Man of the People

As Babcock Design marks its 40th anniversary this year, founder Fred Babcock reflects on his profoundly unique career.
By: Brad Fullmer

When looking back at Fred Babcock's architectural career in Utah, his list of local clients—some of whom he designed palatial homes for—has a certain "who's who" wow factor, with names like Huntsman, Redford, Romney, and Holding sure to grab one's attention. 


Not bad for a small-town kid from Pocatello, Idaho, whose father was a hardworking, blue-collar Union Pacific worker who encouraged his oldest son to chase his dreams, while extending himself financially to make it happen. 


"I didn't find out until years later the sacrifices my father made—taking out loans—to help me attend the University of Utah," said Babcock. "I was grateful for that."

As the Salt Lake-based firm that bears his name—Babcock Design—marks its 40th anniversary this year, the founder and mentor to those currently running the company took time to reflect on a career well-navigated and a life he continues to live well as a spry and active 86-year-old. 

Interest in Art = Career Path to Architecture

Babcock had a passion for art in high school and was intrigued by a possible career in commercial art and graphics, which led to an art teacher recommending architecture as a career with better stability and earning potential. 


After graduating from Pocatello High in 1956, Babcock spent a year at Idaho State. At the end of that year, the instructor counseled the young graduate to consider the University of Utah's architecture program as a superior educational option for a student of his caliber.


"I went home, told my dad, and I could see him [wince]," Babcock recalled. "But he was very supportive. The University of Utah had just hired Roger Bailey as dean, and he brought instant credibility to the program."


Babcock started over as a freshman at the U in the fall of 1957 with 60 others in the five-year Bachelor of Fine Arts and Architecture program and followed that up by earning a Master of Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley in 1962.


Babcock and his wife, Linda, returned to Salt Lake and he worked the next few years with prominent architects including John Clawson, Don Panuschka, and Boyd Blackner. While working with Blackner, Babcock was approached by a friend who was a dentist about designing a new dental clinic. The opportunity was exciting for the young architect, until he told Blackner about it, who promptly congratulated Babcock and told him that he would design it himself. The experience left Babcock with a bad taste in his mouth.


Shortly thereafter, Babcock was approached by two architect friends—Albert 'Ab' Christensen and Ralph Evans—and the trio formed Architects Planners Alliance (APA) in 1968.


APA quickly landed a notable project, a renovation of historic Trolley Square in Salt Lake, which later became the location of the firm's office.


Another prominent long-time client came about a couple of years later when Kem Gardner of Salt Lake-based The Boyer Company contacted the firm about a project directly across from Trolley Square.


"Because we were so close to the site, I think he saw some benefits having someone working on the project who was across the street," said Babcock. "He was happy how it turned out, and through him, I met Roger [Boyer]. Kem has been wonderful to the firm, as well, with ongoing work."

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    Fred Babcock’s ability to connect with people and a genuine desire to design a home or project that absolutely met a client’s vision and dreams led to many loyal clients and inspiring projects including this mountain gem in Park City.

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  • Slide title

    Fred Babcock designed several significant projects for Jon M. and Karen Huntsman including Phase I of the Huntsman Cancer Institute (pictured)—a building that continues

    to age gracefully more than 25 years after its completion. (photo courtesy Sohm Photografx)

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Celebrity Architect; Niche in Designing Custom Homes

In 1974, tragedy struck when Christensen suffered a heart attack at 43 and passed away, a huge blow to the still up-and-coming firm.

"That really set us back," said Babcock. "Ab was the leader of the firm; the key principal—we depended on him."


His passing created a unique opportunity for Babcock to work directly with his first "celebrity" client, Hollywood legend Robert Redford. He said Redford was pleasant to work with and came across as a regular guy, considering his A-list, heartthrob status.


"When Ab died, I got a call from Redford saying, 'What are we going to do?' So, I followed up with him. That was back in the day of the 'Sundance Kid'—it was a big deal. I had more people wanting to know about [Redford's house] than anything else we were doing," he laughed.


He continued, "Our office in Trolley Square was surrounded by glass on the second floor. Every time we had a meeting with Redford, we'd go in that conference room, and before you knew it there were 50 people milling around, pretending they were shopping. That was exciting!"


Designing Redford's home was certainly a thrilling opportunity but Babcock was just getting started on an almost fairytale-like career designing homes and other generational projects for an enviable list of well-known clients.


