On May 28, 2009 Cedar City held a ribbon-cutting for InterLinx Communications' fully redundant fiber optic network. We congratulate Mayor Gerald R. Sherratt on this significant economic development advancement for Cedar City. The transition to more high-tech broadband translates to more high-paying jobs. The groundbreaking also celebrates Cedar City's growing technology infrastructure and central location between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. What's more, it gives Southern Utah another key recruiting tool when courting companies looking to relocate or establish business.

On another subject, last Thursday EDCUtah held its Quarterly Investor Update at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy. It was exciting to be in Real Salt Lake's home stadium and we are grateful for the opportunity to hold our meeting there. William Lasher, senior director, state and local taxes for eBay Inc., addressed our group. eBay Utah employs over 1,000 people in two locations, one in Draper City and the other in South Jordan. The Draper customer service center operates 24/7 365 days a year and handles high level account management and fraud investigations. In South Jordan, eBay is building a 250,000 square-foot mega data center on a 60-acre site for its team of technical workers.

eBay recently announced the addition of 200 employees to its Draper customer service center. Mr. Lasher cited numerous reasons to be in Utah, such as our premium workforce, reliable energy, business friendly environment, progressive tax policy, incentives, fast track permitting, openness and honesty, and favorable weather. eBay is an excellent corporate citizen and it is thrilling to see the company grow its operations here.
Today's Economic Review also includes links to many of the ED-related news stories from the past week. As always, if you have comments, suggestions or topics you'd like to see in the Economic Review, please contact us by clicking the "Comments" link on the bottom of this page. Enjoy!

Jeff Edwards
President and CEO

Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) is one of Utah's fastest growing educational institutions. Fall enrollment is up 26 percent over last year and the school is growing exponentially. In May SLCC graduated over 4,000 students--its largest graduating class--which placed it fourth in the nation for the number of associate degrees awarded. Credit and non-credit classes at SLCC allowed the school to serve more than 60,000 students last year.

In 2009 SLCC provided workforce education and training to 35,000 students. The economic impact of SLCC's workforce development is significant. "SLCC workforce training has increased regional income by over $850 million dollars," says President Cynthia Bioteau. Last year SLCC partnered with 73 companies to provide customized training to 1,135 students/employees in fields such as manufacturing, health care, aviation and automotive technology. SLCC also provided short-term intensive training to 484 companies and 672 students/employees during the same period.

As an EDCUtah investor since 1990, SLCC and EDCUtah enjoy a symbiotic relationship. "It's a very circular type of partnership and collaboration," Bioteau notes. "We leverage educational resources, human and intellectual capital with business synergies and that is largely what EDCUtah does, as well. I believe the creative and energy forces of EDCUtah are a large part of why Utah has maintained its economic and technological advantage."

Bioteau serves on EDCUtah's Board of Trustees and Executive Committee. She says her role there is to be a connector, helping EDCUtah leverage the educational resources and workforce training that SLCC provides to the community.

The school operates 14 campus locations and offers more than 120 degree programs, as well as continuing education, apprenticeships and other options to help students achieve their educational objectives. During the 2008/2009 school year the Women's Business Institute at SLCC provided 120 counseling sessions, served 15 new, start-up businesses, provided outreach to Sudanese refugees for business start-up programs and trained 60 low-income women to create and sell textiles in their own communities and the U.S. through the Women's India Trust.

"Our vision is to become the premiere comprehensive community college in the nation," says Bioteau.

Utah ranked No. 1 for expected economic recovery
The second edition of "Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index" ranks Utah 1st (again) for economic competitiveness and expected economic recovery. (Utah Business Magazine)

EBay to add 200 jobs at Draper facility
EBay has taken Utah up on tax incentives offered in May and will expand its customer-support operations in Draper by 200 more employees, according to an announcement made Thursday at the monthly meeting of the Governor's Office of Economic Development Board. (Deseret News) (Salt Lake Tribune) (KSL) (Utah Business Magazine)

S.L. ranks 18th on list of best places to live
Salt Lake City ranks 18th among cities with populations between 100,000 and 200,000 in a list of "best places to live and work for young professionals" produced by Next Generation Consulting. (Deseret News)

Polishing a Diamond in the Rough
The revitalization of Ogden is a lesson for every municipality in America. In little more than a decade, this formerly shabby low-rent city has been transformed into a top tourist destination, a host for world-class athletic events and a still-growing relocation center for international companies that make gear, apparel and accessories for skiers and snowboarders. (Utah CEO Magazine)

