Celebrating 100 Years in Style

A Century after its founding by Danish immigrant Soren Jacobsen, Jacobsen Construction remains a major mover and shaker in the A/E/C industry throughout Utah and the western U.S. 
By Brad Fullmer

A few years before the turn of the 21st Century, and with his tenure as the top executive of his family’s sizeable and well-respected general contracting firm winding down, Ted M. Jacobsen made a uniquely strategic—and incredibly selfless—decision to change the structure of Salt Lake-based Jacobsen Construction from a family-owned business to one wholly owned by its employees. 

Referred to as an ESOP—Employee Stock Ownership Plan—this unique employee-owned business model stands as one of the most important decisions Ted Jacobsen ever made during his influential 40-plus-year career. As Jacobsen Construction celebrates the mother of all corporate milestones this year—its 100th anniversary—Jacobsen knows he made the right decision in guaranteeing that his family’s legacy of construction excellence will carry on well into the future. 

“At one point my wife and I owned 98.3% of the company before we began transferring ownership in the 1990s,” said Jacobsen, 81. His decision dates back to 1989, when he initially started pondering company transition options. “We went from that ownership arrangement to having the stock held by some of the key employees, then to having it held by virtually every employee to some degree or another. When I retired in 2005, I sold all my remaining stock back to the company. When you leave the company, you must sell your stock back. That was very purposeful—you don’t want to have a bunch of stockholders who aren’t in the fight down in the trenches.”

Lonnie Bullard, former President/CEO and current Chairman of the Board, said having the firm become an ESOP was a brilliantly executed move, one that allowed Jacobsen Construction to maintain its relevance and continue flourishing in the Utah market and throughout the western U.S. 

“There aren’t a lot of companies that make it to 100 years,” said Bullard, 66, who currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors and maintains an integral role in mentoring new company executives. “We didn’t get swallowed up by a big conglomerate. It’s unusual to go past three generations of ownership, and the move from family ownership to an ESOP structure was not easy to do. Ted’s commitment to make it an employee-owned company is special—we couldn’t have done it without him.” 

Jacobsen initially learned about the ESOP program on a visit to a Seattle-based general contractor. “I went out to a job site and met one of their project managers,” Jacobsen recalled. “I’m guessing he didn’t have a college degree, but he had a lot money set up in his ESOP account as a result of having been in the company for a long time. I remember thinking, ‘That’s the kind of guy that makes the company go, and that’s what I want.’ I didn’t need millions of dollars in my own bank account. I felt like in all fairness, moving toward employee ownership motivates people because it becomes their company instead of Ted’s company. So, the 2 x 4 on the ground belongs to him, or the pickup truck is partly his.”

“Ted’s attitude and desire to have employees benefit from the success of the company was huge,” said Doug Welling, 66, who retired on January 1, 2021, after 34 years at Jacobsen, including serving as CEO for more than eight years and President for more than 14 years. “He wanted an ownership group that could move forward. The power of people being owners of a company, and invested in doing a good job, is real.”

“Our company structure as an ESOP helps us consistently make the best long-term decisions,” added Gary Ellis, current President/CEO. “We’re not in it for the quick dollar. We believe in doing business the right way and growing Jacobsen Construction for many years to come.”

“It seemed like a win-win for the employees, and it seemed like in the future it would do nothing but improve their loyalty and determination to do well,” added Jacobsen. “There are a lot of Jacobsen employees who have done very well devoting their careers to the company. I think that’s just wonderful.”


Jacobsen was the general contractor for Phases I (completed 1998) and IV (2017, pictured) at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of
Utah, Jon M. Huntsman’s signature project and a revolutionary facility in the battle against cancer (photo by Dana Sohm, Sohm Photografx).

Company Origins 

A native of Denmark, Soren Jacobsen lost his father in a windmill accident at the age of one and grew up as an only child, raised by his mother and stepfather. He emigrated from Denmark at 18 in 1900, settling in Iowa. 

After several years working in Iowa, Soren met another Danish carpenter, and the pair decided to move to Seattle. They boarded a train from Omaha, but Soren ran out of money in Salt Lake City and thought he better work in Utah for a while.

Soren eventually met a striking Norwegian girl named Anna Jensen who caught his eye. They dated for a time, with Soren moving to California to chase work following the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. 

“He was bright enough to realize there would be a lot of building/rebuilding opportunities,” said Jacobsen. 

Soren landed work initially at a cabinet shop, then became a sub-carpenter foreman overseeing 40 carpenters on the rebuilding of the Fairmont Hotel. He maintained communication with Anna, and the couple married in 1908, living in San Francisco until 1911. Soren’s time on the West Coast was highly educational. He served as a concrete superintendent on the rebuild of the Fairmont Hotel, which was key for him, as he learned to work with reinforced concrete, a relatively new construction method at the time. 

“They hired him [on the Fairmont] to do something he had never done before; he was excited,” said Jacobsen. “He was a good learner, and his experience there with reinforced concrete was very helpful when they moved back to Salt Lake after a couple of years.”

A decade after Soren and Anna moved back to Utah, he struck out on his own and founded Jacobsen Construction in 1922. The company built several prominent buildings over the next 20 years, including the original Primary Children’s Hospital, the Deseret News Building, and—the highlight of his career—the Los Angeles for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Ted Jacobsen said his grandfather was a people person first and foremost—with experience forged by working with a host of different types of people in post-earthquake San Francisco, which taught him compassion for others. 