His secret? An innate ability to connect with people, and a genuine desire to design a home or project that absolutely meets the client's vision and dreams.

By 1984, Babcock had teamed with John Pace to create Babcock Pace Architects, and they purchased an office in Exchange Place which remains the firm's Salt Lake headquarters, albeit with a sharp new makeover. Pace left two years later, and Babcock, along with Brent Davis—who Babcock spoke glowingly of all these years later—and a few others, soldiered on as Babcock Design.


Dynamic Relationships Key to Filling Project Pipeline

Babcock Design thrived in designing custom homes, and Babcock's relationship with commercial clients blossomed during the late 80s and early 90s, providing other opportunities to supplement residential work.


"I've always had a passion for residential work and fortunately was able to maintain enough work to sustain the office," said Babcock.


Babcock said designing a custom home for a client was always a thrill, a process he quickly mastered because he cared so much about the final product and fulfilling people's dreams.


"[Designing a home] is more of a privilege—they're depending on you to glean from them what their dreams are, without them having the knowledge of how to do it," said Babcock. "I found out early how important it was to listen. I love art, I love to draw, and I felt like what you present to people is an extension of who you were, through the pencil."


The ability to negotiate directly with an owner—whether it be a single residence for a homeowner or multiple commercial projects for a private developer—was where Babcock Design thrived.



"Therein lies the essence of a successful practice—maintaining relationships," Babcock added. "That was a big part of our residential work [...] I don't remember getting a house [to design] that didn't come as a referral. And designing those homes led to some significant experiences for me."

Word-of-Mouth Referrals Lead to Remarkable Opportunities

One of those experiences came about when Babcock one day got a call from a real estate agent in Park City who knew of the firm's reputation. He had a client from New York who needed an architect and Babcock's name was mentioned.


He ended up meeting with Martin “Marty” Granoff, and ultimately designed not one, but three homes, which led to a genuine friendship between the men.

Granoff later called Babcock regarding the design of a Hillel for Tuft's University in Medford, Massachusetts, a request that left the architect rather speechless, given that he was just getting to learn a bit about Granoff's Jewish faith.


Granoff proved to be a very philanthropic individual who was funding the Tuft's Hillel project, a project Babcock said is for Jewish students to socialize, fellowship, and practice their religion, much like a Latter-day Saint Institute building.


"I didn't even know what a Hillel was, but because he had confidence in me and wanted me to design that, it put myself in a spot I never dreamed of," said Babcock. "We ended up designing three more Hillels and consulted on many others across the country. It was really impactful to our firm. I still talk every month or so with Marty—we're dear friends. And it all started with a relationship with a real estate agent in Park City!"


Huntsman Connection Proves Fruitful

Babcock's relationship with Jon and Karen Huntsman was also ignited by a referral. He said the Huntsman’s were planning a "fairly significant residence" on a 35-acre spread in Park City, and Karen became aware of Babcock's name and called him out of the blue one day.


Three other significant projects from the Huntsman's followed, including a remodel of their home in Salt Lake, and two major commercial projects near the University of Utah: the Huntsman Corporation offices, and Phase I of Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI).


"That turned out to be a wonderful honor," said Babcock. "Jon said to me, 'Fred, I am committed to curing cancer, committed to funding a cancer institute.’ He had [cancer] at the time. I had no idea it would turn out the way it did!'


At the request of the State of Utah DFCM and the University of Utah, Babcock Design had to bring on a partner, which turned out to be Jensen-Haslem Architects (later Architectural Nexus) on Phase I, a building that continues to age gracefully more than 25 years after its completion.


Babcock Design Continues to Build on Founder's Legacy

Babcock Design today is led by a trio of Principals—Rob Cottle, Darin Bell, and T.J. Winger—who combine to have more than 80 years of experience in architecture, with the majority of it with the firm. Each sings Babcock's praise as a mentor and friend, a man with great design acumen and even better people skills. They all realized early on that Babcock's ability to connect with clients was a true hallmark, a skill to emulate.


"I remember asking Fred one time, 'Everyone who knows you, loves you. Are you that good?'" Winger recalled. "He said, 'I'm pretty good, but bring your talent—don't bring your ego. It's the client's money, it's the client's project. We help them make good decisions.' It's the relationship that matters."


