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About Work Hard Mortgage & Roots & Branches of Lehi

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve homeownership in Utah. Hosted by Ryan Harding, Roots & Branches of Lehi preserves the stories of the people and businesses that make Lehi special.

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We are a Lehi-based mortgage team committed to demystifying homeownership through honest advice, expert guidance, and community storytelling.

Founded on the belief that everyone deserves a clear path to homeownership, Work Hard Mortgage serves families across Utah with transparent lending, competitive rates, and personalized service. Whether you are buying your first home, refinancing, or investing, we walk you through every step.

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A community oral history project sharing the stories of the people, businesses, and traditions that make Lehi, Utah unique. From rodeo volunteers to city council members, musicians to entrepreneurs, we sit down with neighbors you may have never met and preserve their stories for future generations.

Ryan Harding is a mortgage loan officer and community storyteller based in Lehi, Utah. With a passion for both homeownership and local history, he launched Roots and Branches of Lehi to preserve the stories of the people who make this community special.

Through Work Hard Mortgage, Ryan helps families navigate the lending process with clarity and confidence. Through the podcast, he ensures the voices of Lehi's teachers, artists, volunteers, and leaders are heard and remembered.

Demystifying mortgages one episode at a time. Expert advice for homebuyers, refinancers, and real estate enthusiasts.

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We are always looking for community members, leaders, local legends, and homeowners to feature on Roots & Branches of Lehi and From Rents to Roots. If you or someone you know has a story worth sharing, we would love to hear from you.

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Jay Lawrence: 54 Years of Music & Lehi History | Roots & Branches

Professional drummer Jay Lawrence on touring with Liberace, Cher, and Sammy Davis Jr., recording 130 Broadway shows, composing hymns, and finding home in Lehi, Utah for 21 years.

Jay Lawrence on 54 Years of Music, Touring with Legends, and Finding Home in Lehi, Utah

Who Is Jay Lawrence, and Why Does His Story Matter to Lehi?

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Jay Lawrence Drummer Lehi Utah Interview - Roots and Branches of Lehi Podcast

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From the casino showrooms of Reno and Lake Tahoe to the classrooms of BYU and the quiet neighborhoods of Lehi — a professional drummer reflects on touring with Liberace, Cher, and Sammy Davis Jr., recording 130 Broadway shows, composing award-winning hymns, and discovering a community worth staying in for 21 years.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots and Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Jay Lawrence , a professional drummer whose 54-year career has spanned casino showrooms, Broadway recording studios, university lecture halls, and church hymn competitions. Born in Idaho and raised in Reno, Nevada, Jay spent his teenage years playing two shows a night for some of the biggest celebrities on the planet before most of his classmates had even chosen a college major. His journey — from a 15-year-old union musician in the Reno casino scene to a retired educator and composer living in Lehi for 21 years — is a rare window into the evolution of American music and the people who dedicate their lives to it.

Jay's story matters to Lehi, Utah history because it illustrates how people from vastly different backgrounds bring extraordinary talent, perspective, and values to this community. After decades on the road with Liberace, Cher, Sammy Davis Jr., the Osmonds, and dozens more, Jay discovered something unexpected in Utah County: a thriving, supportive music culture, a family-centered environment, and a peacefulness that convinced him to put down roots.

For anyone interested in local arts and culture , music education in Utah , faith and creativity , or the stories of Lehi residents with national careers , this interview offers both historical perspective and practical wisdom.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on Details Episode Overview Guest Name Jay Lawrence

Professional drummer (retired), composer, recording artist, university music instructor (BYU, University of Utah, Snow College), private teacher, and 21-year Lehi resident

1950s–2020s (childhood through retirement)

Ryan Harding

This interview offers valuable perspective on Lehi's cultural fabric and Utah's distinctive music ecosystem:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values Jay discovered in Lehi and the principles that guided his 54-year career:

This episode connects to the broader Roots and Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics:

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Professional drummer Jay Lawrence discusses touring with Liberace, Cher, and Sammy Davis Jr., teaching at BYU, composing hymns, and living in Lehi, Utah for 21 years. Oral history interview from Roots and Branches of Lehi.

Jay Lawrence drummer. Lehi Utah musicians. Utah music history. Liberace drummer stories. Broadway show recordings Utah. Lehi community podcast. Utah jazz education. LDS hymn composers. Reno casino showbands history. Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast.

Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible.

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Jay Lawrence Role in Lehi Professional drummer (retired), composer, recording artist, university music instructor (BYU, University of Utah, Snow College), private teacher, and 21-year Lehi resident Time Periods Discussed 1950s–2020s (childhood through retirement) Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview History Historical Insights About Lehi and Utah This interview offers valuable perspective on Lehi's cultural fabric and Utah's distinctive music ecosystem: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values Jay discovered in Lehi and the principles that guided his 54-year career: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots and Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Jay Lawrence Drummer Lehi Utah Interview - Roots and Branches of Lehi Podcast Professional drummer Jay Lawrence discusses touring with Liberace, Cher, and Sammy Davis Jr., teaching at BYU, composing hymns, and living in Lehi, Utah for 21 years. Oral history interview from Roots and Branches of Lehi. Jay Lawrence drummer. Lehi Utah musicians. Utah music history. Liberace drummer stories. Broadway show recordings Utah. Lehi community podcast. Utah jazz education. LDS hymn composers. Reno casino showbands history. Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home About Episodes Contact Be a Guest Contact

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Mayor Mark Johnson on Leadership, Growth, and the Future of Lehi, Utah | Roots & Branches of Lehi

Mayor Mark Johnson on Leadership, Growth, and the Future of Lehi, Utah

Who Is Mayor Mark Johnson, and Why Does His Story Matter?

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Role in Lehi

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Choosing Lehi as Home

Perseverance in Local Leadership

The Unlikely Mayoral Victory

The Neighborly Side of Politics

Lehi: The Economic Engine of Utah

Family Park Controversy

From Local Ordinance to State Law

Public-Private Cooperation

Historical Insights About Lehi

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Mayor Mark Johnson Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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An in-depth conversation with Lehi's Mayor about his unexpected journey into public service, the city's transformation into Utah's economic engine, and the challenges of preserving small-town values amid rapid growth.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Lehi Mayor Mark Johnson to talk about leadership, growth, infrastructure, and what makes Lehi, Utah such a remarkable place to live. Although Mark did not grow up in Lehi, he chose to build his life here in the early 1990s, and over the years he became deeply invested in the city's future through engineering, planning, city council service, and eventually the mayor's office. His story offers a valuable look at how civic leadership often grows out of practical experience, community relationships, and a sincere desire to make a city better.

This conversation matters because it captures Lehi at a pivotal moment in its history. Mayor Johnson reflects on the city's transformation from a smaller, more rural community with open space, horses, and dirt-road memories into one of Utah's strongest economic engines. Along the way, he discusses transportation challenges, business growth, parks, housing, fiber internet, local traditions like Roundup, and the ongoing effort to preserve Lehi's community feel while managing rapid development.

For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah history , city growth , local government , community traditions , or the future of Silicon Slopes , this interview offers both historical perspective and practical insight. Whether you're a longtime resident who remembers camping by Dry Creek or a newcomer trying to understand the dynamics of one of America's fastest-growing cities, Mayor Johnson's perspective provides essential context for understanding where Lehi has been and where it's headed.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Mark Johnson

Mayor of Lehi; design and engineering professional; former Planning Commission chair and City Council member

1990s, early 2000s, 2010s, 2020s, with references to Lehi's earlier small-town character

Ryan Harding

Mark Johnson explains how he and his wife chose to move to Lehi in the early 1990s because of his long-standing affection for the city, showing that Lehi became home by choice as much as by history. Despite growing up in North County and buying his first house in American Fork, he was drawn to Lehi because of friends and family connections, eventually building a home in 2003 that he says they "don't want to move" from.

He recounts running for city council twice and losing both times, only to later be appointed to the Planning Commission and eventually win broad public support, illustrating perseverance in local leadership. After being appointed to fill a vacancy, he went on to receive more votes than anyone had ever received in Lehi City Council history.

Mark shares the surprising story of how he entered the mayor's race reluctantly, finished behind in the primary, then made a dramatic comeback to win the general election. Down 11 points in the primary, he achieved an 18-point swing to win by 7 points—something nearly unheard of in local politics. He credits soul-searching after the primary and "creative techniques" to get his message out.

He describes a lunch with former competing candidates and former mayors, showing a more neighborly and collaborative side of local politics than many people expect. He regularly meets with former mayors Ken Greenwood, Bert Wilson, and Ron Smith at Chuck-A-Rama, noting that despite different policies, "we all have the same goal."

He tells the story of learning at a statewide conference that Lehi was described as the "economic engine of the state of Utah," highlighting how important the city has become in Utah's economy. When economist Natalie Gochnour removed Lehi from Utah's calculations during a presentation, the state's financial strength significantly decreased, demonstrating Lehi's outsized economic impact.

Mark walks through the controversy around Family Park, explaining why fencing, staffing, and security mattered for an all-abilities park and how misinformation spread on social media complicated public understanding. He details the practical reasons for single-entry design and the unfortunate reality of vandalism that required protective measures.

One of the most memorable stories is how Lehi helped push anti-vaping policy forward by passing a local ordinance, gathering broad state legislative support, and influencing action beyond the city. After the state failed for seven years due to tobacco lobbyists, Lehi and Cedar Hills passed local ordinances that eventually became state law and gained national attention.

He also shares practical examples of city problem-solving, such as a contractor donating dirt and grading work to help prepare future park land, showing how public-private cooperation can benefit the whole community. This arrangement saved the city significant money while solving a contractor's need for dirt disposal.

This interview offers valuable perspective on Lehi's evolution from a small rural community to a major economic center. Here are key historical insights from Mayor Johnson's perspective:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

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Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together.

Welcome Mayor Mark Johnson here with me today, and I'm excited to have him on this podcast, Roots and Branches of Lehi. So Mark, tell me a little bit about yourself. Did you grow up in Lehi?

Mayor Mark Johnson: Sure, I'd be happy to. First off, thank you for having me Ryan. I actually grew up in North County, graduated in Pleasant Grove. Bought my first house in American Fork, and then my wife and I decided that we wanted to live in Lehi because growing up, I spent a lot of time in Lehi, had friends over here, had family over here, and I actually really liked Lehi. We found a lot in a new subdivision, built a house there in 2003, and we have just lived here since and loved it. Don't want to move.

Ryan: Have you always wanted to go into public service, be a mayor?

Mayor Johnson: No, actually it was probably the farthest thing from my mind. I had never really entertained it. I've been in the engineering field for my whole career. Worked in engineering departments through college, it helped me get through there, and then I graduated with a design degree, not an engineering degree, but I ended up working in the engineering field in design, and that's what I've done my whole career. I had an opportunity to work for an engineering consultant that had a lot of municipalities for clients and ended up learning a lot about municipalities and how they operate, what works, what doesn't work. I did the standards and specifications for a number of cities, and so I started understanding how cities worked. I looked at Lehi and there were a lot of things I liked about Lehi, but there were some things going on here that I thought ought to be done a little bit differently.

Ryan: Did you go straight from nothing to Mayor?

Mayor Johnson: That's an interesting story. I actually proposed some changes in Lehi in regards to transportation. I was big on some traffic calming techniques that could be utilized in the city and were not, and so I proposed those as part of a campaign. I decided to just run for city council. I actually ran twice in two subsequent elections, lost both times. I decided okay, I've had enough of that, I'm just not going to do that anymore. But I did get a lot of attention, and back then that was in the early 2000s, and it was hard to get elected in Lehi unless you were from Lehi. But I got enough attention that they put me on the Planning Commission. I soon became the chair of the Planning Commission, had an opportunity to enact some of my philosophies, and people agreed with me that those changes had to occur. Then a vacancy came up on the city council. I was encouraged to put my name in on that, I did, they ended up appointing me, and I went from getting hardly any votes in the city of Lehi to getting the most votes anybody had ever received in Lehi.

I served on the Lehi City Council for 12 and a half years, and then I actually left. I had enough after three over three terms, and I'm like, I'm done, I have a life to live. I was off with no political interest for two years because I had started my own business and was enjoying that. I was encouraged very strongly by some people in town to run for mayor. Didn't want to do that either, because the mayor at the time was a friend of mine. But they pushed really hard, and I said somebody's got to have their name in there, and I threw my name in with I think there were like 13 other people that had shown an interest in running for mayor. I didn't want to finish second. I wanted to finish either first or third or further. So either I'd win or didn't, and I ended up in the position I didn't want to—I finished second. I was down 11 points in the primary election, but ended up winning the general election by seven points. So I made an 18-point swing, which is pretty much unheard of in local politics.

Ryan: What do you attribute that to?

Mayor Johnson: Just after the primary election I had some soul searching to do and I had decided I just—if I'm going to do it I'm just going to do everything I can to win this. So I just worked at it really hard. I used any creative techniques I could to get the information out there why I felt I could be a good mayor. I think it caught a lot of people by surprise.

Ryan: It sounds like there's a lot of influential people that kind of took you to that spot, right? You were done.

Mayor Johnson: Yeah, so a couple of those were my competitors earlier. Johnny Barnes and Steve Hook, who I think the world of, we become very good friends. Those were some of the people I ran against initially. But back then when we ran elections here in Lehi, it was more of a friendly atmosphere. You got to know your opponents and you didn't really criticize them, you just talked about what you thought you could do differently. Those were the two who knew I just wasn't interested in running again, and they had both won in the two earlier elections that I lost. They said no, you need to run. And I did, and they encouraged me and they talked to other people about me, and that worked very much in my favor.

That's the side of politics we don't often see. We only see the angriness. But it sounds like your competitors were the ones actually supporting you to run again.

Yeah, that's how it was. I've made a lot of very good friends in the process. Even those that are my opponents in the past, I've become very good friends with. A couple of our city council members right now were those who also ran against me on the council one year, and I supported them strongly in their next opportunities to run. It was like that with my last opponent—I've gotten to know him very well, and we communicate from time to time. That's the way it should be.

Ryan: Do you think that just comes from a 'we all want Lehi to be better' mentality?

Mayor Johnson: Well, I think we all just want it to be better. We're not all going to agree, of course. As an example, last week I actually had lunch with three former mayors: Ken Greenwood, Bert Wilson, and Ron Smith. We all got together and went over to Chuck-A-Rama and had a great lunch together and talked about Lehi. Our policies were all a bit different, but we all have the same goal.

Ryan: Anything surprising people might not know about you outside of your role as Mayor?

Mayor Johnson: I don't know if anything would catch anybody by surprise. I've gotten to know a lot of people in town, so I think that means they've gotten to know me. I like to remain pretty active in the community. I like to do a lot of bike riding whenever I can. Working hard is not uncommon for me. I like to spend time at my business and at the city. I'm generally somewhere between 45 and 60 hours a week between my personal business and the city. I was taught to work hard. I don't know what else I'd do with my life if I wasn't working.

Ryan: A mayor isn't necessarily a full-time job?

Mayor Johnson: It's a part-time job. People ask me what I do for the city, and often my response is 'I'm the part-time help.' But in reality, of course, it's a lot more than a part-time job. I spend far more time at the city than I do at my personal business. It's stressful at times, but in the long run it's all enjoyable.

Ryan: Do you think being an engineer really helped you?

Mayor Johnson: As I mentioned before, I actually have a design degree, not an engineering degree, but it allows me to do a lot of engineering design. That's what I've done for close to 45 years now. I've dealt with a lot of land planning issues, road design, system design, utility design, and some structural mixed in that as well. I've got a few patents out there on some of the things I've put together. It's also been very helpful because I understand a lot of things from the technical aspect that mayors have to deal with. There were a few things from the financial aspect when I became mayor that I had to learn, at least get a better understanding of. But as far as construction and projects, capital facilities, how utilities work in town, where our water comes from, what happens to our sewer—those are things I had a really good understanding of, and so that was very helpful.

I remember when Ken Greenwood became mayor, he asked me to go to lunch with him one day. We sat down, and he told me, 'Mark, there's more to this being mayor than I ever imagined. It's a lot harder. I'm going to college all over again.' The reason he'd asked me to lunch is because there were certain things going on that he knew I understood that he didn't understand, and so he just wanted to pick my brain a little bit.

Ryan: What do you personally like about Lehi?

Mayor Johnson: Lehi is just a wonderful place to be. In reality, it is. We're very fortunate. There's many things in this city that has made my job fairly easy. A lot of people don't know this—we went to a conference once, a power conference where Lehi City was receiving some awards because of some things they had done in our power system. We were invited to this conference, and we went. We were asked if we wanted to stay for lunch. We took a table way in the back because I thought we need to leave right after this. Natalie Gochnour got up to speak—she was a keynote speaker during lunch. She talked about the state of Utah and all its financial strengths nationwide. She gets to the end of her presentation and she goes, 'Who here is from Lehi?' Jason Walker, my city administrator, and Joel Lees, the power director—we all look at each other and raise our hands. She says, 'I want to give the same presentation but I'm going to pull Lehi out of the calculations.' Utah was still strong, but it wasn't obviously as strong. She goes, 'You guys need to understand that Lehi City is the economic engine of the state of Utah.' That statement completely caught us off guard. I realized probably more so at that time than any other that we're pretty fortunate here in Lehi.

Ryan: Is that because of the tax base from businesses?

Mayor Johnson: It's a lot of that. We're very fortunate because of the businesses that have come in here. Silicon Slopes has treated us very well. Micron when they came in kicked off something that a lot of people probably didn't anticipate. We were told that when Micron established here, they knew that they were going to see a series of other large businesses that were going to also establish here. Adobe came, Microsoft was here, there were a number of businesses that just started locating here in Lehi. Then it builds us up to the events of last year where Texas Instruments purchased the Micron plant—saved that facility. It was an $11.6 billion investment in the state of Utah. Nothing has been like that ever in the state of Utah before. Those are very good paying jobs. We have a AAA rating—we've attained that goal since I've been mayor. Which means for normal people, the cost to borrow money is much cheaper for us. We will literally save millions of dollars just by increasing that rate.

Ryan: Any local traditions you've loved participating in?

Mayor Johnson: We always start off with Roundup. Roundup is a great celebration. We all love the parade. The miniature float parade is just so unique—I don't know of anybody in the state that does that. The Roundup Rodeo has been so successful we've extended that to a 4-day rodeo now. The tickets always sell out. We've had scalpers go after those tickets. We were selling tickets for $15 and scalpers were picking them up and going for around $175 a seat. It's a pretty popular event. The concerts that Mel Babcock puts together for the summer concerts in the park and for the Roundup concert—we just had the Bacon Brothers here. That was a fantastic event for Lehi City.

Ryan: Where does the money for parks come from?

Mayor Johnson: We have this park tax which passed recently that has been very beneficial. When you look at the new Family Park facility, that's a $17 million project. We had put aside $10 million for that, but $7 million will come from the Future Park tax. For a long time we were land poor to build parks. Now we have three large areas that are regional parks right now. We're watching Family Park expand. Miller Roads Park is going to come in with new baseball fields and pickleball courts. That was a park that once we purchased the land, we found out a large portion of it was in the flood plain. We had to raise it all to be able to build on it. We've got all that work being done for free right now—we have a contractor that needed a place to put all his dirt, and he came to the city and said 'I will dump all my dirt here, I'll grade it, I'll prep it all for that Future Park if you'll just let me dump my dirt there.'

Ryan: What does a typical day look like for you as mayor?

Mayor Johnson: I don't think there is a typical day. Every day is a little bit different. Sometimes I'll have city meetings in the morning, sometimes I'll have work-related meetings in the morning. I will usually go into my regular office first, take care of business there. I can do a lot of city business there, respond to all my emails. Then I'll run down to the city, take care of any signings I need to do. A lot of people don't realize how many signings you have to do. As the executive of the city, you end up signing your name a lot. I remember one day I went in the office to do signings and I had about 80 different documents to sign. There's a number of city meetings that I do, but there's also some state-related meetings with MAG—the Mountainland Association of Governments. I'm on the UTA Advisory Board. I'm on the Utah Valley University College of Health and Public Service Board. It's not just a city job, it's actually an outside job.

Ryan: What are some of the harder parts of the job?

Mayor Johnson: There's two things. First, in the position that I hold and the council holds, we have to make some decisions sometimes that are just unpopular. That's not fun. You want to make everybody's life better. But the Constitution gets in the way of that sometimes. You'll have disagreements across boundaries, and generally anytime you have that, you have to first consider property rights. The other thing that is really difficult is social media makes our job pretty difficult sometimes. There's often some misinformation that goes out there. It gets legs, and when you try to correct that with the truth, sometimes it's not only difficult, sometimes it's just impossible. A lot of people, they don't care about the truth, they care about emotions.

Ryan: Any advice on social media?

Mayor Johnson: Say what you believe and be willing to say what you don't know. If we go through life and only say what we actually know, what actually is fact-based and has good data to back it up, we're going to find out how little we actually know. It's okay to say 'I believe this'—there's a difference between making a statement of what I know and making a statement of what I believe. It's perfectly okay to say when you don't know something. That's the way we learn.

Ryan: How do you balance growth with keeping that small-town feel?

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Mark Johnson Role in Lehi Mayor of Lehi; design and engineering professional; former Planning Commission chair and City Council member Time Periods Discussed 1990s, early 2000s, 2010s, 2020s, with references to Lehi's earlier small-town character Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview Choosing Lehi as Home Mark Johnson explains how he and his wife chose to move to Lehi in the early 1990s because of his long-standing affection for the city, showing that Lehi became home by choice as much as by history. Despite growing up in North County and buying his first house in American Fork, he was drawn to Lehi because of friends and family connections, eventually building a home in 2003 that he says they "don't want to move" from. Perseverance in Local Leadership He recounts running for city council twice and losing both times, only to later be appointed to the Planning Commission and eventually win broad public support, illustrating perseverance in local leadership. After being appointed to fill a vacancy, he went on to receive more votes than anyone had ever received in Lehi City Council history. The Unlikely Mayoral Victory Mark shares the surprising story of how he entered the mayor's race reluctantly, finished behind in the primary, then made a dramatic comeback to win the general election. Down 11 points in the primary, he achieved an 18-point swing to win by 7 points—something nearly unheard of in local politics. He credits soul-searching after the primary and "creative techniques" to get his message out. The Neighborly Side of Politics He describes a lunch with former competing candidates and former mayors, showing a more neighborly and collaborative side of local politics than many people expect. He regularly meets with former mayors Ken Greenwood, Bert Wilson, and Ron Smith at Chuck-A-Rama, noting that despite different policies, "we all have the same goal." Lehi: The Economic Engine of Utah He tells the story of learning at a statewide conference that Lehi was described as the "economic engine of the state of Utah," highlighting how important the city has become in Utah's economy. When economist Natalie Gochnour removed Lehi from Utah's calculations during a presentation, the state's financial strength significantly decreased, demonstrating Lehi's outsized economic impact. Family Park Controversy Mark walks through the controversy around Family Park, explaining why fencing, staffing, and security mattered for an all-abilities park and how misinformation spread on social media complicated public understanding. He details the practical reasons for single-entry design and the unfortunate reality of vandalism that required protective measures. From Local Ordinance to State Law One of the most memorable stories is how Lehi helped push anti-vaping policy forward by passing a local ordinance, gathering broad state legislative support, and influencing action beyond the city. After the state failed for seven years due to tobacco lobbyists, Lehi and Cedar Hills passed local ordinances that eventually became state law and gained national attention. Public-Private Cooperation He also shares practical examples of city problem-solving, such as a contractor donating dirt and grading work to help prepare future park land, showing how public-private cooperation can benefit the whole community. This arrangement saved the city significant money while solving a contractor's need for dirt disposal. History Historical Insights About Lehi This interview offers valuable perspective on Lehi's evolution from a small rural community to a major economic center. Here are key historical insights from Mayor Johnson's perspective: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Welcome Mayor Mark Johnson here with me today, and I'm excited to have him on this podcast, Roots and Branches of Lehi. So Mark, tell me a little bit about yourself. Did you grow up in Lehi? Mayor Mark Johnson: Sure, I'd be happy to. First off, thank you for having me Ryan. I actually grew up in North County, graduated in Pleasant Grove. Bought my first house in American Fork, and then my wife and I decided that we wanted to live in Lehi because growing up, I spent a lot of time in Lehi, had friends over here, had family over here, and I actually really liked Lehi. We found a lot in a new subdivision, built a house there in 2003, and we have just lived here since and loved it. Don't want to move. Ryan: Have you always wanted to go into public service, be a mayor? Mayor Johnson: No, actually it was probably the farthest thing from my mind. I had never really entertained it. I've been in the engineering field for my whole career. Worked in engineering departments through college, it helped me get through there, and then I graduated with a design degree, not an engineering degree, but I ended up working in the engineering field in design, and that's what I've done my whole career. I had an opportunity to work for an engineering consultant that had a lot of municipalities for clients and ended up learning a lot about municipalities and how they operate, what works, what doesn't work. I did the standards and specifications for a number of cities, and so I started understanding how cities worked. I looked at Lehi and there were a lot of things I liked about Lehi, but there were some things going on here that I thought ought to be done a little bit differently. Ryan: Did you go straight from nothing to Mayor? Mayor Johnson: That's an interesting story. I actually proposed some changes in Lehi in regards to transportation. I was big on some traffic calming techniques that could be utilized in the city and were not, and so I proposed those as part of a campaign. I decided to just run for city council. I actually ran twice in two subsequent elections, lost both times. I decided okay, I've had enough of that, I'm just not going to do that anymore. But I did get a lot of attention, and back then that was in the early 2000s, and it was hard to get elected in Lehi unless you were from Lehi. But I got enough attention that they put me on the Planning Commission. I soon became the chair of the Planning Commission, had an opportunity to enact some of my philosophies, and people agreed with me that those changes had to occur. Then a vacancy came up on the city council. I was encouraged to put my name in on that, I did, they ended up appointing me, and I went from getting hardly any votes in the city of Lehi to getting the most votes anybody had ever received in Lehi. I served on the Lehi City Council for 12 and a half years, and then I actually left. I had enough after three over three terms, and I'm like, I'm done, I have a life to live. I was off with no political interest for two years because I had started my own business and was enjoying that. I was encouraged very strongly by some people in town to run for mayor. Didn't want to do that either, because the mayor at the time was a friend of mine. But they pushed really hard, and I said somebody's got to have their name in there, and I threw my name in with I think there were like 13 other people that had shown an interest in running for mayor. I didn't want to finish second. I wanted to finish either first or third or further. So either I'd win or didn't, and I ended up in the position I didn't want to—I finished second. I was down 11 points in the primary election, but ended up winning the general election by seven points. So I made an 18-point swing, which is pretty much unheard of in local politics. Ryan: What do you attribute that to? Mayor Johnson: Just after the primary election I had some soul searching to do and I had decided I just—if I'm going to do it I'm just going to do everything I can to win this. So I just worked at it really hard. I used any creative techniques I could to get the information out there why I felt I could be a good mayor. I think it caught a lot of people by surprise. Ryan: It sounds like there's a lot of influential people that kind of took you to that spot, right? You were done. Mayor Johnson: Yeah, so a couple of those were my competitors earlier. Johnny Barnes and Steve Hook, who I think the world of, we become very good friends. Those were some of the people I ran against initially. But back then when we ran elections here in Lehi, it was more of a friendly atmosphere. You got to know your opponents and you didn't really criticize them, you just talked about what you thought you could do differently. Those were the two who knew I just wasn't interested in running again, and they had both won in the two earlier elections that I lost. They said no, you need to run. And I did, and they encouraged me and they talked to other people about me, and that worked very much in my favor. That's the side of politics we don't often see. We only see the angriness. But it sounds like your competitors were the ones actually supporting you to run again. Yeah, that's how it was. I've made a lot of very good friends in the process. Even those that are my opponents in the past, I've become very good friends with. A couple of our city council members right now were those who also ran against me on the council one year, and I supported them strongly in their next opportunities to run. It was like that with my last opponent—I've gotten to know him very well, and we communicate from time to time. That's the way it should be. Ryan: Do you think that just comes from a 'we all want Lehi to be better' mentality? Mayor Johnson: Well, I think we all just want it to be better. We're not all going to agree, of course. As an example, last week I actually had lunch with three former mayors: Ken Greenwood, Bert Wilson, and Ron Smith. We all got together and went over to Chuck-A-Rama and had a great lunch together and talked about Lehi. Our policies were all a bit different, but we all have the same goal. Ryan: Anything surprising people might not know about you outside of your role as Mayor? Mayor Johnson: I don't know if anything would catch anybody by surprise. I've gotten to know a lot of people in town, so I think that means they've gotten to know me. I like to remain pretty active in the community. I like to do a lot of bike riding whenever I can. Working hard is not uncommon for me. I like to spend time at my business and at the city. I'm generally somewhere between 45 and 60 hours a week between my personal business and the city. I was taught to work hard. I don't know what else I'd do with my life if I wasn't working. Ryan: A mayor isn't necessarily a full-time job? Mayor Johnson: It's a part-time job. People ask me what I do for the city, and often my response is 'I'm the part-time help.' But in reality, of course, it's a lot more than a part-time job. I spend far more time at the city than I do at my personal business. It's stressful at times, but in the long run it's all enjoyable. Ryan: Do you think being an engineer really helped you? Mayor Johnson: As I mentioned before, I actually have a design degree, not an engineering degree, but it allows me to do a lot of engineering design. That's what I've done for close to 45 years now. I've dealt with a lot of land planning issues, road design, system design, utility design, and some structural mixed in that as well. I've got a few patents out there on some of the things I've put together. It's also been very helpful because I understand a lot of things from the technical aspect that mayors have to deal with. There were a few things from the financial aspect when I became mayor that I had to learn, at least get a better understanding of. But as far as construction and projects, capital facilities, how utilities work in town, where our water comes from, what happens to our sewer—those are things I had a really good understanding of, and so that was very helpful. I remember when Ken Greenwood became mayor, he asked me to go to lunch with him one day. We sat down, and he told me, 'Mark, there's more to this being mayor than I ever imagined. It's a lot harder. I'm going to college all over again.' The reason he'd asked me to lunch is because there were certain things going on that he knew I understood that he didn't understand, and so he just wanted to pick my brain a little bit. Ryan: What do you personally like about Lehi? Mayor Johnson: Lehi is just a wonderful place to be. In reality, it is. We're very fortunate. There's many things in this city that has made my job fairly easy. A lot of people don't know this—we went to a conference once, a power conference where Lehi City was receiving some awards because of some things they had done in our power system. We were invited to this conference, and we went. We were asked if we wanted to stay for lunch. We took a table way in the back because I thought we need to leave right after this. Natalie Gochnour got up to speak—she was a keynote speaker during lunch. She talked about the state of Utah and all its financial strengths nationwide. She gets to the end of her presentation and she goes, 'Who here is from Lehi?' Jason Walker, my city administrator, and Joel Lees, the power director—we all look at each other and raise our hands. She says, 'I want to give the same presentation but I'm going to pull Lehi out of the calculations.' Utah was still strong, but it wasn't obviously as strong. She goes, 'You guys need to understand that Lehi City is the economic engine of the state of Utah.' That statement completely caught us off guard. I realized probably more so at that time than any other that we're pretty fortunate here in Lehi. Ryan: Is that because of the tax base from businesses? Mayor Johnson: It's a lot of that. We're very fortunate because of the businesses that have come in here. Silicon Slopes has treated us very well. Micron when they came in kicked off something that a lot of people probably didn't anticipate. We were told that when Micron established here, they knew that they were going to see a series of other large businesses that were going to also establish here. Adobe came, Microsoft was here, there were a number of businesses that just started locating here in Lehi. Then it builds us up to the events of last year where Texas Instruments purchased the Micron plant—saved that facility. It was an $11.6 billion investment in the state of Utah. Nothing has been like that ever in the state of Utah before. Those are very good paying jobs. We have a AAA rating—we've attained that goal since I've been mayor. Which means for normal people, the cost to borrow money is much cheaper for us. We will literally save millions of dollars just by increasing that rate. Ryan: Any local traditions you've loved participating in? Mayor Johnson: We always start off with Roundup. Roundup is a great celebration. We all love the parade. The miniature float parade is just so unique—I don't know of anybody in the state that does that. The Roundup Rodeo has been so successful we've extended that to a 4-day rodeo now. The tickets always sell out. We've had scalpers go after those tickets. We were selling tickets for $15 and scalpers were picking them up and going for around $175 a seat. It's a pretty popular event. The concerts that Mel Babcock puts together for the summer concerts in the park and for the Roundup concert—we just had the Bacon Brothers here. That was a fantastic event for Lehi City. Ryan: Where does the money for parks come from? Mayor Johnson: We have this park tax which passed recently that has been very beneficial. When you look at the new Family Park facility, that's a $17 million project. We had put aside $10 million for that, but $7 million will come from the Future Park tax. For a long time we were land poor to build parks. Now we have three large areas that are regional parks right now. We're watching Family Park expand. Miller Roads Park is going to come in with new baseball fields and pickleball courts. That was a park that once we purchased the land, we found out a large portion of it was in the flood plain. We had to raise it all to be able to build on it. We've got all that work being done for free right now—we have a contractor that needed a place to put all his dirt, and he came to the city and said 'I will dump all my dirt here, I'll grade it, I'll prep it all for that Future Park if you'll just let me dump my dirt there.' Ryan: What does a typical day look like for you as mayor? Mayor Johnson: I don't think there is a typical day. Every day is a little bit different. Sometimes I'll have city meetings in the morning, sometimes I'll have work-related meetings in the morning. I will usually go into my regular office first, take care of business there. I can do a lot of city business there, respond to all my emails. Then I'll run down to the city, take care of any signings I need to do. A lot of people don't realize how many signings you have to do. As the executive of the city, you end up signing your name a lot. I remember one day I went in the office to do signings and I had about 80 different documents to sign. There's a number of city meetings that I do, but there's also some state-related meetings with MAG—the Mountainland Association of Governments. I'm on the UTA Advisory Board. I'm on the Utah Valley University College of Health and Public Service Board. It's not just a city job, it's actually an outside job. Ryan: What are some of the harder parts of the job? Mayor Johnson: There's two things. First, in the position that I hold and the council holds, we have to make some decisions sometimes that are just unpopular. That's not fun. You want to make everybody's life better. But the Constitution gets in the way of that sometimes. You'll have disagreements across boundaries, and generally anytime you have that, you have to first consider property rights. The other thing that is really difficult is social media makes our job pretty difficult sometimes. There's often some misinformation that goes out there. It gets legs, and when you try to correct that with the truth, sometimes it's not only difficult, sometimes it's just impossible. A lot of people, they don't care about the truth, they care about emotions. Ryan: Any advice on social media? Mayor Johnson: Say what you believe and be willing to say what you don't know. If we go through life and only say what we actually know, what actually is fact-based and has good data to back it up, we're going to find out how little we actually know. It's okay to say 'I believe this'—there's a difference between making a statement of what I know and making a statement of what I believe. It's perfectly okay to say when you don't know something. That's the way we learn. Ryan: How do you balance growth with keeping that small-town feel? Mayor Johnson: I told you I spent a lot of time growing up here in Lehi because I had friends here. I loved motorcycles, I'd love to camp out. We'd come over here in Lehi, you could go find a place to camp out for a night up by Dry Creek. There were people that rode a lot of horses up there. When we had motorcycles, there were places to ride here. There was a lot of open space. Growth happens. A lot of our growth has been external—we've had people move here because we've got a lot going on. But what a lot of people don't realize, a lot of the growth is internal. For many years, the majority of growth by far was internal growth. It either came from people that were just born here, or people who were raised here, went to college and couldn't get a good job here, so they left the state. Then the economy boomed in Utah and they're moving back. I've had to remind people: don't think you're not the growth. If you were educated here and left and came back, or if you were born here, you are the growth. From a transportation standpoint, we also have to deal with the growth from Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain. All roads go through Lehi, literally. We love Lehi, we want our kids to stay here in Lehi, but at the same time we complain about traffic. We've taken the bull by the horns and we're doing everything we can to address this problem. We've been telling UDOT for years that the numbers they're looking at—the growth projections—are wrong. They've agreed with us now. They're looking at making some improvements here that we've been after for a very long time. Ryan: Are there things you're super proud of? Mayor Johnson: Several years ago I attended the Utah County Health meeting, and it became very clear to me from some statements that were made that the problem that vaping is having on our youth here in town is a significant problem. We have kids that are 12 to 16 getting addicted to nicotine through the vaping process. Nicotine is a very addictive substance—it's harder to get off than heroin. The way the laws were set up, an 18-year-old could go in and buy vaping products and give it to their siblings, which is exactly what was going on. I brought that back to my council. The legislature said I don't see why you can't create your own local ordinance. We passed it unanimously. Cedar Hills did the same thing. Our state legislators came unglued—they said 'You're creating a patchwork quilt across the state.' We said 'We'll fix it.' Representative Leon was the sponsor of the bill, and he said 'If you can get other members of the house to co-sponsor this bill with the changes you want, have at it—but I don't think you're going to get them.' Mayor Ree and I started working all the legislators that day up on the hill. We got 42 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives. Almost everybody. Once a couple jumped on, other legislators looked at it and said 'Oh, we can't not do this.' It passed through the committee, passed the Senate, and became a new bill. It got national attention, and some federal Senators started saying we need to do the same thing on the federal level. It started right here in Lehi. Ryan: Where do you see Lehi in 5 to 10 years? Mayor Johnson: I'm hoping we have an updated Master Transportation Plan that has been bought into from MAG and the state. Everybody recognizes the transportation problem we have here and the state is working to solve that. That also includes transit—we have to bring transit around the Point of the Mountain. It's an effective mechanism to reduce the traffic on I-15. We need light rail and BRT. We're anticipating we'll have four different hospitals here in town. We got three now. University of Utah has purchased land with some interest in doing something there. Ryan: Any advice for new residents? Mayor Johnson: Really enjoy this kind of experience here in Lehi. You want to be acclimated into our lifestyle here. There's a lot of sports programs here. We have two of the best soccer clubs here, great facility up at Family Park. We have some great baseball fields. We have a lot of events. Just a couple weeks ago we had the holiday parade right down here on Main Street. Participate in that, find a way, volunteer for Roundup Days. That's the best way to get to know people. Volunteer for one of those programs, you'll get to know people real fast. Come to the Arts in the Parks, come to some of the events that we have. Mel Babcock does an excellent job of making sure there's always some event going on around town. If there's an opportunity, volunteer. We need your help. Ryan: Any advice for how people can make this community better? Mayor Johnson: We have different organizations you can join like the historical group, the Arts Council. We have an Environmental Sustainability Committee. There's great opportunities around town to just serve in different aspects. Our Day of Service, which centers around the 9/11 events—it's turned into a big thing. A lot of people are stepping up to serve and help on that day. But the best thing you can do in this town is just be kind to one another. Try to help, offer charity when you can, be kind to your neighbors. If there's a problem somewhere, let us know. Ryan: Thank you for coming on. Mayor Johnson: Thank you for having me. You know, I do love this community. We've been here a long time now. I didn't grow up here, but we've loved it here. I just love what's going on. Ryan: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together we're what makes Lehi feel like home. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Mayor Mark Johnson Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Lehi Utah mayor interview with Mark Johnson discussing city growth, Silicon Slopes, transportation, Roundup Rodeo, Family Park, and the future of Lehi, Utah. Mark Johnson Lehi Utah. Lehi city growth and development. Silicon Slopes Lehi Utah history. Lehi Roundup Rodeo history. Lehi Utah transportation issues. Lehi Utah local government. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Contact

Paige Albrecht on Public Service, Parks & Preserving Old Lehi

Paige Albrecht shares her journey from softball advocate to Lehi City Council, exploring parks, historic preservation, transportation, cancer survival, and community service in Lehi, Utah.

Paige Albrecht on Public Service, Parks, and Preserving Old Lehi, Utah

Why Lehi Chose Her — And Why She Chose Lehi

The Full Conversation

At a Glance

Key Moments

Stories From the Interview

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Themes Reflected in This Conversation

Words That Stay With You

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Full Transcript

Chapter 1: Introduction to Roots and Branches of Lehi

Chapter 2: Meet Paige Albrecht: A Former Neighbor and Attorney

Chapter 3: Paige's Background — From Military Brat to Lehi Resident

Chapter 4: Paige's Journey into Public Service

Chapter 5: Community Engagement and Social Media

Chapter 6: Collaborating with Neighboring Cities

Chapter 7: Preserving Old Lehi

Chapter 8: Exciting Developments in Lehi

Chapter 9: Family Park and All-Abilities Recreation

Chapter 10: Personal Reflections on Cancer

Chapter 11: Raising a Special Needs Child

Chapter 12: Transportation and Infrastructure

Chapter 13: Community Involvement and Volunteerism

Chapter 14: Final Thoughts and Reflections

Roots & Branches of Lehi

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A longtime Lehi resident, city council member, and attorney shares how a canceled softball league led to a decade of civic service — and why she chose Lehi as the hometown she never had.

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In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , Ryan Harding sits down with Paige Albrecht , a longtime Lehi resident, city council member, attorney, mother, and passionate advocate for community service. Although Paige did not grow up in Lehi, she has lived here for more than two decades and intentionally chose Lehi as the place where her children could experience the stability, traditions, and sense of belonging that come from having a hometown.

Paige shares how a canceled men's softball league unexpectedly led her into Lehi public service, first as a regular observer of city meetings, then on the Planning Commission, and eventually on the Lehi City Council . Her story offers a thoughtful look at Lehi, Utah's growth, city planning, parks, transportation challenges, volunteer culture, and the effort required to preserve small-town connection in a rapidly growing community.

This interview also explores deeper personal themes, including Paige's cancer journey, raising a son with special needs, the value of public service, and her belief that local government is not "they" but "us" — neighbors serving neighbors. Her perspective captures both the challenges and blessings of modern Lehi: traffic, growth, historic preservation, parks, families, local businesses, and the ongoing work of building a community for future generations.

Watch Ryan Harding and Paige Albrecht discuss public service, parks, historic preservation, and what makes Lehi feel like home.

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This conversation connects to a broader archive of Lehi stories. Readers interested in Paige Albrecht's perspective may also want to explore episodes and profiles related to:

Related episodes: Listen to the interview with Mayor Mark Johnson for more on Lehi leadership, growth, and the future of the city.

The complete conversation between Ryan Harding and Paige Albrecht, preserved for search indexing and community archive.

Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches, one story at a time.

Welcome Paige. We have Paige Albrecht here today. My former neighbor, actually.

Former neighbor, yeah. So we get to reunite again. And also my helper with attorney things too, because you still work there.

Which you know I can neither confirm nor deny. You have privilege.

Yes. So yeah, because you — I like it.

So tell us a little bit about yourself. Tell us, did you grow up here in Lehi? Where are you from originally?

No, I wish. I would love to claim to be a hometown girl. I'm wondering how long you have to live here before you can — I think you qualify now. I think you're at that point. It's been 22 years. I think that qualifies you. I'm from all over. I was born a military brat in Hawaii. My dad was in the Army. He was an Army Ranger, but he was putting himself through school and all that. So after they left the service, they came back here to Provo and he got his master's at BYU. Went to work for IBM, which anybody who's worked there, they'll tell you stands for "I've Been Moved." You could move up faster if you went where the jobs were. So we lived in — let's see — South Carolina, which is where he was born and raised, North Carolina, Maryland just outside of DC, and then I went to high school in Montana. Then BYU for school. Took a gap — three years in Connecticut for a while as a nanny. So all over. But for that reason, it was great because I know people all over and I've experienced a lot of different environments. But I really wanted my kids to have a hometown.

So also cold, yes. That's exactly — that's why when people complain about winters here in Lehi, I'm like, ah, I mean it's cold, but you don't understand bitter cold. You know, when that wind chill goes right to your bones.

Exactly. I tell you what, early morning seminary at 6:35 in the dark of Montana — that's when you either have to have really strong faith or really strong parents.

Either one. I can relate because again, I remember those days very well. Getting out of the shower, I had hair back then, and it freezing because it was wet. You're trying to run off to school and stuff like that.

Yeah, my dad was nice and he tried to make room in the garage for me to park my car, which was nice because otherwise, outside it just was cold. I grew up reading Little House on the Prairie books and they would talk about the rope from the barn to the house so they could get firewood. I thought, yeah, then I moved to Montana. You don't see the ground for many months.

Whereas here it's a little bit nicer. Obviously you raised your family here in Lehi, right?

My boys — Alex was my second son was, oh gosh, a year or so when we moved here. I had three boys and so they don't really remember anything outside of Lehi. They want badly to raise their families here. It's changed a lot, but the things that we love about it all remain.

So then tell me, you mentioned you went to BYU and stuff like that. What did you study?

I studied English at BYU. Qualified to do anything and nothing. Humanities. I thought for a long time that maybe I would teach. Then the kids came along. I graduated with one on my lap and one in my tummy and I knew if I didn't finish then, I might not be able to. So I pushed hard to the end, got my bachelor's, and then 20 years later I went back last spring and got my master's in public service.

So let's talk about that. You've obviously gone into public service. You're on the city council, and you've been there for a little while now.

I think I've been there for a little while. I did Planning Commission before city council — I did that for three years. And back in the day we had a board of adjustments for hearing land use appeals. We've moved to hearing examiner now, like most cities have. Did Board of Adjustments for a year. So I've been in public service for about 10 years now.

And what sparked that? Why?

I'd love to say it was some noble cause, but I was ticked off. I think like a lot of people, there were some things that were bugging me. When we were down in college, my kids' dad loved to play softball with his buddies and they had a softball team, the Great Bambinos, and just really loved it. When we moved here to Lehi, he didn't have his own team and he was signed up as a sub and they'd call him to come play sometimes, but he wasn't guaranteed a game every week. He missed it. So I thought, oh, I'll be the fantastic wife and I bought him his own team for Christmas one year. I wrote this really long poem about playing ball. For a couple years he had his own softball team in the Lehi men's softball league and loaded it up with his buddies. We'd all spend those evenings down at the park with our kids. It was just a really great experience. We loved it. Ten teams in the league. And one year I went to sign them up and they said, we're not doing that anymore. I said, why aren't you doing that anymore? They said, we don't have the space, we don't have the park space. I said, what's wrong with Veterans Park? They said it's really too small, they're hitting balls into the street, it's a liability. A lot of reasons that on this side of it make a ton of sense, and on that side of it just made me really upset. I thought, surely we can overcome these problems. Ten teams, talking about 150 guys and whatever their families are. So I did a little research and I went into city council and I looked up the bios of the city council members and made a note of which ones mentioned parks and baseball. I had researched volleyballs and what it would cost to put up nets, and I marched my little red wagon into city council and stood up at the podium. I don't know what I expected to happen, but nothing did. They felt bad about it and wished they could help. Mayor Wilson said, we're going to bring it back. I said, when? He said, whenever we can. I left and just felt really defeated. I thought, it's not like I'm not willing to put in the work, I'll help you make it happen and all things like that. But there was a lot I didn't understand about budgeting and space availability and scheduling and things like that.

But as part of that experience, you realized something?

I realized that I wasn't just mad. I had really enjoyed it. I stayed through the whole meeting and I went to the next meeting, and then I started going to the Planning Commission meetings. For the better part of eight years I went to both meetings every week before I had any kind of office. I loved it. When I was on Planning Commission I still went to the City Council meetings. I just — the whole process was fascinating to me. The patience, the persistence, the investment that the people who are serving have in the community, and the things that they go through to make things happen. The whole thing, I just found it really satisfying. And I had never intended to run for office. I was there for the entertainment value and because somebody else was putting the kids to bed. I would sit in the back corner and for a long time you could tell that they were like, nervous — what are you doing here? Are you going to sell us down the river or whatever? I really wasn't. I was just observing the process, learning, and figuring out how all those pieces fit together and work. So when Mark Johnson, our current mayor, decided he was going to step away from Council, he asked me to run for a seat. What I've learned since is that with a lot of women in politics, it takes that tap on the shoulder before they even consider that it's something they might be interested in doing. I mulled it over and we talked about it as a family and decided yeah, we would. I haven't ever had to run against someone. I was running for an empty seat. And then the second time I was running for my seat. And the third time. So it was never confrontational. The whole confrontational aspect of campaigning is really hard for me. I don't like that, because most people don't like that. I have a lot of respect and admiration usually for everybody in the race, and it's hard for me to sit and say, oh yeah, I'd be better than them. Anybody who's willing to throw their hat in the ring, all the respect in the world, just because it is a huge time commitment. You're doing a lot of different things. I like that you really enjoy that part of it — being involved in it. I think that shows how much you enjoy it or how much of a good fit it is for you. If you want to have any chance of getting good at something, you have to spend the time on it, and if you don't like it you'll never get good at it. Well, and in politics, if you don't like it, you're not going to last. My kids will come home and say, oh mom, somebody said this horrible thing about you on Facebook today. But what you didn't see about the rest of my day is I got to interact with this resident and I got to attend the Historical Society marker unveiling, and I got to go to the senior center and have lunch with people there. Those aren't the public parts, but those are the parts that are just so deeply satisfying and you feel like those really are what matters. So you try and shake off the rest.

How do you tune out the negativity? We're living in a social media society now.

People have greater access to public servants than they ever have, especially on a local level. People can say things on — and Paige comes in and says something back. I usually try and count to 10 at least. From the beginning, I was actually there when they formed Lehi Link, which of course is the juggernaut of social media here in Lehi. I was reading the initial goals for it just yesterday because of the anniversary — it's been like nine years. It was like, to bring the community together, and unity was mentioned, things like that. And all too often the opposite happens, which is super unfortunate. But I get it because it's an easy, accessible way to air frustrations and things like that. It's like the nightly news — 100 wonderful things happen for every story, but that's what sells and that's what brings people. Even you said, hey, I was ticked off, that's why I went. That did start that process. The extra pieces of knowledge I gained after that about how everything works — I would still be ticked off, I'd be just like... but the end of that story, the moral of that story is, 10 years later last summer I posted a picture of my oldest boy playing with his brother on his own softball team in the Lehi men's softball league. It took a decade, but we brought it back. We finally were able to get the park space, we got the lights up and running, managed to move the mink farm, all those dominoes fell finally in the right order. That was a super proud moment for me because I thought, promise kept. It took a decade, but well, somebody that's enjoying that now probably — I think that's good for them to know, hey, that took 10 years to make happen. Most things in life, we're enjoying the fruits of probably other people's labors and even generations before us. But that's an example — somebody else gets to enjoy that now and they don't understand, hey, a lot of effort went into that, and in some cases years. And it's not like it was me — I had nothing to do with it. It was so many departments and staff and so many people that worked for it. When they said, hey, we don't want to end this, we want to keep it continuing, they were telling the truth. They were just — it takes some time and the effort. It's like that with just about everything. I think it's harder now because we're so much more of a transient society. Establishing those roots in a hometown is becoming rarer and rarer because you move where the jobs are or you go to a different area. It's hard to convince people, invest your time and your money and your hours of service and your family's effort into building a community that you're moving away from next year.

One of my hobbies that I love to do — I love to go back and read old articles in the Free Press from 100 years ago.

I get teased about it a lot, actually. There are articles about how they sold trees — like your family could sponsor a tree for a buck or whatever. Not Christmas trees — the trees that are growing there now. They didn't have money in the city coffers, so they let people contribute that way and they planted these trees. A lot of the descendants of people who bought those still live here, but a lot of the people who enjoy those trees have no idea that it was a huge sacrifice for families a hundred years ago. They did not put them in for themselves — they did it for the descendants, for the people who come after. Yesterday my youngest boy came home and he said, Mom, are you cutting down the trees at Wines? I looked at him like, son, I've been here all day. He said, yeah, those on the southeast side. I'm like, those have been through their life span. A lot of people will drive by and say, why is the city cutting that down? We're not doing it because we had nothing to do with it. On a Tuesday morning, they've been through their life span. I said, son, go back by and drive and look and you'll see trees at all different ages planted throughout the park because our parks department has been planning for this for 20 years. They've gradually been putting them in, and now this one is half dead, in danger of falling over, so yes, they're taking it out. Not me. I represent to him the city, right? It's that way for a lot of people. If you sit back and take the logic and you think, what possible reason could they have for cutting down this tree? Well, it's not to tick you off or to make sure that you have to sit in the sun for the parade. Maybe think a little deeper. Maybe it's not nefarious.

We probably often go to the negative. And we live in a world where especially federal politics, we tend to — they're obviously evil, whatever side you disagree with. That's one of the purposes of this podcast — just to make things smaller, make things more community, because if you know the person that you hate, you're probably not going to hate them.

It's so true. I love meeting with people for that very reason, because it's not a faceless whatever. I'm not to them and they're not to me, and you can always find that common ground. The bridge building is so important in politics and it becomes more and more rare. It's just so polarized right now, and it's taking some of the enjoyment out of it. There's not the same sense of camaraderie.

We are doing some things to help though. We recently started — I call it on my calendar the North Utah County Task Force, but basically the city councils from surrounding cities meet together about once a quarter. We try and do it anytime there's a fifth Tuesday, because we all have our meetings on Tuesday. We talk about things like transportation and common problems that our cities are facing, and try and make it to where our communities work in harmony instead of always being at odds, in terms of my space versus your space. We are growing together and that cooperation is going to be important. Forging those bridges and making those relationships is going to be key. We've been doing it for a few months now. It was incredibly helpful during the issues with the school district, because that was really uncharted waters for all of us. It was a really difficult issue and it was nice to be able to bounce ideas off of each other and to know which direction everyone's going. Ultimately we went in some different directions, but knowing what page everybody was on was helpful — knowing what issues everybody was talking about, things maybe your city's thought about that my city hasn't, and how could we work together in terms of busing and things like that. It was really helpful to forge those relationships. Right now we have a really strong focus on transportation, making sure that we can be a unified voice in terms of lobbying for funding with the legislature and with Mountainland Association of Governments, and finding solutions that work for every city and not just help mine and screw yours. Good things are coming with that, I think.

For sure. Government moves slowly.

You think it'd be just as simple as go down to the bank of government and write a check to Construction Company A and it's up, let's get started. It's hard to look around and say, you don't plan, because there's planning going all the time. It's just not always on the same page. There's always funding issues, and if we want nice things we have to pay for them. There's no question that the growth has exceeded really beyond expectations. The positive side of that is it's great and everybody wants to live here. The negative side of that is it comes with some issues. We're playing catch-up.

But it sounds like you're doing a good job. Mayor Johnson was saying that UDOT has accepted your guys' projections.

They had lower projections and you guys were saying, hey, these are the ones, and they now agree with you. That means things happen quicker. They're not building way far behind. I think they're always building behind, but not as far behind. And the funding follows the construction, which is something I didn't understand early on. I'm like, people are coming, just build it now. With what? You don't have the revenue to pay for the roads until you have the residents. So it's a chicken and egg scenario. It's a tricky tightrope, a balancing act. In cities with predictable, reasonable growth, I'm sure it's a lot more manageable. When you have explosive growth like this, you're going to have issues. But we sit in the same traffic as everybody else. I always giggle a little even to myself because I'm like, all these cars are in my way and I'm not getting where I need to go. Then I think, and I'm the one for the guy behind me that's in the way. When people say, my traffic's gotten so bad — if you're sitting in it, then you are it. It's the same thing when people say, oh man, there goes the farms, there goes the horses, the pastures. But you built your house too. When do you stop it? But then do you stop having kids? Because it's your kids that are actually the ones moving there. My kids would love to settle in their hometown. They're probably going to have to start out in other places and then move home, which is totally reasonable. It is true that it's that balance between property rights and —

It's so funny we'd be talking about this because we moved here to downtown Lehi partly because it is a place in Lehi that feels like old Lehi. There's a lot of things here that just haven't changed. My husband, two weeks ago, the house next door to the one where we live went up for sale and it's from 1899. Old brick house on the corner, been here for ages. We've got the historical society doing some digging on whose it was and the history of it. If you want to control what happens on a piece of property, the very best way is to own it yourself. It's hard to tell your neighbors you can't do that when it's their property, so you walk the line between preserving property rights and also making sure that others have the right to enjoy their property as well. That's becoming a trickier balance as Lehi grows, because a lot of those infill spaces are growing together. Uses are coming up against each other. We're discovering things in the zoning, adjusting things like that. I told my husband, what if we don't buy it? We learned out-of-state investors wanted to buy it and we were afraid it was just going to be bulldozed and duplexes put in. We thought, it's time to put our money where our mouth is in terms of preserving old Lehi. If we want it, then we have to. That's fair. Weekends for the rest of my life repointing brick and refinishing floors. 1899 — there's some needed work on that place. There are some mystery jars in the crawl space. We don't know what's in them. They're old. We're hoping it's not explosive nitroglycerin or something. We're going to have to face that at some point.

Let me know the radius that I need to be away from.

Your building's close enough to that house, you'll know. I'll hear it.

Good to know.

So from a city perspective, anything cool coming our way?

So many cool things. I keep telling the different city departments because they're humble and modest to a fault. There's a city employee newsletter that goes out that talks about everything everybody's doing. I'm like, don't we publish this? Because people need to know how hard you guys are working. We've got the new Civic Center. It's going to have the new library. You can see it from here, actually. Super excited. One of the things that brought my family here to Lehi is it had things we were looking for. It had the Legacy Center, and not a whole lot of towns of this size did. It had a library, and there were a lot of towns in North Utah County that didn't have their own library. That library had parts of the old junior high cafeteria, the roof was leaking. We had originally thought we'd be able to build the new Civic Center around it and incorporate it, and it just turned out to be cost prohibitive and not worth pursuing. That should be done looking at late next year, which is really exciting. I can see it out my living room window. It'll have a library, it'll have the council offices, and then just community space.

How can people use the community space?

I don't know if you've been in the Broadbent Room in the new Public Service building, the police station. When that was built, it was a case of an old building being torn down. I was mad. I was like, oh no, we can't. They said, Paige, come on a tour with us. I did, and by the end of the tour I'm like, I can't believe nobody's died here yet. It had some issues. In terms of being able to fix it, anything's possible with enough time and money, but it was on adobe, stick mud — there just really wasn't a way to make it safe. The Broadbent descendants actually said, what do you think? They tore that down to make the new police station. Perfect location, they needed it badly. Their old station didn't have appropriate evidence storage and things like that. They built this new police station, but one of the things they built in it was a community room. They call it the Broadbent Community Room. On the walls they used brick they saved from the old Broadbent building, and they have a little stained glass window in there, some things that honor Joseph Adams, the officer that passed away for whom the building is named, and some mementos from that time. That community room is booked really heavily. People use it like crazy. Anybody can come in and rent it. We've had wedding receptions there and barbecues. My parents had their 50th wedding anniversary dinner in the Broadbent Room. Chairs, tables, little kitchen, audio visual equipment, things like that. We found that there's a need for those kind of community spaces where people can gather. Some of those rooms in the new Civic Center are going to be like that, and they're being constructed in a way that can be closed off to be bigger or smaller. People could run classes there, they could do receptions, they could really use them as community rooms. It does two things: it gives spaces for people to gather for pretty much any purpose, but also it gives us room to grow for the future. We are planning for this to be a building that will be iconic for hundreds of years to come. This is not a throwaway modern architecture steel and glass cookie cutter kind of a building. It is very different, and because of that it can be polarizing. But we put a lot of thought into how we wanted it to look, how we wanted the architecture to be classic, hearken back to Lehi roots, but also be a building that's super functional and will last the community needs for many years to come. The current city hall is largely unchanged from when I moved here 22 years ago. If you think about the change in population, the staff is stacked like cordwood in the building. It's not excessive staff — they get amazing things done considering how few there are. But there's just no place to put them. We're bigger before, so we need more people doing, and we're still going to use the existing City Hall. Planning services are going to be in there, a couple other departments, but we need the space. We want to be prudent with the expenditure and make it something that'll last for generations. The police station will be sufficient until we're at full buildout, which will probably come in the next 50 years.

Can people go on the website to book the community room?

The Broadbent room is like 50 bucks. It's very reasonable. I think you book it the same way you do with the pavilions at the parks. It's just a great, beautiful space.

Again, nice to have that space to be able to house all the different things that are going on here. The renderings look beautiful.

Right now it looks like a bunch of steel wrapped in plastic and wrap, but I see the vision. I see it going up here all the time.

We just opened Family Park, which is amazing. We had really three regional parks projects on the map as far as what we wanted to do. One of them was the Miller Roads sports park down off of Pioneer and 1700. One was the Dry Creek Reservoir project, which is a cooperative with the county and feds, and it was not primarily recreational — it was to serve flood control. And then Family Park. What was happening is we were doing a smidge here and a smidge there, and it was like nothing was ever done and usable. It was this 20-year whatever. As a council we made a really difficult decision, but we decided to focus on one and getting it done, and then move our focus to another one. The Park Tax really helped. That was a huge amount of what helped us get Family Park to completion. It's just an amazing facility. Anybody who's been up there — there are people who have concerns about when it has to be closed and how it has to be washed, and we've already had some vandalism. But there is such a positive vibe up there. I have a special needs son myself, and for a long time Lehi didn't have anything like that. When he was quite young, I visited my sister in Connecticut and she took me to an all-abilities park. I was blown away. I'm like, oh my gosh, he can use the swings, he can safely go — his walker can go up the ramps to the play structure so he can go to the slide on his own. I didn't even realize stuff like that was out there. I came home and I sat down with our Parks Director Steve Marchbanks, and he started small with what he had. We got handicap accessible swings at Wines. Those are great fun. I see more typically abled people using them than special needs people because they're fun. But it was a longtime dream of his, a longtime dream of mine, and a lot of people's, to make a park that would be fun and great for everyone but also accessible to people for whom there really wasn't anything else. I think it's just a gem. It's a jewel. It's going to be a wonderful amenity for Lehi residents for many years to come. It's a generational park, a regional draw. Now we'll move on to the next thing.

I remember when that first Park Tax had come out and ended up not passing, but I'm glad that we're doing parks. I like it when the money's spent here.

One of the things I discovered on PTA is that quite often we would have a fundraiser and then say, okay, what are we going to spend it on? That always frustrated me for two reasons. First, I think a lot of people are much more willing to open their wallets if they know where it's going. If you can say, hey, we need this play structure on the playground or we need six new tether balls, people are more likely to contribute to that. The other reason was, if we don't have pressing needs, if we don't already know what we need it for, why are we doing it? Why go to the effort if you don't have a project in mind? That's what I really love about the park tax. There's a huge vetting process. People come in with their projects and there's some very specific criteria — arts, culture, parks, all of those things. There's accountability. We had reports just two weeks ago where they came in and said, hey, this is what we spent the money on, this is how many people have benefited, pictures, slideshow, things like that. You can have that direct knowledge of exactly where it went and the huge accountability that comes with that. The other thing I like about the park tax is it sunsets. If the citizens don't want to renew it after 10 years, they don't. It's not a thing where you have to vote it down — it automatically expires unless it's approved on the ballot and renewed. It's how we got Family Park across the finish line, having those funds. It does a lot of things that maybe people don't see. Someone was joking because they got new bathrooms over at the Literacy Center because they only had one stall. They're showing pictures of bathrooms and everybody's like, okay, good job. Maybe it's not exciting, but it's super exciting to them. When you've got a whole bunch of kids in there and you don't have one stall, that's a big deal.

Probably part of the reason the school district thing passed a little bit too — we want the money here.

It's hard to have our money go out to Saratoga Springs, Eagle Mountain, or wherever. Hey, Lehi Jr., that's where my kids go. Let's upgrade that building. I was in support of that, I was glad that it passed. Now we've got our work cut out for us. There's work to do to make it work, and it's going to be challenging for a couple years. But we like work — we change a lot of things, we make things better with work. We shouldn't be afraid of work.

When I was younger, I had a little couple years of cancer experience. One of the most frustrating things to me was just resting and staring at the ceiling. Honestly, it sounds funny now, but it was huge that my husband set up a little bird feeder outside the window. I would lay there and watch the birds all day, just waiting to feel better. My mother said to me one day, you never were one for sitting around. I thought, that's so true. I just can't stand it, I've got to be doing something.

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Lara Bangerter on Lehi History & Heritage Day | Roots & Branches

Lara Bangerter of the Lehi Historical Society shares stories of pioneer sacrifice, Heritage Day, historical markers, and why every life should be documented.

Lara Bangerter on Lehi History, Heritage Day & Preserving the Past

From Journalism to Lehi's Archives

The George Goates Sugar Beet Miracle

William Hadfield's Christmas Eve Delivery

The Book Brigade

The Handcart Rocking Chair

Documenting Modern Lehi

Fort-City Layout Still Visible

Neighborhood Stores for Every Ward

Sugar Beet Farming Built the Economy

The 1918 Flu Epidemic

The 1983 Flood

Parades Since the Fort Days

Volunteerism Built the Archives

Digital Archives Since 2020

Pioneer Families of Lehi

Lehi Rodeo & Community Traditions

Preserving Historic Homes & Buildings

Local Museums & Archives

Growth & Modernization

Family History & Genealogy

Historical Society Interior

Historical Markers

Old Main Street Photos

Handcart Rocking Chair

Heritage Day Events

Marker Unveilings

Share This Story

Quick Links

Contact

A journalist-turned-archivist shares how the Lehi Historical Society collects, preserves, and shares the stories that make Lehi, Utah feel like home — from pioneer handcarts to modern Heritage Day.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Lara Bangerter , manager of the Lehi Historical Society, to explore the archives, stories, and traditions that have shaped Lehi, Utah from its pioneer founding to its modern growth. With a background in journalism and a passion for meaningful work, Lara has spent more than seven years preserving and sharing the community's rich history — from pioneer-era families and local businesses to modern-day traditions that continue to define Lehi's identity.

Lara shares how the Lehi Historical Society works behind the scenes to collect, archive, and organize thousands of historical records, photos, and personal stories. From helping residents restore historic homes to assisting families in discovering their roots, the organization plays a vital role in keeping Lehi's past alive and accessible. Through projects like historical markers, Lehi Heritage Day, and a growing online archive at <a href="https:

This conversation highlights why understanding local history matters — especially in a rapidly growing city like Lehi. Through powerful stories of the George Goates sugar beet miracle , the William Hadfield Christmas delivery , and families who once formed a "book brigade" to move the library by hand, Lara reminds us that Lehi's strength has always come from ordinary people doing small, meaningful things over time. Her work ensures those stories are not forgotten, and that future generations can continue building on the same foundation of community, service, and connection.

Watch the full conversation above, or scroll down to explore highlights, stories, and the complete transcript.

Lara wanted to do something meaningful when returning to work. A part-time job posting from her ward led her to the Lehi Historical Society, where her journalism background became the perfect tool for writing captions, organizing collections, and making history accessible. Just one week after she started, founder John H. passed away — but not before cheering her on and saying, "You can do it."

During the 1918 flu epidemic, George Goates lost four family members in a single week. After building coffins and burying his loved ones, he and his surviving son went to check their sugar beet field, expecting ruin. Instead, they found every last beet already harvested by neighbors who had quietly worked together to save his crop. As one account records, it was the first time George cried that week — not from grief, but from gratitude.

William Hadfield delivered mail across Lehi for two decades in a figure-eight wagon route. One Christmas Eve, after dark, he felt compelled to deliver a package to a struggling family. That package, sent by their estranged son, became a Christmas miracle — giving the children gifts and reuniting worried parents with news of where their son had gone.

When Lehi moved its library from the old Carnegie building to a new location, residents didn't hire movers. They formed a human chain — a "book brigade" — and passed the books hand-to-hand down the street. It remains a powerful symbol of Lehi's hands-on community spirit and willingness to show up for one another.

A recent donor gave the Historical Society a rocking chair built from the actual wood of a pioneer handcart — a tangible bridge between the earliest settlers and present-day Lehi. Artifacts like this, alongside Fourth Ward Store cash registers and other neighborhood relics, help residents touch the past.

The Historical Society isn't only looking backward. Through liaisons like Michelle Stallings, they are actively documenting modern events like the school district split, current businesses, and community changes. History, Lara reminds us, is happening right now — and it deserves to be preserved for those who come next.

Lehi was originally laid out as a fort city, and much of its layout still follows that original design — one of the only cities in Utah where the pioneer fort walls still echo in the modern street grid.

Early Lehi neighborhoods each had their own store. The Fourth Ward Store was literally called "Fourth Ward Store," and the Historical Society still has its cash registers and artifacts.

Agriculture, particularly sugar beet farming, played a major role in Lehi's early economy — a legacy still remembered through stories like the George Goates marker.

The influenza pandemic hit Lehi families hard. The Goates story reveals how neighbor-to-neighbor mutual aid helped the community survive unimaginable loss.

Major runoff in 1983 required the entire community to come together to fight floodwaters. A new historical marker will soon commemorate that cooperative effort.

Lehi has held parades since the earliest settlement days inside the fort. Heritage Day continues that tradition by honoring both historical and modern community builders.

From the book brigade to modern service missionaries, volunteer labor has always been the engine that preserves Lehi's history. Today, five service missionaries help scan, upload, and catalog materials.

Before 2020, there was no real digital search system. In just a few years, the Society has cataloged thousands of items — with 5,000 new additions in the last year alone — making lehihistory.org a growing window into the past.

"We collect, preserve, organize, protect, and share anything and everything Lehi."

"We make people happy every day with what we've got."

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could continue to carry on that spirit?"

"If you understand how people have behaved before, it can inspire you to behave similarly."

"Every life should be documented."

"By being normal and just trying to live your best life, in the end it's quite impressive."

"Small things grow into big things."

"There's a lot to be proud of living in Lehi."

"We're a window into Lehi's past."

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore how these topics weave together across interviews:

The Goates, Hadfield, and other early families whose everyday lives built the foundation of modern Lehi.

How serving together at the rodeo hamburger stand became a multi-generational friendship ritual.

From the Fourth Ward Store to the Old State Bank, how physical spaces anchor community memory.

The difference between the Hutchings Museum and the Historical Society Archives — and why both matter.

Balancing rapid development with the need to remember what came before — including documenting today's changes.

How Lehi's uniquely dense records help descendants reconnect with homes, jobs, and daily life across generations.

Explore more stories from the archive:

To enhance this community profile, the following images would add depth and local color to the page:

Archive room, filing systems, and service missionaries at work

Goates Farm, Lehi Roller Mills, Wines Park, and train depot unveilings

Early business facades, street views, and neighborhood stores

Close-up detail shots of pioneer-era artifacts and donated heirlooms

Parade floats, quilt displays, cowboy exhibits, and honoree celebrations

Community gatherings at train depot, Broadbent store, and Cutler Mansion

Preserving Lehi's stories and helping the community connect with its roots through the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast archive.

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This conversation highlights why understanding local history matters — especially in a rapidly growing city like Lehi. Through powerful stories of the George Goates sugar beet miracle , the William Hadfield Christmas delivery , and families who once formed a "book brigade" to move the library by hand, Lara reminds us that Lehi's strength has always come from ordinary people doing small, meaningful things over time. Her work ensures those stories are not forgotten, and that future generations can continue building on the same foundation of community, service, and connection. Watch the Interview Watch the full conversation above, or scroll down to explore highlights, stories, and the complete transcript. Episode Overview Guest Lara Bangerter Role in Lehi Manager, Lehi Historical Society & Archives Time Periods Discussed 1850s–1900s, 1918 flu epidemic, 1983 flood, 2000s–2020s Main Topics Historical archives, Heritage Day, historical markers, pioneer stories, volunteerism, community traditions Episode Highlights Lara explains the mission and daily work of the Lehi Historical Society, founded in 2016 by John H. The powerful story of George Goates during the 1918 flu epidemic, when neighbors harvested his sugar beets after he lost four family members in one week. The William Hadfield Christmas Eve postal delivery miracle, reuniting a struggling family with their distant son. How the Lehi Historical Society is installing 36 large historical markers across the city with QR codes for deeper stories. The role of Lehi Heritage Day in honoring past and present contributors, with a different theme every year. The growing Online Library at lehihistory.org, making thousands of photos and documents searchable. Insights into Lehi's original fort-city layout , still visible in today's street grid. Opportunities for community members and youth to get involved through photography, archiving, and service projects. Key Stories From Journalism to Lehi's Archives Lara wanted to do something meaningful when returning to work. A part-time job posting from her ward led her to the Lehi Historical Society, where her journalism background became the perfect tool for writing captions, organizing collections, and making history accessible. Just one week after she started, founder John H. passed away — but not before cheering her on and saying, "You can do it." The George Goates Sugar Beet Miracle During the 1918 flu epidemic, George Goates lost four family members in a single week. After building coffins and burying his loved ones, he and his surviving son went to check their sugar beet field, expecting ruin. Instead, they found every last beet already harvested by neighbors who had quietly worked together to save his crop. As one account records, it was the first time George cried that week — not from grief, but from gratitude. William Hadfield's Christmas Eve Delivery William Hadfield delivered mail across Lehi for two decades in a figure-eight wagon route. One Christmas Eve, after dark, he felt compelled to deliver a package to a struggling family. That package, sent by their estranged son, became a Christmas miracle — giving the children gifts and reuniting worried parents with news of where their son had gone. The Book Brigade When Lehi moved its library from the old Carnegie building to a new location, residents didn't hire movers. They formed a human chain — a "book brigade" — and passed the books hand-to-hand down the street. It remains a powerful symbol of Lehi's hands-on community spirit and willingness to show up for one another. The Handcart Rocking Chair A recent donor gave the Historical Society a rocking chair built from the actual wood of a pioneer handcart — a tangible bridge between the earliest settlers and present-day Lehi. Artifacts like this, alongside Fourth Ward Store cash registers and other neighborhood relics, help residents touch the past. Documenting Modern Lehi The Historical Society isn't only looking backward. Through liaisons like Michelle Stallings, they are actively documenting modern events like the school district split, current businesses, and community changes. History, Lara reminds us, is happening right now — and it deserves to be preserved for those who come next. Historical Insights About Lehi 01 Fort-City Layout Still Visible Lehi was originally laid out as a fort city, and much of its layout still follows that original design — one of the only cities in Utah where the pioneer fort walls still echo in the modern street grid. 02 Neighborhood Stores for Every Ward Early Lehi neighborhoods each had their own store. The Fourth Ward Store was literally called "Fourth Ward Store," and the Historical Society still has its cash registers and artifacts. 03 Sugar Beet Farming Built the Economy Agriculture, particularly sugar beet farming, played a major role in Lehi's early economy — a legacy still remembered through stories like the George Goates marker. 04 The 1918 Flu Epidemic The influenza pandemic hit Lehi families hard. The Goates story reveals how neighbor-to-neighbor mutual aid helped the community survive unimaginable loss. 05 The 1983 Flood Major runoff in 1983 required the entire community to come together to fight floodwaters. A new historical marker will soon commemorate that cooperative effort. 06 Parades Since the Fort Days Lehi has held parades since the earliest settlement days inside the fort. Heritage Day continues that tradition by honoring both historical and modern community builders. 07 Volunteerism Built the Archives From the book brigade to modern service missionaries, volunteer labor has always been the engine that preserves Lehi's history. Today, five service missionaries help scan, upload, and catalog materials. 08 Digital Archives Since 2020 Before 2020, there was no real digital search system. In just a few years, the Society has cataloged thousands of items — with 5,000 new additions in the last year alone — making lehihistory.org a growing window into the past. Community & Legacy Themes Memorable Quotes "We collect, preserve, organize, protect, and share anything and everything Lehi." — Lara Bangerter on the mission of the Historical Society "We make people happy every day with what we've got." — Lara on helping residents find family photos and records "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could continue to carry on that spirit?" — Lara reflecting on the George Goates sugar beet story "If you understand how people have behaved before, it can inspire you to behave similarly." — Lara on why local history matters for daily life "Every life should be documented." — Lara on the value of ordinary lives and community memory "By being normal and just trying to live your best life, in the end it's quite impressive." — Lara on the legacy of everyday service "Small things grow into big things." — Lara on how simple acts of service compound into lasting traditions "There's a lot to be proud of living in Lehi." — Lara's lasting message about Lehi's roots and future "We're a window into Lehi's past." — Lara on the Society's rebranding and purpose Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore how these topics weave together across interviews: Pioneer Families of Lehi The Goates, Hadfield, and other early families whose everyday lives built the foundation of modern Lehi. Lehi Rodeo & Community Traditions How serving together at the rodeo hamburger stand became a multi-generational friendship ritual. Preserving Historic Homes & Buildings From the Fourth Ward Store to the Old State Bank, how physical spaces anchor community memory. Local Museums & Archives The difference between the Hutchings Museum and the Historical Society Archives — and why both matter. Growth & Modernization Balancing rapid development with the need to remember what came before — including documenting today's changes. Family History & Genealogy How Lehi's uniquely dense records help descendants reconnect with homes, jobs, and daily life across generations. Explore more stories from the archive: RB-001: Mayor Mark Johnson RB-002: Paige Albrecht Photo & Visual Archive Suggestions To enhance this community profile, the following images would add depth and local color to the page: Historical Society Interior Archive room, filing systems, and service missionaries at work Historical Markers Goates Farm, Lehi Roller Mills, Wines Park, and train depot unveilings Old Main Street Photos Early business facades, street views, and neighborhood stores Handcart Rocking Chair Close-up detail shots of pioneer-era artifacts and donated heirlooms Heritage Day Events Parade floats, quilt displays, cowboy exhibits, and honoree celebrations Marker Unveilings Community gatherings at train depot, Broadbent store, and Cutler Mansion Full Transcript On This Page Share This Story Preserving Lehi's stories and helping the community connect with its roots through the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast archive. {branding.socialLinks.website && (
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Doug Webb Lehi High School Principal Education Leadership

Doug Webb on Lehi High School, Education & Leadership

A Lifetime of Service to Lehi Students

Watch the Full Conversation

Episode Overview

Guest

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Primary Topics

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Everything But a Backpack Day

The 5 a.m. Paper Route Full Circle

Becoming the Boss of Your Own Teachers

The Hardest Conversation

When Students Become the Teachers

Four Years of Rebuilding Lehi High

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

One High School, One Giant Area

The Growth Cascade

Agriculture at the Core

Corner Stores of Memory

Technology's Double Edge

College Credit Explosion

Construction as Community Patience

The 2027 Reconfiguration

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo & Visual Suggestions

Full Transcript

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A lifelong educator and former Lehi High School principal reflects on four decades in Lehi schools — from agriculture teacher to leading the school through a four-year rebuild.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , Ryan Harding sits down with Doug Webb — a lifelong Lehi resident, former agriculture teacher, and former principal of Lehi High School. Doug's story is woven into the fabric of Lehi, Utah's educational history, stretching from the days when Lehi had a single high school serving Traverse Mountain to Fairfield, through explosive growth that spawned Skyridge and Westlake, to the four-year rebuild of Lehi High School that transformed the campus.