“He knew what he was doing—he had a good business mind,” said Jacobsen. “He was congenial. People liked him; people came to trust him.”


A Perennial Top Utah General Contractor

Soren’s sons, Leo and Ted C., inherited their father’s passion for construction and were instrumental in helping lead the firm from the time they became full-fledged partners in the early 1940s until their retirements in the 1970s. Under their watch, Jacobsen Construction built a reputation as a no-nonsense contractor that delivered quality projects on time and on budget. It’s a reputation that the company is careful to maintain to this day.

Jacobsen Construction has perennially ranked No. 4 among Utah-based general contractors since 2010 (per UC&D annual Top Utah GC rankings) with revenues over half a billion dollars annually for the past several years, including a record $746 million in 2021. 

The firm provides an array of top-shelf services/delivery methods, including CM at-risk, preconstruction, CM/GC, design-build, green building/LEED, BIM, and self-performed work including carpentry and concrete. Its markets span nearly every project type: government/institutional, religious, healthcare, multi-family, commercial office, sports and recreation, retail, hospitality, mixed-use, and education. Its list of notable projects is lengthy and includes many iconic, once-in-a-generation projects.


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Some of the firm’s once-in-a-generation projects include (opposite page, clockwise from top left): the iconic Salt Lake Temple, which is undergoing a complex restoration and seismic retrofit, along with the construction of a new visitor’s center (courtesy Church Newsroom); the Utah State Capitol Restoration (interior view of the fabled rotunda); the mammoth 1.4 million SF Conference Center for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a JV project completed in 2000); the magnificent 775-room, five-star Grand America Hotel (a JV project completed in 2001, photo courtesy Jacobsen Construction).

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Generations of Leaders Share Common Traits of Hard Work, Competitive Drive


Ted M. Jacobsen—President 1974–1996; Chairman 1996–2005

Ted M. Jacobsen learned the construction business initially from his father, Leo, but became a seasoned professional under the tutelage of his uncle, Ted C. Jacobsen, his namesake. Born in 1940, Jacobsen remembered his father taking him on a project as a five-year-old at the Dugway Proving Grounds where his dad ran a grader on a dirt road. He said his grandfather Soren was “always very kind to me and approachable.” 

Leo and his wife, Rosebud, had four children, including three boys. Ted M. was the only one to work for the family business long-term. His parents expected their children “to get good grades—we needed to learn interpersonal skills as well,” said Jacobsen. He worked summers as a youth doing various jobs, including building precast concrete columns in the construction yard, before graduating from East High in Salt Lake. He then attended Stanford for two-plus years before leaving on a religious mission to Scotland from 1961–1963. 

He earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering at the University of Utah and went back to Stanford for a Master of Construction Management, graduating in 1966. 

Jacobsen admitted he “didn’t want to work for the family business—I wanted to go out in the real world to see if I could make it.” He accepted a job as a project engineer with DuPont in Victoria, Texas in February 1966. A month later, he got a call from his dad. Leo Jacobsen was called to serve as a mission president in Norway for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and informed his son Ted that he needed to come back to Salt Lake and help his uncle with the family business—no questions asked. 

“My uncle was really my mentor,” Ted M. said. “He was important in helping me get my feet on the ground.” 

Ted C. was a stickler for detail and demanded excellence in the projects his employees built. “The superintendents would say he could see a problem two blocks before he got to the job—he had a very keen eye,” said Jacobsen.

Shortly after Ted M. started working full-time, his uncle assigned him to perform manual labor on a small project on the Goggin Drain, on the margins of the Great Salt Lake. It was winter, so working conditions were less than favorable. He worked with a shovel ahead of a grader, ran the grader and a crawler/loader, and did other physically taxing work.

“At the time, I thought, ‘What is my uncle doing this for?'” Jacobsen said. “I had a master’s from Stanford. But it was very helpful. I learned the impact on human beings that comes with working in cold weather. I wasn’t there very long, but I chuckle at it.”

Jacobsen worked as an estimator for 18 months and as a project manager for a high school project on the north end of Lake Tahoe before being called to help the company with other executive-level work. 

He would soon develop his own critical eye and attention to detail that had made his uncle such an effective company leader. He also learned the value of the English language, especially when it came to crafting contract documents.

“I tried to write with exactness, so when we would write a sentence, there was only one possible interpretation,” he said. “An important letter would go through five or ten or even more drafts. We worked very hard to have contracts that were crystal clear; we tried to eliminate ambiguity.”

Ted M. Jacobsen took over for his uncle as President in 1974 at the relatively youthful age of 33. The company wasn’t very big at the time, with annual revenues in the $4–$5 million range.

“Soren started it, and my dad and Uncle Ted were second generation and did a good job,” he said. “There is sort of a legend that in the third and fourth generation, the ship is sunk—somebody inherited the keys to the office but didn’t have the right skills and so on. I was quite determined not to wreck it.”

Jacobsen guided the company through the glum 1980s, a period marked by the nationwide Savings and Loan Crisis. Gradually, the construction climate in Utah improved, and Jacobsen Construction began to flourish in the 1990s and beyond. 

