Do the math.

• Author: Francom, Sarah Ryther
• Position: From the Editor

Utah's technology industry plays a vital role in the states economy. According to the Utah Technology Council, the industry employs more than 76,000 Utahns with an average salary that is 62 percent higher than the statewide average. And despite the slow economy that has hindered growth for many industries, Utah's tech sector remains vibrant. Today, there are more than 6,000 tech companies that are creating innovative tools and processes, and paving the way for future success.

These impressive figures, coupled with Utah's proven innovative spirit and its growing funding and startup infrastructure, demonstrate that the states tech industry is poised for greatness.

In this issue of Utah Business, we brought together a group of local tech leaders to discuss the trends and challenges their companies are experiencing. The consensus among the group was that the No. 1 issue inhibiting their company's growth--and, therefore, the growth of the entire tech industry--is the lack of skilled employees. These leaders, all of whom have current employment openings at their companies, agreed that Utah lacks the critical talent mass needed to grow the industry into the so-called Silicon Slopes that many local techies have worked to brand Utah as.

This lack of talent comes at a time when Utah's unemployment rate has climbed to an unprecedented 7.4 percent. With so many people on the job hunt, and so many...