Rock Solid Legacy

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the Genes 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wilford the Dealmaker 


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


Man of the Community


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


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


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


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


Clyde’s list of community endeavors includes: 

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

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


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


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


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

Seamless Leadership Transition


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


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


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

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


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


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


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



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

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."