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).

New Paragraph

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)

Deer Valley Expansion

By Taylor Larsen • February 25, 2026
Start spreadin’ the news I’m leavin’ today I want to be a part of it… I can hear everyone singing the final line: Deer Valley Resooooooooort Fine. Frank Sinatra may not have had après ski on the mind in “New York, New York”, but if the famous singer were alive today, I bet he would want to be a part of Deer Valley’s East Village—even with no relation to the New York City neighborhood—and the transformational development ongoing across Mayflower Mountain and Deer Valley Resort. East Village—Deer Valley Style “Deer Valley East Village is a long-anticipated project that will serve as the heart of the expanded terrain at Deer Valley Resort,” said Gary Barnett, Founder and Chair of Extell Development Company (Extell), in a press release. “With careful planning, we’ve curated a village that will redefine luxury and offer unparalleled amenities for our guests.” The ability to curate such luxury came from 10 years of collecting. Since 2015, Extell has purchased over 20 land parcels, assembling well over 5,000 acres for development. Extell partnered with the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) and Reef Capital Partners (Reef) to create a highly capable development team. These efforts set the stage for the 2023 agreement between the developer and Alterra Mountain Group (Alterra), Deer Valley’s parent company, to fold Extell’s East Village property into its existing resort operations—what Deer Valley President and COO Todd Bennett called, “Your new Deer Valley.” Barnett, speaking of what’s to come with this partnership and the billions of dollars of work set to go in on the mountain, said, “Extell and Deer Valley collaborated to craft a village and ski experience where luxury, adventure, and experience come together effortlessly.” Thus began the monumental transformation of Mayflower Mountain. Big Name Arrivals Two projects helped get the party started in the East Village. The Residences at Pioche Village delivered four buildings comprising 400-plus condominiums built by New Star General Contractors in December 2023. Although the project is outside the epicenter of ongoing development, it is becoming increasingly important to the area, as MIDA recently purchased one of the buildings to set aside 42 units of workforce housing. The first finished project within the epicenter was the award-winning Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, designed by OZ Architecture and built by Jacobsen Construction, completed in 2024. Extell partnered with MIDA to develop the hotel on military land, offering 100 rooms at a discounted rate for service members. The opulent hotel and condo property introduced a total of over 380 guest rooms, 40 suites, 55 private residences, and nearly 40,000 SF of conference space. And it’s just the beginning. On a recent tour of the East Village, Michael Woisin, Extell’s Sr. VP of Construction in Utah, detailed the immense manpower required to bring the vision to life. The six tower cranes currently operating there, along with a handful of other cranes, combine with dozens of concrete trucks heading up and down the mountain to support around 1,000 construction workers on site, driving projects of all sizes. Reef is developing multiple residential properties in the coming years. On the single-family side, Marcella at Deer Valley has already sold out the 143 homesites in the future private community, which is currently under construction. Marcella Landing will deliver a gated community of 50 ski-in/ski-out luxury townhomes designed by Olson Kundig. Cormont will deliver five residential condo towers and a vibrant central plaza, with construction completed in 2027 and 2028, and local architectural experience provided by FFKR Architects. The big brands are coming, too. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Deer Valley, designed by ODA Architecture and built by Jacobsen Construction, will deliver 134 guest rooms and suites, as well as 123 for-sale residences, with completion in 2028. Canopy by Hilton will open a 180-key hotel near Pioche Village. The property will feature architecture by The Richardson Design Partnership and interior design by DLR/Brayton Hughes and will open its doors in summer 2026. Waldorf Astoria Deer Valley Resort and Residences was announced in late January, with plans to bring 132 guest suites and 105 for-sale residences near Deer Valley’s Green Monster, the resort’s 4.85-mile ski run—Utah’s longest. With architectural design from KPF and interiors by AvroKO, the project will open its doors in 2028. Beyond the ski-in/ski-out access at many of the above properties, the East Village will also feature a skier services building and an extensive, tiered pedestrian plaza designed by ODA for year-round enjoyment when completed. The building will serve as the heart of the ski village, surrounded by the “ski beach” at the base of the mountain—with a future holiday market, a snow maze, and The Ribbon’s state-of-the-art ice- skating circuit planned for winter months. In summer, the area will be activated by a music festival, farmer’s market, outdoor movie screenings, and other events.