"Custom residential was the basis of Fred's firm from the beginning. He fell into [great projects] through his relationships and his hard work," said Cottle, who has been President since 2008, and who worked with Babcock on Huntsman Cancer Phase I in addition to having 30 years of experience at the firm. "His whole ethos, his business development ability, is because he's a genuinely nice guy and he's attentive to them. When we took over, we wanted to continue that approach. One of the reasons we kept the name [Babcock Design] is because there is a lot of goodwill associated with his name."


Cottle said the firm did $1.5 million in revenue that first year, which was followed by three lean years as it weathered the great recession. Cottle, Bell, Winger, and Brent Davis learned from the recession the importance of diversifying their work and becoming proficient in multiple market segments.


"He put in a good word for us on occasion and has always been there for us," said Bell. "He handed us the keys and let us figure it out."


"We learned from the downturn that we had a lot of eggs in a fairly small range of projects. When the economy tanked, it really hurt us," said Cottle. "We needed to diversify our project sectors and widen our influence over the market. Second, we learned the hard way that you have to hire the right people, people that fit your company culture. Our law became 'Must play well with others.’ Having people that don't get along with others can mess up the vibe."


Babcock Design's decision to open an office in Boise—a direct response to getting a plethora of new work from Gardner Company in and around the Idaho capital city—has been a boon to the firm, as it now has 46 employees in the two offices and projects in multiple market segments.


Babcock Design eclipsed the $12 million revenue mark last year and is primed for another banner year in 2024, with 2025 also shaping up nicely.


"We've grown organically, but incrementally," said Cottle. "We've added new people and expanded our range of expertise that addressed our needs." That includes hiring Jackie Black six years ago to establish the firm's Interior Design division, which led to creating an in-house FF&E installation division.


"I have such high regard for these guys—I have a great love for them," said Babcock. "That they would go forward using my name, the great projects they've done. I never would have gone to Boise—I wouldn't have had the nerve to do that! To see what they've done has been a highlight."


Cottle and Bell both have a few more years to go before considering retirement, while Winger has at least another decade ahead of him. The firm has brought on new Principals as partners and shareholders, and the expectation is for Babcock Design to remain a Top 10 Utah architectural firm.


"The best part of our firm is we have different strengths," said Cottle. "I genuinely feel like we build off each other's strengths. We're just all in it together [...] and we try to let each person work where their natural genius lies."

(from left to right) TJ Winger, Rob Cottle and Darin Bell have led Babcock Design to new heights and helped diversify their design portfolio and widen the firms market influence—including opening an office in Boise, Idaho.

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. .

One-Stop Shop

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
And the King shall answer and say unto them, "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."—KJV Matthew 25:40 From a social and community impact standpoint, few projects match the value to disabled and special needs individuals as the new Utah State Development Center (USDC) Comprehensive Therapies Building in American Fork. The $36 million, 65,000-SF facility was designed as a "one-stop shop," said Joe Jacoby, President of Salt Lake-based Jacoby Architects, whose team led the project’s design. It consolidates and modernizes myriad services under one roof, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, speech, language, and hearing resources, and behavioral health resources. In addition, the new building offers full-service medical and dental clinics, an indoor therapy pool, an Autism treatment wing, and workshops for life skills and vocational training—all geared to helping people live independent, authentic lives, while striving to reach their full potential. "This building was very much about accessibility," Jacoby said, "and putting in many different types of resources for these residents—all in one building." Jacoby's firm has significant recent experience in projects that combine education and healthcare for people with special needs. The firm's design of the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence in Utah State University's College of Education and Human Services earned UC+D's 2016 Most Outstanding K-12 Project. Two years later, the firm earned another UC+D award for the C. Mark Openshaw Education Center for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, a project similar to this one in that it contains an array of services, including education and therapy for varying levels of sensory, behavioral, physical, and cognitive abilities. "We've been working on different [design] aspects for many years, starting with a deaf preschool, which led to working with the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind," said Jacoby. "With that came many other sub-specialties, like therapy for behavioral issues, cognitive issues, development disabilities, and even speech, language and hearing clinics. It helps people with a variety of disabilities and serves an underserved population of people."

