Larry H. Miller.

• Position: Brief Article

"It would be interesting to fly a helicopter at night up and down the Wasatch Front and count the houses where we have touched people's lives," says Larry Miller.

"Maybe a white light showing those in Jr. Jazz (70,000 kids) or Disney's Kid's Club (50,000 kids), a red light if they eat in our restaurants, blue if they go to the movies, green if they buy cars. A lot would have multiple lights and there probably wouldn't be many houses that didn't have any lights."

Miller reflects on the extensive reach of his companies and how many lives they touch. Since 1963, he has built an empire with 36 auto dealerships, the Utah Jazz, 20 real estate companies and at least a couple dozen other business enterprises. "That carries a lot of responsibility," he says. "That's why we've never gone public. Numbers alone should not drive business. If you take the human element out, that's wrong."

The most significant 15 minutes of Miller's life was 15 years ago in 1985 when he decided to buy the first half of the Utah Jazz. "The Jazz was such a wild card for us. The team had lost $17 million in 11 years. It was a challenge. Could we service the debt?" The gamble paid off. Miller is convinced that"..a very successful major league sports franchise lends credence to any community. It's a lifestyle issue."

He is opinionated about many issues affecting Utah. "In 1992-1993, almost overnight, Utah got discovered. From a lifestyle standpoint, Salt Lake City (since then) is less charming, less parachial, less of a hometown."

Miller says the major factors influencing Utah's economy...