AGC of Utah Installs Gary Ellis as 2026 Chair at Annual Convention

By Bradley Fullmer • February 25, 2026
If the turnout for the 104th Annual Convention for the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah is any indication of the current state of the construction industry in the Beehive State, 2026 will indeed be a robust year. The popular industry convention—held January 29-30 at Little America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake—continues to draw room-busting crowds at its events. The AGC's 2026 Awards Breakfast kicked off the convention on January 29, with the Utah chapter handing out nearly 50 awards for innovative projects and dedicated people. The second day—an all-day event—included entertaining keynote speakers at breakfast and lunch, along with informative breakout sessions in between. The convention was capped by an always-entertaining Installation Banquet, where Gary Ellis, President/CEO of Salt Lake-based Jacobsen Construction, was installed as 2026 AGC of Utah Chairman of the Board. Brett Nielsen, President of Brigham City-based Whitaker Construction and 2025 AGC of Utah Chairman, thanked AGC's staff of 13 for their efforts to elevate the association, and highlighted the work of the Construction Learning Committee (CLC), which aims to cultivate the next generation of construction industry leaders. "Earlier today, I made a comment that the generation that's coming into our industry today is about 20% of our population, but they are 100% of our future," said Nielsen. "We owe it to them to make sure we're providing the same tools, the guidance, the leadership that we received as we were coming up in the industry." Ellis followed with an initial plug for Nielsen, who is in line to serve as the AGC of America's 2030 President—a first for the Utah chapter. "We're excited to share Brett and his wisdom and terrific leadership to the entire country with regard to our industry—he'll do a great job and carry Utah in his heart," said Ellis. Ellis said he never imagined working in the construction industry, thinking he'd rather be a river running guide or physical therapist. Ultimately, he pursued accounting, earning a Master of Accounting from Provo-based Brigham Young University in 1995 and spending the first five years of his career as a Senior Auditor for KPMG in Salt Lake. He was hired in December 2000 at Jacobsen Construction as a Financial Controller, later ascending to his present title of President/CEO in January 2021. "The amount of construction experience I had before I landed at Jacobsen Construction was two weeks sweeping floors at a residential construction site," said Ellis. "I never imagined I would be part of the construction industry, but it's been life-changing for me. Our theme for the convention this year is Building What Matters—I wanted to do something that mattered [...] I wanted to be part of growing something, something I could put my arms around and say, 'wow, look what we just did together'. That's really what my motivation was when I found the construction industry." During the first five years of his career at a large corporate firm, Ellis said the gig lacked fulfillment. Joining Jacobsen opened his eyes to a new world, one he quickly gained a true passion for. "My kids are sick and tired of me pointing out every [Jacobsen] building as we go up and down I-15, I-80—I know, I'm preaching in the choir. There are incredible things that we do at Jacobsen; quite often, we talk about the 'wow factor'. That is what we have in this group. It is the wow factor, being able to [bask] in the pride we feel." Ellis also thanked his team at Jacobsen for believing in the AGC's mission and recognizing the importance of giving back to the industry. "I'm indebted to Ted [Jacobsen] and his family for what they've created at Jacobsen. The day I was asked [...] to take over as President, my very first phone call was to Ted Jacobsen [...] to let him know that I commit to making sure his family name is known in good standing in this marketplace."

Tick Tock from the Water Clock

By Taylor Larsen • February 25, 2026
Time is running out. Not for Utah water. Not yet. But it is for negotiations on the Colorado River. Recently, Utah and six other states, Mexico, and Native American Tribes missed another deadline to revise the current Colorado River Compact. Like family members negotiating a handwritten will, their agreement, or lack thereof, will determine who gets what from the Colorado River in 2026 and beyond. The compact has dictated water rights for the Upper Basin states of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming, and the Lower Basin states of Arizona, California, and Nevada since it was signed in 1922. The agreement, a result of phenomenal collaboration and compromise, has worked out as well as something written 100 years ago could. But the compact is starting to look it’s age. As the desert sun is unkind to the skin, the prolonged megadrought of the American Southwest has been unkind to the Colorado River. Overallocation of the river, droughts, drastic population growth, and a lack of consideration for all of the water-drawing entities mean compromises are on the horizon to ensure that each party at the table can provide Colorado River water to the estimated 40 million people who rely on it. The seven states and the federal government have tried previous facelifts with federal guidelines and plans to draw less water, but blemishes remain. Native tribes are still awaiting corrective surgery to remove the scars of historical injustice, especially after the Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the federal government was not required to take steps to ensure the tribes’ water rights. While Colorado River negotiations reach the end, four of Utah’s biggest water conservancy districts are pushing past existential drought to create solutions with their water users and industry partners to ensure taps flow for generations to come.