“Things cycle and we had to adjust to those [periods],” he said. “There eventually came a significant economic wave to the Salt Lake Valley and Utah in general—we managed to catch that wave. To do that, [we] had to grow in terms of people and financial capacity. Growing is not a low-risk thing—you have to train people to do things the way you want things done. We hired a lot of wonderful people who have played their role well.” 


Lonnie Bullard—President 1996–2006; CEO 1996–2012; Chairman 2005–Present

A native of Roy, Lonnie Bullard is a descendant of Archibald Gardner and member of the well-known Gardner family. He started his professional career in finance after graduating with an MBA from Northwestern in 1980. He worked on Wall Street for four years before joining Salt Lake-based Boyer Company in 1985, doing project financing for company founder Roger Boyer. 

In 1996, Bullard joined Jacobsen Construction. Despite not having a traditional construction background, he thrived in the position and led the company to new heights, overseeing the completion of several hallmark projects. 

“He didn’t have much in the way of construction experience, but he has a good mind, and he’s a very likeable human being,” said Jacobsen. “He’s energetic, and he’s a fierce competitor.”

Bullard didn’t know what to expect in transitioning to the world of construction but was excited at the prospect of leading one of the state’s biggest general contractors. 

“You move forward and hope for the very best,” said Bullard. “I appreciate Ted bringing me on—it was difficult bringing in a President/CEO from the outside. It was a leap of faith on his part, a leap of faith on mine, but I’m grateful he would entrust me with his company in that manner.”

The first major project under Bullard’s watch was the Conference Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Today, the mammoth, 1.4 million-SF building seats over 21,000 in its main auditorium and is believed to be the largest theater-style auditorium ever built. Jacobsen Construction teamed with Utah-based firms Okland Construction and Layton Construction to form the Legacy Contractors joint-venture, which delivered the building in time for the April 2000 session of the Church’s general conference. 

“We had a good partnership,” said Bullard. “Everyone took their company hat off and put on a project hat. We didn’t separate the project; we integrated our teams into one team.”

Bullard focused much of his energy on establishing and maintaining a positive work culture.

“Our goal was to embrace the culture established by the Jacobsen family and never give Ted a reason to be embarrassed,” he said. “A reputation can be lost in the blink of an eye.”

Bullard added that the employees are unquestionably the firm’s main asset. 

“We’re not an asset-rich company—we’re a company where the assets are people,” he said. “While I like the fact that Jacobsen has been involved in iconic construction projects along the Wasatch Front, that’s not what I have focused on. I get more enjoyment and more good feelings out of watching people grow, seeing the tremendous talents of people blossom.”


Doug Welling—President 2006–2020; CEO 2012–2021

Welling was raised in Davis County by prominent educators Lawrence and Kathryn Welling. He naturally gravitated to construction and worked as a laborer and carpenter while attending college at Brigham Young University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Construction Management in 1981. He gained experience as a project manager for a drywall subcontractor and a general contractor while in Houston, then as a project engineer on a hydroelectric project near Boise before arriving at Jacobsen in 1987. 

Jacobsen Construction hired Welling as a project engineer on the seismic retrofit project for the Salt Lake City and County Building, the first-ever base isolation of an existing building in the world. 

“As a company, we get into very challenging engineering projects,” said Welling, who was tasked with figuring out the project schedule so Jacobsen could secure its first million-dollar payment from the owner.

There were essentially three phases to the complex project: exterior, interior, and base isolation. The exterior work called for all stone to be strengthened or replaced. The interior scope included caring for historic plaster, paint, flooring, and other delicate items. The base isolation portion required the installation of 447 lead/rubber isolators underneath the building. The building is isolated from the surrounding ground by a perimeter moat wall that allows for lateral movement during a seismic event.

“I was able to put a schedule together that reflected the intricate sequencing of the project—the team worked wonderfully together,” said Welling. “You can draw a straight line from that project to the complex seismic work we’re able to do today on other buildings.” 

Jacobsen has constructed other significant historic seismic renovation projects, including the Salt Lake Tabernacle, the Provo City Center Temple, and the $220-million Utah State Capitol Seismic Retrofit (2004-–2008), highlighted by 265 base isolators installed as part of its overall restoration. The current renovation and base isolation of the iconic Salt Lake Temple is perhaps the most prominent example of Jacobsen’s base isolation expertise. The Salt Lake Temple is the most historically recognizable structure of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and one that, when its renovation finishes, “will stand as nothing short of an engineering and construction marvel,” according to Welling. 

He agreed with Bullard that Jacobsen’s employees are the primary reason for the firm’s past and current success. 

“This company is full of driven people—birds of a feather flock together,” he said. “Our employees are driven, respectful, successful, kind people. We have always been very interested in being the best we can be and taking care of clients. If we did that, we would be invited back. We have amazing long-term clients that give us very difficult projects.”

In addition to Jacobsen employees, Welling said the firm would not be where it is without the support of many great partners over the years, including subcontractors, suppliers, owners, architects, bankers, sureties, and craftworkers. 

“All have joined together to create legacy projects through grit, sacrifice, and determination, and their work will stand tall throughout the coming decades,” he said.

Welling said seeing the firm celebrate 100 years in 2022 is monumental.

“I had the thrill to work at Jacobsen for a third of its history—what a tremendous opportunity for me to see our expertise and relationships grow,” he said. As President/CEO of Jacobsen, my desire was to add to the momentum and luster of the Jacobsen legacy. I really feel like we did that.”


