As state lawmakers prepare for the 2014 Legislature starting in late January, they spent a day at the David Eccles School of Business in training and information sessions designed to help them address the state’s business with the most accurate economic and demographic information available.
The University of Utah and its business school proved a natural fit for the day-long retreat–the first time the annual Utah Legislative Policy Summit has taken place away from Capitol Hill. Conducted in partnership with the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, as well as the Legislative Fiscal Analyst’s Office, the strategic planning session offered lawmakers a bevy of information from David Eccles School of Business academics and their own legislative peers.
Dean Taylor Randall chats with Representative Curtis Oda during lunch.
Following morning greetings and opening remarks by University of Utah President David Pershing, business school dean Taylor Randall, Utah Senate President Wayne Niederhauser and Utah House Speaker Becky Lockhart, the group filling one of the Spencer Fox Eccles Business Building’s largest classrooms got down to work.
Among the presentations were Associate Dean and Salt Lake City Chamber economist Natalie Gochnour’s talk about “Utah Today: An Economic and Demographic Snapshot of 2013,” in which she discussed population, urbanization, income, industry, unemployment and international trade. That was immediately followed by Pam Perlich, director of BEBR’s Utah Community Data Project, dissecting “Utah Tomorrow,” a look at the trends shaping up that will dramatically alter Utah’s economy and demographic makeup by 2030.
Adjunct professor Randy Shumway–also the CEO of Cicero Group–delivered a session on collaborative decision-making and strategic thinking, using a multi-media approach including film clips, slides and his own active lecturing style to engage the lawmakers in the room.
Adjunct professor Randy Shumway leading a discussion on strategic thinking.
For lunch, the group headed upstairs for a little Cafe Rio catering and to hear from one of the David Eccles School of Business’s most popular professors, Dr. Abe Bakhsheshy. His story of coming to Utah from Iran and working his way up from a dining services job at the U to a Ph.D. and role as the Bill Daniels Professor of Ethics at the school entranced the room. As anyone who’s heard “Dr. Abe” speak can attest, the man knows how to tell a great story.
The afternoon session featured looks at the Legislature’s long-term budget challenges, and a conversation moderated by Dean Randall that brought the day’s lessons into sharper focus.
All in all, a pretty remarkable day at the David Eccles School of Business–even with final exams going on throughout the classrooms in the Spencer Fox Eccles Business Building.