Rural Roots

By Taylor Larsen • February 25, 2026
Little did the team at KMA Architects know how much a proposal for one high school would change their fortunes forever. Duchesne School District released its RFP for a new Altamont High School in 2011. Wes Christensen, then Project Architect, felt like it was a winnable project. After all, KMA Architects had built a stellar reputation designing schools throughout Utah since the firm opened in 1996. There was just one problem with this RFP: KMA didn’t design new high schools. While the firm focused primarily on elementary and junior high schools, Christensen and others on the KMA team were confident in their design proposal and threw their hat in the ring to win the job. “I was certain our competition was going to present a two-story high school,” said Christensen, recalling the various brainstorming sessions that hinged on how to best present their design for a durable and economical one-story school with easily accessible mechanical mezzanines over the corridors. The district's response had the KMA team ecstatic: “We love it.” Winning the Altamont High job with a one-story design is one of many examples of KMA’s emphasis on listening first, a legacy established long before the firm relocated its headquarters in 2020, and long before the team sat for this interview, overlooking Spanish Fork Main Street from their stylish second-story conference room. Sometimes two stories are best, and KMA’s history is among them. Starting Shop in Provo It starts with Kevin Madsen initially pursuing engineering at the University of Utah, graduating in 1972, but with a passion for the entire industry. He earned his contractor license in 1974, but he made his mark in design. “I was good at drawing and drafting,” Madsen, now retired, said from the comfort of the drafting table of his Palmyra home. Madsen even taught drafting and CAD at the former Utah Valley State College (now Utah Valley University) from 1990-1993, saying, “That’s when I realized I wanted to run an architectural firm.” After Nebo and Sevier school districts personally requested Madsen’s services, he founded Kevin Madsen & Associates Architects in January 1996, bringing Christensen and others to work on the firm’s many projects. One of which began when Madsen bought a historic Victorian home at 195 East and 100 North in Provo and turned it into the KMA office in 1998. “It was a work in progress all the way,” laughed Madsen over the phone. That contractor license came in handy; Madsen salvaged high-quality carpet scraps from schools and brought them back to the office. Christensen, now KMA’s Owner and Principal, remembered sanding beams, tearing out old carpet, and stapling in the new flooring in its place—he’s got the scars to prove it. Other famous memories the entire senior KMA team recalled involved creating original blueprints with ammonia and venturing up I-15 to the old Service Blue print shop in Salt Lake to print off dozens of client copies. “We called it a ‘Printing Event’,” Christensen said, recalling the various times that the team would yo-yo between Provo and Salt Lake to drop off their specifications and drawings, often at midnight or later, before returning the next morning to fill an entire truck bed with boxes of freshly printed copies.

Seasoned to Perfection in Providence

By Taylor Larsen • February 25, 2026
The new Weber Blackstone headquarters project involved significant civil work in dewatering and wetland preservation so close to Big Ballard Springs and Blacksmith Fork River. Once completed, the finished build’s Prodema wood paneling exterior gives the building take-off. (all photos courtesy R&O Construction except where indicated)