Gary Ellis—President June 2020–Present; CEO January 2021–Present

Gary Ellis, 52 and born in Holladay, comes from a finance background just like Bullard. Ellis earned a Master of Accounting from BYU in 1995 and spent five years at KPMG’s Salt Lake office, which he described as a “terrific experience working for great people” in many different industries. 

Ellis started at Jacobsen in 2000 as Controller, spending many hours his first couple of years acclimating to the ins and outs of construction. He was mentored by long-time CFO Richard Kirkham, along with others. He knows he has big shoes to fill but understands that the key is simply relying on the bevy of top-notch professionals who help guide the firm’s 650-plus employees. 

“The biggest challenge going in was feeling the need to know everything, and then the recognition that, no, you don’t need to know everything,” said Ellis. “I am surrounded by a seasoned team that lives our core values and who know the industry inside and out. That has been a fun realization. We make much better decisions collaborating and relying on one another’s expertise.”

A focus of his first year as President was making sure everybody on the executive team felt safe communicating their ideas and collaborating, and then conducting strategic planning to set up the company for future success. 

Ellis is carrying on a proud and extensive tradition of Jacobsen Construction’s close involvement with the AGC of Utah, where he currently serves on the Board of Directors. Five of Jacobsen’s Presidents served as President (later named Chairman) of the venerable construction association, including Soren (1926), Ted C. (1946), Ted M. (1982), Bullard (2008) and Welling (2018).

“In the construction industry, it’s rare a family business can last 100 years—it’s a testament to their core values,” said Rich Thorn, AGC of Utah President/CEO. “They are known for giving back to the community. They helped build the AGC of Utah headquarters and our training center, and the list goes on and on. They don’t live for the moment—they know it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Their reputation means everything to them. Owners automatically have a high degree of confidence and trust in them.”

Ellis is confident in the firm’s bright outlook as it embarks on its next 100 years.

“We don’t have a goal to be the largest contractor in Utah. We have aspirational goals to be the best contractor in the marketplaces in which we do business, and to provide stellar service,” Ellis said. “That is truly who we are and what we believe. We believe in building for the life that will go on in the facilities we build—the places where people will worship, where they will learn, where they live and play. I like to call it the ‘wow factor,' where we can step back and say, ‘Wow, look at what we left behind for that community or for that client.’ If we can keep doing that, we’ll continue to see long-term success. That’s our vision.”


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The Provo City Center Temple was another supremely complex and challenging restoration project that won numerous local and national awards (completed in 2015).  The Amangani Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyo., illustrates the firm’s high-end resort chops (photos courtesy Jacobsen Construction). Jacobsen restored the Salt Lake City and County Building (originally completed in 1894) in the late 1980s, believed to be the first-ever seismic base isolation of an existing historic structure in the world. The isolation system consists of 443 lead-rubber isolators installed under the building on top of existing spread footings. The building is isolated from the ground by a perimeter moat wall, permitting lateral movement during an earthquake (photo by Dana Sohm, Sohm Photografx).

Significant Jacobsen Construction Projects


Project  Location  Year Completed


Primary Children’s Hospital Salt Lake City N/A

Los Angeles Temple Los Angeles 1956

Jon M. Huntsman Center Salt Lake City 1969

Salt Lake City & County Building Salt Lake City 1989

Seismic Base Isolation

Jon M. Huntsman Cancer Center Salt Lake City 1998; 2017

Phases I & IV

Amangani Resort Jackson Hole 1998

Conference Center (JV) Salt Lake City 2000

Grand America Hotel (JV) Salt Lake City 2001

Utah State Capitol Seismic Salt Lake City 2007

Base Isolation/Restoration

Salt Lake Tabernacle Salt Lake City 2008

Seismic Upgrade

Provo City Center Temple Provo 2015


Jacobsen Construction Leaders

Soren M. Jacobsen President (1922–1951)

Ted C. Jacobsen President (1951–1956; 1966–1974)

Leo M. Jacobsen President (1956–1966)

Ted M. Jacobsen President (1974–1996); Chairman (1996–2005)

Lonnie M. Bullard President (1996–2006); CEO (1996–2012); Chairman (2005–Present) 

Douglas C. Welling President (2006–2020); CEO (2012–2021)

Gary Ellis President (2020–Present); CEO (2021–Present)