Doug never planned on becoming an educator. He wanted to be a farmer. He worked Stan Lewis's farm, grew up around agriculture, and dreamed of working the land. But life, mentors, and necessity guided him toward teaching — first agriculture and shop, then science, then administration. What followed was a career defined by full-circle moments: teaching the children of his former students, supervising teachers who once taught him, and eventually leading the very school where he once sat as a student.

Through heartfelt stories and honest reflection, Doug explores the hardest parts of school leadership — telling a student they didn't make the team, watching a teenager recover from a mistake, and navigating the emotional complexity of district reconfiguration. His belief that "all the kids are awesome and equal — they just are" runs through every story. This interview is essential listening for anyone who wants to understand how schools serve as the heartbeat of a growing community like Lehi, and how one educator's steady presence can shape generations.

Join Ryan Harding and Doug Webb for a warm, wide-ranging conversation about Lehi schools, community growth, and what it means to lead where you grew up.

Doug Webb

Former Lehi High Principal; Educator & Community Leader

1980s – 2020s (with references to earlier family history)

Education, school leadership, community growth, agriculture roots, technology, district changes

When students asked to carry their books in anything except a backpack, Doug approved it without a second thought. The next morning, Lehi High was filled with microwaves, crockpots, garbage cans, dogs, and younger siblings pressed into service as book carriers. The administration gathered and admitted defeat. "They won," Doug laughed. "We were not prepared for that." At graduation, he gave the students their due: chalk one up for creativity.

At age 10, Doug delivered newspapers in Lehi. When a customer complained to his father about late delivery, Doug rang their doorbell at 5:00 a.m. the following week to prove he was on time. Decades later, he stood in front of a classroom teaching that same family's grandchildren — a perfect illustration of how small-town roots grow deep over generations.

When Doug returned to Lehi as assistant principal and then principal, several of his former teachers were still in the building. "Now I become their supervisor," he recalled, laughing at the absurdity and beauty of it. The full-circle nature of Lehi life means that no one ever truly leaves — they simply change seats at the same table.

Doug identifies the most difficult part of leadership as the moments when a student doesn't make the cut — whether it's a starting spot on the team, an AP class, or a desired program. "All the kids are awesome and equal — they just are," he said. Watching great kids miss opportunities they longed for never got easier. His son once asked him at a basketball game, "Dad, does anybody like you?" It led to a lesson about limited spots, unlimited worth, and the importance of recovery.

Doug readily admits that his students often knew more than he did — especially when technology entered the classroom. From projectors to social media, he relied on students to teach him. "I needed them to teach me," he said. "There were things where I was like, 'I don't know how to do that, but I know I've got a student that does.'" It's a humility that defined his leadership.

The reconstruction of Lehi High School lasted four years, turning the campus into a construction zone of dust, mud, and noise. Neighbors across the street endured it all with grace. Through design-build collaboration, teachers helped shape what the new school would become — deciding what to keep, what to let go of, and how to make the most of limited space. The result is a compact, modern facility built on the same tight footprint where generations of Lehi students have learned.

Lehi once had a single high school serving a massive geographic area, including Highland, Traverse Mountain, and Fairfield. Today's multi-school landscape is a direct result of explosive growth.

Rapid population growth led to the creation of Westlake and Skyridge, redefining boundaries and community identity multiple times in just a few decades.

Agriculture, including farming and agronomy, played a central role in many Lehi families' livelihoods. Doug's path from farm work to ag teacher reflects the town's agrarian roots.

Local businesses like Viddles (early Arctic Circle), IGA, and Kers formed the commercial backbone of earlier Lehi life — places where students worked and families gathered.

From overhead projectors to social media, technology has dramatically changed student experiences. The accessibility of information has made adolescence both more connected and more complicated.

Modern Lehi students can graduate with an associate's degree through concurrent enrollment, AP classes, and CTE certifications — opportunities barely imagined a generation ago.

The four-year Lehi High rebuild required extraordinary patience from neighbors, teachers, and students. It stands as a testament to how Lehi grows through discomfort into improvement.

The upcoming split of the Alpine School District into three new districts starting in 2027 represents the largest structural change in decades — with Lehi at the center of it.

"I wouldn't consider myself a pillar, but I sure love the community."

"The grass isn't greener — it's just a different flavor."

"All the kids are awesome and equal — they just are."

"We've got to help kids realize they can recover when they make mistakes."

"The hardest part of leadership is slowing down enough to take care of people."

"The best thing I've learned about leadership is from all the mistakes I've made."

"The art of being wise is the art of what to overlook."

"If we take care of each other, we're going to be okay."

"Get involved — it's a great place."

How one high school became many — and what's next with the 2027 split.

From sugar beets and dairy farms to the agronomy programs that shaped early education.

The principals, teachers, and coaches who built Lehi's reputation for excellence.

PTAs, boosters, and volunteer networks that keep Lehi schools connected to the city.

From chalkboards to smartphones — how learning and social life transformed.

Rodeo, athletics, Jazz Bear shopping days, and the rituals that unite generations.

Complete archival transcript of the interview, organized by chapter for readability. This record preserves the oral history of Doug Webb for future researchers, students, and residents interested in Lehi's educational heritage.

This oral history interview is part of the Roots & Branches of Lehi community archive.

Helping families put down roots in Lehi and across Utah with honest mortgage guidance and community connection.

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Phil Hanks on Ephraim Hanks, Pioneer Heritage & a Life of Service | Roots & Branches

Phil Hanks, great-grandson of handcart rescuer Ephraim Hanks, shares stories of pioneer faith, Great Depression farm life, missionary service in Samoa and Ukraine, and what sustains a community like Lehi, Utah.

Phil Hanks on Ephraim Hanks, Pioneer Heritage & a Life of Service

Living History in Lehi, Utah

Watch the Full Conversation

Episode Overview

Guest

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Primary Topics

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

"I'm Ready Now"

The Great Depression Farm

The Telegram Surprise

Healing from Cancer

Ukrainian Saints Transformed

Coming Home to Lehi

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Pioneer Roots Still Live Here

Agriculture Defined Early Lehi

The Great Depression Tested Local Families

Church Education Shaped Regional Leadership

Lehi's Growth Mirrors Regional Change

Global Service Flows From Small-Town Roots

Family Reunions Preserve Heritage

Work Ethic as Inherited Identity

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo & Visual Suggestions

Full Transcript

Work Hard Mortgage

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The great-grandson of handcart rescuer Ephraim Hanks reflects on publishing his ancestor's true history, surviving the Great Depression, leading missions across the world, and what keeps a community like Lehi together.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , Ryan Harding sits down with Phil Hanks — a 92-year-old great-grandson of legendary Mormon pioneer rescuer Ephraim Hanks , and a man whose own life spans nearly a century of faith, service, and global leadership. Born after his father's death during the Great Depression, raised on a struggling sheep and dairy farm, and called to lead a mission in Samoa at age 28, Phil embodies the connection between Lehi's pioneer past and its present-day community spirit.

Phil's story is not simply one of famous ancestry. After discovering that existing histories of Ephraim Hanks were incomplete or romanticized, he spent a decade in the Church History Library compiling primary sources into the biography I'm Ready Now — restoring Ephraim's gift of healing, his Pony Express service, and the full context of the Martin Handcart rescue to historical record. But Phil's own legacy is equally remarkable: 11 children (10 raised to adulthood), mission president and temple president service on two continents, leadership in Church Education, and a late-life homecoming to Lehi where he now lives near his children and continues to serve.

Through stories of miraculous healing, Ukrainian temple transformations, and the work ethic that carried his family through the Depression, this interview reveals how one family line — from Ephraim to Phil to the next generation — continues to shape the values of hard work, faith, and service that define communities like Lehi, Utah. This is essential listening for anyone interested in pioneer heritage, missionary history, or how small-town values sustain a life of global impact.

Join Ryan Harding and Phil Hanks for a moving conversation spanning 200 years of pioneer legacy, Depression-era farming, miraculous healing, and what it means to serve across a lifetime.

Phil Hanks

Retired Church Education Leader, Mission & Temple President, Community Member

1850s pioneer era, 1930s Great Depression, mid-20th century, 2000s–2020s

Pioneer heritage, Ephraim Hanks, missionary service, church education, family legacy, Lehi community

After discovering that previous histories of Ephraim Hanks were incomplete or fictionalized, Phil spent 10 years in the Church History Library compiling primary sources. The resulting biography, titled I'm Ready Now , restores the full context of Ephraim's rescue of the Martin Handcart Company — including the famous moment when, while others said they needed days to prepare, Ephraim told Brigham Young, "I'm ready now," and rode into a blizzard that same day. Phil's research also documents Ephraim's healing gifts, including restoring two people to life and healing a boy with gangrenous feet who would otherwise have required amputation.

Born after his father's death from pneumonia during the Great Depression, Phil was the youngest of nine children on a Lehi-area farm with sheep and dairy cows. The family came close to losing everything. Phil's oldest brother, just 20 years old when their father died, took over management of the farm and held the family together. "We managed through the Depression to keep our land and our family together," Phil recalls. That experience shaped an emphasis on work ethic and dependability that he sees passed down through his children and grandchildren today.

While serving as a teacher in Samoa with his wife, Phil received a telegram from his mother saying only "Congratulations." He didn't know why. Then a cousin sent another: "Congratulations President." Still confused, he waited for mail that had been delayed six weeks by a Pan-American plane strike. When it finally arrived, he discovered a letter from the First Presidency calling him, at age 28, to preside over the Samoa Mission. "We should have been afraid," he remembers, "but I wasn't." The call launched three years of leadership over 100 branches, 13 districts, and scores of missionaries — followed later by a return as temple president and matron.

In 1983, while serving as stake president in Parowan and working in Church Education, Phil was diagnosed with stomach cancer. The prognosis was poor. But through a priesthood blessing from his brother — who Phil believes carried a healing gift from their ancestor Ephraim — he was healed and never suffered from cancer again. The experience deepened his faith and confirmed for him that the same spiritual gifts exercised by his great-grandfather remain active in their family line today.

While serving in the Freiburg Germany Temple, Phil and his wife watched busloads of Ukrainian Saints arrive for their first temple experience. Most had joined the church recently in a nation with no temple, and they came afraid, not knowing what to expect. Over four or five days of baptisms, endowments, and sealings, Phil witnessed a transformation: "They came afraid... and they left changed." The experience crystallized his belief that temple service changes lives across cultures and continents — a conviction formed in Samoa, reinforced in Germany, and now shared with his Lehi community.

After decades of global service, Phil and his wife settled in Lehi in 2011 when their son Allan found an extra lot in his subdivision. Their daughter Lisa bought the lot behind them. Now 92, Phil lives surrounded by family, observing Lehi's rapid growth with both appreciation and concern. He hopes Pioneer Crossing and east-west corridors are resolved, values the community's good leaders, and continues to emphasize the integrity and dependability that his Depression-era upbringing instilled — qualities he sees alive in his children and grandchildren.

Phil Hanks proves that Lehi's pioneer heritage is not museum pieces but living memory. As the great-grandson of Ephraim Hanks, he represents a direct line from the 1856 handcart rescue to modern Lehi civic life.

Sheep and dairy farming were foundational ways of life for Lehi families through the mid-20th century. Phil's childhood of hand-milking cows and managing a Grade A dairy reflects an agricultural base that shaped the town's economy and work ethic.

Phil's family nearly lost their farm after his father's death during the Depression. The fact that they kept their land and stayed together — through the leadership of a 20-year-old oldest brother — shows the resilience of Lehi-area family structures under extreme pressure.

The Church Educational System (seminaries and institutes) served as a career pathway and leadership pipeline for many Utah families, including the Hanks. Phil's trajectory from seminary teacher to central office administrator reflects the system's importance in the community.

Phil observes Lehi's explosive growth from his home near Pioneer Crossing, noting transportation and housing as critical challenges. His perspective — shaped by decades away and a recent return — offers unique insight into how rapid development strains infrastructure.

Phil's life demonstrates how a Lehi-area farm boy can influence communities across Samoa, Ukraine, and Germany. His story suggests that the values cultivated in small Utah towns — faith, hard work, family loyalty — scale globally when given opportunity.

The Hanks family's plan to gather at Martin's Cove in 2025 and hold a major reunion for Ephraim's 200th birthday in 2026 illustrates how descendant communities actively maintain pioneer memory across generations.

Phil emphasizes that his children and grandchildren are sought after by employers because "they show up" and "won't be troubled with drugs." This emphasis on dependability reflects a Depression-era value system still passed down through Lehi families.

"I'm ready now."

"We managed through the Depression to keep our land and our family together."

"We should have been afraid, but I wasn't."

"The ability to love people — that's what I learned most."

"They came afraid... and they left changed."

"This is a great time to be alive."

"Stay true to the faith, no matter what."

"Communication is a great thing... even when we disagree."

"They are good workers... and they show up."

The Martin and Willie handcart companies and the legendary rescuers who saved them.

Sheep, dairy, and agriculture that sustained Lehi families through the Depression and beyond.

From Samoa to Ukraine to Germany — how Utah faith traditions spread globally.

Multi-generational families, reunions, and the values that outlast economic hardship.

Transportation corridors, housing, and how a pioneer town navigates modern expansion.

Principles of service, temple work, and community leadership rooted in spiritual conviction.

Complete archival transcript of the interview, organized by chapter for readability. This record preserves the oral history of Phil Hanks for future researchers, students, and residents interested in Lehi's pioneer and community heritage.

This oral history interview is part of the Roots & Branches of Lehi community archive.

Helping families put down roots in Lehi and across Utah with honest mortgage guidance and community connection.

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Charlene Freestone on Parenting, Child Safety & Building Community in Lehi | Roots & Branches

Charlene Freestone, child passenger safety technician at Primary Children's Hospital Lehi, shares how she built community from scratch, opened a Main Street boutique, and now keeps Lehi families safer on the road.

Charlene Freestone on Parenting, Child Safety & Building Community in Lehi

Community Is Not Found - It Is Built

Watch the Full Conversation

Episode Overview

Guest

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Primary Topics

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

"Make Your Own Community"

The Old Lehi Hotel Boutique

The Earthquake Realization

The Job Interview in a Minivan

12 Years to the Day

The Counterfeit Car Seat Warning

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Community Is Built, Not Inherited

Main Street as Small Business Incubator

The Recession Shaped a Generation

Healthcare Infrastructure Is Expanding Locally

COVID-19 Reshaped Local Business

Parenting Support Is a Community Infrastructure

The Post-Recession Baby Boom Strained Regional Capacity

Consumer Safety Follows Population Growth

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo & Visual Suggestions

Full Transcript

Work Hard Mortgage

Quick Links

Contact

From a lonely new mom on Facebook to a child passenger safety technician at Primary Children's Hospital in Lehi, Charlene shares how community is not found - it is built.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , Ryan Harding sits down with Charlene Freestone - a child passenger safety technician at Primary Children's Hospital in Lehi, a former Main Street boutique owner, a mom of three, and someone who learned early in her Lehi residency that community does not simply arrive at your door. When loneliness set in after moving from an apartment complex to a house with a newborn, her mother gave her advice that would reshape her life: You need to make your own community. It is not going to find you.

What followed was a journey through Lehi's modern social fabric: a Facebook moms group that became a nonprofit baby-wearing chapter, a natural parenting boutique on historic Main Street, and eventually a career pivot into healthcare that brought her full circle to the same hospital where a certified technician had once helped transport her own medically complex son home. Charlene's story is a case study in how Lehi's newest residents build the connections that become the town's next layer of history - one playgroup, one car seat check, and one honest conversation at a time.

Along the way, she offers urgent, practical knowledge every Lehi parent needs: how to spot counterfeit car seats sold online, why the most at-risk group in car accidents is not infants but 8-to-12-year-olds, and where to find free safety checks across Utah County. Whether you are a new parent navigating Lehi's growth, a longtime resident curious about the hospital campus on your doorstep, or simply someone who believes small actions create community, this episode is essential listening.

Join Ryan Harding and Charlene Freestone for a warm, practical conversation about building community from scratch, navigating parenthood in a growing city, and why the right car seat is the one you can install correctly every single time.

Charlene Freestone

Child Passenger Safety Technician, Community Builder, Parent Educator

2009 - Present (Recession era to modern Lehi)

Community building, child safety, car seat education, small business, COVID impact, healthcare

Fresh out of BYU in 2009, Charlene moved into a Lehi house with her first baby and felt profoundly alone. When she called her mother to complain, the response was direct: "You need to make your own community. It's not going to find you." That advice sparked a Facebook moms group, a baby-wearing nonprofit chapter, and eventually a natural parenting boutique. What began as one lonely mother's outreach became a lasting community infrastructure for young Lehi families.

Charlene's first formal business was a natural parenting boutique located in the old Lehi Hotel on Main Street, right by the train tracks. She rented from the midwife still operating there and shared the historic building with gem sellers and wedding dress rentals. The shop sold cloth diapers and baby carriers, but its real mission was parent education classes and community space. Though they eventually outgrew the location and moved to Sandy, the experience anchored Charlene in downtown Lehi's small-business ecosystem.

On the day of the March 2020 Utah earthquake, Charlene had a crystal-clear realization: COVID-19 meant parents would never bring small children to stores again. Rather than cling to her Main Street boutique, she folded immediately - selling her share to co-owners and accepting that the business model was no longer viable. The nonprofit dissolved, the boutique closed, and Charlene pivoted to working at her children's school as a teacher's aid. It was a painful but decisive adaptation that ultimately opened the door to her current role in healthcare.

At a 2021 Child Safety Week checkpoint, Charlene encountered a family with six children in a seven-seater minivan - five car seats plus one child on a wooden box. She and another technician spent an hour and twenty minutes physically rearranging seats, installing new ones, and problem-solving. Just as they finished, the pregnant mother asked where the newborn should go. They started completely over. The co-worker, impressed by Charlene's problem-solving, revealed she now managed the Salt Lake Primary Children's Hospital program and had been trying to hire her for years. The Lehi campus was the carrot that finally made it possible.

Charlene's son was born with complex medical needs requiring surgery. In 2011, Primary Children's in Salt Lake was so overcapacity from the post-recession baby boom that surgeons had to operate at Utah Valley Hospital instead. A nurse who helped discharge her son was a child passenger safety technician - a job Charlene didn't know existed. Exactly 12 years later to the day, Charlene walked into Utah Valley Hospital for her first day as an Intermountain employee, looking up at the same building where her son's journey had begun. "I'm back," she thought. "But this time I'm helping people."

Charlene reveals an alarming trend: counterfeit car seats are flooding the market through third-party Amazon and eBay sellers. The most commonly counterfeited model retails for $600 but fakes sell for $300. Parents think they scored a deal, but these seats lack federal safety labeling, proper model numbers, and manufacturing location details. In crash tests, legitimate seats move to absorb force; counterfeits shatter and explode. Charlene's advice: buy only from authorized retailers, check for consistent FMVSS labeling, and if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Charlene's mother's advice - "Make your own community" - reflects a reality for modern Lehi. With so many residents moving from outside Utah County, grassroots groups, Facebook meetups, and parent-led nonprofits have become the new civic foundation.

Charlene's boutique in the old Lehi Hotel shows how downtown's historic spaces continue to nurture niche, education-focused businesses that strengthen community identity beyond retail transactions.

Graduating into the 2009 recession forced Charlene and many young families to stay in Utah County when other opportunities dissolved. This demographic wave contributed to Lehi's population surge and the demand for family services.

The opening of Primary Children's Hospital in Lehi represents a major shift - complex pediatric care and specialized services like child passenger safety are now available locally instead of requiring drives to Salt Lake.

Charlene's decision to close her boutique the day of the Utah earthquake illustrates how abruptly the pandemic eliminated in-person community commerce, forcing entrepreneurs to pivot or disappear.

From baby-wearing libraries to free car seat checks, Lehi's parents have created support networks that function as informal public services - filling gaps left by rapid growth and limited institutional childcare options.

Charlene's son's surgery being moved to Utah Valley Hospital in 2011 because Salt Lake was overcapacity shows how population growth created healthcare pressure years before Lehi's current expansion peak.

The rise of counterfeit car seats targeting price-conscious parents reflects how a growing consumer base attracts both legitimate businesses and predatory sellers - requiring community education to keep families safe.

"You need to make your own community - it's not going to find you."

"We just want them safer than they arrived."

"It's so easy to make a simple mistake when you're doing things quickly."

"The right car seat is the one you can install correctly every time."

"We do dangerous things safely."

"That relief in their eyes... that's the best part of the job."

"This is something you can do right as a parent."

"We're not here to judge - we're here to help."

How Lehi's newcomers create connection through groups, nonprofits, and local businesses.

From baby-wearing groups to car seat checks - the informal services Lehi parents rely on.

Primary Children's Hospital, specialized services, and the shift from Salt Lake dependency.

Small business owners who turn personal passion into community infrastructure.

How Lehi's Main Street shops, boutiques, and services adapted or closed during the pandemic.

Car seat safety, health education, and the professionals working to protect Lehi families.

Complete archival transcript of the interview, organized by chapter for readability. This record preserves the oral history of Charlene Freestone for future researchers, students, and residents interested in Lehi's community-building and family safety heritage.

This oral history interview is part of the Roots & Branches of Lehi community archive.

Helping families put down roots in Lehi and across Utah with honest mortgage guidance and community connection.

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Steven Boyack on Lehi Link, Civic Tech & Community | Roots & Branches

Steven Boyack, founder of Lehi Link, shares how a California transplant turned a frustration with banner ads into a 19,000-member digital town square for Lehi, Utah.

Steven Boyack on Lehi Link, Civic Tech & Building Community in a Digital Age

A Digital Town Square for a Growing City

Watch the Full Conversation

Episode Overview

Guest

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Primary Topics

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

"There's Got to Be a Better Way Than Banners on Fences"

The Traverse Mountain Wildfire

The 9:00 p.m. Search Party

"Unmoderated Groups Tend to Be Dumpster Fires"

From California Wildfire to Utah Earthquake Prep

The Tunnels Under Main Street

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

The Death and Rebirth of Local News

Digital Platforms as Modern Town Squares

Growth Demands New Communication Infrastructure

Municipal Utilities as a Draw

Rodeo Culture Survives Digitally

Earthquake Risk on the Wasatch Front

Tech Transplants Shape Community

Moderation Is Labor

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo & Visual Suggestions

Full Transcript

Work Hard Mortgage

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Contact

The founder of Lehi Link shares how a California transplant turned a frustration with banner ads into a 19,000-member digital town square — and why civil discourse still matters in a growing city.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , Ryan Harding sits down with Steven Mack Boyack , the founder of Lehi Link — a Facebook community group that has become one of the most influential digital platforms in Lehi, Utah. What started as a simple solution to a common frustration (finding out what was happening in town) has grown into a 19,000-member community hub that functions as a modern-day bulletin board, emergency alert system, civic forum, and neighborhood marketplace all in one.

Steven is not a politician, a journalist, or a professional community organizer. He is a retired tech executive — his company, Workfront, was acquired by Adobe — who simply saw a need and built the infrastructure to meet it. Alongside his wife, who helped seed the group with leaders from the city council, PTA, and sports organizations, Steven created a space where Lehi residents can ask for plumber recommendations, trade rodeo tickets, debate school district bonds, and coordinate emergency evacuations during wildfires. The group is fiercely moderated, intentionally local, and grounded in a philosophy that Steven puts simply: "As long as it's civil discourse, it's a good thing."

This interview explores how technology can strengthen small-town connection rather than erode it, how a transplant resident can become a central node of community information, and why preparation — for earthquakes, for growth, for disagreement — is the work that keeps a city like Lehi resilient. Whether you are a daily Lehi Link lurker, a skeptical observer of online community groups, or someone who believes that civic life still matters, Steven's story offers a compelling look at what grassroots digital leadership looks like in a booming Utah city.

Join Ryan Harding and Steven Boyack for a conversation about building Lehi Link from scratch, moderating politics with fairness, preparing for earthquakes, and why a walkable downtown with tunnels underneath might just be Lehi's future.

Steven Mack Boyack

Founder & Moderator of Lehi Link; Community Organizer; CERT Assistant Director

2000s–Present (focus on Lehi's digital transformation and growth)

Lehi Link creation & growth, community moderation, civic engagement, emergency preparedness, downtown development, tech & community

When Steven and his wife moved to Lehi from California, they found themselves frustrated by the lack of centralized community information. The local paper had gone out of business, and the primary method of discovering events was driving past banners on fences. Steven, a casual Facebook user, discovered the platform's new Groups feature and realized no one had created a community group for Lehi. His wife, a natural community organizer, suggested they seed it with leaders from the city council, PTA, and sports organizations. Their stretch goal was 500 members. Today, Lehi Link has nearly 19,000 — making it one of the most successful local digital communities in Utah County.

During a wildfire on Traverse Mountain, Lehi Link became a critical real-time information channel. While official city channels operated on business hours, Steven and the group provided up-to-the-minute updates on evacuations, safe routes, and affected areas. "People were just asking, what do we do, where do we go, who evacuates — and we had a way to provide that information," Steven recalls. The episode demonstrated how a crowdsourced community platform can fill gaps when traditional emergency communication channels are overwhelmed or too slow for rapidly evolving situations.

When a child went missing in the west part of Lehi, Lehi Link mobilized a search effort that brought out hundreds of residents at 9:00 p.m. on a weeknight. "Most people want to help — they just need the information," Steven says. The story underscores a recurring theme of the interview: technology does not replace community spirit; it simply lowers the friction required to act on it. In an era when people often complain about online isolation, Steven's group proves that digital tools can rapidly translate concern into boots-on-the-ground action.

Steven is unapologetic about the moderation required to keep Lehi Link functional. He and his team vet every new member's profile to verify a Lehi connection, review posts for relevance, and enforce a "make your point, but don't keep harping on it" rule for political discussions. When the school district split debate raged, the group created a dedicated "chat" thread to contain the conversation rather than letting it flood everyone's feed. "We like a newspaper," he explains. "They curate what letters to the editor they'll print. In like manner, we have to do some due diligence." The result is a rare online space where civil disagreement is possible — even on charged topics — because boundaries are clear and consistently enforced.

Steven's commitment to emergency preparedness was forged in California, where his community lost over 1,100 homes to wildfires. After moving to Lehi, he identified earthquakes — not wildfires — as the most underprepared-for risk. He joined Lehi's CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) and now serves as assistant director, teaching residents how to be self-sufficient for 72 hours, what to pack for evacuation, and how to help neighbors when first responders are overwhelmed. He built the website lehicert.org and leads training courses twice a year. His message: "One of my good friends — police said you have 30 minutes to evacuate, and your brain goes to mush. He grabbed his barbecue and television. He forgot his mementos, photos, documents. Those all burned to the ground."

Steven's most ambitious vision for Lehi is a fully walkable downtown. He proposed to Mayor Mark Johnson the idea of converting eight to ten blocks of Main Street into a pedestrian-only corridor, with vehicle traffic routed through tunnels underneath. "Where may I put the traffic?" the mayor asked. "Put it right underneath," Steven replied. He points to towns like Burnal, Idaho, where compact, walkable downtowns create genuine community destinations. While the proposal may sound fanciful, Steven's tech background — and his observation that "they build tunnels under oceans now" — suggests he views civic challenges as engineering problems rather than political impossibilities.

Lehi's local newspaper experienced a period of closure, creating an information vacuum that grassroots digital platforms like Lehi Link filled. This mirrors a national trend but has unique local consequences for a rapidly growing city.

Lehi Link functions as the digital equivalent of the grocery-store cork board — a place for business cards, event announcements, lost pets, and political debate. Its success shows how online spaces can replicate pre-digital community functions.

As Lehi expanded from a small town to a booming suburb, traditional word-of-mouth and physical signage became inadequate. Lehi Link's growth from 500 to 19,000 members directly parallels the city's population explosion.

Steven cites Lehi's independent electric infrastructure as one of the "unique things" that attracted him to the city. This reflects how Lehi's long-standing municipal autonomy continues to differentiate it from neighboring communities.

The Lehi Roundup Rodeo remains a central cultural institution, and Lehi Link has become the primary marketplace for ticket exchanges — proving that old traditions find new channels in the digital age.

Experts warn that the region is overdue for a 7.0+ earthquake. Steven's CERT involvement highlights a growing awareness among residents that Lehi's infrastructure and individual preparedness may not be sufficient for a major seismic event.

Steven's background at Workfront (acquired by Adobe) and his early-adopter tech instincts shaped how he built Lehi Link. His story illustrates how Utah's tech industry is not just changing the economy but rewiring how communities communicate.

Steven's description of checking the group "20 times a day" and vetting hundreds of monthly requests reveals that successful online communities require significant invisible labor — a reality often overlooked in discussions about digital civic life.

"There's got to be a better way than banners on fences."

"We hoped for 500 people... now we're approaching 19,000."

"Unmoderated groups tend to just be dumpster fires."

"Make your point — but don't keep harping on it."

"We're kind of the modern version of the bulletin board at the grocery store."

"As long as it's civil discourse, it's a good thing."

"Most people want to help — they just need the information."

"Make Lehi a better place to live, work, and play."

How population explosion and technology have reshaped communication in a once-small town.

The promise and peril of Facebook groups as modern town squares.

Earthquake risk, wildfire lessons, and why neighbors are the real first responders.

How residents influence city decisions through dialogue, volunteering, and digital advocacy.

Why "who do you recommend?" threads are the lifeblood of Lehi's service economy.

Stories of residents who moved to Lehi and became pillars of local connection.

Complete archival transcript of the interview, organized by chapter for readability. This record preserves the oral history of Steven Boyack for future researchers, students, and residents interested in Lehi's digital community evolution.

This oral history interview is part of the Roots & Branches of Lehi community archive.

Helping families put down roots in Lehi and across Utah with honest mortgage guidance and community connection.

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Rebecca Betty Broadbent Store History Lehi

Rebecca & Betty Broadbent on the Broadbent Store, Pioneer Heritage & 135 Years of Lehi History

135 Years on Main Street

Watch the Full Conversation

Episode Overview

Guests

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Primary Topics

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

The Dugout and the Wagon

The $100 Christmas Eve

Counting Back Change — The Initiation

The Nativity Window That Stopped Traffic

The Demolition Watch

Pre-Civil War Tintypes in a Type-Set Box

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Pioneer General Stores Built Lehi

Barter Sustained Families Through the Depression

Family Businesses Were Community Living Rooms

Main Street Was Once the Entire Economy

Big-Box Retail Displaced Local Culture

Historic Buildings Face Impossible Codes

Masonry From 1890 Still Stands

Christmas Traditions Anchored Downtown

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo & Visual Suggestions

Full Transcript

Work Hard Mortgage

Quick Links

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Two generations of the Broadbent family share the story of Lehi's iconic general store — from a pioneer dugout and wagon to a beloved downtown landmark that survived everything except the internet.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , Ryan Harding sits down with Rebecca Broadbent and Betty Broadbent — two generations of the family that operated one of Lehi, Utah's most beloved institutions, the Broadbent Store . For 135 years, from 1882 to 2017, the store stood on the same downtown block, evolving from a pioneer dugout and wagon operation into a full-service general store that sold everything from coveralls and baptism dresses to groceries, hardware, and handcrafted hardwood furniture. It was more than a business; it was a second home, a community living room, and a training ground for generations of Lehi children who learned to count back change before they learned to drive.

The Broadbent story begins with an English convert who crossed the plains with a handcart company, was assigned by Brigham Young to establish a store for the settlements, and started from a mud dugout repairing watches and riveting denim for local miners. Through the Great Depression, two world wars, and countless economic shifts, the store survived because the family understood something that no spreadsheet could capture: the merchandise mattered less than the atmosphere. As Rebecca puts it, "It wasn't the merchandise — it was the atmosphere."

This interview is essential listening for anyone who wants to understand the soul of old Lehi — the Lehi of Main Street general stores, hand-counted ledgers, Christmas nativity windows, and the kind of customer service that included peanuts, chocolate, and a ten-cent tour from Grandma Alice that you couldn't escape even if you were in a hurry. The store may have been demolished to make way for the Lehi Police Station (now home to the preserved Broadbent Room), but its spirit lives on in the work ethic, civic commitment, and community love that Rebecca and Betty carry forward. This is the story of how one family built Lehi's living room — and why, in an age of one-click shopping, we still need places that feel like home.

Join Ryan Harding with Rebecca and Betty Broadbent for a warm, wide-ranging conversation about 135 years of Lehi history, pioneer grit, Christmas Eve miracles, and why counting back change matters.

Rebecca Broadbent, Betty Broadbent

Multi-Generational Family Business Owners; Community Contributors

1850s pioneer era through 2010s (135 years of continuous operation)

Broadbent Store history, pioneer heritage, family business culture, community service, retail evolution, Lehi growth

The Broadbent Store's founder came from England with the Mormon pioneers, crossed the plains in a handcart company, and was assigned by Brigham Young to establish a store in the valley. He began with no house — just a mud dugout where "the mud dripped with rain" and a wagon from which he repaired watches and clocks. His wife Sarah Dixon used a riveting machine to sew denim coveralls for local miners and farmers. From these humble beginnings, the general store emerged not from ambition but from necessity — the community needed resources, and the Broadbents provided them.

In 1938, newlyweds John and Alice Broadbent had made $98 on Christmas Eve — a significant sum during the Depression. Rather than close, they decided to stay open to see if they could reach $100. Just before closing, Clyde Dorton walked in after work looking for a gift for his son. He found an 18-inch blue metal school bus with opening doors and windows, priced at $2. That single purchase pushed the day's total to $100. The story became family legend, symbolizing the optimism and persistence that defined the store through every economic downturn.

No Broadbent child touched the cash register without completing Grandpa John's rigorous training. He would present items, hand over a $20 bill, and demand the trainee count back the change starting from the sale amount — never just handing over bills and coins. "There was never a time you didn't count the change back," Rebecca recalls. The training included check-writing protocol and a cardinal rule: if the phone rings while a customer stands before you, the phone waits. "They are standing there to give you their money. You don't answer the phone."

Every Christmas, the Broadbent Store featured a massive nativity display in its window — a 12-by-8-foot tableau assembled from a pre-Civil War German nativity set augmented over generations with pieces from around the world. It included elephants, camels, shepherds, and a printed Matthew passage. "Grandma and Grandpa were very devout," Rebecca explains. "They were adamant that that was the center focus of the windows." For Lehi residents, walking past the illuminated window on a snowy Christmas Eve felt like stepping back in time.

When the store was torn down in 2017, Rebecca brought her daughter to what she thought would be a routine doctor's appointment. They ended up parking across the street and watching backhoes dismantle the building. "I felt like they were monsters eating the store," she recalls. "You could see the rooms inside... it was really hard to watch because that was like your whole life getting eaten away and turned into a pile of rubble." She sobbed unexpectedly, surprised by the depth of her grief. "It was more emotional than maybe I thought."

During the final cleanout, Rebecca found roughly 20 wooden boxes that once held hand-set type for gold-foil scripture personalization. She opened one and discovered pre-Civil War tintype photographs of her grandmother's family — images that had sat undisturbed for over a century in a forgotten box above the furnace room. "These probably shouldn't be in a box here," she thought. The discovery was one of many treasures uncovered during the cathartic process of dismantling 135 years of accumulated history.

Before dedicated retail districts, general stores like Broadbent's were survival infrastructure — providing not just goods but credit, trade, and community connection for agricultural settlements.

The Broadbents accepted eggs and goods in exchange for merchandise during the Great Depression, illustrating how Lehi's early economy relied on flexibility and mutual aid rather than strict cash transactions.

The Broadbent Store was designed for lingering — browsing, conversation, and relationship-building. It functioned as a social hub where the primary product was belonging, not merchandise.

For most of Lehi's history, downtown Main Street contained everything residents needed — fabric, furniture, groceries, hardware, and spiritual goods — within a few walkable blocks.

Walmart's ability to sell embroidery thread below wholesale cost marked the beginning of the end for Broadbent's niche merchandise. The store survived wars and depressions but could not survive unequal buying power and online price-checking.

The Broadbent building was ultimately demolished because continuous code modifications (handicap accessibility, fire safety) over 135 years eliminated its eligibility for historic preservation status while making renovation economically unviable.

The brick portion of the original store was built by Andrew Field, a master mason and brother-in-law to Joseph Samuel Broadbent. Preserved bricks and masonry from the 1890s construction now form the Broadbent Room in the Lehi Police Station.

The Broadbent nativity window, miniature parade floats, and Sub for Santa partnerships demonstrate how local businesses once drove Lehi's seasonal culture — a role now fragmented across larger institutions and online commerce.

"It wasn't a place of work — it was just part of our life."

"We grew up in the store."

"The store survived everything... it just couldn't survive the internet."

"You always count the change back — every time."

"If someone is standing in front of you, you don't answer the phone."

"It wasn't the merchandise — it was the atmosphere."

"You had to think about what the community needed."

"Hard work could get you out of anything."

"It wasn't just a business. It belonged to the community."

From general stores and florists to the modern retail landscape of downtown Lehi.

Handcart companies, Brigham Young assignments, and the building of community infrastructure from nothing.

How local general stores, big-box competition, and e-commerce reshaped American Main Streets.

The miniature parade, Sub for Santa, nativity displays, and the seasonal rituals that bind a town.

What it takes to keep a business alive for over a century — and why so few survive the fifth generation.

The economic mechanics that make it impossible for independent retailers to compete on price.

Complete archival transcript of the interview, organized by chapter for readability. This record preserves the oral history of Rebecca and Betty Broadbent for future researchers, students, and residents interested in Lehi's commercial and family heritage.

This oral history interview is part of the Roots & Branches of Lehi community archive.

Helping families put down roots in Lehi and across Utah with honest mortgage guidance and community connection.

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Merrilee Boyack on Lehi Community Leadership | Roots & Branches

Merrilee Boyack discusses community leadership, family advocacy, disaster preparedness, and making a difference in Lehi, Utah. Watch the full interview and read the transcript.

Merrilee Boyack on Community Leadership, Family Advocacy, and Making a Difference in Lehi, Utah

Who Is Merrilee Boyack, and Why Does Her Story Matter?

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Running for Office After Wildfire Failure

From Crocheted Blankets to Decades of Advocacy

A Life Saved by a Bookstore Encounter

The Cold Call That Launched a Bestseller

Volunteers Going to Extraordinary Lengths

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Suggested Photos & Visuals

Full Transcript

Chapter :

Roots & Branches of Lehi

Sponsored By

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From California city council service during devastating wildfires to leading statewide family advocacy in Utah, Merrilee Boyack's journey shows how one person's willingness to "just start" can ripple outward and strengthen an entire community.

helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

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In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Merrilee Boyack , a nationally recognized speaker, author, and advocate who has made a meaningful impact both locally and beyond. Though originally from Detroit and later California, Merrilee has called Lehi home for over a decade, bringing with her a lifetime of experience in public service, family advocacy, and community leadership.

Merrilee's story weaves together themes of civic responsibility, faith, and grassroots action. From serving on a California city council during devastating wildfires to leading statewide family-focused initiatives in Utah, her journey reflects the power of individuals to shape their communities. Her work -- ranging from disaster preparedness to supporting mothers and families -- highlights how one person's willingness to "just start" can ripple outward and strengthen an entire community.

This conversation offers a compelling look at Lehi's evolving identity -- a blend of growth, tradition, and engaged citizens -- and invites listeners to consider how they, too, can contribute to the city's future. For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah history , community stories , civic engagement , family advocacy , or the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast , this interview provides both inspiration and practical insight into the values that make Lehi unique.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Merrilee Boyack

Author, speaker, community advocate, pro-family coalition leader

1980s–present (focus on last 10–15 years in Lehi)

Ryan Harding

Merrilee ran for city council in California after witnessing a poor municipal wildfire response that left families without adequate support. During her eight years in office, she implemented sea containers with emergency supplies, trained every city employee as a disaster service worker, and built inter-agency communications. When a second wildfire struck, the city's response had transformed "night and day" — validating her belief that one person with initiative can create systems that save lives.

Merrilee shares how crocheting baby blankets was her simple entry point into more than three decades of pro-life advocacy work. Mistaking a Pregnancy Resource Center for an abortion clinic, she stormed in ready to confront them — only to discover they were saving babies. With no free time and four young boys, she offered the one thing she could: handmade blankets. That small act grew into a lifetime of service, reminding listeners that community impact often begins with whatever skill you already have.

A woman credits Merrilee's book In Trying Times Just Keep Trying with saving her life during a moment of deep despair. After dropping her children off for a summer visit with their father, the divorced mother had decided to end her life. She wandered into a mall bookstore, saw the book with its image of a woman pushing a boulder, and decided to read it first. The book gave her the hope to endure, illustrating Merrilee's point that "we have no idea how many people we influence."

Merrilee cold-called Deseret Book and boldly left an ultimatum on their general voicemail: "You're going to want me. You have 24 hours." She had never met an author or mentor. Within 24 hours they called back, she pitched four book ideas at once, and they selected The Parenting Breakthrough — which became the #1 bestselling parenting book in Deseret Book history and remains in print more than 20 years later.

Volunteers in her organization have gone to extreme lengths to support vulnerable mothers. Merrilee recounts how one mentor drove five hours through a blizzard to bring a pregnant woman to her parents' home for safety from an abusive boyfriend. These mentors are available 24/7, offering not just emotional support but life grants up to $3,000, a full year of baby supplies, car seats, strollers, and giant community baby showers — all contributing to a 92% "save rate" for babies in their program.

Lehi reflects a blend of "old roots" — family, agriculture, and traditional values — with modern growth and rapid development. As tens of thousands of new residents have arrived in recent decades, the city has had to navigate what it means to preserve a tight-knit culture while expanding infrastructure, services, and opportunity.

One of the clearest insights from Merrilee's experience is that Lehi benefits from highly engaged and responsive local government compared to larger metro areas. She specifically notes the "responsiveness of our elected officials" and the genuine "helpfulness of everybody" as qualities that drew her family to Lehi after 32 years in California. This comparative advantage — neighborliness as infrastructure — is part of what makes Lehi attractive to families relocating from more anonymous urban environments.

Yet rapid population growth also creates tension. Merrilee identifies a need for stronger disaster preparedness infrastructure at both the city and individual levels. Having lived through two major wildfires and earthquakes, she warns that Lehi is "woefully underprepared" for a major seismic event or prolonged power outage. Her California experience trained her to see preparedness as a civic responsibility, not just a personal hobby — a perspective that enriches Lehi's ongoing conversation about resilience.

Community identity in Lehi remains strongly tied to interpersonal connection. Merrilee was moved by how neighbors "wave and say hello" — a simple gesture that signaled a fundamentally different culture than the isolation she experienced in California. As Lehi continues to grow, preserving that ethos of neighborliness becomes itself a form of historical preservation: maintaining the small-town relationships that defined Lehi even as the city becomes one of Utah's largest communities.

“ ”

This episode connects to broader themes explored across the Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Listeners interested in Merrilee's story may also want to explore these related subjects from other interviews:

The Roots & Branches of Lehi archive captures the voices of educators, entrepreneurs, public servants, artists, farmers, and families who have shaped the city. Each episode adds another thread to the story of who Lehi is and who it is becoming.

To enrich this archival page and preserve the visual history of this conversation, the following images would complement the written record:

This transcript has been lightly formatted for readability while preserving the complete conversation. Speaker labels and paragraph breaks have been added; timestamps have been removed.

An oral history archive capturing the stories, people, and traditions that make Lehi, Utah unique. Hosted by Ryan Harding.

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Quinn Allred on Lehi History, Vietnam Service, and the American Legion | Roots & Branches of Lehi

Quinn Allred: Service, Survival, and the Spirit of Lehi

Full Conversation on YouTube

At a Glance

Guest

Role in Lehi

Time Periods

Main Topics

Key Takeaways

Moments That Mattered

The Helicopter He Wasn’t On

Hidden Food and a Facebook Reunion

The Lehi Free Press Across the Pacific

Sweat Equity and a Father’s Help

Stepping Up for the Legion

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Ideas Woven Through Quinn’s Life

Words That Stay With You

Suggested Images for This Profile

Portrait of Quinn Allred

Historic Lehi Main Street

American Legion Events

Vintage Lehi Free Press

Full Transcript

Quick Links

Contact

A lifelong Lehi resident reflects on growing up in a town where everyone knew your name, flying intelligence missions over Vietnam, and leading the American Legion for more than fifteen years.

Recorded 2025

Hosted by Ryan Harding

In this episode of Roots and Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Quinn Allred, a man whose memory stretches across seven decades of Lehi history. Quinn arrived in Lehi as a fourth-grader in 1956, when Main Street was still lined with businesses run by World War I veterans and the town’s graduating classes numbered fewer than one hundred students.

Quinn’s path carried him from the classrooms of Carl Miller to the mountains of Vietnam, where he served in Army intelligence operations and narrowly survived a helicopter crash that claimed the lives of sixteen crew members. He returned home with a deepened sense of purpose, building a career in HVAC, raising a family, and eventually stepping up to lead Lehi’s American Legion Post for fifteen years when no one else would.

This conversation is a testament to the values that have long defined Lehi, Utah: service, resilience, neighborliness, and an unshakable connection to place. Whether you are researching Lehi history, Utah veterans’ stories, or the evolution of small-town life along the Wasatch Front, Quinn’s firsthand account offers rare perspective.

Pull up a chair and listen to Quinn share the moments that shaped his life—from hidden food stores in a Vietnam orphanage to early mornings at the American Legion breakfast table.

Quinn Allred

Vietnam Veteran; former American Legion Post Commander; HVAC Professional

1950s – Present

Lehi history, Vietnam intelligence operations, American Legion leadership, youth scholarships, community change

Quinn was scheduled to fly aboard a UH-1 Huey on a mission over Vietnam. At the last moment, his company commander called him away to brief a field commander. The helicopter went down. All sixteen crew members were lost, never to be found. The experience left him with a lifelong question: “Why me?”

While stationed in Pleiku, Quinn and a few fellow soldiers discovered that Viet Cong fighters were stealing food from local Catholic orphanages. They built hidden storage compartments to protect the supplies. Decades later, one of those children—now a grown woman named Janet—found Quinn on Facebook. She had survived a two-hundred-mile barefoot trek, become a refugee, and was adopted by a family in Michigan. She still remembered the soldier who danced with her when she was two years old.

Betty Fowler of the Lehi Free Press made sure that copies of the hometown newspaper reached Lehi soldiers overseas. For Quinn, those pages were a lifeline. “When I thought of home,” he said, “I thought of Lehi.”

Returning from war, Quinn used a Vietnam veteran readjustment program to build his first home on Fifth West and Sixth North. He, his father, and his brother poured the concrete and raised the walls together.

When the American Legion Post Commander stepped down in 2010 and no one volunteered to replace him, Quinn raised his hand. What began as a one-year commitment stretched into fifteen years of service, youth mentorship, and veteran advocacy.

A Town Governed by Veterans. In the 1950s and 1960s, Lehi’s civic and commercial life was shaped by World War I veterans. Herman Goates, the stake president, had served in the Great War. Tommy Powers, Glen Laney, and George Laney—all names still familiar in Lehi—ran businesses along Main Street and set the tone for a community built on discipline and mutual trust.

The Role of Local Newspapers. The Lehi Free Press was more than a source of news; it was a thread connecting home to war. Betty Fowler’s habit of mailing copies to deployed soldiers underscores how tightly knit Lehi was—and how seriously residents took their responsibility to one another.

Schools and Social Life. Quinn’s graduating class numbered just ninety-seven students. By contrast, Lehi High School today serves thousands. The old tabernacle served as the central gathering place for father-son banquets and community events, a physical anchor for social life that has since given way to larger, more dispersed institutions.

Growth and Its Consequences. Lehi’s population explosion has brought economic opportunity, but Quinn notes what has been lost: the intimacy of a class that felt like family, the grocer who knew your name, and the six policemen who knew every kid in town by sight.

“ ”

This episode connects to a broader archive of Lehi, Utah history and community storytelling. Readers interested in Quinn’s experiences may also want to explore these threads across the Roots & Branches of Lehi collection:

A contemporary photograph for the episode header and social sharing.

1950s–60s streetscape showing the businesses Quinn mentions.

Local gatherings, color guards, or scholarship presentations in Lehi.

Newspaper pages or clippings from the Vietnam era.

The following transcript has been lightly edited for readability. Speaker labels and paragraph breaks have been added for clarity.

Ryan Harding:

Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Welcome Quinn Allred to Lehi Roots and Branches, where we get to know the people of Lehi. You're one of those guys. Well, thanks for coming. I appreciate you coming. Give us a little background of you. Did you grow up here? Where are you from originally?

Quinn Allred:

My parents moved here to Lehi in 1956. I was in the fourth grade when I started. Carl Miller was my fourth grade school teacher. And so I've known Lehi since then. Long time. That's about it. I've been here ever since, other than my time on an LDS mission and four years active duty in the military.

Well, let's talk about that. What led you to join the military?

Basically, when I came home from my mission, it was during the Vietnam War. I got home in 1967. It was at the height of the draft. I wanted to go to school, but none of the colleges in Utah were accepting undergraduates. They were saving their deferments for postgraduates. So, basically, I had nowhere to go. It was hard to find a job. I was just a high school graduate. And so when I got my draft notice, I just went down and joined. I decided that if I was going to go into the military, I was going to do something that I wanted to do rather than let them choose.

And so did you end up going to Vietnam?

Yes. The story behind that is I joined the Army Security Agency, which was a four-year commitment rather than a three-year commitment. One of their selling points was that there is no ASA in Vietnam—which was true. There was no ASA. The Army Security Agency was a branch of the National Security Agency. It was a military branch. We answered only to the NSA and had our own command structure, and you had to have a top secret security clearance to belong to it.

I went through that basically as a draftee. I went into Fort Ord, California for basic infantry training. If my clearance hadn't come through, I would have been in the infantry anyway, because I was being trained as a scout, sniper, and mortar man. My preliminary clearance came through and I was sent from there to Monterey, California to the Defense Language Institute because I scored high on the aptitude test for learning languages. There they assigned me Spanish, which I already knew how to speak because I went to Mexico on my mission. I challenged the course, passed, and was only there a month. They sent me on to Fort Devens, Massachusetts, where the Army Security Agency did 90% of their training.

I was supposed to go in there as a crypto analyst, but they didn't have any classes going. So they moved me over into basic Morse code. You had to learn Morse code and be able to copy on a mill—a typewriter with all uppercase letters and numbers. To pass the class you had to be able to copy fifteen groups per minute, which is five random letters broken up into five-letter groups. Then there were several different options. One of them was high-speed intercept operator, which meant you had to learn to copy up to thirty groups per minute. I never could copy that fast, so I was sent to what they called a special identification techniques operator.

I had to be able to send and receive Morse code up to twenty-five groups per minute, which was easy for me. I went through that twenty-seven-week course, passed in the upper 10% of my class, and was sent on to analyst training to be able to analyze and plot locations of enemy transmitters on a map. Then I got my orders to be deployed to Bad Aibling, Germany. Between that time and deployment, President Johnson decided he needed fifty thousand more troops in Vietnam. They changed my orders while I was on leave and sent me to Vietnam.

I went to Oakland, California, loaded onto a plane, and my next stop was Saigon. My first tour of duty was a year. Then I extended my tour so I could fly. There was a top secret program called Left Bank. The NSA had developed helicopters so we could do the same thing I was doing at base camps, only from an airborne platform. I learned to fly my position in a UH-1 Huey helicopter. We flew low and slow in circles until we located enemy ground units, then sent that information on to field commanders. We were a direct support unit in direct support of the Fifth Special Forces and the Fourth Infantry Division.

I flew in UH-1 Hueys and OV-1 Mohawks—a twin-seat turboprop. We flew up and down the rivers. It had side-search radar, so we would look under the trees, fly up the rivers, and over the Ho Chi Minh Trail into Cambodia and Laos. That was all hush-hush; we weren't there. I did that from February into May. Then I was TDY—temporary duty—so I didn't have to fill a whole tour, only about five or six months. I came back and they sent me to Fort Huachuca, Arizona to teach classes on how to run that position out of an airborne platform. Then I went to Vint Hill Farms Station in Virginia, a top secret installation in Warrenton. It was a worldwide intercept area. None of these places exist anymore.

Going back to your Vietnam experience, any stories that defined that experience?

I always told my children that Vietnam was 90% boredom and 10% sheer terror. The crews that I flew with—sixteen of them are still there. They were lost, never found. Jaguar 21 went down. I was supposed to be on that flight, but I had been called by the company commander to give a briefing to the field commander that morning. They took me off that flight and I stayed behind to do the briefing to the commanding general of the Fourth Infantry Division. At the end of the briefing, we found out the helicopter had gone down. We got in all the helicopters we could, went out looking, and found the wreckage, but there was nobody there. No evidence of anybody dying. We destroyed the helicopter because everything on it was top secret. We spent weeks looking and never found any evidence as to where they went—no ground intelligence to find out if they had been captured or killed. Still to this day we don't know. That was probably the most defining moment. If I'd been on that flight, I'd have been there. You always wonder—why me?

Most of our ground-based operations were done in the back of a three-quarter-ton truck van. It had an array of directional antennas. We could tell which direction the radio signal was coming from. By taking a bearing on a compass, you would triangulate, and at those distances—if you were twenty-five miles away—there was about an 85% chance it was right there. Then they would call in artillery and bomb raids on those areas, because these units we listened to were four or five thousand men. Your chances of doing damage were pretty high.

I spent my off time working in an orphanage. I was in Pleiku, up in the central highlands, where the Montagnards mostly lived. There were a lot of orphans in Catholic orphanages. We found out that at night the Viet Cong would collect their taxes by stealing food from the children. A few of us got together and went into the orphanages and built hiding places for their food. We got along great with the kids; the kids loved Americans. The mother superior at one of them knew I was Mormon and always laughed when she said, "What was a Mormon doing in a Catholic orphanage?" We got along great.

We would take our liquor and cigarette allowance, sell it to other GIs, and take that money to buy food in town and give it to the orphanages. I did that for the whole fifteen months I was there. Later in life, I was on Facebook and got a message on Messenger. It was a picture of me and a little girl—I had her on my foot and we were dancing. She was probably two or three years old. It was the little girl. She remembered my name, looked me up on Facebook, and we still correspond. She's probably in her late fifties now, married to an ex-Marine in Michigan. He's a county sheriff. They have four children together. She's a sweetheart and we send Christmas cards.

She was a boat person. When Saigon fell in 1975, she and her grandmother walked barefoot from Pleiku to Nha Trang—about two hundred miles. The whole time, the Viet Cong and communists were trying to kill them, so they moved only at night. They finally got put on a boat and she ended up in the Philippines. The American government was accepting refugees, and she was sent to Fort Smith, Arkansas. A young couple from Michigan adopted her and changed her name. She was raised with an American name. Her name is Janet now. She has a group on Facebook that honors all of the veterans. To this day, she's very adamant about remembering the veterans that helped.

How did your military service shape your understanding of community?

I left Lehi in 1965–1967. Back in those days, the Lehi Free Press had a lady named Betty Fowler. She was the mother of one of my classmates, Bill Fowler. She was always at every one of our sporting events and school events, and she followed everything. When I went to Vietnam, I got the Lehi Free Press. Sometimes it came once a month, sometimes weekly, but she made sure all the military personnel from Lehi got copies to let them know what was going on back home. I went and told her that when I got home, and it brought tears to her eyes because she knew that we knew. Whenever I thought of home, I thought of Lehi. When I came back, I've been here ever since.

When I grew up, it was all World War I veterans that basically ran Lehi. Herman Goates was the stake president—he was a World War I veteran. All of the merchants up and down Main Street were World War I veterans: Tommy Powers, Glen Laney, George Laney. I knew all of them, and I knew their kids because I went to school with them.

What profession did you go into after returning?

I went to school on the GI Bill at what was then Utah Trade College. I wanted to work in the medical field, so I went into X-ray technician training. I got out of the military a little early—two months—so I could make it into school. Come to find out, the X-ray technician class was not accredited and I couldn't draw GI Bill money for it, so I transferred into heating and air conditioning—HVAC. I went to school for two years and got my associate degree. Now it's called UVU. It used to be down on University Avenue in Provo.

When I first came home, I got into the Vietnam Veteran Readjustment Program. You could build your own home on sweat equity. My dad was a contractor, so him, me, and my brother built my first home over on Fifth West and Sixth North in the Stewart subdivision. I got my GI loan and my GI Bill, and the military basically shaped what I did for the future.

When did you become head of Lehi's American Legion?

I made a living from the time I got out of school working for a place that sold oxygen and nitrogen to Geneva—National Cylinder Gas. It was sold several times, and when Geneva shut down I lost my job. I've been in refrigeration and air conditioning, low-temperature refrigeration, right on up. I've had four or five jobs since I graduated. My last job was working for the Larry H. Miller Group as maintenance superintendent for Jordan Commons in Sandy. I spent eleven years there.

I joined the American Legion in 1973, but I never went to any meetings until probably 2003. I didn't feel comfortable at first; the veterans were all older than me and the meetings were boring. I rode a motorcycle—a Harley-Davidson—and was approached to join the American Legion Riders. That got me back into the American Legion. You had to attend meetings to belong to the club. We went on a lot of fun motorcycle rides.

Harold Finn was the post commander. He stepped down, another gentleman took his place, but he had a stroke and couldn't perform. That was in 2010, and nobody would step up. After about six or seven months, I said, "If you guys are looking for somebody to conduct the meetings, I'll do it." The next week I was post commander. I've had it ever since—fifteen years. I'm going to give it up this month in May. We need somebody younger, with the drive or ambition to keep going. Every time I held elections, they said, "Where the hell you think you're going? You're still in it." I've seen a lot of veterans come and go. We just buried one of our old stalwarts—Wilkie. He had a barber shop here in Lehi when I was a kid.

Carl Moore, all of the old World War II veterans are just about gone. We have one World War II veteran left in our post, Jesse Beach. He served in World War II and Vietnam. He's ninety-six years old now.

What are some things you're proud of from your fifteen years?

Since I've been post commander, we've spent most of our time serving the youth of Lehi through scholarships. The premier program statewide and nationwide is Boys State, for juniors in high school. They go to Weber State and learn how government works—it's basically a civics class. They're given a one-week course on forming a government from city right up to national. Speakers come and talk to them, they run for office, and learn Robert's Rules of Order.

We have them come back, sponsor them, and pay their way when we have the money. Lehi City and the Civic Improvement Association have been major donors. Our last Boys State, we paid each one $500. We sent seven boys. The auxiliary sends the girls to Girls State to do the same thing.

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Mike Southwick: Lehi Rodeo & City Council History | Roots & Branches

Lifelong Lehi resident Mike Southwick shares 50 years of rodeo leadership, 12 years on city council, and stories of community service in this oral history interview with Ryan Harding.

Mike Southwick on a Lifetime of Service, the Lehi Round-Up Rodeo, and Keeping Lehi's History Alive

Who Is Mike Southwick, and Why Does His Story Matter?

Watch the Full Interview

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Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Following a Father's Example of Service

12 Years on the Lehi City Council

Nearly 50 Years with the Lehi Round-Up Rodeo

The Invisible Army of 300+ Volunteers

Concession Proceeds That Fund Parade Floats

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

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A lifelong Lehi resident reflects on 12 years of city council leadership, nearly 50 years preserving the beloved Round-Up Rodeo, and the family legacy of showing up to serve.

helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

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In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with lifelong resident Mike Southwick , a man whose life and service are deeply woven into the fabric of Lehi. Having lived in Lehi his entire life, Mike shares a perspective that stretches from a small town of just a few thousand residents to the thriving, fast-growing community it is today. His story reflects the values that have long defined Lehi — hard work, family, and a deep commitment to community.

From a 35-year career as an electrical contractor to 12 years serving on the Lehi City Council, Mike has consistently answered the call to serve. His passion for preserving local history and strengthening community ties is evident in his continued involvement with Lehi's historical preservation efforts and city programs. But perhaps nowhere is his impact more visible than in the beloved Lehi Round-Up Rodeo — a cornerstone tradition that brings together families, neighbors, and visitors each summer.

This conversation highlights not just the evolution of Lehi, but the importance of keeping traditions alive — whether through rodeo, parades, or simply showing up to serve. Mike's story is a reminder that community doesn't just happen; it's built, maintained, and passed down through generations. For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah history , community stories , local leadership , rodeo traditions , or the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast , this interview offers a vital piece of the city's living archive.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Mike Southwick

Former Lehi City Council Member; Rodeo Committee President; Electrical Contractor

1960s–present

Ryan Harding

Mike traces his ethic of service directly to his father, a volunteer firefighter and rodeo committee leader who eventually served as rodeo president. As a boy, Mike would ride along with his dad to hang banners down Main Street. That early exposure to volunteerism shaped a lifetime of answering the call to serve — from the city council to the rodeo grounds — proving that family legacy is often the seedbed of community leadership.

During three terms on the council, Mike was assigned oversight of the city museum, historical archives, and the preservation committee. He pushed to keep Lehi's physical and documentary history intact so future citizens could learn from the past. Even after stepping down, he continues to serve on those committees — a testament to his belief that institutional memory requires guardians who refuse to let it fade.

Mike joined the rodeo committee at age 22 and has served for 48 years. After years as a committee member and vice president under Stan Lewis, he became president. Under his leadership, the rodeo expanded from three nights to four to meet overwhelming demand — yet tickets still sell out by March. The event now features a drone show and national television exposure on the Cowboy Channel, all while remaining a nonprofit run entirely by volunteers.

Each rodeo night requires roughly 120 concession volunteers and 250 additional volunteers for parking and ticketing — all unpaid. Mike notes that volunteers often return year after year because of the camaraderie, even though the only "payment" is sometimes a hamburger. Without this invisible army, a cornerstone of Lehi culture would simply cease to function.

One of Lehi's most distinctive traditions is the miniature float parade. For generations, local church wards have staffed rodeo concessions, and the proceeds — now roughly $1,000 per participating group — go directly toward building parade floats. This elegant system links two traditions together, turning volunteer labor into creative community celebration.

Mike Southwick's memory is a living archive of Lehi's transformation. When he was young, the city held roughly 6,500 residents — a tight-knit community where neighbors knew one another and civic institutions were small enough to touch. Today, Lehi nears 90,000 residents, a figure that would have seemed unimaginable six decades ago.

Despite that explosive growth, certain traditions have survived precisely because people like Mike insisted on preserving them. The Lehi Round-Up Rodeo is perhaps the most vivid example. While other cities might have allowed such events to be squeezed out by development or commercialized beyond recognition, Lehi's rodeo remains a nonprofit, volunteer-driven celebration with deep roots in the pre-growth era.

The interview also reveals how municipal leadership functioned during a period of rapid change. Mike's oversight of the museum and historical preservation committee shows that Lehi has actively tried to protect its documentary and physical heritage — not as an afterthought, but as a formal priority within city governance. For researchers and residents interested in Lehi city council history , historical preservation in Utah County , or the evolution of Utah County communities , his account provides firsthand insight.

Additionally, the conversation documents the practical challenges of maintaining shared spaces. The rodeo grounds face encroachment from new rail lines, requiring restroom relocation, bleacher reconstruction, and land negotiations. These mundane details illustrate the constant work required to keep heritage institutions functioning in a modernizing landscape.

Finally, Mike's reflections on civic service — that half the people will dislike any decision, and that complaining without contributing is empty — capture a pragmatic philosophy that has historically sustained small-town governance. As Lehi moves further from its small-town origins, preserving that ethos may be as important as preserving any building or tradition.

“ ”

This episode connects to broader themes explored across the Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Listeners interested in Mike's story may also want to explore these related subjects from other interviews:

To enrich this archival page and preserve the visual history of this conversation, the following images would complement the written record:

This transcript has been lightly formatted for readability while preserving the complete conversation. Speaker labels and paragraph breaks have been added; timestamps have been removed.

An oral history archive capturing the stories, people, and traditions that make Lehi, Utah unique. Hosted by Ryan Harding.

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Julie Rafiner Bridal Center Lehi Main Street

Julie Rafiner on the Bridal Center, Lehi Main Street History, and 60 Years of Family Tradition

A Life Stitched Into Lehi's Main Street

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Julie Rafiner on Roots & Branches of Lehi

Episode Overview

Guest

Era Discussed

Location

Key Themes

Primary Topics

Episode Highlights

Key Stories

The Adobe Home and the Breezeway

The Button Loop Discovery

Oral Pendleton's Butterscotch

Halloween on Main Street

The Swiss Bride

A Dress for Three Generations

Historical Insights About Lehi

Main Street as Mixed-Use Community

Scale and Intimacy

Multi-Generational Business Anchors

The Evolution of Retail

Community & Legacy Themes

Family Legacy & Generational Business

Craftsmanship & Textile Arts

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Main Street as Cultural Center

Adaptation & Resilience

The Emotional Work of Commerce

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The Historic Adobe Home

Bridal Center Interior

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Generational Dress Transformations

Main Street Then & Now

Craft in Action

Full Transcript

Chapter 1: Introduction to Roots and Branches of Lehi

Chapter 2: Meet Julie Rafiner — Lehi Native & Business Owner

Chapter 3: The Bridal Center — A Historic Family Business

Chapter 4: Growing Up in the Bridal World

Chapter 5: How the Shop Has Changed Over Time

Chapter 6: The Bridal Experience — Helping Brides Find the Dress

Chapter 7: Memorable Moments From Generations of Weddings

Chapter 8: Lehi's Ongoing Support of the Bridal Center

Chapter 9: Bridal Fashion Trends Through the Years

Chapter 10: Alterations, Customizations & Making Each Dress Unique

Chapter 11: What It's Like to Run a Bridal Business Today

Chapter 12: Family, Legacy & Staying Rooted in Tradition

Chapter 13: Final Thoughts & Gratitude for Lehi

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A lifelong Lehi resident reflects on growing up in one of the city's first adobe homes, watching her mother build a bridal legacy from a back-room sewing table, and keeping craftsmanship alive on historic Main Street.

L ehi, Utah is a city shaped by generations of family businesses, and few stories capture that legacy more vividly than the Rafiner family and their long-running Bridal Center on Main Street. Julie Rafiner was born and raised at 45 West Main Street in one of the city's earliest adobe homes—a pink-walled landmark with a breezeway that connected her childhood bedroom directly to her mother's sewing room.

In this episode of the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast, host Ryan Harding sits down with a woman who has never known a life separate from the rhythm of needle, thread, and community. Julie's memories paint a rich picture of small-town life: neighbors who doubled as business owners, Main Street as a community gathering place, and a childhood spent learning the craft of sewing at her mother's side. Her story is a living archive of Lehi history, spanning a period when the town's population hovered around 6,000 residents to today's booming Utah Valley hub.

Through decades of change—shifts in fashion, the rise of big-box fabric stores, and even a global pandemic—the Bridal Center has remained a beloved institution. Now believed to be the longest-running bridal shop in Utah, the store offers more than dresses; it offers a window into the values that built Lehi: craftsmanship, neighborly trust, and the stubborn belief that a local business can still feel like home. Whether you are searching for Lehi Main Street history, Utah wedding traditions, or the story of women entrepreneurs who shaped Utah County, Julie's interview offers a rare firsthand account.

“We are the longest running bridal shop in the state of Utah.”

— Julie Rafiner

Watch Ryan Harding and Julie discuss six decades of bridal history, the evolution of Lehi Main Street, heirloom transformations, and the craft of bringing a bride's vision to life.

Julie Rafiner

Owner of the Bridal Center; second-generation seamstress and business operator

1950s–2020s

Emphasis on 1960s founding through present-day Lehi growth

45 West Main St

Historic central Lehi; one of the city's original adobe homes

Family Legacy

Craftsmanship, Main Street commerce, generational business

Moments from Julie's life that reveal how family, craft, and community became inseparable threads in the fabric of Lehi.

Julie grew up in one of Lehi's earliest adobe homes at 45 West Main Street. A breezeway connected her bedroom to the bridal shop's back room, blurring the line between family life and business. She would wander over in her pajamas to find her mother sewing past midnight.

Years after her mother's funeral, a customer walked in looking for button loops and casually mentioned her wedding dress was made in 1961. The family had long believed the shop opened in 1964. "The business started before my mother even remembered," Julie realized.

As a kindergartener, Julie could not pronounce "Oral," so she called him "Ora." Oral Pendleton, who worked at the hardware store across the street, would stop serving customers to walk her across Main Street and give her a butterscotch candy. It was a village raising a child in real time.

Julie met her husband during Lehi's Main Street Halloween trick-or-treat event. He saw her handing out candy from the shop, asked around to learn if she was single, and eventually rented an office on Main Street to be near her. The event has since grown from 200 people to over 1,700.

A 50-year-old bride from Switzerland, in town for only two days, needed urgent alterations on a dress she had selected at the Provo location. Julie fitted her, altered the shoulders and sides, and had it ready by 7:00 p.m. The bride flew home the next day to marry in August.

Julie transforms wedding gowns into baby blessing dresses, then baptism dresses, and eventually prom dresses. She keeps all original fabric intact inside the seams so a granddaughter might one day wear her grandmother's gown in a new form. One bride's dress became a baptism dress for her daughter, with all fabric preserved for future alterations.

What this interview teaches about Lehi's commercial development, architectural history, and the social architecture of a small town.

The Bridal Center building began as a bakery, became a barber shop run by Julie's father in 1959, and evolved into a bridal salon when her mother expanded into the front room in the 1960s. This pattern—living where you worked—was common on historic Lehi Main Street, creating a seamless blend of commerce and domestic life.

When Julie graduated high school, Lehi's population was roughly 6,000. "Everyone knew each other," she recalls. Residents identified neighbors by which corner of town they lived on—north, west, south, or east. That intimacy meant business relationships were also personal ones, sustained by repeat visits across decades.

The Bridal Center now serves granddaughters of brides Julie's mother dressed. A sales representative told Julie that of 95 bridal accounts across the western United States, only two remained under their original family ownership. The Bridal Center is one of them, making it a rare surviving example of mid-century Utah entrepreneurship.

Julie witnessed the arrival of House of Fabrics and Jo-Ann's, big-box competitors that forced the shop to pivot from retail fabric sales toward specialized bridal inventory and expert alterations. Her mother's ability to sketch custom sleeves and necklines for manufacturers kept the shop at the industry's creative edge.

Broader reflections on what Julie's story reveals about service, craft, and continuity in a changing city.

A craft passed from mother to daughter, now touching third-generation brides. The shop is both inventory and inheritance.

Tailoring described as "the opera of singing." Julie and her mother preserved a technical art form in an era of fast fashion.

Neighbors walked children across the street. Shopkeepers knew every family by name. Business was social infrastructure.

From Halloween crowds to daily errands, Main Street functioned as Lehi's living room—a shared space for ritual and routine.

Through manufacturer closures, pandemic delays, and shifting fashion cycles, the shop adapted without abandoning its core identity.

Julie describes herself as "therapist" as much as shopkeeper. A bridal purchase marks a life transition, and the shop holds that weight with care.

“I grew up right there at 45 West Main Street… one of the first adobe homes built in Lehi.”

“When I was that little girl, 3 years old, I was crawling around the floor picking up pins for her.”

“If you do what you enjoy, you don't work.”

“There's a little bit of magic when a girl tries on the dress that just makes her light up.”

“We treat everyone as if they're part of the family.”

“Twice this last week people came in and said, ‘It feels like I'm coming home.’”

Explore more stories from the Roots & Branches of Lehi archive that connect to Julie's world.

Mike Southwick on how Lehi's volunteer-driven events anchor community identity.

Merrilee Boyack on community advocacy and family leadership in a growing city.

Lara Bangerter on the Lehi Historical Society and protecting local heritage.

Rebecca Broadbent on the history of local storefronts and commercial legacy.

Julie's interview captures a vanishing tradition of hands-on garment construction in American retail.

Discover more oral histories from Lehi's residents, leaders, and legacy-keepers.

Exterior photography of the pink adobe residence at 45 West Main Street, one of Lehi's earliest homes.

Wide shots of the boutique floor, dressing areas, and the sewing room where alterations are completed.

Images from the 1960s through 1990s showing the original barber shop signage, fabric walls, and early bridal displays.

