conversations.
Throughout the 2025 Utah Legislative session UMA will be bringing you updates on bills and actively participating in and lobbying for the best interests of the manufacturing industry at the state Capitol. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter or watch our blog for updates.