Howard Headlee: life at Utah's financial epicenter.

• Author: Burningham, Lucy
• Position: People

IT'S NO SURPRISE that Howard Headlee is known for his talents as a communicator. He learned the craft from a politician, who also happened to be his father.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

"When I was 14, my father amended the Michigan State Constitution. I'd hit the road with him, projector in hand, for community meetings," says Headlee, president of the Utah Bankers' Association (UBA). Grassroots politics helped him develop good public speaking skills at a very young age. When he was just 18, he became spokesperson for his father's GOP gubernatorial campaign. Despite the fact that his father lost the race, Headlee emerged with a valuable outlook. "Since my family has always been in the middle of political debates, I found out early that it's important to stick to certain principles and values," he says.

This dedication to integrity manifests itself in Headlees demeanor--he's the kind of person who always maintains eye contact, no matter what the topic of conversation. His candor corresponds with one of the major challenges of his job. "I have to communicate well and do it regularly and in one direction," he says.

The way Headlee conveys a message must have helped him become president of the UBA seven years ago, because it's a key job requirement. The UBA president is responsible for informing Utah bankers, the public, industry insiders and local and national government officials about the banking business.

Before he became president of the UBA, Headlee served as vice president of the Utah Taxpayers Association for six years. There he got his first taste for the Utah political landscape by working to pass an array of legislation. Although he grew up in Detroit, Headlee received a B.S. from the Brigham Young University School of Accounting and an MBA from the University of Utah, which gave him insight into Utah's political and business customs and provided him early preparation to become one of the foremost political players in the state's banking industry.

His list of accomplishments at the UBA includes fighting and winning a two-year battle with the League of Cities and Towns to close a loophole in the business license fee law. Headlee also helped expand the sales tax exemption on manufacturing equipment to provide existing Utah manufacturers with stronger...