Intermountain, Geisinger share the spotlight in Obama talk
President Barack Obama on Thursday turned the spotlight on healthcare IT leaders Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City and Geisinger Health in rural Philadlephia. "We have to ask why places like the Geisinger Health system in rural Pennsylvania, Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City or communities like Green Bay can offer high-quality care at costs well below average, but other places in America can't"… (Healthcareitnews)

Canadian, U.S. officials push for western energy corridor
Canadian premiers and United States governors attending the Western Governors' Association yearly conference are pushing for a cross-border Western Energy Corridor. If the plan pushes through, it would be the largest in the globe to develop both non-renewable and green energy options. (AHN)

Swaner Eco Center achieves Platinum LEED Certification
The Swaner Eco Center, a stunning new 10,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility that promotes environmental awareness, learned Friday, June 12, that it will receive a Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification from the US Green Building Council. It is a prestigious honor held by only a few dozen buildings in the United States. The Eco Center is the first Utah project to achieve platinum certification in the New Construction division; it received all 61 points it applied for. (Utah Business Magazine)

Delegation Visits Japan, Showcases Utah Opportunities
A delegation of business and government leaders visited Japan last week for the inaugural Delta Air Lines' non-stop flight from Salt Lake City to Tokyo. (World Trade Center Utah)

Salt Lake City Hosts Peruvian Delegation
A delegation from the Regional Government of Piura (Peru), headed by Regional President Cesar Trelles Lara, was hosted by the Utah World Trade Center, Governor's Office of Economic Development and the Salt Lake Chamber last week. (World Trade Center Utah)

Utah will be stage for Mars in new Disney Pixar film
First as the planet Vulcan and now the red rocks of Mars, Utah has become Hollywood's destination spot for depicting exotic intergalactic worlds. (Salt Lake Tribune)

Disney/Pixar to produce new animated film in Utah
Utah's new movie incentives bill has landed the state its first big-time motion picture project. (KSL)

Feds consider backing Utah geothermal plant
PROVO -- Raser Technologies Inc. says it has qualified for government-backed loans to triple the size of a geothermal power plant in the central Utah desert. (Forbes)

Algae fuel prospects bloom
CEDAR CITY -- After a year's worth of planning and researching as well as starting his own business, entrepreneur Robert Fulton is on his way to seeing his idea of algae used as a bio jet fuel take off. (Spectrum)

Huntsman welcomes governors
PARK CITY -- Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. welcomed members of the Western Governors' Association here for their annual meeting as outgoing chairman, but didn't stick around for the afternoon's policy discussions. (Deseret News) (Salt Lake Tribune)

SLCC conference offers help with financing for small businesses
SANDY -- With the economy in flux, lots of Utah small-business owners are looking for a way to gain an edge and get their livelihoods moving forward despite the economic challenges they face. About 150 entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners hoped to find that edge at the "Financing Your Business" conference Thursday at the Miller Campus of Salt Lake Community College. (Deseret News)

To Market, to market to buy, eat and greet
Bags of fresh walnuts from the two trees in Grant Jensen's backyard were going fast on the opening day of the People's Market -- much to the young entrepreneur's delight. (Salt Lake Tribune)

Utah part of college's 40 states in 40 days project
Ten Belmont University students and two faculty members are traveling more than 9,300 miles this summer — 40 states in 40 days — to define what it means to be an American. (Deseret News)

Ernst & Young Names 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Recipients
Some businesses start up in a garage, some in a conversation, some spur from other companies, but they all start with one thing—a good idea. Utah is saturated with people who have dreams and good ideas, but also the vision needed to turn those dreams and ideas into realities. It is in honor of these visionaries that Ernst & Young held its annual Entrepreneur of the Year awards program last Friday, June 12. (Utah Business Magazine)

Construction Continues on O.C. Tanner's Upscale Store
O.C. Tanner is anticipating the grand opening of its flagship store in downtown Salt Lake City this September. (Utah Business Magazine)

Rural Utah Communities Focus on Entrepreneurship
The Governor's Office of Economic Development has awarded a $10,000 Rural Development Grant to the Kanab Chamber of Commerce to support its efforts to develop local entrepreneurs. (Utah Business Magazine)