Jack Buttars: passing on the gifts.

• Author: Schulte, Scott
• Position: Spotlight

On any given weekend, you might find University of Utah Federal Credit Union CEO Jack Buttars in his self-made woodshop teaching his children a craft he loves. He knows the value of being groomed and taught by someone influential in life, since former credit union CEO Phil Janovak helped prepare him for the biggest job of his career.

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"I've been very fortunate to have people around me in my career who were excellent teachers," Buttars says. "It's one thing to be able to do something well. It's a great quality when you can teach others how to reach their potential. That's a great gift."

Buttars learned about woodwork in part because he used his skill as a framer to put himself through college. Now it's something Buttars uses as a way to spend time with his family and relax from a hectic financial industry.

"I think I like to do these things because it's a nice way to decompress. It's something I just really enjoy," he says, adding that he also likes to create gifts, because hand-made gifts mean more to the recipient.

Buttars joined the credit union in August of 2001, working his way up through the ranks as audit manager, chief of staff, vice president of operations and executive vice president before moving into the position as CEO in January this year.

"One of the things I have learned is that to be successful you have to be surrounded by good people...