Economists Remain Optimistic about Utah

By Milt Harrison • February 28, 2025
Despite some minor economic headwinds, Utah is poised for another solid, if semi-unspectacular, year of construction and real estate development, according to top economists locally and nationally. Indeed, 2025 is shaping up to be much like 2024, a year where firms across the A/E/C spectrum completed dozens of life-enhancing, community-uplifting projects across every major building sector—in other words, a lot of projects were built outside of the still churning multi-family market. These firms thrived for the most part, posting positive revenue growth and maintaining momentum in the face of the usual challenges of shallow labor pools and volatile material costs. Utah continues to rank among the top states nationally on key economic drivers such as population growth, construction employment, a pro-business climate, and a legislative body that continues to be bullish on funding higher education and transportation projects. Prospects are good with a can-do mentality among developers, municipalities, and the firms designing and building the jobs. "Utah will continue to have above average growth and is in great position to continue its great track record with a growing population, and a strong economy and construction market," said Ken Simonson, Chief Economist for the Associated General Contractors of America (AGCA) in Washington, D.C. "Utah has been on a steady, strong upward path with 27% growth in construction employment—three times the national average of 9%—since 2020." Simonson said Utah's construction employment growth doubled last year, up 6%, which is twice the U.S. average. Growth would be even stronger, he added, if contractors could find workers, particularly skilled tradesmen. Simonson said a survey of 1,500 firms nationally stated 94% had openings for craft workers. "It's hard to fill (skilled) positions, more difficult than last year," he added. Utah's consistent population growth—the Beehive State ranked fourth according to the U.S. Census from 2023-24 with 1.8% growth (3.44 million to 3.50 million)—is a driver of demand for so many types of construction, as well as a course of construction labor. Simonson said the state has been more welcoming of immigrants, an important source of labor for contractors across the board. Utahns also have a reputation for being well-educated coupled with a strong work ethic and drive to succeed, making the state an attractive place for new businesses looking to expand. Developers Waiting Out Interest Rates; Hope for a Drop in '25 The Fed kept interest rates where they are in January—a decision not popular with many real estate developers simply itching to invest capital and have projects waiting to cut loose the minute rates become more favorable. That pent-up demand could heat up the market if rates drop by even half a point, particularly in the multi-family arena. Simonson said multi-family was down nationally 8% from September 2023-24, with Utah seeing an equivalent slowdown, despite a huge amount of inventory that hit the market in 2024, including attractive high-end downtown properties like Camber, The Worthington, and Astra Tower, and many others along the greater Wasatch Front. "Reductions in the [Fed]’s short-term interest rate target will make financing a bit less expensive but developers still can't get loans or want to proceed if rents aren't high enough to cover the financing and construction costs, including time to complete if there are extended delivery times for electrical equipment such as transformers and switchgear," Simonson added. "Utah isn't immune from these challenges, but if the underlying population growth will be supportive of rent increases, that may bring back multi-family construction sooner than in areas that aren't growing as fast, or at all." Spendlove Keynote at 2025 NAIOP Symposium Senior Economist for Zions Bank, Robert Spendlove, said Utah is well-positioned to maintain solid economic activity, with factors of low unemployment (hovering around 4%), solid wage growth (3.9% in December), and more than a quarter million jobs added at the end of last year. "Utah had unexpected, continued strength in the labor market," said Spendlove at NAIOP Utah's 2025 Symposium in January. "If we could pause the economy and stay where we're at now, we'd be in a perfect position." Consumer inflation, he said, remains sticky at nearly 3%, with the Fed targeting 2% before they can lower interest rates. "Until it's at 2%, they can't claim victory," he said. Overall, consumer prices are up a whopping 22% since 2020. "It's a struggle for people—those prices are never going back down. Inflation is just adding to those price increases. [Fed Chair Jerome] Powell said they will not make the same mistake as the 70s; they will not cut rates until inflation is down." In addition to strong 1.65% [WHAT TYPE OF] growth and 1.8% employment growth, Utah rebounded quickly from the pandemic. "That shows the strength of Utah's economy and labor market," said Spendlove. He added that Utah's GDP was up 4.6%, indicating the strongest economic growth in the U.S., with consumer sentiment improving and greater small business optimism. Utah Maintains Steady Growth, Says Eskic The Beehive State's remarkably consistent and steady growth remains a major reason why its economic outlook remains rosy, said Dejan Eskic, Senior Research Fellow at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. "Utah's population growth has never dropped below zero since 1950—we're still increasing with net migration," said Eskic at an event hosted by the Intermountain Chapter of the American Concrete Institute in January, with growth slowing by only .08 to 1.65% "There is so much demand in our economy that even in a down year for housing, construction employment is up 6.2%," he said. "The American household, on average, has never looked better on paper when looking at financial stability," with 70% of household debt tied to mortgages. Living in Utah is still expensive, even though the state is now listed as the 10th most expensive state to live in, down from 8th. "It doesn't mean Utah is more affordable, other states are just more expensive." The housing crisis will remain among the biggest challenges, both with affordable housing and overall number of units that need to be built. Governor Spencer Cox has made his intentions known that communities need to prioritize ways to address all housing issues, with a desire to see tens of thousands of single family homes built in the next decade. Way easier said than done, simply because developers cannot be expected to be altruistic when market conditions are competitive and profit margins potentially volatile and risky. He expects rents to increase once absorption is reached. Other items of note: —Consumer Price Index dipped to 2.6%, where it is expected to stay. —Expect growth in wages and employment. —Commercial construction will be primarily flat, similar to the last two years. —Office is flat, medical and industrial markets will continue to grow; industrial may be dictated by international trade. —Utah expects to add 500,000 people in the next decade, and will need a jaw-dropping 275,000 more housing units in that time, primarily along the Wasatch Front. "We need to change the dialogue if we're going to solve the housing crisis," said Eskic. "Currently, 92% of renters are priced out of the market. Construction must be optimized."

