Is time an enemy or friend?

A colleague recently asked me if I was looking forward to my birthday?  Honestly, it made me stop for a second.  My response was something along the lines of “sure, it will be a day just like any other day”.  The truth is I suppose I am not quite as excited about this birthday, even though “fifty” has a pretty nice ring to it.  I remember being mush more excited about other milestone birthdays in my life, like 18, 30 and even 40.   Why do you suppose some of us resist telling our age or embracing our age as we get older?  I know for me it is not that I feel old, but perhaps just the opposite, I feel very young and the reality of a number telling me perhaps otherwise is a tough pill to swallow.  Every 365 days we are just that much closer to the end of our experience here, and while there seems to be plenty of bitching and moaning along the way, it is pretty dang good to be alive, and living such a charmed life. However, there never seems to be quite enough time.  I often seem to be running from one thing to next, often a few minutes late to important meetings. Sometimes having to cancel one activity for another.   Time can be such a ball and chain. The solution then must be to live as fully as possible. To celebrate family and friends, and spending as much time as possible doing the things that make us feel most alive, whether that be working, needle point, jumping off cliffs, or just fishing in a pond.

 I am lucky to say that I have a wife I adore, I love my job, and enjoy my colleagues, as well as the vast majority of clients we have been blessed to serve. And over the years I have relished many travel and recreational opportunities to boot!

 Time past has been well spent, for it has made me who I am today,  time looking forward is full of anticipation, with the hopes of being a better human, but time present is the only thing of real value, quite simply because it is the only time that is real. For me time is my enemy and my friend all at the same time.  And I don’t think that will change any time soon!

Exciting Progress at Copper Crossing

If you haven't been out to see all the progress at Copper Crossing recently, let me give you a quick update. Building #1 is nearing completion with tenant improvements for Olive and Cocoa moving along well. The second floor of the office space is up and walls interior walls should be started right after the duct work is completed. The elevator pit was dug and the building looks fantastic. Building #2 is under way with site grading moving along. The unusually wet spring has made earthwork progress a little more difficult than expected, but things are moving along nonetheless. Below is a link to the live construction camera so you can see for yourself!

https://www.ipcamlive.com/coppercrossing1 

Local CEO's Cautiously Optimistic

The SL Chamber released the 4th quarter results of the Chamber’s CEOutlook 2018 Q4 survey - a statewide economic survey of Utah business executives. The results are intended to help business and community leaders make informed decisions. The Confidence Index decreased from 60.9 in 2018-Q3 to 55.5 for 2018-Q4, as executives continue to report cautious optimism for the economy. The Index can range from 0 to 100. A score below 50 indicates executives believe the economy will worsen; a score above 50 indicates a belief among executives that the economy will improve. “There is no question that there is more uncertainty facing business, civic and elected leaders. That is why it is essential that we understand that, as business leaders, we can play an active role in defining our future.” said Derek Miller, president of the SL Chamber. 63% of executives report similar economic conditions for Utah’s economy as compared to the previous six months, and nearly one-third of executives note improvement, while trend points to moderating environment. The study also shows that a majority of executives, 67%, anticipate Utah’s strong economy will hold steady in months ahead. Factors that executives believe could have a negative impact on Utah’s economy include the tight labor market, rising housing prices and declining sentiment

Pre-Grand Opening - Stadler Rail

April 17th we had a sneak peak and pre-grand opening event at Stadler Rail's new US corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility. It was so fun to see train cars being completed and a busy office staff working hard to get settled in their new location. It is a beautiful new building and an exciting new chapter for Utah to host such an awesome Swiss Company. Here are a few photos from the event:

Creating Opportunities for Utah - EDCU Site Selectors

EDCU played host to 50 of the globe’s top Site Selector consultants during the first week of April. With sponsors/ community partners, they created a truly “Utah unique” experience that showcased Utah's economic, outdoor rec, food /beverage, & arts/culture assets. But beyond the tremendous assets, they also displayed the essence of #TeamUtah — collaboration. They learned about what’s driving activity - talent, globalization, mega-trends, & other macro forces that are impacting business decisions. They are thinking about the changing landscape of incentives. But they are mostly thinking about people. One of the most prominent consultants told them, “You know the one thing that always stands out about Utah? It’s that the people are honest and true. Our clients have come to rely on it.” It’s hard to quantify some of those “qualitative” features, but hearing the consultant say that was yet another reminder of why it’s important to create opportunities to interface directly w/ consultants & prospects