Side-by-side photography of a wedding gown, its baptism-dress conversion, and the preserved internal fabric for future alterations.

Comparative views of Lehi Main Street from the 1960s and today, highlighting architectural continuity and change.

Portraits of Julie at the sewing machine, fitting a bride, or sketching a custom sleeve modification.

Complete archival transcript of Episode RB-013. Minor edits for clarity and readability.

Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time.

Ryan Harding: Welcome, Julie, to Roots and Branches of Lehi. Happy to have you here on the podcast where we get to know you and get to know your business and glad you're able to come.

Julie Rafiner: So, thank you for inviting me.

Ryan Harding: Yeah. So, so talk to me. I mean, give me a little background of yourself, I guess, first. Are so originally from Lehi? Where where are you from? Where'd you grow up?

Julie Rafiner: Yes, I'm from Lehi. I was born and raised here and I grew up right there at 45 West Main Street. The cute little pink house. Yeah, it's a historic home and one of the first adobe homes built in Lehi.

Ryan Harding: Wow. And it's it was a great place to grow up right on Main Street. There was a lot happening and and I got to learn about all the business owners on the street. Yeah. had a had a lot of friends there and all through growing up and know their families and Lehi has a lot of great family businesses. So yes, I grew up here, went away to Dixie College at after high school and up to Utah State. Then I took a break and went out to New York and was a nanny and that was a lot of fun and ended up back at Utah State and then had an adventure in California. And after a conversation with my mom, I she said, "You know, I need a new manager because our our other manager has moved to Gunnison where they've built a new prison and her husband works there." And I said, you know, after a week or two, I called her back and said, "Mom, I'm ready to come home. I'm ready to work at the bridal center long term." So that's how it started for me.

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Darren Paul Lehi Police Chief Community Safety

Darren Paul on 30 Years of Policing, Lehi's Growth, and Keeping a Small-Town Spirit Alive

Protecting a City That Outgrew Its Own Map

Quick Facts

Darren Paul on Roots & Branches of Lehi

Episode Overview

Guest

Era Discussed

Jurisdiction

Key Themes

Primary Topics

Episode Highlights

Key Stories

A Father's Example

The 1994 Roster

Officer Adams and Captain Terry

The Citizen Academy

Meth Labs and Missing PPE

The Motors Unit Launch

Historical Insights About Lehi

From Volunteer to Professional Fire Service

The Technology Timeline

Structural Reorganization

Growth vs. Perception of Safety

Community & Legacy Themes

Community Policing and Trust

Public Service as Family Legacy

Adaptation in Times of Change

Leadership Through Collaboration

Officer Wellness and Mental Health

Small-Town Values in a Big City

Memorable Quotes

Photo & Visual Archive Suggestions

Historic Department Photos

Chief Paul in Command

Citizen Academy Sessions

School Resource Officers

Use-of-Force Simulator

Motors Unit in Action

Full Transcript

Chapter 1: Introduction to Roots and Branches of Lehi

Chapter 2: Meet Darren Paul — Lehi's Police Chief

Chapter 3: Darren Paul's Journey in Law Enforcement

Chapter 4: Technological Advances in Policing

Chapter 5: Community Engagement and Outreach

Chapter 6: Adapting to Lehi's Rapid Growth

Chapter 8: Recruitment and Hiring Practices

Chapter 9: Challenges in Law Enforcement Recruitment

Chapter 10: Community Support During National Challenges

Chapter 11: Training and Career Development

Chapter 12: Officer Wellness and Mental Health

Chapter 13: Memorable Moments and Technological Advances

Chapter 14: Future of Lehi Police Department

Chapter 15: Collaboration with Fire Department

Chapter 16: Community Engagement and Youth Programs

Chapter 17: Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Know Someone With a Lehi Story?

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From a 10-officer force in 1994 to leading 67 officers today, Lehi Police Chief Darren Paul reflects on three decades of public safety, community trust, and navigating one of Utah's fastest-growing cities.

W hen Darren Paul joined the Lehi Police Department in 1994, the city was still small enough that 10 officers could cover the whole town. There were no cell phones in squad cars, no internet in the station, and the relationship between police and residents was built on face-to-face familiarity. Three decades later, Chief Paul leads a department of 67 sworn officers serving a city that has become one of the fastest-growing communities in America—yet somehow, he insists, Lehi still feels like a small town.

In this episode of the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast, host Ryan Harding sits down with a law enforcement leader whose career mirrors the transformation of Utah County itself. Darren shares how his father's 37-year career with the Pleasant Grove Police Department set him on this path, why he chose Lehi, and what it means to protect a community where neighborly values and explosive growth exist in constant tension. From pre-internet policing to school lockdown protocols, from a 10-man roster to a motors unit navigating Pioneer Crossing traffic, his story is a living case study in how public safety evolves when a city quadruples in size without losing its identity.

Whether you are researching Lehi city history, Utah County law enforcement careers, community policing models, or the social infrastructure of high-growth American cities, this interview offers rare firsthand insight. Chief Paul discusses everything from officer wellness and mental health initiatives to the citizen academy that builds trust one resident at a time. His reflections reveal what it takes to keep a community safe—not just from crime, but from the disconnection that often accompanies rapid expansion. Lehi's story is no longer a small-town secret, and Darren Paul has been there for every chapter of its modern transformation.

“Lehi is a safe place to live, and we're fortunate that way. But we rely on our community—they're the eyes and ears of the police department.”

— Chief Darren Paul

Watch Ryan Harding and Chief Paul discuss three decades of policing, Lehi's explosive growth, community trust, school safety, and the future of public safety in Utah County.

Darren Paul

Chief of Police, Lehi City Police Department

1990s–2020s

From 10-officer force to modern 67-officer department

Lehi City

Utah County; one of America's fastest-growing cities

Community Policing

Growth adaptation, officer wellness, civic leadership

Moments from Chief Paul's career that reveal how family legacy, technological change, and community trust shaped modern policing in Lehi.

Darren did not initially aspire to be chief, but his father served 37 years with the Pleasant Grove Police Department. Watching how his father interacted with the community and "the good that he did" inspired Darren to pursue law enforcement. His father ultimately pointed him toward Lehi, knowing officers there and believing it would be a good fit.

When Darren started in 1994, Lehi had 10 officers. He and Lieutenant Toby Peterson were hired as numbers 11 and 12. Today the department fields 67 full-time officers across patrol, investigations, and professional standards divisions—a transformation driven entirely by population growth and escalating service demands.

The 2001 line-of-duty death of Officer Adams was a turning point that focused the department on officer safety and resource acquisition. In 2008, Captain Harold Terry was injured in the line of duty. These events taught hard lessons that continue to shape training, equipment, and risk management today.

Every winter the department hosts an 8-week citizen academy for roughly 25 residents. Participants learn about patrol operations, investigations, and use-of-force decision-making. Darren notes that the officers love teaching it as much as residents love attending—building trust through transparency.

Early in his career Darren worked with the county major crimes task force dismantling clandestine methamphetamine laboratories. At the time, the hazardous chemicals were not well understood, and officers often lacked adequate protective equipment. The experience illustrates how far training, technology, and occupational safety have advanced.

In response to worsening traffic congestion on corridors like 2100 North and Pioneer Crossing, the department launched a motorcycle unit. These officers can weave through gridlock to reach collisions and emergencies faster. It is a small but telling example of how Lehi adapts public safety infrastructure to match its swelling population.

What this interview teaches about Lehi's civic development, public safety infrastructure, and the administrative challenges of hyper-growth.

When Darren began, the Lehi Fire Department was entirely volunteer-based. As the city grew, it professionalized into a full-time fire and paramedic program. This parallel evolution of emergency services reflects how Lehi's infrastructure had to mature from rural volunteerism to urban professionalism in just two decades.

Darren's career spans the full arc of modern policing technology: from an era with no cell phones or car computers to today's body cameras, optical firearm sights, suppressors for hearing protection, and a 300-degree use-of-force simulator. Lehi went from relying on radio dispatch to managing real-time social media communication during active incidents.

A 10-officer department can be managed informally. A 67-officer department cannot. Chief Paul describes a paramilitary structure with three divisions—Patrol (42 officers), Investigations, and Professional Standards—each led by lieutenants who report upward through a deputy chief. This bureaucratic maturation was necessary to maintain accountability at scale.

Despite adding thousands of new residents annually, Lehi's annual city survey consistently shows that residents feel safe. Chief Paul attributes this to community culture rather than statistics alone: "What makes Lehi unique is it's a growing city, but it still has a small-town community feel." The challenge is preserving that perception as volume strains response times.

Broader reflections on what Chief Paul's story reveals about service, adaptation, and the social contract in a changing city.

The department's philosophy rests on relationships: school resource officers, citizen academies, ride-alongs, and youth group tours. Transparency is treated as operational infrastructure.

Darren followed his father's 37-year career. That lineage reflects a value system—common in Utah County—where civic duty is passed between generations as a form of stewardship.

From meth lab raids without hazmat gear to social media misinformation campaigns, the department's willingness to learn and retool has kept it effective through multiple eras of change.

Chief Paul describes a weekly rhythm of meetings with lieutenants, city senior staff, the mayor, and the city manager. Policing is framed as one node in a network of municipal services rather than an isolated authority.

Peer support groups, contracted mental health professionals, and a volunteer physician who donates weekly hours represent an expanded understanding of officer safety that includes psychological and physical longevity.

Despite serving a population that rivals many mid-sized American cities, Lehi's police department still prioritizes knowing the community personally. Local hiring is preferred because hometown officers understand local culture.

“Lehi is a safe place to live, and we're fortunate that way.”

“When we're able to protect somebody and the officers all go home safe, that's a win.”

“We rely on our community—they're the eyes and ears of the police department.”

“Growth brings challenges, but it also brings opportunities.”

“Our officers really do work hard to maintain that relationship with the community.”

“We want our officers to know the community as much as they can.”

“Anything we can do to develop that relationship, we really try to.”

Explore more stories from the Roots & Branches of Lehi archive that connect to Chief Paul's world.

Mayor Mark Johnson on guiding America's fastest-growing city through infrastructure and policy challenges.

Doug Webb on four decades in Lehi education and the rebuild of Lehi High School.

Merrilee Boyack on disaster preparedness, wildfire response, and grassroots leadership.

Paige Albrecht on Lehi City Council, historic preservation, and building community infrastructure.

Chief Paul's interview documents the transition from volunteer fire departments to professional paramedic programs and digital dispatch.

Discover more oral histories from Lehi's residents, leaders, and legacy-keepers.

Side-by-side images of the Lehi Police Department in 1994 versus today—showing vehicle fleets, uniforms, and station facilities.

Formal portraits in uniform, candid shots during senior staff meetings, and command-post setup during training exercises.

Documentary-style photography of residents participating in classroom instruction, range visits, and ride-along orientations.

Images of officers interacting with students in Lehi high schools and middle schools, teaching the NOVA program, and attending year-end awards.

The 300-degree simulator in action—showing the projected screens, officer stance on the platform, and scenario control station.

Photography of the motorcycle unit navigating Lehi traffic corridors, traffic enforcement, and community event presence.

Complete archival transcript of Episode RB-014. Minor edits for clarity and readability.

Ryan Harding: Welcome Darren Paul to the the Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast. So welcome. I'm glad you have you on the show here.

Darren Paul: Oh, thank you very much. It's an honor.

Ryan Harding: Yeah. No, this is fun. So you're the the police chief of Lehigh City, right?

Darren Paul: Yes, that's right.

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Keith Suzanne Pulham Lehi Community Legacy

Keith and Suzanne Pulham on a Lifetime of Service, Family, and Lehi, Utah

A Love Story Six Decades in the Making, Rooted in Lehi Soil

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Childhood Sweethearts in a Town Where Everyone Knew Your Name

The Pom-Pom Tradition at Vets Park

From Paint Buckets to a Legacy

Wing Mortuary and the Anonymous Angels

Breakfast in the Park and the Four-Wheeler Brigade

The Look at Third Base

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Suggested Photos & Visuals

Full Transcript

Chapter :

Quick Links

Contact

From childhood sweethearts to Grand Marshals of the Lehi Roundup Rodeo, Keith and Suzanne Pulham reflect on 60 years in Lehi, a third-generation painting business, nearly two decades at Wing Mortuary, and the quiet generosity that holds a community together.

helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

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In this episode of Roots and Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding welcomes a couple whose lives are inseparable from the story of Lehi itself. Keith and Suzanne Pulham have known each other since they were three years old. They grew up in the same ward, sat in the same grade-school classrooms every other year, and watched Lehi transform from a quiet town of a few thousand residents into one of Utah's fastest-growing communities.

Their story is not just a romance—it is a record of how a small-town fabric is woven together through work, worship, and showing up. As Grand Marshals of the 2025 Lehi Roundup Rodeo , the Pulhams stand at the center of a community they have served for decades. Keith is a third-generation painting contractor who turned a family trade into a thriving commercial operation with nearly 30 employees. Suzanne spent nearly two decades as the heart of Wing Mortuary , pressing clothes for the deceased, arranging funeral programs, and quietly connecting grieving families with anonymous donors who paid for burials they could not afford.

For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah history , multi-generational family businesses , Lehi Roundup Rodeo traditions , or the unseen volunteer labor that keeps a community compassionate, this interview offers a rare, firsthand window into the forces that shape a place. The Pulhams remind us that legacy is not built in a single grand gesture, but in thousands of small ones: dinner on a paint bucket, a familiar face at the mortuary door, and a pom-pom fluffing party at Vets Park while the baseball game plays on.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Keith Pulham & Suzanne Pulham

Third-generation painting contractors; Grand Marshals of the Lehi Roundup Rodeo; Wing Mortuary administrator; Community volunteers

1960s–Present

Ryan Harding

Keith and Suzanne's story begins before most memories do. They met at age three in Lehi, grew up in the same ward, and sat side-by-side in grade school classrooms every other year. When the wards split down his street, Keith landed in the 8th Ward and Suzanne in the 14th—but the friendship held. Their courtship and 42-year marriage mirror the way Lehi itself once worked: slowly, closely, and with everyone watching.

Suzanne traces her volunteer impulse back to age 12, when her family built floats for the Lehi parade. During baseball season, families would gather at Vets Park with sacks of tissue paper, fluffing pom-poms while they watched the game. The floats were decorated entirely with these hand-crafted pom-poms—a ward-based tradition that turned preparation into a neighborhood social event. Decades later, that same spirit led her to serve on the parade committee while Keith organized the booster club.

Keith's grandfather started the painting trade. His father and uncle carried it forward. In 1997, Keith made the terrifying leap to start his own business, leaning on the Pulham name that was respected across Utah. Suzanne was the “sidekick”—picking up plans from contractors' offices so Keith could bid jobs at the kitchen table until 11 p.m. The whole family prepped houses after school: daughters vacuumed, sons caulked, and Suzanne masked windows. Dinner was often takeout served on paint buckets in a circle on the unfinished floor. Today, the business employs nearly 30 people and is run by their sons while Keith and Suzanne serve their mission.

After their sons joined the business, Suzanne accepted a part-time secretarial role at Wing Mortuary —just down the field from neighbors Julia and Lenny Wing. It became a 19-year calling. She pressed clothes for the deceased, designed funeral programs, filed death certificates, and tended the flower beds simply because she loved the place. But the stories that moved her most involved anonymous Lehi residents who quietly paid for entire funerals—sometimes after losing a child themselves and vowing to “pay it forward” forever. Suzanne became the bridge between those secret donors and the grieving families who needed them.

As booster club president, Keith oversaw a special project for more than two decades: Breakfast in the Park during the Roundup parade. The Pulham children became the delivery crew, rising at 4:30 a.m. to gather donated stoves from across Lehi. Because some stoves were on wheels, the kids drove four-wheelers through city streets—technically legal, they joked, because they were on official booster club business. It was chaotic, exhausting, and exactly the kind of memory that cements a family to a town.

Keith coached city-league sports for years and noticed a pattern: on every team of 14 kids, seven to nine had parents at every game, one or two had parents who showed up occasionally, and a few had parents who never came at all. One evening, Keith and Suzanne arrived just as their 8-year-old son's game was starting. The boy stood at third base, eyes scanning the crowd. When he finally spotted them, a smile broke across his face. “Okay, I'm here. I'm ready to go.” Keith says that moment sunk into his soul. “Your kids need you. They don't need your money—they need you.”

The Pulhams offer a rare dual perspective on Lehi's evolution: they remember a town so small that “word would get around at school” about which church was hosting the Saturday-night Gold and Green Ball, yet they now live in a city approaching 100,000 residents. Their memories document several layers of local history that are often lost in growth statistics.

First, the interview preserves the social architecture of ward-based community building . In the Pulhams' childhood, local church wards—not city departments or paid contractors—organized parade floats. Families gathered in garages, shared food, and let children run free while adults worked. This was not merely recreation; it was the informal infrastructure of trust that made a small town function. As Lehi has added twenty stakes, replicating that intimacy has become harder, but the Pulhams argue that events like the miniature float parade still force neighbors to cooperate creatively.

Second, the conversation documents the evolution of the Lehi Roundup Rodeo from a modest local event into a sold-out, four-night spectacle that now requires parade chairs to be staked out a week in advance. Keith notes that the rodeo grounds sit on city land now threatened by new rail-line construction, requiring bleacher relocation and restroom rebuilding. These mundane details are easy to overlook, but they reveal the constant negotiation between heritage and infrastructure that defines life in a booming city.

Third, the interview captures the role of multi-generational family trades in Lehi's economic history. The Pulham painting business moved from residential homes to apartment complexes and LDS chapels across the state—a trajectory that mirrors Utah County's shift from agriculture and small retail to construction and services. That the business is now run by the fourth generation (their sons) while Keith and Suzanne serve a mission illustrates how family enterprise can create both economic stability and the freedom to serve.

Fourth, Suzanne's tenure at Wing Mortuary preserves a nearly vanished model of community care: the funeral home where the administrator knows every family, where the secretary presses the deceased's clothes personally, and where anonymous neighbors pay for strangers' burials. In an era of corporate funeral chains, her account of Lehi's “very compassionate community” challenges the stereotype that growth inevitably erodes neighborliness.

Finally, the Pulhams' recollections of Gold and Green Balls , Sunday-school-then-sacrament-meeting schedules, and youth social life centered on church activities provide valuable context for researchers interested in mid-century Mormon community patterns, youth culture in Utah County, and the specific social rhythms that shaped a generation of Lehi residents now in their sixties.

“ ”

This episode connects to broader themes explored across the Roots and Branches of Lehi archive. Listeners interested in the Pulhams' story may also want to explore these related subjects from other interviews:

The Roots and Branches of Lehi archive captures the voices of educators, entrepreneurs, public servants, artists, farmers, and families who have shaped the city. Each episode adds another thread to the story of who Lehi is and who it is becoming.

To enrich this archival page and preserve the visual history of this conversation, the following images would complement the written record:

This transcript has been lightly formatted for readability while preserving the complete conversation. Speaker labels and paragraph breaks have been added; timestamps and duration markers have been removed.

An oral history archive capturing the stories, people, and traditions that make Lehi, Utah unique. Hosted by Ryan Harding.

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Jeremy Craft Lehi Fire Chief: Emergency Services, Community & Growth

Lehi Fire Chief Jeremy Craft shares his journey from Montana to leading Utah's fastest-growing fire department. Explore EMS evolution, firefighter cancer initiatives, youth programs, and Lehi's public safety history.

Jeremy Craft on Serving Lehi: From Montana Mountains to Fire Chief

A Lifetime of Service: How Jeremy Craft Became Lehi's Fire Chief

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

A Spark on Bald Mountain

The Call That Proved Training Matters

Honorary Captain for a Day

Building a Department to Match a Growing City

Changing a Flat Tire, Changing a Relationship

Call to Courage

Adapting or Dying

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

Jeremy Craft Lehi Fire Chief Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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A powerful conversation with Lehi Fire Chief Jeremy Craft about a lifetime of emergency service, saving lives, building community trust, and leading a fire department through one of Utah's most dramatic periods of growth.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Lehi Fire Chief Jeremy Craft to explore the story behind one of the city's most vital community leaders. Originally from a small town in Montana, Jeremy's journey into emergency services began at just 14 years old and ultimately led him to Lehi, Utah , where he has spent decades serving and protecting the community. His path reflects not only personal dedication, but also the evolution of public safety in a rapidly growing city.

Jeremy shares a behind-the-scenes look at the Lehi Fire Department , revealing that modern firefighting is far more than responding to fires — it is deeply rooted in emergency medical care , public education , and community connection . As Lehi continues to grow, his leadership has helped expand the department from two stations to four, while maintaining a strong culture of service. From life-saving calls to youth programs and firefighter health initiatives, this conversation highlights the people, values, and systems that keep Lehi safe — and why that work matters more than ever in a fast-changing community.

For anyone interested in Lehi Utah history , public safety growth , emergency services , community leadership , or the real stories behind first responders in Utah County, this interview offers both historical perspective and practical insight. Whether you are a longtime resident or new to the area, Chief Craft's story provides essential context for understanding how a small-town fire department adapts to serve one of America's fastest-growing communities.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Jeremy Craft

Fire Chief, Lehi Fire Department

1990s–Present

Ryan Harding

At 14 years old, Jeremy accompanied his father — a police officer and search-and-rescue volunteer — on a medical call for a heart attack victim on Bald Mountain in Montana. Accompanied by an emergency room nurse who encouraged him toward paramedicine, that single day on the mountain set the course for his entire career. It is a story about how a small moment in a small town can ignite a lifetime of service.

Jeremy recounts pulling a 16-month-old child from a bathtub. For all intents and purposes, the child was gone. But the crew went to work, performed their jobs, and got him back. The child was flown to Primary Children's Hospital with a bleak outlook — yet years later, he graduated high school with no deficits whatsoever. For Jeremy, this call affirmed why preparation, repetition, and calm under pressure save lives.

While serving as Fire Chief, Jeremy received a call about a terminally ill young man with less than 48 hours to live who wanted to visit the fire station. Mascots from around the region came with him. Firefighter Aaron Fuller — now a captain — carried the non-ambulatory child through the station. Jeremy placed a fire hat and shirt on him, buckled him into the front of the engine, and asked if he would be the chief's captain for a few minutes. The boy smiled. Jeremy still gets emotional telling the story: "That was the day I remembered what true service was all about."

When Jeremy arrived as chief, Lehi had two fire stations, 35 full-time personnel, and 35 part-timers. Today, the department operates four stations with 82 full-time staff. More importantly, he says they preserved the culture: "I didn't want to just be an answer to a 911 call. I want to be a part of the community." Their cardiac arrest survival rate is among the highest in the state, a point of deep pride.

Jeremy describes a department culture where crews are expected to pull over and change a flat tire if they see someone stranded. They carry stickers in their pockets to hand to children at the grocery store. It is a philosophy summed up simply: "If you care about the community, you find ways to serve them." These small acts, he believes, build the trust that matters when the tones go off.

Four years ago, the department launched a free two-day camp called "Call to Courage" for young women ages 14 to 18. Participants rappel, cut cars open, drag fire hose, and hear leadership lectures from successful women in fire and beyond. The camp filled up in two days this year. Jeremy notes the transformation from day one to day two: "They have a spirit of they can do anything." One graduate has already become a firefighter.

When staffing numbers dropped, Jeremy realized the department's traditional hiring process — testing on weekdays — was eliminating candidates who already had jobs or were in school. He moved testing to Saturdays. Numbers "skyrocketed." His philosophy: "You either adapt as an organization, or you die." He also helped establish a five-city training consortium to share resources and reduce costs across northern Utah County.

This interview offers a unique window into how Lehi, Utah has changed through the lens of its emergency services. Chief Craft's perspective reveals how public safety infrastructure evolves alongside population growth:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Chapter 1: Introduction to Roots and Branches of Lehi

Chapter 2: Meet Jeremy Craft, Lehi Fire Chief

Ryan Harding: Welcome Jeremy Craft, the chief of the fire department for Lehi City, right?

Jeremy Craft: Yep, fire chief. Yeah, fire chief.

Ryan Harding: Perfect. Great. Glad to have you here and glad to get to know you a little bit better and get to know your position, get to know what you guys are doing here for Lehi City. And so this will be good to chat with you for a second.

Jeremy Craft: Yeah, thanks for inviting me. I'm excited to share our story.

Chapter 3: From Montana to Lehi – Jeremy's Journey

Ryan Harding: So let's start with you then, I guess, first. Tell me, you know, you're from here or where you from originally?

Jeremy Craft: I actually grew up in Montana. Yeah. And then the job brought me here, actually. I've been down here since '93. A few years.

Ryan Harding: I grew up in North Dakota myself, Bismarck, and we'd go through Montana all the time coming down here to visit my grandparents in Utah. Love Montana. It's a very beautiful state. So came down here to Lehi. So that job directly brought you here then?

Jeremy Craft: The story goes like this. I grew up in a small town in Montana and my parents both volunteered for the local ambulance. My dad was search and rescue. My dad was a police officer, mechanic, police officer. One day when I was 14 years old, he took me on a medical call. It was outside of town, for a gentleman having a heart attack on what we call Bald Mountain. It's kind of like Mount Timpanogos. And really from that day forward, I just wanted to be a paramedic. I was with an emergency room nurse up on the mountain and she told me paramedic is where I should go. So after high school, I went to college on some sports scholarship stuff, but ultimately I just wanted to be a paramedic. And there wasn't really an opportunity in Montana back in the early '90s. So my grandparents lived in Salt Lake. I came down here to pursue that, and in my pursuit of paramedicine, fire service is a bonus. They go hand in hand in Utah. And so that's where it all started. That's how it started — on a mountain in Montana in the '80s.

Chapter 4: What a Fire Chief Actually Does

Ryan Harding: Talk to me about, you know, because you're the fire chief and so a lot of times people think fighting fires, which is part of your job, but from what I understand, east of the Mississippi and west of the Mississippi it's a little different?

Jeremy Craft: There used to be a hard line like that. We do what's called fire-based EMS. Actually, 85% of what we do are emergency medical calls. But on the east coast, they still have traditional fire departments. They don't really do medical. They'll go out on car wrecks to do extrication, but medical is all handled by private ambulances. In my opinion, and of course I'm biased, for the taxpayers this makes much more sense. We play dual roles and it takes less staffing to do the medical and the fire, and we serve the community well.

Ryan Harding: I'm guessing there's not a lot of fires all the time, right? What percentage of your calls are actual fires?

Jeremy Craft: Actual fires, we're probably 5%. And I'm not talking just house fires. We have dumpster fires, car fires, field fires. The reality is we're the only industry that you're ever going to find that we work just as hard to put ourselves out of business as we do to put out fires. We do that through building code enforcements and getting better building codes so buildings don't burn, public education on fire safety. It wouldn't be fun, but no fires would be awesome.

Chapter 5: A Day in the Life of a Firefighter

Ryan Harding: Tell me kind of a typical day for somebody that works for the fire department. What does that look like?

Jeremy Craft: For me, they're different. I do a lot of meetings every day. I like to believe I'm a servant leader. When I get to the office in the morning, I'm usually there 30 minutes before I'm supposed to be. Go through emails. I do a lot of work legislatively in the state to try to help with retirement and cancer and mental health. I try to do a lot of that work early before people get there. Then I start working on department stuff — budget season, I'm working on budget. We just opened another fire station, so really for the last three years that's what I've been doing. There's not a typical day. I also currently am the vice president of Western Fire Chiefs Association, so I got to fill in some work for them during the day.

Ryan Harding: What about a typical firefighter?

Jeremy Craft: We do 48 on, 96 off. Day one, they'll do a pass off with the crew that's leaving. Hey, this is broken. Hey, we noticed this. Hey, we've been going out on this patient quite a bit — they've fallen down, things like that. They immediately go out and start checking off the equipment. They usually spend about an hour to an hour and a half just going through every single tool, every band-aid. Make sure the equipment runs and we got everything we need so when the tones go off, it's there. And then at least in my department, I'm huge on physical fitness. They'll go into PT, spend an hour to an hour and a half working out. That usually takes them to about 10 in the morning. A lot of them at that point will do training — they're already hot and sweaty, so they'll go out and pull some hose and do some training. Come back in, shower, go to the grocery store on day one. They generally buy all their food for lunch that day, dinner, breakfast the next day, lunch and dinner. In the afternoon usually some EMS training, and most of the day is centered around training. At 5:00 it's their time essentially if they're not on calls. But we know that a lot of them kind of hang out just to build that bond that is so necessary to have with the crew. Calls can come at any time. You can pop a fire and be out there for six hours and your whole day is shot. But that's pretty typical without calls interjected.

Ryan Harding: How many are on a crew?

Jeremy Craft: It depends on what type of apparatus they're running. In Lehi, if it's an engine company, they'll generally put three on the engine and two on the ambulance in that house. That's Station 81, 83, and 84 that we just opened. And then 82 is a truck company — takes a lot more people, that's the big ladder truck. Four on the ladder and two on the ambulance. That's what we call minimum staffing. When we get a call, they leave. We drop everything we do. I'm a very mission-driven person. Everything we do surrounds our mission. Our mission statement is our family serving yours. And at the core of our mission is a 911 service. Nothing else matters when the tones go off, but serving that mission.

Ryan Harding: You also take the fire truck to these things even though it's not necessarily a fire?

Jeremy Craft: They're all firefighters and they're all medically trained. On a medical, why does a fire engine or fire truck go? Well, it's very simple. Two people may be able to perform what's necessary medically, but they can't move a patient and continue to perform things that are medically necessary. If we have a patient that's grandma fell down on the second story of a home and she's got a hip injury, they can splinter up and give meds for pain, but they can't move her out of the house effectively without doing further harm. So we always send that engine out for extra personnel. Car accident — another really great example. The paramedics will be doing the medical care while the engine company can be extricating, putting them on a backboard. On a fire they come together as a company and fight fire together. We have four stations, so four companies on every day in Lehi.

Chapter 6: Jeremy's Path to Leadership

Ryan Harding: How long have you been fire chief?

Jeremy Craft: I've been here in Lehi as the fire chief for about 10 and a half years. Tell me your path to becoming fire chief. I moved from Utah and worked for a private ambulance company for a couple years, got to paramedic school. Got hired by Provo Fire. In the meantime, I was working part-time for South Davis Fire — that's kind of where I got my start. At Provo, I got hired as a paramedic firefighter. They run very similar to us and I just loved what I was doing. I'm kind of a progressive person — I like to learn. In the fire service you have promotional exams. I'd been on the job about seven years and an engineer's position opened up. That's the person that drives fire apparatus. I didn't want it but I wanted to take the test. I took the test and did well enough they offered me the promotion. I felt like at that point I really couldn't say no, and I knew I wanted to be an officer someday. It gave me the experience of all the positions below an officer. I took the job and for two years I drove the fire engine. Some people absolutely love the job and I absolutely hated it. I love driving, but on medicals they don't have as much responsibility and I want to be in the action. After about two years, I either got to go to captain or go back to paramedic. I took the captain's test and promoted to captain. Honestly, at that point I was like, okay, this is where I want to be, this is probably where I want to finish my career. I was pretty young for a captain. A couple years later there were big changes happening — new fire chief, a bunch of the old-timers had retired, and battalion chief openings came up. I didn't really want to work for the people I thought were going to be at the top of the list. Not because they weren't good people — I just didn't feel like they were progressive. I wanted to be in a progressive department. I had a conversation with my wife and she said, 'Well, you're in a predicament, aren't you?' I said, 'I kind of am.' She said, 'Well, here's the deal. You either shut up and work for whoever promotes, or you get busy and promote yourself and push this department to be progressive.' That's what I did. I was a battalion chief for almost eight years, and some things happened in that department and I just didn't feel like upward mobility was going to happen for a long time. A buddy of mine called and said, 'Hey, there's a fire chief opening in Lehi. We think you'd be great. You should apply.' And so I did. And here I am.

Ryan Harding: Is there a lot of difference between battalion chief and fire chief?

Jeremy Craft: Huge difference. Battalion chief is on shift with personnel. You're in the action still. You're over all four stations when a platoon's on, but they're still running calls. They still sit down and have meals with the crews. As the fire chief, I'm more administrative. I can affect change faster being in charge, but I don't necessarily get to run the calls anymore.

Ryan Harding: What things are you most proud of over your tenure?

Jeremy Craft: Some of the things I'm super proud of is the growth of the department. When I got to Lehi we were two fire stations, 35 full-time people, 35 part-time people. It was a good department, good morale, they knew how to serve the community well. That wasn't something I had to give them — they already had it. We're now four fire stations, 82 full-time people. In my opinion we've kept that culture. My mantra when I got there was I didn't want to just be an answer to a 911 call — I want to be a part of the community. Because the fire service is such decentralized leadership, it's really difficult to keep that, but we've been able to do that. We're usually cutting edge in paramedicine. Our ROSC rate or survival rate from cardiac arrest is one of the highest percentages you'll find in the state. Recently, me and two of my colleagues started what's called the Utah Firefighter Cancer Initiative. We got statewide early cancer detection testing for firefighters in Utah. We're right in the middle of the process of standing our clinic up because our cancer rates are astronomical.

Ryan Harding: Any idea why that is?

Jeremy Craft: Buildings burn and the carcinogens are in them. Our bodies are superheated, our pores are open and all that stuff comes in. Our turnout gear protects us from heat and steam, but it's not sealed up and so all that stuff gets in. In the past it was a badge of honor to have dirty gear. But those carcinogens were in that gear. Now you won't find dirty gear. If we hit a good fire, they take their gear off, put it in a bag, bring it back. We have special machines that wash that out. But the materials we're building — chairs and tables and stuff in our homes — have more carcinogens than ever. So it's a problem.

Chapter 7: Community Engagement & Youth Programs

Ryan Harding: What kind of things do you do to be part of the community?

Jeremy Craft: We do a lot of public education. Super inviting to the community. If you look at the fire stations I've built, they have a lot of windows so people can see us working and it's inviting. We just stood up a team two years ago called our SAFE team that goes out and does really big public education stuff. More than that, we have this culture of we help when needed. If one of my engines is going to the grocery store and they see somebody on the side of the road with a flat tire, they're expected to pull over and change that flat tire. When they're at the grocery store, they're expected to interact with the public. We have a program called Sticker in Your Pocket. Wish I could say it was mine, but they had it. We have little fire department stickers. You won't find a firefighter that doesn't have one. Every time they interact with a child, they hand them a firefighter sticker. We have a big open house in October in conjunction with Fire Safety Week where we invite kids over to do firefighter activities. One of the ones we're super proud of is a camp called Call to Courage. It's for young ladies 14 to 18 years old. We bring them in for two days. It costs them nothing. We put them through firefighter paces, do leadership lectures from really successful females in the fire industry and outside. We've been doing this four years. We've gotten one firefighter out of it. But more than anything, if you watch them when they come in on day one versus when they leave on day two, they have a spirit of they can do anything. They do rappelling, we cut cars open, they drag fire hose. It's become super popular. I wish we had the capacity to do more — we're doing 25 to 30 ladies a year. It's just stuff like that. For me, it's super easy. If you care about the community, you find ways to serve them.

Ryan Harding: If somebody wanted to sign up for that, is that on the city's website?

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Jeremy Craft Role in Lehi Fire Chief, Lehi Fire Department Time Periods Discussed 1990s–Present Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview A Spark on Bald Mountain At 14 years old, Jeremy accompanied his father — a police officer and search-and-rescue volunteer — on a medical call for a heart attack victim on Bald Mountain in Montana. Accompanied by an emergency room nurse who encouraged him toward paramedicine, that single day on the mountain set the course for his entire career. It is a story about how a small moment in a small town can ignite a lifetime of service. The Call That Proved Training Matters Jeremy recounts pulling a 16-month-old child from a bathtub. For all intents and purposes, the child was gone. But the crew went to work, performed their jobs, and got him back. The child was flown to Primary Children's Hospital with a bleak outlook — yet years later, he graduated high school with no deficits whatsoever. For Jeremy, this call affirmed why preparation, repetition, and calm under pressure save lives. Honorary Captain for a Day While serving as Fire Chief, Jeremy received a call about a terminally ill young man with less than 48 hours to live who wanted to visit the fire station. Mascots from around the region came with him. Firefighter Aaron Fuller — now a captain — carried the non-ambulatory child through the station. Jeremy placed a fire hat and shirt on him, buckled him into the front of the engine, and asked if he would be the chief's captain for a few minutes. The boy smiled. Jeremy still gets emotional telling the story: "That was the day I remembered what true service was all about." Building a Department to Match a Growing City When Jeremy arrived as chief, Lehi had two fire stations, 35 full-time personnel, and 35 part-timers. Today, the department operates four stations with 82 full-time staff. More importantly, he says they preserved the culture: "I didn't want to just be an answer to a 911 call. I want to be a part of the community." Their cardiac arrest survival rate is among the highest in the state, a point of deep pride. Changing a Flat Tire, Changing a Relationship Jeremy describes a department culture where crews are expected to pull over and change a flat tire if they see someone stranded. They carry stickers in their pockets to hand to children at the grocery store. It is a philosophy summed up simply: "If you care about the community, you find ways to serve them." These small acts, he believes, build the trust that matters when the tones go off. Call to Courage Four years ago, the department launched a free two-day camp called "Call to Courage" for young women ages 14 to 18. Participants rappel, cut cars open, drag fire hose, and hear leadership lectures from successful women in fire and beyond. The camp filled up in two days this year. Jeremy notes the transformation from day one to day two: "They have a spirit of they can do anything." One graduate has already become a firefighter. Adapting or Dying When staffing numbers dropped, Jeremy realized the department's traditional hiring process — testing on weekdays — was eliminating candidates who already had jobs or were in school. He moved testing to Saturdays. Numbers "skyrocketed." His philosophy: "You either adapt as an organization, or you die." He also helped establish a five-city training consortium to share resources and reduce costs across northern Utah County. History Historical Insights About Lehi This interview offers a unique window into how Lehi, Utah has changed through the lens of its emergency services. Chief Craft's perspective reveals how public safety infrastructure evolves alongside population growth: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Chapter 1: Introduction to Roots and Branches of Lehi Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Chapter 2: Meet Jeremy Craft, Lehi Fire Chief Ryan Harding: Welcome Jeremy Craft, the chief of the fire department for Lehi City, right? Jeremy Craft: Yep, fire chief. Yeah, fire chief. Ryan Harding: Perfect. Great. Glad to have you here and glad to get to know you a little bit better and get to know your position, get to know what you guys are doing here for Lehi City. And so this will be good to chat with you for a second. Jeremy Craft: Yeah, thanks for inviting me. I'm excited to share our story. Chapter 3: From Montana to Lehi – Jeremy's Journey Ryan Harding: So let's start with you then, I guess, first. Tell me, you know, you're from here or where you from originally? Jeremy Craft: I actually grew up in Montana. Yeah. And then the job brought me here, actually. I've been down here since '93. A few years. Ryan Harding: I grew up in North Dakota myself, Bismarck, and we'd go through Montana all the time coming down here to visit my grandparents in Utah. Love Montana. It's a very beautiful state. So came down here to Lehi. So that job directly brought you here then? Jeremy Craft: The story goes like this. I grew up in a small town in Montana and my parents both volunteered for the local ambulance. My dad was search and rescue. My dad was a police officer, mechanic, police officer. One day when I was 14 years old, he took me on a medical call. It was outside of town, for a gentleman having a heart attack on what we call Bald Mountain. It's kind of like Mount Timpanogos. And really from that day forward, I just wanted to be a paramedic. I was with an emergency room nurse up on the mountain and she told me paramedic is where I should go. So after high school, I went to college on some sports scholarship stuff, but ultimately I just wanted to be a paramedic. And there wasn't really an opportunity in Montana back in the early '90s. So my grandparents lived in Salt Lake. I came down here to pursue that, and in my pursuit of paramedicine, fire service is a bonus. They go hand in hand in Utah. And so that's where it all started. That's how it started — on a mountain in Montana in the '80s. Chapter 4: What a Fire Chief Actually Does Ryan Harding: Talk to me about, you know, because you're the fire chief and so a lot of times people think fighting fires, which is part of your job, but from what I understand, east of the Mississippi and west of the Mississippi it's a little different? Jeremy Craft: There used to be a hard line like that. We do what's called fire-based EMS. Actually, 85% of what we do are emergency medical calls. But on the east coast, they still have traditional fire departments. They don't really do medical. They'll go out on car wrecks to do extrication, but medical is all handled by private ambulances. In my opinion, and of course I'm biased, for the taxpayers this makes much more sense. We play dual roles and it takes less staffing to do the medical and the fire, and we serve the community well. Ryan Harding: I'm guessing there's not a lot of fires all the time, right? What percentage of your calls are actual fires? Jeremy Craft: Actual fires, we're probably 5%. And I'm not talking just house fires. We have dumpster fires, car fires, field fires. The reality is we're the only industry that you're ever going to find that we work just as hard to put ourselves out of business as we do to put out fires. We do that through building code enforcements and getting better building codes so buildings don't burn, public education on fire safety. It wouldn't be fun, but no fires would be awesome. Chapter 5: A Day in the Life of a Firefighter Ryan Harding: Tell me kind of a typical day for somebody that works for the fire department. What does that look like? Jeremy Craft: For me, they're different. I do a lot of meetings every day. I like to believe I'm a servant leader. When I get to the office in the morning, I'm usually there 30 minutes before I'm supposed to be. Go through emails. I do a lot of work legislatively in the state to try to help with retirement and cancer and mental health. I try to do a lot of that work early before people get there. Then I start working on department stuff — budget season, I'm working on budget. We just opened another fire station, so really for the last three years that's what I've been doing. There's not a typical day. I also currently am the vice president of Western Fire Chiefs Association, so I got to fill in some work for them during the day. Ryan Harding: What about a typical firefighter? Jeremy Craft: We do 48 on, 96 off. Day one, they'll do a pass off with the crew that's leaving. Hey, this is broken. Hey, we noticed this. Hey, we've been going out on this patient quite a bit — they've fallen down, things like that. They immediately go out and start checking off the equipment. They usually spend about an hour to an hour and a half just going through every single tool, every band-aid. Make sure the equipment runs and we got everything we need so when the tones go off, it's there. And then at least in my department, I'm huge on physical fitness. They'll go into PT, spend an hour to an hour and a half working out. That usually takes them to about 10 in the morning. A lot of them at that point will do training — they're already hot and sweaty, so they'll go out and pull some hose and do some training. Come back in, shower, go to the grocery store on day one. They generally buy all their food for lunch that day, dinner, breakfast the next day, lunch and dinner. In the afternoon usually some EMS training, and most of the day is centered around training. At 5:00 it's their time essentially if they're not on calls. But we know that a lot of them kind of hang out just to build that bond that is so necessary to have with the crew. Calls can come at any time. You can pop a fire and be out there for six hours and your whole day is shot. But that's pretty typical without calls interjected. Ryan Harding: How many are on a crew? Jeremy Craft: It depends on what type of apparatus they're running. In Lehi, if it's an engine company, they'll generally put three on the engine and two on the ambulance in that house. That's Station 81, 83, and 84 that we just opened. And then 82 is a truck company — takes a lot more people, that's the big ladder truck. Four on the ladder and two on the ambulance. That's what we call minimum staffing. When we get a call, they leave. We drop everything we do. I'm a very mission-driven person. Everything we do surrounds our mission. Our mission statement is our family serving yours. And at the core of our mission is a 911 service. Nothing else matters when the tones go off, but serving that mission. Ryan Harding: You also take the fire truck to these things even though it's not necessarily a fire? Jeremy Craft: They're all firefighters and they're all medically trained. On a medical, why does a fire engine or fire truck go? Well, it's very simple. Two people may be able to perform what's necessary medically, but they can't move a patient and continue to perform things that are medically necessary. If we have a patient that's grandma fell down on the second story of a home and she's got a hip injury, they can splinter up and give meds for pain, but they can't move her out of the house effectively without doing further harm. So we always send that engine out for extra personnel. Car accident — another really great example. The paramedics will be doing the medical care while the engine company can be extricating, putting them on a backboard. On a fire they come together as a company and fight fire together. We have four stations, so four companies on every day in Lehi. Chapter 6: Jeremy's Path to Leadership Ryan Harding: How long have you been fire chief? Jeremy Craft: I've been here in Lehi as the fire chief for about 10 and a half years. Tell me your path to becoming fire chief. I moved from Utah and worked for a private ambulance company for a couple years, got to paramedic school. Got hired by Provo Fire. In the meantime, I was working part-time for South Davis Fire — that's kind of where I got my start. At Provo, I got hired as a paramedic firefighter. They run very similar to us and I just loved what I was doing. I'm kind of a progressive person — I like to learn. In the fire service you have promotional exams. I'd been on the job about seven years and an engineer's position opened up. That's the person that drives fire apparatus. I didn't want it but I wanted to take the test. I took the test and did well enough they offered me the promotion. I felt like at that point I really couldn't say no, and I knew I wanted to be an officer someday. It gave me the experience of all the positions below an officer. I took the job and for two years I drove the fire engine. Some people absolutely love the job and I absolutely hated it. I love driving, but on medicals they don't have as much responsibility and I want to be in the action. After about two years, I either got to go to captain or go back to paramedic. I took the captain's test and promoted to captain. Honestly, at that point I was like, okay, this is where I want to be, this is probably where I want to finish my career. I was pretty young for a captain. A couple years later there were big changes happening — new fire chief, a bunch of the old-timers had retired, and battalion chief openings came up. I didn't really want to work for the people I thought were going to be at the top of the list. Not because they weren't good people — I just didn't feel like they were progressive. I wanted to be in a progressive department. I had a conversation with my wife and she said, 'Well, you're in a predicament, aren't you?' I said, 'I kind of am.' She said, 'Well, here's the deal. You either shut up and work for whoever promotes, or you get busy and promote yourself and push this department to be progressive.' That's what I did. I was a battalion chief for almost eight years, and some things happened in that department and I just didn't feel like upward mobility was going to happen for a long time. A buddy of mine called and said, 'Hey, there's a fire chief opening in Lehi. We think you'd be great. You should apply.' And so I did. And here I am. Ryan Harding: Is there a lot of difference between battalion chief and fire chief? Jeremy Craft: Huge difference. Battalion chief is on shift with personnel. You're in the action still. You're over all four stations when a platoon's on, but they're still running calls. They still sit down and have meals with the crews. As the fire chief, I'm more administrative. I can affect change faster being in charge, but I don't necessarily get to run the calls anymore. Ryan Harding: What things are you most proud of over your tenure? Jeremy Craft: Some of the things I'm super proud of is the growth of the department. When I got to Lehi we were two fire stations, 35 full-time people, 35 part-time people. It was a good department, good morale, they knew how to serve the community well. That wasn't something I had to give them — they already had it. We're now four fire stations, 82 full-time people. In my opinion we've kept that culture. My mantra when I got there was I didn't want to just be an answer to a 911 call — I want to be a part of the community. Because the fire service is such decentralized leadership, it's really difficult to keep that, but we've been able to do that. We're usually cutting edge in paramedicine. Our ROSC rate or survival rate from cardiac arrest is one of the highest percentages you'll find in the state. Recently, me and two of my colleagues started what's called the Utah Firefighter Cancer Initiative. We got statewide early cancer detection testing for firefighters in Utah. We're right in the middle of the process of standing our clinic up because our cancer rates are astronomical. Ryan Harding: Any idea why that is? Jeremy Craft: Buildings burn and the carcinogens are in them. Our bodies are superheated, our pores are open and all that stuff comes in. Our turnout gear protects us from heat and steam, but it's not sealed up and so all that stuff gets in. In the past it was a badge of honor to have dirty gear. But those carcinogens were in that gear. Now you won't find dirty gear. If we hit a good fire, they take their gear off, put it in a bag, bring it back. We have special machines that wash that out. But the materials we're building — chairs and tables and stuff in our homes — have more carcinogens than ever. So it's a problem. Chapter 7: Community Engagement & Youth Programs Ryan Harding: What kind of things do you do to be part of the community? Jeremy Craft: We do a lot of public education. Super inviting to the community. If you look at the fire stations I've built, they have a lot of windows so people can see us working and it's inviting. We just stood up a team two years ago called our SAFE team that goes out and does really big public education stuff. More than that, we have this culture of we help when needed. If one of my engines is going to the grocery store and they see somebody on the side of the road with a flat tire, they're expected to pull over and change that flat tire. When they're at the grocery store, they're expected to interact with the public. We have a program called Sticker in Your Pocket. Wish I could say it was mine, but they had it. We have little fire department stickers. You won't find a firefighter that doesn't have one. Every time they interact with a child, they hand them a firefighter sticker. We have a big open house in October in conjunction with Fire Safety Week where we invite kids over to do firefighter activities. One of the ones we're super proud of is a camp called Call to Courage. It's for young ladies 14 to 18 years old. We bring them in for two days. It costs them nothing. We put them through firefighter paces, do leadership lectures from really successful females in the fire industry and outside. We've been doing this four years. We've gotten one firefighter out of it. But more than anything, if you watch them when they come in on day one versus when they leave on day two, they have a spirit of they can do anything. They do rappelling, we cut cars open, they drag fire hose. It's become super popular. I wish we had the capacity to do more — we're doing 25 to 30 ladies a year. It's just stuff like that. For me, it's super easy. If you care about the community, you find ways to serve them. Ryan Harding: If somebody wanted to sign up for that, is that on the city's website? Jeremy Craft: Unfortunately, we posted it on our social media and it was filled up in about two days. We don't even really have to advertise it. Word of mouth — hey, I did this last year, you should do it. We have people sign up wanting to come two years in a row. We give preference to newcomers. We're super active on our social media doing fire service education. We love people to come in, see the fire station, see what we do, see that we live there, see that we cook there. Chapter 8: Life Inside the Fire Station Ryan Harding: Is there a busier month? Jeremy Craft: Middle of summer is a lot busier. People are outside doing things. A lot more traumatic injuries. Fires we see more in the winter — people lighting candles, using space heaters, fireplaces. Chapter 9: Beyond Fires – EMT, Public Safety, and More Ryan Harding: What are some of the lesser-known responsibilities that firefighters handle? Jeremy Craft: Medical — we do all medical. We got a ton of training hours we got to keep up on to maintain our certifications, both fire and medical. Training is huge. We test and open and operate every single fire hydrant in the city every single year to make sure it's functional. We inspect every single business every year as part of their business license. We call it a fire and life safety inspection. Beyond that is knowing your area. Each station has a district that they're responsible for and then a backup district. Our expectation is that our men and women know that district. So when the tones go off, if they already have an idea and understand what buildings are there, it makes them better and faster. Chapter 10: Wildfire Response & Specialized Training Ryan Harding: Do you ever get tapped for forest fires? Jeremy Craft: We do have a national wildfire team and we send out all over the western United States. When they go, it's a 14-day deployment on scene. If they're going way out in Oregon, two days to get there, 14 days, and two days home. Which has paid off big for us when we had the Traverse Fire a few years ago. We saw the fruits of our labor helping other communities, and we got a lot of help. We are better for fires like that because of helping outside. We understand fire behavior better, techniques that a lot of cities just don't get enough of in our own city to be proficient. So that's how we gain our experience. And it brings a little money into the city, which is good. Chapter 11: Fire Safety Tips for Families & Homeowners Ryan Harding: What are some practical things that people can do to be more safe in their own homes? Jeremy Craft: Smoke detectors save lives. It's proven over and over again. Make sure you got good batteries, make sure you got working smoke detectors. If one's chirping and you replace the battery and it's still chirping, don't pull the battery out — get a new one. Close your bedroom door at night. It sounds so simple, but a closed door can buy the fire department 15, 20 minutes to save you. We see a lot of places where the utility room becomes a storage area. Don't store things around a furnace and a water heater with an open flame. Don't store gasoline in your garage. Those are super simple things that help you be fire safe. Chapter 12: Building Public Trust & Community Support Ryan Harding: Is Lehi City very supportive of the fire department? Jeremy Craft: The city does a survey every year on resident satisfaction with departments. I'm proud to say every single year we've been the top department with resident satisfaction. Generally the complaints we get are people just don't understand. If you listen to them and explain, probably 90% of the complaints are like, 'Oh, okay, that makes sense.' They just need more explanation, which puts an onus back on us to do more public education. We get a lot of 'Why is a fire engine going to a medical call?' Some people see it as a waste of taxpayer dollars. I appreciate those questions because it causes us to look internally and make sure we're doing the right things. The reality is we don't get that many fires. If they go out on a medical call in a pickup and then get a fire, they've got to go clear back to the station, change over gear, and go. Fire doubles every 45 seconds. Time is huge to us. We try to be on scene of every fire and every medical within four to six minutes of dispatch. If somebody's having a heart attack, the longer we're not there, the more cardiac muscle dies. That's why we take the vehicle most appropriate to do everything. Even at the grocery store — if they're in the middle of shopping and the tones go off, they walk away from the cart. They don't finish shopping. In the middle of a shower shampooing your hair, you don't take time to get the shampoo out. You jump out, dry the best you can while running to your apparatus. Because that mission, that core of that mission, that's what we're here for. That's what they pay their tax dollars for. Chapter 13: Stories of Lives Saved in the Field Ryan Harding: Any memorable events as far as saving people? Jeremy Craft: I have two calls in particular. We pulled a young man, about 16 months old, out of a bathtub. For all intents and purposes, he was dead. But we went to work and did our jobs and got him back. They flew him to Primary Children's. The outlook was bleak. But just last year, he graduated high school. At that time I was with Provo Fire and lived close to the family — didn't know then, but we lived close. My wife actually knew his mother. It's been really fun to watch him progress through life. No deficits whatsoever. We saved a life. The other one happened when I was fire chief. I hadn't been here very long and was sitting at my desk. I got a phone call from an organization like Make a Wish. They had a young man who had less than 48 hours to live. They wanted to bring him to the fire station. All the mascots came — Jazz Bear and all of them. They were going to the Natural History Museum and wanted to bring him into the station. I of course said yes. They pulled him into the bay in a limo. He's non-ambulatory and can't speak. One of my young firefighters, Aaron Fuller — who's a captain now, really just a good dude — he carried him throughout the station to the ambulance. I gave him a hat, a fire hat and a fire shirt. When it came time for him to leave, I thought it was important to make an impression. I put him in the front of my engine and asked if he would be my captain for a few minutes and watch over my crew while they went to the Natural History Museum. He got a big smile on his face as I buckled him in. That was the day I remembered what true service was all about. Hundreds of medical calls. I flew for Life Flight for a while as a paramedic. Nothing brought me more pleasure, made me feel like I served, than that call. As you can tell, it still makes me emotional. He passed away. My hope is that he remembered that we gave him the very best night of his life. But that's service. That's what I go back to — serving on a different level. It's not always about the 911 call. Ryan Harding: I'm sure he did remember it, but it sounds like it also had a huge impact on you. Jeremy Craft: It was very impactful. I don't run calls anymore, but another thing I get a lot of pleasure out of is they do a bowling event for kids with special needs, and I get to MC that every year. It's so fun to go out and do good for the community. I could still run a 911 call, but I don't think they want me out there anymore. But that's what life is about — helping others. Those special circumstances where people can't help themselves, that's what we're built for in the fire service. Chapter 14: Challenges of a Fast-Growing City Ryan Harding: Lehi City's continuing to grow. What challenges do you see? Jeremy Craft: We need one more station in the southwest part of town. With the high-density housing, I think over time the call volume's going to really hit some of those houses hard. We may have to double up on the companies in them. One of our biggest challenges right now is finding people that want to work in the fire service. It's more of a job to some of our younger people. For a lot of us older people, it was a career. Once we got there, that's the only thing we ever wanted to do. But that's just not society anymore. It's not their fault. That's a big challenge because experience is everything. We can bring new people in and train them, it costs us money. But when you lose a five, seven, eight-year person because they want to go do something else, that's a lot of experience the new people don't have. I have great support from city administration. Just keeping up with the growth of this city, where's it going to happen, where are we needed. Technology — the lithium-ion battery fires are kicking our butt. We are working as hard as we can to figure them out. The little ones are not so bad, but the ones in cars — we can't put them out. We literally cannot put them out. We're trying to figure that out not just here in Lehi but across the nation. In southern Salt Lake County they're going to put a warehouse and house who knows how many thousands of square feet of those batteries. If we get one of those going, that'd be hard to put out. Ryan Harding: Do you have a hard time filling positions? Chapter 15: Supporting the Modern Firefighter Workforce Jeremy Craft: We adapted. I think as a leader you have to adapt as society or you die. As an organization, you adapt as society or you die. Our numbers are back up. When I got here, we were a paramedic service and it was a lot of people had fires. In order to test for us, you had to have all your fire certifications and be advanced EMT or paramedic. Well, our numbers started going down. So we said, okay, we got to train them. It was really difficult for our department. I helped establish a training consortium of the five cities in northern Utah County called ALPS. Together we try to hire in batches and train them together as five cities. It saves us a lot of money, we get more people in the training. Even at that, some of our numbers were down. One thing that's not very popular in my department, but I said we got to stop testing people on a Monday or Thursday or Wednesday because the people we want probably have jobs or are in school. So we moved our test to a Saturday. It's a long test — written, physical agility, and interview in one day. I think we're eliminating people who may be great for us. Our numbers skyrocketed the first time we did that. That's what it's about — getting numbers so you can choose the best. We just continue to look at ways like that. Chapter 16: Emotional Toll of Service & Mental Wellness Ryan Harding: Firefighting is emotionally and physically demanding. Anything you're doing to help with mental health? Jeremy Craft: This is something that has changed so dramatically in my career. When I was a brand new medic, you just didn't have feelings. That's what you were told. Whether you had them or not, you were told you don't have them. We didn't talk about mental health. Even when I got to Lehi just 10 years ago, we didn't really talk about mental health. But we've really tried to open up and have conversations. Now you hear the crews talking about hard calls afterwards. We brought in an organization called FirstWatch and our people have access to that whenever they want. One thing I changed is when they have a difficult call, I immediately go get the crew. Generally it's a medical call. I pull them from the hospital, don't let them clean up their mess. I pull them off shift for a couple hours and let them be together. Then I let them decide — do you want to stay here and work? Do you want to go work out? We probably buy them dinner or lunch. Almost always some of them will want to go home and hug their families, but most of the time they want to come back with the people that understand. We also engage those mental health professionals to be on the ready if one of them needs to speak to them. Chapter 17: Fighting Cancer – Personal Stories & Initiatives Jeremy Craft: I want to touch back on cancer. It's a big passion of mine. I'll drop the bomb, shall we? I'm fighting cancer myself now. 100% attributed to the job. We're doing everything we can to clean our own house, do early testing and get legislative support, but at some point we may need the community. We're always there for you. This may be some place that we need you to help us. Currently we're on a good path. We got some money legislatively. You may see some big fundraiser events — big fireman's balls or something like that. Just participate. A big thing right now would be if you would go to our website, utahfirefightercancer.org, and just click on it. Clicks on our website help us gain clout in the internet world, and then we can monetize that by advertisements. So just go check it out. Click on it once. That would be huge for us. Chapter 18: Final Reflections on Service, Growth, and Gratitude Jeremy Craft: I love being a fire chief. I love serving. Anybody that's listening, we're happy to tell you who we are, what we do at any time. I appreciate you coming on and letting us talk about the department. It's really near and dear to my heart and I love the men and women here. They'll take great care of the community. Ryan Harding: We appreciate all you've done and continue to do. Glad we got you from Montana. Jeremy Craft: It's my pleasure. Thank you. Ryan Harding: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Harding Home Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Jeremy Craft Lehi Fire Chief Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Lehi Utah fire chief interview with Jeremy Craft discussing fire department history, emergency services growth, EMS, firefighter cancer initiative, youth programs, and public safety in Lehi Utah. Jeremy Craft Lehi Utah. Lehi Fire Department history. Lehi emergency services growth. Firefighting in Lehi Utah. EMS services Lehi Utah. Utah firefighter cancer initiative. Lehi community leaders podcast. Lehi public safety programs. Firefighter life Utah. Lehi city development services. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Be a Guest Contact

Jeremy Craft Lehi Fire Chief | Roots & Branches Podcast

Lehi Fire Chief Jeremy Craft shares his journey from Montana to leading Utah’s fastest-growing fire department. Listen to stories of service, survival, and community on Roots & Branches of Lehi.

Jeremy Craft on Serving Lehi From Montana Mountains to Fire Chief

A Life Built on Service

The Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest

Time Periods Discussed

Location

Main Topics

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

The Spark on Bald Mountain

A Life Revived

Captain for a Day

Call to Courage

The Only Industry Trying to Disappear

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Community Themes & Legacy

Memorable Quotes

Photo & Visual Suggestions

Full Transcript

Chapter 1: Introduction to Roots and Branches of Lehi

Chapter 2: Meet Jeremy Craft, Lehi Fire Chief

Chapter 3: From Montana to Lehi – Jeremy's Journey

Chapter 4: What a Fire Chief Actually Does

Chapter 5: A Day in the Life of a Firefighter

Chapter 6: Jeremy's Path to Leadership

Chapter 7: Community Engagement & Youth Programs

Chapter 8: Life Inside the Fire Station

Chapter 9: Beyond Fires – EMT, Public Safety, and More

Chapter 10: Wildfire Response & Specialized Training

Chapter 11: Fire Safety Tips for Families & Homeowners

Chapter 12: Building Public Trust & Community Support

Chapter 13: Stories of Lives Saved in the Field

Chapter 14: Challenges of a Fast-Growing City

Chapter 15: Supporting the Modern Firefighter Workforce

Chapter 16: Emotional Toll of Service & Mental Wellness

Chapter 17: Fighting Cancer – Personal Stories & Initiatives

Chapter 18: Final Reflections on Service, Growth, and Gratitude

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A conversation about emergency medicine, public service, and the quiet sacrifices that keep a growing Utah community safe. Hosted by Ryan Harding.

Photo Opportunity

Jeremy Craft at Lehi Fire Station

"Our mission is our family serving yours."

— Jeremy Craft

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Lehi Fire Chief Jeremy Craft to explore the story behind one of the city’s most vital community leaders. Originally from a small town in Montana, Jeremy’s journey into emergency services began at just 14 years old and ultimately led him to Lehi, Utah, where he has spent decades serving and protecting the community. His path reflects not only personal dedication, but also the evolution of public safety in a rapidly growing city.

Jeremy shares a behind-the-scenes look at the Lehi Fire Department, revealing that modern firefighting is far more than responding to fires—it’s deeply rooted in emergency medical care, public education, and community connection. As Lehi continues to grow from its agricultural roots into one of Utah County’s fastest-expanding cities, his leadership has helped expand the department from two stations to four, while maintaining a strong culture of service. From life-saving calls to youth programs and firefighter health initiatives, this conversation highlights the people, values, and systems that keep Lehi safe—and why that work matters more than ever in a fast-changing community.

For anyone interested in Lehi history, local government, emergency services, or the personal stories behind public safety in Utah County, this episode offers a rare window into the daily realities and long-term vision of a department that truly puts community first.

Watch Ryan Harding and Jeremy Craft discuss decades of service, life-saving moments, and what it takes to lead a fire department through Lehi’s remarkable growth.

Jeremy Craft, Fire Chief, Lehi Fire Department

1990s to Present — covering Jeremy’s Montana roots, arrival in Utah, and tenure leading Lehi Fire through rapid city expansion

Lehi, Utah — Utah County

A 14-year-old's calling

Jeremy’s path into emergency services began not in a classroom, but on a mountain. At 14, he accompanied his father—a police officer and search-and-rescue volunteer—on a medical call for a heart attack victim on what locals called Bald Mountain. Standing beside an emergency room nurse in the Montana wilderness, Jeremy heard the word paramedic for the first time. By the time the call ended, he knew what he wanted to do with his life. That single experience, rooted in rural community service, would eventually lead him across state lines to Lehi, Utah.

The toddler who graduated high school

Among the most powerful memories Jeremy shared was a call early in his career with Provo Fire. A 16-month-old child was pulled from a bathtub, clinically dead. The crew went to work, resuscitated him, and he was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital with a bleak outlook. Decades later, Jeremy watched that same child graduate from high school—with no lasting deficits. Through a small-world connection, Jeremy learned his wife knew the boy’s mother. The story stands as a testament to the invisible threads that connect first responders to the communities they serve.

Service beyond the 911 call

After becoming chief in Lehi, Jeremy received a call from a wish-granting organization. A young boy with less than 48 hours to live wanted to visit a fire station. The child arrived by limo, non-ambulatory, unable to speak. Firefighter Aaron Fuller carried him through the station, and Jeremy placed his own fire hat on the boy’s head, buckling him into the front of the engine as an honorary captain. The child smiled. Jeremy calls it the moment he remembered what true service was about—and why fire departments must be more than an answer to a 911 call.

Empowering young women

In an effort to reach beyond traditional public safety education, Jeremy’s department launched a two-day camp called Call to Courage for young women ages 14 to 18. At no cost, participants rappel, cut open cars, drag fire hose, and hear from successful women in the fire industry. The transformation from day one to day two, Jeremy says, is visible: they leave believing they can do anything. The program has been so successful it fills within days, and it has already inspired at least one participant to pursue firefighting as a career.

Prevention as purpose

Jeremy describes firefighting as the only profession that works as hard to put itself out of business as it does to stay in it. Through building code enforcement, public education, and legislative advocacy, modern fire departments actively try to prevent the very emergencies they respond to. In Lehi, that has meant pushing for better building materials, annual business safety inspections, and teaching residents simple habits—like closing bedroom doors at night—that can buy families the precious minutes needed to survive.

Lehi’s transformation from a quiet farming town to a booming Utah County city is reflected in nearly every aspect of its fire department. Jeremy Craft’s tenure captures this evolution in real time.

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This episode connects to a broader archive of Lehi, Utah history and community life. Explore these related threads across the Roots & Branches of Lehi collection.

Discover more stories from Lehi’s community leaders, business owners, educators, and neighbors in the full Roots & Branches of Lehi archive.

To further enrich this community profile, consider adding photographs that capture both the person and the place. Historic and contemporary images help preserve Lehi’s visual story for future generations.

The complete conversation between Ryan Harding and Jeremy Craft, preserved for search indexing and historical record. Timestamps approximate.

Ryan Harding: Welcome Jeremy Craft, the chief of the fire department for Lehigh City, right? So yep, fire chief. Yeah, fire chief. Perfect. Great. Glad to have you here and glad to get to know you a little bit better and get to know your position, get to know what you guys are doing here for Lehigh City. And so this will be good to chat with you for a second.

Jeremy Craft: Yeah, thanks for inviting me. I'm excited to share our story.

Ryan Harding: Yeah. Good. Good. Well, so let's start with you then, I guess, first. Tell me, you know, you're from here or where you from originally?

Jeremy Craft: I actually grew up in Montana. In Montana. Okay. Yeah. And then the job brought me here, actually. So, Okay. And how long have you been now here? And Oh, I've been down here since 93. Okay. So, good amount of time. Yeah. A few years. Yeah. A few years. Yeah. Okay. Awesome. I Well, personal connection. I grew up in North Dakota myself. So yeah, Bismar is and so we we'd go through Montana all the time, you know, coming down here to visit my grandparents in Utah and stuff. So but love Montana. It's very beautiful state.

Ryan Harding: So So came down here to Lehigh. So that so that that job directly brought you here then or did you have another job in between or tell me tell me?

Jeremy Craft: No. Well, so the story goes like this. Yeah. When my I grew up in a small town in Montana and my parents both volunteered for the local ambulance. My dad was search and rescue. Okay. My dad was police officer. Mechanic police officer. Sure. One day when I was 14 years old, he took me on a medical call. It was outside of town. Yeah. For a gentleman having a heart attack on what we call Bald Mountain. It's kind of like Mount Chipanogus is. Yeah. And really from that day forward, I just wanted to be a paramedic. Right. I was with an emergency room nurse up on the mountain and she's she told me paramed is where I should go. Yeah. So after high school, I went to college on some sports scholarship stuff and but ultimately I just wanted to be a paramedic. Yeah. And there wasn't really an opportunity in Montana back in the early 90s. Sure. Sure. So my grandparents lived in Salt Lake. So I came down here to pursue that in my pursuit of parame medicine. Fire service is a bonus. They go hand in hand. Okay. In in Utah. And so that's where it all started. That's that's how it started on a mountain in Montana. On a mountain in Montana. I like that. In the 80s. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then that brought Yeah.

Ryan Harding: Well, and so and talk to me about you mentioned, you know, because you're the fire chief and so a lot of times people think, you know, fighting fires and stuff like that, which is part of your job, but from what I understand, is it east of the Mississippi and west of the Mississippi is it's a little different or talk to me about that, I guess. Yeah, there used to be a hard line like that. So, we we are we do what we're call what's called firebased EMS. Okay. Right. Actually, 85% of what we do are emergency medical calls. Yeah. But on the east coast, they still have traditional fire departments. Yeah. And they don't really do medical. They'll go out on car wrecks to do extrication or stuff like that, but medical is all handled by private ambulances. Okay. So, in my opinion, and of course I'm biased, for the taxpayers, this makes much more sense. Sure. Right. We're we're we play dual roles and so it takes less staffing to do the medical and the fire. Yeah. And we serve the community well.

Ryan Harding: Because I'm guessing there's not a lot of fires all the time, right? I mean, is that, you know, or or what I guess what percentage or maybe you already said that 80, you know, what what's percentage of your calls are actual fires?

Jeremy Craft: Actual fires, we're probably 5%. Okay. Right. And and I'm not talking just house fires. We have dumpster fires, car fires, field fires, those types of things. Sure. And the reality is we're the only industry that you're ever going to find that we work just as hard to put ourselves out of business as we do to put out fires. Sure. And we do that through building code enforcements and up at the legislature getting better building codes so buildings don't burn. Public education on fire safety. Yeah. Right. It wouldn't be fun but no fires would be awesome. Yeah. Okay. Well, yeah, that would be nice, right? So So, you know, tell me tell me like, you know, kind of a typical day for for somebody that works for the fire department. What does that look like?

Jeremy Craft: So, for the fire department, for me, they're different. Yeah. So, talk about you first, I guess, and then the fire department. Okay. I do a lot of meetings every day. Okay. So, I I like to believe I'm a servant leader. So, when I get to the office in the morning, I'm an early person, so I'm usually there 30 minutes before I'm supposed to be. Sure. Go through check some emails. And then I do I do a lot of work legislatively in the state to to try to help with retirement and cancer and mental health and all those things. So, I try to do a lot of that work early before people get there. Um, and then I start working on, you know, department stuff. budget season. I'm working on budget. We just opened another fire station. So really for the last three years, that's what I've been doing is trying to get this new fire station open. But it there's not a typical day. Okay. I also currently am the vice president of Western Fire Chiefs Association. Oh wow. So I got to fill in some work for them during the day, which is really good and brought a lot of good programs to Lehi. Good. Good.

Ryan Harding: And then talk to me about So a typical firefighter, what's their typical firefighter?

Jeremy Craft: So we do 48 on, 96 off. Okay. So the show up day one, they'll do a pass off with the crew that's leaving. Hey, this is broken. Hey, we noticed this or hey, we've been going out on this patient quite a bit. They fallen down, you know, things like that, right? What's important? And they immediately go out and they start checking off the equipment. They usually spend about an hour to an hour and a half just going through every single tool, every band-aid. Wow. Right. Make sure the equipment runs and we got everything we need. So when the tones go off, there's it's there. Yeah. You're ready. And then at least in my department, I'm huge on physical fitness. And so they'll go into PT. They'll go spend an hour to an hour and a half working out. Mhm. Um and then that usually takes them to about 10 10 in the morning. A lot of them at that point will do training, right? They're already hot and they're sweaty. So they'll go out and they'll pull some hose and do some training. Yeah. Come back in, shower, go to the grocery store, okay, on day one. And they buy generally they go once and they buy all their food for lunch that day, dinner, breakfast the next day, lunch and dinner. Okay. And then in the afternoon usually some EMS training and yeah, usually it most of the day is centered around training. At 5:00 it's their time essentially if they're not on calls. But we know that a lot of them kind of hang out just you know build that bond that is so necessary to have with the crew. But you know, and I say all that, but calls can come at any time. You can pop a fire and be out there for six hours. Sure. And your whole day is shot. Right. So Sure. But that that's pretty typical without without calls interjected. Yeah.

Ryan Harding: So and how you said a crew, how how many are on a crew?

Jeremy Craft: It depends on what type of apparatus are running out of there. So in Lehi, if if it's an engine company, meaning a fire engine, they'll generally we put three on the engine and two on the ambulance in that house. So that's station 81, 83, and 84 that we just opened. And then 82 is a truck company. Takes a lot more people. That's the big ladder truck. Yeah. So four on the ladder and two on the ambulance. And that's what we call minimum staffing. If we have sick calls and people on vacation, but that's minimum staffing.

Ryan Harding: So, and and and so when when you get a call, how many calls in a typical day do you I mean, I'm sure each day is different, but but if you were to average it, how many?

Jeremy Craft: Yeah, we're averaging about 15 to 16 right now a day in Lehi.

Ryan Harding: And when So, when you get a call, that means they leave, right? Okay. They go to check it out.

Jeremy Craft: We drop everything we do. So, I'm a very missiondriven person. I like to Everything we do surrounds our mission. Our mission statement is our family serving yours. And at the core of our mission is a 911 service. And so nothing else matters when the tones go off, but serving that mission. Okay. That's awesome. And and you know, obviously you have the the ambulance, but you also take the fire truck to these things even even though it's not necessarily a fire, I guess, or or or tell me. Yeah. So they're all firefighters and they're all medically trained. Okay. So a lot of people ask this question. So thank you for that. On a medical, why does a fire engine or fire truck go? Well, it's very simple. Two people may be able to perform what's necessary medically, but they can't move a patient and continue to perform things that are medically, right? So, if we have a patient that's let's just say grandma fell down on the second story of a home and she's got a hip injury, yeah, they can they can splinter up and they can give meds for pain, but they can't move her out of the house effectively. Can they move her? Yes. Okay. But effectively, without doing further harm, it's really difficult. So, we always send that engine out. So we have extra personnel car accident another really great example the the paramedics will be doing the medical care or the advanced EMTs while the engine company can be extricating right putting them on a backboard those types of things okay and then on a fire they they come together as a company and they fight fire together as a company so and we have four stations so four companies on every day in Lehi okay

Ryan Harding: talking a little bit more about you have how long have you been fire chief

Jeremy Craft: so I've been here in Lehi as the fire chief for about 10 and a half years. Okay. And so when you So tell me your path, I guess, to becoming fire chief. I mean, you know, was that something you always wanted to do? Was that something that Okay. All right. Tell Tell me about that. So I moved from Utah and got myself into I worked for a private ambulance company for a couple years, got to paramedic school. And I got hired by Provo Fire. Okay. And in the meantime, I was working part-time for South Davis Fire. That's kind of where I got my start. So at Promo, I I got hired as a paramedic firefighter. They run very similar to us and I just loved what I was doing and but I'm kind of a progressive person. I like to learn and so in the fire service you have promotional exams. So I had been on the job I'm going to have to think now about seven years and an engineers position or test came open. That's the person that drives fire apparatus. And I didn't want it but I wanted to take the test. So, I took the test and I did well enough they offered me the promotion and I felt like at that point I really couldn't say no and plus for me I knew I wanted to be an officer someday. It gave me the experience of all the positions below an officer. Sure. Anyways, so I digress a little bit but so I took the job and for two years I drove the fire engine and we have people that absolutely love the job and I absolutely hated it. I love driving. Yeah. But on medicals and stuff, they don't have as much responsibility and I want to be in the action. So after about two years, I was like, I either got to go to captain or I can't go back to paramedic. Sure. Not in that department. And so anyways, I took the captain's test and promoted to captain. And I'm And honestly, at that point, I was like, "Okay, this is where I want to be. This is probably where I want to finish my career. I'm out running calls still doing what I love." I was pretty young for a captain. Yeah. And a couple years later, there were some big changes happening in the department. New fire chief, a bunch of the old-timers had retired and there was battalion chiefs the next step openings. And I looked around and and I don't want to sound arrogant by any means, but I didn't really want to work for the people that I thought were going to be at the top of the list. Sure. Not because they weren't good people. I just didn't feel like they were progressive. Okay. And I wanted to be in a progressive department. Yeah. And so I had a conversation with my wife and she said, 'Well, you're in a predicament, aren't you? I said, 'I kind of am.' She said, 'Well, here's the deal. You either shut up and work for whoever promotes or you get busy and you promote yourself and you you push this department to be progressive. It's good advice. So, that's what I did. Yeah. And then I was a battalion chief for eight years, I think, almost eight years, and some things happened in that department, and I just didn't feel like upward mobility was going to happen for a long time. Mhm. So, I had a buddy of mine call me and say, "Hey, there's a fire chief opening in Lehi. We think you'd be great. You should apply." Okay. And so, I did. And here I am. And here you are. Yeah.