Built Different

By Taylor Larsen • November 15, 2025
On a fall tour of Utah State University's (USU) Carolyn & Kem Gardner Learning & Leadership Building (Gardner Building), students and faculty are hard at work on a late Tuesday afternoon. Getting here, where USU's business school students could thrive, was a long time coming. The University commissioned the Gardner Building to meet a new mission for the school outside the traditional knowledge acquisition and transfer for which USU has excelled since its founding in 1888: Giving students a differentiated experience they cannot get anywhere else. Purpose Revealed Frank Caliendo, Senior Associate Dean of the Huntsman School of Business, said that the new building is the third and final piece of the business complex, "a realization of the longtime vision of Dean Douglas Anderson, the driving force behind the school's transformation, to meet the needs of students for generations to come." Caliendo, a longtime Aggie (USU BS, '98; PhD, '03), said that, even after the opening of the George S. Eccles Business Building and its faculty offices and classrooms in 1970, growth in business courses eventually outpaced the school's capacity. Jon M. Huntsman Hall's 2016 opening broke the campus bottleneck, with classrooms and other spaces dedicated to business school participants. "But we still needed space for our centers and experiential learning programs," Caliendo said, of the importance of collaborative spaces and differentiated experience for the five programs (see page XX) that would call the Gardner Building home. The design intent for this final piece wasn't a re-creation of Huntsman Hall, Caliendo said of the initial message to MHTN Architects, "But it does need to rhyme with Huntsman Hall." Working within a Busy Environment The first order of business was siting the building just east of the other two business school structures. Stan Burke, Project Manager for Jacobsen Construction, said the Gardner Building was part of a trio of projects that included Ridge Point Hall and a parking garage—three Jacobsen-led projects that utilized the same construction corridor as construction commenced from "An active campus is difficult enough," said Burke of the challenges of simultaneous construction, which required constant coordination amongst the three teams, made a tad easier as they shared a job trailer. "We had to stay cognizant of the school's activities and coordinate with them so that everyone was aware of what we were doing." Coordination went from important to critical, with the three teams meeting daily to discuss coordination and scheduling material and equipment deliveries in 15-minute intervals as the respective construction teams worked on each of the three structures.

The Long and Winding Road

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
Warren and Jennie Lloyd (above) have built Salt Lake-based Lloyd Architects into a well-rounded, versatile firm capable of excelling in both the commercial and custom residential markets, as evidenced by projects such as Snuck Farm in Pleasant Grove (main photo) and this cozy private Powder Mountain based cabin in Eden (below ).

Power Player

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
The last five years have been a whirlwind for the Larry H. Miller Company (LHM), with the organization selling the majority of its beloved Utah Jazz franchise in October 2020 for a reported $1.66 billion, followed by the sale of its auto dealership empire of more than 70 properties for a reported $3.2 billion a year later. The influx of nearly $5 billion was parlayed into several jaw-dropping real estate and other corporate purchases, including: —1,300 undeveloped acres within the massive 4,100-acre Daybreak development in South Jordan in April 2021. —Advanced Health Care Corp. in January 2021, a transitional health care provider with operations in eight states (primarily in the west) and 3,500 employees. —The purchase of the majority stake in Swig, a leader in the flavored soda craze, in May 2023. — Partnering with Utah Trust Lands Administration to develop 1,200 acres in Saratoga Springs. — The acquisition of over 1,000 acres near Park City and Hideout will include multi-family units, housing, restaurants, and retail. —100+ acre mixed-use development in an area along North Temple being dubbed “The Power District”; the future home of not only Rocky Mountain Power’s new corporate campus but potentially a ballpark for a future Major League Baseball expansion team. —A reported $600 million acquisition of controlling interest in MLS team Real Salt Lake and NWSL team Utah Royals, along with associated infrastructure, including America First Field and Zions Bank Training Center. —The development of Downtown Daybreak, a 200-acre parcel that this year saw its 30-acre Phase I debut with the completion of the Salt Lake Bees' new 8,000 capacity stadium—dubbed The Ballpark at America First Square—in April, followed by a new Megaplex cinema entertainment center in July with luxury theatres, bowling, games and a scratch-made kitchen in addition to an open air plaza. A seven-story, 190-unit multi-family development is currently under construction and rising along the right field bleachers, with views that will look down into the ballpark upon completion next year. And LHM is just getting started, said Brad Holmes, President of Larry H. Miller Real Estate since 2018, calling Downtown Daybreak a "new urban center that is central to where the majority of growth is occurring" and combines a "full spectrum of business and year-round entertainment, culture and connectivity, as well as a wide range of housing options." When LHM executives first conceived of a new home for the Salt Lake Bees, Holmes said they went on a "ballpark tour" of MLB and minor league stadiums, and "really fell in love with a ballpark" in Durham, North Carolina—home of the Durham Bulls—which had buildings that framed in the stadium. So, The Ballpark at America First Square has the multi-family project underway in right field, with a proposed hotel slated to begin next year in left field. "In another two seasons, you'll have this urban setting for the ballpark that frames the mountain views. [The design is] really intentional, and I think it will bring a finished edge to Downtown Daybreak," said Holmes. "It was a process trying to figure out the best location, site plan, traffic, but it's in a great spot. The goal for us was to make it feel like it fit in with the community, almost like having a baseball stadium inside of a park, with an open corridor that connects to a plaza."  Holmes said the seemingly small 8,000-capacity stadium (about half the capacity of the Bees former home at Smith’s Ballpark) aligns with national trends. "It's better to play in front of a sold-out crowd than in a half-empty stadium. Some new MLB stadiums are at 30,000 [capacity]. The trend is smaller, more intimate venues with closer views of the field."

