Global Reach, Local Focus: How a World Trade Center landed in Utah.

• Author: Miller, Derek B.
• Position: Worldview

Utah has a World Trade Center Building located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City. Many people are surprised to learn about this building and the organization it houses, World Trade Center Utah (WTC Utah). WTC Utah has been in operation for more than a decade. How did a World Trade Center come to be in Utah and what is its connection to the World Trade Center Building in New York? Let's delve in.

A history

In 2006 former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. felt it was important that Utah join the World Trade Center Association (WTCA) to promote exports and give Utah a platform on a global stage. Working with then executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) Jason Perry, as well as many other influential Utah business leaders, Governor Huntsman started the process to create Utah's World Trade Center. Lew Cramer was appointed as the first president and CEO of the organization.

There are more than 320 licensed World Trade Centers around the world, with both certified and non-certified members. Under Lew's direction, Utah worked through all of the certifications and qualifications needed to become a certified member, which placed WTC Utah in the upper tier of WTC organizations.

The effort put forth by Governor Huntsman, Jason Perry, Lew Cramer and many others spoke to the vision they had for Utah to have a greater impact in the world marketplace.

World Trade Center Building

Over the next couple of years WTC Utah worked with the International Trade and Diplomacy Office in GOED to coordinate trade missions, provide training opportunities and educate Utah businesses about the international opportunities available to them. As allies, GOED and WTC Utah cohosted many ambassadors and consuls general.

Because of the growing partnership between WTC Utah and GOED, when it came time for GOED to move to a larger office space, Spencer Eccles, executive director at the time, invited WTC Utah to join them. In working with the real estate arm of the LDS Church, it was decided the organizations would move into what was then Eagle Gate Tower and would be renamed the World Trade Center Building.

The building's grand opening took place on May 23, 2012. The building gave Utah's international efforts a branded home on a broader stage. It brought to fruition the vision Gov. Huntsman had and Gov. Gary Herbert continues to have of Utah becoming recognized as a premier global business destination.

"In my time as Governor, I traveled the world...