Rock Solid Legacy

Wilford Clyde retires at 70 after a distinguished career that had huge positive impacts in many societal circles—construction, politics, education, economic development—chalking up an enviable list of genuine friends and powerful business associates along the way.
By Brad Fullmer

Perhaps it was destiny that former Clyde Companies CEO Wilford W. Clyde’s impact on Utah’s construction industry would rival that of his grandfather—the man he was named after, and the founder of the longtime Utah County-based firm that bears his name, one Clyde led to great heights as its top executive for 20 years of his overall stellar 45-year career. 

Or perhaps it was sheer ambition and hustle to do the very best job he could do, regardless of what role he served within the company, which under his watch has exploded into a multi-faceted behemoth with eight major subsidiary firms that boast nearly 5000 employees and collectively haul in $2.5 billion annually in revenues—eye-popping numbers by any metric.

“Once I made the decision to come work here, I went at it, full steam,” said Clyde, who turned 70 in January and officially retired on February 3, after two years of working “half-time” as the company gradually transitioned the leadership to Jeremy Hafen, 48, an 18-year company veteran who was formally named CEO of Clyde Companies in December 2022. 

Clyde will retain his title of Chairman of the Board and continue offering input on major company decisions through 2027. He admits to not quite knowing what to make of retirement just yet, other than spending more quality time and traveling with his wife, Natalie, and family, and continuing to contribute to community and philanthropic efforts such as “Springville Rising”, a program aiming to revitalize his hometown’s historic downtown area. Clyde’s public service to Springville is legendary, with two terms as Mayor (2009-2017) and multiple years on the City Council, not to mention (10) years (hundreds of games) coaching his four daughters in softball.

“It’s hard when you’ve been coming to work for 45 years,” said Clyde, wistfully, about calling it a career. “It’s hard because you have all these relationships. But it’s time. I’m still going to have some involvement in special projects like the history of the company […] and be involved in some philanthropic efforts […] and key decisions like acquisitions and other strategic decisions.”

In the Genes 

Clyde grew up in Springville, across the street from his grandparents, mowing their lawn and performing other yard work as a teen. He described his grandfather as “kind of gruff,” a bit intimidating, and particularly good at “micro-managing you in the yard”. Clyde spent every summer in high school working at one of the family businesses—Utah Service (now Sunpro) in the supply warehouse and on Geneva Rock and WW Clyde construction crews. He didn’t have a lot of personal interaction with his grandfather, W.W. Clyde, about the family business until after he had returned from a church mission to New Zealand, and his grandfather sat him down for their first real conversation about life. 

“He just said to me, ‘There’s a lot of money to be made in the construction business,” Clyde recalled. “Integrity and honesty were really important to him. If you said you were doing something, you did it.” 

Clyde earned a Bachelor of Accounting from Brigham Young University in June 1977 and considered pursuing a CPA career over working at one of the family businesses and following in his father Blaine’s footsteps, in part because he wasn’t confident about the long-term outlook of the company ladder and where he fit in the family pecking order. 

“I had some older cousins and uncles in the business, so I thought I’d be one of the younger ones and maybe wouldn’t get the same opportunities (for advancement) because they were ahead of me,” Clyde said. Blaine, who served as President of WW Clyde from (1981-86), took him for a ride up the canyon one day to set his son straight, ensuring the younger Clyde the family business would provide plenty of chances to prove his worth. 

Clyde became Geneva Rock’s first full-time accountant in 1977, a job he did for five years prior to working in the field and in operations in 1982. He was promoted to General Manager in 1983 at the youthful age of 30 and President of Geneva Rock in 1988, a title he held until being named President of Clyde Companies in 2001 (CEO in 2002). Clyde’s promotion to President of Geneva Rock was bittersweet, as Blaine had passed away a year earlier at age 70 in July 1987 from bone cancer, just a year after he had finally retired. 

Jeremy Hafen, Clyde’s son-in-law, was named CEO of Clyde Companies in December 2022. The Orem-based firm is a multi-company powerhouse with eight major subsidiaries and annual revenues in the $2.5 billion range. 

