Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED)

Utah Defense Alliance

As a partner of the Governor's Office of Economic Development, The Utah Defense Alliance is proud to be able to continue to partner with GOED in the support of the Defense and Homeland Security Cluster in general and of the country's military missions, organizations and installations in particular.
The Utah Defense Alliance (UDA) began in the early 1990's as a group of volunteer citizens and businesses who came together to ensure the long-term viability of Hill Air Force Base, especially during the military's Base Closure And Realignment (BRAC) processes. Their hard work, vision and planning resulted in Hill Air Force Base, not only remaining open, but thriving, while other communities across the nation dealt with the impacts of military installations closing or significantly down-sizing. In early 2006, UDA broadened its efforts to look at all military activities across the entire State, including U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, Tooele Army Depot, Deseret Chemical Depot, and all National Guard and Reserve organizations. UDA remains a volunteer board, comprised of board members from local businesses, defense and aerospace industries, concerned citizens, academia, and local, state and federal government, all committed to advocating for the military installations and growing the defense industry in Utah.
The overall mission of UDA is to strengthen and support all appropriate governmental and private enterprises in their accomplishment of national defense objectives and expand investment and employment opportunities in defense and aerospace related industries.

Aerospace & Aviation

Utah has a rich history in the Aviation & Aerospace industries and is one of the top states in the nation in the concentration of aerospace employment. Utah’s corps aerospace and aviation competencies include composites and advanced materials, propulsion systems and avionics and control systems. Aerospace and aviation companies within the State include the full-spectrum of the industry; from design and manufacturing to advanced space systems and regional air service, from repair and maintenance to software and control systems.
Aerospace and aviation companies located in Utah employ over 10,000 people. Some of the leading companies in Utah include ATK, L3 Communications, Northrop-Grumman, The Boeing Company, Lockheed-Martin, Thiokol Propulsion Corporation, Moog Aircraft, Parker-Hannifin, Rocky Mountain Composites, ITT Integrated Systems, Barnes Aerospace, FMC Jetway Systems, Triumph Gear Systems Inc, Williams International and Million Air, and Hexcel, one of the three largest carbon fiber manufacturers in the nation, located in Magna. Sky West Airlines, the nation’s largest regional airline, calls St.George, Utah home.
The largest single site employer in Utah is the U.S. Air Force’s Hill Air Force Base, located between Salt Lake City and Ogden. Over 22,000 military, defense civilians and contractors pass through Hill AFB’s gates on a daily basis, performing a myriad of tasks for the Ogden Air Logistics Center.  The center provides worldwide engineering and logistics management for the F-16 Fighting Falcon, A-10 Thunderbolt II, and Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile. The base performs depot maintenance of the F-16, A-10 and C-130 Hercules aircraft. Seven colleges and universities across the state offer specialized programs in the aerospace field, including Utah State University, which has put more experiments into flight on-board shuttle and satellite missions than any other institution in the country.

International Development

The opportunity for international expansion is closer than ever. As Utah-based companies prepare to expand operations in other countries, the International Trade and Diplomacy Office (ITDO) provides assistance in securing global business connections—building Utah brands and increasing trade around the world.

We can help you connect with international contacts, recruit global investors, explore new partnerships and attract a worldwide audience. Through building relationships around the globe, our goals are simple: grow Utah’s economy, create jobs and boost Utah’s international presence.

Education

Utah's educational institutions have developed practical and inno-vative approaches to educating the state's continually growing workforce. The state's dedicated teachers and administrators and its quality school systems provide a wealth of educational opportunities, extending all the way from kindergarten through higher education. Utah consistently ranks among the nation's leading states for the percentage of its population 25 years and older who have completed high school: In 2006, the state ranked second in the nation, at 92.5 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Davis County was cited as the school district with the highest graduation rate of any school district in the country. At 29.8 percent, Utah ranked 16th in the percentage of residents who hold a four-year college degree.

Corporate Incentives Utah

GOED provides financial incentives for business relocation and expansion to select companies that create new, high-paying jobs that help improve the standard of living, diversify the state economy, increase the tax base, attract and retain top-level management, and encourage graduates of in-state universities to remain in Utah.
Incentives may be offered as either grants or tax credits. The incentive amount and duration is decided by the GOED Board and Executive Director based on statutory guidelines and evaluation criteria including the financial strength and historical stability of the company, the number and salary of jobs created, amount of new state tax revenue, long-term capital investment, competition with other locations, and whether the company is in a targeted industry.

See more details at: http://goed.utah.gov/