For over 100 years too many, we Utah residents have quietly suffered snickering jabs from persons living in more uppity states and cities. Since the advent of television (invented by Beaver, Utah born Philo Farnsworth) and radio it has only gotten worse. Who among us hasn’t cringed when a late night television show guest has thought it funny to mock us with clichéd witticisms about multiple wives, weak beer, backwater residents, LDS Temple rituals, and the shiny white teeth of Donny and Marie? Ok, we spot them Ted Bundy, but after that, Utah has produced more than its share of famous citizens—where would buckets of tears be without “superstars” like Coalville born Tony Geary of General Hospital? Or Roseanne Barr, Loretta Young and David Archuletta? We jumped the gun on cold fusion, but there is no stopping the positive life saving science of the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Utah Valley’s Word Perfect didn’t win the word processing war with Microsoft Word, but it did signal that Utah could compete on a national stage with the tech big boys. The result? Utah is now fully transformed as a tech haven (with a special nod to Clearfield’s Nolan Bushnell of Atari). The moniker Silicon Slopes is a world-wide brand with the enterprising businesses that comprise it among the tech world’s best known and fastest growing. There are many, many more. Utah companies and Utah individuals make our lives better each day with their stalwart commitment to being the best at what they do each and every day. They come from every walk of life, often starting with the most humble of beginnings. They, to a person, remain humble. On the following pages you will find their stories, each intending to let you know a little more about them, but with the added benefit that learning about others also teaches us to learn about ourselves. We believe you will read slices of your own history in many of them, for, you, too are Utah. We all are. More and more, everyday, it becomes easier to not only admit to being from Utah, but bragging about it as well. I’m born and raised here, and without question, Utah is a pretty great place to be. We are all Utah. Enjoy. John Saltas