Wilford the Dealmaker 


Clyde is universally praised within his various circles as a genuinely nice, down-to-earth, approachable guy willing to impart his wisdom about a particular topic or simply chat someone up about last night’s ballgame. 


“Wilford is for real,” said Scott Okelberry, Executive VP/COO of Clyde Companies. “He’s not the stuffy CEO and chairman that nobody could talk to.” 


“Wilford set himself apart at an early age with good political and leadership skills and confidence in his abilities,” said Rich Thorn, a fellow Springville native who himself retired at the end of the March after 43 years leading the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah. Thorn said Clyde has a unique ability to maximize people’s talents and get the most out of their abilities. “He had a way of leading people and encouraging them along the way. His philosophy was to coach up or coach out—you try to coach people to be better. He’s had a way of building those companies with local talent and developing top-notch people.”


Dig beyond the friendly demeanor and buddy-next-door persona and you’ll find a highly driven, competitive, keen businessman, one who relished the acquisitions process and saw it as an opportunity to exponentially grow Clyde Companies into the multi-faceted behemoth it is. 


“The best way I can describe Wilford is he’ll surprise you,” said Natalie Gochnour, Director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. “I think he’s careful with the way he leads, but make no mistake about it, he’ll be candid. He’ll tell you what he thinks.”


Clyde said he has been involved in some 40 acquisition deals dating to 1989 when Geneva Rock bought Ajax Concrete in Tooele County. Six months later, he flipped it to purchase Ideal Concrete in 1990, a bold move that bolstered Clyde’s negotiation chops and confidence.


 “I love doing business acquisitions—it’s given us a chance to grow fast and make more profit,” said Clyde. “Most of the profits over the last 30 years have been put back into the company.” 


Clyde said many businesses Clyde Companies has acquired over the past 33 years—including prominent companies like Clements Concrete in Idaho and Interstate Highway Construction and Scott Contracting in Colorado—were happy to sell because “these are all family-owned companies, and they like the fact we are a family-owned company. That’s an advantage we have. We’ve tried to concentrate on the Intermountain region, and it’s been successful.” 


“He’s been on the front lines of the growth of this organization from his youngest years and here we are today as eight subsidiary companies and 4,500 employees,” added Okelberry. “Wilford has been at the front of that charge through almost that entire history.”


Clyde still remembers the Ideal Concrete acquisition well, calling it an intense, educational process and an important moment in the history of Clyde Companies that gave Geneva Rock a stronger presence in Northern Utah. 


“At that time, it was a chance to buy it and be the largest ready-mix producer in the state,” Clyde said. “It gave Geneva a chance to grow.”


“He was not afraid to take on calculated business risks,” said Thorn. “It was key to the company gaining market share through acquisitions as well as building from within. Wilford’s leadership has positively impacted a lot of families.” 


Clyde very much followed in his grandfather’s footsteps. W.W. Clyde started his heavy/civil firm in 1926 in Springville and gradually added companies like Utah Service (1938), Geneva Rock (1954), and Beehive Insurance (1961) into the fold, he proved to be one of the most savvy and shrewd businessmen of his generation. Wilford Clyde continued that legacy, as the Orem-based Clyde Companies empire now includes eight major subsidiary organizations that specialize in construction, building materials, and insurance.


Man of the Community


Beyond his many professional accomplishments and accolades, Clyde also took community service to another level, contributing his time, talents, experience, and money to a litany of important economic and social causes. 


“I like to meet people; I enjoy developing relationships,” said Clyde, perhaps offering a glimpse into the secrets of his success. “I always felt like, if you’re going to join an organization, you don’t get a lot out of it unless you participate. One of my favorite jobs was being Mayor of Springville. Our family has been there since the 1850s and we have a lot of heritage in that community. It was a lot of fun to be involved on that level. I always felt like that was part of my obligation, to be active in the community and help promote the company through that network.”


Clyde has also been enamored with his time on the Board of Regents and is highly optimistic about the future of higher education in the Beehive State. 


“We have some incredible things happening in higher education,” said Clyde. “I’ve learned a ton about public education. The system is in good hands.” 