New Trajectory for New Star

By Taylor Larsen • February 25, 2026
Midlife crisis? Try mid-life calm for New Star General Contractors as the Salt Lake-based construction firm celebrates 40 years of building great projects. As President Jeff Pettit sits in the firm’s conference room on the second story of the New Star office (self-performed in 1996), he reminisces on his 37 years there, as well as plenty of lore established when the firm emerged. In 1986, carpenters Dave Love and Steve Williams were building a home for their boss’s lawyer in Salt Lake City’s Federal Heights. Their boss, Ranch Kimball, was the owner of Cannon Construction, and announced he would be closing shop later that year. Love and Williams vowed to continue the good work, but under a new venture—New Star General Contractors. Based in Bountiful, New Star performed any small project or remodel they could, even venturing east to remodel an Episcopal church in Vernal. The two owners ran New Star from a “carpenter’s perspective”, Pettit said with a smile, “A good, honest trade.” As employees gained a deep understanding of fieldwork and constructability, New Star self-performed much of the concrete, framing, and interior and exterior finishes, buoyed by a large pool of high-level union carpenters from Utah Carpenters Union Local #184, ready to build. Pettit came aboard New Star in 1989, joining his father and uncle at the firm, two journeymen union carpenters, while he apprenticed as the company grew. Early Years; Midlife Struggles Pettit praised the foundation established by Williams and Love in New Star’s first decade, recalling how both owners worked as estimators and project managers as they sought to win work, while Treasa Love and Patti Williams, Love and Williams’ respective wives, ran accounting, billing, and payroll. The firm was at the cusp of taking off when Williams passed in 1997, but Love and the few dozen members of the New Star team pressed on, working for Deer Valley’s former parent company, Royal Street, on projects like Royal Plaza and Goldener Hirsch Phase 1. “Those projects helped put New Star on the map,” Pettit said. Another foundational project was Peace House, a four-bedroom domestic violence shelter for women and children built in 1995. “It was Dave’s way of giving back to the community,” said Pettit of the relationship between New Star and Peace House that has burned brightly ever since. Love joined the organization’s board of directors, and New Star built Peace House’s 40,000-SF expansion over 20 years later—a massive upgrade that delivered eight units of emergency shelter and 12 units of transitional housing for mothers and children. The project, a monumental community victory, eventually earned UC+D’s “Publisher’s Pick” award in 2019. Company culture in those early years benefitted from the “New Star Band”, a six-member ensemble of New Star employees. Love, his office wall lined with a notable guitar collection, led the charge. “Dave was a great musician and a great guitarist,” said Pettit of the culture- and relationship-building efforts of the New Star Band. “Anyone who knew New Star knew of the band.” But it wasn’t all roses, as New Star’s union roots counted for little as the firm and many other general contractors battled trade unions in the early 2000s. Pettit recalled the picket lines that formed around their Salt Lake City office and their job sites. As the Great Recession hit in 2007 and dragged on into the next decade, Pettit grimaced at how New Star laid off many employees as he, Love, and the remaining executives took massive pay cuts, following through on Love’s advice: “Keep money in the company, because there will be lean times.”