Waterworks in the Wilderness

By Taylor Larsen • February 28, 2025
July 23rd, 1847 was a pivotal day for the pioneers. Records from the time detailed how the advance party trekking into the Salt Lake Valley built a dam to convey water from City Creek to freshly plowed land. Years later, the city hired civil and hydraulic engineer Herman Schussler to design a system to bring water through laminated wood pipes to 20,000 Salt Lake City residents while preparing for future growth. Schussler said, in a presentation to Brigham Young in 1872, “I propose to construct the pipe system of the City of such dimensions as to be capable of supplying five million gallons per diem.” While those original pipes couldn’t make it to year two, the design was in place for cast iron pipes to go in their place in 1876. The 37 carloads of cast iron pipe, plumbing tools, water gates, and more came from multiple suppliers from eastern US industrial hubs of St. Louis, Boston, and Louisville, KY. Those collaborative efforts brought modern waterworks “in our lovely Deseret,” collecting water from 19.2 square miles of watershed that feeds the 14.5-mile-long City Creek stream. Modernity Fast forward nearly 150 years, past chlorination that arrived in the 1920s, past the first water treatment facility constructed in Utah, the City Creek Water Treatment Plant in 1953, past filter installation in 1966, and past the canyon reopening for recreational use in 1975—Salt Lake City needed a new treatment facility to keep clean water flowing. The Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU) partnered with engineering firm Brown and Caldwell in design in 2018 to envision and engineer something new to ensure resiliency and reliable water service to its customers. While the plant escaped any critical damage in the March 2020 earthquake, it was a reminder of the urgent need to create a new facility. Design and construction would work around a coterie of barriers and challenges—keeping operations ongoing while building on a challenging site three miles into the wilderness—to produce the future of water treatment for Salt Lake City.

AGC of Utah 2025 Convention

By • February 28, 2025
The Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah successfully hosted its 103rd Annual Convention January 23-24 at Little America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake, a popular event that brought together A/E/C industry leaders, professionals, and stakeholders for two days of celebration, education, and networking. The convention highlights the outstanding achievements of Utah's construction industry and provides valuable insights into emerging trends shaping the economically impactful sector, along with the announcement of new chapter leaders and board members for the 2025 season. Brett Nielsen, President of Brigham City-based Whitaker Construction, who has served on the AGC of Utah board since 2017, most recently as National Governor, was installed as 2025 Chairman, taking over the reins of the venerable association from Slade Opheikens, President of Ogden-based R&O Construction. In addition, Nielsen is in line to become the first Utahn to serve as AGC of America President in 2030. "What an honor to be standing here, to be in front of a group of people I have the utmost respect for," said Nielsen at Friday night's Installation Banquet. "It's still surreal to me to be here and know that I'm getting the opportunity to work with a group of people that I'm so passionate about. This chapter is truly one of the finest chapters in all of America." Nielsen started as a Laborer at Whitaker Construction in 1992, gradually climbing the company ladder until taking over in 2021 as President of the powerhouse municipal/utility contractor, the first non-Whitaker to lead the firm. The firm cracked the $288 million mark in 2024 in annual revenues, a notable increase from $109 million in 2018. Nielsen's introduction to the AGC was unassuming, attending the packed annual summer golf tournament and then his first convention in the late '90s. "I saw it as more a networking opportunity, primarily with other Whitaker employees, vendors, and occasionally competitors," he said. His eyes were opened to AGC's real value when the chapter hosted a Young Constructors Forum in 2000, which is the predecessor to the Construction Leadership Committee (CLC). "I remember meeting other young contractors from throughout the country, and discussing the nuances of our markets, type of interstate pavements [this is when the original I-15 was constructed pre-Olympics], margins to the segment of construction, etc." he recalled. "I vividly remember a general contractor telling me their margin and how low it was compared to our underground utility segment, and I for the life of me couldn’t understand why a contractor would subject themselves to such headaches for such a low margin." In 2013, Nielsen became Chair of the Utility Infrastructure Committee for the Utah chapter and attended an AGC of America (AGCA) meeting in Phoenix later that year related to highway and utility contractor issues, something he called "an eye-opening experience." It was held at the posh Biltmore Resort and didn't know anybody. At the opening reception, he was standing alone when several individuals—including Toby Crow, AGC of South Dakota Chapter Executive, and his wife Liz—approached him to strike up conversation. They in turn introduced Nielsen to Scott Berry, who at the time was Director of AGC's National Utility Infrastructure Division, which led to dinner with long-time AGC CEO Steve Sandherr and several other AGC of America staff, along with fellow contractor members. "The rest is history," said Nielsen, who has been a member of the AGC of America Utility Infrastructure Division since then, including a stint from 2018-2020 on the AGCA Board. "I'm a relationship guy. They are important to me, and AGC provides the platform for me to collaborate with like-minded individuals to work on being informed, educating, and ultimately protecting not only our company the livelihoods of our employee-owners, but our industry. The benefits that AGC brings are real and measurable. AGC members are the 'Voice of the Construction Industry' both on the hill here in Utah, as well as in Washington, D.C. The issues that face our industry are complex, and those who want to exploit regulation, slow growth, and leverage legislative change to benefit their personal or industry interests cannot be overstated. We as contractors need a collective voice and for the Construction Industry, that voice is the AGC." Nielsen talked about the unique relationship that forms between AGC member firms, and how they work together for the good of the entire industry, despite competing against each other weekly to land new projects. "It makes me proud for what we accomplish here within this state," he said. "We come together, we solve tough problems related to our industry and we compete fiercely against one another." He mentioned competing that week head-to-head with Orem-based W.W. Clyde & Co., led by its President, Dustin Olson, on two sizable projects. Each team won a job, and subsequently lost a job. Said Nielsen: "I reached out to Dustin and congratulated him and told him it was a hell of a bid—he congratulated me as well [...] and followed up with the statement: 'If I'm going to lose to a contractor, I want it to be someone like you'. Many of us do that day-in and day-out. To be a part of a group that can accomplish what we accomplish, and then to turn around and be able to come to an event like this and celebrate all our hard work, is something that is astonishing to me." Nielsen said recruiting and retaining new skilled talent for the industry will be one of his top priorities this year and encouraged AGC firms to get involved with the Construction Leadership Committee (CLC). "I'm passionate about the future of people in our industry," he said. "I realize we're not the young spring chickens that we once were. It's our duty that we are setting the stage and making sure we're prepared to continue what we do. We all have great people who have gotten us where we're at today—we want to make sure we're bringing [new people] along." Nielsen closed his remarks by thanking his immediate family, including wife Hilary, daughter Emery, his mother, Shirley Harding, and mother-in-law, Ginny Butikofer, in addition to the Whitaker family and fellow co-workers.