Clyde’s list of community endeavors includes: 

  • Mayor of Springville (2009-2017)
  • Springville City Council (1989-1992)
  • Chair, Utah Manufacturers Association (1995)
  • Chair, Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah (1999)
  • Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2002)
  • Chair, Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce (2017-2018)
  • Chair, Orem and Provo Chamber of Commerce (1996)
  • Chair, Board of Trustees, Utah Valley University (1999-2000)
  • President, Beavers, Inc. (2015)
  • Board of Regents, Utah Higher Education System (2011-2022)

In recognition of his storied career, Clyde Companies held an open house on January 26 to honor Clyde that was attended by a who’s who of political and professional dignitaries from across the state. 


Clyde will be further recognized April 27 as the 44th recipient of the “Giant in Our City” award, the highest honor given by the Salt Lake Chamber. 


“He’s been a pillar in the community on so many levels it’s hard to keep track,” said Thorn. “At the end of the day he’s still a local, home-grown guy.”


Man of the people: Clyde, shown riding in a parade with wife Natalie, served as Mayor of Springville—his hometown—from 2009-2017, in addition to participating on many other business and community-related endeavors. Right: Wilford and Natalie Clyde and their immediate family. 

Seamless Leadership Transition


Hafen—is well-versed on Clyde’s expectations and confident in carrying on Wilford’s legacy and continuing to grow the business in all facets. While Hafen joined the family after marrying Clyde’s oldest daughter Camille in 1997, he joined the family business in 2004 and has held several key leadership positions to get him seasoned for this role. He’s also asked Clyde plenty of questions over the years and feels like he’s learned from the best. 


“We have been transitioning the last few years,” said Hafen. “The biggest lessons I’ve learned are financial discipline and resilience. In an industry that can be cyclical, if you take on too much debt, you’re hosed. I’ve learned how to be extremely careful. We’ve reinvested a lot of cash back into the business and have been able to weather storms because of discernment.” 


Clyde has long believed in Hafen’s abilities and considers any concerns about the leadership transition to be a moot point.

“There’s not going to be any transition—it’s already happened,” said Clyde. “Our leadership team is in place, functioning and successful. There isn’t going to be any gap.”


Clyde also made it clear that none of this happens without his wife, Natalie’s, support and dedication. She has been a stalwart in working side-by-side with Wilford.


“Natalie has been super supportive of whatever I’ve done,” he said. “She raised our kids. She’s done a lot of things in the community. We’ve had a chance to do a lot of things together. Every success I’ve had is her success also.” 


Clyde believes his grandfather would be proud of where the company is today. 



“Overall, he would have to say the company is still going, it’s successful, it’s providing for a lot of families,” Clyde surmised. “He’d have to be pretty happy. Same with my dad. They’d have to be satisfied where the company has gone. Our new vision statement is to be ‘The most respected partner in our industry for another 100 years.’ That’s an ambitious goal.” 

Black Desert Oasis

By Brad Fullmer • October 15, 2025
When Lehi-based Reef Capital Partners (Reef) initially announced plans in 2018 to build a sprawling, estimated $2 billion mega-resort with a championship-caliber golf course on 600 acres covering parts of Ivins and Santa Clara—small towns with just over 15,000 combined residents at the time—it was difficult to fathom what a project of that magnitude might look like. Fast forward seven years, and Black Desert Resort is indeed a shining oasis amidst Southern Utah's famed red rock cliffs, sitting atop an ancient lava field, with buildings strategically carved into the land to produce a resort unlike anything else. "This is the biggest project we've ever done—we feel really good where we are," said Brett Boren, President of Real Estate for Reef, acknowledging the general completion of the $290 million, 806,000-SF resort center, along with significant ongoing work—including a 1,298-stall parking garage, condominiums, and a private water park. As of September, all aspects of the main resort center were open and fully complete, with the hotel celebrating its first official year in business after partially opening in September 2024 as it hosted the inaugural PGA Black Desert Championship October 10-13. The second installment of the tournament—now dubbed the Bank of Utah Championship—is slated for October 23-26, with a third tournament signed for 2026.