Sky High-End Club

By B. H. Wright • February 25, 2026
When it comes to classy sophistication, the sparkling new Delta Sky Club—Concourse B at Salt Lake City International Airport sets an incredibly high bar in both form and function. The opulent 34,000-SF club—Delta's second at The New SLC—offers members myriad ways to relax and decompress from the rigors of travel, highlighted by the truly unique Digital Immersion Room. Salt Lake-based HOK worked with Zenapptic of Novato, Calif., on the impressive display, which was designed with neuroinclusive principles in mind. The innovative space surrounds guests with seven expansive screens featuring aerial views of Utah’s iconic landscapes, including the state’s five national parks and cityscapes of downtown Salt Lake architecture. Synchronized natural soundscapes enhance the visuals, creating a calming, immersive, and four-dimensional experience. Velvet drapery, darker tones, and curved acoustic baffles further support the sensory environment. As the only club in Delta’s network to offer this experience, Salt Lake City sets a new benchmark for innovation and traveler comfort. "We wanted it to feel like a cocoon, a space you can get away from the hustle and bustle, even from what's going on within the club," said Sarah Oppenhuizen, Director of Interiors at HOK. The seven screens are tied into the speaker system, "so you're hearing birds chirping, or a plane flying by, or a storm rolling in. Zenapptic did a fabulous job of taking these scenes, images taken all across Utah, and splitting them into layers [...] that can move in a way that makes it feel like you are actually viewing that scene." The material palette and lighting selections also reflect and amplify Utah’s natural beauty. From warm tones to reflective surfaces, every detail connects travelers to the spirit of the state. The club itself is a diverse wonder of breathtaking spaces created from a highly curated and layered material palette. Each space was meticulously crafted into "neighborhoods" appealing to myriad client tastes and preferences. There are eight specific ceiling systems, eight custom terrazzo blends, a dozen tile products, and dynamic specialty lighting—creating a refined ambience inspired by Utah’s diverse landscapes while maintaining the elevated experience synonymous with Delta's iconic brand. The distinct neighborhoods highlight the club's supreme functionality supporting a robust 600-seat capacity—it's Delta's second-largest club after La Guardia in New York City—while maintaining comfort, intuitive circulation, and a soothing acoustical environment. Larger-scale stone flooring with red accents evokes a natural hiking path while providing durability and ease of movement for guests with rolling luggage. Sound-absorbing properties are integrated into ceilings and select walls throughout the space to maintain a serene guest experience. “Creating distinct neighborhoods gave us the flexibility to increase seating capacity without sacrificing comfort,” said Mishael Thompson, Design Lead at Delta Air Lines. “Guests can easily find a space that fits how they want to travel—whether that’s social, private, or somewhere in between.” “The goal was to bring a true sense of place into the space without overwhelming the guest,” added Oppenhuizen. “By layering materials, color, and technology, we were able to reference Utah’s landscape in a subtle way while maintaining the timeless, hospitality-driven feel of a Delta Sky Club.” Design elements on Level 2, which serves as the entry experience, incorporate cooler whites and blues inspired by a Park City winter, while Level 3 transitions to warmer reds and bronze tones that reference Utah’s caves and caverns. A signature seating area at the top of the escalators—featuring layered blue furnishings and a rippled metal ceiling—draws inspiration from the Great Salt Lake. An expansive, curving bar is an eye-catcher—a unique reflective ceiling above with twinkling lights is a highlight that recalls the state’s copper mines. Blue-veined marble countertops in the space reflect crystal-like light fixtures reminiscent of stalactites, adding a sense of natural wonder. Emphasis on High-Quality Finishes, Resort-like Feel Maintaining the Delta brand is always a top priority for designers, and while explicitly branded elements in Delta Sky Clubs are minimal—primarily limited to the check-in area and select touchpoints—the broader brand strategy centers on elevating the airport experience through high-quality design, materials, and comfort. Branding is subtly expressed through a hospitality-driven environment that conveys both luxury and durability. “We want all our guests to feel like they’ve just stepped into a high-end hotel lobby—not an airport,” said Thompson. “That sense of arrival, comfort, and quiet luxury is fundamental to how we think about the Delta Sky Club experience, and this project truly delivers on that vision.” While program standards remain consistent across all Delta Sky Clubs to ensure familiarity, hub locations such as Salt Lake City provide opportunities to further elevate the experience through regionally inspired materials and design cues. This balance of consistency and localization reinforces Delta’s brand promise while allowing each club to feel distinctive and connected to its location. The new club is larger than its sister Delta Sky Club in Concourse A—that one checks in at 29,000 SF. The expanded footprint provided opportunities to further elevate the experience through additional amenities, greater spatial variety, and a stronger emphasis on regional design elements while still maintaining consistency with Delta’s established Sky Club standards. Attention to detail is a Delta hallmark, added Thompson, with high-quality finishes essential to the project's overall aesthetic. Achieving this level of quality required extensive coordination, including detailed submittal reviews to ensure each material and design element met Delta’s performance and durability standards. Attention to craftsmanship played a critical role in delivering a club that aligns with Delta’s elevated brand experience. “Our guests notice the details,” Thompson emphasized. “From the durability of finishes to how materials feel and perform over time, quality was non-negotiable on this project.”