Ryan Harding: And and and does that, you know, battalion chief versus chief of fire, you know, fire chief. Is is there a lot of difference there then? I guess.

Jeremy Craft: Oh, it's huge. Huge difference. Yeah. So, battalion chief is on shift with personnel. Okay. So, you're in the action still more. Yep. You're in action. You You're over the like we have battalion chiefs here. when they're when a platoon's on, the A platoon battalion chief is over all four stations and but they're still running calls. They still sit down and have meals with the crews. And as the fire chief, I'm more administrative. Yeah. I can affect change obviously faster being in charge, but I don't necessarily get to run the calls anymore. Okay. So, yeah.

Ryan Harding: And and so you've mentioned progressive and stuff like that. So tell me what you know over your your tenure you know of being fire chief. How you know what things are you most proud of that you've you know like that you've done or changed or or you know tell me tell me about that that period of time.

Jeremy Craft: As a fire chief some of the things I'm super proud of is the growth of the department. We've been able to grow. So when I got to Lehi we were two fire stations. We had 35 full-time people 35 part-time people. And it was a good department. Good morale. They knew how to serve the community well. That wasn't something I had to give them. They already had it. And we're now four fire stations. Wow. 82 full-time people. Wow. And and we've, in my opinion, we've kept that culture and we've kept the my mantra when I got there was I didn't want to just be an answer to a 911 call. I want to be a part of the community. And we've been able to keep that. Okay. And because the fire service is such uh decentralized command, if you will, decentralized leadership, yeah, it's really difficult to keep that, but we've been able to do that. But some other things that that I'm super proud of is the way we progress in paramed. We're usually cutting edge. Our rosque rate or our survival rate from a cardiac arrest is one of the highest percentages you'll find in the state. We're super proud of that. Yeah. And then recently, something that I've been working on really hard legislatively on a bigger picture is me and two of my colleagues started what's called the Utah Firefighter Cancer Initiative. Oh. And we got statewide early cancer detection testing for firefighters in Utah. Oh, that's great. So, we're we're right in the middle of the process of standing our clinic up to get early tested because our cancer rates are astronomical. Yeah. Just among fire firefighters. Really? Yes. Really?

Ryan Harding: Any idea why that is?

Jeremy Craft: Yeah. Buildings burn and the carcinogens are in them and our bodies are superheated and they're open to our pores are open and all that stuff comes in. Our turnout gear protects us from heat and from steam, but it's not sealed up and so all that stuff gets in and and honestly another thing that we've done over the years is in the past it was a badge of honor to have dirty gear. Sure. But those carcinogens were in that gear. Yeah. Now, you won't find dirty gear, but if we if we hit a a good fire, they'll take their gear off, they'll put it in a bag, they bring it back. We have special machines that wash that out of there. So, we're hoping the number goes down, but Okay. Just by being more But having said that, the materials we're building, chairs and tables and stuff in our homes, have more carcinogens than ever. Sure. So, yeah, it it's it's a problem. Sure. Interesting.

Ryan Harding: So, you know, you mentioned as far as the community goes and stuff like that, too. What kind of things do you do to try to be part of the community, I guess? You know, you mentioned, you know, hey, we really try to be not just a call and stuff like that, but so what kind of things do you do to try to

Jeremy Craft: We do a lot of public education. Okay. Super inviting to the community. We we want to be open. If you look at the fire stations that I've built, they have a lot of windows so people can see us working and and it it's it's inviting. We're old style where they were kind of closed up. So, a lot of public education. We just stood up a team two years ago called our safe team that goes out and does really big public education stuff. Yeah. But more than that, we have this culture of we help when needed, right? If, let's just say, one of my engines is going to the grocery store further around and they see somebody on the side of the road with a a flat tire, they're expected to pull over and change that flat tire. Help them, right? At least offer help. Sure. And just so many little things like that. When they're at the grocery store, they're expected to interact with the public. We have a program called sticker in your pocket. Wish I could say it was mine, but they had it. But we have little fire department stickers. Yeah. You won't find a firefighter that doesn't have one. So every time they interact with a child, they hand them a fire, you know, a firefighter sticker, right? We we have a big open house in October where we in conjunction with fire safety week where we invite kids over to do firefighter activities. I could go on and on. One of the ones we're super proud of is it's a camp. It's called call camp call to courage. Okay. And it's for young ladies 14 to 18 years old and we bring them in for two days. It cost them nothing. And we put them through firefighter paces. We we do some really great leadership lectures from really successful females in fire industry and outside of and we've gotten a firefighter one. We've been this will be our fourth year doing it. So we've gotten one firefighter out of it. But more than anything, if you watch them when they come in on day one, from when they leave on day two, they have a spirit of they can do anything. And we they do repelling, we cut cars open, they drag fire hose. Wow. And that's become super popular. It it build up so fast this year. Yeah. I wish we had the capacity to do more, but you know, we're doing 25 to 30 ladies a year. Okay. Young ladies. And so it's just stuff like that, right? It's just for me, it's super easy. If if you care about the community, you find ways to serve them. Yeah.

Ryan Harding: And and I guess, you know, youth groups, are they able to ever, you know, tour a fire station and stuff like that?

Jeremy Craft: We love people to come in. Yeah. See the fire station, see what we do, see that we live there, see that we cook there? Yeah. Yeah. We we do a lot of that. We we don't do any in December. Okay. It's kind of our cool off. So October is huge fire safety month. We get a lot of schools and preschools and lots of people coming through. Sure. Kind of wind down in November, but December we don't do any tours. That's kind of our reset time where we can catch up on training and different things that maybe we miss because of calls and things like that.

Ryan Harding: And is there a busier month? I mean, you know, as far as you said, you know, on average 15 calls a a you know. Yeah. Middle of summer is a lot busier. People are outside doing things. A lot more traumatic injuries, but fires we see more in the winter. Oh, really? Yeah. people lighting candles, using space heaters, fireplaces, stuff like that. Interesting. So, what are some of the lesserk known responsibilities that you know firefighters handle? You know, obviously, you know, we all think of fires, but you know, like you said, that's less than 5%, right? So, yeah.

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John Wallwork on Education & Skyridge High School | Roots & Branches of Lehi

An in-depth interview with John Wallwork, principal of Skyridge High School in Lehi, Utah. Explore education leadership, student life, teacher collaboration, and what makes Lehi's schools special.

John Wallwork on Education, Leadership, and Life at Skyridge High School

Who Is John Wallwork, and Why Does His Story Matter to Lehi?

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

From Auckland to Lehi: A Principal's Journey Home

Leading Washington's Largest High School

The Grocery Store Thank-You

From "No Factory" to Grace and Empathy

"Third Base Kids" in Lehi

Teacher Collaboration: The Anti-Lottery

Plumbers, Electricians, and College Graduates

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

John Wallwork Skyridge High School Principal Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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An in-depth conversation with Skyridge High School Principal John Wallwork about his journey from New Zealand to Lehi, leading one of Utah's largest high schools, and why strong families and great teachers make this community special.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with John Wallwork , principal of Skyridge High School, to explore his journey in education and his experience becoming part of the Lehi, Utah community. Originally from New Zealand and raised across multiple regions, John brings a broad perspective shaped by years of teaching and school leadership in diverse environments. His decision to move to Lehi was rooted in family, but his impact has quickly extended into the heart of one of Utah's fastest-growing cities.

John shares what makes Lehi unique—particularly its strong families, supportive community, and high expectations for students. Through stories of leadership, school growth, and student success, he offers a compelling look at modern education in Lehi. From navigating post-COVID challenges to fostering collaboration among teachers and expanding opportunities for students, this conversation highlights the evolving role of schools in shaping both individuals and the broader community.

For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah schools , Skyridge High School , Alpine School District , or how a principal views the intersection of family, community, and education, this interview provides invaluable context. Whether you are a parent, educator, student, or simply someone who cares about the future of Lehi, John Wallwork's perspective helps explain why this community produces such strong outcomes—and what challenges remain as the city continues to grow.

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John Wallwork

Principal of Skyridge High School

2000s–2020s (focus on last 4–10 years in Lehi)

Ryan Harding

John describes growing up internationally—born in Auckland, New Zealand, then living in Samoa with his grandparents, followed by time in Hawaii, before settling in Washington State for most of his childhood. He moved to Lehi four years ago not because of the job alone, but because his two oldest children had started families in Utah. With six children and nearly 30 years of marriage, John and his wife wanted to be closer to their grandchildren. The job at Skyridge simply made the move possible.

Before arriving at Skyridge, John served as principal of the largest high school in the state of Washington for about eight years. Prior to that, he was a middle school principal for two years and an assistant principal for three years. Everything before administration was in the classroom, where he taught Spanish and social studies. His first year of teaching was in Las Vegas, with additional experience in Wyoming and Washington. That classroom foundation shaped his belief that administrators impact systems, but teachers impact lives directly.

A meaningful part of John's career comes from running into former students in the community who thank him years later—or even apologize for how they behaved in high school. He has always lived in the communities where he worked, believing that being accessible matters. As he tells Ryan, "I'd rather relax on my couch two minutes later than in a car thirty minutes." These encounters remind him that students remember how they were treated long after they forget specific rules.

John shares how COVID changed his approach to leadership. Before the pandemic, he admits principal offices can become "no factories" focused on liability and rules. COVID taught him that families everywhere were struggling, and that kids needed more grace, flexibility, and understanding. He now believes it is often easier to say no, but far more important to listen, understand context, and find ways to support students through difficult moments.

John explains the concept of "third base kids" in Lehi—students who benefit from strong family support, involved parents, and abundant resources. Unlike the high-poverty schools he led in Washington, where students often battled just to graduate, many Skyridge students arrive at third base with high expectations already in place. This creates a different but equally important challenge: helping high-achieving students manage pressure, anxiety, and mental health when they face their first academic setback.

Stories of teacher collaboration at Skyridge highlight how shared practices improve outcomes for all students. John is passionate about creating a "professional learning community" where English teachers (and all departments) depend on one another. They teach the same standards, assess the same skills, and share data openly. "It shouldn't be a lottery," John says. "Every student deserves the same experience." If one teacher's students excel at a standard, that teacher shares the strategy—and colleagues adopt it. "If you're not using what works best for students, that's malpractice."

John discusses the cultural shift away from viewing four-year college as the only valid path. Skyridge emphasizes excellence, integrity, and hard work as universal values that serve students whether they enter trades, apprenticeships, military service, or university. He notes that the world needs plumbers and electricians just as much as college graduates, and that the best advice for any student is simple: get good at something. "The world will pay you for it."

This interview offers valuable perspective on how Lehi's rapid growth and demographic character shape its educational landscape. Here are key historical and community insights from Principal Wallwork's perspective:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as its schools grow and evolve:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history, education, and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Welcome John Wallwork to the Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast. Happy to have you here and get to know you a little bit better. Get to know Skyridge and get to know all these things about you.

John Wallwork: So happy to be here, Ryan.

Ryan: Yeah, I'm glad you're here. So tell me where you're from. Are you originally from Lehi? Where'd you grow up?

John: Yeah, so sure. So I was born in Auckland, New Zealand, if you could tell from my accent. But lived there a short time and then I went to Samoa, lived with my grandparents for a year or two while my parents got a divorce and kind of got established. Lived in Hawaii for a couple years and then most of my life I was raised in Washington State. And then we just moved here to Lehi four years ago. This is my fourth year. So in Skyridge. Yeah. Rather recent then. Yeah. So is that what got you here then was that that job? Well, the job made it possible for us to move here. So, we've got six kids. My wife and I have been married for almost 30 years. Our two oldest live here in Utah, and it just got to that time where they were getting married and starting to have kids, and we just wanted to be closer to them. So, the job certainly made it possible to move here.

Ryan: Okay. And have you always been in education?

John: Yeah, always. I graduated from BYU Hawaii. The beaches at BYU Hawaii are a little bit more than Provo could offer. Anyway, I started out as a teacher. I taught Spanish and social studies. My first year in Vegas, taught a little bit in Washington State. Taught a little bit in Wyoming. But yeah, all of it's been in education as a teacher or administrator.

Ryan: And so how long have you been a principal then? Four years or—

John: Yeah, so this is my fourth year as a principal here. Before I moved here, I was a principal of a high school, the largest high school in the state of Washington for about eight years. And then I was a principal of a middle school before that for two years, assistant principal at a high school for three years, and then everything before that was in the classroom.

Ryan: Okay. And now tell me then since you've had experience both in and outside of Utah, tell me how it was to do a high school eight years in Washington and stuff like that. Any differences, similar? I mean, kids are kids, but I'm assuming culturally there's different things.

John: Yeah, definitely. I think probably the biggest difference, Ryan, is so this is the first place where really poverty is not a real issue. Here's the first place where there's also not a lot of diversity. So, I've come from places where usually it's a high poverty, high diverse, but here in Lehi, there's not a lot—I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but there's just not a lot of that here in Lehi, which which is good, too, right? But like you said, yeah, kids are kids. Yeah. Just different challenges, different problems.

Ryan: Do any other differences or any other things from that time?

John: You know, the probably the other big difference I always tell people is, you know, Washington was a the union, the teacher union was pretty strong. So, as an administrator, you kind of had to navigate that. You always had to take that in consideration. You always—it seemed like it was hard to make decisions. You really had to have the union backing on hirings and initiatives. And just here in Utah, you don't have that challenge. We've got a great relationship with our union, but they just—there's it's just not that intense. Like I think two years before I moved here, our school district went on a strike. And so anyway, so that that's probably another difference just the kind of the watchful eye of the union and kind of their hands and kind of all the decisions that schools make.

Ryan: Does that make it harder to fire people and stuff like that?

John: Yeah. No, it certainly the union does certainly add an aspect when it comes to hiring and firing and pushing through maybe initiatives that you want your school to adopt or change. So there is that aspect there. So yeah, it makes it a little tougher.

Ryan: Well, so going back to you and kind of your beginnings here, why education? Why did you choose education? You know, you're smart guy. I'm guessing you could have gone a lot of different directions.

John: You know, I'm not as smart as you might think I am, Ryan. But thank you. I think for me just initially to go in education to be a teacher and a coach because that's kind of what motivated me, just the impact that teachers and coaches can have on kids. I think that was really the kind of initiated this whole career. Just wanted to make a difference in the kids in kids' lives. And as administration goes, you mean you still have an impact, but as an administrator, it's not necessarily like maybe that direct impact that a classroom teacher can have, but it's more an impact you have on systems and processes and practices and policies and so which you hope would impact kids as well.

Ryan: Well, so speak to that then for a minute. Any memorable moments where you're, you know, hey, I'm really glad we started that program or did this or anything like that?

John: Yeah. I think if I look back on my career, I think the times that that are really really rewarding and this I'm not bragging or anything. I'm not saying this happens like every single day of my life, but it's it's those times where you see a kid or a family in a grocery store, at Walmart, or at a restaurant, out in the community, because I've always lived in the community where I worked. Like I really believe in that. I don't people say like, "Yeah, I want to live outside of the community. I like to drive and I listen, I'd rather relax on my couch 2 minutes later than than in a car 30 minutes." So, I've always lived in a community where I worked and when you do that, you certainly there's just been so many experiences where you run into people that you've had an impact on and they come up and thank you or apologize and say, "Sorry, man. I was such a good dude. I didn't agree with, you know," like those experiences there that I've had numerous times because I've always lived in the community. Those have been the rewarding opportunities and experiences that I've had. Just to see people go to their weddings, see them grow, having their kids come to the school where you're at. Just all of those experiences have been really, really impactful.

I don't know if anyone's ever come up to me and said, "Hey, that rule that you made in high school really changed my life." I don't know about that, but just I think kids recognize when they they're treated nice and fair and and given opportunities when maybe maybe they don't think they deserve it, but they but they get them. So anyway.

Ryan: So tell me about your leadership style, I guess, with you know, cuz because obviously as a principal, you're both in charge of the kids and really the teachers too then, right? So tell me how, you know, how would you define your leadership style and how has that changed or evolved over time?

John: Yeah. No, it's good. I think one of the things about because I was a principal before COVID and now after COVID and I think one of the areas where I've grown as a principal as an administrator is I think COVID one thing that that it really taught me is we really just need to be more empathetic and more flexible and understanding and give more grace to kids and families. And I think sometimes as a principal our offices are are no factories like nope liability da da da can't do this I don't want to do that my unintended consequences all of that. I think it becomes a no factory and it's a lot easier sometimes to just say no of course but I think what COVID did for me at least personally is you know we've got kids even even whether you're in high poverty areas or not you've got kids and families is having some rough times and hard times with things and and so just giving kids more grace and more empathy and being more flexible. I think is one thing that my leadership style has grown and progressed.

Ryan: So talk to me about about Skyridge. So Skyridge is a fast growing high school. How have you dealt with all the growth? Are you adding a lot of classes and teachers and stuff like that?

John: You bet. Yeah, that's a good question. So, Skyridge, this is so this is going to be next year is going to be our 10th year that we've been open as a school. And as you may know, the first four years we had 9th graders in the building. And so, the school was up above through 35, you know, mid 30,000. After Viewpoint was built, that took the ninth graders out of our building. So, now we're just sophomores through juniors, 10th through 12th grade. and we've been fluctuating in the years I've been here. So, right now we're a little above 2500. Okay. And that number seemed to be about 2400 when I got here. So, I think one of the things that this district does well is just it's it really builds buildings. It kind of watches that because I I don't think they want their schools too big. And so by building viewpoint, by adjusting boundaries, by building new schools, it kind of relieves the pressure of the growth. So we've kind of been around that mid 2000s for for the past few years.

But but it's manageable. I mean the high school I came from was a 9 through 12 and we were about 32, 3,300 and that becomes it just becomes a city, right? You just it's hard to manage. It's hard to be everywhere. You got to delegate a lot and you don't quite get down. But but anyway, this Skyridge's size right now, obviously, we're one of the larger 6A schools, but I feel like it's pretty manageable. I've got five assistants. They're really good. We get out and we see kids. We're in the hallways and classrooms. So, I think it's manageable. Anything larger than that, it might get a little tougher.

Ryan: And so how does it compare to those other 6A schools? And you know I haven't been this is the only school I've been to in Utah. So I don't know all the other schools. I think the big challenge that schools have there's a lot of challenges that come with poverty. So there's a lot of big schools in the Salt Lake Granite districts that, you know, are experiencing high poverty and with poverty come a lot of different challenges. So in that regard, we're we're pretty well off. I mean, we've got a great supportive community here. I mean, a lot of my kids come from two parent homes and have high expectations. And so I don't necessarily have to battle too much with the these kids want to graduate and go to college. You don't have to convince them of that.

When there's poverty, there's just there's a lot of challenges. I mean, that's still your job, but it becomes a challenge when you're when they're battling those obstacles and barriers in in their world. Because I'm guessing you're saying, you know, college is not really something they're thinking about. They're just trying to graduate. Just having worked with in high poverty areas, I think they're battling a couple things. One, they don't have a history of college in their family, right? a lot of first-time college goers, attenders in a lot of these parts—first-time high school graduates. And so you're kind of trying to break this cycle and you're trying to instill new goals and high achievement in these kids. And so that certainly comes with a lot of challenges here in Lehi and at Skyridge especially. I mean, there's just I haven't had so many conferences with moms and dads. Usually where I come from they're with grandma or aunt or you know and so that right there is it changes the game for a kid. If a kid comes from a really supportive home that has a lot of resources and has some high expectations because we've gone to college you're going to go to you know what I mean? So so that that probably is a huge difference for Skyridge. They're we're really blessed in that way.

Ryan: Well I guess yeah shows the importance of a family right. So then my guess is you don't have some of those big problems like you're saying. Yeah. But my guess is you're not problem free. So then tell me what are some of the problems that that a school like Skyridge deals with?

John: That's a good good question. Following with that same theme, I think one of the and you've probably seen this in this community where now you have you do have a lot of challenges when it comes to maybe the expectations are too high. Maybe there's too much pressure in succeeding and getting straight A's and a 4.0 and going to the college, you know, like. So, sometimes those pressures and expectations can cause some anxiety and some mental health and some depression when maybe you don't reach, you know, when you get your first C and you've always got A's and so that that certainly adds it's a different problem, but it certainly is a challenge that you're going to have to confront and deal with and and be really supportive with those kids and and those families.

Ryan: Do you have much problems with discipline or with that kind of part? Do you deal with that much?

John: Not a not not a terrible amount of discipline at Skyridge. I mean, I've been there for four years. I think maybe we've had two fights. You know, vaping is kind of a growing trend that kids are dabbling with, but other than that, Ryan, when it comes to kids misbehaving, disrupting the classroom and having to be removed and given school consequence, there's not a lot of that at at Skyridge. Okay, that's awesome. Good. No, it is. It's great. It lets us as administrators kind of focus on learning and and so that that certainly is a benefit.

Ryan: So I guess speak to that as far as any kind of traditions, you know, the school is still relatively new, right? You've been there for any traditions or things that you guys are kind of focused on, you know, because you don't have to worry about the discipline part.

John: Yeah. It's funny when you ask that, Ryan. Sometimes like I've like I said I've been at schools where there's there's real high poverty and with that comes a lot of challenges and I just remember like one fight could take your whole day. You got to cancel your classroom observation you got to cancel that meeting. So it seems like when you have less discipline it's really an administrator's dream because then you're focusing on all the things. But then I always tell people too though, part of the challenge for me and I don't know how this is going to come out. I share this with a lot of people, but sometimes in those high poverty areas when you're dealing with a lot of serious behavior things and sometimes you feel needed. Like if I don't do if I don't change certain practices and policies that might have be unfair for kids, like they're not going to make it. Like if I don't reach out to an immigration lawyer in town that I know to help this family they're done. Sure. Right. Sure. And so sometimes an administrator in those schools, you really feel like, man, I am really needed. I need I'm making a difference. And not that I don't experience that here because there are opportunities. There's just different ones. But sometimes whatever Mr. Wallwork does or doesn't do, that kid's going to be successful because they come from a great home and supportive parents and they have resources.

In education sometimes we call those third base kids, right? Like they don't they're not trying to just get on base. They're they're already at third base and they're ready to come home because of all the stuff that they have. And so sometimes that is a challenge, at least for me, in transitioning here to to Lehi and to Skyridge is trying to make myself feel like, okay, I'm I really need to do some things to make an impact on kids. And so, it's a little harder, but still there's certain opportunities for for that. But it does allow you to focus. So, one of the things at Skyridge we're focusing on is collaboration. Like really really taking advantage of a team of teachers having an impact on the school as opposed to I'm a traditional teacher who I'm going to just do it the way I always done it and I'm going to go in my classroom and teach shut the door. So we're really focused on people collaborating creating a true professional learning community so if we're English teachers then we're going to be dependent on each other because we're going to teach the same things, the same standards because kids deserve the same experience. Like it shouldn't be a lottery. Like if I take Mr. Ryan, man, it's going to be awesome. But hey, nobody wants to take Wall. Yeah. So, we're going to really collaborate to provide a great experience for all kids no matter what.

But then we're also going to teach things the same way. Not the same way necessarily, but we're going to teach the same standards. We're going to assess the same because we're going to share data on that. And I'm going to say, "Ryan, your kids knocked out of the park on standard 1.2." My kids didn't do well. How did you teach that? And you're going to tell me how to teach that? Sure. And I'm going to say, "Gosh, I need to try that." Because if I don't try that, that's malpractice on my part. Right. If I'm not practicing those strategies that yield the best results, then I'm in essence I'm committing malpractice to my students. So, we're really focused at Skyridge on that. Just collaborating like that. As opposed to everybody just you're independent conscious. Just teach what you want. Sure. And do what you do in your classroom and shut the door. And we're trying to get away from that.

Ryan: Which I love that you're doing that. I mean, that's any business, any organization knows that councils and working together is always going to be better, right? None of us as smart as some of us are, we're smarter together, right? And so that makes a lot of sense. That's good that you're doing that.

John: We feel it's the best thing for kids. I mean, not only does it help us as teachers, but we just feel like it's the best for kids. Like, why would you not do that? Like, I don't have all the tools and resources. But I'm going to lean on people when I have weaknesses or shortcomings. I'm going to lean on others that do know a lot more than me and have better. And we've noticed when we hire new teachers, it really helps them. As opposed to, hey, good luck. Here's the book. Sure. Good luck. No, it's like here's here's our script. Here's what we're doing. Here's what we do. And we're all going to do it. And we're all going to see the results and we're going to be trusting each other to say like, "Hey, I lacked on this area." Well, how did you teach that? Because your kids knocked that out of the park. So anyway, we feel like it's and and that's what research shows. That's what the data shows. If kids get more gain when they have a group of teachers that believe that they can learn and they share best practices and strategies. So anyway, it's nothing John Wallwork created. This is all well—

Ryan: See you're actually practicing exactly what you're preaching though because you're saying hey I didn't come up with this but I'm humble enough to recognize that other people have some knowledge and I want to use that. Right. I mean so so you're actually practicing exactly what you're preaching in that regard.

John: Yeah, I mean, because again, if you're like me, I don't have many original ideas ever, so I just copy. I like that. I'm going to do that. Educators are the best thieves. They take and steal the best practice, and that's what you should do. I think so. That's what stealing is not bad in that essence. I agree. I agree. That's right. That's right. Plagiarism in that regard, but we're good. We're good with that.

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name John Wallwork Role in Lehi Principal of Skyridge High School Time Periods Discussed 2000s–2020s (focus on last 4–10 years in Lehi) Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview From Auckland to Lehi: A Principal's Journey Home John describes growing up internationally—born in Auckland, New Zealand, then living in Samoa with his grandparents, followed by time in Hawaii, before settling in Washington State for most of his childhood. He moved to Lehi four years ago not because of the job alone, but because his two oldest children had started families in Utah. With six children and nearly 30 years of marriage, John and his wife wanted to be closer to their grandchildren. The job at Skyridge simply made the move possible. Leading Washington's Largest High School Before arriving at Skyridge, John served as principal of the largest high school in the state of Washington for about eight years. Prior to that, he was a middle school principal for two years and an assistant principal for three years. Everything before administration was in the classroom, where he taught Spanish and social studies. His first year of teaching was in Las Vegas, with additional experience in Wyoming and Washington. That classroom foundation shaped his belief that administrators impact systems, but teachers impact lives directly. The Grocery Store Thank-You A meaningful part of John's career comes from running into former students in the community who thank him years later—or even apologize for how they behaved in high school. He has always lived in the communities where he worked, believing that being accessible matters. As he tells Ryan, "I'd rather relax on my couch two minutes later than in a car thirty minutes." These encounters remind him that students remember how they were treated long after they forget specific rules. From "No Factory" to Grace and Empathy John shares how COVID changed his approach to leadership. Before the pandemic, he admits principal offices can become "no factories" focused on liability and rules. COVID taught him that families everywhere were struggling, and that kids needed more grace, flexibility, and understanding. He now believes it is often easier to say no, but far more important to listen, understand context, and find ways to support students through difficult moments. "Third Base Kids" in Lehi John explains the concept of "third base kids" in Lehi—students who benefit from strong family support, involved parents, and abundant resources. Unlike the high-poverty schools he led in Washington, where students often battled just to graduate, many Skyridge students arrive at third base with high expectations already in place. This creates a different but equally important challenge: helping high-achieving students manage pressure, anxiety, and mental health when they face their first academic setback. Teacher Collaboration: The Anti-Lottery Stories of teacher collaboration at Skyridge highlight how shared practices improve outcomes for all students. John is passionate about creating a "professional learning community" where English teachers (and all departments) depend on one another. They teach the same standards, assess the same skills, and share data openly. "It shouldn't be a lottery," John says. "Every student deserves the same experience." If one teacher's students excel at a standard, that teacher shares the strategy—and colleagues adopt it. "If you're not using what works best for students, that's malpractice." Plumbers, Electricians, and College Graduates John discusses the cultural shift away from viewing four-year college as the only valid path. Skyridge emphasizes excellence, integrity, and hard work as universal values that serve students whether they enter trades, apprenticeships, military service, or university. He notes that the world needs plumbers and electricians just as much as college graduates, and that the best advice for any student is simple: get good at something. "The world will pay you for it." History Historical Insights About Lehi This interview offers valuable perspective on how Lehi's rapid growth and demographic character shape its educational landscape. Here are key historical and community insights from Principal Wallwork's perspective: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as its schools grow and evolve: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history, education, and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Welcome John Wallwork to the Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast. Happy to have you here and get to know you a little bit better. Get to know Skyridge and get to know all these things about you. John Wallwork: So happy to be here, Ryan. Ryan: Yeah, I'm glad you're here. So tell me where you're from. Are you originally from Lehi? Where'd you grow up? John: Yeah, so sure. So I was born in Auckland, New Zealand, if you could tell from my accent. But lived there a short time and then I went to Samoa, lived with my grandparents for a year or two while my parents got a divorce and kind of got established. Lived in Hawaii for a couple years and then most of my life I was raised in Washington State. And then we just moved here to Lehi four years ago. This is my fourth year. So in Skyridge. Yeah. Rather recent then. Yeah. So is that what got you here then was that that job? Well, the job made it possible for us to move here. So, we've got six kids. My wife and I have been married for almost 30 years. Our two oldest live here in Utah, and it just got to that time where they were getting married and starting to have kids, and we just wanted to be closer to them. So, the job certainly made it possible to move here. Ryan: Okay. And have you always been in education? John: Yeah, always. I graduated from BYU Hawaii. The beaches at BYU Hawaii are a little bit more than Provo could offer. Anyway, I started out as a teacher. I taught Spanish and social studies. My first year in Vegas, taught a little bit in Washington State. Taught a little bit in Wyoming. But yeah, all of it's been in education as a teacher or administrator. Ryan: And so how long have you been a principal then? Four years or— John: Yeah, so this is my fourth year as a principal here. Before I moved here, I was a principal of a high school, the largest high school in the state of Washington for about eight years. And then I was a principal of a middle school before that for two years, assistant principal at a high school for three years, and then everything before that was in the classroom. Ryan: Okay. And now tell me then since you've had experience both in and outside of Utah, tell me how it was to do a high school eight years in Washington and stuff like that. Any differences, similar? I mean, kids are kids, but I'm assuming culturally there's different things. John: Yeah, definitely. I think probably the biggest difference, Ryan, is so this is the first place where really poverty is not a real issue. Here's the first place where there's also not a lot of diversity. So, I've come from places where usually it's a high poverty, high diverse, but here in Lehi, there's not a lot—I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but there's just not a lot of that here in Lehi, which which is good, too, right? But like you said, yeah, kids are kids. Yeah. Just different challenges, different problems. Ryan: Do any other differences or any other things from that time? John: You know, the probably the other big difference I always tell people is, you know, Washington was a the union, the teacher union was pretty strong. So, as an administrator, you kind of had to navigate that. You always had to take that in consideration. You always—it seemed like it was hard to make decisions. You really had to have the union backing on hirings and initiatives. And just here in Utah, you don't have that challenge. We've got a great relationship with our union, but they just—there's it's just not that intense. Like I think two years before I moved here, our school district went on a strike. And so anyway, so that that's probably another difference just the kind of the watchful eye of the union and kind of their hands and kind of all the decisions that schools make. Ryan: Does that make it harder to fire people and stuff like that? John: Yeah. No, it certainly the union does certainly add an aspect when it comes to hiring and firing and pushing through maybe initiatives that you want your school to adopt or change. So there is that aspect there. So yeah, it makes it a little tougher. Ryan: Well, so going back to you and kind of your beginnings here, why education? Why did you choose education? You know, you're smart guy. I'm guessing you could have gone a lot of different directions. John: You know, I'm not as smart as you might think I am, Ryan. But thank you. I think for me just initially to go in education to be a teacher and a coach because that's kind of what motivated me, just the impact that teachers and coaches can have on kids. I think that was really the kind of initiated this whole career. Just wanted to make a difference in the kids in kids' lives. And as administration goes, you mean you still have an impact, but as an administrator, it's not necessarily like maybe that direct impact that a classroom teacher can have, but it's more an impact you have on systems and processes and practices and policies and so which you hope would impact kids as well. Ryan: Well, so speak to that then for a minute. Any memorable moments where you're, you know, hey, I'm really glad we started that program or did this or anything like that? John: Yeah. I think if I look back on my career, I think the times that that are really really rewarding and this I'm not bragging or anything. I'm not saying this happens like every single day of my life, but it's it's those times where you see a kid or a family in a grocery store, at Walmart, or at a restaurant, out in the community, because I've always lived in the community where I worked. Like I really believe in that. I don't people say like, "Yeah, I want to live outside of the community. I like to drive and I listen, I'd rather relax on my couch 2 minutes later than than in a car 30 minutes." So, I've always lived in a community where I worked and when you do that, you certainly there's just been so many experiences where you run into people that you've had an impact on and they come up and thank you or apologize and say, "Sorry, man. I was such a good dude. I didn't agree with, you know," like those experiences there that I've had numerous times because I've always lived in the community. Those have been the rewarding opportunities and experiences that I've had. Just to see people go to their weddings, see them grow, having their kids come to the school where you're at. Just all of those experiences have been really, really impactful. I don't know if anyone's ever come up to me and said, "Hey, that rule that you made in high school really changed my life." I don't know about that, but just I think kids recognize when they they're treated nice and fair and and given opportunities when maybe maybe they don't think they deserve it, but they but they get them. So anyway. Ryan: So tell me about your leadership style, I guess, with you know, cuz because obviously as a principal, you're both in charge of the kids and really the teachers too then, right? So tell me how, you know, how would you define your leadership style and how has that changed or evolved over time? John: Yeah. No, it's good. I think one of the things about because I was a principal before COVID and now after COVID and I think one of the areas where I've grown as a principal as an administrator is I think COVID one thing that that it really taught me is we really just need to be more empathetic and more flexible and understanding and give more grace to kids and families. And I think sometimes as a principal our offices are are no factories like nope liability da da da can't do this I don't want to do that my unintended consequences all of that. I think it becomes a no factory and it's a lot easier sometimes to just say no of course but I think what COVID did for me at least personally is you know we've got kids even even whether you're in high poverty areas or not you've got kids and families is having some rough times and hard times with things and and so just giving kids more grace and more empathy and being more flexible. I think is one thing that my leadership style has grown and progressed. Ryan: So talk to me about about Skyridge. So Skyridge is a fast growing high school. How have you dealt with all the growth? Are you adding a lot of classes and teachers and stuff like that? John: You bet. Yeah, that's a good question. So, Skyridge, this is so this is going to be next year is going to be our 10th year that we've been open as a school. And as you may know, the first four years we had 9th graders in the building. And so, the school was up above through 35, you know, mid 30,000. After Viewpoint was built, that took the ninth graders out of our building. So, now we're just sophomores through juniors, 10th through 12th grade. and we've been fluctuating in the years I've been here. So, right now we're a little above 2500. Okay. And that number seemed to be about 2400 when I got here. So, I think one of the things that this district does well is just it's it really builds buildings. It kind of watches that because I I don't think they want their schools too big. And so by building viewpoint, by adjusting boundaries, by building new schools, it kind of relieves the pressure of the growth. So we've kind of been around that mid 2000s for for the past few years. But but it's manageable. I mean the high school I came from was a 9 through 12 and we were about 32, 3,300 and that becomes it just becomes a city, right? You just it's hard to manage. It's hard to be everywhere. You got to delegate a lot and you don't quite get down. But but anyway, this Skyridge's size right now, obviously, we're one of the larger 6A schools, but I feel like it's pretty manageable. I've got five assistants. They're really good. We get out and we see kids. We're in the hallways and classrooms. So, I think it's manageable. Anything larger than that, it might get a little tougher. Ryan: And so how does it compare to those other 6A schools? And you know I haven't been this is the only school I've been to in Utah. So I don't know all the other schools. I think the big challenge that schools have there's a lot of challenges that come with poverty. So there's a lot of big schools in the Salt Lake Granite districts that, you know, are experiencing high poverty and with poverty come a lot of different challenges. So in that regard, we're we're pretty well off. I mean, we've got a great supportive community here. I mean, a lot of my kids come from two parent homes and have high expectations. And so I don't necessarily have to battle too much with the these kids want to graduate and go to college. You don't have to convince them of that. When there's poverty, there's just there's a lot of challenges. I mean, that's still your job, but it becomes a challenge when you're when they're battling those obstacles and barriers in in their world. Because I'm guessing you're saying, you know, college is not really something they're thinking about. They're just trying to graduate. Just having worked with in high poverty areas, I think they're battling a couple things. One, they don't have a history of college in their family, right? a lot of first-time college goers, attenders in a lot of these parts—first-time high school graduates. And so you're kind of trying to break this cycle and you're trying to instill new goals and high achievement in these kids. And so that certainly comes with a lot of challenges here in Lehi and at Skyridge especially. I mean, there's just I haven't had so many conferences with moms and dads. Usually where I come from they're with grandma or aunt or you know and so that right there is it changes the game for a kid. If a kid comes from a really supportive home that has a lot of resources and has some high expectations because we've gone to college you're going to go to you know what I mean? So so that that probably is a huge difference for Skyridge. They're we're really blessed in that way. Ryan: Well I guess yeah shows the importance of a family right. So then my guess is you don't have some of those big problems like you're saying. Yeah. But my guess is you're not problem free. So then tell me what are some of the problems that that a school like Skyridge deals with? John: That's a good good question. Following with that same theme, I think one of the and you've probably seen this in this community where now you have you do have a lot of challenges when it comes to maybe the expectations are too high. Maybe there's too much pressure in succeeding and getting straight A's and a 4.0 and going to the college, you know, like. So, sometimes those pressures and expectations can cause some anxiety and some mental health and some depression when maybe you don't reach, you know, when you get your first C and you've always got A's and so that that certainly adds it's a different problem, but it certainly is a challenge that you're going to have to confront and deal with and and be really supportive with those kids and and those families. Ryan: Do you have much problems with discipline or with that kind of part? Do you deal with that much? John: Not a not not a terrible amount of discipline at Skyridge. I mean, I've been there for four years. I think maybe we've had two fights. You know, vaping is kind of a growing trend that kids are dabbling with, but other than that, Ryan, when it comes to kids misbehaving, disrupting the classroom and having to be removed and given school consequence, there's not a lot of that at at Skyridge. Okay, that's awesome. Good. No, it is. It's great. It lets us as administrators kind of focus on learning and and so that that certainly is a benefit. Ryan: So I guess speak to that as far as any kind of traditions, you know, the school is still relatively new, right? You've been there for any traditions or things that you guys are kind of focused on, you know, because you don't have to worry about the discipline part. John: Yeah. It's funny when you ask that, Ryan. Sometimes like I've like I said I've been at schools where there's there's real high poverty and with that comes a lot of challenges and I just remember like one fight could take your whole day. You got to cancel your classroom observation you got to cancel that meeting. So it seems like when you have less discipline it's really an administrator's dream because then you're focusing on all the things. But then I always tell people too though, part of the challenge for me and I don't know how this is going to come out. I share this with a lot of people, but sometimes in those high poverty areas when you're dealing with a lot of serious behavior things and sometimes you feel needed. Like if I don't do if I don't change certain practices and policies that might have be unfair for kids, like they're not going to make it. Like if I don't reach out to an immigration lawyer in town that I know to help this family they're done. Sure. Right. Sure. And so sometimes an administrator in those schools, you really feel like, man, I am really needed. I need I'm making a difference. And not that I don't experience that here because there are opportunities. There's just different ones. But sometimes whatever Mr. Wallwork does or doesn't do, that kid's going to be successful because they come from a great home and supportive parents and they have resources. In education sometimes we call those third base kids, right? Like they don't they're not trying to just get on base. They're they're already at third base and they're ready to come home because of all the stuff that they have. And so sometimes that is a challenge, at least for me, in transitioning here to to Lehi and to Skyridge is trying to make myself feel like, okay, I'm I really need to do some things to make an impact on kids. And so, it's a little harder, but still there's certain opportunities for for that. But it does allow you to focus. So, one of the things at Skyridge we're focusing on is collaboration. Like really really taking advantage of a team of teachers having an impact on the school as opposed to I'm a traditional teacher who I'm going to just do it the way I always done it and I'm going to go in my classroom and teach shut the door. So we're really focused on people collaborating creating a true professional learning community so if we're English teachers then we're going to be dependent on each other because we're going to teach the same things, the same standards because kids deserve the same experience. Like it shouldn't be a lottery. Like if I take Mr. Ryan, man, it's going to be awesome. But hey, nobody wants to take Wall. Yeah. So, we're going to really collaborate to provide a great experience for all kids no matter what. But then we're also going to teach things the same way. Not the same way necessarily, but we're going to teach the same standards. We're going to assess the same because we're going to share data on that. And I'm going to say, "Ryan, your kids knocked out of the park on standard 1.2." My kids didn't do well. How did you teach that? And you're going to tell me how to teach that? Sure. And I'm going to say, "Gosh, I need to try that." Because if I don't try that, that's malpractice on my part. Right. If I'm not practicing those strategies that yield the best results, then I'm in essence I'm committing malpractice to my students. So, we're really focused at Skyridge on that. Just collaborating like that. As opposed to everybody just you're independent conscious. Just teach what you want. Sure. And do what you do in your classroom and shut the door. And we're trying to get away from that. Ryan: Which I love that you're doing that. I mean, that's any business, any organization knows that councils and working together is always going to be better, right? None of us as smart as some of us are, we're smarter together, right? And so that makes a lot of sense. That's good that you're doing that. John: We feel it's the best thing for kids. I mean, not only does it help us as teachers, but we just feel like it's the best for kids. Like, why would you not do that? Like, I don't have all the tools and resources. But I'm going to lean on people when I have weaknesses or shortcomings. I'm going to lean on others that do know a lot more than me and have better. And we've noticed when we hire new teachers, it really helps them. As opposed to, hey, good luck. Here's the book. Sure. Good luck. No, it's like here's here's our script. Here's what we're doing. Here's what we do. And we're all going to do it. And we're all going to see the results and we're going to be trusting each other to say like, "Hey, I lacked on this area." Well, how did you teach that? Because your kids knocked that out of the park. So anyway, we feel like it's and and that's what research shows. That's what the data shows. If kids get more gain when they have a group of teachers that believe that they can learn and they share best practices and strategies. So anyway, it's nothing John Wallwork created. This is all well— Ryan: See you're actually practicing exactly what you're preaching though because you're saying hey I didn't come up with this but I'm humble enough to recognize that other people have some knowledge and I want to use that. Right. I mean so so you're actually practicing exactly what you're preaching in that regard. John: Yeah, I mean, because again, if you're like me, I don't have many original ideas ever, so I just copy. I like that. I'm going to do that. Educators are the best thieves. They take and steal the best practice, and that's what you should do. I think so. That's what stealing is not bad in that essence. I agree. I agree. That's right. That's right. Plagiarism in that regard, but we're good. We're good with that. Ryan: So with kids graduating high school and stuff like that, what important skills do you think those high schoolers need to have to go onto that next phase whether that's immediately into the workforce, trade school, college? John: When it comes to Skyridge our graduation rate has been fluctuating between the low 90s and the mid 90% so we graduate a lot of kids that's kind of that's above the national average it's above the state average. It's kind of the norm for the Alpine School District cuz in this Utah County there's a lot of great high schools, but we're graduating. Getting kids to graduation really isn't our challenge. Although it could be challenging for some kids cuz some kids school doesn't come real easy. But getting them to graduate is probably not our main focus. We're trying to prepare kids for post-secondary life. So, when it comes to college or careers or internships or what have you, that's kind of what we're trying to prepare kids for because there's so nowadays there's just so many options. Like, the world needs plumbers and electricians. Like, not everybody has to attend a 4-year university. So, I think that's been a little shift. It used to be like you got to go to college or you're not going to do it. Well, we've learned that there's a lot of different options when it comes to earning a living and making a career. And so, that's what we're trying to instill in kids is just being excellent and having integrity and just working hard and those are some of our values and and part of our mission statement at Skyridge is to kind of instill in those things. Because those things will carry you through no matter what your route is. Ryan: Which makes a lot of sense. I think we are starting to realize, hey, college isn't the only answer, right? I do loans for a lot of people in the trades that make a lot of money. You know what I mean? They're doing really well. And I think what I tell my kids is just get good at something. Like it doesn't matter like you need to get expert in something cuz the world will pay you if you're good at that. And whether that's a college skill or a trade school or whatever, you need to get good at something. If you float around, then you're never good at anything, right? John: That's great advice and I love and that's probably why we have such high achievers as kids. It's just because I think a lot of our kids get that message. Sure. And it's always been I always say like when you backwards design your life if you know what you want to do in the end and then have a path to get there that's always the best. Some kids though they don't and not that they have to they don't by the time they graduate they don't they still don't know what they want to do. And so that's the other piece is trying to get them kickstarted with concurrent enrollment classes and AP courses and college courses just to kind of open them up to that world. Yeah, I think is helpful. That's the other thing. We've got probably one of the highest enrollments when it comes to concurrent enrollment, college level classes and AP courses just to give those kids experiences to maybe where they could maybe find, okay, I don't like this, but I like that. Ryan: That's a challenge which you know, this is just me asking cuz when I was a kid, I would have loved concurrent enrollment and different things like that. And I don't know if it was around back then or if I was just naive to it, but I didn't really exist. AP classes existed, but you had to do really well and otherwise you didn't get credit, right? So I love concurrent enrollment. I think that's really helped, you know, my two daughters go to college with credits and stuff like that. Is that like nationally? Are we doing that? Is that locally? John: No, I think nationally and and I don't want to I'm not a pessimist. I'm an optimistic. People do things for the right reasons. But but no, it didn't exist when we were going to college because those partnerships I don't believe existed with colleges and high schools. And now colleges it's a huge thing for them. To have these kids especially not only are they saving money. Because the state still the college is still getting the money from the state. So they're making money and that's profitable for them and that's good for them but it also—I don't know how many of our kids we have a partnership with UVU and concurrent enrollment like most schools. And I don't know how many of those kids continue on to UVU. And so I think the colleges have kind of opened their minds. I think before when it was when we were young, colleges maybe had that attitude of, well, we're the college. We're much smarter than a little bit. Yeah. Exactly. But now I think they've realized, well, gosh, a fourth of our student population could be high school kids in high school. And we're still getting state money because they're students of ours. Although the students are saving on tuition and credits, but we're still getting that money. And not only that, there's a higher propensity for them to continue on in our school when they've finished high school. They already have some. So, it's huge. And I think it's good for our kids, too, to just to experience college level work that they can do it right. That it's not this out of reach elite thing. But it's I've been doing it in high school. And so anyway, it's been really good. Ryan: Well, I do love that. It's a good program. So, you already spoke to this a little bit. So tell me as far as you mentioned COVID and stuff like that, that was a big change for for schools, right? Any other things you learned from that time, things that changed, adapted, that like where you adapted, but now you found, hey, that's a permanent thing we're doing now. John: You bet. I think a couple things and I think just the internal lessons. Sometimes we think COVID's over but we've got to remember like sometimes I have to remind myself of this is you know our graduates in the class of 25 like they were maybe eighth grade seventh grade. Anyway what I'm trying to say is although we're kind of coming out of the educational impacts of COVID for a lot of our kids and families they're still in it because COVID was really really hard educationally for a lot a lot of kids and when you go without for that year, year and a half, it can really impact you. I've have kids. I've got a 12-year-old. I've got a seventh grader. I've got a to be 10th grader. And elementary was tough for for those kids. Maybe even harder because parents aren't they're not wired to be elementary teachers, right? Like they don't have the patience and the knowhow. I mean, they do. Yeah, you can do simple math, but there's just so much that schools—I think we just realized the need for schools and for teachers and for educators that really do a good job. And so that's one of the things I think technology is certainly you know during COVID all the Canvas all the things that teachers provide outside of the classroom all the opportunities to download assignments and turn assignments in digitally and anyway a lot of that has really changed and I think has made us better teachers. Ryan: So high school can sometimes be an awkward time of life, you know, people trying to fit in and different things like that. Just as from a student's perspective, how do you help those students in general find themselves or figure out, you know, what things do you do to kind of help those students? John: No, that's good. You know, the first thing comes to my mind, Ryan, we've just got our schools have so many resources. We've got seven counselors. We got a social worker. We've got a—we just created two years ago a wellness room with kind of a person in there when kids just having a rough time, need a break. They've we've got we've just got a lot of resources. We got people to help kids along this path that maybe you and I didn't have. We have a person specifically designated to help kids with scholarships and college applications and the FAFSA and all the financial. I mean, we've got so many people, really good people who care about kids that can provide a lot of resources where me and you didn't have them. So, that's one thing. I think the other thing that's that's been really supportive and good for us is we really try—I mean, we've got a lot of kids. There's so many opportunities. I mean, we've got, if you think about it, there's 26 different sports that are available. We've got 60 different clubs that are available. That doesn't even count all of our music programs and drama programs and just so one of the things we try to just preach is just get involved. Like do do something from 3 to 5. Don't just go home. Do something. I get it. Like kids have a lot of kids have jobs and you know it makes it tough which is awesome. But we really try to advertise and promote all of the different programs that kids can get involved with. And we just feel like when you do that, data shows, statistics show when you're involved in your school outside of the 7:30 to 2:30. When you're involved, you're just a lot more connected to school. You're a lot more connected to others, your social network expands because you got teammates and club members that and you're doing things that are just really healthy. And so, hey, that's a huge part of a high school experience is just all of the extracurricular, all of the things that are offered outside of the school day. Ryan: Really important for kids, which I like that you have so many, you know, cuz often times, unless you're really good at football, basketball, or soccer, you know, like some of those main ones, then it's like, okay, now I don't get to play a sport or now I don't get to do this. So, I like that you have lots of variety there, I guess, too. John: No, that's huge. I mean, we have we have a fishing club. We've got not that I mean anybody can go fish but sure you know like just having a I mean I think it's 20, 25 kids strong our fishing club we've nice nice you know we've got all these different clubs we got a bonsai club we've got esports is coming up with all the tech guys and all the video gaming esports is something that the state is the state association is kind of are getting involved in so there's state championships for esports anyway yeah there's just so many different options all the traditional ones, all the language clubs, but we started our our Polynesian pop club. It's become pretty popular and they're involved with some culture things. Anyway, there's you don't have to be great at sports to be involved. You there's a lot of different opportunities. Ryan: Well, and I'm glad you're helping the students more with that that is something that's changed to your point from when we were kids because I would have loved to have somebody hold my hand to know cuz it's more just this looks good, this looks good, but I didn't really have a road map. I mean the kids now there's a lot more help and I love that. I think that's a great thing. I think it was more hey good luck, you know, and and nowadays it's like well let's help them. They don't know. You bet. And so I love that we're doing that more. And the thing is, like I I went to four years of college. I got a master's degree and I feel like I'm educated, but the it changes so much. There's so many different rules and I'm a terrible adviser for my own kids. Sure. Sure. And so it's nice to have resources at school that that know that world and are updated on all of the different rules and and anyway. So it's been it's it's really well I think that speaks to why we need experts in different things because the world is changing so much that if you're not keeping up you are falling behind. And so I think that's that's a plug for public schools in general is just hey these guys are dedicated people to this trying to make your life better. Ryan: So as far as teachers and staff you have good teachers there at Skyridge. Obviously anything you would say that they're doing well or speak to your teachers for a minute in that regard. John: So Ryan just a anecdotal story. So I live in this community and as you can tell I eat out a lot. But and I go to the grocery store. My wife tries not to go to Walmart with me or Smiths because she knows I'll be stopped by family. But here's the thing. When I run into kids, I'll always ask them a couple things. I'll ask them, "Hey, who's your favorite teacher?" And they'll rattle off and then I'll ask them, "Hey, between you and I, give me a teacher that was maybe not so pleasant to go to." And Ryan, I'm telling I'm not making this up, but I'd say probably 90% of the time I ask that question to kids. They can't think of one. Oh, good. They're always like, "Oh gosh, I don't know. I kind of liked all my teachers." Anyway, I get that answer so many times and I've lived in communities where I haven't gotten that answer. They'll spend a lot of time on the negative. And so it tells me that listen, we've got teachers obviously we've got evaluations and growth and we don't have it's not perfection there. But the thing that impresses me most is these teachers care about kids. You know the content that's that's another thing. And you know, some teachers are better than other teachers at that, but boy, if you don't have a basic love for kids and want to do right by kids and be a positive influence, there's really you're really in the wrong business. And I feel like at Skyridge, we just have a lot of great teachers that really care about the important things when it comes to kids. And and so I'm that's what impresses me most, teachers, coaches. Yeah. They're in it for the right reasons. And so anyway, that's one of the awesome things about— Ryan: I love that. I love that. That's a great example and just a real life. And I guess another benefit of to your point of living in the community is you get to have those conversations whereas if you lived up in Salt Lake and you commute down, you wouldn't have those cuz they wouldn't know you up there, right? John: Certainly a benefit. Yeah. Ryan: Well, so speak to Skyridge for a minute. What are your hopes and goals over the next 5 years, 10 years for Skyridge and what things do you see happening in those next 5 to 10 years? John: So, one of the things that we're really happy with, one, it's our 10 year anniversary. So, we plan to do some celebrating this next year and celebrate that 10 years. We've kind of we got to a point where we're kind of revamping our mission statement, our vision, our commitment, our beliefs. So, we're really excited about that. But I think it's something that we kind of involved all of our stakeholders, not only staff, but community and kids. In creating that mission. And so we're really we're really big and we've kind of landed on a couple things. We want everybody to feel like they belong. And we want learning to be kind of the focus like learning and growth and and so anyway, we've kind of created this with the help of all these stakeholders, we've kind of created this new mission and vision statement where it just kind of hones in on having all of our kids, all of our community members feel like they belong at Skyridge High School and that learning is is really really important. So that's the one thing I'm excited five or 10 years. I don't know. I mean, Ryan, there's they always say there's two kinds of principals. Principals that have been fired and principals that are going to be fired. Sure. And so usually a principal in a building four to six years is kind of what it is. But I live in the area. I live in the Skyridge boundary. My kids, like I said, I have a seventh grader and a 10th grader. So, I've told my boss that I want to hand them their diplomas just like I did my other four kids. And so, I'm I hope to be around for the next, you know, four or five years, but certainly if my boss came to me and said, "Hey, you know what? We're going to go a different direction." I certainly understand that, too. Like, I get it. There's a lot of good administrators out there. A lot of good assistant principals that are ready to get a principal job. But for the meantime, we're just going to focus on collaborating well. And learning and having kids belong and we'll see where that takes us. Ryan: Well, then here's another question for you. If resources were unlimited, what things you know like so you have unlimited resources and stuff? Anything you would like to see happen with either students or teachers? John: One of the things, not that not that this is the most important, but I don't know if you've probably learned Ryan in this community, athletics is a very important thing. It seems like 75% of my meetings as a principal deal with athletics. And so I know we've been talking about just improving our facilities. It's not that I mean, we have great facilities, but we've been talking about like an indoor facility just cuz the winter's so long and it doesn't help your baseball team when they're practicing in the gym. Or so. Anyway, we've been it'd be great to have a indoor facilities. There's a couple other neighboring districts that have one of those and with the weather here, it really helps. So anyway, if I had unlimited funds, yeah, probably some more indoor facilities, giving a boost to our athletic facilities might be an area. I think the other thing I'd probably have is I wish I just had this fund because as I've talked about as we've got a lot of we don't have a lot of poverty here, but we do have families that kind of go through emergency like temporary crisis. I wish I had this unlimited fund where I could just go and when a kid can't pay the $500, $800 sports fee or band fee. Like I wish I could just go and here you go. And but that's that's tough. There's no fund like that. So yeah, that I'd probably if I had unlimited resources be able to help a lot of the kids that maybe temporarily are struggling that can't because it does cause—where I came from we didn't have any fee. You got a $25 ASB fee. But, you know, here, if you want to be on the dance team, it's going to cost you 1,500 bucks. And that's hard for some some families to to do. And so, when I moved here, I brought a senior with me, my senior daughter. And she didn't do any sports. And at the end of the year, there was like an $800 bill because of all the fees for classes, science class, da da. Anyway, and that was just she wasn't in any, you know, so unlimited resources would probably give me some funds to help families in with temporary needs. Ryan: And you mentioned athletics and stuff. Are you a coach then too at the the high school? You'd mentioned coaching and stuff like that. John: No, there's not enough hours in the day for a principal. But I've coached before I got in administration. I coached everything with a ball and a paycheck. So I was a head basketball coach in high school and then I coached just everything that because it's for a lot of teachers supplemental income you need. So well, and you probably enjoyed it, too. Yeah, I did. It was fun. Good. But no, I do have an athletic kind of background where those things are important to me and they're fun to watch. Good. This is a great area. There's a lot of good schools here that are winning a lot. It's pretty competitive. Which obviously raises the bar for everybody, right? Makes it better. Ryan: So, I appreciate you coming in and talking about Skyridge. Any last things that we didn't cover that you wanted to talk about as we talk about Lehi and the community itself and different things like that. John: Gosh, nothing I can think of, right? You covered it pretty well, but just I'm this is a great place to be. I feel really blessed. I got a great school and great families and a great community. They're very supportive. So, I feel like I'm a lucky lucky guy to have a job in this kind of a place. We never thought we'd move to Utah. I think we'd come here on the summers and be like, man, I could never live there, but kids kind of changed that, but now it's been a great transition. I love it here. It's been a really good place to work and live. Ryan: That's funny. Yeah, my wife and I, we went to BYU and met there and we didn't think we'd stay in Utah either, but we're now what, 25 years later, we're still here. So, it is what it is. But no, thank you. Thank you for coming on. Thank you for all you're doing with the kids and with teachers and and I'm it's good to get a pulse on on the community high school here. Ryan: Anyhow, thank you. Appreciate you. Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together, we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. We'd love to hear from you. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Hard Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. John Wallwork Skyridge High School Principal Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Lehi Utah education interview with John Wallwork, principal of Skyridge High School. Discusses Lehi schools, Alpine School District, student mental health, teacher collaboration, concurrent enrollment, and education leadership in Lehi Utah. John Wallwork Lehi Utah. Skyridge High School principal Lehi. Alpine School District schools. Lehi Utah education system. Lehi high school growth. Utah concurrent enrollment. Lehi student life. Lehi Utah families and education. Skyridge High School programs. Utah student mental health. High school leadership stories Lehi. Lehi community growth schools. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Contact

Tim Brantley: Lehi High School Principal on Education & Legacy

Former Lehi High School principal Tim Brantley shares his journey from Denver to Utah, the evolution of education in Lehi, and why family involvement makes local schools thrive. Watch the full interview.

Tim Brantley on Education, Leadership, and a Life Spent Building Up Lehi's Students

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A longtime educator and former Lehi High School principal reflects on why family involvement, student-centered learning, and community tradition make Lehi's schools special—and what he's learned from nearly two decades leading Utah County classrooms.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with longtime educator and former Lehi High School principal Tim Brantley , a leader whose influence has shaped generations of students across Utah County. With a career spanning decades in education—from teaching and coaching to district leadership—Brantley shares what ultimately drew him back to where it all matters most: working directly with students in Lehi.

Born and raised in a tough Denver neighborhood where only about a third of his classmates earned diplomas, Brantley learned early on that education is a life-changing force . His own father had never graduated high school, and the family struggled financially. Those formative experiences planted a seed that would grow into a nearly 40-year career dedicated to helping young people reach their full potential.

Through his experiences at Orem High, Pleasant Grove High, Lehi Junior High, and finally Lehi High School, Brantley offers a meaningful look into the evolution of education in Lehi, Utah , highlighting the powerful role of community, family involvement, and student-centered learning. His story reflects not only the growth of local schools but also the enduring values that define Lehi's culture—commitment to youth, strong community support, and a belief in helping individuals become their best selves.

Sit down with Ryan Harding and Tim Brantley as they discuss a lifetime of service to Lehi's students.

Tim Brantley

Former Principal, Lehi High School

Alpine School District, 1993–2025

Ryan Harding

Roots & Branches of Lehi

Aaron Bar, incoming principal at Lehi High School

The enduring values reflected in Tim Brantley's story—and what they reveal about Lehi's identity.

This episode connects to broader themes across the Roots & Branches of Lehi archive.

Interested in more Lehi education stories? Explore our interviews with John Wallwork at Skyridge High School , Doug Webb at Lehi High , and other community leaders who have shaped education, safety, and civic life in Lehi, Utah.

Images that would enrich this community profile and oral history record.

Episode RB-018 — Tim Brantley Interview

Transcript automatically generated and reviewed for accuracy. This episode is part of the Roots & Branches of Lehi oral history archive.

Every episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi preserves another piece of our community's living history. Discover more interviews with local leaders, business owners, educators, and neighbors.

Demystifying mortgages one episode at a time. Expert advice for homebuyers, refinancers, and real estate enthusiasts.

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Heather Tucker & the Lehi Literacy Center | Roots & Branches

Heather Tucker, director of the Lehi Literacy Center, shares how a city-funded program on Main Street has helped over 1,000 Lehi children a year build reading confidence. From Hester Rippy's 1998 vision to a new satellite center.

Heather Tucker on the Lehi Literacy Center, Community Education & Building Confidence Through Reading

Introduction

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Episode Overview

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Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Hester Rippy's Grassroots Vision

Heather's Return to Literacy

The Student Who Came Back to Build

The Post-COVID Explosion

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Community Themes & Legacy

Memorable Quotes

Explore More Stories from Lehi

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How one city-funded program on Main Street has helped over a thousand Lehi children a year discover the joy of reading — without tests, without pressure, and without cost to families.

Ryan Harding

Host, Roots & Branches of Lehi

42 min

Full interview

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Heather Tucker , director of the Lehi Literacy Center, to explore how one community-driven program is quietly transforming lives across Lehi, Utah . With a background in education, administration, and a deep passion for literacy, Heather shares her journey from Idaho to Lehi and how she found her calling helping children build confidence through reading and math.

This conversation highlights the powerful role local education programs play in shaping a community. From its grassroots beginnings in the late 1990s to serving over a thousand students each year, the Lehi Literacy Center represents the heart of small-town collaboration — where city leadership, volunteers, and educators come together to support youth. Heather's story sheds light on the importance of early education, the challenges students face, and how personalized learning environments can change the trajectory of a child's life in Lehi.

Watch the full conversation between Ryan Harding and Heather Tucker as they discuss the history, impact, and future of the Lehi Literacy Center.

The Lehi Literacy Center began in 1998 when Hester Rippy , serving as a stake literacy specialist in her church, discovered that about 29% of students at local elementary schools were reading below grade level. After proposing the idea to Mayor Greenwood and the Lehi City Council, she toured a family literacy center in Orem and brought the model back to Lehi. Early funding came from a Micron-sponsored charity golf tournament that raised $22,000 — enough to purchase books and supplies and launch the program from a small 8×9 office in the Lehi Arts Council building.

Heather Tucker spent years as a kindergarten and first-grade teacher, earned a master's degree in literacy, and eventually became a school principal. But the long hours pulled her away from what she loved most: helping children learn to read. When the director position at the Lehi Literacy Center opened, she visited the building, was "astounded" by what she saw, and knew she had found her way back to her passion.

One of the most powerful testaments to the program's impact came full circle when a woman who had gone through the literacy center as a child — now working for Ivory Homes — approached Heather about opening a satellite location. "It made the biggest difference in my life," she said. That conversation led to plans for a second center off Redwood Road, bringing services closer to families in the expanding western part of Lehi.

After the pandemic disrupted schooling nationwide, the Lehi Literacy Center saw demand surge. One summer session filled roughly 470 spots, requiring creative scheduling and extra tables to accommodate the influx. The center adjusted class times, added sessions, and never turned a family away — a commitment they have maintained since the program began.

The story of the Lehi Literacy Center is, in many ways, the story of modern Lehi itself: a small-town response to a growing need, fueled by volunteers and sustained by city leadership. The program originated as a church-inspired grassroots initiative and evolved into a permanent city-funded department — a rare example of a social service program that survived the transition from volunteer calling to municipal budget line.

Early literacy challenges in Lehi schools in the 1990s highlighted a gap that traditional classrooms could not fully address. Community partnerships — with Micron, the city council, and local volunteers — were essential to launching and sustaining the program. Today, the center occupies the historic old Lehi Bank building at 99 West Main Street , having outgrown the library and the Arts Council building before it.

Lehi's explosive population growth and increasing diversity have only increased demand. The center now serves a rising number of English language learners and faces the same geographic challenges that affect the rest of the city: traffic congestion, westward expansion, and the difficulty of serving families spread across a once-small town now home to over 90,000 residents.

"We don't work here. We just play."

"We're all at different levels, and it's okay."

"If they feel good about where they're coming… they will learn."

"It's just like practicing the piano — you get better with practice."

"I love the moments when the kids finally get it."

"Every community should have one of these programs."

This episode connects to a broader web of stories about how Lehi, Utah grew from an agricultural outpost into one of America's fastest-growing cities — and how its institutions, schools, and civic organizations adapted along the way. Here are related topics from the Roots & Branches of Lehi archive:

This episode would be well-supported by the following images, which could enhance both the reader experience and search visibility for Lehi, Utah history and local education:

This transcript has been preserved for archival and search indexing. Minor edits for readability have been applied.

Guest

Heather Tucker

Occupation

Director, Lehi Literacy Center

Duration

42 minutes

Year Recorded

2025

Location

Lehi, Utah

Notable People Mentioned

This interview is available in full on the Roots & Branches of Lehi channel.

Roots & Branches of Lehi is always looking for new guests — educators, business owners, longtime residents, and community builders.

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Heather Newell on Civic Service & Preserving Lehi's History

Heather Newell shares her journey from concerned resident to Lehi City Council member, and her work designing historical enamel pins for the Lehi Historical Marker Program. Watch the full interview.

Heather Newell on Civic Service, City Planning & Preserving Lehi's History

Who Is Heather Newell, and Why Does Her Story Matter?

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Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

One Issue, One Voice, Real Change

An Unexpected Connection with the Mayor

Thrown Into the Deep End: The School District Split

Designing History: The Mary Wless Pin

From Backyard Advocate to Planning Commission Chair

A Family Adopted into Lehi's Heritage

Pins That Sell Out in a Week

The Real Work of Regional Collaboration

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

Heather Newell Lehi Utah City Council Historical Markers Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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From a concerned resident fighting a neighborhood development to Lehi City Council member and creative force behind the Historical Marker Program—Heather Newell's journey shows how one person's voice can shape a city's future.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Heather Newell , a Lehi City Council member whose path to public service began not with political ambition, but with a single development issue in her own backyard. Her story is a powerful example of how everyday residents shape the future of Lehi, Utah —and how civic involvement can grow from a moment of personal concern into a lifetime of community leadership.

Heather shares her journey from growing up in Orem to becoming a deeply involved member of the Lehi community, eventually serving on the Planning Commission and City Council. Her path wasn't planned; it began with learning city code, attending meetings, and advocating for her neighbors. As she explains during the interview, "I caught that and it delayed their development for over a year," showing how one resident's voice can make a real impact on Lehi's growth and development .

Beyond city planning and zoning, Heather has become a creative force behind Lehi's Historical Marker Program , using her 25-year background in web and design to help preserve local stories through beautifully crafted enamel pins and community events. From the Saratoga Resort to pioneer Mary Wless , her work captures moments that might otherwise be forgotten. Whether she's navigating complex land-use decisions, strengthening regional partnerships with neighboring cities, or helping families connect with Lehi's past, Heather embodies the kind of grassroots civic leadership that keeps small-town values alive even as the city transforms around them.

For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah history , local government , historical preservation , or the stories behind Lehi's rapid growth , this interview offers both practical insight and heartfelt inspiration. Heather's perspective reminds us that community change often starts with a single person willing to show up, learn, and speak up.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Heather Newell

Lehi City Council Member; former Planning Commission Chair; volunteer designer for Lehi Historical Marker Program

1990s–2020s, with references to pioneer era and the 1983 Lehi flood

Ryan Harding

Heather describes how a development issue near her home pushed her into city involvement, leading her to study city code and ultimately influence meaningful changes. She recalls catching major errors in a development project, delaying it for over a year and realizing she could make a difference for residents. "Things were changed because of things that I brought up," she reflects—an experience that ignited her passion for public service.

Heather shares how she unexpectedly connected with Mayor Mark Johnson during her Planning Commission interview, despite previously only disagreeing with him in public meetings. She was nervous about the interview, having only ever stood up at city council to oppose his positions. Instead, she found him "incredible," and they made a "great connection"—a moment that reinforced her belief that respectful disagreement can lead to collaboration.

Heather tells the story of being thrust into the school district split process just one day after being sworn into office. Despite being brand new, she became the key researcher and spokesperson for Lehi's position. She recalls being sent to do interviews just five months into her term, with other cities preferring to let "the newbie" handle the public pressure. She wrote critical position statements "in the dark" without staff support, ultimately helping shape an outcome that was better for all parties.

Heather tells the deeply personal story of designing a historical pin for Mary Wless, a 14-year-old pioneer girl who crossed the plains with her younger siblings and disabled father after her stepmother passed away. Heather spoke at the unveiling and says she "became very personally close to her." She wears the pin to the temple and has heard of others doing the same. "If I hadn't been a part of this, I wouldn't have known her story."

After joining the Planning Commission, Heather became chair just a year and a half later—"probably the fastest anybody's ever become chair," she notes, and as the only woman on the commission at the time. She soon realized that if she wanted to solve problems rather than simply approve or deny applications, she needed to be on the City Council, where she could work directly with applicants, staff, and other elected officials.

Heather reflects on how her children have become invested in Lehi history. Her oldest son asked how to join the Historical Society. "It's becoming a part of us," she says. "They know the stories. They're learning the history of this." Despite having lived in Lehi for 23 years, she describes her family as "adopted into the family," emphasizing that heritage in Lehi is about participation and love for the community, not just generational roots.

Heather describes the overwhelming community response to the Historical Marker Program's enamel pins. At one event, the pins "sold in a week what they normally sell in a year." She took over the manufacturing side, researching direct manufacturers in China to improve quality and reduce costs. The pins now feature detailed backing cards with historical information, and designs like the roller mills and rodeo pins have sold out and required second orders.

Heather shares how the school district crisis built lasting relationships with city council members across northern Utah County. She now gets calls almost daily from other cities asking, "What has Lehi done? What do you suggest?" She emphasizes that without trust and relationships, political boundaries become barriers. "If we don't have that relationship and it's politics and everybody's kind of guarded, we don't figure out the solution together."

Heather's interview reveals fascinating details about how Lehi has evolved and how its past continues to shape its present. Here are key historical insights from her perspective:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Ryan: Welcome Heather Newell to the podcast Roots and Branches of Lehi. Excited to have you here and get to know you a little bit better and get to know what you're doing here in the city and all that kind of stuff.

Heather Newell: Sounds great. Thanks for having me on.

Ryan: Well, so let's get to know you first then. Tell me you're from Lehi. Where are you from? Where'd you originally grow up and stuff?

Heather: So um I was born in American Fork. Yeah, not too far down. Eighth generation. Um, my fifth great-grandfather was the founder of American Fork, C. Shipman. Um, but my parents moved really early on to Orem. So, I grew up in Orem. Like did all my school days there.

Ryan: Okay. And then so what brought you to Lehi?

Heather: So, when I got married, it was trying to find a place to live. Orem was expensive then and you know Lehi was just starting to kind of build up and we could find a house there. We had some friends who had moved out on Pilgrim's Landing and so we found a house there and we built three homes in Lehi but that's the requirement for my husband is we have to stay in Lehi.

Ryan: Sure. He always loved Lehi. He's from Scotland.

Heather: And so his grandmother married um a Triname. And so his grandmother lived over here at one point and made some friends. So for him he always saw Lehi as a place like you know that's the goal where he wants to be. He always imagined that so he always wanted to be in Lehi.

Ryan: And so what brought Scotland and American Fork together? How did you guys meet?

Heather: So um I was at BYU. This was back in the like late 90s and there was a Y chat chat room and he was in Glasgow and so he would get on at night while writing papers. He was LDS and we would chat then and that's how we ended up connecting. Back then you would never tell anybody that. There was no like dating sites or anything. It was just this BYU chat room and yeah so that's how we ended up. And then after he graduated he came over to stay with friends of his grandmothers and that's when we actually met.

Ryan: That's awesome. So now living in Lehi many years later. Do you ever go back to Scotland? Does he still have family there?

Heather: He does. We try and like he took our oldest son for a senior trip back there. It's hard to get everybody over and get housing and cars. We would bring his parents over for a couple of months at a time. So I've been back. I'd love to take the family there especially to do a real tour of Scotland and not just go walk up and down the high street and see friends and family—let's go see your heritage.

Ryan: Well, okay. So tell me, you're right now on the city council. Is that right?

Heather: Yes.

Ryan: So is that something you always wanted to do or tell me about that?

Heather: No. No. I'm like somebody who is always like don't put me in front of the spotlight doing any of this kind of stuff. But it's kind of funny. You look back at things that I've done and somehow I found myself there. There was like I think often times with a lot of people there's a single issue, something comes up in your backyard and so I ended up getting involved and going to meetings and talking about this issue and learning a lot. And things that I presented like I started studying code. And things were changed because of things that I brought up. And so that was kind of like a thrill. And there was things that I caught with the development that was done wrong that weren't done as they said they were going to do according to what they promised they made during city council. And I caught that and it delayed their development for over a year. So it's like, wow, I'm making a difference. There was things that happened with that development where I saw, hey, if I knew then what I know now, I think I could have made a better impact. I could have done things better. I could have seen things different. So I saw that as a hey I can help people. I can help people that are facing these same kind of things.

And so the thing that was really cool is because of that I started develop genuine relationships with people on city council. And so when a planning commission spot came up they said hey we really want you on that. And I'm like okay but I need to interview with the mayor. And I really haven't had a lot of interaction with the mayor other than standing up in city council and disagreeing with him. So like I don't know how he's— that may not be the interview I want, right? He may not go for that. And so I sat down with him and he was just incredible and we made this great connection and I'm just like, "Wow, I want to be a part of this because it's like there's things that we can disagree on and I've learned so much in the process of things where like I was wrong on it and become better." So they put me on planning commission a year and a half later they made me chair. Like probably the fastest anybody's ever become chair, you know, also being a woman. I was the only woman on the planning commission until um Emily Lockheart joined right after me. But yeah, it was a really cool experience.