Calder Richards Celebrates 20 Years of Sustainable Evolution

By UC&D • October 1, 2025
In 2005, Calder Richards Consulting Engineers formed after the merger of two smaller structural consulting firms who, interestingly enough, both started in 1986. Calder Richards has provided a steady structural support for Utah’s built environment ever since. As the firm celebrates its 20th anniversary, UC+D spoke with Managing Principals Shaun Packer and Nolan Balls to look back over the company’s history and celebrate what has helped their firm stand out to deliver solid projects in Utah and beyond. Their responses were edited for clarity and brevity. UC+D: What have been some catalytic moments for Calder Richards since that initial merger? SP: Winning the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona is the first one. The big reason for the merger between Richards Consulting Group and Calder Consulting was to build a large enough company to go after bigger projects like that.” NB: That was my first project when I was hired straight out of college. We helped design the 17-story hotel and casino, a conference center, as well as parking structures, a central mechanical building, and a pool building. Talking Stick helped get us through the downturn a few years later. UC+D: What have been your key market sectors you all have targeted over the last 20 years? NB: We were breaking into K-12 along the Wasatch Front soon after the Talking Stick Resort and it’s been our bread and butter since then. SP: Absolutely, but I credit our firm for always adapting to the current environment. We’ve been fortunate to do so much K-12, but we used to do a lot of office work, and now we are working on conversions like the Ebay Headquarters to CTE/Innovation Center for Canyons School District as the market has shifted away from commercial office. UC+D: Schools have certainly evolved over the last 20 years, how has your work as structural engineers evolved? SP: We are seeing more creative design on the architectural side, certainly. We see many more two-story designs; more windows and daylighting. But we’re utilizing more powerful tools and continually building our understanding of the structural materials that are in use more than ever—tilt-up concrete, steel columns and beams, especially—to be the architect’s trusted partner. NB: Schools have definitely changed, and we’ve had better experience in helping projects move forward successfully when we are involved earlier in the design process. As we got involved early on in West High School’s schematic design, we were able to provide structural solutions and options to accommodate the architects’ design intent. UC+D: How has company growth changed Calder Richards? SP: It’s certainly changed the number of people in our office. We started with around 10 people when we merged, and today we have 27. But we often say that we don’t want to grow just to grow—we want to grow sustainably. We don’t lay people off when works slows down, and we have an expectation that sometimes there will be overtime work, and other times you may be waiting for our next project to begin.

The (Epi)Center of it All

By By Taylor Larsen • October 1, 2025
Nested in the middle of the University of Utah (U of U) campus sits the aptly-named Impact & Prosperity Epicenter, the second living learning community (LLC) project designed on campus by Los Angeles-based Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign. After nearly a decade since their first LLC project, the award-winning Lassonde Studios (UC+D’s 2016 Most Outstanding Public Building over $10 million), Mehrdad Yazdani, the design firm’s Principal and Studio Director, said their work on a sequel was an exciting prospect for the firm, and enlisted Salt Lake-based MHTN Architects and Okland Construction to serve as the respective local architect and general contractor. Today, the Epicenter serves as a striking piece of architecture and construction, one whose curvilinear shape asks users and visitors plenty of questions. But moving from idea to execution has been a work in progress. One query from Yazdani stood out as it relates to students and the built environment, and helped begin the journey to create the Epicenter: “How does your living environment as a student impact your success as a student and as a changemaker?” A Project for an Evolving Campus Katie Macc, CEO of the Sorenson Impact Institute, said LLCs like the Epicenter and Lassonde Studios next door have been massive steps forward in advancing entrepreneurship and social impact. But both play a major role in creating “college town magic”—a phrase coined by University President Taylor Randall that invokes a vibrant campus where students can find community and have one-of-a-kind experiences. With more on-campus student housing in the works, the state’s flagship university is hoping to shed the “commuter school” label and deliver a level of desirability that matches the resources students commit to higher education. “There is some soul searching going on across university campuses,” said Macc of the challenge at hand. “We have to be convincing that going to college matters.” She said overall university enrollments across the nation are decreasing as students grapple with tuition costs, COVID and its isolating aftershocks, and a different perspective on higher education. Universities are no longer a place where students come to learn what they couldn’t learn elsewhere—remote learning and the internet have opened a fissure in that idea that will never close. Instead of that educational transaction, being at a university must include building community and creating in-person experiences only available on campus. Macc said that the Epicenter helps steer the campus experience toward the future, with design goals to create a base of operations for two changemaking organizations and a living and learning home for 778 students. The three-story commercial portion of the building, known as the “Changemaker Pavilion”, includes office space for The Center for Business, Health, and Prosperity (second floor) and the Sorenson Impact Institute (third floor). While each organization has a different focus, both are firmly invested in helping students access and create the resources needed to change the world. Each entity works hand-in-hand as owners of the Epicenter to host events and “create a full spectrum of ways for students to get involved,” said Chad Salvadore, Chief Financial Officer for the Sorenson Impact Institute. “We’re dialing in the programming to energize the student body,” said Salvadore of the work done at the Epicenter. With over 60 majors represented among the 778 students who live there, he said that the diversity of students is less a reflection of their chosen major and more a desire to reside in a space built for students to work their entrepreneurial muscles. “Living here is a mindset—you can engage across many different paths you choose.”

