Utah forms new economic club

More than 400 business, community leaders and economists have joined Gov. Gary Herbert to launch the Economic Club of Utah.

The club is a formal association that will offer a speakers forum; provide a peer network to share economic data, research and analysis; will serve as the local chapter of the National Association of Business Economics; host an annual symposium to share economic forecasts and timely economic issues, and mentor future economic leaders.

It is patterned after similar clubs located in New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

"Great American cities have prestigious forums for intellectually motivating and deeply relevant economic discussion," said Dean Taylor Randall of the University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business, which will serve as the organizing entity for the new club. "We will bring together leading economists and business leaders to better understand the Utah economy and cultivate the next generation of economic leaders."

The club will have a statewide footprint and replace what was previously known as the Wasatch Front Economic Forum. Membership is free. In addition to the Eccles School of Business, the Utah Governor's Office of Management and Budget and Salt Lake Chamber will serve as partnering entities.

Juliette Tennert of the Governor's Office of Economic Development will be the public sector co-chair of the club while Natalie Gochnour of the Salt Lake Chamber will be the private sector co-chair. Mark Knold, the senior economist for the Department of Workforce Service, will serve as president.

"Economic performance is foundational to the success of our community," said Gochnour. "By improving our understanding of the Utah economy, we can make better individual and collective decisions about how to keep it prosperous. This new club will promote a greater sense of economic purpose in our state."

wharton@sltrib.com

Twitter: @TribTomWharton