And then just kind of got thinking a lot of what's coming through on planning commission, I want to solve the problem. And you don't do that on planning commission. You look at what the applicant brings in. Does it fit the code? And if it yes, then it moves forward. But you're not there to really say, hey, you could do this better or I can work with you. You can't even talk to the applicant before meeting. It's really you're really there just to look at it and does it, you know, does it work? So it really felt like, okay, if I'm going to help make things better and make change, then city council is where I need to be.

Ryan: Speak to that for a minute as far as like because a lot of people sometimes will get mad, oh, I can't believe Lehi's letting XYZ build something, right? You know, but like your hands are kind of tied on a lot of things, right? I mean there's property rights and different things. Speak to that I guess for a second just to kind of shed some light on.

Heather: Yeah. When I joined planning commission one of the things that was happening at the time was the general plan that we're adopting into a general plan. And to me and that's what I ran on—follow the general plan because that's what really kind of took me off guard and got me involved is because the development that went on next to me was not following the general plan. You know and there was exceptions made. So I think that's that's really hard as residents to kind of have an expectation what's going to be there. But I think the hard thing for residents is when uh an applicant comes in and they're presenting a zone that fits the general plan. You know, the public thinks like we have a choice to say like, oh, you know, you're allowing high density here. It's like, well, that's what the general plan allows. So, their property rights have already been entitled. So that's a really difficult thing I think for the public and as much as we try and educate to be able to help them understand you're one piece of this and your part in this public hearing is to help us to mitigate things and make sure we have protections in place. But when it comes to the rights of the property owner once we put that on the general plan and decisions have been made long before I was ever on council. Like they're entitled to that.

Ryan: And I'm guessing to change the general plan is difficult to do a lot of times, right?

Heather: It's like we can't go and so like if we want to change a general plan, we can't take somebody's property and say, "Oh, you know, you actually can have like five homes per acre, but we think that's too much. So, we're going to make it so you only have two." No, we've just taken their right and we've violated their fifth and 14th amendment rights. We're not paying them for it. Because the value would obviously go way down in that scenario. So if we feel like it's overbuilt, either we need to go buy the land or we need to buy their density back from them. And the council's had to do that in the past where they have allocated too much density. So it's big decisions when you start to entitle things that you can't take back.

Ryan: And I assume that happens on the reverse, too, where somebody's like, "Hey, this was residential, but I'd like, you know, Pioneer Crossing is now here, can I make it commercial?" You know, or something like that, right?

Heather: Sometimes that happens. And I'm guessing the reverse is, hey, you know, can't do that. Or, you know, or maybe it's probably pretty difficult to do, I guess. Kind of sometimes you look at that, too. It's like, hey, I've got this residential piece, but it's completely surrounded by commercial. It's an island. It doesn't make sense. And you can look at that and say, "Yeah, it doesn't make sense. You've got this big road that's built next to you." So, that's the thing is like the city council is a land use authority. Like, we have the ability to change those things. But if we're trying to take away, that's when we get in trouble.

Ryan: So, you can add to it. But if you take away, you got to compensate, I guess, or do something because otherwise that person just lost.

Heather: Yeah. Like somebody has a heavy commercial and we're like, ah, we don't think you should have that. We're going to make it commercial. We've just taken away rights that they had before. Sure. Which which we can't do, right? Even if we're like, hey, well, there's too much traffic. You know, we don't want too much high. I mean, that's a big thing right now, right? You know, is and so it's the traffic. That's the thing that's like cracking me up. It's like, why you keep on adding high density? You go back and look at the general plan—there's been zero places where we have allowed high density that was not already allocated on the plan. So this is just as more people are being like, hey, this was already there. Like, we were already planning to do this. It's just maybe it's happening quicker than people want because it's growing so fast. Lehi is.

Ryan: Well, and I want to go back to I like I want to go back because there's a lot of contention sometimes in politics, right? And I like what you said about, you know, hey, I had an interview with the mayor and all my only interactions was disagreeing with him, right? But so talk to me about that side of politics, the positive side of, hey, you know, I'm on this side, you're on this side, but like let's come together and figure this out, right? We're not enemies. We're not, you know, this isn't good and bad, angel and devils, you know, kind of thing, right?

Heather: And that's the stuff I love. I would rather be in a room with somebody who has a different idea and work through it and see where we can get to a better spot. Um, I was heavily involved with the stuff of the school district and the split and doing, you know, I was really the one who was doing all the research behind that and trying to figure out where Lehi was going to go. Because, you know, at the beginning of this, we were heading in a different direction. That's where counsel was. And it was me just doing the research and digging in and being like, "Hey guys, this is this is not going to be good. It's going to it's not going to be good for us. It's not going to be good for them. You got to—we can't just look at right now. We got to look at what this is going to look like in 30 years." And so to be able to do that and to be able to have those conversations and start talking with people and even so that like where we're looking to go west right and to be also at the point where Saratoga Eagle Mountains saw like I could talk to them and say hey this isn't going to be good for you either and this is why and for them to be you know really disappointed because they wanted us with them but to say like no you're right. Like no we see it we see what's going to happen. Let's get let's do this once and get it right. So, I I love that kind of stuff. That's the best part of this.

Ryan: Well, and that's and that that's kind of why I want to talk about that, you know, for I mean, just because I like because I unfortunately what makes the news or what makes the things are the the contentious parts, right? You know, and and and I there's reasons why, I guess, right? But, but I like that behind the scenes, hey, there's a lot of people coming together, right? You know, doing things and and and there's definitely people who are mad and there's like you got all that stuff going on, too. But it's like, you know, I think when you had a lot of people going in with really good intentions. You know, trying to get it right for everybody. And that was pretty incredible to be a part of.

Ryan: Well, so how long have you been on city council for? Or sorry, planning commission, right?

Heather: So planning commission, I was two and a half years. I've been on city council for a year and a half.

Ryan: Okay. So, and tell me so tell me the difference, you know, just for anybody that doesn't know planning commission versus city council then.

Heather: So planning commission is appointed. You're appointed by the mayor and, you know, voted on by the city council to be in that position. You do not meet with the applicant. You don't talk about items before they come forward. And so everything's just done in that meeting. Um, city council is elected. So you campaign run, you get voted on to be in that position. And then you you are able to meet with with the developer, with staff, with you can talk one-on-one with other city council members. I can talk to the mayor. You just can't ever have like a voting body together. So, like, you know, I can't talk with two other city council members and say, "Hey, this is our vote." Let's team up here together.

And I I kind of like thought like coming to the city council and being new, I'm like, "Oh, they probably all talk and everybody knows how they're going to vote going in." You don't. You talk through things sometimes tough things but I think you get to the point where you kind of understand where people might be but there's a lot of times you're in a meeting and new information is presented and you're like oh I didn't even see it that way so yeah.

Ryan: Well and to your point actually that's what you said originally with what got you into it is hey I affected change here and this was before you were any kind of position of power right and you're just a resident at that time. And so so I guess to your point yeah those meetings do matter I guess right you know planning commission.

Heather: They're the recommending body. They're giving us a recommendation. Staff gives us kind of recommendations to their DRC. So, we're getting all this and we got the public hearing, too. So, you're getting feedback from lots of different sources and city council is you're the final decision.

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Heather Newell Role in Lehi Lehi City Council Member; former Planning Commission Chair; volunteer designer for Lehi Historical Marker Program Time Periods Discussed 1990s–2020s, with references to pioneer era and the 1983 Lehi flood Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview One Issue, One Voice, Real Change Heather describes how a development issue near her home pushed her into city involvement, leading her to study city code and ultimately influence meaningful changes. She recalls catching major errors in a development project, delaying it for over a year and realizing she could make a difference for residents. "Things were changed because of things that I brought up," she reflects—an experience that ignited her passion for public service. An Unexpected Connection with the Mayor Heather shares how she unexpectedly connected with Mayor Mark Johnson during her Planning Commission interview, despite previously only disagreeing with him in public meetings. She was nervous about the interview, having only ever stood up at city council to oppose his positions. Instead, she found him "incredible," and they made a "great connection"—a moment that reinforced her belief that respectful disagreement can lead to collaboration. Thrown Into the Deep End: The School District Split Heather tells the story of being thrust into the school district split process just one day after being sworn into office. Despite being brand new, she became the key researcher and spokesperson for Lehi's position. She recalls being sent to do interviews just five months into her term, with other cities preferring to let "the newbie" handle the public pressure. She wrote critical position statements "in the dark" without staff support, ultimately helping shape an outcome that was better for all parties. Designing History: The Mary Wless Pin Heather tells the deeply personal story of designing a historical pin for Mary Wless, a 14-year-old pioneer girl who crossed the plains with her younger siblings and disabled father after her stepmother passed away. Heather spoke at the unveiling and says she "became very personally close to her." She wears the pin to the temple and has heard of others doing the same. "If I hadn't been a part of this, I wouldn't have known her story." From Backyard Advocate to Planning Commission Chair After joining the Planning Commission, Heather became chair just a year and a half later—"probably the fastest anybody's ever become chair," she notes, and as the only woman on the commission at the time. She soon realized that if she wanted to solve problems rather than simply approve or deny applications, she needed to be on the City Council, where she could work directly with applicants, staff, and other elected officials. A Family Adopted into Lehi's Heritage Heather reflects on how her children have become invested in Lehi history. Her oldest son asked how to join the Historical Society. "It's becoming a part of us," she says. "They know the stories. They're learning the history of this." Despite having lived in Lehi for 23 years, she describes her family as "adopted into the family," emphasizing that heritage in Lehi is about participation and love for the community, not just generational roots. Pins That Sell Out in a Week Heather describes the overwhelming community response to the Historical Marker Program's enamel pins. At one event, the pins "sold in a week what they normally sell in a year." She took over the manufacturing side, researching direct manufacturers in China to improve quality and reduce costs. The pins now feature detailed backing cards with historical information, and designs like the roller mills and rodeo pins have sold out and required second orders. The Real Work of Regional Collaboration Heather shares how the school district crisis built lasting relationships with city council members across northern Utah County. She now gets calls almost daily from other cities asking, "What has Lehi done? What do you suggest?" She emphasizes that without trust and relationships, political boundaries become barriers. "If we don't have that relationship and it's politics and everybody's kind of guarded, we don't figure out the solution together." History Historical Insights About Lehi Heather's interview reveals fascinating details about how Lehi has evolved and how its past continues to shape its present. Here are key historical insights from her perspective: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Ryan: Welcome Heather Newell to the podcast Roots and Branches of Lehi. Excited to have you here and get to know you a little bit better and get to know what you're doing here in the city and all that kind of stuff. Heather Newell: Sounds great. Thanks for having me on. Ryan: Well, so let's get to know you first then. Tell me you're from Lehi. Where are you from? Where'd you originally grow up and stuff? Heather: So um I was born in American Fork. Yeah, not too far down. Eighth generation. Um, my fifth great-grandfather was the founder of American Fork, C. Shipman. Um, but my parents moved really early on to Orem. So, I grew up in Orem. Like did all my school days there. Ryan: Okay. And then so what brought you to Lehi? Heather: So, when I got married, it was trying to find a place to live. Orem was expensive then and you know Lehi was just starting to kind of build up and we could find a house there. We had some friends who had moved out on Pilgrim's Landing and so we found a house there and we built three homes in Lehi but that's the requirement for my husband is we have to stay in Lehi. Ryan: Sure. He always loved Lehi. He's from Scotland. Heather: And so his grandmother married um a Triname. And so his grandmother lived over here at one point and made some friends. So for him he always saw Lehi as a place like you know that's the goal where he wants to be. He always imagined that so he always wanted to be in Lehi. Ryan: And so what brought Scotland and American Fork together? How did you guys meet? Heather: So um I was at BYU. This was back in the like late 90s and there was a Y chat chat room and he was in Glasgow and so he would get on at night while writing papers. He was LDS and we would chat then and that's how we ended up connecting. Back then you would never tell anybody that. There was no like dating sites or anything. It was just this BYU chat room and yeah so that's how we ended up. And then after he graduated he came over to stay with friends of his grandmothers and that's when we actually met. Ryan: That's awesome. So now living in Lehi many years later. Do you ever go back to Scotland? Does he still have family there? Heather: He does. We try and like he took our oldest son for a senior trip back there. It's hard to get everybody over and get housing and cars. We would bring his parents over for a couple of months at a time. So I've been back. I'd love to take the family there especially to do a real tour of Scotland and not just go walk up and down the high street and see friends and family—let's go see your heritage. Ryan: Well, okay. So tell me, you're right now on the city council. Is that right? Heather: Yes. Ryan: So is that something you always wanted to do or tell me about that? Heather: No. No. I'm like somebody who is always like don't put me in front of the spotlight doing any of this kind of stuff. But it's kind of funny. You look back at things that I've done and somehow I found myself there. There was like I think often times with a lot of people there's a single issue, something comes up in your backyard and so I ended up getting involved and going to meetings and talking about this issue and learning a lot. And things that I presented like I started studying code. And things were changed because of things that I brought up. And so that was kind of like a thrill. And there was things that I caught with the development that was done wrong that weren't done as they said they were going to do according to what they promised they made during city council. And I caught that and it delayed their development for over a year. So it's like, wow, I'm making a difference. There was things that happened with that development where I saw, hey, if I knew then what I know now, I think I could have made a better impact. I could have done things better. I could have seen things different. So I saw that as a hey I can help people. I can help people that are facing these same kind of things. And so the thing that was really cool is because of that I started develop genuine relationships with people on city council. And so when a planning commission spot came up they said hey we really want you on that. And I'm like okay but I need to interview with the mayor. And I really haven't had a lot of interaction with the mayor other than standing up in city council and disagreeing with him. So like I don't know how he's— that may not be the interview I want, right? He may not go for that. And so I sat down with him and he was just incredible and we made this great connection and I'm just like, "Wow, I want to be a part of this because it's like there's things that we can disagree on and I've learned so much in the process of things where like I was wrong on it and become better." So they put me on planning commission a year and a half later they made me chair. Like probably the fastest anybody's ever become chair, you know, also being a woman. I was the only woman on the planning commission until um Emily Lockheart joined right after me. But yeah, it was a really cool experience. And then just kind of got thinking a lot of what's coming through on planning commission, I want to solve the problem. And you don't do that on planning commission. You look at what the applicant brings in. Does it fit the code? And if it yes, then it moves forward. But you're not there to really say, hey, you could do this better or I can work with you. You can't even talk to the applicant before meeting. It's really you're really there just to look at it and does it, you know, does it work? So it really felt like, okay, if I'm going to help make things better and make change, then city council is where I need to be. Ryan: Speak to that for a minute as far as like because a lot of people sometimes will get mad, oh, I can't believe Lehi's letting XYZ build something, right? You know, but like your hands are kind of tied on a lot of things, right? I mean there's property rights and different things. Speak to that I guess for a second just to kind of shed some light on. Heather: Yeah. When I joined planning commission one of the things that was happening at the time was the general plan that we're adopting into a general plan. And to me and that's what I ran on—follow the general plan because that's what really kind of took me off guard and got me involved is because the development that went on next to me was not following the general plan. You know and there was exceptions made. So I think that's that's really hard as residents to kind of have an expectation what's going to be there. But I think the hard thing for residents is when uh an applicant comes in and they're presenting a zone that fits the general plan. You know, the public thinks like we have a choice to say like, oh, you know, you're allowing high density here. It's like, well, that's what the general plan allows. So, their property rights have already been entitled. So that's a really difficult thing I think for the public and as much as we try and educate to be able to help them understand you're one piece of this and your part in this public hearing is to help us to mitigate things and make sure we have protections in place. But when it comes to the rights of the property owner once we put that on the general plan and decisions have been made long before I was ever on council. Like they're entitled to that. Ryan: And I'm guessing to change the general plan is difficult to do a lot of times, right? Heather: It's like we can't go and so like if we want to change a general plan, we can't take somebody's property and say, "Oh, you know, you actually can have like five homes per acre, but we think that's too much. So, we're going to make it so you only have two." No, we've just taken their right and we've violated their fifth and 14th amendment rights. We're not paying them for it. Because the value would obviously go way down in that scenario. So if we feel like it's overbuilt, either we need to go buy the land or we need to buy their density back from them. And the council's had to do that in the past where they have allocated too much density. So it's big decisions when you start to entitle things that you can't take back. Ryan: And I assume that happens on the reverse, too, where somebody's like, "Hey, this was residential, but I'd like, you know, Pioneer Crossing is now here, can I make it commercial?" You know, or something like that, right? Heather: Sometimes that happens. And I'm guessing the reverse is, hey, you know, can't do that. Or, you know, or maybe it's probably pretty difficult to do, I guess. Kind of sometimes you look at that, too. It's like, hey, I've got this residential piece, but it's completely surrounded by commercial. It's an island. It doesn't make sense. And you can look at that and say, "Yeah, it doesn't make sense. You've got this big road that's built next to you." So, that's the thing is like the city council is a land use authority. Like, we have the ability to change those things. But if we're trying to take away, that's when we get in trouble. Ryan: So, you can add to it. But if you take away, you got to compensate, I guess, or do something because otherwise that person just lost. Heather: Yeah. Like somebody has a heavy commercial and we're like, ah, we don't think you should have that. We're going to make it commercial. We've just taken away rights that they had before. Sure. Which which we can't do, right? Even if we're like, hey, well, there's too much traffic. You know, we don't want too much high. I mean, that's a big thing right now, right? You know, is and so it's the traffic. That's the thing that's like cracking me up. It's like, why you keep on adding high density? You go back and look at the general plan—there's been zero places where we have allowed high density that was not already allocated on the plan. So this is just as more people are being like, hey, this was already there. Like, we were already planning to do this. It's just maybe it's happening quicker than people want because it's growing so fast. Lehi is. Ryan: Well, and I want to go back to I like I want to go back because there's a lot of contention sometimes in politics, right? And I like what you said about, you know, hey, I had an interview with the mayor and all my only interactions was disagreeing with him, right? But so talk to me about that side of politics, the positive side of, hey, you know, I'm on this side, you're on this side, but like let's come together and figure this out, right? We're not enemies. We're not, you know, this isn't good and bad, angel and devils, you know, kind of thing, right? Heather: And that's the stuff I love. I would rather be in a room with somebody who has a different idea and work through it and see where we can get to a better spot. Um, I was heavily involved with the stuff of the school district and the split and doing, you know, I was really the one who was doing all the research behind that and trying to figure out where Lehi was going to go. Because, you know, at the beginning of this, we were heading in a different direction. That's where counsel was. And it was me just doing the research and digging in and being like, "Hey guys, this is this is not going to be good. It's going to it's not going to be good for us. It's not going to be good for them. You got to—we can't just look at right now. We got to look at what this is going to look like in 30 years." And so to be able to do that and to be able to have those conversations and start talking with people and even so that like where we're looking to go west right and to be also at the point where Saratoga Eagle Mountains saw like I could talk to them and say hey this isn't going to be good for you either and this is why and for them to be you know really disappointed because they wanted us with them but to say like no you're right. Like no we see it we see what's going to happen. Let's get let's do this once and get it right. So, I I love that kind of stuff. That's the best part of this. Ryan: Well, and that's and that that's kind of why I want to talk about that, you know, for I mean, just because I like because I unfortunately what makes the news or what makes the things are the the contentious parts, right? You know, and and and I there's reasons why, I guess, right? But, but I like that behind the scenes, hey, there's a lot of people coming together, right? You know, doing things and and and there's definitely people who are mad and there's like you got all that stuff going on, too. But it's like, you know, I think when you had a lot of people going in with really good intentions. You know, trying to get it right for everybody. And that was pretty incredible to be a part of. Ryan: Well, so how long have you been on city council for? Or sorry, planning commission, right? Heather: So planning commission, I was two and a half years. I've been on city council for a year and a half. Ryan: Okay. So, and tell me so tell me the difference, you know, just for anybody that doesn't know planning commission versus city council then. Heather: So planning commission is appointed. You're appointed by the mayor and, you know, voted on by the city council to be in that position. You do not meet with the applicant. You don't talk about items before they come forward. And so everything's just done in that meeting. Um, city council is elected. So you campaign run, you get voted on to be in that position. And then you you are able to meet with with the developer, with staff, with you can talk one-on-one with other city council members. I can talk to the mayor. You just can't ever have like a voting body together. So, like, you know, I can't talk with two other city council members and say, "Hey, this is our vote." Let's team up here together. And I I kind of like thought like coming to the city council and being new, I'm like, "Oh, they probably all talk and everybody knows how they're going to vote going in." You don't. You talk through things sometimes tough things but I think you get to the point where you kind of understand where people might be but there's a lot of times you're in a meeting and new information is presented and you're like oh I didn't even see it that way so yeah. Ryan: Well and to your point actually that's what you said originally with what got you into it is hey I affected change here and this was before you were any kind of position of power right and you're just a resident at that time. And so so I guess to your point yeah those meetings do matter I guess right you know planning commission. Heather: They're the recommending body. They're giving us a recommendation. Staff gives us kind of recommendations to their DRC. So, we're getting all this and we got the public hearing, too. So, you're getting feedback from lots of different sources and city council is you're the final decision. Ryan: Okay. That's awesome. Well, so you've been, you know, a short time there and stuff like that. Anything that kind of stands out in your time that you're like, "Hey, I was a part of that or did that"? Heather: Yeah. I mean, it's hard to have anything trump the school district. Stuff and especially like being thrown into like I knew campaigning that this was going to be the big issue. I just had no idea that I was going to be involved at the level that I was. And so like I was sworn in the next day. Um I was at Cedar Valley High School meeting the principal and meeting Julie King for the first time. Like I was just thrown in and I was at North Point in the afternoon and walking with the principal and seeing stuff going on and just having my eyes kind of open to everything. But then when things moved with the interlocal agreements, they moved really fast. And we had it all set up. And so like I'm making connections with city council members, but I'm so new to this. Like I'm a couple months in. And so I don't really know whose friend, who's foe, what do you really, you know? So like you're trying to build trust and and that going on. And because I had kind of been a little bit more outspoken and like informative on things, um the other cities had decided that I was going to be the spokesperson. So like here, you know, I'm doing like all the interviews and they're asking like how long you been on city council. I'm like, "Oh, five months." They're like and they sent you to like come and do this. But and I think it's kind of have Heather go do it. We don't want to do it. We'll just like, you know, the newbie send them out to do it. At one point it was suggested like you should write the for statement and I'm like okay yeah I can do that. I had no idea what I was getting into because I can't use staff. I can't use anybody else. Everybody wants to know what this statement is going to be. So I'm like basically writing it in the dark. And yeah. So that was it was a lot to like take on and try and figure out what's going to be the most important things and just doing I probably never spent so much time writing 750 words and like what's the most important things that people need to know about this. Ryan: Well, yeah. I was going to say it sounds rewarding to you. I mean, you know, it I mean, it sounds like you genuinely do enjoy this this kind of stuff. I mean, you know, when you do things and you're realizing you're making positive change and you're changing people's lives, like I I love that. You don't need—That's my payment. Like I want to get involved in those kind of things where I feel like these places where I can make a difference. But if they don't have somebody like that, it's never going to happen, you know? Ryan: Yeah. Yeah. No. Well, no, I love that actually. I love that. Tell me about something, you know, that most people maybe don't realize about city government. Is there is there any some kind of surprises that because your background is not necessarily in public administration or anything like that, right? Heather: No, I have a technology background. So, I've been doing like web and development in that since like the '90s. So, yeah, very different than what you're doing. So, tell me, anything surprise you getting in where like, oh, I didn't realize XYZ. Yeah. It's hard because I was on planning commission before, but I think the thing that is so cool about Lehi is the staff. I mean, like you start working and involving yourself with the staff and you're like, "Oh man, this is where I want to be, where I want to work." And it like it makes sense why Lehi has such an amazing culture like from police and fire and just how everybody is. And having that feeling of like they're looking out for you. They they really do genuinely care. They're, you know, there to try and help you. They really care about Lehi. So, yeah, that was something that I just didn't realize that how cool it would be to be part of that. Ryan: So, you know, on that part of I guess city council, tell me how you balance that uh you know, long-term planning because I'm assuming you're still there is still some long-term planning happening, but you know, we also have immediate needs and sometimes conflict, I guess, with each other, right? Heather: So, um tell me how you balance those. I guess I think Lehi's done some pretty incredible things when it comes to making sure the economy that we have is going to be stable. Like this is a place people want to be. Their families want to stay, their kids want to stay here. I know that that means attainable housing is really difficult to be able to make sure that, you know, our community stays here. But yeah, looking at that where we're getting to the point where there's not really big pieces of land. There's some, but you're also trying to figure out, okay, are we have enough commercial? We have enough retail? We have the things that we need because as you look around Lehi, we don't have a lot of those things. You know, American Fork does a lot of us shop in American Fork or we go up to Saratoga Springs. And so as we're thinking about buildout, if we don't have those kind of pieces, then the cost to maintain infrastructure and other, you know, services that comes back on the residents. So, if we can make sure that we have that great balance, then we can make sure that we continue to be a place where Lehi is not a high tax place to live. Ryan: No, that makes sense. And I guess, you know, talk to me about um traffic's obviously a big one. How's that coming along? You know, I know there's a lot going, you know, there I know when I interviewed the mayor, this is, you know, 6 months ago or something. He was like all roads go through Lehi and so there's, you know, literally, right? You know, so there's all these things that they're doing, but uh any updates on on what we're doing there, I guess, to try to fix some of these issues. Heather: No. So 2100 North Freeway is huge and the fact that we got that moved up. As a priority, I think that's going to help alleviate a lot. Getting the flex lanes on Pioneer, those are going to be big things, but it's not going to be enough. Cuz you know, out west it's going to be like half a million people. Half a million people that somehow have to come through us. And so it's hard to keep up with. We don't plan what they're doing. And you know, we have I think especially with the school district communications, we've built a lot better relationships and keeping those and that's now evolved into these meetings we're having every 3 months and talking about transit and transportation. So, that's a huge part of it is coordinating and making sure that we get on the same page. And one thing that we've got recently from UDOT is them agreeing that we need to have a freeway to freeway connector from I-15 over to Mountain View corridor. And then the other piece of that is we have to have a freeway below us, too. We essentially need a belt around the west side of Lehi and we're getting UDOT on board with that. So, just to get that piece on the plan, they agree and to have that north section. Um the other big piece is we've got $4 million in federal funding coming to study the Northshore Freeway. And just and the big part of that is we need to know if we can even build on the lake. I mean, ideally, I want a road across the center. You know, if if the Provo airport's going to be the next big airport hub, they've got to get half a million people from the west side that want to use it. So, we got to get people over that direction, too. I like I don't know where it's going to land. I just know we need it. So, yeah, it's there's a lot of talk. Lehi's invested a lot of money in solving these problems um that really aren't necessarily ours, but they are because people have to go through us. So, so it's there's a lot and it it moves slower than we want it to move always, but um it's exciting to see you do listening, taking the data that that Lehi has, you know, done and studied and agreeing with it. Ryan: Well, what I like what you're saying is it sounds like Lehi is actually being very proactive with this stuff, right? I mean, because ultimately you guys live here, you know, you drive in the same traffic that that I drive in, right? And so, you're like, "Hey, I don't want this. Like, let's improve this, right?" And so, so I like that you are proactive about this because obviously, you know, these are these those are some of the issues that that affect us directly, right? You know, because every day we all wake up. It may not be our problem, but we have to solve it. Heather: Correct. Exactly. Yes. Ryan: Agreed. Okay. So, talk to me about the Lehi historical marker program. So, actually, just start with that. Tell me what that is actually. Heather: Yeah. So before I even ran for city council, they—Laura, our historical society, Laura Baker had like put on Facebook, they were doing their um Christmas sale and they were put up a Google form of being able to like go and buy products. And so I've been doing web design development for 25 years now. So I like messaged her. I'm like, "Hey, can I help with this? Can we get, you know, can we get a shopping cart and stuff on your website?" And so I went down and met with her and she's just incredible, amazing. And she's like, "I would love that. We're, you know, in the process of redesigning a website." I'm like, "Okay, when it's" and she's like, "And we wanted a shopping piece, but it it was going to be so expensive, we just we can't afford to do it." I'm like, "Okay, I'm I'm going to do that." But I said, "Let me know when it's ready to go." And so, but that kind of got pushed off as they were doing the redesign, but in the same time, Nicole Kunzie had been talking to Laura with this whole historical marker and saying, "We really should do enamel pins." And trying, you know, letting her know that these are really popular. They're popular with the Olympics and with Disneyland and people love to collect these things. And Laura's like, I just don't know that we have we can invest in that. And it was Rob Strong came in and one day and like showed his collection from the 2002 Olympics and it just clicked with Laura and she's like, "Okay, I see it." And so and they were talking. She's like, "Well, now what do we do?" And Nicole's like, "We call Heather." And so she she's like, "Heather, would you want to be involved with this?" I'm like, "I've never done anything like that before." But yes, I'm in. Like, let's do it. And she had she wanted to do the broadband sign. I'm like, "Okay, so let's do it." And so I took the broadband sign, designed it, and then gave it to Nicole, and she went and did like just an online getting the pens done. And so we we did that, and then we did one for the Jordan River. So like she came back and said, "Hey, can we do that?" Um I didn't get it in enough time, so they ended up doing, you know, a rushed one. But being at that Jordan River event and seeing everybody so excited and they were buying the broadband pen and the Jordan River, I'm like, "Okay, we're on to something here." But like, uh, that Jordan River pen cost them like $6.95 to make and they sold it for $7. So like I'm like, "Okay, we need to we need to really figure this out." So a five cent mark. Yeah, exactly. Like and I'm like that's kind of like I mean they're not, you know, they're just not into that realm. And so I'm like, "Okay, this is this is an area I can help you with too with marketing and being able to produce." And so we um and the other thing that hit us is the tariffs. And so I'm like, we're we're just not going to be able to do this because we're going to be out of the price point where people are going to be okay with buying them. And so I'm like, there's got to be a better way. And so I just told Nicole, okay, I'm going to I'm going to take over the manufacturing side, too. And I started researching direct manufacturers in China. Okay. And so I connected I've used like four different manufacturers now. But that's a pretty incredible process because I'm working directly with them. I see the pins all the way through the process and then yeah, I've been able to get the cost down and the quality up and get these really incredible high quality pins that people are just loving. Ryan: Yeah. And that's what I was going to ask is tell me the community response to this. Has it been has it been good? Heather: It's been huge. Like yeah, I get emails from Laura. She's like, "Oh my gosh, we just we saw like they've already like doubled or tripled the amount that they like in just a week from what they would normally sell in a year of of things." So, yeah, it's been people have been loving it. Ryan: And and and so they're around town, too, right? I mean, so they're they're coming like uh I forget how many Laura told me and I don't know if you remember, but like they're doing so many per year or something like that, right? Heather: Unveiling so many approved for like 32 different markers and then trying to do one about once a month. Yeah. Ryan: Yeah. No. And so, and these are just around town of different different historical things, right, that people can go and look at and and you know, and and learn about and stuff like that. And I think it would make a great youth, you know, scavenger hunt, you know, activity idea or something like that. Heather: There's going to eventually have QR codes on it. So, you can go and go to all the different places. I just think like, you know, a portion of this is funded by the park tax. They've also gone out and got other grants from like Hadco. To me, this is kind of like the epitome of what a park tax grant should look like. They're having community events every month that are free. We're getting the community together and like you're feeling this the swell of, you know, pride in Lehi and our history and people are learning things they didn't know about before. So, what they're doing is just so incredible and I'm like, "Yeah, I want to be a part of that. How can I help? What can I do?" Ryan: Yeah. Yeah. Uh love that. Love that. Um and and do you know how they decided on which locations and stories to feature? Heather: Do you know? Yeah, they had a a couple of events where people could come and submit. Um and where they thought the location should be and then they have a committee, they have their board. So I think there's a lot of conversations just based on all that and then they decide. And they're not adding to it at this point then, right? They because that's been decided though the 32 I guess or whatever. I don't think so. And I don't think those are all finalized either. I think that's kind of more of a this is what we've had set for grants and funding. But I think that I could see it totally expanding to more. Yeah. Especially as our history grows more, then they're going to have to do more markers. Ryan: Yeah. Yeah. Walk me through the the creative process when when designing the pin and stuff like that. So you So So you you did that yourself too or or are you still doing all of them then or just Okay. You are still Okay. Heather: Yep. So I do that. I also do the backing cards too cuz it's like okay, we got to keep on elevating this. So now they all have backing cards with information on the back. But yes, I'll spend time down at the historical society. So like I'll take you like the Saratoga Resort. So um I went through everything they have on the Saratoga Resort down there. So looking at pictures like one thing I wanted to feature was the Ferris wheel. Sure. And I've told people there wasn't a ferris wheel there. I'm like yes there was. There was two. So like like I'm learning so much about it as I go through. So I did that. Um I also did a post. Because uh there was a an image of the it was called the women of Saratoga. That was like and I you know I colorized it and put it up. And to get feedback I'm like hey what do you remember? And so looking at that post and because I asked about the giant slide the giant male slide and what I got back from that post is everybody was talking about the kamikazi slide and the and the how cool the slide was because it was the piece that was moved from Saratoga to the outdoor pool. So people remember because it was there you know longer. I'm like, "Okay, I I see this all coming together now. There's there's certain things that I'm really hearing people connect with and things that I'm personally connecting with, too." So, I knew that I wanted the women to be part of it. That was a big thing for me cuz they, you know, people brought up ladies night. This image as well. Um, the pools were such a huge part. I knew I wanted to feature both slides. And because like I kind of always want these pins to go next level. I wanted the ferris wheel and I want the ferris wheel to spin. So, like a two-piece pin and just like I want this to be a really standout piece. Another part of that is like this is mayor's that Mayor Johnson like he works in John Beck's old home. So, he felt very closely tied to this. Um so I talked to him. What do you remember as a kid? What do you you know what things? And he would talk about you know getting all the shards from the kamikazi slide and things and he was laughing. So as I went through the design process I would send stuff to him and say what do you think? And he's like I love that. And there's like one point he's like, "Well, it looks like your ferris wheel is dumping people out onto the slide, so I think that's, you know," I'm like, "Okay, okay, I'll fix that. I'll fix that." So he was like always, you know, making comments. But then my parents grew up in American Fork, so they went out to Saratoga. I remember going there as a little kid. Um and so they would talk about different things. So it's trying to capture everybody's memories that they're talking about and what's going to like really fit with people. So like going through that whole process, that's like that's the real fun part of it. Ryan: Yeah. I was just going to say, I mean, I can again, I can tell you enjoy that and and you you're probably the perfect person for that job cuz you're doing a very good job with, you know, really bringing in the history of it, I guess, right? Bringing in memories, like you said. I like that a lot. Uh that's actually really cool. Just you're you're uh you're not just painting a picture, but you're painting the picture with with feeling, I guess, right? Heather: Like I could just do the Saratoga's Resort sign and make that a picture. Exactly. Yeah. And frankly, that's probably what I would do. It would be simple super simple. Resort. There you go. So, it's like if we're trying to have the pin capture history, it's got to have something more. Like with George Gro, I'm so touched by that story. And you know, I remember Nicole's talking. She's like, I guess we could do a sugar beat. You know, and I'm just like, no, it's got it's it's that moment when Joffrey Ro or he comes down the corner and he says, "That's all of them, Uncle George." You know, it's like I got to capture that moment and what people feel when they hear those words. And so yeah. Ryan: I could again great. That's well and so okay. So talk to me any stories. So now how many have you done so far? Heather: Oh, should have counted it up. It might be like 10 or 11 because I've I've kind of gotten ahead on some of the easier ones. Yeah. Yeah, there's there's about 10. Ryan: Okay, I'll put you on the spot then. Tell me tell me one that kind of stands out to you or or I mean you've already shared a couple I guess but so just tell me one that like you're like I I really liked that story and maybe share one of the stories I guess about um well Mary Wless because I actually spoke at the unveiling for hers and so I just feel like I became very personally close to her. 14-year-old girl asked to do the impossible and so you look at what she did and taking her family and her, you know, these young siblings across the plains with her disabled father in a heart and you think like, "Wow, you know, I think I have hard things in my life and and she just did it. She, you know, and I'm just like, so there's a lot of times where I will think of her. I'll wear her pin, you know, and I've heard of other people wear her pin when they go serve at the temple." And so I just, that one I think will always live inside me, and if I hadn't done this, if I hadn't been a part of this, I wouldn't have known her story. Ryan: Well, and so and I didn't know her story either. So actually so so so she was a 14-year-old girl when she came across the plains to Utah here and settled in Lehi or or give me a little more detail. So so those for those of us that don't know that story. Heather: So um her stepmother had made her promise that she would make sure that her father took the the children across the planes. She made that promise and her stepmother ended up passing away. And so as they were going to leave and um her dad had had a stroke and as they went to join the wagon plane, he had another stroke and he was completely disabled and they left without him. And so she just decided I I'm going to go anyways. So she's 14. I think she had uh four younger siblings. And they had a lot of, you know, friendly uh Native Americans who helped them and all these things. I It's just like a miracle they made it across. And then they got to Lehi um in the fall, ended up spending the winter in a dugout here close off of Main Street. Um her father ended up passing away the next year. And she um ended up marrying John Hutchkins who is the founder of you know the museum and everything. So it's like there's a lot of Wlesses and Hutchings that are all coming from that family that came across planes. Ryan: Wow. That is a cool story. I like uh and so what designing her pen, how was that process? Heather: you know that. Yeah, that was really cool cuz you know I wanted a distinctively a pioneer girl, you know, but there's a mountains and a sunburst. Actually, I think I brought a couple and that was one that I brought. So, you can see that one. Oh, yeah. Oh, I love it. Yeah. So, you can see on the back where it's got like her story and Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Wow. So, yeah. And so, these are selling for um So, if people want to buy the Are they still available? Yeah. I mean, how how do people how, you know, tell us how they people can buy these? So, you can go on the website lehistory.org and there's a gift shop button, so you can buy them there. Um, you can also go into the historical society. It's just right across the street off of Main Street. And they're there Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, noon to 5. And if you wanted to buy it on the website and have it delivered, they'll do local delivery for $5. They can ship out of state. Sure. Um, you can order on the website and then go pick it up when you want to. So, love it. Yeah. Ryan: And and and so and so obviously you've done you said 10 already. So if people want to go back and buy the first one, they can still collect these pins then, right? This isn't like, oh man, you missed that, you know? Heather: So like this one, um they're sold out of the Mary Wless, but they have been so popular and she has such, you know, a story that resonates with people. So I actually did a new order of that one. So I think we may order some and some may just be um the Jordan River because of the how it was done and rushed. I'm like, I need to redo that one. So the one the original Jordan River ones and we'll never make any more of those. So you're Yeah. You're I could you got to do it right. Right. The roller mills one I've already done a second order that was just like flying off. And the the rodeo pin like we sold a ton of those during roundup. So Oh, sure. Yeah. Ryan: Oh, I love that. Okay. This is cool. And so I was going to ask if you've collaborated with local artists or historians, but it sounds like I mean well actually you did kind of answer that with you I mean you've really dived into the history and stuff like that but a lot of the artist stuff is you then though too, right? I mean so that's awesome. Heather: Yeah. So and it's Nicole and Laura and I it's kind of nice that we just kind of have this small committee because the moment we expand beyond that I think it would get like we get a lot of opinions coming in. So, I'll show them the design and like get sign off, but you know, I'll show different people who might be close to it, too. So, like with um with the roundup one, I know I wanted to use their logo. I wanted that Bronco and Cowboy. Um so, I talked to Mike Southwick and he presented it to the committee to get approval. So, like there's been involvement like that if I'm going to use something that's somebody else's intellectual property. Sure. But, yeah. But other other than that, yeah, I mean, it's pretty much just you. Okay, that's cool. Ryan: Um well, again, good job. These are these uh I mean I I love the pins and I love the I guess the the what would you I guess the signs, you know, that are on the spot cuz they cuz they also have like So don't they have a historical marker for her spot then too? Heather: Yes, they do. Ryan: And where's where's hers at then? Heather: Hers is off the main street just like a section down. Ryan: Okay. And how why' they pick that spot then? Heather: Because that's where they that's where it's assumed the dugout was which Yeah. Ryan: Okay. Okay. Perfect. So yeah, all throughout town you'll you'll see cuz there is about 10 markers right now. that are out there that aware of the events that they've held and you can go and they each have a plaque telling this short story about why it's there. Yeah. And you said Q QR codes are coming then. Tell what's the process on that or the timeline on that? So they got a park grant to be able to get the QR codes. So they'll be attached to the poll and you can scan it and it'll take you to the website landing page so you can have more information and learn more about whatever. Ryan: Perfect. Any design challenges I guess uh or any any challenges from this? I mean, just that the whole thing in general or or has it been pretty smooth sailing? Heather: Oh, there's definitely huge challenges with it because you're you're taking something, you're having to make it so you're telling them where the where the metal is, you're telling them where the paint goes, how to to finish it. And because of my work there, there's a guy in my work that like all like, "Hey, I need your help with this." Like, you know, can you do this, you know, part of the design and things, but like he has nothing to no idea with Lehi. So, like, yeah, I'll definitely like enlist other people who are like better to be able to help me with some of the stuff, but you know, I'll send stuff to the manufacturer and they'll kick it back and you're like, "Yeah, we can't do lines that close together. You got to totally fix this." So, just like Yeah. So, there is like it's not just like doing a normal pitcher. You got to make sure that there's a certain like the there has to be enough area to put the paint in because it it's a pretty intense process. Sure. And a lot of and good thing with going directly to the manufacturer is because I'm using a lot of colors. I might use like 12 16 colors. And that's adding cost. So some of these other like online like middleman like every time you add a color you're adding like you know 50 cents to the cost of the image. But um and the reason for that is they'll put a color on and then they'll have to bake it for two hours and then bring it back out and then do another color and bake it for So it does really add to the time. Yeah, it does add to the time. So, it's a pretty intense process. Ryan: I didn't realize there was all that that goes into making a pin, you know. Heather: Yep. So, they they have to do the molding of it, pour the mold, and then they start doing the painting one color at a time and baking it, and then once it's all done, they got to polish it and Yep. So, it's interesting. Ryan: Well, hey, good job. Thanks. Good job. Um well so so has tell me you know doing all that I guess has that given you a more appreciation for the heritage here in Lehi and and are you know what what effect has that had on you I guess just doing this in general? Heather: Yeah to be you know we we've lived here 23 years but we're new Lehi you know it's you know this is and so like I I feel like we're we're adopted in to the family and this is now becoming our heritage. The thing that I love the most is my kids are so excited about these events. Good. They want to be there. Um my oldest was like, "How do he's like, I need to join the the horse historical society. How do I join?" So he like I'm like, "You need to go talk to her over there." And so he did and he's like, you know, I want to be a part of this. And so that's what's really cool is it's like it's becoming a part of us. They know the stories. They're learning, you know, the history of this. And so I I think it's it builds that community even though a lot of our community is new. Like and that's what like we've gone to Roundup every year since we've been here because we we had uh that connection with people um who John stayed with and like I've always just felt like no matter how big Lehi's gotten, we always feel like we're with family when we're there. And so like I don't ever want to lose that. And I think these historical markers are something that's going to keep people tied to each other that we need to understand our past to be able to keep us tied to that which you know I think that's one thing Lehi does very well with is is that community part right I mean I think you know and and and this is part of what's doing that right I mean this this hey you know this is part of our heritage right you know even adopted right I mean I didn't grow up here either right and so you know I've had two daughters graduate from high school here now so you know I mean I've been here for I think as long as you Rolling and only high. Exactly. That's really all they've known, too. Ryan: And any plans to expand the program? Heather: So, I think there's things where they're so excited now about the kind of the merchandise and people are excited and we're getting people that are wearing things and wanting things and wanting to show like that they're part of this. And so, like one thing like the the 1983 flood is coming up in uh I think it's September or October. That's when we're going to be doing that one. And one of the cool things with that is there was this hat. Yeah. that with a duck on it that said, uh, I survived the Lehi 1983 flood. And so I saw that hat and Laura's like, yeah, people ask me for that hat all the time. Like, do we still have it? I'm like, oh, let's make it. And so I'm like, so we have the hat that's now been recreated so people can get that hat and then there's a pin that matches with it, too. So I think that there's going to be things where like, hey, let's expand and let people wear their Lehi history. Ryan: I like that. So yes, you are expanding then, I guess. You know, doing more things and, you know, I love that. Good. Well, again, I think it just helps with the community part, right? You know, helping us all be part of part of where we're at and stuff. Ryan: So, you talked about your your your kid and getting involved. What What advice do you have for, you know, for for people that are, you know, young people especially, but just anybody, I guess, you know, that that's looking to, you know, hey, I want to I want to be a part of this community. How do I get involved? What do I do? um you know what advice do you have for those people that are just looking and I guess you can speak to hey go to a city council meeting all the way down to you know Lehigh historical society and stuff like that but yeah I think there's always ways to get involved and like things where you can see a need and just push yourself a little bit further like in schools too not just with there's always needs and things with the different programs where they need people to just show up. Um, but I think yeah, like you can show up to these events and be like, "Okay, when's the next board meeting? I want to come to this." Because like that's a big part of if our historical society there's a huge age gap between joining like it we're going to lose the stories. We got to have the younger people showing up to these things to be able to pass on the stories. So, yeah. Um, but I I love being involved in that and those kind of things. Like, if there's more places that I can go and volunteer Yeah. Like, let me be a part of it. Sure. Like I'm I'm really heavily involved with Skyidge Theater. And that was just because my kid was in theater. Sure. And then I'm a I'm there and I'm like, "Oh, we we could do this better." You know, if you start marketing this way and you do this and that, we can we can do some pretty big things. And it's now like I don't think there's anybody in the state that does more ticket sales and brings in more than Skyidge Theater. Wow. And it's like because it's like, okay, we have to we have to go advertise. We have to do this. And so when you're at an event and you start seeing people come from Salt Lake and all around and they're coming and they've never been to Skyidge, but they like we love what you're doing. Yeah. That's like that's the reward. Like you're because you're you're making a difference for these kids who have put so much time and energy into what they love and you're like, "Okay, let's let's now get the support and show you that, you know, this matters and it's important what you're doing." Ryan: when what I hear you saying right there is there wasn't necessarily a a signup sheet that said, "Hey, help with Lehigh the or you know Skyidge Theater." This was you just saying, "Hey, I I see there's a need here. Let me help." Right. Right. I mean, that's what I hear you a lot of times. I think a lot of people have great skills. That when you talk about these nonprofit organizations, they can't hire you. You know, they can't, but they need it. And so, yeah, you can go use those skills and make some good money and that everybody does, but when you have that that extra time, you're going to donate, take those skills and help some of these organizations that could never afford to be able to hire you. Sure. So, love that. Yeah. And then again, you're able to make a difference and you're able to see that, right? So, so looking towards the future and stuff like that, you know, what do you see where do you see Lehi going in the next 10, 15, 20 years here? You know, I mean, you're on city council, right? You know, so you have you have this master plan, right? Heather: Exact. Oh, no. Always. Right. I think it's kind of crazy to think that with the speed that Lehi is building that we're like looking towards buildout. Yeah. You know, there's like I was saying, there's just kind of remnants areas. It's not like there's big areas of land that need to be master planned, but the amount of growth that's happening in Utah and knowing that we're right in the heart of it. I think there's there's always going to be that kind of constant of how can we make sure that people are moving through us. That we're not bottlenecked here. Transit's going to be a part of that, too. Like I, you know, I have kids who are at the U and they love Front Runner. They love to be able to go jump on and just be able to get up to the U and not have to deal with the car up there. So, it's kind of changing mindset of my generation and things of thinking like we would never use any of that before. younger generations are kind of thinking like this is the way forward. So, sure. Yeah. I think a lot of what we're doing now is making sure that we're planning for to be able to move people through. And keeping that quality of life really high. And also making sure that we're not losing our kids, that we're keeping our community here. Sure. Um, that's something that's really tough because, uh, you know, I I believe in people being able to do what they want with their land and, you know, and following zoning and making sure that we keep our community, but if that means that our kids can't live here and only 25% of those who move out of state will ever come back. You know, they're taking our community and our culture with them. So, that's that's tough. That's a lot of things to try. Like, how do you all bal, you know, balance everything here? Ryan: Sure. Sure. Yeah. No, we want them to stay, right? you know, but uh although I guess we're also giving some of those good people to the world, I guess. You know, but we could be selfish and say, "No, stay here." I know what I'm kind of like without your posterity, what you know, what's the point. Yeah. Yeah. No, I'm with you. I'm with you. So, I guess like if if they move, we follow. Sure. Sure. Sure. Heather, I this has been great. It's been great to get to know you. Great to see what you're doing. Anything we didn't cover that you were like, "Hey, I wanted to talk about this or that." Um Oh, wow. Yeah. No, I don't know. I I think it's good. I mean, we're we're in election season now. I I could that that's something that's been really eye opening to me. Because, you know, I've been on city council for a year and a half. So, but I've never been in the position of being elected while other people are campaigning. So, like my seat's not up, but I'm seeing some of the things and it's, you know, you you run for council. And you think I got this vision, this change, everything I can do. And so you're basically running against something that you win, you're now part of that system. And so you're now the weight of decisions that were made that you never decided on. But they're now yours and you're part of it and you're part of the problem. Sure. So that's so that's like that's been really eye opening to to see that and realize that there's all this work that you would never campaign on. And that keeping some of the things that are really good is just as hard as making change. Sure. And you start to learn things that like, you know, these these bold ideas don't move anywhere without trust. You know, and and just make if you don't have buyin from other people, it's just noise. Yeah. And so like it's it's kind of wild to be there and feel that and feel the the feeling in the community kind of shift every two years. where people who weren't angry are now angry. So, yeah, it's a it's kind of a different beast because I don't think anybody really ever joins city c. I didn't because I wanted to be political or be in the spotlight or anything. I just wanted to do good things. And so, yeah, it's a it's an interesting place to be when I and I do like that I think, you know, for the most part Lehi doesn't have there's no party affiliations and stuff like that, right? You know, so really it's just like, hey, is this a good person or not? You know, right? I mean, just somebody that cares about our community, you know, or not, right? And, you know, forget about the D or the R or the, you know, whatever other the I guess. But yeah. Yeah. Several years ago, decades ago, I know it was Ron Smith and another former mayor and and Ron somebody's like one of my heroes. I just I loved him and they got together. They had a two-party system and they dissolved it. And I think that's been a really good thing. But yeah, it's it's hard when it you start to get sides and you know, even without parties, you have different strong point, you know, like we I guess we just don't ever want to get to the point like here's a ticket that's running and yeah, but it's kind of the way things go. Ryan: And how how many seats are up then, you know? Heather: So, there's two city council and the mayor. And then because we have a new school district, there's the school board seats up, too. So, it's a pretty big So, it's actually pretty as far as Yeah. because the school board's brand new, right? I mean, this would be a whole brand new school board, right? So, there are actually five seats that touch Lehi of the seven. Three that are just Lehi and then there's um there's one seat that's split pretty evenly with American Fork. But all three candidates are from Lehi. And then there's another seat where um with Highland where it's just a portion and all those candidates are from Highland. So, and uh and then you mentioned mayor and stuff like that. What what do you what do you foresee? You know, Mayor Johnson's been great. He's been there for a long time. Do you see you know significant changes happening I guess with that uh you know because I mean I guess you know maybe speak to the fact that um I mean this is a comm a council right you know so one person doesn't have you know he can't just do whatever he wants you know what I mean and so whoever replaces him can't just do whatever they want but like right where do you see the the the future going I guess with whoever yeah I think that's a really good point that's like you're there's nothing you can do without consensus with counsel you know and like really my I'm only effective when I'm there and I have two other voices that join me. Even though mayor doesn't have a vote, I think that is such an essential position. And yeah, things could completely change depending on who is in that position because the way Mayor Johnson has been is he's been very heavily involved. He's in the meetings, people know who he is. Um he has the ability to reach out to federal, you know, and get money. And so like it depends on I think the mayor position it's about relationships. Are you able to work with the other city? Like I recently worked with him on that video for UDOT with the the alignment of the transit. And so to have the other mayors of surrounding cities reach out and say, "We want to help." You know, that's a big deal. So if you don't have somebody in there who's able to form those relationships or have those relationships, Lehi starts getting left out of the room, you know, and they're they don't have a seat at the table. They don't have a voice at the table. It was really eye opening to me one of my first meetings when we did a a joint meeting with the other city councils. Um when Mayor Johnson spoke, everybody turned and looked to him and the questions went to him. Sure. And so he's he's been there long enough. He's an engineer. He's worked on things so much. It it is kind of scary to think that we might lose something there. Sure. But I mean that's that's the process and how it works. And so we just have to count on whoever we put in that position. We have incredible staff that's going to be supportive of who's ever in that position. I am committed to working my heart out for who is ever in that position to make sure that, you know, we maintain those relationships. We work together and do things. But yeah, there's there's things that can change pretty drastically and we've seen that in other cities. You know, you ch the change in the guard, you can have things go completely a different direction depending on who your city council members are. Ryan: Okay. So that So yeah, again, some of this could change, I guess, depending on who's elected and who I guess we'll wait and see. I guess we'll wait and see. Yeah. And I like that's a very good point with relationships and stuff like that, too. And sometimes sometimes people want, hey, let's brand new blood and stuff like that. And and there's probably pros to that, you know. Uh at the same time, I can see the benefit of um somebody going up through the ranks, you know, you know, kind of thing. And they're serving in other parts because now they have some of those relationships, too. So yeah, it is. It's cuz like with uh so because Paul and Chris and Paige who are the most tenured are all running. and say if there's a instant like Paige becomes mayor and Paul doesn't win re-election, Michelle and I are now the oldest tenured city council members. Oh wow. With a year and a half. Interesting. So and like and there's some critical things that are coming up. So you're kind of worried about like okay that's a lot to put on my shoulders. Like are you prepared to go and be the one that's leading the charge? So yeah. Yeah. Because regardless this is going to affect you, you know, and you know, however this plays out, I guess. So interesting. But it it is eyeopening to me how important and essential those relationships are not just with your own council but those you know outside your council. Yeah. And I think that's what was really beneficial. I mean the best thing to come out of that for me as a city council member with the school district stuff. Is forming the relationships with I mean even in the south like city council members that I'm really close with. I'm like I don't think there's a day that goes by other than probably Sunday that I'm not getting a call from somebody. Yeah. And that's that's really rewarding when you have a city council member saying, "Hey, on our agenda, we have this coming up. What has Lehi done?" What do you suggest? You know, so you're like, so it's the forming of the relationships and having knowing that when big things come up, you have these things where people have your back. Ryan: and and when I talked to Paige actually about she she mentioned how um one of the things you guys do is you do meet um there's like a tri city or you know the northern Utah county or I forget what it is but but a group of mayor you know city people right that meet together. Uh so it was Eagle Mountain in Saratoga Springs and us Cedar Fort and Fairfield came too and then we brought American Fork in because it's really our cities that are needing to figure out what we're going to do with this with the roads and transportation. So yeah, that was that was the same meeting that I was talking about. Which I love. I you know, again, I to your point collaboration, you know, we don't need necessarily any mavericks, per se. You know, it's it's that it's working together, right? Heather: It's huge because like when you have those relationships and you can be straight with each other and you know, I can call them up and say, "Okay, what's the real issue?" You know, is it this? Is it this? And it's like, "No, it's this." I'm like, "Oh, now I get it. No, I like you care about my citizens. You care that we're not tearing out homes. I care about what's going on with your your city center." And we got to So what's the solution? How can we work together to make sure that this road happens because we both want to move people through? Correct. Yeah. But if it becomes like we don't have that relationship and it's politics and everybody's kind of guarded, we don't figure out the solution together. Yeah. No, good. I I love it. I I love what you're doing and uh you know I I like interviewing you know the local leader. It always makes me you know because politics sometimes gets such a you know I don't know. We we live in a very divisive world and so so I like that's why I always like the local stuff because it's like all right hey we're neighbors let's be friends. Exactly. That's why I voted, too, cuz I feel like, okay, this is it's about as far away from politics as you can get in elected office. But yes, and I think I think it's important for people to know there's a difference between local stuff and federal stuff and and uh and local stuff, these are in my opinion, for the most part, good people trying to do their best, right? And and you know, I'll leave it at that. It's just good. You know, I like that that's happening. So, Heather, great. No. Anything else? No. No, I think we're good. Okay. Well, I appreciate you coming on and uh appreciate what you're doing. Appreciate your service, you know. I mean, you know, doing what you're, you know, doing in the community and stuff like that. So, obviously, it's it's making a difference and uh we'll keep watching. So, thank you. Good. Yeah. Thank you. Ryan: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. We'd love to hear from you. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Hard Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Heather Newell Lehi Utah City Council Historical Markers Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Heather Newell Lehi Utah interview discussing city council service, historical marker program, enamel pins, Lehi growth and development, school district split, and pioneer stories. Heather Newell Lehi Utah. Lehi city council member. Lehi historical markers program. Lehi Utah growth and development. Lehi school district split. Lehi transportation planning. Saratoga Resort history. Pioneer stories Lehi Utah. Lehi Historical Society pins. Local government in Lehi Utah. Mary Wless pioneer Lehi. Lehi Roundup Rodeo history. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Contact

Chris Condie on Lehi Growth, Service & Future | RB-021

Lehi City Council member Chris Condie shares his journey from Michigan to mayoral candidate, discussing fiber internet, infrastructure, Traverse Mountain development, and preserving community.

Chris Condie on Service, Growth, and the Future of Lehi, Utah

Who Is Chris Condie, and Why Does His Story Matter to Lehi?

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

A Michigan Family Finds Home in Lehi

The Volunteer Spirit That Shaped a Leader

From Primary Defeat to Public Service

Lehi Owns the Fiber

The Hotel Decision: Property Rights vs. Resident Concerns

Conduit Laid for a Future Nobody Could See

A Neighbor's Water Leak and Approachable Government

Reducing Density in Traverse Mountain

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

Chris Condie Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

Quick Links

Contact

A conversation with Lehi City Council member Chris Condie about moving from Michigan, building a life of public service, and helping guide one of America's fastest-growing cities through infrastructure, growth, and community change.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Chris Condie , an IT professional, longtime Lehi City Council member, and mayoral candidate whose journey mirrors the experience of thousands of families who have found their way to Lehi, Utah over the past two decades. Moving from Michigan in 2007 with his wife and young daughter, Chris was drawn west by job opportunities and the chance to be closer to extended family. What he discovered in Lehi was more than a place to live—it was a community that shaped him, and one he would help shape in return.

Chris's story is one of service, civic leadership, and deep commitment to the everyday work of local government. As a city council member, he has helped bring fiber internet to Lehi, supported major infrastructure projects, wrestled with difficult zoning decisions, and worked to make city government feel more approachable for ordinary residents. His perspective offers a valuable window into modern Lehi history —how decisions are made, how growth is managed, and how community spirit can be preserved even as the city expands. For anyone interested in Lehi Utah city council , local government , community growth , or the behind-the-scenes work of building a city, this conversation is essential listening.

This interview also speaks to broader themes of volunteerism , youth engagement , and small-town relationships in a rapidly growing city. Chris reflects on Lehi's explosive population growth since the mid-2000s, the evolution of local roads and utilities, and the foresight of earlier city leaders who laid the groundwork for modern improvements. His story reminds us that Lehi's future is being built not just through policies and projects, but through people who care deeply about their neighbors and their hometown.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Chris Condie

IT professional; Lehi City Council member; mayoral candidate

2007–2024 (with references to earlier decades of his life)

Ryan Harding

Chris describes moving from Michigan to Lehi in 2007 with his wife and young daughter. They were drawn west by a job opportunity in IT and the chance to be closer to extended family. "We moved here from Michigan… and been here ever since." What began as a practical relocation turned into nearly two decades of deep community involvement, from school community councils to the city council itself.

After moving to Lehi, Chris began serving in his neighborhood and at local schools. What struck him was the genuine culture of volunteerism he encountered. "People are really wanting to serve and just help each other." That observation fueled his own desire to step into public service—not for politics, but because he saw a community that matched his own values.

Chris first ran for city council in 2011 but didn't make it through the primary. Rather than walking away, he was appointed to the Planning Commission by the mayor and council at that time. He served there for two years, ran again, and won election to the council. His path illustrates how local leadership often begins with persistence rather than immediate success.

One of Chris's proudest achievements was helping bring fiber internet to Lehi. But the infrastructure story goes deeper: the city—not a private company—owns the fiber network. "We own the infrastructure… the people of Lehi own the fiber." This means residents who subscribe help pay off the bond through revenue, not taxes on everyone. It also means Lehi controls the routers, switches, and the actual fiber in the ground, preventing private disruption.

Chris recounts one of the toughest decisions he faced: a hotel project that was a "permitted use" under existing code, meaning the council had no legal basis to deny it. Residents in the area strongly opposed it. The first vote to approve failed 4-1. Two weeks later, after the city attorney warned of an inevitable lawsuit, a similar motion passed 5-0. The episode illustrates the tension between property rights, resident concerns, and the legal framework that governs local decisions.

Decades ago, Lehi city leaders installed empty conduit alongside power lines, having no specific use in mind but sensing it might matter someday. "Someone had the foresight to lay that extra conduit, and now we're using it." That decades-old infrastructure now carries the city's fiber network, a remarkable example of long-term planning paying off for a future generation.

Chris tells of a resident who had water leaking into his basement for over a month. The man had been working with the city, but the problem persisted, and he didn't know what to do. Chris called him back at 10:30 p.m. after a council meeting, coordinated staff, and within three days helped identify that the house had settled and cracked the pipe beneath the foundation. "I want government to feel approachable—like a neighbor helping a neighbor."

Chris discusses working with developers to reduce high-density housing in Traverse Mountain from roughly 9,000 units to about 5,600—removing roughly 3,400 units. High-density projects were also moved out of the canyons to prevent traffic congestion on limited roads. "I can't imagine what Traverse Mountain would be like if it was building towards 9,000 units."

This interview offers valuable perspective on how Lehi has evolved since the mid-2000s, as seen through the eyes of someone who arrived during a period of explosive growth and helped guide key decisions. Here are key historical insights from Chris Condie's experience:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Meet Chris Condie

Ryan Harding: Welcome Chris Condie to Roots and Branches of Lehi. Happy to have you here on the podcast.

Chris Condie: Yeah, thank you for having me. It's good to be here.

Ryan Harding: Glad you're here. Yes. It's good to get to know you for a little bit. And so you've been in Lehi since 2007, is that right?

Chris Condie: Yes.

Ryan Harding: Yeah. Uh my family and I, my wife had a little girl. We moved here from Michigan. We were looking to come out west because we had family out here and so I had a job opportunity that came up and brought me to Utah. And been here ever since.

Ryan Harding: Yeah. And tell me what job was it? What do you do for work?

Chris Condie: So I'm in IT and information technology and security. And so I came out to be an IT manager for a software company. And I've been in that industry now for, I hate to say, 28 years. Good amount of time. Yeah, time keeps going by and I'm like, man, I'm getting old. I'm kind of the old one on some of these things. My 80-year-old aunt was, she just got put into primary. She's like, it's my fifth time being in primary. I thought that was kind of funny. The older you get, the more things you get to experience. So obviously from Michigan and stuff like that, but now been in Lehi for a long time, how has Lehi shaped you, I guess, just being here and stuff like that.

Ryan Harding: Yeah. So, when we first moved here, my daughter, she was two and two and a half years old. And I have a son from a previous marriage and he lived in Colorado. So that was one of the attractions too, to be closer. We have parents and siblings and stuff that live here in Utah, but then I was that much closer to my son, so I could see him more. And one of the things was the dynamic with my son living in different states and then my daughter knowing that she was going to start elementary school and things like that. Service has always been important to me. And as I got into and started serving, whether in my neighborhood or at the schools, whatever it was, I just noticed the people I interacted with, my neighbors and people in the community, were very service-oriented. It's one of those things where you may not see that on social media, but when you get involved and you start to be involved, you start to see how people are really wanting to serve and just help each other. So that's how I think it's molded me. I've had this desire to want to serve and be involved in the community my kids are involved in, and then just having the opportunity to work with other people in the community.

Chapter 3: Journey into Public Office

Ryan Harding: So is that kind of what got you started in public office? Just this desire to serve?

Chris Condie: Desire to serve. My mom, when growing up—I was born in '74 so I grew up in the '80s and '90s—my mom was big into politics. She talked a lot about it and she went out and she gave her time. We talked a lot about politics and so it's something that throughout my life, as I went to high school and college, I just kind of thought that if there was an opportunity I would try to serve in this way. And what was the first public office you held then? Um, so it was the city council. When I first ran back in '11, I didn't make it through the primary. But I got appointed by the mayor and the council at that time on the planning commission. And then I served there for two years. I ran again and then that's when I got elected. Prior to that though, I was on school community councils for both Snow Springs and River Rock. I've done the HOA thing a couple times, and other church responsibilities or things from my job, with groups that my company associated with, just trying to participate and get myself out there and not just talk about it, but try to do something about it.

Ryan Harding: Did you have early mentors or people that kind of inspired you?

Chris Condie: Yeah. Just one of the things I like is my parents obviously, but I've had leaders, I've had teachers, I've had co-workers. When you're talking about politics, the more that I realized that, hey, to me, politics isn't just about an issue on certain policies, it's about actually serving someone. And so as I would do that and interact with people, they would see that ability and be like, "Hey, I think it's great that you're looking to do that at some point." I always would talk about it and be open about it, but it wasn't until I got here and we kind of decided, we're building our roots here in Lehi. So this felt like this is where that would be that opportunity to try to do it.

Chapter 4: Proud Moments on the City Council

Ryan Harding: Yeah. So you've been on the Lehi City Council for a while now. Tell me some of the things that you're most proud of from that time of serving.

Chris Condie: You know, there's several little things and then there's several big things. One of the things that I've really enjoyed on the council is I've been a member of it where I've had different interactions with different people as they come and go. There's little things like in the beginning of my career, we started streaming and I collaborated with my fellow council members and said, "Hey, let's work together and see if we can stream this." Whether a lot of people do it or not, let's make it available so it's an option. I love that. Bringing up the idea of let's talk with fiber and let's see if we can bring fiber to Lehi. And then the other part is the thing I've really enjoyed is working with either scout groups or going into schools and classrooms and being able just to talk about local government and answer questions, and being involved in the youth council here for Lehi City. Just interacting with the youth and seeing that hey, there really is a drive there. They want to be a part of the community. They have a voice. That's something I think I've been most proud of, interacting with the youth, and just being able to build a connection with them and show them that whether it's public office or a career, there's lots of wonderful careers in local government from engineering to planning to parks and open space, just giving them an idea that there's wonderful career opportunities in public sector as well as private.

Ryan Harding: And Lehi has changed quite a bit over the last 12 years, right? It's grown a lot. Tell me some of the things that have changed from when you first started on the council to where you're at now.

Chris Condie: It's interesting. The first year I lived here, we lived on Traverse Mountain. We lived there for one year and then we built a home over here on the west end of Lehi off Main Street in Jordan Willows. And I remember when we moved over here, you had 2300 West, but 2300 West stopped, I believe, at Third North, and then you couldn't pick up on it again until 9th North. So you'd have to cut over to 2375 West or something and zigzag your way up, and then it didn't go under the railroad. Early on seeing 2300 West get connected and have a bridge or have it go under the railroad and be able to connect up to the north end, that was a big deal at that time. But then it was, hey, we need I-15 widened and the state is really struggling to want to do it because they're going to have to bond. Working with the mayor and the fellow council members and staff to get the state to bump that timeline up so that we could get I-15 widened sooner was a great experience because it's working with state legislators, state agencies, as well as our fellow council and sister cities. The fiber coming in now and seeing that we're in the third year and we're close to having the initial project completed, and knowing that everyone has the option to get fiber to their home now is something I'm really proud of and excited that we as a council worked together on. And the bigger part is that the city owns the infrastructure. We're not owned by some third party or private entity, but we the people here in Lehi own the infrastructure.

Ryan Harding: And does that mean any kind of income from it? Tell me why that matters.

Chris Condie: So first, when we go to pay off the bond, we can determine what revenue is to pay that off. What we've done is we're using the take rate or the number of subscribers that come on, and we're taking the revenue that we earn from that and that's what we're using to pay the bond off. So it's not a tax increase on everyone. It's not a fee that everyone has to pay. It's only those that are using. It's kind of pay to play, which is the way it should be. If you choose to do some other service, then you shouldn't be responsible for that fiber. But it also allows us to control who's going to help us manage the backend infrastructure. We own the routers, the switches, the actual fiber in the ground. It's all owned by Lehi City. It's not a third party that can come in and say, "Well, we're going to do this or make this change and cause a disruption in service." We get to work with them on who the ISPs are. They get to join the network and offer service.

Ryan Harding: There's obviously advantage to that. Lehi City is one of the few that has their own utility company too, right? Obviously there's benefits to that too.

Chris Condie: Absolutely. And one of the things just to piggyback off that that I'm really proud of supporting with my fellow council members is what we call internal power generation at the power department. We now have eight or nine large natural gas generators. Some of them are the size of almost a school bus. What that allows us to do is as energy rates start to spike, especially during a really hot summer, we can start generating our own power and help kind of moderate that spike not go so high. It helps us to keep the rates down. Something I'm really proud of in Lehi and proud of our power department is we pay a lower rate per kilowatt hour than most people in Utah do. We're still like at nine cents a kilowatt hour. The rate that we have is much lower. There's been a lot of fluctuation the last couple years in power, and now you hear at a national level, what's the big investment into power plants? There's a lot of need right now with data centers. They're huge power consumers. It's neat to see that benefit that we have to provide our own power.

Ryan Harding: Obviously that's something previous people started a long time ago, right? We're enjoying the fruits of some of that labor.

Chris Condie: Well, one of the fruits from that is that back early on in Lehi, they had the idea to run parallel conduit. Conduit that they would run the power line through, and then they put empty conduit because they thought, well, maybe there'll be something in the future that they might use that for. And lo and behold, we're putting fiber in. Wherever that conduit is still viable, we're using that to put our fiber in too. Instead of having to put conduit everywhere throughout the whole city, someone had the idea, hey, let's run an extra conduit line next to the power one. And now here we are in 2022, 2023, starting to use that for our fiber project. They had no idea what they were doing it for. Thought hey, maybe there's something to use it for. Future or previous pioneers, pioneering the future.

Chapter 5: Challenges and Tough Decisions

Ryan Harding: Going back to your time on city council, I'm guessing not every decision is an easy decision. Can you think of any tough decisions?

Chris Condie: Yeah. Well, there was one decision early on where an applicant was coming in to build a hotel. We were aware of what the situation was and it was what we call a permitted use. So there was nothing in the books, nothing in the code, anything that would allow us to deny it. But we knew that there was a lot of residents in that area that didn't want it. That was a really tough situation because you understand some of the concerns the residents are bringing, but on the other hand, this applicant's coming in with a valid request and we don't have any reason or justification to not approve it. I remember when that first vote came up, the applicant had an attorney that got kind of hotheaded. I went and made a vote to approve it and that vote was denied 4 to 1. The other four made someone else made a motion to deny it and that passed 4 to 1. Only two weeks later to bring it back because the city attorney said, "Hey, if you deny this tomorrow morning, we're getting a lawsuit." And that's what happened. Two weeks later, I gave a similar motion and that passed 5-0. It's hard because there's a lot of emotion from the residents and a lot of speculation of what they think is not going to be good about the project. But when we can understand what the project is and talk about it and help give them assurances, hey, it's not as bad as some think. But also it's their right too. The applicant has rights as well as the residents have rights. It's a tough decision when you've got people pretty adamant that they don't want something.

Ryan Harding: That brings me to something a lot of people don't always understand. Why is the city approving all this? Why do you even meet if it's automatically supposed to be approved?

Chris Condie: Well, what's interesting, my neighbor after I announced I was running for mayor said, "Hey, so could you have everyone prior to 2000 that moved in after 2000 move out?" And I said, well, if I were to do that, I'd be the shortest term mayor in Lehi history because I would have to move out myself. It kind of goes to this point—how many of us would be impacted by that? Imagine the chaos. When we approve something and it's what we call permitted, it's because a council, whether it's a council I've been on or one previous, we've gone through and put tools in place that we use as guides. One is like the general plan. Here's where we believe the appropriate zones are for commercial, residential, high density, all these things. We can change that up until someone applies for a use in that zone in that area. Once they apply, if we haven't changed it and it allows for a high-density project, now we're too late because they've applied for something that's permitted. Up until that point, if there's no applications in place, we could as a council, with residents' input, business's input, look at that general plan every 5 to 7 years and say, is this still meeting the needs of Lehi? Because as we grow, you may determine we need an area for groceries or retail because we've got heavy housing in one area. There's flexibility in it. Once someone applies, they get vested in that right. That's why we meet—because if you're elected and sit on the city council, it's a legislative body. You create the laws, you edit the laws, you remove the laws. If you can get support from other council members, you can influence change a lot. That's why this office is so important—look at who you're electing because you're the legislative branch for the city. You have that discretion to make changes that can have a huge impact on people's lives.

Chapter 6: Lessons in Local Government

Ryan Harding: What lessons have you learned about local government and how it best serves its residents?

Chris Condie: For me, some of the times I've enjoyed most is when we're serving the public for the services that we provide, the day-to-day services. One of the things I really enjoy about Lehi City is the staff. They work really hard to not just show up at 8:00 and leave at 5 and do their job, but they try to be very personable. What I want to do as mayor is increase that level of what some would call customer service. One of the things about Lehi and that small community feel is when we as a city are coming to you to help you with an issue, we're approaching you as if you're a neighbor or family. We may not be able to help in everything. I've had a neighbor call me one night at 10:30 after I got out of city council meeting. I was like, "Oh, should I call him?" But I did. He had water leaking into his basement and he had it for over a month. He'd been working with the city and the city had taken some action but it didn't fix it. He was left like, what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to dig up my whole front yard? I worked with staff and him and in three days we were able to help him understand that his house settled and the pipe that the culinary water comes in from comes in underneath the foundation and it cracked, so it's leaking. Everyone was doing their job and doing it well, but it's going one step further. If we could have just helped him understand—he wasn't looking for the city to fix it. He was looking for, can you help guide me as to what the problem is so I don't dig up my whole front yard if I don't have to? In something he'd been working and stressing over for over a month, I was able in three or four days to connect with staff and him, get someone over there, and finally just realized this is the issue. They helped him identify what he needed to fix and in a day he got it all fixed and the leak stopped.

Ryan Harding: Making government more approachable.

Chris Condie: I want to create more or clearer ways of how you reach out to the city. If you're having an issue with the fiber installation or with these new pressure irrigation meters, I've talked to people about, hey, they haven't come back and put grass in. There's things I've learned that we needed to better negotiate our contract. I want us as a city— I think we do a fantastic job— but if we look at the services we provide and put ourselves more in the residents' frame of mind, and then look at how do we address that issue, I think then we become more approachable. If we help people to say, here are the clear ways to get a hold of us so that we can try to get to your issue as quickly as we can, that helps as well. I want them to have the same experience whether they knew a council member or they called the council member or not. When they call and reach out to the city, the city is going to help them. I want to foster that from the mayor level, through the city council, through staff, and just really emphasize that hey, we do really good. Let's take it a step further. I think it would help that feeling across the city that Lehi City is really responsive and approachable and they care about us as the residents.