2026 Economic Outlook

By Bradley Fullmer • February 25, 2026
Dejan Eskic was blunt in his assessment of Utah's 2026 economic outlook during a January 13 presentation to the American Concrete Institute (ACI), Intermountain Chapter, remarking in his opening statement, "I feel like we're living in a season of the [television] show '24', where every episode, you're holding your breath." Eskic, Sr. Research Fellow at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, was talking about geopolitics, specifically referencing the economic impact of the Trump Administration’s global tariffs after a year, and how economic outlooks are not so easy to predict when dealing with the potential impact of national and international factors. "Part of talking about economics, it can get political," he continued. "I try not to be political about it, but it's hard to unravel the two, right? Whatever [information] President Trump releaes on whatever media platform has influence on the market. Tariffs really brought a lot of uncertainty and made the market very skittish." Eskic said tariffs are his "least favorite subject, because we haven't had to talk about it for 100 years, and all of a sudden it's gone haywire—there's a lot of uncertainty with tariffs." He added that the Gardner Policy Institute will release a white paper detailing tariff impacts later this year. Interest Rate Cuts Not Anticipated in 2026 The Fed did not cut interest rates at its first meeting of the year on January 28, and Chair Jerome Powell believes keeping the current rate of 3.5% to 3.75% is prudent, with stabilizing unemployment and inflation rates signaling a steady economic year. "Employment rates have stabilized to the point where they're not forecasting a rate cut. I think they're anticipating steady rates between 3.5% and 3.75%," said Ryan Starks, Executive Director of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. "Just having that predictability is the most important thing." Home mortgage rates took a sharp dip in January, Eskic reported, from 6.8% to 6%, which is something "you pay attention to" considering it happened in just a few days. Steady rates mean developers know exactly what to expect and can determine whether or not to pull the plug on projects that have been paused while more favorable rates are seen. Utah Expected to Have Moderate Economic Growth Eskic cited the Gardner Institute's 2026 Economic Report to the Governor when announcing a slew of favorable projected stats that underscore moderate 1.5% economic growth, including: • Steady job growth of 1.5%, including a robust 3.2% construction job growth (143,000 jobs); • Rising average wages of 3%-4%, with some construction trades expected to eclipse 5% wage growth; • Continued population growth, albeit at a slower 1.3% clip overall; Utah County led the way with 2.1% growth; • Low state unemployment rate of 3.3% in 2025, significantly better than the national average of 4.4%. While these numbers are down from peak totals within the past decade, they still portend a growing economy, with construction playing a vital role in the state's overall economic health. AGC Optimistic for Another Solid Year The Associated General Contractors of Utah (AGC of Utah) remains a steady voice for construction in the Beehive State, and its members "are cautiously optimistic about 2026, with the strongest confidence in infrastructure, power, and data-driven projects," said Joey Gilbert, AGC of Utah President/CEO, citing his association's record-level 700+ members statewide as an indicator of the health of the industry. “Utah's biggest structural advantage is that it's still a growth state with strong population gains and job growth creation with durable demand for housing, commercial space, and public infrastructure," added Robert Spendlove, Chief Economist for Zions Bank. "We also benefit from a relatively healthy labor market and strong household fundamentals. Utah's unemployment rate (hovering around 3%) remains lower than the national average (4.4%), and wage growth has been running above the U.S." That's not to say everything is peaches and cream, as job growth "has cooled compared to the post-pandemic surge," said Ken Simonson, AGC of America Chief Economist. "Contractors are still dealing with labor pressures, wages are expected to keep rising 4%-5%, and policy actions affecting labor availability could make staffing harder in 2026. At the same time, the national data show job openings have fallen, which is consistent with a market that's still tight in key trades, but less overheated than a year or two ago." Gilbert agreed that construction labor in Utah has steadied a bit, saying "the labor market is still tight but stabilizing, with steady wage growth and increased focus on workforce development and retention." There are other tailwinds in Utah's favor as 2026 begins. Spendlove said, "Utah's underlying economic fundamentals remain strong: population growth (about 1.5%) and employment growth (north of 2.0%) are still outpacing the U.S., which supports a steady pipeline of construction demand. “ Simonsen agreed that Utah remains a hot business market—yet again—to have another solid year. “Utah remains resilient. The opportunity set in 2026 looks best where demand is most durable—data centers, power, and infrastructure. Utah is well-positioned to compete [nationally] in those areas. Even with uncertainty, contractors are planning, not freezing. The main watchouts are financing conditions and cost volatility, but there's still meaningful work in the queue.” Gilbert added, ”Utah's construction industry is well-positioned in 2026 due to strong economic fundamentals and sustained demand in key sectors.” Demand Brisk for Data Centers, Infrastructure, Energy, Other Markets Contractors and designers recognize the rapidly rising demand for data centers, and therefore, the energy to drive power-thirsty—not to mention water-thirsty—projects, and are positioning themselves accordingly. Utah Governor Spencer Cox has "Operation Gigawatt" rolling, a 10-year initiative started in 2024 to develop new energy production across multiple power sources. "It's absolutely essential that we get in front of energy," said Starks. "We're seeing that from a population growth standpoint, but also from a commercial growth standpoint. With more development taking place, somebody's got to take the lead, and we feel like Utah is well-positioned to be that leader. The Governor wants to double energy production as part of the 'Operation Gigawatt' initiative. Our approach to energy is an 'all-of-the-above' approach—natural gas, solar, nuclear, geothermal." Gilbert said Utah's legislative leaders are keen to see Governor Cox's energy ideas come to fruition. "Their priorities are energy production and reliability," said Gilbert. "Senator [Stuart] Adams believes the state that controls AI will control the world. AI demands power and a lot of it. [State legislators are] dedicated to making sure Utah has infrastructure and power resources. We're looking at energy resources, from nuclear to solar and everything in between."