Goal!

By Brad Fullmer • October 1, 2025
Front view of the bleachers, press box, and suites. (photos courtesy SIRQ Construction)

Four Decades of Transformation

By Brad Fullmer • October 1, 2025
Over the course of its 40-year history in Utah, WSP's Salt Lake office—originally founded as Parsons Brinckerhoff in 1985—has morphed from primarily a transportation design firm to one that successfully operates in multiple civil engineering markets. The results of WSP's transformation the past decade into a more diverse outfit speak for themselves, with the 128-person Salt Lake office (with locations in Cottonwood Heights and South Jordan) posting three consecutive years of revenues over $50 million, including a record $70.1 million in 2023, and a robust $59.9 million in 2024—good for the No. 2 ranking in UC+D's 2025 Top Utah Engineering Firms rankings.

Good Career? Start Here

By Taylor Larsen • October 1, 2025
Lucio Gallegos vividly remembers the workforce development meetings he attended during his time at Ogden-Weber Tech. These career and technical education (CTE) discussions consistently focused on one thing: young people were not entering construction, and the industry needed a new approach to attract them. Gallegos recalled one member of the workforce development team, a training director with a prominent general contractor, saying, “We have been trying this for over 10 years, screw it, we’re just gonna hire them.” The Long Road Those conversations occurred nearly 10 years ago, and workforce development concerns continue to permeate the industry. The National Center for Construction Education & Research estimates that 41% of the construction workforce will retire by 2031, leading to potential gaps in skill and safety and decreases in productivity and project quality. While stakeholders have aligned on the overall goal of providing students a foundation for future success through career development, the means to achieve the ends were seemingly at odds. High schools, trade schools, colleges, and private industry took different paths to achieve their goals, with some moving in opposite directions. “I’m gonna be honest with you,” Gallegos recalled one school administrator saying, “If I promote what you’re telling me to get them over to the tech college, I lose head count. And then I lose teachers. I can’t have a school without teachers.” Jobs that took away student learning experiences, according to federal guidelines and child labor laws, made the idea a non-starter. However, after years of lobbying the Utah Legislature for a compromise between industry and education, H.B. 055, passed in 2023, provided a catalytic change in how younger people can engage with construction and other industries. High school students could participate if they were involved in a school-sponsored work experience and career exploration program. Private industry finally had the compromise it wanted. It was time to act. Big-D Charts New Path Gallegos, now the Workforce Development Manager from Big-D, joined the company in 2023 with the express purpose of creating a program that fit within the new guidelines. Gallegos said he sees career development through the lens of the immigrant experience, one he knows personally as a Mexican immigrant with a father who worked in commercial construction. “I was 9 years old and busting pins out of concrete forms with a hammer that was as big as I was,” he laughed. “I’ve got the cliché immigrant story.” That story has a theme familiar to many immigrant families, he said, one where parents say, “I want my kids not to have to work as hard as I do. I want them in school.” Add to that, it’s a law—children must attend school. Gallegos was unfazed by those obstacles. As he began planning how Big-D’s internship program would operate, he knew that engagement had to start at the elementary school level and build on personal relationships between private industry, school administrators, students, and their families to succeed. “We want to be the solution, not the obstacle to get into this industry,” said Gallegos. So Big-D removed the barriers. Students can still attend school, work towards graduation, and be available in the afternoon for sports, extracurricular activities, and the high school experience. But working was another significant part of the immigrant experience, Gallegos said, and internships needed to be paid to alleviate the family concerns. “We asked what we would pay somebody fresh out of high school who worked at Big-D,” Gallegos said. Interns have earned those same wages ever since.