Chapter 7: Future Vision and Growth

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Chris Condie Role in Lehi IT professional; Lehi City Council member; mayoral candidate Time Periods Discussed 2007–2024 (with references to earlier decades of his life) Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview A Michigan Family Finds Home in Lehi Chris describes moving from Michigan to Lehi in 2007 with his wife and young daughter. They were drawn west by a job opportunity in IT and the chance to be closer to extended family. "We moved here from Michigan… and been here ever since." What began as a practical relocation turned into nearly two decades of deep community involvement, from school community councils to the city council itself. The Volunteer Spirit That Shaped a Leader After moving to Lehi, Chris began serving in his neighborhood and at local schools. What struck him was the genuine culture of volunteerism he encountered. "People are really wanting to serve and just help each other." That observation fueled his own desire to step into public service—not for politics, but because he saw a community that matched his own values. From Primary Defeat to Public Service Chris first ran for city council in 2011 but didn't make it through the primary. Rather than walking away, he was appointed to the Planning Commission by the mayor and council at that time. He served there for two years, ran again, and won election to the council. His path illustrates how local leadership often begins with persistence rather than immediate success. Lehi Owns the Fiber One of Chris's proudest achievements was helping bring fiber internet to Lehi. But the infrastructure story goes deeper: the city—not a private company—owns the fiber network. "We own the infrastructure… the people of Lehi own the fiber." This means residents who subscribe help pay off the bond through revenue, not taxes on everyone. It also means Lehi controls the routers, switches, and the actual fiber in the ground, preventing private disruption. The Hotel Decision: Property Rights vs. Resident Concerns Chris recounts one of the toughest decisions he faced: a hotel project that was a "permitted use" under existing code, meaning the council had no legal basis to deny it. Residents in the area strongly opposed it. The first vote to approve failed 4-1. Two weeks later, after the city attorney warned of an inevitable lawsuit, a similar motion passed 5-0. The episode illustrates the tension between property rights, resident concerns, and the legal framework that governs local decisions. Conduit Laid for a Future Nobody Could See Decades ago, Lehi city leaders installed empty conduit alongside power lines, having no specific use in mind but sensing it might matter someday. "Someone had the foresight to lay that extra conduit, and now we're using it." That decades-old infrastructure now carries the city's fiber network, a remarkable example of long-term planning paying off for a future generation. A Neighbor's Water Leak and Approachable Government Chris tells of a resident who had water leaking into his basement for over a month. The man had been working with the city, but the problem persisted, and he didn't know what to do. Chris called him back at 10:30 p.m. after a council meeting, coordinated staff, and within three days helped identify that the house had settled and cracked the pipe beneath the foundation. "I want government to feel approachable—like a neighbor helping a neighbor." Reducing Density in Traverse Mountain Chris discusses working with developers to reduce high-density housing in Traverse Mountain from roughly 9,000 units to about 5,600—removing roughly 3,400 units. High-density projects were also moved out of the canyons to prevent traffic congestion on limited roads. "I can't imagine what Traverse Mountain would be like if it was building towards 9,000 units." History Historical Insights About Lehi This interview offers valuable perspective on how Lehi has evolved since the mid-2000s, as seen through the eyes of someone who arrived during a period of explosive growth and helped guide key decisions. Here are key historical insights from Chris Condie's experience: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Chapter 1: Introduction Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Chapter 2: Meet Chris Condie Ryan Harding: Welcome Chris Condie to Roots and Branches of Lehi. Happy to have you here on the podcast. Chris Condie: Yeah, thank you for having me. It's good to be here. Ryan Harding: Glad you're here. Yes. It's good to get to know you for a little bit. And so you've been in Lehi since 2007, is that right? Chris Condie: Yes. Ryan Harding: Yeah. Uh my family and I, my wife had a little girl. We moved here from Michigan. We were looking to come out west because we had family out here and so I had a job opportunity that came up and brought me to Utah. And been here ever since. Ryan Harding: Yeah. And tell me what job was it? What do you do for work? Chris Condie: So I'm in IT and information technology and security. And so I came out to be an IT manager for a software company. And I've been in that industry now for, I hate to say, 28 years. Good amount of time. Yeah, time keeps going by and I'm like, man, I'm getting old. I'm kind of the old one on some of these things. My 80-year-old aunt was, she just got put into primary. She's like, it's my fifth time being in primary. I thought that was kind of funny. The older you get, the more things you get to experience. So obviously from Michigan and stuff like that, but now been in Lehi for a long time, how has Lehi shaped you, I guess, just being here and stuff like that. Ryan Harding: Yeah. So, when we first moved here, my daughter, she was two and two and a half years old. And I have a son from a previous marriage and he lived in Colorado. So that was one of the attractions too, to be closer. We have parents and siblings and stuff that live here in Utah, but then I was that much closer to my son, so I could see him more. And one of the things was the dynamic with my son living in different states and then my daughter knowing that she was going to start elementary school and things like that. Service has always been important to me. And as I got into and started serving, whether in my neighborhood or at the schools, whatever it was, I just noticed the people I interacted with, my neighbors and people in the community, were very service-oriented. It's one of those things where you may not see that on social media, but when you get involved and you start to be involved, you start to see how people are really wanting to serve and just help each other. So that's how I think it's molded me. I've had this desire to want to serve and be involved in the community my kids are involved in, and then just having the opportunity to work with other people in the community. Chapter 3: Journey into Public Office Ryan Harding: So is that kind of what got you started in public office? Just this desire to serve? Chris Condie: Desire to serve. My mom, when growing up—I was born in '74 so I grew up in the '80s and '90s—my mom was big into politics. She talked a lot about it and she went out and she gave her time. We talked a lot about politics and so it's something that throughout my life, as I went to high school and college, I just kind of thought that if there was an opportunity I would try to serve in this way. And what was the first public office you held then? Um, so it was the city council. When I first ran back in '11, I didn't make it through the primary. But I got appointed by the mayor and the council at that time on the planning commission. And then I served there for two years. I ran again and then that's when I got elected. Prior to that though, I was on school community councils for both Snow Springs and River Rock. I've done the HOA thing a couple times, and other church responsibilities or things from my job, with groups that my company associated with, just trying to participate and get myself out there and not just talk about it, but try to do something about it. Ryan Harding: Did you have early mentors or people that kind of inspired you? Chris Condie: Yeah. Just one of the things I like is my parents obviously, but I've had leaders, I've had teachers, I've had co-workers. When you're talking about politics, the more that I realized that, hey, to me, politics isn't just about an issue on certain policies, it's about actually serving someone. And so as I would do that and interact with people, they would see that ability and be like, "Hey, I think it's great that you're looking to do that at some point." I always would talk about it and be open about it, but it wasn't until I got here and we kind of decided, we're building our roots here in Lehi. So this felt like this is where that would be that opportunity to try to do it. Chapter 4: Proud Moments on the City Council Ryan Harding: Yeah. So you've been on the Lehi City Council for a while now. Tell me some of the things that you're most proud of from that time of serving. Chris Condie: You know, there's several little things and then there's several big things. One of the things that I've really enjoyed on the council is I've been a member of it where I've had different interactions with different people as they come and go. There's little things like in the beginning of my career, we started streaming and I collaborated with my fellow council members and said, "Hey, let's work together and see if we can stream this." Whether a lot of people do it or not, let's make it available so it's an option. I love that. Bringing up the idea of let's talk with fiber and let's see if we can bring fiber to Lehi. And then the other part is the thing I've really enjoyed is working with either scout groups or going into schools and classrooms and being able just to talk about local government and answer questions, and being involved in the youth council here for Lehi City. Just interacting with the youth and seeing that hey, there really is a drive there. They want to be a part of the community. They have a voice. That's something I think I've been most proud of, interacting with the youth, and just being able to build a connection with them and show them that whether it's public office or a career, there's lots of wonderful careers in local government from engineering to planning to parks and open space, just giving them an idea that there's wonderful career opportunities in public sector as well as private. Ryan Harding: And Lehi has changed quite a bit over the last 12 years, right? It's grown a lot. Tell me some of the things that have changed from when you first started on the council to where you're at now. Chris Condie: It's interesting. The first year I lived here, we lived on Traverse Mountain. We lived there for one year and then we built a home over here on the west end of Lehi off Main Street in Jordan Willows. And I remember when we moved over here, you had 2300 West, but 2300 West stopped, I believe, at Third North, and then you couldn't pick up on it again until 9th North. So you'd have to cut over to 2375 West or something and zigzag your way up, and then it didn't go under the railroad. Early on seeing 2300 West get connected and have a bridge or have it go under the railroad and be able to connect up to the north end, that was a big deal at that time. But then it was, hey, we need I-15 widened and the state is really struggling to want to do it because they're going to have to bond. Working with the mayor and the fellow council members and staff to get the state to bump that timeline up so that we could get I-15 widened sooner was a great experience because it's working with state legislators, state agencies, as well as our fellow council and sister cities. The fiber coming in now and seeing that we're in the third year and we're close to having the initial project completed, and knowing that everyone has the option to get fiber to their home now is something I'm really proud of and excited that we as a council worked together on. And the bigger part is that the city owns the infrastructure. We're not owned by some third party or private entity, but we the people here in Lehi own the infrastructure. Ryan Harding: And does that mean any kind of income from it? Tell me why that matters. Chris Condie: So first, when we go to pay off the bond, we can determine what revenue is to pay that off. What we've done is we're using the take rate or the number of subscribers that come on, and we're taking the revenue that we earn from that and that's what we're using to pay the bond off. So it's not a tax increase on everyone. It's not a fee that everyone has to pay. It's only those that are using. It's kind of pay to play, which is the way it should be. If you choose to do some other service, then you shouldn't be responsible for that fiber. But it also allows us to control who's going to help us manage the backend infrastructure. We own the routers, the switches, the actual fiber in the ground. It's all owned by Lehi City. It's not a third party that can come in and say, "Well, we're going to do this or make this change and cause a disruption in service." We get to work with them on who the ISPs are. They get to join the network and offer service. Ryan Harding: There's obviously advantage to that. Lehi City is one of the few that has their own utility company too, right? Obviously there's benefits to that too. Chris Condie: Absolutely. And one of the things just to piggyback off that that I'm really proud of supporting with my fellow council members is what we call internal power generation at the power department. We now have eight or nine large natural gas generators. Some of them are the size of almost a school bus. What that allows us to do is as energy rates start to spike, especially during a really hot summer, we can start generating our own power and help kind of moderate that spike not go so high. It helps us to keep the rates down. Something I'm really proud of in Lehi and proud of our power department is we pay a lower rate per kilowatt hour than most people in Utah do. We're still like at nine cents a kilowatt hour. The rate that we have is much lower. There's been a lot of fluctuation the last couple years in power, and now you hear at a national level, what's the big investment into power plants? There's a lot of need right now with data centers. They're huge power consumers. It's neat to see that benefit that we have to provide our own power. Ryan Harding: Obviously that's something previous people started a long time ago, right? We're enjoying the fruits of some of that labor. Chris Condie: Well, one of the fruits from that is that back early on in Lehi, they had the idea to run parallel conduit. Conduit that they would run the power line through, and then they put empty conduit because they thought, well, maybe there'll be something in the future that they might use that for. And lo and behold, we're putting fiber in. Wherever that conduit is still viable, we're using that to put our fiber in too. Instead of having to put conduit everywhere throughout the whole city, someone had the idea, hey, let's run an extra conduit line next to the power one. And now here we are in 2022, 2023, starting to use that for our fiber project. They had no idea what they were doing it for. Thought hey, maybe there's something to use it for. Future or previous pioneers, pioneering the future. Chapter 5: Challenges and Tough Decisions Ryan Harding: Going back to your time on city council, I'm guessing not every decision is an easy decision. Can you think of any tough decisions? Chris Condie: Yeah. Well, there was one decision early on where an applicant was coming in to build a hotel. We were aware of what the situation was and it was what we call a permitted use. So there was nothing in the books, nothing in the code, anything that would allow us to deny it. But we knew that there was a lot of residents in that area that didn't want it. That was a really tough situation because you understand some of the concerns the residents are bringing, but on the other hand, this applicant's coming in with a valid request and we don't have any reason or justification to not approve it. I remember when that first vote came up, the applicant had an attorney that got kind of hotheaded. I went and made a vote to approve it and that vote was denied 4 to 1. The other four made someone else made a motion to deny it and that passed 4 to 1. Only two weeks later to bring it back because the city attorney said, "Hey, if you deny this tomorrow morning, we're getting a lawsuit." And that's what happened. Two weeks later, I gave a similar motion and that passed 5-0. It's hard because there's a lot of emotion from the residents and a lot of speculation of what they think is not going to be good about the project. But when we can understand what the project is and talk about it and help give them assurances, hey, it's not as bad as some think. But also it's their right too. The applicant has rights as well as the residents have rights. It's a tough decision when you've got people pretty adamant that they don't want something. Ryan Harding: That brings me to something a lot of people don't always understand. Why is the city approving all this? Why do you even meet if it's automatically supposed to be approved? Chris Condie: Well, what's interesting, my neighbor after I announced I was running for mayor said, "Hey, so could you have everyone prior to 2000 that moved in after 2000 move out?" And I said, well, if I were to do that, I'd be the shortest term mayor in Lehi history because I would have to move out myself. It kind of goes to this point—how many of us would be impacted by that? Imagine the chaos. When we approve something and it's what we call permitted, it's because a council, whether it's a council I've been on or one previous, we've gone through and put tools in place that we use as guides. One is like the general plan. Here's where we believe the appropriate zones are for commercial, residential, high density, all these things. We can change that up until someone applies for a use in that zone in that area. Once they apply, if we haven't changed it and it allows for a high-density project, now we're too late because they've applied for something that's permitted. Up until that point, if there's no applications in place, we could as a council, with residents' input, business's input, look at that general plan every 5 to 7 years and say, is this still meeting the needs of Lehi? Because as we grow, you may determine we need an area for groceries or retail because we've got heavy housing in one area. There's flexibility in it. Once someone applies, they get vested in that right. That's why we meet—because if you're elected and sit on the city council, it's a legislative body. You create the laws, you edit the laws, you remove the laws. If you can get support from other council members, you can influence change a lot. That's why this office is so important—look at who you're electing because you're the legislative branch for the city. You have that discretion to make changes that can have a huge impact on people's lives. Chapter 6: Lessons in Local Government Ryan Harding: What lessons have you learned about local government and how it best serves its residents? Chris Condie: For me, some of the times I've enjoyed most is when we're serving the public for the services that we provide, the day-to-day services. One of the things I really enjoy about Lehi City is the staff. They work really hard to not just show up at 8:00 and leave at 5 and do their job, but they try to be very personable. What I want to do as mayor is increase that level of what some would call customer service. One of the things about Lehi and that small community feel is when we as a city are coming to you to help you with an issue, we're approaching you as if you're a neighbor or family. We may not be able to help in everything. I've had a neighbor call me one night at 10:30 after I got out of city council meeting. I was like, "Oh, should I call him?" But I did. He had water leaking into his basement and he had it for over a month. He'd been working with the city and the city had taken some action but it didn't fix it. He was left like, what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to dig up my whole front yard? I worked with staff and him and in three days we were able to help him understand that his house settled and the pipe that the culinary water comes in from comes in underneath the foundation and it cracked, so it's leaking. Everyone was doing their job and doing it well, but it's going one step further. If we could have just helped him understand—he wasn't looking for the city to fix it. He was looking for, can you help guide me as to what the problem is so I don't dig up my whole front yard if I don't have to? In something he'd been working and stressing over for over a month, I was able in three or four days to connect with staff and him, get someone over there, and finally just realized this is the issue. They helped him identify what he needed to fix and in a day he got it all fixed and the leak stopped. Ryan Harding: Making government more approachable. Chris Condie: I want to create more or clearer ways of how you reach out to the city. If you're having an issue with the fiber installation or with these new pressure irrigation meters, I've talked to people about, hey, they haven't come back and put grass in. There's things I've learned that we needed to better negotiate our contract. I want us as a city— I think we do a fantastic job— but if we look at the services we provide and put ourselves more in the residents' frame of mind, and then look at how do we address that issue, I think then we become more approachable. If we help people to say, here are the clear ways to get a hold of us so that we can try to get to your issue as quickly as we can, that helps as well. I want them to have the same experience whether they knew a council member or they called the council member or not. When they call and reach out to the city, the city is going to help them. I want to foster that from the mayor level, through the city council, through staff, and just really emphasize that hey, we do really good. Let's take it a step further. I think it would help that feeling across the city that Lehi City is really responsive and approachable and they care about us as the residents. Chapter 7: Future Vision and Growth Ryan Harding: Lehi's population is projected to double since when you first arrived. How do you think that growth has changed the city? Chris Condie: It's a great question. The growth of the city has obviously had an impact. But if you look at our master planning, our transportation plans, our water plans, our traffic plan, all these different plans that make up what we call the general plan, the city I think has been built out really well for what we project the population to be. The variable that we have really not a lot of control over are sister cities to the west or to the east or those that have to use Lehi to get to I-15. That easily makes it look like Lehi didn't plan well. We planned for what we're responsible for. We're working with the state and regional partners to help with regional issues. But it takes time. The I-15 widening project was a half a billion dollars. That was four miles worth of freeway. The state just doesn't turn over $500 million. We don't have $500 million. The growth has been good in the sense that people are able to come to Lehi that have wanted to come. We do struggle with the affordability part right now. I'm not one that feels inclined to get very involved in trying to manipulate the market, but I feel like we have to have an honest discussion about what is attainability in Lehi as far as housing, what does it mean to have good traffic, what services do we need and work together to identify that. A lot of what we see has come in those 18 years I've lived here. You had IM Flash and Cabela's when I moved here. Traverse Mountain was starting to be developed. One of the things I was involved with on the council is bringing that density down from 9,000 units to about 5,600. We took out 4,000-some units and took a lot of high density out of the canyons. Could you imagine apartments and townhomes clear up in those canyons, all that high density having to come down through not very many roads? We worked with developers and were able to get that moved out of the canyons along SR-92 where it made more sense. I can't imagine what Traverse Mountain would be like if it was building towards 9,000 units instead of the 5,800. Chapter 8: Recreation and Open Space Ryan Harding: What other challenges do you see with us growing? Chris Condie: I think one that maybe we don't talk enough about is recreation and open space. A developer will come in and build a development and dedicate acres of land to be a park. In the past, you'd dedicate that land to the city, the city takes the park impact fees, and we'll build a park. Those impact fees may be a total of a million, million and a half, but a park costs $3 to $5 million. There's not enough there to build the park. The city has done tremendous to build out these parks and find ways to get them done, but we still have a list of parks to get done. I want to change that where if a development comes in and has land to dedicate for open space, they've got to develop that open space before they deed it over to the city. We've got regional parks, we've got the Legacy Center, that's where those park impact fees really need to go and have the best bang for the buck for the residents as a whole, for programmable events—football, baseball, recreational programs. Upgrading and maintaining the outdoor pool, the Legacy Center, maybe adding on to it. I'd like to get us to where more of the impact fees and our park tax funds are going towards those things, and these neighborhood parks are being more funded by the actual development. We have a lot of acreage and open space, but then you have to maintain it. We really struggle right now having the staff to maintain everything. We need to look at that differently. If we're going to have all this open space, it doesn't do any good to not be able to maintain it. If you don't maintain something, it costs more to get it back into shape. Ryan Harding: Is there a shortage of fields for youth activities? Chris Condie: Yeah. We're told and we've heard loud and clear—we're in shortage of baseball fields. Pickleball is really picking up. Just south in Saratoga Springs, the largest indoor pickleball complex was just built. I believe it's a regional thing. There's a lot of indoor courts. I think we can work with the private sector and get some of those built. But baseball fields, those are things we can still make partnerships, but it takes a lot to build. A baseball field is anywhere from three to $5 million to build. Roads Miller down south on 1700 West and Pioneer, that ideally will have six full-size baseball fields. But if you're looking at $3 to $5 million a piece, that adds up. Plus you've got the rest of the park to build out. That's one area I'd really like to work with and see if we can improve. We have a lot of great places here. I love going to Wines Park, the new family park, sports parks over by my house. We have a lot of kids that like to participate and a lot outside of Lehi too. Ryan Harding: Do you still get a lot of people coming from Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain because they don't have a Legacy Center? Chris Condie: Eagle Mountain does have plans to build one. Saratoga, they've tried to put on the ballot and it didn't pass. As we look at this new school district and the bonding needed, a few years ago when you have a school bond and a recreation center on the ballot, residents look at it as tax dollars and it feels heavy. Some of those recreational things get pushed off. Some have asked, is it really the city's responsibility to build recreational facilities? Why not have the private sector do it? I think there's value to the city doing it, to the degree we're doing right now. People can participate. There's some things I just don't think the private sector would do, and the cost would be a lot more. But I want to have those discussions and want people to feel heard. We may not all get 100% of what we think is the right direction, but if we're working together and going majority in the direction we all can get behind, there's a lot more strength than trying to argue over the bits and pieces we're not agreeing on. Chapter 9: Running for Mayor Ryan Harding: Why did you decide to run for mayor? Chris Condie: Pretty much four years ago, my wife and I knew that was my last campaign for city council. If I won, it'd be my third term. I'm in my 12th year, plus the two years prior on the Planning Commission. I was on school community councils for both schools from the time my oldest daughter was in kindergarten to the time my youngest graduated out of sixth grade—14 years. Doing other things in the neighborhood, different boards. We just felt like as a family we've put our time in and done what we feel we can. But I had that desire—if I could serve as mayor for one term, what I want to do is not that this hasn't been a focus of previous mayors, but I feel like I have a unique sense about community and service to the one and hearing the one's voice and responding. I just felt like if I could get the opportunity to serve as mayor, that's something I'd really like to focus on. It's easy to say I'm going to work on fixing transportation, fixing these hot-topic issues. I know who the experts are that have the solutions. I know what solutions are in place. I will be involved. But to really understand who I am and what my vision is, I want us to be a stronger community, the community everybody talks about they moved here for. The pioneer spirit that was here in Lehi for over a century. I want people to feel like we are a community. We may not all see everything the same way, but we can treat each other with respect, express our voice and be heard and know that it was valued, and work together to continue to pioneer Lehi's future. I want to bring that to our staff and how we interact. I want to bring it to the council, have them feel engaged. I want to bring it to the residents and also the businesses. We get criticized about large retail developments that come in and might ask for an incentive. What about the small and medium-sized businesses? They don't seem to get to come in and say, can you help us? I want to find ways through a committee or chambers of commerce to help small and medium business owners, someone that wants to do a startup. There's a tremendous entrepreneurial spirit here in Lehi. I want to take what doesn't seem like the most obvious issue but is vital and bring those to the surface. We're going to work on the other issues. It's hard to see sometimes because progress is not as fast as some think. But we're addressing them. Let's also remember who we are as Lehi. Ryan Harding: It takes active effort to make Lehi small as it grows. Chris Condie: Exactly. I think Lehi does better than most cities at maintaining that community feel, even though we're quite large. You look at our community events. I've gone to concerts in Wine Park, Arts in the Park. I've tried to get out to different plays, whether it's Lehi Arts Center or high school productions. It's amazing the talent we have from youth to adults. These community events, the concerts, different things we try to bring in—like Roundup Week, I feel like that week is one of the best where we feel like a small community. When you walk through Wines Park, going to booths, attending the rodeo, doing these activities, you don't see Lehi as just a city. You see it as a community. I want to foster more of that. Ryan Harding: How has the campaign been with other candidates? Chris Condie: For the most part it's going pretty well. There's been a few instances, especially as incumbents, where there's targeting done that I don't appreciate, more behind the scenes. The effort to try to catch you or make you feel like you really stink, you shouldn't be running. That makes it hard to be like, why am I putting myself in the ring again? But I look at my commitment and what I'm about and that supersedes anything. I understand as a city council member I may have made decisions not everybody agrees with. There's probably some decisions if I could go back, I'd try to make differently. But the past is the past and everyone's going to do that. I appreciate the fact that, hey, that's one I wish I had a different awareness of. Most of the candidates I've had an opportunity to meet. I think they're great. They have that same sincere desire to serve, willing to find solutions, talk to residents and agencies and decision makers and work with them. I admire those in the ring with blood and sweat. I might be in the ring, but those outside are the ones training or helping support, helping us look for potential problems. I may be in the ring, but I don't want to be alone in the ring. I want to have support. I'm willing to be transparent and open and honest. Most of all I want to be approachable. When people understand they're being listened to, they understand your process, they have respect for that even if it's not exactly what they want. They can respect it because they felt listened to and understand how you came to your conclusion. Respect is given for that as well. Chapter 10: Family and Background Ryan Harding: Anything we haven't covered? Chris Condie: First, thank you again. I was born here in Utah. My wife and I didn't meet until we were both 29. We're both born in the same hospital, three weeks apart, but didn't know about each other until then. I grew up in Arizona and Colorado from 5 months old to about 20-some years old. I never thought when I moved to Michigan that I would live anywhere longer than Colorado or Arizona. But here I am in Utah and I realized I really am a native of Utah because I was born here. I just left and it took 29 years to come back. This is where my family's roots are, between Pocatello, Idaho and here. My parents moved here about two, three years after I did. My mom had cancer and the cancer institute in Denver said there's this place in Utah called Huntsman—if anyone's going to help you, it's them. We're at our limits. She passed away about a year after they moved here. I started to see my family, siblings from California to Pennsylvania, everyone seemed to move west. Now we're Colorado, Utah, Idaho, California, Oregon. My wife's family all live here. My dad passed away last Thanksgiving. He was in an assisted living facility on Fifth West. Now my mother-in-law lives here. To see our families gravitate somewhat closer to Utah, and all the new friends we've made, people we consider family, the community we've helped be part of—that's what we love about Lehi. So many good people that want to foster that community spirit Lehi was built on. Even if I'm not elected mayor, I see myself and my family still working towards fostering that because Lehi has been really good for us. It's our home. We moved once or twice since we've been here, from Traverse Mountain to the west, then we stayed in Jordan Willows, upsized a little bit. We're in our forever home. This is where we plan to be. We hope our kids will be able to move out and get their own home. We just really enjoy Lehi and love to continue to give back. Ryan Harding: I love that, whether elected or not. Most of us don't run for office, but we love this community. We want to help build it. Chris Condie: My little motto is "I've got you." That isn't to mean I'm going to fix every problem or instill all your solutions. What I mean is your voice—I understand everyone's voice in this city is as important as an elected official's voice. All of our voices are equal. I want people to feel like they matter, that they're part of this, and they're seen as having value as a resident, business owner, member of this community. I've worked hard on trying to be better at listening. My wife said, listen to understand before speaking to be understood. I've really tried to work hard at doing that. I realize because of the position I've been elected to, I've got a unique opportunity to have a microphone in front of me. But that doesn't mean I'm any better. I still represent everyone and want to make sure everybody is taken care of. Ryan Harding: Thanks Chris. I appreciate you coming on and talking about all you've done and would like to do. Chris Condie: I appreciate the opportunity. This is a great place to live and it's because of people like yourself putting themselves out there and trying to do the work. I admire those in the ring. Ryan Harding: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Hard Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Chris Condie Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Lehi Utah city council interview with Chris Condie discussing community service, growth, fiber internet, Traverse Mountain development, parks and recreation, and the future of Lehi, Utah. Chris Condie Lehi Utah. Lehi city council member. Lehi Utah fiber internet history. Lehi community growth story. Traverse Mountain development changes. Lehi parks and recreation. Local government in Lehi Utah. Lehi Roundup Week history. Lehi infrastructure planning. Utah small-town community stories. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Contact

Jeanne Marie Burroughs on Lehi Schools, PTA & District Split | Roots & Branches

Jeanne Marie Burroughs shares 18 years of PTA leadership, school advocacy, and her run for the Central School District Board in Lehi, Utah. Watch the full interview and read the transcript.

Jeanne Marie Burroughs on PTA Leadership, School Advocacy, and Running for the Central District Board in Lehi

From Panaca to PTA President: A Lehi Parent Steps Up

Watch the Full Conversation

Episode Overview

Guest

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Primary Topics

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

"Take Him Out or Dive In and Help"

The Box Top Store Weekend Before Birth

"So... Are You Running for School Board?"

The Nacho Bar That Revealed Administrator Grit

The Cell Phone Committee Surprise

600 New Friends at Greenwood

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Education Is Lehi's Civic Religion

West Lehi's Growth Has Outpaced School Infrastructure

The District Split Reflects Longstanding East-West Tensions

PTA Is a Training Ground for Civic Leadership

Technology Policy Is Being Written in Real Time

Small-Town Geography Still Defines Lehi Identity

A Technology High School Land Bank Exists

Parent Involvement Is Utah County's Secret Academic Weapon

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo & Visual Suggestions

Full Transcript

Work Hard Mortgage

Quick Links

Contact

From an overwhelmed kindergarten parent to a PTA council president shaping education across west Lehi, Jeanne Marie shares how 18 years of volunteerism led to a run for school board — and why the new Central District split is an opportunity for Lehi families to finally be heard.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding welcomes Jeanne Marie Burroughs — a Panaca, Nevada native who found her way to Lehi through marriage, family, and a deliberate choice to raise her children somewhere that still felt like a small town. Eighteen years later, she has become one of the most recognizable parent-volunteers in west Lehi's school ecosystem, having served as PTA president at multiple schools, council president over the entire Lehi High feeder area, and now as a candidate for the new Central School District Board.

Jeanne Marie's story is a window into how Lehi's education culture is built not from district offices alone, but from parents who walk into overcrowded kindergarten classrooms and decide to stay. Her journey began with a simple choice: pull her son out of public school, or dive in and help. She chose the latter, and for nearly two decades has filled roles from Box Top coordinator to legislative advocate at the Utah State Capitol. Along the way, she has worked as a behavior aide, graded spelling tests, organized nacho bars for district administrators, and become the person teachers and parents text when they need answers about a boundary change or a new bill.

This conversation arrives at a pivotal moment for Lehi, Utah. The Alpine School District is splitting into three new districts, and the Central District — temporarily named Aspen Peaks — will serve Lehi, American Fork, Highland, Alpine and Cedar Hills. Jeanne Marie discusses what the new board's first and most consequential decision will be (hiring the superintendent), how class sizes and technology like AI are reshaping the classroom, and why she believes the half-seat that pairs her Meadow/Dry Creek area with Greenwood Elementary might be her favorite part of the job. For anyone interested in Lehi school history, local civic leadership, parent involvement, or the future of Utah County's fastest-growing city, this episode offers an intimate, detailed portrait of education as community work.

Join Ryan Harding and Jeanne Marie Burroughs for an in-depth conversation about moving to Lehi, falling in love with its lake-side neighborhoods, and turning a overwhelmed moment in a kindergarten classroom into 18 years of school advocacy — capped by a run for the new Central School District Board.

Jeanne Marie Burroughs

PTA Leader, School Community Council Member, Education Advocate, Candidate for Central School District Board

2000s–2020s (18 years in Lehi, Utah)

Moving to Lehi, PTA leadership, district split, school board responsibilities, class sizes, teacher support, technology & AI, cell phone policies, future school programs

Jeanne Marie's defining moment came when she walked into her oldest son's kindergarten classroom the year before Dry Creek Elementary opened. Thirty children filled the room, and the teacher looked overwhelmed. The administration, she recalls, was "barely holding on." Standing in the doorway, Jeanne Marie had a choice: remove her son from public education or commit to improving it. She chose to dive in. The very next year, she made sure she was at the first principal's meeting, determined never to feel that helpless again. That single decision launched 18 consecutive years of PTA service, school community council work, legislative advocacy, and eventually a campaign for school board.

Jeanne Marie's introduction to PTA fundraising coincided with her third pregnancy. She volunteered to oversee fundraising not knowing she was already expecting. Rather than step back, she adapted. The weekend before she gave birth, she was running the Box Top store. A month later, her newborn daughter attended her first PTA meeting. That daughter, Jeanne Marie jokes, was "raised in the schools" — and the experience cemented a family culture where volunteering was simply what they did.

When the Alpine School District split passed, Jeanne Marie became an unofficial information center. Teachers, parents, and neighbors texted and called asking what came next. She researched bills during the legislative session, clarified boundary questions, and tried to stay positive about the change. At the end of nearly every conversation, the same question appeared: "So... are you running for school board?" For months she deflected, insisting it was not something she had ever wanted. But the more she reflected, the more she returned to her original philosophy: if she was going to complain about the district's breakdown, she needed to be willing to help fix it.

After the split vote, Region PTA threw a "popup nacho bar" at the district office to boost morale among administrators whose "business just exploded." Jeanne Marie struck up a conversation with a curriculum administrator who admitted he felt like he had been fired. But his next sentence revealed the caliber of people in the district: "Tomorrow we're going to get to work and we're going to make three really good curriculum plans... and we are going to find the needs of those certain students in those certain areas and we're going to make it the best we can." The moment crystallized for Jeanne Marie that the new district was inheriting talented, committed professionals — and that her role would be to build on their work, not reinvent it.

Jeanne Marie joined a Lehi Junior High committee to update the school's cell phone policy expecting to advocate for a strict ban. Instead, she listened to teachers who let students use phones when work was done, and to other teachers who explained how one classroom's phone use disrupted students in the next room. She shared her own daughter's experience — texting her mother for pep talks during lunch periods to survive the transition to junior high. The final policy was not what she entered ready to fight for, but after hearing all sides, she believed it was better. "Being able to listen to all those different sides helped," she says — a philosophy she plans to bring to the board.

When Jeanne Marie learned her school board seat would include not only Meadow and Dry Creek but half of the Greenwood Elementary area in American Fork, she did not see an unfamiliar burden — she saw opportunity. "That's 600 automatic new friends for me," she told Ryan. The attitude captures her approach to public service: every school is a community to enter, every principal is a partner, and every parent who shows up is an asset. She has already committed to visiting every school in her area weekly if elected.

Jeanne Marie's multi-generational family of educators and her instant immersion in PTA work illustrate how deeply education is woven into Lehi's community identity. Schools are not just institutions here — they are the primary venue through which neighbors meet, friendships form, and civic skills develop.

With elementary schools like North Point nearing 1,200 students and boundary lines that split Lehi and Saratoga Springs, the interview documents a community where enrollment pressure has been acute for more than a decade. The Cold Springs Elementary project appears as a critical relief valve.

Jeanne Marie's candid observation that "the East and the West kind of had different sides and they weren't budging" confirms what many residents suspected: the Alpine School District split was not merely administrative, but the resolution of a long-festering geographic divide over priorities, resources, and representation.

From monthly principal meetings to annual Capitol advocacy days, Jeanne Marie's PTA trajectory shows how parent organizations function as an informal leadership pipeline. Her work as council president and region board member gave her direct experience with budgeting, policy, and coalition-building before she ever filed for elected office.

The interview captures a district in transition: Chromebooks purchased with school community council funds because central support lagged; teachers experimenting with AI for lesson planning; and new state-mandated cell phone policies requiring local committees to set rules. Lehi is not merely adopting technology — it is negotiating how human connection and digital tools coexist.

Despite explosive growth, Jeanne Marie deliberately chose and re-chose a neighborhood near the lake because it "feels more small townish" and "tightknit." Her description of farmland edges and family clusters reveals how Lehi residents mentally map their city into villages — and how those micro-identities shape school engagement.

A detail likely unknown to many residents: Alpine School District already purchased land off 2100 North in Lehi for a potential technology-focused high school. The project stalled with the split, but Jeanne Marie's openness to reviving it signals that the new board may grapple with specialty school models sooner than expected.

Both Ryan and Jeanne Marie arrive at the same conclusion: Utah's large class sizes are partially offset by extraordinarily high parent engagement. When parents grade spelling tests, run book rooms, and staff behavior aide positions, they function as an unpaid extension of the teaching workforce — a hidden subsidy that shapes Lehi's educational outcomes.

"I had to decide — take him out of public education or dive in and help."

"I love being a part of everything. I feel like I can make a bigger difference that way."

"People kept asking me, 'So... are you running for school board?'"

"Our school board couldn't work together well enough to keep our district together."

"If I'm going to complain about something, am I willing to jump in and fix it?"

"The new superintendent will make or break this district."

"We need to be driven by community input."

"Parents are the number one teacher for their kids."

"I don't know everything — and that's why councils matter."

"Any help a parent is willing to invest in their child's education is worth it."

How Utah County's largest district split into three, and what it means for Lehi, American Fork, and west-side communities.

The parent volunteers who fundraise, advocate at the Capitol, and shape trust land spending at every level.

From farmland to family subdivisions near the lake — how west Lehi retained a small-town feel amid rapid development.

Why Utah's large class sizes still produce strong outcomes — and the unpaid parent labor that makes it possible.

Tech schools, arts programs, dual-language immersion, and ALL — how Lehi might expand student choice in the new district.

How Lehi residents move from volunteering to running for office — and why the school board race is drawing new candidates.

Complete archival transcript of the interview with Jeanne Marie Burroughs, organized by chapter for readability. This record preserves the oral history of her work in Lehi schools, her candidacy for the Central School District Board, and her perspective on the people and policies shaping education in one of Utah County's fastest-growing communities.

This oral history interview is part of the Roots & Branches of Lehi community archive.

Helping families put down roots in Lehi and across Utah with honest mortgage guidance and community connection.

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Jared Peterson on Lehi Heritage & Rodeo | Roots & Branches

Seventh-generation Lehi resident Jared Peterson shares stories of pioneer roots, the Lehi Roundup Rodeo, historical preservation, and his vision for city council.

Jared Peterson on Lehi Heritage, the Roundup Rodeo, and Running for City Council

Seven Generations in Lehi: Jared Peterson's Story of Service, Rodeo, and Civic Legacy

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

A Handcart Connection Across Generations

"Here's Your Assignment"

The Blanket-to-Assigned-Seating Transition

The Frontier Rodeo Partnership

Launching the Drone Show

Rodeo Families Behind the Scenes

From Social Media to Planning Commission

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

Jared Peterson Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

Quick Links

Contact

A seventh-generation Lehi resident shares stories of pioneer roots, rodeo tradition, community service, and a vision for preserving Lehi's identity amid rapid growth.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Jared Peterson , a seventh-generation Lehi resident whose family lines stretch back to some of the city's earliest pioneer settlers. With ancestors who traveled in the same handcart company as his wife's family, Jared represents a rare continuity in a community that has transformed from a quiet farming town into one of Utah's fastest-growing cities.

This conversation matters because it captures what makes Lehi's community fabric so strong: deep roots, volunteer tradition, and a willingness to serve without expectation of reward. Jared reflects on decades of involvement with the Lehi Roundup Rodeo , the Civic Improvement Association, and the city's Historical Preservation Committee. He also shares why he is running for Lehi City Council and what he believes the city must prioritize over the next 50 to 100 years.

For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah history , pioneer heritage , community traditions , local rodeo culture , city growth and transportation , or civic leadership , this interview offers both historical perspective and practical vision. Whether you're a longtime resident who remembers blanket seating at the rodeo or a newcomer trying to find your place in a rapidly expanding community, Jared's story provides a compelling model for how to build belonging through service.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Jared Peterson

Central Bank branch manager; longtime Lehi Roundup Rodeo committee member; Historical Preservation Committee member; candidate for Lehi City Council

1800s pioneer era through present day; personal involvement from 1990s–2020s

Ryan Harding

Jared and his wife recently discovered that their ancestors traveled in the same handcart company, tying their family histories together across generations before they ever met. This discovery deepened their sense of shared purpose in preserving Lehi's pioneer legacy.

Jared describes being effectively "assigned" to help with the Lehi Roundup Rodeo as soon as he started dating his wife. Her father, Stan Lewis—then president of the Civic Improvement Association—handed him a job selling programs, and that initial task launched decades of rodeo service. "When the roundup rolled around, it was, 'Hey, this is what we're doing right now, and here's your assignment.'"

He recounts the rodeo committee's difficult decision to transition from traditional blanket-style open seating—where families would lay down blankets on Monday or Tuesday to claim their spot—to online assigned seating. It was a major cultural shift for a community deeply attached to its traditions, but one that helped modernize the event.

Jared explains how partnering with Frontier Rodeo transformed the Lehi Roundup. The committee made a conscious decision that they wanted the show to be fast, action-packed, and super entertaining. "You might have bought the whole seat, but you only need the edge." The partnership led to years of sellouts, with tickets sometimes selling out before they could even reach local retail partners.

Jared tells the behind-the-scenes story of launching the drone show, including watching the first test on his TV and then being stunned by its scale in person. "That first drone image came up and I thought, 'Wow—that's a lot bigger than I ever imagined.'" The show also became a community-wide experience, with people watching from outside the rodeo grounds.

He shares touching moments about rodeo families that the public rarely sees. Justin Rumford, the rodeo clown, travels with his wife and three kids. Andy Stewart, the announcer, was there with his wife who has been battling cancer. "There's so much that goes on behind the scenes... it's 100% volunteer. There's nobody that's making any money."

Jared describes how a simple social media inquiry led to his unexpected appointment to the Planning Commission. He saw a post about applications, reached out to former Mayor Bert Wilson (who had mentored him in banking), and received an application the next day with a note: "Mayor Wilson said to send this to you and that you'd be sending it back." That launched seven years of civic involvement.

This interview offers a wealth of perspective on how Lehi has evolved while working to preserve what makes it distinctive:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Chapter 2: 7 Generations in Lehi

Ryan Harding: Welcome Jared Peterson to Roots and Branches of Lehi. Happy to have you here. Excited to get to know you a little bit better.

Jared Peterson: Well, thank you for having me. This is a great opportunity to come and visit.

Ryan Harding: Yeah, no, I'm excited. So tell me, give, uh, let's kind of get to know you a little bit. So tell me your connection to Lehi. Where'd you grow up? How long you been here for? Give me that background, I guess, to start.

Jared Peterson: No, great. That's a great place to start. So my background in Lehi and my connection to Lehi is that I'm a seventh generation Lehi kid. My family was some of the earliest settlers here in Lehi. And we're very proud of that. My wife also, I should include her because I wouldn't be anywhere without her. But our families go way, way back. In fact, we recently found that we had family in the same handcart company that landed here in Lehi. So that's pretty exciting. So we've been here our whole lives. And that's our connection.

Ryan Harding: Wow. Yeah, that's a long time. And tell me what you do for work and stuff like that. What have you?

Jared Peterson: So for work, I manage the Central Bank office just down the street here on Lehi Main Street. I've been in banking for 30 years. I've been with Central Bank for 20 years and primarily do lending and some of those things.

Ryan Harding: That's good. Okay, awesome. And then tell me, so you're involved in the community. Yes. So tell me, give me some background there. What why did you want to go into that? What did you want to do?

Jared Peterson: Yeah, so that's a great question and looking back on it, being involved and serving and whatnot is something that we've just always done. It's something that our parents really kind of instilled in us. I had two grandmas who were young widows that lived here in town and that we were able to really serve them and that's where I learned to serve. And then as time went on, we got older, just kind of we were able to get involved in the Lehi Roundup. My father-in-law, Stan Lewis, was the president of the Civic Improvement Association, which is also known as Lehi Roundup Committee. He got me involved as soon as I started dating his daughter and been involved ever since. It's been great. We've loved being a part of the rodeo.

Ryan Harding: Kind of a requirement, I guess, to date the daughter then, right?

Jared Peterson: I guess you know, if you're going to do this, we want you involved. When the roundup rolled around, it was, "Hey, this is what we're doing right now, and here's your assignment." There was no question. Here you go. Here's what's going to happen for you. And I've just loved it. And we can get into the rodeo a little bit more, but I've done so many different things. My first assignment at the rodeo was selling programs.

Chapter 3: Rodeo Traditions & Challenges

Ryan Harding: And just have been been a part of it ever since. And well so let's get into it a little bit I guess with the rodeo and stuff you've seen so if you've been involved for a long time you've seen the rodeo change over the years right I mean and as recent this year now adding we did you know the drone show and an extra day right so tell tell me you know how that's been to be a part of something for so long.

Jared Peterson: Yeah, so the rodeo has been such a long-standing tradition in the community and for so long we partnered the rodeo community partnered with like Colers and Macy's to sell tickets there before there was really an online option to sell tickets and that was really a difficult decision for some on the committee to go to an online assigned seats that you know that for a long time the tradition was you came on Monday or Tuesday and you put your blanket down where you wanted to sit and it was just kind of an open seating. Kind of like what they do at the parade I guess. Very much so. And then but that was that was a real changer for us and that was really kind of pushed us into this next era of ticket sales and and the rodeo.

And you know the other thing for years and years Flying U was our stock contractor. They they were instrumental in the early days of helping Lehi Roundup grow, but we got to the point where we kind of we needed to make a change there and we have great relationships throughout the rodeo community. And we were able to get connected with Frontier Rodeo and they agreed to partner with us and be our stock contractor and they're the long-standing stock contractor of the year and are just fantastic to work for and that was a real game changer for us also because the Lehi rodeo, you know, every rodeo kind of tries to distinguish itself in however they can. And we made a real conscious effort that we wanted to be fast and we wanted it to be a lot of action and just super entertaining. And you know, one of the committee members will say, "You might have bought the whole seat, but you only need the edge." Sure. Sure. I like that.

Uh so uh that has really helped and that really over the last you know four or five years is we've had sellouts which kind of became a new thing all of a sudden the rodeo was being sold out. Well then it started selling out earlier and earlier to where these last couple of years we haven't even we've been sold out before we could even get tickets to Colers and Macy's and we just haven't needed that partnership. Now that has brought on unique challenges. To us and that was um and why we we explored doing a fourth night. And that was hard. That was a hard decision to make because you know fourth night it adds that much more cost. Are we going to be able to cover the cost of doing that? Plus it's all volunteer. Everything's volunteer at the rodeo and we're going to ask everybody to be there one more night. And but we did it. Everybody was everybody jumped in. And it's been great. Been great.

Ryan Harding: So, did that fourth night work? I mean, this year I mean as far as last year was the first year of the fourth night. Uh this was our second year and it's been it's been fantastic. And you know what that does? Our goal with that was okay then we can get another 6,000 people to the rodeo. And hopefully that's kind of how it's worked out. And but yeah, it's fantastic and all of our partners when we talked to our sponsors and stock contractor and our announcer and the sound people and all of those things, you know, the jumbotron, everybody had to be on board for another night and everybody was more than willing and just jumped right in to make it happen.

Ryan Harding: And what do you attribute like the success of the rodeo to? I mean, is it is you know, obviously in in adding that fourth night, I mean, Lehi is growing, right? I mean, so I guess a logical thought would be, well, hey, we have more people here and so there's logically more need, right? You know, but I'm sure that's not totally all of it.

Jared Peterson: Yeah, I think that that plays a part in it for sure. But I think we've done a really good job of just providing really great entertainment and family-friendly entertainment. And that's that's a big deal to us. A lot of people ask us how come we don't participate with alcohol and some of these big sponsors. And it's it's not even a consideration. We don't want any of that. That's not the crowd that we want. That's that's not the rodeo that we want to be. And you know it it's just a fun fun atmosphere. It's unique entertainment and we've we've done all that we can to keep our ticket prices down so that it's affordable. So the family of five or six or eight or however many can come.

Ryan Harding: Which I would say it's very affordable if anything you know maybe you could raise it you know a little bit I guess if you wanted right I mean that's pretty good prices there and stuff so um and tell me your role I guess right now then uh on the committee and stuff like that tell me what you specifically.

Jared Peterson: So I'm one of the board members so I have a committee that works with me. My specific assignments are we do a cowboy hospitality area where we feed the contestants each night. That's kind of our main role and and we have great sponsors there. Shout out to Chick-fil-A. They have been a partner there for a long time. We also my wife takes care of and manages a scholarship that we do. We do a scholarship for Lehi High and for Skyridge. And that's been a great experience. You know, the as a committee, we really try to give back to the community any way that that we can. That's always been a role of the civic improvement association to give back.

But then also really exciting for us this year is we decided to do the drone show and we took that on as a committee and so my wife and I worked with the drone show group and that was a lot of fun to put together and you know we worked through some of those different images and whatnot and they sent it to us and we watched it on our TV and thought wow that was that was amazing. I hope that we pull this off. And that first night I stood there with the drone company owner and that first image came up and I thought, "Oh, wow. That's a lot bigger than I ever thought it was." Sure. You're looking at a TV before. Yeah. Sure. Sure. So, it was it was a lot of fun and and people really enjoyed that. And so, that was a lot of fun to be a part of.

Ryan Harding: It was good. I'll compliment you on that cuz I did go to the show myself and and uh you know a lot of times when they're setting up for the motocross stuff, you know, it's kind of a delay and sometimes, you know, kids are tired. It's like, hey, should we go and stuff like that, but it was nice cuz the drone show came pretty much right away. And so then it was like, oh well, okay, yeah, let's keep staying because there was something to do, right? So I thought that was actually very wise use of time.

Jared Peterson: Yeah. And and you know that's one one thing that we we really the whole timing of the whole rodeo is very choreographed. From the first we always start with the wild horse race. From that very first gate pull. To the very last bull. We want to be two hours. That's and the stock contractor knows that and he's keeping a clock and making sure that that we hit that. But we knew that we had this space of time between the bulls and the motorcycles. And everybody loves the motorcycles. And you know, we we watch the crowd and we have a handful of people that leave. Mhm. But most stay. And so when we talked about doing the drone show, there was some discussion. Well, do we do it after the motorcycles? Can we do it in that space of time? And then you know just the logistics of it with well we got to turn the lights off and can the crew see to get the ramp up and there's about 3 minutes from the time that the crew starts putting up the ramps to the time we turn off the lights where they get pretty well set and they're good. And they give us a signal and the lights go off and the drone show started. So it worked out really really well.

Ryan Harding: Yeah. Again, that's why I say I compliment because it helped especially, you know, I mean adults but young kids, you know, they get tired and stuff like that, right? And so, so, but that I mean that entertainment, they stayed, right? And they were like, "Hey, no, let's stay. Let's stay, you know, we want to watch." So, the other thing that we didn't really anticipate cuz we just hadn't even considered it was we had a lot of people who mentioned how great it was that weren't at the rodeo. That were just just out. And how cool it was to see just from wherever they were. Sure. Which makes sense actually I you know having been to Stadium of Fire down in Provo you know there's there's a lot of people outside of the stadium you know that getting that free little bit of enjoyment right out of because you know fireworks can't really stop those from being seen from around right so yeah now there we you know if you were on the west side it was any words were backwards but that's okay but still cool.

Jared Peterson: Yeah, no, still cool. Well and I think again and maybe that goes back to probably one of the main reasons that Lehi does this rodeo is it does bring a community together, right? I mean, I think that's probably one of I mean, it just does a very good job of that. And sure, if there's some free drone show for somebody around, great. You know what I mean? Hey, I hope you feel part of the community then during those moments and stuff, right? Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, the other little small thing that we did was we really started advertising Slack. Which is just the contestants that we can't fit into the show. And uh you know they come it's been on Wednesday morning and we kind of advertise that of hey you can come watch this it's free. It you know there's no music there's no announcer there's no it's just cowboys doing what cowboys do. But that crowd has has really kind of grown over the last couple years. So that's been fun too. Fun way for families and kids to come and just get a little taste of it.

Ryan Harding: Yeah. No, love that. Um any uh before we leave the rodeo kind of thing, any behind-the-scenes stories from the rodeo committee that people might find interesting? Any anything that stand out as far as just you know that most people don't see because we just go there for a show. We're out in two hours, right?

Jared Peterson: Yeah. Yeah. You know what you don't see is is the families of our regular partners like the Rumfords who he's our clown. Justin Rumford's our clown. He travels with his family, three kids and and his wife. You don't get to interact with with them or like, Andy Stewart, our announcer, his wife has been battling cancer, and she was there with us this year. And as a crowd, you just aren't going to know that or see that. So, there's there's some of those kinds of things that that are a lot of fun. And you know, there's there's so much that goes on behind the scenes. I wish there was a way to really kind of pull back the curtain, if you will, for people to see how much goes into preparing that. I mean, we have our first meeting for next year, next week. And I think that's that's the piece that people would be really maybe surprised by is just how much really goes into that. And the it's 100% volunteer. There's nobody that's making any money on this thing. It's everybody's donating time and talent and and all those things.

Ryan Harding: So yeah. No, we I interviewed Mike Southwick and uh that was one, you know, I mean again, you know, he's one of the main ones, right? And so it uh yeah, I mean it's it's a it's quite the endeavor uh that the city puts on, really the community puts on. And so, and you know, it's we'll talk about the campaign stuff a little bit later, but one thing that I've I've kind of heard a lot as I've been out campaigning from from nearly every part of town, downtown, west of town, south, is so many people don't feel like they're represented or even feel like a part of the community. Sure. And I don't know how to overcome that. I was and hopefully the celebration is a way that is if if people get involved, come and and participate in all of the different activities that that they can feel a part of that. But that's been really interesting to me. Because I've never felt that and I've always tried to be very open about, hey, come and come and see. And so, there's there's some work to be to be done there. And I think through the roundup and through the rodeo, we can kind of build those bridges, if you will, and get arms reached around people so that they feel like they're part of the community.

Jared Peterson: Well, yeah, cuz again, we do want I mean, it makes sense. You're seventh generation. I mean, you have you've been here long long time, right? And so, you do have a lot of connections and stuff like that. A lot of people, I guess, move in from other places, right? You know, most people are probably transplanted here, right? Oh, yeah. And so, yeah. And I do have a lot of connections and that has those connections have come from being involved, right? Sure. Sure. whether it's involved in in church or community rodeo, all of those things create connections. And it helps too that my parents are still here in town and I have siblings here and and so those connections kind of become amplified through other people, you know, but but you know, one one thing about it, the the more that you put yourself out there, the more connected you feel.

Ryan Harding: Well, and that so that's and that's good advice, right, for anybody moving in. Hey, if you want to feel part of the community, get involved. That's probably the best advice there, right? You know, is get involved because it's not going to come to you all the time, right? You have to get come to it.

Jared Peterson: Yeah, for sure. You know, come put a chair out and come enjoy the parade. Well, so so you talked about the campaign and stuff like that. So, so you're currently running for the city council, right?

Chapter 4: Stepping Into Leadership

Ryan Harding: So, tell me what sparked that? Let's start with that question. What why?

Jared Peterson: Yeah. So, running for city council is something that I've looked at the last couple of election cycles. I spent seven years on the planning commission. And sometimes it feels like a natural thing. You served on the planning commission and then, okay, now I'm going to run for city council. But when I retired, I left the planning commission. I wasn't at that point ready for city council. Just didn't seem right. We had talked about it and then I got involved in the historical preservation committee which has been a blast and we can talk about some of that. And so the last election cycle we looked and talked really seriously about it, my wife and I, and it just still wasn't the right time. And then but we've been talking about it ever since. In fact, I have a fun picture from a year ago in 2024 at the parade that one of my kids took and one of my other kids took that picture and plugged it into a campaign poster. Vote for Jared. And so we got a kick out of that. My kids have laughed for years and years about whenever we go to something, I always lag behind because painting, right? Just the act of visiting. And so no, we thought really serious about it this time and and the timing was right and we felt really good about it and decided to jump in. You know, I'm not coming in with here's my issue, right? We got to stop this one thing. I don't have that. I just have a great love of the community and a great desire to serve and to give back. And I feel like I bring a lot to the table in being able to do that. I mean I understand the history. I do have connections. But those connections are all very professional and very whether they be through community or through the bank or or whatever. But I do have those relationships and so I'm able to really kind of talk to and find out help solve those situations. Sure. Sure. Which you know. So yeah, because a lot of people you mentioned a lot of people do come into politics with hey, you know, I really want to change this issue, right? You know, I'm so upset that XYZ is happening, right?

Ryan Harding: So um and I like that. I like, you know, I mean, obviously you've been here a long time. You've been part of the planning commission, which you know, there's some good people on that and doing a lot of good things and, you know, kind of not well known, you know, either. I mean, because they're just just working, you know, just doing your thing, right?

Jared Peterson: Yeah. You know, when I was on the planning commission, we were looking at projects, most all the commercial that's east of the freeway along the north side of Highway 92. We were looking at that and approving some of those things. Everything to the west, whole Brook Farms, the Exchange, Colring Ranch, all of that came through while I was on. And it was really there were times that those meetings would go till 12, 1:00 in the morning. And we're looking at developments and proposals that are going to have an impact on the on how the city looks in the future. And it's, you know, 12:00 in the morning. Sure. Except just us. Uh and so you really had to think through, okay, is this the right thing for the city? But at the same time, does it meet the development code? Here's the development code, and that's really what the planning commission does is take the development code and the zoning laws and apply it to the plan. And does it fit? Yes or no? Well, we feel like it does. We're going to tell the city council that we feel like it does or it doesn't. But those are great. That was a great learning space.

Ryan Harding: Well, so you don't have an issue necessarily that you're thinking about, but tell me obviously Lehi is not without its challenges, right? So tell me some of the top challenges you see in the next 5 to 10 years of things that like, hey, you know, we're going to need to address this. We're going to need to be involved in having good people that are going into that.

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Jared Peterson Role in Lehi Central Bank branch manager; longtime Lehi Roundup Rodeo committee member; Historical Preservation Committee member; candidate for Lehi City Council Time Periods Discussed 1800s pioneer era through present day; personal involvement from 1990s–2020s Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview A Handcart Connection Across Generations Jared and his wife recently discovered that their ancestors traveled in the same handcart company, tying their family histories together across generations before they ever met. This discovery deepened their sense of shared purpose in preserving Lehi's pioneer legacy. "Here's Your Assignment" Jared describes being effectively "assigned" to help with the Lehi Roundup Rodeo as soon as he started dating his wife. Her father, Stan Lewis—then president of the Civic Improvement Association—handed him a job selling programs, and that initial task launched decades of rodeo service. "When the roundup rolled around, it was, 'Hey, this is what we're doing right now, and here's your assignment.'" The Blanket-to-Assigned-Seating Transition He recounts the rodeo committee's difficult decision to transition from traditional blanket-style open seating—where families would lay down blankets on Monday or Tuesday to claim their spot—to online assigned seating. It was a major cultural shift for a community deeply attached to its traditions, but one that helped modernize the event. The Frontier Rodeo Partnership Jared explains how partnering with Frontier Rodeo transformed the Lehi Roundup. The committee made a conscious decision that they wanted the show to be fast, action-packed, and super entertaining. "You might have bought the whole seat, but you only need the edge." The partnership led to years of sellouts, with tickets sometimes selling out before they could even reach local retail partners. Launching the Drone Show Jared tells the behind-the-scenes story of launching the drone show, including watching the first test on his TV and then being stunned by its scale in person. "That first drone image came up and I thought, 'Wow—that's a lot bigger than I ever imagined.'" The show also became a community-wide experience, with people watching from outside the rodeo grounds. Rodeo Families Behind the Scenes He shares touching moments about rodeo families that the public rarely sees. Justin Rumford, the rodeo clown, travels with his wife and three kids. Andy Stewart, the announcer, was there with his wife who has been battling cancer. "There's so much that goes on behind the scenes... it's 100% volunteer. There's nobody that's making any money." From Social Media to Planning Commission Jared describes how a simple social media inquiry led to his unexpected appointment to the Planning Commission. He saw a post about applications, reached out to former Mayor Bert Wilson (who had mentored him in banking), and received an application the next day with a note: "Mayor Wilson said to send this to you and that you'd be sending it back." That launched seven years of civic involvement. History Historical Insights About Lehi This interview offers a wealth of perspective on how Lehi has evolved while working to preserve what makes it distinctive: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Chapter 2: 7 Generations in Lehi Ryan Harding: Welcome Jared Peterson to Roots and Branches of Lehi. Happy to have you here. Excited to get to know you a little bit better. Jared Peterson: Well, thank you for having me. This is a great opportunity to come and visit. Ryan Harding: Yeah, no, I'm excited. So tell me, give, uh, let's kind of get to know you a little bit. So tell me your connection to Lehi. Where'd you grow up? How long you been here for? Give me that background, I guess, to start. Jared Peterson: No, great. That's a great place to start. So my background in Lehi and my connection to Lehi is that I'm a seventh generation Lehi kid. My family was some of the earliest settlers here in Lehi. And we're very proud of that. My wife also, I should include her because I wouldn't be anywhere without her. But our families go way, way back. In fact, we recently found that we had family in the same handcart company that landed here in Lehi. So that's pretty exciting. So we've been here our whole lives. And that's our connection. Ryan Harding: Wow. Yeah, that's a long time. And tell me what you do for work and stuff like that. What have you? Jared Peterson: So for work, I manage the Central Bank office just down the street here on Lehi Main Street. I've been in banking for 30 years. I've been with Central Bank for 20 years and primarily do lending and some of those things. Ryan Harding: That's good. Okay, awesome. And then tell me, so you're involved in the community. Yes. So tell me, give me some background there. What why did you want to go into that? What did you want to do? Jared Peterson: Yeah, so that's a great question and looking back on it, being involved and serving and whatnot is something that we've just always done. It's something that our parents really kind of instilled in us. I had two grandmas who were young widows that lived here in town and that we were able to really serve them and that's where I learned to serve. And then as time went on, we got older, just kind of we were able to get involved in the Lehi Roundup. My father-in-law, Stan Lewis, was the president of the Civic Improvement Association, which is also known as Lehi Roundup Committee. He got me involved as soon as I started dating his daughter and been involved ever since. It's been great. We've loved being a part of the rodeo. Ryan Harding: Kind of a requirement, I guess, to date the daughter then, right? Jared Peterson: I guess you know, if you're going to do this, we want you involved. When the roundup rolled around, it was, "Hey, this is what we're doing right now, and here's your assignment." There was no question. Here you go. Here's what's going to happen for you. And I've just loved it. And we can get into the rodeo a little bit more, but I've done so many different things. My first assignment at the rodeo was selling programs. Chapter 3: Rodeo Traditions & Challenges Ryan Harding: And just have been been a part of it ever since. And well so let's get into it a little bit I guess with the rodeo and stuff you've seen so if you've been involved for a long time you've seen the rodeo change over the years right I mean and as recent this year now adding we did you know the drone show and an extra day right so tell tell me you know how that's been to be a part of something for so long. Jared Peterson: Yeah, so the rodeo has been such a long-standing tradition in the community and for so long we partnered the rodeo community partnered with like Colers and Macy's to sell tickets there before there was really an online option to sell tickets and that was really a difficult decision for some on the committee to go to an online assigned seats that you know that for a long time the tradition was you came on Monday or Tuesday and you put your blanket down where you wanted to sit and it was just kind of an open seating. Kind of like what they do at the parade I guess. Very much so. And then but that was that was a real changer for us and that was really kind of pushed us into this next era of ticket sales and and the rodeo. And you know the other thing for years and years Flying U was our stock contractor. They they were instrumental in the early days of helping Lehi Roundup grow, but we got to the point where we kind of we needed to make a change there and we have great relationships throughout the rodeo community. And we were able to get connected with Frontier Rodeo and they agreed to partner with us and be our stock contractor and they're the long-standing stock contractor of the year and are just fantastic to work for and that was a real game changer for us also because the Lehi rodeo, you know, every rodeo kind of tries to distinguish itself in however they can. And we made a real conscious effort that we wanted to be fast and we wanted it to be a lot of action and just super entertaining. And you know, one of the committee members will say, "You might have bought the whole seat, but you only need the edge." Sure. Sure. I like that. Uh so uh that has really helped and that really over the last you know four or five years is we've had sellouts which kind of became a new thing all of a sudden the rodeo was being sold out. Well then it started selling out earlier and earlier to where these last couple of years we haven't even we've been sold out before we could even get tickets to Colers and Macy's and we just haven't needed that partnership. Now that has brought on unique challenges. To us and that was um and why we we explored doing a fourth night. And that was hard. That was a hard decision to make because you know fourth night it adds that much more cost. Are we going to be able to cover the cost of doing that? Plus it's all volunteer. Everything's volunteer at the rodeo and we're going to ask everybody to be there one more night. And but we did it. Everybody was everybody jumped in. And it's been great. Been great. Ryan Harding: So, did that fourth night work? I mean, this year I mean as far as last year was the first year of the fourth night. Uh this was our second year and it's been it's been fantastic. And you know what that does? Our goal with that was okay then we can get another 6,000 people to the rodeo. And hopefully that's kind of how it's worked out. And but yeah, it's fantastic and all of our partners when we talked to our sponsors and stock contractor and our announcer and the sound people and all of those things, you know, the jumbotron, everybody had to be on board for another night and everybody was more than willing and just jumped right in to make it happen. Ryan Harding: And what do you attribute like the success of the rodeo to? I mean, is it is you know, obviously in in adding that fourth night, I mean, Lehi is growing, right? I mean, so I guess a logical thought would be, well, hey, we have more people here and so there's logically more need, right? You know, but I'm sure that's not totally all of it. Jared Peterson: Yeah, I think that that plays a part in it for sure. But I think we've done a really good job of just providing really great entertainment and family-friendly entertainment. And that's that's a big deal to us. A lot of people ask us how come we don't participate with alcohol and some of these big sponsors. And it's it's not even a consideration. We don't want any of that. That's not the crowd that we want. That's that's not the rodeo that we want to be. And you know it it's just a fun fun atmosphere. It's unique entertainment and we've we've done all that we can to keep our ticket prices down so that it's affordable. So the family of five or six or eight or however many can come. Ryan Harding: Which I would say it's very affordable if anything you know maybe you could raise it you know a little bit I guess if you wanted right I mean that's pretty good prices there and stuff so um and tell me your role I guess right now then uh on the committee and stuff like that tell me what you specifically. Jared Peterson: So I'm one of the board members so I have a committee that works with me. My specific assignments are we do a cowboy hospitality area where we feed the contestants each night. That's kind of our main role and and we have great sponsors there. Shout out to Chick-fil-A. They have been a partner there for a long time. We also my wife takes care of and manages a scholarship that we do. We do a scholarship for Lehi High and for Skyridge. And that's been a great experience. You know, the as a committee, we really try to give back to the community any way that that we can. That's always been a role of the civic improvement association to give back. But then also really exciting for us this year is we decided to do the drone show and we took that on as a committee and so my wife and I worked with the drone show group and that was a lot of fun to put together and you know we worked through some of those different images and whatnot and they sent it to us and we watched it on our TV and thought wow that was that was amazing. I hope that we pull this off. And that first night I stood there with the drone company owner and that first image came up and I thought, "Oh, wow. That's a lot bigger than I ever thought it was." Sure. You're looking at a TV before. Yeah. Sure. Sure. So, it was it was a lot of fun and and people really enjoyed that. And so, that was a lot of fun to be a part of. Ryan Harding: It was good. I'll compliment you on that cuz I did go to the show myself and and uh you know a lot of times when they're setting up for the motocross stuff, you know, it's kind of a delay and sometimes, you know, kids are tired. It's like, hey, should we go and stuff like that, but it was nice cuz the drone show came pretty much right away. And so then it was like, oh well, okay, yeah, let's keep staying because there was something to do, right? So I thought that was actually very wise use of time. Jared Peterson: Yeah. And and you know that's one one thing that we we really the whole timing of the whole rodeo is very choreographed. From the first we always start with the wild horse race. From that very first gate pull. To the very last bull. We want to be two hours. That's and the stock contractor knows that and he's keeping a clock and making sure that that we hit that. But we knew that we had this space of time between the bulls and the motorcycles. And everybody loves the motorcycles. And you know, we we watch the crowd and we have a handful of people that leave. Mhm. But most stay. And so when we talked about doing the drone show, there was some discussion. Well, do we do it after the motorcycles? Can we do it in that space of time? And then you know just the logistics of it with well we got to turn the lights off and can the crew see to get the ramp up and there's about 3 minutes from the time that the crew starts putting up the ramps to the time we turn off the lights where they get pretty well set and they're good. And they give us a signal and the lights go off and the drone show started. So it worked out really really well. Ryan Harding: Yeah. Again, that's why I say I compliment because it helped especially, you know, I mean adults but young kids, you know, they get tired and stuff like that, right? And so, so, but that I mean that entertainment, they stayed, right? And they were like, "Hey, no, let's stay. Let's stay, you know, we want to watch." So, the other thing that we didn't really anticipate cuz we just hadn't even considered it was we had a lot of people who mentioned how great it was that weren't at the rodeo. That were just just out. And how cool it was to see just from wherever they were. Sure. Which makes sense actually I you know having been to Stadium of Fire down in Provo you know there's there's a lot of people outside of the stadium you know that getting that free little bit of enjoyment right out of because you know fireworks can't really stop those from being seen from around right so yeah now there we you know if you were on the west side it was any words were backwards but that's okay but still cool. Jared Peterson: Yeah, no, still cool. Well and I think again and maybe that goes back to probably one of the main reasons that Lehi does this rodeo is it does bring a community together, right? I mean, I think that's probably one of I mean, it just does a very good job of that. And sure, if there's some free drone show for somebody around, great. You know what I mean? Hey, I hope you feel part of the community then during those moments and stuff, right? Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, the other little small thing that we did was we really started advertising Slack. Which is just the contestants that we can't fit into the show. And uh you know they come it's been on Wednesday morning and we kind of advertise that of hey you can come watch this it's free. It you know there's no music there's no announcer there's no it's just cowboys doing what cowboys do. But that crowd has has really kind of grown over the last couple years. So that's been fun too. Fun way for families and kids to come and just get a little taste of it. Ryan Harding: Yeah. No, love that. Um any uh before we leave the rodeo kind of thing, any behind-the-scenes stories from the rodeo committee that people might find interesting? Any anything that stand out as far as just you know that most people don't see because we just go there for a show. We're out in two hours, right? Jared Peterson: Yeah. Yeah. You know what you don't see is is the families of our regular partners like the Rumfords who he's our clown. Justin Rumford's our clown. He travels with his family, three kids and and his wife. You don't get to interact with with them or like, Andy Stewart, our announcer, his wife has been battling cancer, and she was there with us this year. And as a crowd, you just aren't going to know that or see that. So, there's there's some of those kinds of things that that are a lot of fun. And you know, there's there's so much that goes on behind the scenes. I wish there was a way to really kind of pull back the curtain, if you will, for people to see how much goes into preparing that. I mean, we have our first meeting for next year, next week. And I think that's that's the piece that people would be really maybe surprised by is just how much really goes into that. And the it's 100% volunteer. There's nobody that's making any money on this thing. It's everybody's donating time and talent and and all those things. Ryan Harding: So yeah. No, we I interviewed Mike Southwick and uh that was one, you know, I mean again, you know, he's one of the main ones, right? And so it uh yeah, I mean it's it's a it's quite the endeavor uh that the city puts on, really the community puts on. And so, and you know, it's we'll talk about the campaign stuff a little bit later, but one thing that I've I've kind of heard a lot as I've been out campaigning from from nearly every part of town, downtown, west of town, south, is so many people don't feel like they're represented or even feel like a part of the community. Sure. And I don't know how to overcome that. I was and hopefully the celebration is a way that is if if people get involved, come and and participate in all of the different activities that that they can feel a part of that. But that's been really interesting to me. Because I've never felt that and I've always tried to be very open about, hey, come and come and see. And so, there's there's some work to be to be done there. And I think through the roundup and through the rodeo, we can kind of build those bridges, if you will, and get arms reached around people so that they feel like they're part of the community. Jared Peterson: Well, yeah, cuz again, we do want I mean, it makes sense. You're seventh generation. I mean, you have you've been here long long time, right? And so, you do have a lot of connections and stuff like that. A lot of people, I guess, move in from other places, right? You know, most people are probably transplanted here, right? Oh, yeah. And so, yeah. And I do have a lot of connections and that has those connections have come from being involved, right? Sure. Sure. whether it's involved in in church or community rodeo, all of those things create connections. And it helps too that my parents are still here in town and I have siblings here and and so those connections kind of become amplified through other people, you know, but but you know, one one thing about it, the the more that you put yourself out there, the more connected you feel. Ryan Harding: Well, and that so that's and that's good advice, right, for anybody moving in. Hey, if you want to feel part of the community, get involved. That's probably the best advice there, right? You know, is get involved because it's not going to come to you all the time, right? You have to get come to it. Jared Peterson: Yeah, for sure. You know, come put a chair out and come enjoy the parade. Well, so so you talked about the campaign and stuff like that. So, so you're currently running for the city council, right? Chapter 4: Stepping Into Leadership Ryan Harding: So, tell me what sparked that? Let's start with that question. What why? Jared Peterson: Yeah. So, running for city council is something that I've looked at the last couple of election cycles. I spent seven years on the planning commission. And sometimes it feels like a natural thing. You served on the planning commission and then, okay, now I'm going to run for city council. But when I retired, I left the planning commission. I wasn't at that point ready for city council. Just didn't seem right. We had talked about it and then I got involved in the historical preservation committee which has been a blast and we can talk about some of that. And so the last election cycle we looked and talked really seriously about it, my wife and I, and it just still wasn't the right time. And then but we've been talking about it ever since. In fact, I have a fun picture from a year ago in 2024 at the parade that one of my kids took and one of my other kids took that picture and plugged it into a campaign poster. Vote for Jared. And so we got a kick out of that. My kids have laughed for years and years about whenever we go to something, I always lag behind because painting, right? Just the act of visiting. And so no, we thought really serious about it this time and and the timing was right and we felt really good about it and decided to jump in. You know, I'm not coming in with here's my issue, right? We got to stop this one thing. I don't have that. I just have a great love of the community and a great desire to serve and to give back. And I feel like I bring a lot to the table in being able to do that. I mean I understand the history. I do have connections. But those connections are all very professional and very whether they be through community or through the bank or or whatever. But I do have those relationships and so I'm able to really kind of talk to and find out help solve those situations. Sure. Sure. Which you know. So yeah, because a lot of people you mentioned a lot of people do come into politics with hey, you know, I really want to change this issue, right? You know, I'm so upset that XYZ is happening, right? Ryan Harding: So um and I like that. I like, you know, I mean, obviously you've been here a long time. You've been part of the planning commission, which you know, there's some good people on that and doing a lot of good things and, you know, kind of not well known, you know, either. I mean, because they're just just working, you know, just doing your thing, right? Jared Peterson: Yeah. You know, when I was on the planning commission, we were looking at projects, most all the commercial that's east of the freeway along the north side of Highway 92. We were looking at that and approving some of those things. Everything to the west, whole Brook Farms, the Exchange, Colring Ranch, all of that came through while I was on. And it was really there were times that those meetings would go till 12, 1:00 in the morning. And we're looking at developments and proposals that are going to have an impact on the on how the city looks in the future. And it's, you know, 12:00 in the morning. Sure. Except just us. Uh and so you really had to think through, okay, is this the right thing for the city? But at the same time, does it meet the development code? Here's the development code, and that's really what the planning commission does is take the development code and the zoning laws and apply it to the plan. And does it fit? Yes or no? Well, we feel like it does. We're going to tell the city council that we feel like it does or it doesn't. But those are great. That was a great learning space. Ryan Harding: Well, so you don't have an issue necessarily that you're thinking about, but tell me obviously Lehi is not without its challenges, right? So tell me some of the top challenges you see in the next 5 to 10 years of things that like, hey, you know, we're going to need to address this. We're going to need to be involved in having good people that are going into that. Jared Peterson: Yeah. So, great question. I'm going to come back to some specific things, but one of the things that I really feel like we need to fix is we've never for whatever reason looked far enough into the future. Everything has been on a 10, 15, maybe 20 year thought process and projections. Those are the kind of projections we've been working with. And maybe we haven't had really good projections further out than that, but we now right now we have really good projections that show that west of Lehi, Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs at build out is going to be somewhere between 500 and 600,000 people. Wow. We know that Lehi is going to be 150 to 175,000. So the obvious biggest challenge that we have in Lehi is that we we get to deal with all the traffic from the growth out there. So that's the biggest challenge is how do we do that? Well, that's not something that Lehi alone can solve. That that's a massive massive challenge and is going to take a coordinated effort from Mountain Saratoga from UDOT from MAG and very possibly is going to take some federal funding. So the biggest challenge there is there's a great plan now. There's lots of things kind of in motion. And so the challenge right now is we need to maintain that momentum that we have in solving the problem. If we lag behind, if we stop and take a breath and let that momentum happen, what's going to let that momentum go? Then all of a sudden Lehi is not in the front of the discussion. And I really worry about getting having Saratoga Eagle Mountain kind of run over us and get what they want and what's maybe not best for Lehi. And right now things aren't exactly the same as what Saratoga wants and what Lehi wants. So we have to keep moving forward in those discussions and then do it in a way that protects Lehi's interest in all those things. I have good relationships with Eagle Mountain current city council members. I have a great relationship with Mayor Frost in American Fork. And so in my work that's what I'm all about is establishing relationships. So, I know that I can do that and I have a good understanding of some of these proposals. So, that's really number one. That's our biggest challenge and that's no secret to anybody. That that's it. Chapter 5: The Growth Dilemma Jared Peterson: But I also believe one of the one of our challenges and also one of the things that can be a strength to us is our open space, parks and trails and all all those kinds of things. And I think I feel like the city's done a pretty okay job. There, you know, over the last few years, the city's added several hundred acres. Part of that's up at Traverse Mountain where they were able to put some property into an environmentally protected zone, so it won't ever be developed. Which is great. City took on Willow Park from the county and has that on a lease from the county. It's a 50, 75 year lease from the county, which is great. And we have Meer Roads Park that still needs to be built. Got to find funding there. But I think the family park up on the north end is a great example of something that can be done. It's a great facility with a lot of use and we certainly have need for some baseball diamonds. I look we have eight baseball diamonds in town for a community of almost 100,000 people. That's not sufficient. So there's there's things that we can that we can do there. And I think too the other piece of open space, we call it parks and open space, but the other piece of that is things like the legacy center and the outdoor pool, the library, the arts center, the Curtis Center, facilities like that that we need to make sure that we're looking and if we have opportunity to expand or to build new facilities, we need to be open to that. And we really need that's another area that we need to plan for 50, 80, 100 years down the road. And making sure that when we're all gone and it's our kids or whoever it is that they have those types of places and they're not wondering what we were doing, cursing our names for, hey, why didn't you plan, you know, like a great piece of Lehi history is Wines Park. You know, Ida Wines left that piece of ground to the city for a park, specifically for a park, and it has withstood the test of times, and it has not changed very much over the years. Took some of the old swings and things like that out and we put in some pavilions, but other than that, it's remained a great place for families to gather. And that's well, especially because it's so centrally located, right? Ryan Harding: In fact, yeah, we're doing our own client appreciation event in a couple weeks there. So that Yeah, it's a great place, right? I mean, it's just nice to have a big open space that's close by. Jared Peterson: Yeah. And we need we need places like that that are generational. Yeah. Yeah. No, love that. As far as obviously with that growth that's taking place, how do you how do you continue to grow but also maintain that community that you know that's like I mean you mentioned as you're campaigning people are like hey I don't feel part of it so how how do you help us stay as a community even though hey we're getting bigger and and not going to be stopping anytime soon. Jared Peterson: Yeah. Yeah. I know and that's and that's a great challenge, right? And what a great problem to have because one of the one of the great things about all this growth is there are amazing people who have come into our community. We need to tap into that talent. And I could even say one of maybe the weaknesses of the rodeo committee is we're not really good about bringing in new help. It's a bunch of old Lehi people, right? It it kind of is. And you know, I have my thing. This is my assignment and and I do what I feel like I do pretty well at with the committee that I have. And so I'm good. It's not broken. Don't fix it. Right. And so I think that there's things like that. Are we bringing are we inviting people in to help and bringing in some of those new ideas but at the same time maintaining the traditions? And I think there's opportunities there. I think too I had a great discussion about the roundup and parades and how do we get these other communities involved and this year they had the concert at the family park which has always been at Wines Park and that was a change in tradition and I know that there were some people that weren't excited about that. We went actually the bank sponsored that and I was able to give out a guitar. And that was fun. Well, my wife and I went and as we walked around, the one thing that stood out to both of us was that it was a little bit different crowd. You know, we were walking around going, "Well, where where are such and such families?" And they might have been there, but we just didn't know where to look for them, right? Cuz everybody always sits in the same place. But what we really took from that was that having it at a different place really was we were able to involve people who hadn't been involved before. And so I think taking advantage of some of these new parks, there's great parks out in Hullbrook Farms and we have these other spaces if we there's some of that community event that we can take like that take to them and and then in turn if they can those communities can come to us for parades and the rodeo and and we create those relationships. That's that's how you maintain the community. I really feel like if we can do better at taking the community, if you will, or the culture of Lehi out to the citizens and these different parts and let them feel loved and invited and you hear some random comments about move-ins and all the negativity of it, right? But we have just great people that were drawn to Lehi because Lehi is an amazing place. You know, the secret was out. Once Micron came in, all of a sudden the secret of Lehi started to get out there and and it's just boomed and just because we've grown doesn't mean it's not still an amazing place. Ryan Harding: Sure. Yeah. No, I love that. And I love the park idea of, you know, moving it around and with the concert and stuff. I think that's actually makes a lot of sense. I mean, because when it's close by you, you know, so that's going to invite some people that probably wouldn't have gone and I don't know that I like that's that's a very practical way, I guess, of maybe kind of trying to do what you're trying to do. Jared Peterson: Yeah. And I know that Mel and her committee at the city were really really worried about having the concert up there. They were very well, change is hard, right? Change is hard. We've done it this way. This is we know it works. And it's scary. And they were super super worried about it. And it was fantastic. Good. So, yeah. Yeah. I mean, plenty of because plenty of parking, plenty of space because it's probably a bigger park. So, we were we went up there. If you follow me on Facebook, you've seen my little campaign videos. We filmed a little video up there for the campaign and I stood there with my wife and kids and I said, "This this isn't going to work for the concert." I had no faith in it. This is not big enough. And but then when we went and we're there and I stood on the stage giving away the guitar and I'm looking thinking this is way more people than you get at Wines Park. Really? Okay. This is a big big crowd. It's a little deceptive I guess with some of the the well, you know, it's kind of that amphitheater type of a setting and it's it's a little deceiving as to just how big that is. Ryan Harding: Well, that's cool. I'm glad that worked out so well. Yeah, me too. Good. Good. Anything else as far as the election or anything else on that area that you want to talk about on the on that part? Jared Peterson: No. Oh. I don't know when you'll air this, but we're coming up on the primary and it's it's been such a great adventure for us to be out and meet with people and talk with people and hear their concerns. It's been so fun for me. I've visited with a lot of people that I know, but I've met a whole lot of new people that I didn't know. And be able to hear their concerns that are legit concerns that maybe in some way we can get those addressed or begin to address those. But it's just been just a lot of fun and I hope that the city will give me a chance to serve. Ryan Harding: Yeah. No, I think you do very well actually. I like your I mean I think you do very well. So, thanks. Talk to me about the preservation committee that you're on, too. We didn't touch on that, but I'll kind of go back a little bit to theirs. Chapter 6: Guarding History Ryan Harding: Tell me what that actually is. What is the preservation committee? Jared Peterson: That's a great question, and that's kind of what I wondered, too. They said, "Hey, we want you to come serve on the historical preservation committee." I was like, "That sounds great. What What do we do?" And the main function of the historical preservation committee is to review items in the designated historical parts of town which is this part of Main Street and part of State Street. And our central role is to if somebody's going to do something, do an addition to a building, build a new building, change something on a building, those plans come to us, we review. We have no real authority. But we can just recommend to the applicant to the city, hey, we feel like maybe this doesn't meet this is really not historic or hey, we're totally on board with this. Over the last few years there hasn't been a ton of that kind of work to do. Because there really hasn't been a lot of new building on Main Street. Or on State Street. And it's just that little piece of State Street there, which I feel like I mean, a little plug for me. I feel like our historic district on Lehi Main Street should really start at the roller mills and it should go to the rodeo grounds. I would I don't disagree with that. That's what I think it doesn't right now. And I get push back every time I kind of suggest that, but that's okay. Keep pushing. Keep pushing. But we were asked, Lara Bangerter approached us and said, "Hey, can your committee help with the historical marker program?" And I had the opportunity to sit down with her and see her vision for these markers. And I said, "Absolutely. Let's whatever we can do to help you here." And so we've partnered with the historical society and the archives in this historical marker program and it has just been fantastic. So that that's been our primary focus for these last couple of years and we've just it's just been so much fun to go through that process of identifying those places, putting together what goes those few words that you can put on on a sign. But then just learning about some of these places and the history of it. There's so much history here, but there's so many places that those buildings are no longer there. And this is a great way to memorialize those buildings and just with this little marker. Ryan Harding: Which and the marker program, you know, talk to we've we've had if anybody's listened to the show, they would know, but go ahead and just give us brief description of what the marker program is again. Jared Peterson: Yeah. We've identified right now it's 36 places in the city where these markers which it's a beautiful marker. It's about I don't know 2 feet wide and 2 and 1/2 maybe 3 ft tall. Very well done and has just a brief description of what it is. And so we've just been trying to do 12 a year and we put those up and the other great thing the fun thing has been every time there's an unveiling and Laura has a committee an unveiling committee that does a fantastic job of reaching out to family who may have been involved in that in that thing and everyone has kind of been a little bit different crowd of people and they've just been well attended and it's just been great to see. Ryan Harding: Yeah. No, I know it's it's been a very good thing I think for the city and and I'll give a plug for Heather Newell too who's done the pins, you know, those pins and stuff like that. So she she talked to us about the amount of time that she spent on individually designing each of those which is pretty cool. I think again which I'd go back to your point of let's tap into the potential of many of these community members that are coming in right because again that's what makes a community is hey you have a talent here you have a talent here let's make something better together because two banking guys we only have so many skills right but let's tap into that guy or that guy and then you're able to get more just a better rounded community right? That's what makes up the body of our community. Jared Peterson: Yeah, for sure. And Laura Bangerter and the Historical Society, she's a great example of this started to become overwhelming. It didn't take very long after probably the second unveiling, it was obvious how overwhelming these unveilings were because they were coming at you. And she created a committee and she reached out into the community and found people who were willing to help and she just has a fantastic committee and it's always a different person that kind of puts each unveiling together and hats off to her and reaching out and really bringing people in to help. Ryan Harding: Yeah. No, which is great. Well I love what you're doing. I love that you know you obviously for a long time since you started dating you've been involved and doing this kind of stuff and I commend you for that and that's probably why you do feel very much part of the community is probably based off largely of your actions being involved in the community doing those kind of things. And I think that's probably good advice for anybody is, hey, get involved, do things. And I think there's a lot of places to be involved. A lot of things to do. Some take a lot of time, like maybe the planning commission, and others that take far less time. But there's always a way to get involved and it's just a great thing. Jared Peterson: Yeah. As far as you know you personally, you know, you have a family and stuff like that, what kind of legacy do you want to leave the community and your children? Jared Peterson: Yeah that's that's a great question and something that I have thought some about over the years and you know my career I've been a banker and that's what I'm going to be right? I'll retire banker. The last thing that I want anybody to say at my funeral is that he was a banker. Like that being a banker is what I do. It has provided a great life for my family and it has really allowed me to serve, right? It's the type of industry where I have some flexibility and I'm able to come do this and attend to things. But really my legacy I want my kids and grandkids, great grandkids when they hear about me to hear about the guy who served this community, who served in the church. That that's what I want. A man of God who just tried to love and reach out. Ryan Harding: Love that. I love that. And I think you're doing that. And whether you know whether you win this election or not from what I know, what I've learned about you is my guess is that won't necessarily matter as far as your love for the community and your continued commitment to the community. Jared Peterson: No, if I don't win, I'm not going away. I'll still be a regular fixture in wherever I can be. Right. And I hope to win. I really do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't, you know, I wouldn't put my name in if I didn't think that I could win and if I didn't want to. And I've tried really hard to campaign in a way that people just understood my love for the community and that I just want to serve, that I don't have an agenda, that I want the best for the citizens of Lehi and I want to represent them and be a voice for them. And that's that's what I'm hoping to do. Ryan Harding: I think you're doing a great job. Jared, is there anything we didn't cover that you want to cover before we kind of wrap up here? Jared Peterson: Gosh, I don't I don't think so. I think you've done a great job. It's been good to get to know you personally better. I could tell you have a love for Lehi, love for the community, love for what you do, and whether that's banking or rodeo or Lehi historical, you're involved in so many things and frankly a good example to all of us as far as like, hey, get involved, do things. I think there's a real need there. Jared Peterson: Yeah, there really is. And sometimes you have to create that, you know, like for example, Heather Newell and the pins, right? She kind of created that for herself. And there's so many other people that give in the community, whether it's at one of the schools or in some way or being a coach, there's so many different ways to be involved in the community and to give back. And sometimes you really have to go find those. They're not always going to find you. I've been fortunate that a lot of those have kind of found me. Even the planning commission and you can cut this out if you want, but the way that I got on the planning commission was that I saw a little thing on social media that they were taking applications for planning commission. Mayor Wilson, Bert Wilson was the mayor at the time. Bert was a mentor of mine. He actually got me started in my banking career. And so I reached out to him. I was like, "Hey, what's this planning commission thing all about?" And he gave me a quick two-minute tutorial of what the planning commission did. I really didn't have any idea. And the next day I got an email from his assistant there at the city with an application and she said, "Mayor Wilson said to send this to you and that you'd be sending it back." And so I filled out the application and sent it in and next thing I knew I was on the planning commission. I tell it because sometimes if you kind of even just looking a little bit, sometimes those opportunities will just come at you. But a lot of times they won't and you really have to push your way in, if you will, to be able to serve. Ryan Harding: Yeah. Makes sense. This is another great example of you kind of found this little bit of a need and it's fantastic. No, it Hey, that's we're all just doing our best to try to make the world a better place. In whatever part of the vineyard we're at, right? Jared Peterson: Exactly. But, Jared, thank you. It's been great. It's been great to get to know you and I wish you all the best in your campaign and for anybody that hasn't voted yet, hey, go and vote. And we'll hopefully see you after the primary. So, yeah, I hope so. Okay. Thanks, Ryan. Jared Peterson: Thank you. Ryan Harding: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together, we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. We'd love to hear from you. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Harding Home Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Jared Peterson Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Lehi Utah Jared Peterson interview discussing Lehi Roundup Rodeo, pioneer heritage, city council campaign, historical preservation, and community service in Lehi, Utah. Jared Peterson Lehi Utah. Lehi Roundup Rodeo history. Lehi City Council candidate. Lehi pioneer families. Frontier Rodeo partnership. Lehi Historical Marker Program. Lehi community traditions. Lehi parks and open space. Lehi growth and transportation. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Contact