Hogan Construction 80th Anniversary

By Taylor Larsen • November 15, 2025
Much has changed about Hogan & Associates Construction since the company's inception 80 years ago. The name may be the most obvious example, the size of the company may be another giveaway, and the difference in markets served might require a double take if the founders could see the company today. But what hasn't changed is the firm's desire to build communities. It has regularly built important, community-focused projects with a similar purpose since the company came to life in 1945.

(De)signed, Sealed, Delivered

By Taylor Larsen • November 15, 2025
Imagine this: A company has just begun a meeting with the intent of moving forward with a major investment. One party knows something that will help minimize the investment's risk. Should that party tell everyone, it will save money, time, and everyone involved from future headaches. So when should that party spill the beans? At the beginning of the meeting At the end of the meeting At the right time during the meeting Never Bradley Crocker, Director of Preconstruction for Mollerup Glass, has seen how answering this question correctly—and choosing “A”—brings about successful and profitable investment in commercial construction. “I think that [project teams] need to bring in subcontractors early to help guide budgets in general,” said Crocker, detailing how every trade can bring a similar level of expertise to architects and owners by being involved from the beginning of the “meeting”, while the project is in design. Why? “We can vet cost versus performance and find the best value for the performance, which is essential as meeting or beating the budgets gets the project to construction on time,” said Ben Hiatt, Chief Estimator for Steel Encounters. After all, he said, “Nothing moves if budgets are not met.” Design-assist is a positive step forward, where subcontractors assist in matching design intent with a deep understanding of building envelopes to ensure glazing, roofing, walls, and fenestrations perform at their highest level. Glenn Rainey, Salt Lake City Branch Manager, and Larry Luque, Senior Estimator and Business Developer for Flynn Companies, each said efforts in design-assist fulfill what owners and architects want: buildings that meet the design intent and perform at their highest level for as long as possible. It’s not just architects who benefit from that early involvement. “More GCs realize they need us right up front,” said Luque. With teams whose combined experience totals thousands of hours, building envelope contractors stay up to date on changing codes, materials, and specifications, which is highly beneficial to the project. Their close involvement with vendors can help ensure a variety of solutions that meet each job’s needs and help optimize building envelope performance. Consultant Involvement Other parties are lending their expertise. Brandt Strong said building envelope quality has increased with the arrival of more building envelope consultants in Utah and a greater dedication to the building envelope in general. “We had a time where we could say ‘This is a Vegas project, and we have to have the belt and suspenders,’” said Strong, Director of Operations for Mollerup Glass. On Utah projects, the building envelope used to be an afterthought. But it’s changed for the better over the years. “The Utah teams are as sophisticated as anywhere else.” While the markups on shop drawings can draw some ire, both mentioned how working with consultants has led to better, more efficient projects, potentially reducing the need for future repairs by inspecting every material and transition on the building envelope. Said Crocker, “We cannot discredit the envelope consultants’ role in making us, and the industry as a whole, perform at a higher level.” Hiatt credited each party overseeing the building envelope scope for learning and adapting to create a better building environment, specifically in understanding seismic drift and its relationship to glazing, as well as thermal performance and continuity. Improvements to air-barrier coordination and tie-ins to stop water and air leaks are helping buildings operate at peak efficiency. “The architects, general contractors, consultants, and trades have improved their knowledge over the years,” said Hiatt. “Design and execution of façades are better coordinated and executed.”