Like a Phoenix Rising

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
Residents have access to a wealth of modern, high-class amenities: Check out this open-air rooftop patio with tasteful lighting, pool, and spacious hot tub—it’s party time! (all photos courtesy Kier Construction)

Mission In Progress

By LADD MARSHALL • November 15, 2025
Steve Green is out in McCornick, Utah. Where is that? And what’s near McCornick? “Nothing,” joked Green, the Sr. Vice President for Wheeler Machinery Co. While he may be far from even the smallest of small towns, with Holden and its 492 residents 13 miles away, he’s close to the site of a major development in data center technology. Isolated on the western edge of the Sevier Desert, the Joule Data Center will also be isolated from the grid—by design. Operation Gigawatt Rolls On Green is one of many energy and power professionals hoping to double Utah’s power generation capacity by 2034 as a part of Operation Gigawatt, an initiative launched by Utah Governor Spencer Cox in October 2024. Utah has long been an economic growth leader; Operation Gigawatt aims to make Utah a power player in energy development by increasing transmission capacity, increasing energy production, strengthening policy, and investing in energy innovation. While Governor Cox’s Operation Gigawatt moves forward statewide, out in McCornick, Green said, “We’re doing operation gigawatt and a half off grid.” The Joule Data Center project team will deliver “In-situ power generation”—power not connected to any electrical distribution or transmission system. It starts with Caterpillar G3520K reciprocating generator sets that produce 1.5 gigawatts of electricity. Waste heat and exhaust from the generators then move through an absorption chiller system as part of the overall systems combined cooling, heat, and power (CCHP) solution, providing much of the water required to cool the data center servers. Beyond the electric power to be generated for the Joule project, there will be 1.5 gigawatts of thermal energy and 1.1 gigawatts of available battery storage to meet the data center's peak electricity needs. Added Green, “And we’re not taxing the local utility grid.” Isolated or Community Power? The massive power capabilities delivered there are impressive, but they reveal a troubling trend in how Utah will double its power generation capabilities. Will it be from well-funded companies looking to power data centers and AI technology separate from the grid? Or will Utah fulfill the mission of Operation Gigawatt by creating power solutions accessible to all? According to Troy Thompson, Chief Operations Officer for Big-D Companies, power generation is about more than supplying data centers. “In my mind, how do we build a billion-dollar hospital downtown that needs ten megawatts of power?” he said, referencing Intermountain Health’s future downtown Salt Lake campus, “let alone the data centers, and manufacturers who we are hoping that will come here?” Ten megawatts of power may pale in comparison to what data centers require, but it is one of many projects seeking regulatory approval to move forward. The Utah Inland Port Authority, the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, and others continue to drive projects and jobs into Utah—data centers, too. But Thompson said he has heard from many potential clients who are hesitant to bring their energy-intensive projects to the state without firm guarantees of available power. Operation Gigawatt and state leaders have embraced an "all of the above" approach to energy sources, extending the design lifespans of coal plants, embracing new technologies and power sources, and developing new power-generating capabilities. While the industry is willing, the operating environment needs rewiring to meet state goals. Changing for 21st Century Needs “With as hot as the Utah market is,” began Eric Haslem, “there are too many obstacles for us to overcome.” The market may be ready to ramp up production, said Haslem, Chief Operating Officer for Vernal-based utility and heavy civil contractors BHI, “But the current system can’t handle it. We have this massive web of transmission and distribution infrastructure that was not designed or built for the power demands of the 21st century.” “In 1970, they didn’t know what a smartphone was,” Haslem said, “let alone AI.” Transmission projects have been developed. Rocky Mountain Power/PacifiCorp’s Energy Gateway South transmission line—a 416-mile, high-voltage 500-kilovolt transmission line that runs from Mona to Medicine Bow, Wyoming—certainly helped when it went live in 2024. Still, it's just one project amidst a plethora of needs. Haslem stated that Utah's growth over the last 10 years meant a large majority of the transmission line's capacity was accounted for when it went live. .