One for the Ages

By Brad Fullmer • February 28, 2025
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At Home in the Mountain Modern

By Taylor Larsen • February 28, 2025
Salt Lake City finally has the modern take on mountain living it has needed with Camber, the 422-unit multifamily project developed by Endeavor Real Estate Group, designed by Texas-based GFF Architects and built by Murray’s very own Zwick Construction. Camber’s neighborhood environment extends inside and out, bringing comfort on multiple levels. The commitment from the project team to lead on the multifamily front resulted in community over commodity with a luxury, mountain modern example of an apartment community.

Towering Construction Adds to Glistening Skyline

By Taylor Larsen • February 28, 2025
Glittering in copper metal cladding and reflective glass, and towering in the capital city skyline, is The Worthington. Developed by Chicago-based Convexity and designed by SCB’s Chicago office, the Worthington stands tall and cracks the top 10 tallest structures in Utah. Ownership Marks the Spot But long before residents took a dip in The Worthington’s 12th-floor pool, Convexity saw an opportunity with both site and market, said Jessica Minton, the developer’s Senior Vice President. A high-rise on the eastern edge of downtown could offer spectacular views from above and afford residents walkability through the city below. Research from the firm included tours around the city to see what the market had in place, but crucially what it wanted. “Luxury high-rises are our niche. We knew we were capable of delivering a product that was successful in other markets,” said Minton. “And we knew it would succeed in Salt Lake City.” Construction was a joint partnership between Sandy-based Layton Construction, who helped to bring the local know-how, and Chicago-based high-rise building experts W.E O’Neill. The luxury amenities and high-quality residential finishes came from a project that looked toward accountability and collaboration in construction to take Worthington all the way up. Safety for Tenants, Public, and Builders Phased delivery, a newer process for Salt Lake City in high-rise construction, was an essential part of Convexity’s plans to bring the project to market. Minton praised the collaboration between Salt Lake City officials and the project team for “a smooth transition to get us to market.” “There’s a liability and a risk involved from the city to sign off on life safety measures while construction is ongoing,” she said. "It was a fully vetted and well-thought-out process from all of us—developer, city, and contractor— no party took this lightly." Phased delivery dictated that construction would turn over the first 16 floors for occupancy before moving on up to finish the rest. Rick Millward, Project Manager for Layton Construction, thanked Salt Lake City for being as forward-focused as the project team to ensure a high-quality building, namely helping to fine-tune solutions provided by the project team. He said the construction team was up to the challenge on multiple fronts to be a good neighbor and partner as they built. The give-and-take was brilliant as construction installed fire sprinkler systems throughout the structure instead of just completed residential floors, limited road closures to late night hours, and shifted pedestrians to a new walkway—simultaneously meeting city and construction goals. Millward said the team created a buffer zone of three completed floors as construction finished on floors 1-20 to keep construction noise from reaching the floors below. “You have to have residents come in and expect not to have to care about us at all,” said Millward. Minton added that the construction team’s commitment to an ironclad logistics plan created dedicated entrances and exits for workers and residents. “It needed to be a fully coordinated, daily effort,” she said. After all, “Residents aren’t moving into a construction site. There is no margin for error when people live there.” They went so far as to perform “concierge” duties to ensure residents only accessed specific elevators programmed to keep people from accidentally stumbling into active construction. Coordination between construction teams and apartment staff was seamless, actively informing residents 48 hours in advance on water and power shutoffs to keep people comfortable and in the know. With a busy street below, coordination kept pedestrians worry-free as they passed by. A covered and reinforced canopy sidewalk went in along 300 South, as Millward said, for the construction team to take full ownership of safety. Being a good neighbor paid off in more ways than one. Millward said Kathie Chadbourne, who runs From the Ground Up nearby, served coffee to the concrete truck drivers who worked through the night during the 13-hour foundation pour. Her work added to the buzz on site as the construction crew placed 3,600 yards of concrete foundation for the main structure. Three pump trucks took concrete from a cycling set of six trucks delivering slurry from “all of Geneva [Rock’s] concrete plants in the area” to help pour through the night. Millward says The Worthington isn’t going anywhere, especially with a super-stable matte footing that dips between 18 and 24 feet below street level.