Taylor Electric Thriving at 50

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
Taylor Electric proved its mettle on the challenging Salt Lake International Airport, Southeast Concourse project, with their portion of work concluding in October 2023. (all photos courtesy Taylor Electric)

Hungry and Ready

By Bradley Fullmer and Taylor Larsen • November 15, 2025
By Bradley Fullmer It's been a whirlwind 18 months for Adam Del Toro and Nick Pexton, who co-founded Fountain Green-based Reliance Engineering Services in May 2024, a company specializing in full-service telecommunications engineering, including design, project management, permitting, and funding and grant applications. Two years ago, Del Toro was more than a decade into his career as a Research & Development Supervisor for natural gas giant Dominion Energy, while Pexton was working for Nephi-based Rocky Mountain West Telcom (RMWT) as a Sr. Director of Business Development, with just over four years at the company. The two had met a couple of years earlier while collaborating on a potential fiber optic network project in Mona that never happened. Neither was particularly content with their respective positions, so when Del Toro got a random call from Pexton in March 2024, the timing could not have been better. "I was planning on leaving the natural gas industry and start my own firm [...] Nick happened to call the day I was putting in my two weeks [at Dominion],” said Del Toro, 39. "It definitely felt like Providence was helping us." "Somebody was looking after us, because the timing was unbelievable," added Pexton, 35. "It's crazy how things lined up." Del Toro is a native of St. George and earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Utah State University in 2011. After 2.5 years as a USU Graduate Research Assistant, he joined Dominion Energy in January 2013, where he designed major natural gas systems and structures. Del Toro also earned a Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of the Cumberlands (Williamsburg, Kentucky) in 2023, and moonlights as a counselor at The Center for Hope in Springville, where he helps clients address life challenges both personally and professionally. Pexton is a native of Nephi and studied at Utah Valley University from 2008 to 2010, and earned the Certified Telecommunications Network Specialist designation from Teracom Training Institute (2013-2014). Pexton joined Nephi-based Mid-State Consultants, a telecommunications engineering firm, in March 2011 and spent more than nine years there. He joined RMWT in June 2020, gaining experience in project management and operations. After that fortuitous phone call from Pexton to Del Toro, the pair met four times from March to May to "make sure we were aligned on what the company would look like," Pexton said. "It was a pretty quick process," added Del Toro. "We got talking about goals, how to build a general company vision. I trusted Nick's background and experience, and his character, as well. It was a big risk, but I'm a sink-or-swim guy. If those are my options, I'm going to swim!" Since teaming up, the pair have been aggressive regarding company growth, having exploded from just the two of them to 30 employees, with revenues expected to more than quintuple from $560,000 in 2024 to nearly $3 million by the end of this year. Both expect the telecommunication market to be a fruitful, busy market given the need for fiber optics to rural America, in addition to the "Internet for All" initiative in May 2022 that was part of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) implementation of the infrastructure law that allocated $65 billion to improve high-speed Internet access. Utah, specifically, received $330 million, with the goal of reaching some 40,000 unserved homes and businesses. The firm's location in Sanpete County puts them in the center of the state geographically, and they're committed to working with communities of all sizes to improve their internet capacity. In addition to Utah, Reliance is working in Michigan and Oklahoma, and Del Toro and Pexton expect to land significant future work throughout the Midwest. They want to grow intentionally while ensuring a diversity of revenue streams. "We set some early goals, and we've been able to do really well—we're on track to beat our goals," said Del Toro, crediting the many employees who have joined the firm. "Those individuals took great risks coming on board. We anticipate we'll be even larger next year with the work coming down the pipeline." "Our outlook has been wise," said Pexton. "We've taken into consideration diversification into other sectors—that's a key element. Adam has experience in the natural gas industry, and we want to further our diversification and get into the power side of the industry." Major clients include the federal government (USDA), utility companies, and municipalities, with a focus on rural communities. "We love Sanpete County," said Del Toro. "We value helping the communities we live and work in and providing services that help build up the community and hopefully help the residents." "We depend on repeat work from 18 major clients, and continuously getting work from them," said Pexton. "The minute we stop doing a good job, they can go someplace else. As long as we do a good job, we'll keep getting work." The pair expect Reliance to maintain its explosive growth, perhaps even doubling its employee total in another 12 months. "Next year's [revenue] goal is $4.8 million," said Pexton. "We have confidence in what our workload will be like. We are scaling quite dramatically and want to grow at a healthy pace, where we're not stringing ourselves out too thin. We're in a good position right now."