Jennifer Connolly & Aspen Kahoush: Miss Lehi 2024 Interview

Miss Lehi 2024 Jennifer Connolly and First Attendant Aspen Kahoush share their pageant journeys, community service platforms, and the traditions shaping Lehi, Utah.

Jennifer Connolly & Aspen Kahoush: Miss Lehi 2024 on Community, Pageantry, and Youth Leadership

Who Are Jennifer Connolly and Aspen Kahoush, and Why Does Their Story Matter?

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Episode Overview

Guest Names

Roles in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

From Lonely Gap Year to Community Platform

A First-Time Competitor's Surprise Victory

Fifth Time's the Charm

A Parade Encounter with Unexpected Meaning

Healthcare Roots Inspire Educational Mission

The Hidden Work Behind the Crown

A Teen Band Night Dream

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

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Jennifer Connolly Aspen Kahoush Miss Lehi 2024 Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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An in-depth conversation with Miss Lehi 2024 and her First Attendant about their journeys through the Lehi pageant, their community service platforms, and the traditions shaping one of Utah's fastest-growing cities.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Jennifer Connolly and Aspen Kahoush —Miss Lehi 2024 and her First Attendant—to explore the story behind their pageant journeys, their community service platforms, and their deep roots in Lehi, Utah. Both young women were born and raised in Lehi, shaped by its schools, neighborhoods, and the unique blend of small-town warmth and rapid city growth that defines modern Lehi.

Their conversation highlights not only the excitement of pageant night but also the unseen preparation, personal growth, and community commitment that come with representing their hometown. Jennifer's platform, The Front Porch , focuses on building social connection and reducing loneliness—an issue she personally experienced during her gap year. Aspen's platform, Beyond a Bandage , draws from her healthcare-oriented upbringing and passion for pediatric nursing, teaching first aid in approachable, empowering ways.

Together, they offer a window into the service-driven heart of Lehi's royalty program, the city's vibrant calendar of events, and the powerful role young leaders play in strengthening community ties. Their stories matter because they reflect the evolving identity of Lehi—where longtime families, new residents, and rising generations all contribute to a shared sense of belonging. Through parades, service projects, and everyday interactions, Jennifer and Aspen embody the values that have shaped Lehi for decades: connection, volunteerism, and pride in a community that continues to grow while holding tight to its roots.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Jennifer Connolly & Aspen Kahoush

Jennifer: Miss Lehi 2024; community service advocate. Aspen: First Attendant to Miss Lehi; first aid educator.

2000s–2020s (their childhoods through present day)

Ryan Harding

Jennifer shares how loneliness as a new graduate—working and staying in her room—led her to listen to podcasts about conversation and eventually create The Front Porch, a platform dedicated to building social connection and helping others overcome isolation in a growing city.

Aspen had never competed in a pageant before. She describes being "so starstruck" when her name was called as First Attendant, saying "me? What?" It was her first year ever competing in any pageant, making the achievement even more meaningful.

This was Jennifer's fifth pageant overall and her third time competing specifically for Miss Lehi. She was so overwhelmed when crowned that she didn't even hear her name called—she was "on cloud nine." Her first instinct was to hug Hope, a fellow contestant standing beside her.

During a recent parade, Jennifer approached a family for a photo who had been cheering for "the queens." She later learned they were relatives of Miss Bluffdale's first runner-up—a small moment of connection that "made their day" and illustrated the far-reaching community bonds these roles create.

Aspen grew up in a healthcare family and has wanted to be a pediatric nurse from a young age. Her platform, Beyond a Bandage, involved becoming certified in first aid skills and meeting with local first responders to make safety education approachable and less scary for the community.

Both women describe the intensive preparation: weekly workshops, interview practice, dance prep, fitness training, and evening gown coaching. Aspen was surprised by how many resources were provided, noting she "didn't expect to be so prepared" and felt Lehi's program excelled at readying contestants.

While preparing for Miss Lehi, Jennifer asked many teens what event would get them to attend a city function. Independently, many said "a band night." She is now working to host a teen band night, using her position to create the exact kind of social gathering she wished for during her own gap year.

Through the eyes of two young women who have grown up in Lehi, this interview reveals how the city's traditions, events, and institutions continue to evolve:

Jennifer and Aspen's conversation reflects broader themes about youth, service, and identity in modern Lehi:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Chapter 1: Welcome

Chapter 2: Meet Jennifer & Aspen

Ryan Harding: Welcome Jennifer and Aspen to Roots and Branches of Lehi. Excited to have you both here. Let's go ahead and introduce you guys first here. Aspen, let's start with you.

Aspen Kahoush: Perfect. I am Aspen Kahoush. I am the first runner up. My platform was Beyond a Bandage First Aid.

Ryan: Awesome. And you grew up in Lehi?

Aspen: Grew up in Lehi. Lived here my whole life.

Ryan: And you just graduated too?

Aspen: Yep. Just graduated from Lehi High School.

Ryan: Awesome. Jennifer, go ahead.

Jennifer Connolly: Awesome. I'm Jennifer Connolly. I am the current Miss Lehi. My platform is called The Front Porch. It's about building a sense of community and social connection to try and help reduce the amount of people who are experiencing loneliness.

Ryan: And you grew up here too?

Jennifer: Yeah. Born and raised.

Ryan: And schooling?

Jennifer: I graduated in 2021 from Skyridge and right now I'm at UVU.

Chapter 3: Crowning Moments

Ryan: Talk to me about the moment you were crowned Miss Lehi and that you were crowned first attendant. How did that feel? How long had you been working towards this? Aspen, you want to go first?

Aspen: Yes, I'll start. I was so starstruck. This has been my first year competing in a pageant. Never done anything like this before. And so when they called my name, I was like, me? What? But no, it was amazing and just a great experience. Great experience. Loved it. On cloud nine.

Ryan: What about you, Jennifer?

Jennifer: This was my fifth pageant. It was my third time competing for Miss Lehi. And when I got crowned, they had said contestant number one, and I didn't even hear my name. I was on cloud nine. I was gone. I was out of it. And the very first thing I wanted to do was hug someone. So I immediately turned to Hope who was standing next to me and I just clung on to her and I don't remember much after that to be honest.

Ryan: How long have you been in pageantry?

Jennifer: I'd say I've been watching since I was like eight. I did not compete as a teen but I've been competing for three years now. Since 2022.

Chapter 4: Service with Purpose

Ryan: Tell us about your platform or cause that you ran on.

Jennifer: Yeah. So mine was called the Front Porch. Well, is called the Front Porch. It still exists. I'm still doing stuff with it. It's to build social connection and a sense of community. And I got into this because during my gap year between high school and college, I felt super lonely. All I did was go to work and then come home and stay in my room. And I felt like I didn't know how to talk to people. And so I started listening to podcasts on how to talk to people. And I decided that this needs to be what I do for the rest of my life. And so that's what I've been doing. And I've been trying to spread that and get people out of their comfort zones and come to community events.

Ryan: That's awesome. And has that been going well?

Jennifer: Yeah, it has. We've been really busy. It's been great.

Ryan: And Aspen, tell us about yours.

Aspen: So my platform is Beyond a Bandage—the importance of first aid—and so I grew up in a healthcare family. From a young age, I wanted to be a pediatric nurse. So I thought what a better way to start on educating myself for the future but also helping others. So I chose teaching first aid. A lot of my prep was becoming certified in these skills myself and meeting with our first responders and different things like that, sharing tips and making the subject seem a little bit more approachable and not as scary.

Chapter 5: Life in Lehi

Ryan: What do you like most about Lehi? Jennifer?

Jennifer: I like the amount of diversity we have here. We have small town and then we have big tech and we've also got some stuff over at Thanksgiving Point. And so I feel like there's so many different people you can talk to. But I think even with the amount of different people we have around here and the different values they have, we can still be able to have the city feel like home.

Ryan: What about you, Aspen?

Aspen: Oh, love Lehi. I love our community and how everybody is just so close together and connected. I think that's something that's very unique to Lehi city. It is the best.

Ryan: Has anything surprised you about the community now that you're more involved?

Jennifer: I felt like with my community service initiative with the Front Porch, I already knew a fair amount of the events that are happening in Lehi but now I've realized just how many there are because I'm always getting invited to them. There's a few of them like weekly. And it's just opened my eyes to how much is happening in Lehi.

Aspen: I think how welcoming everybody was with the new royalty. I was a little bit nervous. I was like, I don't know how people are going to react, especially for me being so new to this. Most of the girls are very seasoned. And they were so welcoming and accepting at the parades. I'd hear people like cheering for me and stuff and it was just such a cool experience. So loving. They just welcomed us with opened arms.

Chapter 6: Realities of Pageantry

Ryan: What was one of the most challenging parts of the pageant?

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Details Episode Overview Guest Names Jennifer Connolly & Aspen Kahoush Roles in Lehi Jennifer: Miss Lehi 2024; community service advocate. Aspen: First Attendant to Miss Lehi; first aid educator. Time Periods Discussed 2000s–2020s (their childhoods through present day) Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview From Lonely Gap Year to Community Platform Jennifer shares how loneliness as a new graduate—working and staying in her room—led her to listen to podcasts about conversation and eventually create The Front Porch, a platform dedicated to building social connection and helping others overcome isolation in a growing city. A First-Time Competitor's Surprise Victory Aspen had never competed in a pageant before. She describes being "so starstruck" when her name was called as First Attendant, saying "me? What?" It was her first year ever competing in any pageant, making the achievement even more meaningful. Fifth Time's the Charm This was Jennifer's fifth pageant overall and her third time competing specifically for Miss Lehi. She was so overwhelmed when crowned that she didn't even hear her name called—she was "on cloud nine." Her first instinct was to hug Hope, a fellow contestant standing beside her. A Parade Encounter with Unexpected Meaning During a recent parade, Jennifer approached a family for a photo who had been cheering for "the queens." She later learned they were relatives of Miss Bluffdale's first runner-up—a small moment of connection that "made their day" and illustrated the far-reaching community bonds these roles create. Healthcare Roots Inspire Educational Mission Aspen grew up in a healthcare family and has wanted to be a pediatric nurse from a young age. Her platform, Beyond a Bandage, involved becoming certified in first aid skills and meeting with local first responders to make safety education approachable and less scary for the community. The Hidden Work Behind the Crown Both women describe the intensive preparation: weekly workshops, interview practice, dance prep, fitness training, and evening gown coaching. Aspen was surprised by how many resources were provided, noting she "didn't expect to be so prepared" and felt Lehi's program excelled at readying contestants. A Teen Band Night Dream While preparing for Miss Lehi, Jennifer asked many teens what event would get them to attend a city function. Independently, many said "a band night." She is now working to host a teen band night, using her position to create the exact kind of social gathering she wished for during her own gap year. History Historical Insights About Lehi Through the eyes of two young women who have grown up in Lehi, this interview reveals how the city's traditions, events, and institutions continue to evolve: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Jennifer and Aspen's conversation reflects broader themes about youth, service, and identity in modern Lehi: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Chapter 1: Welcome Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Chapter 2: Meet Jennifer & Aspen Ryan Harding: Welcome Jennifer and Aspen to Roots and Branches of Lehi. Excited to have you both here. Let's go ahead and introduce you guys first here. Aspen, let's start with you. Aspen Kahoush: Perfect. I am Aspen Kahoush. I am the first runner up. My platform was Beyond a Bandage First Aid. Ryan: Awesome. And you grew up in Lehi? Aspen: Grew up in Lehi. Lived here my whole life. Ryan: And you just graduated too? Aspen: Yep. Just graduated from Lehi High School. Ryan: Awesome. Jennifer, go ahead. Jennifer Connolly: Awesome. I'm Jennifer Connolly. I am the current Miss Lehi. My platform is called The Front Porch. It's about building a sense of community and social connection to try and help reduce the amount of people who are experiencing loneliness. Ryan: And you grew up here too? Jennifer: Yeah. Born and raised. Ryan: And schooling? Jennifer: I graduated in 2021 from Skyridge and right now I'm at UVU. Chapter 3: Crowning Moments Ryan: Talk to me about the moment you were crowned Miss Lehi and that you were crowned first attendant. How did that feel? How long had you been working towards this? Aspen, you want to go first? Aspen: Yes, I'll start. I was so starstruck. This has been my first year competing in a pageant. Never done anything like this before. And so when they called my name, I was like, me? What? But no, it was amazing and just a great experience. Great experience. Loved it. On cloud nine. Ryan: What about you, Jennifer? Jennifer: This was my fifth pageant. It was my third time competing for Miss Lehi. And when I got crowned, they had said contestant number one, and I didn't even hear my name. I was on cloud nine. I was gone. I was out of it. And the very first thing I wanted to do was hug someone. So I immediately turned to Hope who was standing next to me and I just clung on to her and I don't remember much after that to be honest. Ryan: How long have you been in pageantry? Jennifer: I'd say I've been watching since I was like eight. I did not compete as a teen but I've been competing for three years now. Since 2022. Chapter 4: Service with Purpose Ryan: Tell us about your platform or cause that you ran on. Jennifer: Yeah. So mine was called the Front Porch. Well, is called the Front Porch. It still exists. I'm still doing stuff with it. It's to build social connection and a sense of community. And I got into this because during my gap year between high school and college, I felt super lonely. All I did was go to work and then come home and stay in my room. And I felt like I didn't know how to talk to people. And so I started listening to podcasts on how to talk to people. And I decided that this needs to be what I do for the rest of my life. And so that's what I've been doing. And I've been trying to spread that and get people out of their comfort zones and come to community events. Ryan: That's awesome. And has that been going well? Jennifer: Yeah, it has. We've been really busy. It's been great. Ryan: And Aspen, tell us about yours. Aspen: So my platform is Beyond a Bandage—the importance of first aid—and so I grew up in a healthcare family. From a young age, I wanted to be a pediatric nurse. So I thought what a better way to start on educating myself for the future but also helping others. So I chose teaching first aid. A lot of my prep was becoming certified in these skills myself and meeting with our first responders and different things like that, sharing tips and making the subject seem a little bit more approachable and not as scary. Chapter 5: Life in Lehi Ryan: What do you like most about Lehi? Jennifer? Jennifer: I like the amount of diversity we have here. We have small town and then we have big tech and we've also got some stuff over at Thanksgiving Point. And so I feel like there's so many different people you can talk to. But I think even with the amount of different people we have around here and the different values they have, we can still be able to have the city feel like home. Ryan: What about you, Aspen? Aspen: Oh, love Lehi. I love our community and how everybody is just so close together and connected. I think that's something that's very unique to Lehi city. It is the best. Ryan: Has anything surprised you about the community now that you're more involved? Jennifer: I felt like with my community service initiative with the Front Porch, I already knew a fair amount of the events that are happening in Lehi but now I've realized just how many there are because I'm always getting invited to them. There's a few of them like weekly. And it's just opened my eyes to how much is happening in Lehi. Aspen: I think how welcoming everybody was with the new royalty. I was a little bit nervous. I was like, I don't know how people are going to react, especially for me being so new to this. Most of the girls are very seasoned. And they were so welcoming and accepting at the parades. I'd hear people like cheering for me and stuff and it was just such a cool experience. So loving. They just welcomed us with opened arms. Chapter 6: Realities of Pageantry Ryan: What was one of the most challenging parts of the pageant? Jennifer: I think a lot of girls' hardest struggle is getting out of their head and being present. It's a very scary thing to do and you're critiquing how you're walking, you're critiquing how you're talking and so sometimes it feels like you're critiquing your personality, but you have to remember that you're not critiquing your personality, you're just polishing it. And to remember to not lose yourself in the process. Aspen: I feel like for me it was a lot of little things. You're reminded a lot of, hey, this is what you need to fix. This is what you need to do better. And it's not coming from a place of they're trying to tear you down. It's we want you to be the best version of yourself. So, that's a little bit intimidating. And I agree with Jennifer, just not getting lost in all the craziness and taking time to enjoy the experience because it's such a cool experience to have. Ryan: Anything surprise you about the pageant process? Aspen: I was surprised at how many resources they provided us and how many practices they provided us. I was under the impression that I was like, 'Okay, we're going to throw you on stage and you're going to compete in all these areas and we wish you luck.' And it was not that at all. There was lots of interview prep and dance prep and I had a lot of people helping me with my evening gown walk and my fitness walk. So, you come very prepared and I didn't expect to be so prepared. I feel like Lehi maybe is better at preparing the girls than some others. Chapter 7: Growing Through the Process Ryan: How has this experience helped you grow personally? Jennifer: There's a lot to be honest. I feel like it's a really life-changing experience. It's helped me refine who I am as a person and define myself and create a personal brand to make sure that I am similar across the board in everything I do. But I've also gained a lot of talking skills. I was not a great talker beforehand. Sometimes I still feel like I'm not. But lots of stuttering, not a lot of eye contact, and through a lot of interview practice, I've now become Miss Lehi, and now I get to do it every day. Aspen: I love the service that we've been able to do. I have always been told when you're serving others, you don't have time to feel down and sad about yourself. And I think that's so true in the positions that we're in—we're always serving. We're always trying to help others. And so it really fills your bucket and makes you so much happier. And then of course the skills that we've learned, interview skills. I feel more prepared to go into these job interviews and college interviews, public speaking, just holding yourself in a very classy, poised way that makes you maybe stand out more than someone who hasn't had the same training. Chapter 8: Advice for Aspiring Contestants Ryan: What advice would you give to young women looking at doing this? Jennifer: I would say take your first year as a learning experience. Most girls don't win their first year and so don't get too knocked down if you don't win. And know that next year you're going to be more prepared and it's going to be honestly a lot easier because you have a lot less groundwork you have to lay out. So be prepared for that. Aspen: I encourage everyone to do it that can or that is interested. I was very intimidated and scared by it. But just choose a topic for your platform that you're very passionate about. I mean, I chose something that I'm going into so that I can really speak from the heart about it and you can tell my passion for it. And don't get caught up in maybe what you think the pageant stereotype should be and what you should wear and how you should dress and how you should talk and just be yourself. Be bold. If you want to wear a crazy evening gown because it suits your personality, wear a crazy evening gown. They want to see the true you, not who you think they want you to be. Jennifer: Yeah, judges are looking for authenticity and they aren't looking for a cookie-cutter pageant queen. So, just come as you are. Chapter 9: Looking Ahead Ryan: What are your plans for the rest of your reign? Jennifer: I'm hoping to host my own event. I really want to have a band night and I want it to be for teens. While I was preparing for Miss Lehi, I asked a lot of people what event would get them to come to a city event and lots of the teens said a band night and they hadn't conversed with each other. They didn't hear each other's answers and so I was like okay well obviously this is popular so I need to get that done. I'd also really like to start a podcast actually, which is kind of funny because we're doing one right now. I want to have an everyday conversation podcast where I just sit and talk to people so that people who feel socially awkward can get ideas of how to answer questions, how to ask them, how to interact with someone to help them build their own self-confidence to get out of their room and go talk to people. Ryan: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years? Jennifer: I'll probably be out of college just barely. So, I'll just be starting my career. I am deciding if I want to go more of the events route or if I want to go more of the reporter route with my career. I'll either be going one or the other direction. But since I haven't been a full-time student since starting college, I've actually been in college for three years. I only just got out of being a freshman credit-wise. And so, I'm very grateful for the scholarship opportunity that I get out of being Miss Lehi. Now, I can be a full-time student. It won't take me eight years to get out of school. So, I'm very excited for that. Aspen: Hopefully married. I will be out of college. I'll be an RN. I will be working at Primary Children's and hopefully just getting to serve others. Still, bring light to others. Be a role model to others. Closing Ryan: Well, I think you both have very bright futures. I love what you're doing. I think you're both doing some great things and getting to know the city better. It's a great city that we're a part of and I think there's a lot of great people here. Any last messages you would share to people in Lehi? Jennifer: I'd say that Lehi is amazing and all the people in it are amazing and we have a very nice community here and I hope that people can get more involved in it as we keep growing. Aspen: I would just say never take living in this amazing city for granted. We are also blessed to have each other in such a strong, close-knit community, and hopefully we'll get to meet more of our city throughout the next little bit. And yeah, we're just so blessed to have this opportunity. Ryan: Good. Well, thank you both of you for coming on and good luck with the rest of the year with all that you guys are doing. Both: Thank you. Ryan: Do many good things. Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story and together we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Workheart Home Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Jennifer Connolly Aspen Kahoush Miss Lehi 2024 Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Miss Lehi 2024 Jennifer Connolly and First Attendant Aspen Kahoush discuss their pageant journeys, community service platforms, Lehi Utah community events, youth leadership, and the traditions shaping Lehi Utah. Jennifer Connolly Miss Lehi 2024. Aspen Kahoush Miss Lehi first attendant. Lehi Utah pageant history. Lehi community events. Lehi youth leadership. Lehi parades. Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Contact

Sally Francom: Lehi Free Press History | Roots & Branches

Sally Francom shares her mother's legacy as Lehi Free Press editor, reviving the paper in 2016, and why local journalism matters for Lehi, Utah's growing community.

Sally Francom on the Lehi Free Press, Family Legacy, and Keeping Local Journalism Alive

Who Is Sally Fowler Francom, and Why Does Her Story Matter?

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Growing Up in the Newsroom

Lehi's Original Google

The Obituary Run

The Paper Goes Dark

A Sister's Encouragement and a Risky Revival

Like Starting a Dairy

Asking About Homelessness Before Anyone Knew It Was Here

The Ted Bundy Sighting

A Blind Mother and the Paper She Can't See

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

Chapter 1: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi

Chapter 2: Meet Sally Fowler Francom

Chapter 3: Growing Up in Lehi

Chapter 4: The Legacy of the Lehi Free Press

Chapter 5: Reviving the Newspaper After Closure

Chapter 6: Challenges & Evolution of Local Journalism

Chapter 7: Community Impact & Reflections

Chapter 8: A Ted Bundy Sighting in Lehi

Chapter 9: Life of a Newspaper Editor

Chapter 10: Challenges of Modern Journalism

Chapter 11: The Role of AI in News

Chapter 12: The Future of the Lehi Free Press

Chapter 13: Why Local Journalism Still Matters

Chapter 14: Closing Thoughts & Acknowledgements

Sally Francom Lehi Free Press Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

Quick Links

Contact

A conversation with the publisher reviving Lehi's historic newspaper about her mother who wrote the entire paper alone, riding her bike to pick up obituaries, and why nobody's getting rich telling the truth.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

Sally Fowler Francom's story is woven directly into the fabric of Lehi, Utah . Growing up just five blocks from Main Street, she spent her childhood in the heart of a small farming town where everyone knew everyone—and where her mother, Betty Fowler, served as the longtime editor of the Lehi Free Press . Sally's memories of riding her bike to Wing Mortuary to pick up obituaries, doing homework in the newspaper office, and being raised by a neighborhood that looked out for one another paint a vivid picture of Lehi's close-knit past.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Sally to explore how her mother's legacy inspired her own unexpected journey into reviving the Lehi Free Press after it shut down in 2007. Her story highlights the importance of local journalism , the evolution of Lehi from a farming community of roughly 4,000 people to a booming tech hub, and the challenges of keeping a community informed in a rapidly changing world. Through her stewardship of Lehi's only news source, Sally offers a rare insider perspective on the city's growth, its people, and the value of preserving local stories.

For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah history , local journalism , Main Street businesses , community storytelling , or the families that shaped Lehi's institutions, this interview is essential listening. Sally's perspective bridges the Lehi of the 1970s—when her mother was the town's "original Google"—and the Lehi of today, where she fights to keep a weekly newspaper alive as both a print publication and a digital news source. Her interview is a powerful reminder of how family legacy, community service, and a deep love for one's hometown can shape not only a career but an entire community's historical memory.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https:

Sally Fowler Francom

Publisher of the Lehi Free Press; owner of Copper Light Communications

1970s–2020s

Ryan Harding

Sally describes growing up on Center Street, just five blocks from Main Street, and spending afternoons in her mother's newsroom. While Betty Fowler wrote the entire weekly Lehi Free Press by herself, Sally would do her homework at the office. Her mother started in 1970 by filling in for a woman who got sick—and stayed for 23 years. The office was located right on Main Street, in the heart of Lehi's business district, making the newspaper a central hub of community life.

Sally shares that her mother was "sort of like Lehi's original Google." People would come to their house asking where the police station was, where the cemetery was, where the gas station was. In a town of roughly 4,000 to 5,000 people where everybody knew everybody, Betty Fowler was at the center of everything—writing stories from the police blotter to obituaries to city hall coverage. She eventually stopped using bylines because she wrote the entire paper herself and found it redundant to put her name on every story.

One of Sally's most vivid childhood memories was being sent on her bike to Wing Mortuary to pick up obituaries from Ralph Wing. It was the job she hated most because she was terrified she might see a dead body. She would ride her bike across town, pick up the obituary, take it back to her mother's office, and Betty would type it up and get the photo. It's a small-town detail that captures how intimately connected the newspaper was to the rhythms of community life.

The Lehi Free Press had been published continuously since the late 1800s, surviving the era when Lehi had two competing newspapers—the Lehi Sun and the Lehi Free Press . But after the Provo Daily Herald acquired it along with the American Fork Citizen and Pleasant Grove Review , the 2007 market crash led the Herald to abandon all three weeklies. From 2007 to 2015, Lehi had no newspaper at all.

After moving back to Utah in 2013 following a divorce, Sally's sister Donna Barnes—another longtime Lehi resident—convinced her to restart the paper. Sally did the legal work to acquire the name, DBA, and federal trademark, then launched the new Lehi Free Press in 2016. She looks back now and laughs: "Anybody who starts a weekly in 2016... what was I thinking?" In the digital age, reviving a print weekly seemed almost absurd, but she believed local news was too important to let disappear.

Sally explains that running the paper is like running a dairy: "How do you stop the dairy? The cows need to be milked." She's been begged by staff to go biweekly, but because they publish legal notices and public notices on a strict timeline, they have to be weekly. That relentless Tuesday deadline means the paper never stops—and neither does she. She's now in the 10th year of publication and approaching the 11th.

During a mayoral debate Sally hosted at Traverse Mountain around 2018, she asked the candidates how they were proactively dealing with homelessness. The audience was stunned—many didn't realize Lehi had homeless residents at all. Sally, who worked in Salt Lake and saw the problem there, felt it was a relevant question. At the time, Lehi didn't have a visible homelessness issue, but she saw what was coming. Today, she notes, the city does.

In one of the paper's most viral stories, Sally's sister wrote about their father being convinced he saw Ted Bundy's Volkswagen parked at Wines's Park. The story was framed as opinion and folklore—"my dad thinks he saw Ted Bundy"—but when they posted it online with a photo of Bundy, it went viral. Readers were shocked: "Ted Bundy came to Lehi?" Sally acknowledges it may be folklore, but the story demonstrates how local history and family memory become part of the community narrative.

Sally shares a touching moment from the office: a woman came in because the post office hadn't delivered her paper that week. She explained, "I take it home and my mom's blind now, but I read the whole thing to her." It's moments like these that keep Sally committed to the print edition, even as she knows the future is digital. The paper serves a senior community that relies on the physical weekly in ways that online news can't replicate.

Sally's interview offers rare perspective on Lehi's transformation from a tight-knit farming town to one of Utah's fastest-growing cities. Here are key historical insights from her firsthand experience:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Ryan Harding: Welcome Sally Fowler Francom to the podcast Roots and Branches of Lehi. Excited to have you here.

Sally Francom: Thanks Ryan.

Ryan: You were just telling me a little bit, so let's kind of dive into this. Originally you are from Lehi then?

Sally: Yes. I grew up five blocks from here on 517 North Center Street. Super close. And I lived here until I was 17. I left to go to BYU. At that point, but I grew up right here basically on Main Street.

Sally: My mother, Betty Fowler, was the editor of the Lehi Free Press all through my growing up years. She started by filling in for a woman who got sick and never left. That was in 1970. My mother was the editor of the Lehi Free Press. It was a weekly at that time. She did that for 23 years. That was all part of my growing up experience. Her office was literally just west of your office here, right here on Main Street.

As a kid, I would come over here after school and hang out with my mom and do my homework at her office. It was great.

Ryan: Was that her background? Had she had any journalism background?

Sally: She was a cultured lady. She was a writer. She had a gift—which I don't have. She was sort of like Lehi's original Google. People would come to our house when I was growing up and ask questions like, "Where's the police station? Where's the cemetery? Where's the gas station?" She was sort of in the middle of everything. Back in those days, Lehi was a town of about four or five thousand people. Everybody pretty much knew everybody, and mom was writing stories from the police blotter to helping with obituaries to covering city hall to doing all of it. She basically wrote the entire paper herself.

Ryan: You got quite the legacy there. Her story is quite unique. It's a family legacy.

Sally: The Lehi Free Press is a historic name in Lehi. It goes back to the 1800s. There were two competing newspapers at the time. One was called the Lehi Sun and one was called the Lehi Free Press. Eventually they joined together, and the Lehi Free Press was published consistently all through the late 1800s, all through the 1900s. Up until 2007, it had gone through some ownership changes. The most recent one was it was acquired by the Provo Daily Herald. They acquired two other papers, the American Fork Citizen and the Pleasant Grove Review. When the market crashed in 2007, they abandoned those weeklies. There was basically no newspaper in Lehi from 2007 to 2015. I did the legal work to acquire the name and the DBA and the federal trademark. I moved back to Utah in 2013.

Sally: I had raised my family in the Bay Area after I went to BYU. I ended up divorced, moved back to Utah, and my sister Donna Barnes, who's a longtime Lehi person, convinced me to restart the paper. Anybody who starts a weekly in 2016—I honestly look back at that and go, "What was I thinking?"

Ryan: In the digital age and different things like that.

Sally: But we have a very robust online presence. Lehifreepress.com gets a lot of views. We believe local news is super important. We focus on sports and kids and youth and city hall and local politics and elections. We have a group of independent contractors called stringers—photographers, journalists. We have about 20 who all contribute to Lehi Free Press in any given week. It's actually kind of a robust little company, but not extremely profitable. I run a separate company called Copper Light Communications, which is a marketing firm that actually earns me a living. Lehi Free Press is essentially a gift to the community. We've been doing it now for nine years, almost 10 years. Next year in April will be our official—we will have published going into our 11th year. We're in our 10th year of publication.

Ryan: Is Copper Light affiliated with Lehi Free Press in any way?

Sally: Totally separate company. It's a sister company in the sense that we sometimes share clients. I never thought this would happen. My degree is from BYU in media sales management, journalism and broadcasting. I spent my younger years in television sales and management. Then I moved my family to California, raised them there, and I was in web publishing at that time. I had the skills to do it, but starting it was very scary. It kept me up at night. We joke in the family that it was like starting a dairy. How do you stop the dairy? The cows need to be milked. Once you're in it, you're in it.

I've been begged by certain employees—can we just do a biweekly? Can we go to every two weeks? But we publish legal notices and public notices, and those are on a very strict editorial timeline. We can't. We have to be weekly. It creates more credibility and trust with the community when they know you're going to be published every single week.

These are mailed out by subscription. For Lehi residents, it's $70 a year, which frankly we lose money with every subscription because of increasing printing costs and mailing costs. The US Postal Service gave us a 9% increase in July. It's a never-ending story. We also distribute throughout Lehi, so anybody in Lehi may receive the Lehi Free Press in their mailbox intermittently, usually every 3 months, because we like people to sample it. We don't apologize for the fact that the paper side serves the senior community. We love the senior community in Lehi and we serve them.

Ryan: How has Lehi Free Press evolved from 2016 till now?

Sally: We've always had a robust online presence, and it has just grown. People typically don't understand how hard something is when you start a business. The news business is hard because everything has to be 100% accurate all the time. Accuracy, truthfulness, honesty—that's all you have as far as your reputation. When people accuse us of publishing fake news and they troll us online, sometimes I've gotten to the point where I've got a pretty thick skin, but at the beginning it really irritated me when people would question our ethics. Nobody's getting rich. Nobody's getting kickbacks from politicians. It's just not what's happening in Lehi, Utah.

Ryan: I've interviewed several public servants, and one thing I take from it is none of these guys are getting rich. They just want to serve.

Sally: That's what we're doing. We're doing this as a public service.

Ryan: How do you feel about being the steward? There's only one newspaper in Lehi, and it's you.

Sally: Lehi is lucky to have us, I'll be honest. Most cities don't have a newspaper. Not only do they not have a newspaper, they don't have a news entity. I sort of don't like it when we're called a newspaper, because we're more of a news source. We have our online presence. The newspaper is sort of the relentless dog chasing you because you have a deadline every Tuesday. But we publish every day. We're more of a news source than we are just a newspaper.

I grew up in the best place ever. Everybody knew everybody. I have nine siblings and I'm a twin. My twin sister and I are the youngest of 10 children. We like to joke that the neighborhood raised us. The neighbor ladies would say, "Hey you two twins, you go home now." It was a great place to grow up. It was a farming community. My dad was a dry farmer. My mother was the editor of the local paper. It was a wonderful place to be. I do love my hometown. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't.

But I've also seen it grow, and it has its growing pains. Especially with LDS families—they like to marry and have kids, and where are their kids going to live? And then people moving in because of the tech boom. We love what we do. We have dedicated writers and contributors and other staff. Nobody's getting paid what they deserve, but everybody's doing it because they like contributing to the community.

Ryan: What role do you think the newspaper has in helping make this community stronger?

Sally: We try to be the truth tellers. We're also trying to tell a lot of the positive stories that are happening. We try to share what's good and maybe not so good about the community. That's what a good news entity does. We don't have the financial underpinnings that KSL or the Daily Herald have, but we have a desire, and we have many people who are journalists writing stories. It's tough, especially politics. Government is tough because half the people are going to hate any public official. We put out so much good work, so when we get criticized for doing what we do—considering we're doing it as a public service—that's a bummer. But that comes with the business.

Ryan: How do you pick and choose what gets printed?

Sally: We have an editorial meeting every single week. I am ultimately the one who chooses the stories that will be published online. Not all our content is published online—some of it's not appropriate for digital, like really senior-focused stuff. If you really want everything we have, you have to get the subscription. We also have an email newsletter for $3.99 a month. Anybody can get our weekly email and basically a compilation of the biggest stories of the week.

There are stories that we miss. The only reason we typically miss big stories is because we don't have the ability to be someplace at 3:00 in the morning when the cops get there. We don't have the legs that bigger news organizations have in terms of large staff.

Ryan: Do you try to stay neutral?

Sally: We 100% try to stay neutral. That is reflected from me down through the organization. I try to consume news from the left and from the right and stay right in the middle. We've been accused of not being that, but in Lehi we really don't talk about Trump or national politics. What affects us is a new road on 21st North. What affects us is parking at the high school. What affects us are local politicians making development decisions about housing and retail. Local education and local politics affect people, so we try to cover that vigorously and be completely neutral—just the facts. No one has an agenda.

We try to hold the government accountable, because if nobody's watching what's happening in city council, how does everybody know what happened? Most people aren't tuning in to those meetings. We try to report as vigorously as we can on local government.

Ryan: Anything fascinating you've learned being the daughter of somebody in the newspaper business?

Sally: I look back on what my mom did writing the entire paper. She got to the point where she got tired of using a byline, so she just stopped putting a byline on all her stories because she wrote the whole thing. Anything you read from 1970 to 1993 that doesn't have a byline—Betty Fowler wrote it. What would surprise people is how prolific she was, how accurate she was, and how funny she was. I stand in awe of my mother. We literally have up to 20 contributors in any given issue, and she did the whole thing herself, including the layout. I see why she would come home exhausted on Tuesdays.

Russ Enis was the owner when she first started, so he was going out selling ads. She was doing all of the editorial. A funny story is she would make me go to Wing Mortuary to pick up the obituary from Ralph Wing. I'd ride my bike over there, pick it up, take it back to her office. She'd type it up and get the picture. That was super small town.

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Sally Fowler Francom Role in Lehi Publisher of the Lehi Free Press; owner of Copper Light Communications Time Periods Discussed 1970s–2020s Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview Growing Up in the Newsroom Sally describes growing up on Center Street, just five blocks from Main Street, and spending afternoons in her mother's newsroom. While Betty Fowler wrote the entire weekly Lehi Free Press by herself, Sally would do her homework at the office. Her mother started in 1970 by filling in for a woman who got sick—and stayed for 23 years. The office was located right on Main Street, in the heart of Lehi's business district, making the newspaper a central hub of community life. Lehi's Original Google Sally shares that her mother was "sort of like Lehi's original Google." People would come to their house asking where the police station was, where the cemetery was, where the gas station was. In a town of roughly 4,000 to 5,000 people where everybody knew everybody, Betty Fowler was at the center of everything—writing stories from the police blotter to obituaries to city hall coverage. She eventually stopped using bylines because she wrote the entire paper herself and found it redundant to put her name on every story. The Obituary Run One of Sally's most vivid childhood memories was being sent on her bike to Wing Mortuary to pick up obituaries from Ralph Wing. It was the job she hated most because she was terrified she might see a dead body. She would ride her bike across town, pick up the obituary, take it back to her mother's office, and Betty would type it up and get the photo. It's a small-town detail that captures how intimately connected the newspaper was to the rhythms of community life. The Paper Goes Dark The Lehi Free Press had been published continuously since the late 1800s, surviving the era when Lehi had two competing newspapers—the Lehi Sun and the Lehi Free Press . But after the Provo Daily Herald acquired it along with the American Fork Citizen and Pleasant Grove Review , the 2007 market crash led the Herald to abandon all three weeklies. From 2007 to 2015, Lehi had no newspaper at all. A Sister's Encouragement and a Risky Revival After moving back to Utah in 2013 following a divorce, Sally's sister Donna Barnes—another longtime Lehi resident—convinced her to restart the paper. Sally did the legal work to acquire the name, DBA, and federal trademark, then launched the new Lehi Free Press in 2016. She looks back now and laughs: "Anybody who starts a weekly in 2016... what was I thinking?" In the digital age, reviving a print weekly seemed almost absurd, but she believed local news was too important to let disappear. Like Starting a Dairy Sally explains that running the paper is like running a dairy: "How do you stop the dairy? The cows need to be milked." She's been begged by staff to go biweekly, but because they publish legal notices and public notices on a strict timeline, they have to be weekly. That relentless Tuesday deadline means the paper never stops—and neither does she. She's now in the 10th year of publication and approaching the 11th. Asking About Homelessness Before Anyone Knew It Was Here During a mayoral debate Sally hosted at Traverse Mountain around 2018, she asked the candidates how they were proactively dealing with homelessness. The audience was stunned—many didn't realize Lehi had homeless residents at all. Sally, who worked in Salt Lake and saw the problem there, felt it was a relevant question. At the time, Lehi didn't have a visible homelessness issue, but she saw what was coming. Today, she notes, the city does. The Ted Bundy Sighting In one of the paper's most viral stories, Sally's sister wrote about their father being convinced he saw Ted Bundy's Volkswagen parked at Wines's Park. The story was framed as opinion and folklore—"my dad thinks he saw Ted Bundy"—but when they posted it online with a photo of Bundy, it went viral. Readers were shocked: "Ted Bundy came to Lehi?" Sally acknowledges it may be folklore, but the story demonstrates how local history and family memory become part of the community narrative. A Blind Mother and the Paper She Can't See Sally shares a touching moment from the office: a woman came in because the post office hadn't delivered her paper that week. She explained, "I take it home and my mom's blind now, but I read the whole thing to her." It's moments like these that keep Sally committed to the print edition, even as she knows the future is digital. The paper serves a senior community that relies on the physical weekly in ways that online news can't replicate. History Historical Insights About Lehi Sally's interview offers rare perspective on Lehi's transformation from a tight-knit farming town to one of Utah's fastest-growing cities. Here are key historical insights from her firsthand experience: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Chapter 1: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Chapter 2: Meet Sally Fowler Francom Ryan Harding: Welcome Sally Fowler Francom to the podcast Roots and Branches of Lehi. Excited to have you here. Sally Francom: Thanks Ryan. Ryan: You were just telling me a little bit, so let's kind of dive into this. Originally you are from Lehi then? Chapter 3: Growing Up in Lehi Sally: Yes. I grew up five blocks from here on 517 North Center Street. Super close. And I lived here until I was 17. I left to go to BYU. At that point, but I grew up right here basically on Main Street. Chapter 4: The Legacy of the Lehi Free Press Sally: My mother, Betty Fowler, was the editor of the Lehi Free Press all through my growing up years. She started by filling in for a woman who got sick and never left. That was in 1970. My mother was the editor of the Lehi Free Press. It was a weekly at that time. She did that for 23 years. That was all part of my growing up experience. Her office was literally just west of your office here, right here on Main Street. As a kid, I would come over here after school and hang out with my mom and do my homework at her office. It was great. Ryan: Was that her background? Had she had any journalism background? Sally: She was a cultured lady. She was a writer. She had a gift—which I don't have. She was sort of like Lehi's original Google. People would come to our house when I was growing up and ask questions like, "Where's the police station? Where's the cemetery? Where's the gas station?" She was sort of in the middle of everything. Back in those days, Lehi was a town of about four or five thousand people. Everybody pretty much knew everybody, and mom was writing stories from the police blotter to helping with obituaries to covering city hall to doing all of it. She basically wrote the entire paper herself. Ryan: You got quite the legacy there. Her story is quite unique. It's a family legacy. Sally: The Lehi Free Press is a historic name in Lehi. It goes back to the 1800s. There were two competing newspapers at the time. One was called the Lehi Sun and one was called the Lehi Free Press. Eventually they joined together, and the Lehi Free Press was published consistently all through the late 1800s, all through the 1900s. Up until 2007, it had gone through some ownership changes. The most recent one was it was acquired by the Provo Daily Herald. They acquired two other papers, the American Fork Citizen and the Pleasant Grove Review. When the market crashed in 2007, they abandoned those weeklies. There was basically no newspaper in Lehi from 2007 to 2015. I did the legal work to acquire the name and the DBA and the federal trademark. I moved back to Utah in 2013. Chapter 5: Reviving the Newspaper After Closure Sally: I had raised my family in the Bay Area after I went to BYU. I ended up divorced, moved back to Utah, and my sister Donna Barnes, who's a longtime Lehi person, convinced me to restart the paper. Anybody who starts a weekly in 2016—I honestly look back at that and go, "What was I thinking?" Ryan: In the digital age and different things like that. Sally: But we have a very robust online presence. Lehifreepress.com gets a lot of views. We believe local news is super important. We focus on sports and kids and youth and city hall and local politics and elections. We have a group of independent contractors called stringers—photographers, journalists. We have about 20 who all contribute to Lehi Free Press in any given week. It's actually kind of a robust little company, but not extremely profitable. I run a separate company called Copper Light Communications, which is a marketing firm that actually earns me a living. Lehi Free Press is essentially a gift to the community. We've been doing it now for nine years, almost 10 years. Next year in April will be our official—we will have published going into our 11th year. We're in our 10th year of publication. Ryan: Is Copper Light affiliated with Lehi Free Press in any way? Sally: Totally separate company. It's a sister company in the sense that we sometimes share clients. I never thought this would happen. My degree is from BYU in media sales management, journalism and broadcasting. I spent my younger years in television sales and management. Then I moved my family to California, raised them there, and I was in web publishing at that time. I had the skills to do it, but starting it was very scary. It kept me up at night. We joke in the family that it was like starting a dairy. How do you stop the dairy? The cows need to be milked. Once you're in it, you're in it. I've been begged by certain employees—can we just do a biweekly? Can we go to every two weeks? But we publish legal notices and public notices, and those are on a very strict editorial timeline. We can't. We have to be weekly. It creates more credibility and trust with the community when they know you're going to be published every single week. These are mailed out by subscription. For Lehi residents, it's $70 a year, which frankly we lose money with every subscription because of increasing printing costs and mailing costs. The US Postal Service gave us a 9% increase in July. It's a never-ending story. We also distribute throughout Lehi, so anybody in Lehi may receive the Lehi Free Press in their mailbox intermittently, usually every 3 months, because we like people to sample it. We don't apologize for the fact that the paper side serves the senior community. We love the senior community in Lehi and we serve them. Chapter 6: Challenges & Evolution of Local Journalism Ryan: How has Lehi Free Press evolved from 2016 till now? Sally: We've always had a robust online presence, and it has just grown. People typically don't understand how hard something is when you start a business. The news business is hard because everything has to be 100% accurate all the time. Accuracy, truthfulness, honesty—that's all you have as far as your reputation. When people accuse us of publishing fake news and they troll us online, sometimes I've gotten to the point where I've got a pretty thick skin, but at the beginning it really irritated me when people would question our ethics. Nobody's getting rich. Nobody's getting kickbacks from politicians. It's just not what's happening in Lehi, Utah. Ryan: I've interviewed several public servants, and one thing I take from it is none of these guys are getting rich. They just want to serve. Sally: That's what we're doing. We're doing this as a public service. Ryan: How do you feel about being the steward? There's only one newspaper in Lehi, and it's you. Sally: Lehi is lucky to have us, I'll be honest. Most cities don't have a newspaper. Not only do they not have a newspaper, they don't have a news entity. I sort of don't like it when we're called a newspaper, because we're more of a news source. We have our online presence. The newspaper is sort of the relentless dog chasing you because you have a deadline every Tuesday. But we publish every day. We're more of a news source than we are just a newspaper. I grew up in the best place ever. Everybody knew everybody. I have nine siblings and I'm a twin. My twin sister and I are the youngest of 10 children. We like to joke that the neighborhood raised us. The neighbor ladies would say, "Hey you two twins, you go home now." It was a great place to grow up. It was a farming community. My dad was a dry farmer. My mother was the editor of the local paper. It was a wonderful place to be. I do love my hometown. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't. But I've also seen it grow, and it has its growing pains. Especially with LDS families—they like to marry and have kids, and where are their kids going to live? And then people moving in because of the tech boom. We love what we do. We have dedicated writers and contributors and other staff. Nobody's getting paid what they deserve, but everybody's doing it because they like contributing to the community. Ryan: What role do you think the newspaper has in helping make this community stronger? Sally: We try to be the truth tellers. We're also trying to tell a lot of the positive stories that are happening. We try to share what's good and maybe not so good about the community. That's what a good news entity does. We don't have the financial underpinnings that KSL or the Daily Herald have, but we have a desire, and we have many people who are journalists writing stories. It's tough, especially politics. Government is tough because half the people are going to hate any public official. We put out so much good work, so when we get criticized for doing what we do—considering we're doing it as a public service—that's a bummer. But that comes with the business. Ryan: How do you pick and choose what gets printed? Sally: We have an editorial meeting every single week. I am ultimately the one who chooses the stories that will be published online. Not all our content is published online—some of it's not appropriate for digital, like really senior-focused stuff. If you really want everything we have, you have to get the subscription. We also have an email newsletter for $3.99 a month. Anybody can get our weekly email and basically a compilation of the biggest stories of the week. There are stories that we miss. The only reason we typically miss big stories is because we don't have the ability to be someplace at 3:00 in the morning when the cops get there. We don't have the legs that bigger news organizations have in terms of large staff. Ryan: Do you try to stay neutral? Sally: We 100% try to stay neutral. That is reflected from me down through the organization. I try to consume news from the left and from the right and stay right in the middle. We've been accused of not being that, but in Lehi we really don't talk about Trump or national politics. What affects us is a new road on 21st North. What affects us is parking at the high school. What affects us are local politicians making development decisions about housing and retail. Local education and local politics affect people, so we try to cover that vigorously and be completely neutral—just the facts. No one has an agenda. We try to hold the government accountable, because if nobody's watching what's happening in city council, how does everybody know what happened? Most people aren't tuning in to those meetings. We try to report as vigorously as we can on local government. Ryan: Anything fascinating you've learned being the daughter of somebody in the newspaper business? Sally: I look back on what my mom did writing the entire paper. She got to the point where she got tired of using a byline, so she just stopped putting a byline on all her stories because she wrote the whole thing. Anything you read from 1970 to 1993 that doesn't have a byline—Betty Fowler wrote it. What would surprise people is how prolific she was, how accurate she was, and how funny she was. I stand in awe of my mother. We literally have up to 20 contributors in any given issue, and she did the whole thing herself, including the layout. I see why she would come home exhausted on Tuesdays. Russ Enis was the owner when she first started, so he was going out selling ads. She was doing all of the editorial. A funny story is she would make me go to Wing Mortuary to pick up the obituary from Ralph Wing. I'd ride my bike over there, pick it up, take it back to her office. She'd type it up and get the picture. That was super small town. Chapter 7: Community Impact & Reflections Ryan: How have you seen Lehi change from when you were a child to now? Sally: A lot of the same family-loving vibe is still here. People try to grow that in their neighborhoods and be kind and neighborly. The last few years have been tough because the growth has brought some big city problems. I remember during an election debate we hosted at Traverse Mountain, Mark Johnson was running for mayor and Bert Wilson was running for re-election. We asked about how we're proactively dealing with homelessness. Everybody was like, "Wait, what? Do we have homeless people?" Back in 2018 we did not have any homeless people in Lehi, at least none anybody was aware of. Now we do. We also have terrible crimes, really bad accidents, and the SVU crime unit in Lehi is very active and busy, which is tragic. A lot of times it's people meeting here, and also homegrown criminals. The proliferation of big city crime is sad, but Lehi is still a very safe place. Our Police Department does a great job. It's just a product of the growth. It's an interesting dilemma with our growth. I think our government has been pro-family, which is great, but the other side is you have to find a place for people to live. Lehi's been relatively pro-development over the past 25 years. If a builder wants to develop a multi-family development, the city's generally happy to see that happen. But it brings crowded roads and more people. Ryan: Any headlines or stories that have been particularly memorable? Sally: A funny one was we wrote a story about Ted Bundy, because Ted Bundy is probably the most notorious killer that ever came from Utah. My dad was convinced he saw Ted Bundy's Volkswagen at Wines's Park. His Volkswagen was kind of iconic. My sister wrote a story about it—an opinion piece, "My dad thinks he saw Ted Bundy." We put a picture of Ted Bundy in there and posted it online, and it went crazy. People were like, "What? Ted Bundy came to Lehi?" That was my dad's recollection. It may be folklore, but we wrote about it and it went viral. It was funny. Chapter 8: A Ted Bundy Sighting in Lehi [See Chapter 7 for the Ted Bundy story discussion.] Chapter 9: Life of a Newspaper Editor Ryan: What does a typical work week look like for you? Sally: We make assignments every Wednesday. We have a digital tool that sends story assignment links to all our reporters and photographers. They upload their story through that link, and it all goes into one central spreadsheet over a period of days. Tuesday morning, my co-editor and I look at our editorial queue. On every line there's multiple items attached—photos, documents, graphics. We reorder that document, edit every word and caption for clarity and grammar. We use AP style. That process of ordering, editing, and curating—deciding what's front page news—that's the two of us. By Tuesday night, all that data has been loaded into our online publication tool, Adobe InDesign, and sent to the printer. That frenzy happens every Tuesday. Chapter 10: Challenges of Modern Journalism Ryan: What are some of the challenges of producing a paper in this landscape? Sally: Every week we print at least 3,500 copies. Most are mailed bulk mail to postal routes throughout Lehi. Our subscribers get them every single week. The file is sent Tuesday night, printed Wednesday morning. Our printer is the Transcript Bulletin in Tooele. They've been our partner from the beginning. It's gotten more and more expensive. We print on a nicer stock than the cheapest newspaper—a broadsheet. I could have passed off editing years ago, but I'm picky and like it to be as good as possible. A lot of historic information is housed inside of me. If there's a story about something historical, I often change it because sometimes they aren't right. It helps to be from Lehi. We're active on social media—Instagram, Facebook. We get comments all the time. Some are not appreciated. If anybody makes a comment that is crude or curses, I remove it. Our audience has grown, which is good. The print presence has decreased and the digital presence has increased, which was expected. Ryan: Do you have a lot of young journalists? Sally: We've had some wonderful interns. Right now we're not because it can be a mixed bag, but we've had great young people. One of them I would hire full-time today if I could. They're very coachable. They get what we do. Being a journalist right now is hard because the industry is not growing. But there's a place for good journalism. Ryan: What advice would you give young people thinking about journalism? Sally: Learn how to write. Most young people don't know how to write. Learn the five W's—what, where, when, why, how. Follow that format. We do a lot of teaching. Every week in our editorial meeting, we teach about headlines, captions, story flow, story content, how to organize a story. We use Grammarly Professional, but it doesn't use AP style and sometimes it's wrong. It's great for correcting things we miss because of the volume of work. We don't use AI for grassroots reporting, only for correction. I could see using it to summarize meetings. Some city council and planning commission meetings are five or six hours. It's hard to find somebody willing to sit for six hours when there's a lot of ums and a's and pauses. We could use AI to consolidate meetings and squish data into smaller chunks, then go back and get quotes and find the most important parts. But you miss nuance—physical interaction, tone of voice. A transcription is just the words, not the interaction. Chapter 11: The Role of AI in News [See Chapter 10 for AI discussion.] Chapter 12: The Future of the Lehi Free Press Ryan: Are you optimistic about the future of Lehi and the newspaper? Sally: Optimistic for sure. Lehi is full of wonderful people. I think Lehi needs more recreational facilities—robust ones. I go to Saratoga Springs and see Patriot Park, or Spanish Fork with giant baseball fields, and I feel jealous. I also think Lehi needs a really beautiful art auditorium, a facility for large-scale productions. I was a band nerd in high school. But there's a lot we do have. It's a great place to be. Knowing what I know, what would surprise people? We have an issue with east-west traffic corridors. People don't understand how complex those are because a lot are state roads. You're dealing with legislative issues, legislative money, legislative appropriations. It's not just Lehi allowing people to drive through. Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain developed out there, and now the net effect is people driving east-west through Lehi. Between MAG, Lehi, the legislature, and the federal government, they've all been involved. We just published a story about Lehi and American Fork entering an agreement to expand the Pony Express. People complain that Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain should pay. That's not going to happen. Why would they pay for a road outside their city? These problems require a coalition of entities to solve together. They're difficult from a funding standpoint and an ideological standpoint. It takes time, money, effort, and commitment. I think our elected officials have tried and are trying. I wish these problems were solved yesterday, along with everybody else. I'm probably one of the few who has a sense of the complexity. Ryan: Where do you see the future for Lehi and the newspaper? Sally: Lehi real estate will continue to increase because it's a beautiful spot between Salt Lake and Provo. As for the Lehi Free Press, eventually we will be a digital-only entity. That's probably an inevitability. I don't know when. All I know is it gets harder to publish in print with every postal service increase. It costs us about $2 a paper to create, print, and mail. Our subscription rate is $70 a year, so the math doesn't work. We try to make up costs through advertising, legals, obituaries, and miscellaneous income. I hate the idea of going digital-only because so many people come in and say, "Please don't stop. I look forward to my paper." We had a couple come in the other day. She got it for her mom. She said, "The post office didn't deliver it this week." She said, "I take it home and my mom's blind now, but I read the whole thing to her." How sweet is that? We want to continue it. Parents come down and get the paper when their kids are in it. They'll buy a couple copies for a dollar each. Sometimes I'll say, "You're welcome to subscribe." They never will. At this point I'm kind of over it, but what we do costs money. We would love more support, but I'm not going to go begging. We do need the support of the community. We get a lot from the senior population and from some advertisers. We've had long-term advertisers who have done very well with us, and we're always looking for more. Ryan: Do you think there's a time when Lehi Free Press would be gone again? Sally: No. At some point I'll pass it off to whoever is the next steward. I see it as a community asset. Technically it's my asset, but I don't think of it like a house. I think of it more as community property. At some point I'll retire and somebody else will take up the torch. Somebody I trust, who understands what we do and has a sense of the news business. Probably within the next 10 years. Chapter 13: Why Local Journalism Still Matters Ryan: Is there anything we didn't cover? Sally: I wanted to say that the people who have contributed—my sister Donna, long-term people like Nicole Kunzie, who's now on the planning commission, Skyler Beltran, who's now the county commissioner, and reporters like Arla Cook, Eden Johnson, and Wendy Klein—there are people who have been so devoted. Nobody gets paid what they deserve, but every reporter gets paid for every story. We have a very devoted, dedicated, and talented group. I probably don't give them the credit they deserve. It's a team effort. All I did was dive in the deep end and fund the operation in the beginning. We couldn't do it without our staff. They're great. Ryan: That's part of why we're doing this podcast—a sense of community. Sally: Lehi Free Press exists because of what the community has done. I think people don't understand how hard journalism is. They accuse us of being left leaning or right leaning, and all we're doing is reporting the facts. Everything you see online that was written by a person costs money to produce. We've gotten so used to getting free stuff. People in Lehi get the paper for free intermittently. I've had people come in and say, "I didn't get my paper this week." I say, "Are you a subscriber?" No. "Have you paid?" No, it's free. It says Lehi Free Press right there. I have to explain that's a historic name. It's about freedom of the press. There's nothing free about Lehi Free Press. Ryan: Why do you think journalism has gotten so hard? Sally: It's mind-boggling to me. What motivation would I possibly have to do something this difficult? I have zero motivation to publish anything that is not absolutely factual. There's nothing in that for me. People tend to be really polarized. They won't listen to anything that doesn't fit their worldview. We tend to get in one camp, zip the tent shut, and aren't willing to look at somebody else's experience. It's a mistake. We do it with politics, neighborhoods, and faith. It's important to be curious, listen to other people, and listen to multiple points of view. It makes you a better student, a better learner. That's what we're doing—sharing information, teaching, sharing news, hoping people learn. There's no deep state influence. Nobody's paying me. No pockets are getting lined. We celebrate kids. We celebrate people's accomplishments and help share all the good news. We're probably a little fluffier than we should be, but we've always tried to share what's good about our community. Who couldn't use more of that? Chapter 14: Closing Thoughts & Acknowledgements Ryan: Sally, thanks for coming on. Sally: Thank you, Ryan. Appreciate you. Ryan: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. We'd love to hear from you. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Harding Home Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Sally Francom Lehi Free Press Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Sally Fowler Francom Lehi Utah interview about Lehi Free Press history, local journalism, Betty Fowler, Lehi newspaper revival, and community storytelling. Sally Francom Lehi Utah. Lehi Free Press history. Lehi Utah newspaper. Local journalism in Utah. Lehi community stories. Lehi Main Street history. Fowler family Lehi. Lehi city growth. Utah small town newspapers. Lehi Free Press revival. Lehi Utah oral histories. Betty Fowler Lehi Free Press editor. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Contact

Kay Christofferson on Lehi Roots & Public Service | Roots & Branches

Utah State Rep. Kay Christofferson shares his lifelong Lehi story—from pioneer descendant to civil engineer to legislator—on growth, transportation, water, power, and preserving community in one of Utah’s fastest-growing cities.

Kay Christofferson on Lehi Roots, Public Service, and Guiding Utah's Growth

Who Is Kay Christofferson, and Why Does His Story Matter?

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Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Descended from Lehi Pioneer David Evans

A Childhood of Open Fields and Unlocked Doors

32 Years in Construction and Engineering

Turning the 2008 Recession into a Family Project

The Last-Minute Campaign That Launched a Legislative Career

Securing $60 Million for Corridor Preservation

Service at Covington Assisted Living

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

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Kay Christofferson Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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A multigenerational Lehi native, Utah State Representative Kay Christofferson shares his journey from the old Lehi Hospital to the State Capitol—preserving pioneer heritage while shaping transportation, infrastructure, and the future of a booming Utah County.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Utah State Representative Kay Christofferson , a lifelong Lehi resident whose family roots stretch back to the city's earliest pioneer days. Born in the old Lehi Hospital and raised across from Lehi Elementary, Kay grew up in a small farming town where kids rode bikes to Saratoga Springs, neighbors left their doors unlocked, and the Round Up Rodeo brought the entire community together. His story is a rare bridge between Lehi's rural past and its high-growth present—a living chronicle of how a close-knit, 8,000-person farming community became one of the fastest-growing cities along the Wasatch Front.

Kay's interview matters because it captures the perspective of someone who has lived every chapter of Lehi's modern history. After a 32-year career in civil engineering and construction, he unexpectedly entered public service following the 2008 recession, winning election to the Utah House of Representatives in 2012. Today he chairs the House Transportation Committee and serves on committees overseeing public utilities, energy, technology, and federalism. His legislative work has secured tens of millions in corridor preservation funding, and his engineering background gives him a uniquely practical voice on growth, infrastructure, and government efficiency.