It's A Knockout

By Brad Fullmer • October 1, 2025
On January 2, 1957, Gene Fullmer, a scrappy, underdog fighter from West Jordan stunned the boxing world with a 15-round unanimous decision over the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson at New York’s fabled Madison Square Garden. Fullmer captured the world middleweight championship and established himself as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers during the late 50s and early 60s. Since then, the Fullmer name has been synonymous with boxing in Utah, with brothers Gene, Jay, and Don establishing the Fullmer Brothers Boxing Gym in 1978, and offering free boxing instruction and life mentoring to thousands of youths—carrying on a tradition they learned from their trainer, Marv Jenson. Their legacy of community giving will live on in the new Fullmer Legacy Center in South Jordan, a 16,500-SF facility that will serve as a permanent home to the boxing gym—after years of bouncing around to various temporary facilities—along with a museum, snack bar, and gift shop. “The Fullmers are the first family of boxing in the state of Utah—that’s well understood,” said Dave Butterfield, a founding board member of the Fullmer Legacy Foundation. Butterfield served as Chairman of the Board from June 2016 to early 2025 and was influential in helping raise money—nearly $6 million via donations to date, which includes $2 million from the Utah Legislature. Project Driven by Vision to Find a Permanent Home for Fullmer Brothers Gym It was Jay Fullmer who led the charge to teach boxing in the community. By 1978, the Fullmer Brothers Boxing Gym had formally opened at the Butterfield farm chicken coop in South Jordan, recalled Larry Fullmer, Don’s oldest son and the man who spearheaded the efforts for the Fullmer Legacy Center. From there, Larry said the facility moved to Riverton Elementary, an old church house in West Jordan, a sugar factory, a former fire station, and the Salt Lake County Equestrian Park in South Jordan, where it had resided since 2011. When they got word that Salt Lake County planned to transfer ownership of the park to Utah State University, Fullmer knew they needed to find a long-term home for the boxing gym. Fullmer met with Butterfield and Robert Behunin—who at the time was a Vice President with Utah State University—in 2016 and told them he just wanted a “tin shed of our own” for boxing. Behunin countered by saying, “If you want people to donate money, you need something better than a tin shed!” They quickly formed the Fullmer Legacy Foundation (FLF), and by 2018, the wheels were in motion on a building. Doc Murdock, a long-time trainer at the gym, connected Larry with his former roommate at Brigham Young University, Vern Latham, who is a Principal at Salt Lake-based VCBO Architecture. VCBO offered pro-bono services initially while helping FLF put together an RFP, while North Salt-based Gramoll Construction provided value engineering and other services in an effort to get the project launched. Larry expressed sheer gratitude for the contributions of both firms in helping make the project a reality, especially for many generous donations from various foundations and individuals. “[VCBO] believed in us early on and did our first phase of planning at no charge—they have been amazing and so professional to work with,” said Larry. “Gramoll helped us get the budget done as tight as it could be. This project had the absolute tightest budget. We met weekly with architects and the general contractor to see the progress—I’ve never seen such an amazing process. Construction started in November ’23, and every time I would come to the jobsite in the first six months, I’d get emotional.” “We leaned on our relationships with contractors for flooring, ceiling, tiles, donated furniture and got deep discounts and a lot of in-kind donations,” said Phil Haderlie, Principal-in-Charge for VCBO. “To me, the story of this project is the grassroots effort of people seeing the value—this is something that came from their heart. It will have a long-lasting impact on the community.”