UC+D Most Outstanding Projects of 2024

By LADD MARSHALL • January 1, 2025

Dynamic Electrical

By Taylor Larsen • November 1, 2024
Electrical contracting is competitive as hell. With a plethora of mega projects upcoming, a bidding war for the best electricians and estimators, and even a race to secure the energy to power Utah buildings, the competition at every level seems to grow more intense with each passing year. How can electrical contractors respond to upcoming trends and win work in the Beehive State? It Starts with Labor Ken Hoffman, Preconstruction Manager at Ludvik Electric, said that the competition for labor has been particularly fierce since he and his team began working on the New SLC International Airport some years ago. Competing for great people has always been the case, but the influx of high-level projects over the last decade, he recalled, “pulled everyone up” with drastic increases in wages that helped electricians bring more money home and brought in a cadre of workers from out of state to push jobs past the finish line. There is additional work to be done to bring in the next generation of fieldworkers to help build the state’s future, specifically the financial incentive to enter into a demanding, sometimes dangerous field. Contracting tech company ServiceTitan reports that salaries for entry-level electricians have risen 9.14% since the beginning of 2023, but is it enough? No, and it is hampering project execution. At a recent Urban Land Institute (ULI) Trends Conference, Hunt Electric CEO and President Troy Gregory offered a sobering statistic: currently, for every electrician who enters the trade, three electricians depart. Nathan Goodrich, Division Manager of Helix Electric, said that the industry needs to find solutions fast, as competing for the same people in a wage-based arms race is unsustainable. “We have to promote the trades as people are coming through high school,” he said. Exposure through industry days and other presentations is one way while granting release time for high school student workers was another that Goodrich mentioned as two ways to bring in the next generation of electrical contractors. Gregory agreed, saying that Hunt Electric and other industry groups have become much more involved at the high school level by showcasing and giving interested students career opportunities. He and his team have had success working on pre-apprenticeship that gives the most eager hands-on experience in prefabrication, an area that only grows in importance for contractors. “We’re getting them in a better position to be more productive on a job site on day one,” said Gregory.

Youthful Impact

By Taylor Larsen • November 1, 2024
Editor's note: UC+D's annual look at age 40 & Under A/E/C professionals includes individuals from a wide range of market segments including a general contractor VP, an interior designer, a rising UDOT director, a steel industry entrepreneur, an equipment dealer owner, and an electrical contractor safety/HR executive. Each holds a key position at their respective firm and has proven their skill and capability along their unique career paths.

Scintillating Sustainability

By Bradley Fullmer • November 1, 2024
Architect Brian Backe was succinct when he stated, "when I try to describe the Climate Innovation Center, one of the phrases is 'big things comes in small packages'." His words couldn't be more profound. An ambitious adaptive reuse project that is generating significant buzz in the sustainable building arena locally, Utah Clean Energy's new Climate Innovation Center (CIC) is the transformation of a modest, nearly 70-year-old, 3,000 SF single-level commercial structure into a state-of-the-art, two-story, zero-energy building that will serve as UCE's home for the next half century. "Within a 3,000 square foot footprint it has urban infill, is an adaptive reuse site, Net-Zero, combustion-free, hybrid mass timber structure—we really packed in a lot," said Backe, Principal-in-Charge for Blalock & Partners, who worked closely with Salt Lake-based Okland Construction to ensure optimum sustainability throughout the construction process. The $5.4 million, 5,260 SF project officially opened in June to much pomp and circumstance, and rightfully so. The center showcases the potential of what homes and buildings can be—spaces that are not only comfortable and inviting, but also produce zero pollution. The building will offer a space dedicated to learning, exploration and collaboration centered on climate solutions and improving local air quality, and a place for the community to engage and create solutions to the challenges we face. The project is a testament to CEO/Founder Sarah Wright and her team at Utah Clean Energy, and their commitment to increasing awareness of environmental sustainability. Their new home makes a bold, walk-the-walk statement about the importance of renewable energy in the built world. "There needs to be an education and understanding that renewables (solar, wind, hydro, geo-thermal) are our cheapest resources," said Wright, a Chicago-native whose diverse background includes work in geology, environmental consulting, air quality, and occupational health. She founded UCE, a mission-driven non-profit, in 2001 and is thrilled to see the CIC finally come to fruition after years of planning. The project, she said, embodies UCE's dedication to transforming Utah's built environment to be zero energy and emission-free, while helping the community reimagine the places we live and work. "This is a living laboratory and teaching tool for the public and the business community, demonstrating the tremendous role that buildings have in solving climate change," said Wright. "Everyone that's been here loves it and other owners say they are inspired by it." Kevin Emerson, Director of Building Decarbonization and an 18-year UCE veteran, said the project became a necessity in recent years as UCE's staff swelled to 15 people. "We've had a dream to really 'walk to talk' through our office headquarters and (CIC) is the result of that dream coming to fruition," said Emerson. "It is more than just office space—it's meant to be a showcase and teaching tool for the construction and design industry." "There is nothing more sustainable than reusing our existing buildings and breathing a new 50-year-life into a structure than was slated for demolition," said Backe, adding that construction crews seismically braced the primary existing CMU block wall, in addition to reusing over 65 tons of CMU and 50 tons of concrete.
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