Significant Buzz

By Brad Fullmer • October 1, 2025
The first season is in the books for the Salt Lake Bees in its spectacular new home—the Ballpark at America First Square, the exciting new heart of Downtown Daybreak and certainly one of the premier Triple-A stadiums in the country. "It's a really cool stadium—the field looks so good!" gushed Eric Barton, Project Director for Salt Lake-based Okland Construction, while surveying the spacious 280,000 SF, 6,500-seat (8,000 capacity) ballpark. Barton said his team faced an extremely difficult construction schedule with the mandate the project had to be sufficiently ready for Opening Day 2025 on April 8, less than 18 months after the formal October 20, 2023, groundbreaking. Barton said Okland knew it was going to be a grind, with long hours and tight windows to get various milestones accomplished. "When we bid this to our trade partners, we had them bid it with the expectation of it being six days a week," he said. "We want not only your best guys, but you have to be adaptable to the plan. It was gangbusters from the start.” Up to 300 workers were onsite during peak construction activity, requiring meticulous coordination throughout. Okland even brought in Fred Strasser, a legendary project director who came out of retirement to shepherd the project through. "Fred is the genius behind getting this whole thing done," said Barton. The project was designed by Salt Lake-based HOK, who worked closely with the owner, Sandy-based Larry H. Miller Real Estate (LHMRE) and Miller Sports + Entertainment (MSE) to bring about a project that would add even more buzz to its wildly popular, 4,000-acre master planned Daybreak development in South Jordan, making it a true entertainment destination. The design weaves together best-in-class baseball experiences with year-round public amenities, including a recently opened Megaplex theater, a performing arts center, a large amphitheater, along with retail, restaurants, and apartments, with buildout continuing through 2027. Walking paths and open spaces create natural connections between The Ballpark and the surrounding neighborhood, making the area an iconic community asset and a true sports and entertainment district. Downtown Daybreak is slated to host more than 200 annual events—including the Bees’ 75-game regular season. Supporting this entertainment destination, the venue’s prominent location just off the Mountain View Corridor freeway makes it highly visible to passing traffic while providing easy access. The stadium is also connected to multiple transportation options, easily reached by walking, biking or light rail across the Wasatch Front, and by car from the new freeway corridor. The Ballpark site drops 20 feet from the loading dock to the plaza, managed through terraced spaces that echo the region’s mining heritage. Though the slope stays gentle at under 5%, carefully placed stairs and planters make walking comfortable while honoring the industrial past. The center field main entrance connects to light rail, while a formal plaza at home plate serves as a second entrance, primarily for VIP access. The street design follows Daybreak’s established standards for lighting and tree spacing. Bike racks at the light rail station and plaza make cycling to games convenient. Utah’s Landscape Shapes Design The Wasatch Mountains, visible from every angle of the ballpark, directly influenced the ballpark's design. Throughout the venue, carefully planned viewpoints frame these mountain vistas. The structure resembles this mountainous setting in its form, transitioning from solid brick and concrete at its base to lighter materials—metal and expansive glass—as it ascends. Working with Kansas City-based architectural metal fabricator Zahner, HOK and MSE created a distinctive facade using perforated metal panels that suggest Utah mountain peak silhouettes from Ben Lomond Peak in Weber County to Mt. Nebo, the southernmost and highest mountain in the Wasatch Range of Utah. These panels transform into a glowing display at night, serving as a lantern on The Ballpark’s ‘front porch’ and welcoming visitors. This connection to Utah’s landscape flows throughout the site. Angular planters guide visitors along pathways, while public spaces are arranged in terraces that echo the mountainside. The copper colors and stepped surfaces of the nearby Kennecott Mine inspired the ballpark’s materials and layout. Inside, the decor features warm copper, gold and honey tones, with textured materials that blend the natural landscape with the Salt Lake Bees’ team colors.

Firms Making Moves

By Brad Fullmer • October 1, 2025
Horrocks CEO Bryan Foote (left) shakes hands with Matt Hirst, former President/CEO of CRS Engineering & Survey. Horrocks acquired CRS a year ago in a move that has proven to be a seamless fit for more than 60 CRS employees.

Q&A with Nathan Goodrich

By UC&D • August 1, 2025
Nathan Goodrich