For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah history , pioneer heritage , Utah transportation planning , local government , Lehi growth and development , or how small-town values translate into state-level leadership, this interview offers indispensable context. Whether you remember Geneva Steel, rodeo days at the old grounds, or the first subdivisions pushing toward Eagle Mountain, Kay Christofferson's memories and insights illuminate where Lehi has been—and where it must go to manage its next phase of growth.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Kay Christofferson

Utah State Representative; former civil engineer and construction executive; lifelong Lehi resident; branch president at Covington Assisted Living

1950s–2020s, covering small-town Lehi, the Geneva Steel era, the 2008 recession, and modern growth

Ryan Harding

Kay opens the interview by pointing to the statue of David Evans at Lehi City Center and identifying him as his great-great-grandfather. On his mother's side, the Evans line connects directly to one of Lehi's earliest leaders. On his father's side, the Christoffersons trace back to his great-grandfather. This multigenerational lineage gives Kay a perspective few modern residents share: he was born in the old Lehi Hospital, raised across from Lehi Elementary, and has witnessed the city's transformation from a single-stake farming community to a booming suburban center.

Kay describes growing up in a Lehi of roughly 8,000 people, where farms and open space dominated the landscape, kids rode bikes to Saratoga Springs to catch frogs, and neighbors rarely locked their doors. The rodeo grounds were a gathering place where families paid at the gate rather than buying tickets in advance. He remembers watching rodeo animals arrive days before the celebration, climbing the fences, and imagining himself riding the bulls—memories that capture the small-town trust and freedom that defined midcentury Lehi.

After graduating from BYU with a degree in civil engineering, Kay joined Geneva Rock Products, part of the Clyde Companies. He worked on civil construction projects across Utah—roads, utilities, sand and gravel supply, concrete and asphalt, and even the light rail build for the 2002 Winter Olympics. His career gave him firsthand experience with the infrastructure that supports growth, a background he later brought directly to the legislature as chair of the House Transportation Committee.

When the 2008 recession hit, construction stalled and development stopped. After 32 years with the company, Kay accepted an early retirement package. Rather than sit idle, he used the funds to buy homes at the bottom of the market and put his four school-age sons to work renovating them. What began as a practical necessity became a unexpected family project and a blessing that kept them productive during a difficult economic period.

A neighbor encouraged Kay to run for the Utah House during a redistricting year. The district had split into three, creating an open seat. Despite having no campaign experience, Kay filed the same afternoon he was approached—on a Tuesday, with filing closing that Friday. He barely survived the Republican caucus convention, having entered the race late against an opponent who had already been campaigning. But by the primary, the numbers flipped, and he won the general election in 2012, beginning his service in January 2013.

Frustrated that transportation planning had not kept pace with growth, Kay used his position to secure major funding for corridor preservation. About three years ago, he obtained $60 million for a revolving fund used to purchase land for future roads before development makes it prohibitively expensive. The following year, he added $20 million in ongoing annual funding. The goal is to prevent the costly and disruptive process of buying million-dollar homes and relocating businesses after corridors have already been built out.

Kay serves as branch president at Covington Assisted Living in Lehi, ministering to residents including the host's grandfather, Maurice "Mo" Cook. The role keeps him grounded in the everyday needs of elderly community members and offers a different angle on service—one rooted in personal attention rather than legislative process. It also reinforces his belief that involvement at every level, from a neighborhood to the State Capitol, strengthens the fabric of community.

Kay Christofferson's memories offer a detailed oral history of Lehi's transformation from rural town to modern city. Here are the key historical insights from the interview:

Beyond the specific stories, Kay's interview reflects enduring values that have shaped Lehi across generations:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Ryan Harding: Welcome Kay Christofferson to Roots and Branches of Lehi. Excited to have you here on the podcast where we get to know you a little bit better and hear your story and stuff. So thanks for coming on. Appreciate you.

Kay Christofferson: Thank you. We appreciate you inviting me and glad to share some stories in that.

Ryan Harding: Hey, this will be fun. So, let's start with, you know, this is a podcast about Lehi, you know, and the connection to Lehi. Tell us about your connection to Lehi. Where did you grow up here? You transplanted in. Tell me about that, I guess.

Kay Christofferson: Well, you know that statue of David Evans that's in the Lehi City Center. He's my great-great-grandfather. And on the other side, that's my mother's side. And on my father's side, we've got the Christoffersons that go back to my great-grandfather. And so, and I was born in the Lehi Hospital. That's no longer there. I've been here all my life. So, you've been here generations.

Ryan Harding: And tell me what you did for work and stuff like that, I guess, for that period of time.

Kay Christofferson: So, I graduated in civil engineering from BYU. And I got a job while I was still in school with Geneva Rock Products. As part of the Clyde Companies. And when I graduated, they hired me full-time. And then so I didn't do a lot of design work, but I worked with civil engineers and others to do civil construction type projects. Roads and utilities and worked on the light rail project for the Olympics and just a lot of site work, sand and gravel supply, concrete asphalt supply and construction. So.

Ryan Harding: Tell me. So, I guess going back to Lehi part, any favorite memories? I mean, what was life like growing up in for a large part a small town, right? For probably most of your life, I guess.

Kay Christofferson: Yeah, I was. It's I don't know. I think when I graduated from high school, there may have been about 8,000 people then. So most of my growing up life was you know we go to school. I lived across the street from the Lehi Elementary School. So we'd go over there a lot and play games and we'd ride our bikes all over. We'd ride to Saratoga Springs or out to the Westvilles and catch frogs and so it was, you know, left their doors unlocked and it was just really nice. And we could spend time outside a lot. We had there were a lot of farms. We had a big yard and a garden and so, it was pretty peaceful. A lot of open space, a lot of cows and horses and farms.

Ryan Harding: And did your dad do for work? He worked at Geneva Steel Plant.

Kay Christofferson: He did too. So yeah, that that really helped Utah Valley a lot to have that steel plant. And a lot of people, you know, I mean, it it created some pollution and things like that that people were concerned about, but for a lot of years, it really helped the economy of Utah County. It was a tough living, but it paid better than a lot of jobs.

Ryan Harding: Any favorite memories growing up here? You know, as far as anything that stand out and kind of a side question is things have changed, too. How have you dealt with that?

Kay Christofferson: Well, it seemed like you knew everybody and you know people in the in the Lehi celebration, they would all come to the rodeo and we didn't have to wait in line for tickets or get them ahead of time. We just pay for them at the door and then we'd all show up at the parade and everybody knew everybody it seemed like. And one of my favorite memories is when they'd bring the animals into the rodeo a few days ahead, all of us kids would ride our bikes down and walk around and climb on the gate on the fences and imagine ourselves riding one of those bulls. So, but it was a tight community, you know, at the time. We had one stake in Lehi, one stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And not that many wards. I think when I was born, they just created the seventh ward, which I was a member of. So again, small very I mean very small place.

Ryan Harding: You've seen a lot of growth then over the last so many years, right?

Kay Christofferson: Yeah. And I remember, all the kids from Cedar Fort and Saratoga Springs came out to Lehi to go to school and other activities, you know, a lot of shopping and that wasn't a big deal. And it was a straight shot out there and sure there was hardly anybody in between us and Cedar Fort. And then I think it was around 1985ish, you know, there were some thoughts of developing out to the ranches. And Eagle Mountain and anyway, it started growing fast then. And so that area grew really fast and and and then Lehi was still growing fast at the same time and it was a little more convenient because it's closer to the freeway. So, a lot of people tried to stay here. But I've seen property gobbled up and prices go higher. It's a different dynamic.

Ryan Harding: It is a different dynamic which there's I guess problems with growth but there's also benefits that come with growth too and stuff like that. You mentioned your career in civil engineering and stuff like that. Did you were you a part of some of that growth as far as some of the things that took place as far as building? I mean you mentioned like light rail and stuff. Kind of speak to that for a little bit.

Kay Christofferson: So the construction industry just boomed in that time because of the growth and people liked being here because the labor force was good. There were a lot we had a lot of educational, you know, universities and colleges and and so it was a good workforce and people liked being here. The people were honest and hardworking and so it a lot of people liked coming here. So there were a lot of businesses that moved in, a lot of subdivisions and a lot of opportunities to build roads and site work for buildings.

Ryan Harding: I feel like now that I'm in the legislature and looking at things from I'm on the chair of the House Transportation Committee. And looking at it from that perspective, I feel like our growth has gone so fast that it's hard to stay ahead of transportation needs and and and some of the other infrastructure that needs to sustain that kind of growth.

Ryan Harding: What made you transition from engineering into politics? What and when did that take place?

Kay Christofferson: Yeah. So I was with Geneva Rock for a lot of years which I said is part of the Clyde companies and then they bought another company H Davis Construction. I went to run that for them. And then we formed Sunrock which is now they just changed the name to Suncor. But the company was growing but then in 2008 in the downturn construction really got hurt then because people just couldn't, their homes were being foreclosed on and nobody was developing and the growth just stopped. And so about end of 2010, the company just said, "Hey, we're going to offer early retirement packages for those who are executives." And I'd been there 32 years. So I thought, "Well, I'm going to" and it freed up some money. So I went took that money and bought some homes at the bottom. And I have five sons and four of them were still in school and needing work. So we worked on those, gave them some summer work and work after school. So it was good. I really enjoyed that.

Kay Christofferson: And then about a year after I'd done that, someone came to me and said, "Look, there's a spot there. There's redistricting. There's a spot opened up my district split into three districts." And so there was an opening for a legislative district for the House of Representatives that one person was running and somebody came to me and says, "We need someone else to run in this spot as well. We need another choice." And I said, "Well, I've got the time. I don't really know much about campaigning." I said, "If you can help me understand that a little bit, you know, I have an interest in the issues and I felt like I could be interested in working in that area." So, I went down that afternoon and filed and the filing that was a Tuesday, the filing ended on Friday. And so I was in the campaign and a few weeks later was the caucus convention for the Republican party. I barely made it through that because it was big learning curve. My opponent had been campaigning for quite a while. So I made it through that and then during the primary our numbers just flipped and so I won that. So that was in 2012. And so I started as a representative in January of 2013.

Ryan Harding: You mentioned not good at campaigning, that different side of it, but maybe that's actually what appealed to voters about you was the fact that you're not a quote-unquote politician. You have that technical background and of engineering and different things like that. How has that served you? You've worked in the industry. You have that business background.

Kay Christofferson: Yeah. And then it helps to have real world experience. And the legislature is a part-time legislature. It feels like a full-time job sometimes, but we have a 45-day session. And then interim every month where we go and and talk and then there's other things but really I'll bet I spend 60% of my time doing legislative work. But because it's a part-time legislature you're getting people that's not just political science majors or attorneys, you're getting people who understand all aspects of the issues that we deal with. I mean like I don't know a lot about insurance or real estate but there are people in the legislature that do and there are not too many engineers in the legislature. But it helps to have that background and credibility. That's one reason why I'm in the transportation committee and the public utilities, energy and technology is because my background in civil engineering and construction and so I understand some of those issues. And so it helps to have people from all walks of life that understand those things. And come together and really help guide legislation. And if there's a problem one year, the next year we come back and say, "Uh, that didn't work so well. We've got to adjust it or tweak it or whatever and we'll change it."

Ryan Harding: How long have you served? You mentioned two committees. You know, House Transportation and House what was it?

Kay Christofferson: Energy, public utilities, energy and technology. And I also serve on the retirement and independent entities committee and the transportation infrastructure appropriations subcommittee. And then on the federalism commission.

Ryan Harding: Very involved actually. Is that abnormal?

Kay Christofferson: Most representatives serve in two standing committees and one appropriation subcommittee. Sometimes three standing committees. But the federalism commission's a little bit of an external committee right now. It's doing more and more and people don't understand federalism too much but what it is is basically saying it's drawing the line between the federal government and the states. And it's saying we have three branches of government and we have the judiciary, the legislative and the executive. They all compete for power. And that's what keeps balance of power. But there's also the states and the federal government that keeps that balance. And that's federalism. So, there aren't too many things that happen now that we don't have overreach from the federal government in the state's business because it's easy to have an executive order or to have some federal agency say you need to do it this way. It's harder for states to say, uh, that's not your constitutional jurisdiction. We're going to push back. And sometimes it takes 50 states getting together. That's harder than just one person in the executive branch. So, our goal is to kind of say we're going to educate people on the jurisdictional roles and we're going to push back as much as we can in areas that we feel like there's been overreach and that helps to, you know, the founders say you need to jealously guard your jurisdiction or your area and that's on purpose. Because that keeps a balance. That keeps one branch from overreaching and taking control, which is good. We want the separation of powers. That's what makes a good government. But the other committees are great. That's where the real work is done in the committees. You can spend more time, you can get more depth. And people are on the committees that understand those areas. That's a place too where the public have input. They can come to the committee meetings. They can talk to the committee and ask questions or give their opinion. And on the house floor we don't get that opportunity to have public input. So the committee work is really important and most of the work is done there. By the time it passes the house, usually it either passes the house after it's gone through the committee but not always because somebody some people have different opinions that they debate and they bring up and there may be things that are brought up that the committee wasn't aware of.

Ryan Harding: You've been on those committees for a little while. Anything you're most proud of as far as any kind of accomplishments or things that you've seen or been a part of?

Kay Christofferson: Well, I mentioned growth in our area and one of the things I've been disappointed in is that we haven't looked ahead far enough to say, you know, we know this area is growing. We need to preserve the corridor for a freeway or collector roads or whatever to connect the cities to get through. For example, in Lehi, we've got the East-West area that comes from clear from Cedar Fort over to American Fork, ties into the freeway there, and they really haven't looked ahead to say what are we going to do to manage the future growth. And so, one of the things I've done is I've gotten quite a few allocations or appropriations for money that is specifically for corridor preservation. So, about three years ago, I got $60 million that goes into that. It's a revolving fund. So, when the road's built, money comes back in. And then I got $20 million a year ongoing last year. And so that'll be money that they can go purchase land and preserve it. So that, you know, if houses and buildings, businesses are built on those areas that we designate for roads, if we didn't have that designation, then it costs so much more money for us to go in and buy a house for a million dollars, take it down. And it's disruptive and it's hard for neighborhoods plus businesses. It's expensive and it's a lot better to plan upfront, get the land while it's available. So, that's one thing that's I've been happy about. But I think I've done quite a bit of work in working with the state to streamline the state to become more efficient. When I was campaigning, people would come to me and say, "Why don't we look at cutting costs instead of raising taxes?" And I just said, "Yeah, you're right. We need to look at doing things more efficiently." And so I've worked quite a bit with the state agencies to say, "You need to understand your cost and then you can control your cost." And so I've run legislation to have them keep track of their costs. I've run some legislation about those who are supervisors in the agencies. They should be at will. They should be accountable and if things aren't going right, we should be able to replace them. So it's not just time in the seat, but it's performance. And so I made some provisions for pay for performance. And so I'm continuing to try to streamline government that way.

Ryan Harding: Good. It's always good to be more efficient. I mean, it uh that's always an area that we need to work on. And I've been involved in cutting some taxes. I've ran some legislation where we cut income taxes a couple of times. And I've got some legislation this time where I want to limit the growth of property taxes. The idea is, if a government entity has the money, they're going to spend it. So, sometimes pulling back and say we're just going to say no, then it forces them to prioritize those things that are most important.

Ryan Harding: You know, I know sometimes we want I always say, federally I'm a conservative locally. I'm more of a liberal in the sense that like, hey, I want better schools. I want better parks. I want better stuff locally, but federally, I don't want, don't take my money. I think with like with parks and roads and different things like that, sometimes schools, we need to spend the money to make those better. But you bring up good points where we need to make sure we're not just wasting it and just putting so much money into those things. And then you have to say, what is the role of government?

Kay Christofferson: So really the number one role is to protect our rights. And then besides that the government sometimes says okay we're going to do projects or provide services that individuals can't for themselves like build a road or water systems things like that. And and so government will get together and say we'll do that and schools is a constitutional requirement to provide education. So those are all constitutional. One of the things that I've seen in the government that they've done is gotten more and more into welfare issues and that and there's really most people they don't need the government to take care of themselves. I mean they can take care of themselves. So the government takes money from you and invests it and then gives part of it back to you or whatever. And that's really not a government role. I think and we've seen that because that's been expanded into Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and all those things. And they're good. But I would have been better off if I'd have kept that money in social security and invested myself. I've been way better and as an individual I can pay for insurance and take care of my medical needs. And maybe for those who are incapable maybe there's a role that we can have there. But we've expanded it so much that now we've got couples who are married couples who are healthy that don't have kids are getting Medicaid and all that is going into that area that makes people more dependent. And we're trying to build infrastructure and things like that that replace infrastructure that's been around for years. And we can't do it anymore because all that money that used to go to that is going to these social programs. So, it's going to catch up to us, I think.

Ryan Harding: How do you think Utah does on that? Obviously we're a very conservative state. How do you think we do as far as in those areas?

Kay Christofferson: Well, in Pew Research, I think it was in Rich States Poor States, a magazine or book that they put out every year, they say who has the best economic outlook. And Utah has been the top since they started that, which I think I can't I think it's about 17 years ago. That they started that. And so, we're doing really well. I should have brought the list of all the things that the different groups rank Utah number one, two, or three in a lot of areas. So, we're doing really good. We got to be careful because we're falling into some of the traps of some of our neighbors that are not doing so good. But for the most part, I mean, I'm really glad to be in Utah. Not some of the other states. So, I think we're pretty well positioned, but one thing I'm concerned about is the initiative process. We elected not as a legislature to expand Medicaid. Because it was going to cost a bunch of money. We're going to have to cut out some other essential things and bite into transportation and education. And we said we don't want to do it. We can do it without it. And the initiative came up and of course initiatives, you know, it sounds good. People don't take a lot of time to read them and they'll say, "Oh, this sounds good. We'll do it." But they don't it's not debated on. It's not amended like regular bills are. And so sometimes we get people who agree to things that they don't really understand the full ramifications of what they're signing. But we just have to be careful with that process.

Ryan Harding: Going back to transportation and stuff like that. So, obviously that's a big issue for the city council, the mayor, different things like that. They only have so much control. How is that progressing? You mentioned the money that's set aside for that corridor. I know they're talking about maybe building a freeway on the north part of the lake. Any status update on any of those things?

Kay Christofferson: I mean it takes some coordination to get a lot of cities and the Mountainland Association of Governments who coordinates with cities and the counties and UDOT. It takes a lot for them to coordinate. And as the chair of the transportation committee I thought here's an opportunity that I can work with them and get them together at least to start talking and say how can we solve this problem especially the east-west. And where do we go from there? When we we still have areas of growth and when we're at buildout, where are we gonna go? By I think it's 2060 or 65, we should double our population. That's a lot of people. And how are we going to do that? And a lot of people say, well, we'll do transit. And that's a piece of the puzzle, but that's not going to solve the problem. So, what I did is I just said, "Let's just have a meeting with Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, Lehi, and American Fork. And Utah County. Let's get with MAG, which is Mountainland Association of Governments. And then UDOT, the Department of Transportation, and let's just have a meeting and say these are the needs." And we had each of the cities and each of the organizations talk about what they thought needed to happen. Then we met for an hour and a half. That was probably eight months ago. Then we kind of decided on a plan and started looking at things. Then we met again about two months ago with the same group and we said, "Okay, where are we at? What's happening?" And so there's a couple of studies going on that UDOT is spearheading and MAG is helping with to say we need to know what the options are, what possible cost of those options are. If we're going to go into the lake, the Northshore or Mid Lake, what's it going to take? What's down below there? What kind of structures are we going to have to pay for? And so right now they're getting some engineering companies together to put together proposals. They'll select from those proposals to find someone that will do that study and it'll probably take a year to do that study. Then we can say, "Okay, we're going to pick one of these options." And it could be kind of expensive because Pioneer Crossing is maxed out. They're going to do some intermediate steps to have flexible lanes. But that's not going to do the job. And we're going to probably need to do stuff on Main Street, on Pioneer Crossing, on Pony Express, which is 1700 South. And maybe one of the lake options to handle all the traffic. So we're saying not just one solution. It may be many solutions, but we're going to come up with a plan and then we'll have to figure out a way to fund it. UDOT's going to put that on their list and try to prioritize it. MAG is going to have to be involved there a little bit because they're coordinating with the cities and the county and it's a pretty big job when you get to that point because there's no clear corridor and we may have to take out homes and businesses. Which obviously we don't want to if we don't have to, but we also need to solve the problem. Plus, I-15 is getting crowded, so we don't want to push everything onto I-15. We're going to have to look at Geneva Road and Redwood Road and Mountain View corridor and maybe take some of Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs down around the south to either the Mid Lake crossing or further south. I don't know if that will work further south, but a mid lake crossing makes some sense. Building a freeway cross. And so, how like when you know, so I've heard some of these ideas for years. When does any of this actually, boots on the ground, when can we expect that kind of stuff? Well, so an investigation, some of this plan or this research will take probably a year. Or more. Then you've got to figure out a rough plan and what the cost would be. Then you've got to say, okay, where we, it might take five years just to fund it. And then it takes a year to design it and up to three years maybe to do the construction. So, and some of this could be done in phases. So, we may be able to do some earlier than that, but I'm thinking a lot of this maybe 10 years away. Really? Yeah. Which is hard because there's problems now. We should be building that now. We should be building that now. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Which I guess and it could accelerate depending on if it becomes such a big problem that we say we've just got to transfer some funds here to get this done. So it could be 5 years if it needed be. But if nothing but if that doesn't happen, 10 years is more likely is what you're saying. So yeah. Okay. Yeah. It's hard. Everybody wants things done now. We live in a fast and we're still growing fast. And in fact actually you could argue we're going slower right now because of interest rates and stuff like that. But if those do come down now, we're going to start growing probably a lot more because I think there's a lot of people that want to buy homes that just can't right now.

Ryan Harding: Another situation, too, is water. We've got to be careful with water. There's not a lot of water and, you know, as a subdivision comes in, we actually use less water than the farmland that was there before. But as we expand into Sage Brush area, we've got to have water. But the other complication is, Utah is owned by the federal, two-thirds of Utah is owned by the federal government. So, it's federally controlled. And that limits us a lot. And Senator Lee had some legislation to say, BLM land, Bureau of Land Management land that's close to cities can be accessible to expand the growth. Then our prices of land aren't so expensive. We talk about cost of housing. That's the biggest cost right there is land. And then all of the restrictions and regulations that we have on gravel pits that supply concrete and asphalt and restrictions on lumber mills and harvesting lumber in the forest, that's really catching up to us. We're not only having catastrophic fires but we've got so we waste that resource in fires where we could have been using that. And I think there's a plan to open up some more of these roads that have been shut down recently and that will help to provide some fire breaks and things like that but lumber is really expensive and that's one of the big costs of housing. So, those decisions catch up to us eventually.

Ryan Harding: They do. They do. And do you see some of that changing? I know with Doug Bergam, he was my home state, North Dakota, he was the governor there and now he's over the interior, Department of Interior. Do you see some of those things changing? From what I understand, they're working on trying to open up. I mean, he feels kind of the same way you do, like, hey, we're wasting our resources. We have all these resources that we need to use. Have you seen anything on your level with any of that?

Kay Christofferson: I mean, that's going to affect Utah a lot because of so much BLM and Forest Service land here. So, that will help us a lot. And it will help those who want recreation because there's some places that you can't carry enough water to backpack into some of these places. So, it'll open up that and we've still got lots of room for people want to get away. There's a lot of space that way. And the other thing is the federal government back in 1976 said, "We're going to kind of stop turning land back over to the states. We're going to go to conservation." And they set up what they call PILT, payment in lieu of taxes. That was supposed to be say since you're not getting taxes off this land, we'll pay you we'll give you PILT payments equivalent amount of taxes so that you can run your education and your government operations. Well, over the years they've cut that down and cut it down to where it's really maybe a fourth of the lowest valuation of land. And some counties that have 95% federal land. They're struggling to survive. And so, the federal government really needs to step up and say, "Look, we're going to either honor our promises or let the states manage the public lands."

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Kay Christofferson Role in Lehi Utah State Representative; former civil engineer and construction executive; lifelong Lehi resident; branch president at Covington Assisted Living Time Periods Discussed 1950s–2020s, covering small-town Lehi, the Geneva Steel era, the 2008 recession, and modern growth Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview Descended from Lehi Pioneer David Evans Kay opens the interview by pointing to the statue of David Evans at Lehi City Center and identifying him as his great-great-grandfather. On his mother's side, the Evans line connects directly to one of Lehi's earliest leaders. On his father's side, the Christoffersons trace back to his great-grandfather. This multigenerational lineage gives Kay a perspective few modern residents share: he was born in the old Lehi Hospital, raised across from Lehi Elementary, and has witnessed the city's transformation from a single-stake farming community to a booming suburban center. A Childhood of Open Fields and Unlocked Doors Kay describes growing up in a Lehi of roughly 8,000 people, where farms and open space dominated the landscape, kids rode bikes to Saratoga Springs to catch frogs, and neighbors rarely locked their doors. The rodeo grounds were a gathering place where families paid at the gate rather than buying tickets in advance. He remembers watching rodeo animals arrive days before the celebration, climbing the fences, and imagining himself riding the bulls—memories that capture the small-town trust and freedom that defined midcentury Lehi. 32 Years in Construction and Engineering After graduating from BYU with a degree in civil engineering, Kay joined Geneva Rock Products, part of the Clyde Companies. He worked on civil construction projects across Utah—roads, utilities, sand and gravel supply, concrete and asphalt, and even the light rail build for the 2002 Winter Olympics. His career gave him firsthand experience with the infrastructure that supports growth, a background he later brought directly to the legislature as chair of the House Transportation Committee. Turning the 2008 Recession into a Family Project When the 2008 recession hit, construction stalled and development stopped. After 32 years with the company, Kay accepted an early retirement package. Rather than sit idle, he used the funds to buy homes at the bottom of the market and put his four school-age sons to work renovating them. What began as a practical necessity became a unexpected family project and a blessing that kept them productive during a difficult economic period. The Last-Minute Campaign That Launched a Legislative Career A neighbor encouraged Kay to run for the Utah House during a redistricting year. The district had split into three, creating an open seat. Despite having no campaign experience, Kay filed the same afternoon he was approached—on a Tuesday, with filing closing that Friday. He barely survived the Republican caucus convention, having entered the race late against an opponent who had already been campaigning. But by the primary, the numbers flipped, and he won the general election in 2012, beginning his service in January 2013. Securing $60 Million for Corridor Preservation Frustrated that transportation planning had not kept pace with growth, Kay used his position to secure major funding for corridor preservation. About three years ago, he obtained $60 million for a revolving fund used to purchase land for future roads before development makes it prohibitively expensive. The following year, he added $20 million in ongoing annual funding. The goal is to prevent the costly and disruptive process of buying million-dollar homes and relocating businesses after corridors have already been built out. Service at Covington Assisted Living Kay serves as branch president at Covington Assisted Living in Lehi, ministering to residents including the host's grandfather, Maurice "Mo" Cook. The role keeps him grounded in the everyday needs of elderly community members and offers a different angle on service—one rooted in personal attention rather than legislative process. It also reinforces his belief that involvement at every level, from a neighborhood to the State Capitol, strengthens the fabric of community. History Historical Insights About Lehi Kay Christofferson's memories offer a detailed oral history of Lehi's transformation from rural town to modern city. Here are the key historical insights from the interview: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Beyond the specific stories, Kay's interview reflects enduring values that have shaped Lehi across generations: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Ryan Harding: Welcome Kay Christofferson to Roots and Branches of Lehi. Excited to have you here on the podcast where we get to know you a little bit better and hear your story and stuff. So thanks for coming on. Appreciate you. Kay Christofferson: Thank you. We appreciate you inviting me and glad to share some stories in that. Ryan Harding: Hey, this will be fun. So, let's start with, you know, this is a podcast about Lehi, you know, and the connection to Lehi. Tell us about your connection to Lehi. Where did you grow up here? You transplanted in. Tell me about that, I guess. Kay Christofferson: Well, you know that statue of David Evans that's in the Lehi City Center. He's my great-great-grandfather. And on the other side, that's my mother's side. And on my father's side, we've got the Christoffersons that go back to my great-grandfather. And so, and I was born in the Lehi Hospital. That's no longer there. I've been here all my life. So, you've been here generations. Ryan Harding: And tell me what you did for work and stuff like that, I guess, for that period of time. Kay Christofferson: So, I graduated in civil engineering from BYU. And I got a job while I was still in school with Geneva Rock Products. As part of the Clyde Companies. And when I graduated, they hired me full-time. And then so I didn't do a lot of design work, but I worked with civil engineers and others to do civil construction type projects. Roads and utilities and worked on the light rail project for the Olympics and just a lot of site work, sand and gravel supply, concrete asphalt supply and construction. So. Ryan Harding: Tell me. So, I guess going back to Lehi part, any favorite memories? I mean, what was life like growing up in for a large part a small town, right? For probably most of your life, I guess. Kay Christofferson: Yeah, I was. It's I don't know. I think when I graduated from high school, there may have been about 8,000 people then. So most of my growing up life was you know we go to school. I lived across the street from the Lehi Elementary School. So we'd go over there a lot and play games and we'd ride our bikes all over. We'd ride to Saratoga Springs or out to the Westvilles and catch frogs and so it was, you know, left their doors unlocked and it was just really nice. And we could spend time outside a lot. We had there were a lot of farms. We had a big yard and a garden and so, it was pretty peaceful. A lot of open space, a lot of cows and horses and farms. Ryan Harding: And did your dad do for work? He worked at Geneva Steel Plant. Kay Christofferson: He did too. So yeah, that that really helped Utah Valley a lot to have that steel plant. And a lot of people, you know, I mean, it it created some pollution and things like that that people were concerned about, but for a lot of years, it really helped the economy of Utah County. It was a tough living, but it paid better than a lot of jobs. Ryan Harding: Any favorite memories growing up here? You know, as far as anything that stand out and kind of a side question is things have changed, too. How have you dealt with that? Kay Christofferson: Well, it seemed like you knew everybody and you know people in the in the Lehi celebration, they would all come to the rodeo and we didn't have to wait in line for tickets or get them ahead of time. We just pay for them at the door and then we'd all show up at the parade and everybody knew everybody it seemed like. And one of my favorite memories is when they'd bring the animals into the rodeo a few days ahead, all of us kids would ride our bikes down and walk around and climb on the gate on the fences and imagine ourselves riding one of those bulls. So, but it was a tight community, you know, at the time. We had one stake in Lehi, one stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And not that many wards. I think when I was born, they just created the seventh ward, which I was a member of. So again, small very I mean very small place. Ryan Harding: You've seen a lot of growth then over the last so many years, right? Kay Christofferson: Yeah. And I remember, all the kids from Cedar Fort and Saratoga Springs came out to Lehi to go to school and other activities, you know, a lot of shopping and that wasn't a big deal. And it was a straight shot out there and sure there was hardly anybody in between us and Cedar Fort. And then I think it was around 1985ish, you know, there were some thoughts of developing out to the ranches. And Eagle Mountain and anyway, it started growing fast then. And so that area grew really fast and and and then Lehi was still growing fast at the same time and it was a little more convenient because it's closer to the freeway. So, a lot of people tried to stay here. But I've seen property gobbled up and prices go higher. It's a different dynamic. Ryan Harding: It is a different dynamic which there's I guess problems with growth but there's also benefits that come with growth too and stuff like that. You mentioned your career in civil engineering and stuff like that. Did you were you a part of some of that growth as far as some of the things that took place as far as building? I mean you mentioned like light rail and stuff. Kind of speak to that for a little bit. Kay Christofferson: So the construction industry just boomed in that time because of the growth and people liked being here because the labor force was good. There were a lot we had a lot of educational, you know, universities and colleges and and so it was a good workforce and people liked being here. The people were honest and hardworking and so it a lot of people liked coming here. So there were a lot of businesses that moved in, a lot of subdivisions and a lot of opportunities to build roads and site work for buildings. Ryan Harding: I feel like now that I'm in the legislature and looking at things from I'm on the chair of the House Transportation Committee. And looking at it from that perspective, I feel like our growth has gone so fast that it's hard to stay ahead of transportation needs and and and some of the other infrastructure that needs to sustain that kind of growth. Ryan Harding: What made you transition from engineering into politics? What and when did that take place? Kay Christofferson: Yeah. So I was with Geneva Rock for a lot of years which I said is part of the Clyde companies and then they bought another company H Davis Construction. I went to run that for them. And then we formed Sunrock which is now they just changed the name to Suncor. But the company was growing but then in 2008 in the downturn construction really got hurt then because people just couldn't, their homes were being foreclosed on and nobody was developing and the growth just stopped. And so about end of 2010, the company just said, "Hey, we're going to offer early retirement packages for those who are executives." And I'd been there 32 years. So I thought, "Well, I'm going to" and it freed up some money. So I went took that money and bought some homes at the bottom. And I have five sons and four of them were still in school and needing work. So we worked on those, gave them some summer work and work after school. So it was good. I really enjoyed that. Kay Christofferson: And then about a year after I'd done that, someone came to me and said, "Look, there's a spot there. There's redistricting. There's a spot opened up my district split into three districts." And so there was an opening for a legislative district for the House of Representatives that one person was running and somebody came to me and says, "We need someone else to run in this spot as well. We need another choice." And I said, "Well, I've got the time. I don't really know much about campaigning." I said, "If you can help me understand that a little bit, you know, I have an interest in the issues and I felt like I could be interested in working in that area." So, I went down that afternoon and filed and the filing that was a Tuesday, the filing ended on Friday. And so I was in the campaign and a few weeks later was the caucus convention for the Republican party. I barely made it through that because it was big learning curve. My opponent had been campaigning for quite a while. So I made it through that and then during the primary our numbers just flipped and so I won that. So that was in 2012. And so I started as a representative in January of 2013. Ryan Harding: You mentioned not good at campaigning, that different side of it, but maybe that's actually what appealed to voters about you was the fact that you're not a quote-unquote politician. You have that technical background and of engineering and different things like that. How has that served you? You've worked in the industry. You have that business background. Kay Christofferson: Yeah. And then it helps to have real world experience. And the legislature is a part-time legislature. It feels like a full-time job sometimes, but we have a 45-day session. And then interim every month where we go and and talk and then there's other things but really I'll bet I spend 60% of my time doing legislative work. But because it's a part-time legislature you're getting people that's not just political science majors or attorneys, you're getting people who understand all aspects of the issues that we deal with. I mean like I don't know a lot about insurance or real estate but there are people in the legislature that do and there are not too many engineers in the legislature. But it helps to have that background and credibility. That's one reason why I'm in the transportation committee and the public utilities, energy and technology is because my background in civil engineering and construction and so I understand some of those issues. And so it helps to have people from all walks of life that understand those things. And come together and really help guide legislation. And if there's a problem one year, the next year we come back and say, "Uh, that didn't work so well. We've got to adjust it or tweak it or whatever and we'll change it." Ryan Harding: How long have you served? You mentioned two committees. You know, House Transportation and House what was it? Kay Christofferson: Energy, public utilities, energy and technology. And I also serve on the retirement and independent entities committee and the transportation infrastructure appropriations subcommittee. And then on the federalism commission. Ryan Harding: Very involved actually. Is that abnormal? Kay Christofferson: Most representatives serve in two standing committees and one appropriation subcommittee. Sometimes three standing committees. But the federalism commission's a little bit of an external committee right now. It's doing more and more and people don't understand federalism too much but what it is is basically saying it's drawing the line between the federal government and the states. And it's saying we have three branches of government and we have the judiciary, the legislative and the executive. They all compete for power. And that's what keeps balance of power. But there's also the states and the federal government that keeps that balance. And that's federalism. So, there aren't too many things that happen now that we don't have overreach from the federal government in the state's business because it's easy to have an executive order or to have some federal agency say you need to do it this way. It's harder for states to say, uh, that's not your constitutional jurisdiction. We're going to push back. And sometimes it takes 50 states getting together. That's harder than just one person in the executive branch. So, our goal is to kind of say we're going to educate people on the jurisdictional roles and we're going to push back as much as we can in areas that we feel like there's been overreach and that helps to, you know, the founders say you need to jealously guard your jurisdiction or your area and that's on purpose. Because that keeps a balance. That keeps one branch from overreaching and taking control, which is good. We want the separation of powers. That's what makes a good government. But the other committees are great. That's where the real work is done in the committees. You can spend more time, you can get more depth. And people are on the committees that understand those areas. That's a place too where the public have input. They can come to the committee meetings. They can talk to the committee and ask questions or give their opinion. And on the house floor we don't get that opportunity to have public input. So the committee work is really important and most of the work is done there. By the time it passes the house, usually it either passes the house after it's gone through the committee but not always because somebody some people have different opinions that they debate and they bring up and there may be things that are brought up that the committee wasn't aware of. Ryan Harding: You've been on those committees for a little while. Anything you're most proud of as far as any kind of accomplishments or things that you've seen or been a part of? Kay Christofferson: Well, I mentioned growth in our area and one of the things I've been disappointed in is that we haven't looked ahead far enough to say, you know, we know this area is growing. We need to preserve the corridor for a freeway or collector roads or whatever to connect the cities to get through. For example, in Lehi, we've got the East-West area that comes from clear from Cedar Fort over to American Fork, ties into the freeway there, and they really haven't looked ahead to say what are we going to do to manage the future growth. And so, one of the things I've done is I've gotten quite a few allocations or appropriations for money that is specifically for corridor preservation. So, about three years ago, I got $60 million that goes into that. It's a revolving fund. So, when the road's built, money comes back in. And then I got $20 million a year ongoing last year. And so that'll be money that they can go purchase land and preserve it. So that, you know, if houses and buildings, businesses are built on those areas that we designate for roads, if we didn't have that designation, then it costs so much more money for us to go in and buy a house for a million dollars, take it down. And it's disruptive and it's hard for neighborhoods plus businesses. It's expensive and it's a lot better to plan upfront, get the land while it's available. So, that's one thing that's I've been happy about. But I think I've done quite a bit of work in working with the state to streamline the state to become more efficient. When I was campaigning, people would come to me and say, "Why don't we look at cutting costs instead of raising taxes?" And I just said, "Yeah, you're right. We need to look at doing things more efficiently." And so I've worked quite a bit with the state agencies to say, "You need to understand your cost and then you can control your cost." And so I've run legislation to have them keep track of their costs. I've run some legislation about those who are supervisors in the agencies. They should be at will. They should be accountable and if things aren't going right, we should be able to replace them. So it's not just time in the seat, but it's performance. And so I made some provisions for pay for performance. And so I'm continuing to try to streamline government that way. Ryan Harding: Good. It's always good to be more efficient. I mean, it uh that's always an area that we need to work on. And I've been involved in cutting some taxes. I've ran some legislation where we cut income taxes a couple of times. And I've got some legislation this time where I want to limit the growth of property taxes. The idea is, if a government entity has the money, they're going to spend it. So, sometimes pulling back and say we're just going to say no, then it forces them to prioritize those things that are most important. Ryan Harding: You know, I know sometimes we want I always say, federally I'm a conservative locally. I'm more of a liberal in the sense that like, hey, I want better schools. I want better parks. I want better stuff locally, but federally, I don't want, don't take my money. I think with like with parks and roads and different things like that, sometimes schools, we need to spend the money to make those better. But you bring up good points where we need to make sure we're not just wasting it and just putting so much money into those things. And then you have to say, what is the role of government? Kay Christofferson: So really the number one role is to protect our rights. And then besides that the government sometimes says okay we're going to do projects or provide services that individuals can't for themselves like build a road or water systems things like that. And and so government will get together and say we'll do that and schools is a constitutional requirement to provide education. So those are all constitutional. One of the things that I've seen in the government that they've done is gotten more and more into welfare issues and that and there's really most people they don't need the government to take care of themselves. I mean they can take care of themselves. So the government takes money from you and invests it and then gives part of it back to you or whatever. And that's really not a government role. I think and we've seen that because that's been expanded into Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and all those things. And they're good. But I would have been better off if I'd have kept that money in social security and invested myself. I've been way better and as an individual I can pay for insurance and take care of my medical needs. And maybe for those who are incapable maybe there's a role that we can have there. But we've expanded it so much that now we've got couples who are married couples who are healthy that don't have kids are getting Medicaid and all that is going into that area that makes people more dependent. And we're trying to build infrastructure and things like that that replace infrastructure that's been around for years. And we can't do it anymore because all that money that used to go to that is going to these social programs. So, it's going to catch up to us, I think. Ryan Harding: How do you think Utah does on that? Obviously we're a very conservative state. How do you think we do as far as in those areas? Kay Christofferson: Well, in Pew Research, I think it was in Rich States Poor States, a magazine or book that they put out every year, they say who has the best economic outlook. And Utah has been the top since they started that, which I think I can't I think it's about 17 years ago. That they started that. And so, we're doing really well. I should have brought the list of all the things that the different groups rank Utah number one, two, or three in a lot of areas. So, we're doing really good. We got to be careful because we're falling into some of the traps of some of our neighbors that are not doing so good. But for the most part, I mean, I'm really glad to be in Utah. Not some of the other states. So, I think we're pretty well positioned, but one thing I'm concerned about is the initiative process. We elected not as a legislature to expand Medicaid. Because it was going to cost a bunch of money. We're going to have to cut out some other essential things and bite into transportation and education. And we said we don't want to do it. We can do it without it. And the initiative came up and of course initiatives, you know, it sounds good. People don't take a lot of time to read them and they'll say, "Oh, this sounds good. We'll do it." But they don't it's not debated on. It's not amended like regular bills are. And so sometimes we get people who agree to things that they don't really understand the full ramifications of what they're signing. But we just have to be careful with that process. Ryan Harding: Going back to transportation and stuff like that. So, obviously that's a big issue for the city council, the mayor, different things like that. They only have so much control. How is that progressing? You mentioned the money that's set aside for that corridor. I know they're talking about maybe building a freeway on the north part of the lake. Any status update on any of those things? Kay Christofferson: I mean it takes some coordination to get a lot of cities and the Mountainland Association of Governments who coordinates with cities and the counties and UDOT. It takes a lot for them to coordinate. And as the chair of the transportation committee I thought here's an opportunity that I can work with them and get them together at least to start talking and say how can we solve this problem especially the east-west. And where do we go from there? When we we still have areas of growth and when we're at buildout, where are we gonna go? By I think it's 2060 or 65, we should double our population. That's a lot of people. And how are we going to do that? And a lot of people say, well, we'll do transit. And that's a piece of the puzzle, but that's not going to solve the problem. So, what I did is I just said, "Let's just have a meeting with Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, Lehi, and American Fork. And Utah County. Let's get with MAG, which is Mountainland Association of Governments. And then UDOT, the Department of Transportation, and let's just have a meeting and say these are the needs." And we had each of the cities and each of the organizations talk about what they thought needed to happen. Then we met for an hour and a half. That was probably eight months ago. Then we kind of decided on a plan and started looking at things. Then we met again about two months ago with the same group and we said, "Okay, where are we at? What's happening?" And so there's a couple of studies going on that UDOT is spearheading and MAG is helping with to say we need to know what the options are, what possible cost of those options are. If we're going to go into the lake, the Northshore or Mid Lake, what's it going to take? What's down below there? What kind of structures are we going to have to pay for? And so right now they're getting some engineering companies together to put together proposals. They'll select from those proposals to find someone that will do that study and it'll probably take a year to do that study. Then we can say, "Okay, we're going to pick one of these options." And it could be kind of expensive because Pioneer Crossing is maxed out. They're going to do some intermediate steps to have flexible lanes. But that's not going to do the job. And we're going to probably need to do stuff on Main Street, on Pioneer Crossing, on Pony Express, which is 1700 South. And maybe one of the lake options to handle all the traffic. So we're saying not just one solution. It may be many solutions, but we're going to come up with a plan and then we'll have to figure out a way to fund it. UDOT's going to put that on their list and try to prioritize it. MAG is going to have to be involved there a little bit because they're coordinating with the cities and the county and it's a pretty big job when you get to that point because there's no clear corridor and we may have to take out homes and businesses. Which obviously we don't want to if we don't have to, but we also need to solve the problem. Plus, I-15 is getting crowded, so we don't want to push everything onto I-15. We're going to have to look at Geneva Road and Redwood Road and Mountain View corridor and maybe take some of Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs down around the south to either the Mid Lake crossing or further south. I don't know if that will work further south, but a mid lake crossing makes some sense. Building a freeway cross. And so, how like when you know, so I've heard some of these ideas for years. When does any of this actually, boots on the ground, when can we expect that kind of stuff? Well, so an investigation, some of this plan or this research will take probably a year. Or more. Then you've got to figure out a rough plan and what the cost would be. Then you've got to say, okay, where we, it might take five years just to fund it. And then it takes a year to design it and up to three years maybe to do the construction. So, and some of this could be done in phases. So, we may be able to do some earlier than that, but I'm thinking a lot of this maybe 10 years away. Really? Yeah. Which is hard because there's problems now. We should be building that now. We should be building that now. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Which I guess and it could accelerate depending on if it becomes such a big problem that we say we've just got to transfer some funds here to get this done. So it could be 5 years if it needed be. But if nothing but if that doesn't happen, 10 years is more likely is what you're saying. So yeah. Okay. Yeah. It's hard. Everybody wants things done now. We live in a fast and we're still growing fast. And in fact actually you could argue we're going slower right now because of interest rates and stuff like that. But if those do come down now, we're going to start growing probably a lot more because I think there's a lot of people that want to buy homes that just can't right now. Ryan Harding: Another situation, too, is water. We've got to be careful with water. There's not a lot of water and, you know, as a subdivision comes in, we actually use less water than the farmland that was there before. But as we expand into Sage Brush area, we've got to have water. But the other complication is, Utah is owned by the federal, two-thirds of Utah is owned by the federal government. So, it's federally controlled. And that limits us a lot. And Senator Lee had some legislation to say, BLM land, Bureau of Land Management land that's close to cities can be accessible to expand the growth. Then our prices of land aren't so expensive. We talk about cost of housing. That's the biggest cost right there is land. And then all of the restrictions and regulations that we have on gravel pits that supply concrete and asphalt and restrictions on lumber mills and harvesting lumber in the forest, that's really catching up to us. We're not only having catastrophic fires but we've got so we waste that resource in fires where we could have been using that. And I think there's a plan to open up some more of these roads that have been shut down recently and that will help to provide some fire breaks and things like that but lumber is really expensive and that's one of the big costs of housing. So, those decisions catch up to us eventually. Ryan Harding: They do. They do. And do you see some of that changing? I know with Doug Bergam, he was my home state, North Dakota, he was the governor there and now he's over the interior, Department of Interior. Do you see some of those things changing? From what I understand, they're working on trying to open up. I mean, he feels kind of the same way you do, like, hey, we're wasting our resources. We have all these resources that we need to use. Have you seen anything on your level with any of that? Kay Christofferson: I mean, that's going to affect Utah a lot because of so much BLM and Forest Service land here. So, that will help us a lot. And it will help those who want recreation because there's some places that you can't carry enough water to backpack into some of these places. So, it'll open up that and we've still got lots of room for people want to get away. There's a lot of space that way. And the other thing is the federal government back in 1976 said, "We're going to kind of stop turning land back over to the states. We're going to go to conservation." And they set up what they call PILT, payment in lieu of taxes. That was supposed to be say since you're not getting taxes off this land, we'll pay you we'll give you PILT payments equivalent amount of taxes so that you can run your education and your government operations. Well, over the years they've cut that down and cut it down to where it's really maybe a fourth of the lowest valuation of land. And some counties that have 95% federal land. They're struggling to survive. And so, the federal government really needs to step up and say, "Look, we're going to either honor our promises or let the states manage the public lands." Ryan Harding: You represent the district. Talk to me about some of the other challenges you run into representing a whole district. Tell me some of the challenges that maybe people wouldn't think about with your job. Kay Christofferson: Well, a big part of the job is education and trying to provide the right education and make it efficient as well. And keep it updated with technology and the needs of when people graduate, are they graduating with the ability to produce something for their families or did they just graduate something that was fun but has no value. And so just making sure that the educational process has they look forward they can see the vision of where things are going and how to utilize that technology. I think they're making it easier for people who have been in an industry to get into education. With that experience because educators, they go through and get an education degree, but they don't always have the industrial background, real world experience. And so I think they're making it easier for people to get in that way. But and then there's a lot of movement towards giving people choice. Whether to stay in public education. I like public education. I don't have any problem with that. But I do think that there are people with different needs that they want to have a choice. And I think we ought to be able to give them choice either in charter schools. Of course, charter schools are public education, but charter schools or private schools or home schools or whatever. People ought to be able to pick what they want. Have that option. So education is one thing. We've talked about transportations. And recently we've talked about elections. That's an area that I haven't been involved too much in, but we've tried to make it convenient for elections to have mail-in ballots. It's worked great, but it seems like no matter what system you get for elections, there's always going to be people who try to undermine it or to circumvent whether it's hand in your ballots in person or and then tally it up. There's going to be people who get in to undermine it or whether you mail it in, there's going to be people that circumvent the process or try to hijack it. And there has been a lot of drama about elections. And a lot of that comes from the national news. Utah doesn't have quite as much of that, but I think we do have some. Whether it's intentional or just something that's been overlooked, we've got to be real careful. So the simpler we can keep elections the less opportunity for nefarious actions. And so we're always kind of tweaking it to make it better. But I think nationally, there's an effort to say we're not going to do mailing ballots anymore. But so I don't know where we're going to go with that. That's been a big issue. It's very convenient. It gives me time to research people. And maybe we can mail it out, give people time to research it, and then when they hand it back, they can take it in and have somebody verify their identity. That would be good, too. And show their license and verify who they are. Kay Christofferson: That brings up another concern is immigration. And I think we're pretty good in Utah, but we like immigration. We like people who come in the right way through the front door that we can vet. We know who they are. There's a lot of people who come in that aren't. And we see problems with gangs and crime and drugs. And that's another area that we're really trying to be careful with. Because you don't want to open up the door and say anybody can come in unvetted then we're dealing with all these problems. So we like people who can come in who are responsible, who can get a job, who can add to the economy. And help that way, but it needs to be legal. Do it the right way. Ryan Harding: You still live here in Lehi then? Kay Christofferson: Yes. And again, that's the other advantage of a part-time legislature is you get people who go in who bring that knowledge of the local area to the legislature and then they go home and after the session's done, they've got to go live in that same world that they just made laws that affect the things that they do. So, I think there's a real tie to the experiences they have locally with what they produce legislatively. And for me, I shop here. My kids went to school here. They're all grown now, but they played soccer here and ball and other ball games and I attend church here. In fact, I have a responsibility now that I'm the branch president of an assisted living center. At Covington. And so that gives me a chance to get to know their needs and kind of see the world from a different angle. And so I'm involved there. I hear feedback from neighbors and people at church. And it helps ground you a little bit. Ryan Harding: Well, on a personal note, I appreciate you doing that because my wife's grandpa is at Covington right now. Maurice Cook is is Mo. Yeah, there you go. That's my wife's grandpa. We just had him over for dinner yesterday. Small world. That's awesome that you're doing that kind of work, just on a local level. Ryan Harding: A lot of people don't have a lot of trust in government. Obviously there's scandals different things like that. There seems to be a lack of trust really not just in government but in institutions in general. How do you build trust with the residents? Do you come across that distrust? Kay Christofferson: I mean there's always going to be people that take advantage their positions or their opportunities that they have for personal reasons, and you see that every day. And I remember UTA, they had some perception problems because of one or two things that happened that just persisted and every time UTA did something, they'd go back to that. So, the organization's been changed. I think they're doing much better. But there's still opportunities for people to do things that ruin the reputation of the whole deal. And the legislature, recently we've had some judicial court rulings that, as a legislature, we're feeling like, we don't mind having the discussion, but we feel like the judicial branch is overreaching a little bit. And the media, they like to make it so that it's eye-popping. You're going to read the paper and say, "Wow, what's this?" And so the media is not always a friend of society. Sometimes they undermine good things that are happening. And a lot of times they'll say, "Oh, the legislature is not doing this or that." Well, you really have to get into it and understand the details. And it's hard in sound bites to say well this is the process and we went through this process and this is what the constitution says about the roles. And so recently we've had this same thing with redistricting. Redistricting is the role of the legislature, the constitution says. An initiative process came up that a few people were dissatisfied with and said we think that the people should come up with a committee to do this. Well, the committee came up with three plans. They couldn't even decide on which plan to use. They couldn't even agree. And a committee is selected. It's unaccountable to the voters. And you're going to have people with biases no matter where. So why not let the legislators who represent those districts come up with the maps and if you don't like that, they can be voted out, but you can't vote out a committee. And so anyway, so we're having that struggle a little bit. But the thing that I've noticed most about it is people will take these headlines and then project a conclusion there and come and talk to us about that. And sometimes I'll talk to some of these people and explain it to them and they say, "Oh, I didn't know that. Oh, that's more complex than I realized. Oh, the judiciary is really kind of pushing past their responsibility." And so that's a healthy process actually. That's part of different authorities saying, "We're going to protect our jurisdiction." And that way you keep one branch from overriding the other. But I think we've got to be really careful with what we read and our the media. We need to look at lots of sources. Radio, newspaper, internet. TV. You've got to look at all of that and say, "Okay, what really sounds right?" And then sometimes you got to dig into it a little deeper. And I wish I had more people calling me and saying, "Can you explain this to me?" Instead of saying, "This is crazy. What are you doing?" They need to call and say, "Can you explain it from your position?" And I think maybe people get intimidated to talk to their representatives, but the House of Representatives are supposed to be closest to the people. And so we try to have good feedback to the citizens who want it. And we have a pretty good website, le.utah.gov, which tells all about the recordings, video recordings of all of the committee meetings, the sessions on the house floor, debates in the house and the senate. It tells everything about all of the legislators, their contact information, gives policy briefs on a lot of different issues. There's a lot of information in there that people can go in and dig into and find out information about subjects that really are concerning to them. And so I guess what I'm saying is the people that get involved really understand it. They have the most influence. And they can help drive policy. And I have people call me up. They say, "I've got this concern or problem." They're civil about it. They call up and say, "Can you help me with this? This is the problem we're having or this is something that needs to be changed." And that's how Utah code has changed is through that process and submitting a bill and running the bill. I think as people understand more about that, they know how to do it. Right now, they say, "I don't even know where to start." And it is a little bit intimidating and even the caucus conventions and that people don't understand that. But I would just say take some time, talk to your neighbors, get into it, make some calls. Don't be intimidated to call your legislative representatives and others who are involved in it and find out about it. Look at the website. So anyway, I just think that the more people are involved, the better, you know, they hold the legislature accountable and the better decisions are made. Ryan Harding: Which, you know, you brought up media and stuff like that and obviously we want to have a good healthy media, but at the same time, you're right with the sound bites, because it's all about getting clicks. An interesting thing that's happened is a resurgence in podcasts and stuff like that. Obviously, you're on one right now where I think that long-form content, it's uninterrupted. It's just a conversation. I think people get to know the candidates a little bit better. I know both candidates for president in this last election were on multiple podcasts. I think it does seem to be a way to really kind of because people understand that these issues are complex. And so to just a sound bite or different things like that, it's like ah that doesn't really capture. And we're kind of wise to the fact that people have biases and they try to steer you one way and it's like okay what's more to that story. We've all seen that with maybe our religion sometimes gets posed one way and it's like okay well I know that's not true so they must be doing that with other things too. But I do like that there seems to be more of this long form content where people can really get to know and sit down. Not everybody's going to call you. Not everybody's going to have a conversation with you, but maybe they listen to this and okay, hey, that makes more sense. I now understand how transportation, they're working on it. I wish we'd done this 20 years ago or whatever, but it is what it is. I can see they're working on it. They're trying to do it fast, but there are steps that have to be taken. I think that helps for people to just understand it. Because we just want to understand things sometimes. And some news, it's expensive to write in the newspaper or to spend much time on it on TV. And so podcasts have popped up because of that because you can spend more time getting into the weeds. And sometimes on the news and six o'clock news, they hit the highlights, some people's eyes glaze over if you get into the details too much. But it's important to take time to get in the details of some things and you might not be able to get into the details of everything. That's why we have a representative form of government. Kay Christofferson: Correct. Exactly. And you try to pick representatives, elected officials who have good values, that understand your situation. They're not always going to vote exactly the same way you would. But sometimes like I don't just go to the session and debate and vote. We have lots of meetings leading up to that. We go to different events and organizations and see what's going on and we have discussions outside of the capital that we say, "Okay, we're getting information." And we're hearing from lobbyists. A lot of people say, "Oh, lobbyists," but we hear lobbyists on both sides of issues. And we understand that they're getting paid by certain people that represent their position, but we understand that. And we say, "Okay, I'll listen to you. I'll get that side of it. I'll listen to the other side. I'll listen to my neighbors. I'll listen to these people." And pretty soon, you're getting a picture in your mind what's happening. And other legislators are doing the same thing. And then we come together and debate it and we come up with a vote and hopefully it's right and if it's not right typically within two or three years you'll know and it's adjusted. Do you see sometimes like obviously Utah's very conservative, do you see ever any problems in debating that where if everybody's Republican there's less debate? I mean, anything any thoughts on that? Yeah, I mean, we are a super majority. But even then, we're not like Congress. The Republicans in the capital. We listen to the Democrats or, right now we've got one member of another party, but we listen to them and if they have good information, then we vote for it. If they come up with a good bill that we like, we don't just say just because it's from that party, we're not going to vote for it or support them. We say if they bring something good, we'll vote for it. And hopefully they do the same thing with stuff that we propose. But some people say, "Oh, is it one side?" Well, we hear a lot of different opinions or ways of doing things. We get a lot of feedback and it's kind of like a husband and wife even though you're working together there's different ways of doing things and you don't always agree that way but I think we get enough feedback that we can make good decisions and the reason politics is local is because the people in our area like certain things that's why they vote the way they do. And that's why they accept the candidates they do. In other states, they might be more liberal or look at things differently and they can vote that way. And that's the great advantage of having separate states that can do what they want. And if you don't like this state, you can move to another state. A lot of people are doing that. But it's great to have that interaction, but sometimes people say, "Oh, you didn't listen to me because you didn't vote the way I" and I said, "Well, there's 45,000 people in my district." I might not listen to I mean, I listen to everybody, but 30,000 people want it this way and 15,000 want it this way. So just because I didn't vote the way you wanted doesn't mean I didn't listen to you. Ryan Harding: We mentioned a little bit of your service in your church. Tell me how your faith has influenced serving in the legislature. How has that been a part of who you are there? Kay Christofferson: So when you make decisions, everything's based on something, and our founding fathers, they based a lot of the laws and the constitution on moral principles that are time-tested. And a lot of those come from the Bible. A lot of those come from thousands of years of society, the Roman Empire and things like that. And they took they were pretty amazing people that understood history. They most of them were very religious. And they understood that our rights came from God. And those rights are to the government is to protect those rights. And so when you have basic principles that you know I'm not going to kill or take, rob somebody of their property. I'm not going to do things that harm other people from being free and exercising their agency. Those are moral principles that are taught at church. And where else do you learn those? I mean, you don't hear of a lot of education where they're talking about moral principles because they get in trouble for doing that sometimes. And so I think church is where you learn moral principles and our form of government and some of our founders said this that it's set up for a moral people. It can only survive with a moral people because the reason you have to make laws is for people who don't control themselves. Really if they if everybody controlled themselves and obeyed the law. I mean, you think of how many laws are just tweaked or amended for people who are selling drugs or stealing or taking advantage of others. And we would be so much better off if people would say, "Okay, I'm going to take these time-tested values that are presented in the scriptures and in writings of history that have proven to be valuable." Then we wouldn't need so many laws and we'd have more freedoms. The more laws and regulations we have, the less freedoms we have. Ryan Harding: Obviously you have a family. How has your serving affected your family? Do you have children that are interested in going into politics or engineering? Kay Christofferson: I think they have more interest in they can see what I'm involved in and how easy it is to be involved in politics and so I think they have interest in the issues and so our family discussions are really interesting that way. The two things you don't talk about are politics and religion. Well, we like talk about both of those. And so, but I don't know that they have a desire to jump into it because it takes a lot of time. It's really, we get maybe $20,000 a year to do it, which covers some of the expenses and some of that goes for taxes. So, but it takes a lot of time. And fortunately, when I first started, my kids were a little older. I had five at home, one was at school. So four at home and they were older so I could do it. But I'll tell you what, if I was a young legislator like some of them are with that I had to take a lot of time with my family and go to soccer games and things, it would be hard to do and it would be because there are so many extracurricular things you do as a legislator, it would be hard to do all that. But I'm glad I was kind of retired at the time and my kids were older. I feel for people who have a family depend on that income from their job that they got to work full-time. A lot of legislators have some family business where they help out or jobs that the owners want to help them out. So they give them flexibility with their time. So, it's tough, but it is kind of a sacrifice. It is a service. Ryan Harding: And that's interview. I've interviewed several people on this local level, and that's one of the things that stands out to me. This is less and maybe it's because on a national level, we see kind of the fame, so we think everybody in politics is looking just for the notoriety, the fame. And I would argue that on the local level, it seems to be mostly just service is really what I would say. Kay Christofferson: Most people don't even know who I am. That's exactly it. Exactly. And I think you're okay with that because you're just, hey, I'm just serving. This is what I'm here to serve. It's good. I don't need to be in the public. In fact, this venue is a little uncomfortable. Sure. Because you just prefer to, hey, I just put my head down and work, right? Just do your thing. Ryan Harding: Over the next 10 years, are there pieces of legislation or things that to obviously help Lehi? Obviously, we already mentioned transportation. Other things on the horizon that you see trying to make Lehi and obviously Utah in general a better place over the next 10 years. Kay Christofferson: Well, it's pretty popular that people are still moving here. I think growth is one of the biggest subjects that we talk about. So over the next 10 years, it's just looking out ahead long enough that you can make adjustments early on so that you don't get caught flatfooted. Water, power, we haven't talked about power. Power is a big deal and especially with the data centers coming in and with technology the way it is, we use a lot of power. I think we're going to have to look at nuclear more. The technology's there where it's safe. In fact, there's been less people killed over the years through nuclear than there has been with even rooftop solar. But the technology's there where they can do molten salt reactors with thorium instead of uranium. That's a safer way to do it. The fuel is consumed in the process so you don't have leftover rods. And even the leftover rods for uranium, they're finding ways to reuse those and control it. So nuclear's got to be part of the solution. It's reliable. It's clean. You can access it anytime not just when the sun's shining or the wind's blowing. But our position in the state is everything. But it ought to be a free market decision. It shouldn't be the government putting their thumb on the scale and saying we like this better or whatever. And I think if we let the free market make those decisions, we're going to have a better product. It's going to be more stable. People are going to be more incentivized to improve it because if we give an incentive to one industry then it disincentivizes another industry that could be advancing faster. And so it's I just don't think that's government's responsibility to unbalance the playing field. Put their thumb on the scale. But power is going to be a big deal. Water. We need to probably put some more reservoirs in. We haven't done that for years and years. And I think we can only conserve so much. And when you conserve, that means water's not going down the Great Salt Lake. So, it's drying up. And we're not recharging our aquifers because we're not letting it go down. Some evaporates, but that also moderates our climate a little bit and helps. So more than just conserving, we've got to look at water storage so that we can have an abundance of water and maybe even some out-of-the-box kind of solutions is to get a pipeline from the Snake River. Bring it in. Or we've got the Lake Powell pipeline that we're looking at and other things. And I think those resources are meant to be used and we ought to use them. Ryan Harding: Good. You started this podcast mentioning the statue and stuff like that. You have kids, grandkids. What do you hope that they remember about you as they look at grandpa or dad or great grandpa? Other than I give them candy when they come? Kay Christofferson: And candy's important, right? I don't know. I mean, I try to teach them to be hardworking and to be responsible and be good citizens and things like that. I don't know that I talk about it. It's an item of discussion. I try to show them that. And hopefully they can look at the example of my wife and I and say, "Yeah, this has worked out good." And I know some of my kids when they've gotten married and got off, they say, "Boy, I didn't recognize how good we had it and some of the things we had," but they can see that they're trying to emulate some of those things and they all have good families and good spouses and good jobs. So, that's kind of a payoff. But I think just having them look at life differently or maybe not differently but more in depth and saying that's what creates good environment is some of these decisions that are made in the legislature or in the church or whatever. These are things that build a good society. I hope that they can see that and emulate that and keep doing that in their families. Perpetuate that. Ryan Harding: What do you hope that maybe the community would know as far as legislation and different things like that? What things would you like the community to know that they can do to make things better? Kay Christofferson: Just it's not that hard to get involved. And people are intimidated by it. So, I would just say, if there's something that concerns you, get involved, do something about it. Kind of get outside the box. It's really uncomfortable. For me, when I got into running for the legislature, it was like, I got to promote myself. This is really awkward. And those are things I really don't like to do. But it's like you've got to get involved enough to understand things a little more in depth. Whether it's at church or at school or in politics or whatever, those who get involved are the ones that make the decisions. And when people know that you're involved in that, they look at you like, well, you're an example. We can do that, too. I think our education system needs to do a better job of teaching civics. And the background of how government works. I think that would be helpful. But maybe just take less time watching TV or whatever. Get involved. One way or the other. I got involved with the city. I was on the roundup committee, the prayer committee, my wife and I, and we did that for a few years. And then I was on the board of adjustments. And on the recreation committee. And those were good things to help me get involved. And you don't have to be a state senator or state congressman or US congressman, but just get involved and go to caucus meetings and call us. We work for the citizens. So call us and talk to us and be civil about it and you go a long ways when you ask questions and give your ideas and recommendations. But there's nothing worse than getting an email that says, "I demand this." You're my representative. I demand this. And I'm thinking, "Oh, really?" I'm 30,000 others represented, too. And they demand other. But if people call up and say, "Hey, I've got this concern. Can you help me with it? Tell me about it. Let's talk about it." That's fine. Or if people have a question about, we were talking about redistricting. If they call up and say, "Tell me about this." Before I make a decision. I want to talk to you. I want to talk to others and then they can understand it in more depth. But it's hard for people to take the time. It's hard for people to get out of their comfort zone to do that. But I appreciate people calling. Ryan Harding: Well, it sounds like that actually makes a difference with you. Especially when they do it in a civil talking way. Where they're actually talking to you. They're actually trying to understand you probably too of where you may be coming from. I've run several pieces of legislation based on feedback from constituents and I have a meeting Wednesday with someone that says I've got some concern about real estate actually and some things, some concerns how this is working. Can we talk about it? Maybe there's some changes in the law that we can make. There you go. So again, that person's having an influence just by reaching out and doing being a concerned citizen in a good manner, in a non-contentious way. And I'm lucky because I'm retired, but there's legislators that are working full-time and have families that are home. That would be harder. And it's tough. So, you got to kind of give them the benefit of the doubt. That's fair. Uh, Kay, this been great. Great to get to know you. Great to see what you're doing. I think you're doing great things and you continue to serve and make a difference in the community and I appreciate all you're doing both on a state level and even on a very local level where obviously we have that connection with my grandfather and stuff. But appreciate all you're doing. Kay Christofferson: Well, and it's good to be involved. But I've learned a lot and it's great to get to meet a lot more people in my district and I represent half of Lehi and half of American Fork. So, it's been good that way and appreciate you taking time to visit. It's a good chance to kind of explain some of these things more in depth. Ryan Harding: No, I love it. So, thank you. Appreciate you coming on. You bet. My pleasure. Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. We'd love to hear from you. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Hard Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Kay Christofferson Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Lehi Utah history interview with Utah State Representative Kay Christofferson on pioneer heritage, transportation planning, growth, Geneva Steel, Lehi Round Up Rodeo, and community service. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Contact

Phil Wasden Lehi Chaplain Resilience Service

Phil Wasden: Lehi Police & Fire Chaplain — A Story of Faith, Resilience, and Service

Who Is Phil Wasden, and Why Does His Story Matter?

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

A Burial on September 11, 2001

An Inspired Move to Traverse Mountain

The Legacy Center Encounter

From Police Chaplain to Fire Chaplain

Electric Vehicle Fire Training

A Firefighter's Gentle Accountability

Joyce's Last Words

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

Chapter 1: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi

Chapter 2: From California to Utah — Phil's Journey

Chapter 3: Becoming a Chaplain

Chapter 4: Training & Responsibilities of Chaplaincy

Chapter 5: Challenges & Rewards of the Role

Chapter 6: Supporting Mental Health in First Responders

Chapter 7: Innovative Tools & Training in Lehi's Departments

Chapter 8: The Humanity of Police Officers

Chapter 9: Awards & Recognitions in Law Enforcement

Chapter 10: Community Support for First Responders

Chapter 11: Advice for Aspiring Firefighters & Officers

Chapter 12: The Role of Faith in Service

Chapter 13: Volunteering & Staying Active

Chapter 14: Final Reflections & Legacy

Phil Wasden Lehi Utah Chaplain Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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After 37 years in California, a single man moved to Traverse Mountain on inspiration alone — and became the spiritual anchor for Lehi's first responders.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

Phil Wasden's interview on Roots & Branches of Lehi is a powerful blend of personal resilience, community service, and the quiet heroism found in everyday life. After spending 37 years in Chico, California, Phil's journey to Lehi, Utah began in heartbreak with the loss of his wife, Joyce, and ultimately led him to a new chapter shaped by inspiration, faith, and purpose. His move to Traverse Mountain in 2003 became more than a relocation — it became the foundation for a life of service to Lehi's first responders and the broader community.

In this episode, Phil shares how he became the chaplain for both the Lehi Police Department and the Lehi Fire Department , a role he never sought but one that found him. His stories offer rare insight into the emotional and spiritual needs of first responders, the evolving challenges of public safety work, and the deep bonds formed within these departments. Through his experiences, listeners gain a meaningful window into modern Lehi — its growth, its people, and the unseen sacrifices made to keep the community safe.

Phil's reflections on loss, mental health, community trust, and the importance of kindness resonate far beyond Lehi's borders. His story enriches the historical record of Lehi, Utah by highlighting the human side of civic service and the ways individuals shape the character of a growing city. For anyone interested in Lehi community history , first responder mental health in Utah , or the Traverse Mountain early development era, this interview offers essential perspective.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Phil Wasden

Chaplain for Lehi Police Department and Lehi Fire Department; U.S. Air Force veteran; former California state inspector

1960s–2020s, with emphasis on 2003–present in Lehi

Ryan Harding

Phil describes losing his wife Joyce to uterine cancer in 2001. Ironically, her burial took place on September 11, 2001, at the very hour the first plane struck the North Tower. Every year since, Phil has honored her memory by sitting at her graveside in rural Wyoming before sunup, meditating in a lawn chair. This day remains his personal memorial day, grounding his perspective on loss and gratitude.

After retiring in Chico, Phil searched across Arizona, Texas, Wyoming, and Colorado before an honest realtor suggested Utah. On inspiration alone, this single man purchased a six-bedroom home in Traverse Mountain in 2003 — a decision that puzzled the builder until Phil simply asked, "Do you believe in inspiration?" The home became a crossroads for family, fulfilling a vision he didn't fully understand at the time.

While walking the track at the Lehi Legacy Center, Phil was approached by a man he hadn't met before who identified himself as Lehi Police Chief Darren Paul . After observing Phil for some time, Chief Paul told him the department had decided he would make an ideal chaplain. Phil hadn't sought the role; the chaplaincy came to him.

After becoming credentialed with the International Conference of Police Chaplains and eventually earning the title of Master Chaplain, two firefighters approached Phil with a simple request: "We go on the same calls as the cops — will you be our chaplain?" This led to dual credentialing with the Federation of Firefighter Chaplains, making Phil a chaplain to both departments.

Phil recounts training with firefighters on electric vehicle fires, including a Tesla demonstration that revealed the challenges of extinguishing battery fires. He learned that EV fires can require over 15,000 gallons of water simply to control — not extinguish — and that specialized tools are needed to access battery compartments safely without exposing responders to intense heat.

During a stressful I-15 response at rush hour, Phil rode along with a firefighter navigating gridlock. When they returned to the station, the engineer proudly announced, "Chaplain, did you notice I didn't cuss once?" Phil replied, "I noticed that, but I was thinking it." The moment captures the humor, humanity, and mutual respect within Lehi's fire department.

In the final hours with his wife, monitored by his sister — a registered nurse — Phil witnessed Joyce's vital signs drop to zero multiple times. When his sister finally assured Joyce she had done everything in this life, Joyce's eyes flew open. The next morning, as Phil kissed her forehead and said "I love you," Joyce strained to reply with her last words: "I love you more." Phil has carried those words into every relationship and conversation since.

This interview offers valuable perspective on Lehi's institutions, growth patterns, and community infrastructure. Here are key historical insights from Phil Wasden's experience:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Ryan Harding: Welcome Phil Wasden to Roots and Branches of Lehi where we get to get to know you a little bit better and kind of reflect on your life, some of the things you've done, that kind of thing. So I appreciate you coming in today.

Phil Wasden: So Ryan, thank you. It's a privilege. And I consider it an honor.

Ryan: Good. Good. No, I'm actually very much looking forward to this and getting to know you a little bit better and stuff. So maybe let's go ahead and start with kind of a little introduction here of you. How long have you been in Lehi? Did you grow up here? Talk to me about that kind of thing, I guess, first.

Phil: Well, that's an interesting start. So let's begin there. I lived in Chico, California for 37 years. And my wife was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2000 and she passed away in 2001. Ironically, her burial was on September the 11th, 2001, at the very hour the first plane hit the North Tower. So that is my memorial day. Every year I am at her graveside before sunup in a lawn chair just meditating. And this all occurs up in a little rural area in northern Wyoming called Penrose. It's up by Cody, Wyoming and just south of Billings, Montana by Yellowstone Park.

We had talked before her passing of downsizing. We had a beautiful big home in California, but of downsizing and using the proceeds to finance a mission and we were going to build a home in Idaho. Well, things don't always go the way they're planned. So I continued to work until I retired in Chico. And then I started to look for places to live other than there. And when I came to Utah, I met a friend and he said, "Uh, have you considered Utah?" And I said, "Well, I've looked at Arizona. I've looked at Texas. I've looked at Wyoming, Colorado. Yeah, I'll check it out." And he said, "Well, I know an honest realtor." I said, "That's an oxymoron." No offense, realtor, but anyway. But I have worked with them. I was a state inspector for the state of California.

Anyway, I would fly to Salt Lake, rent a car, and we would — my realtor who was an honest realtor — she had homes outlined all the way from Provo to Lehi. And I would come and I would look and I said, after about three weeks of doing this every week, everything you've shown me is either next door to a neighbor — I can't get used to that idea — or the cost is the same as buying a house. And so she said, "Why don't you buy a home?" So I said, "Okay, do you have something in mind?" and she said, "Yes, we're going to start building homes up in Traverse Mountain." And I said, "Why would you live up there?" And she said, "Because it's in the middle of everywhere and in the middle of nowhere, it's equidistant between Provo and Salt Lake." And I said, "Show me where you would live." And so she took me to a spot and I said, "Why would you live here?" And she said, "Because I know there's going to be a tot park that I can look out my window and see my grandkids playing. There's a mail house right there and there's a church within a couple of blocks." And I said, "I'll take it."

And so the builder and I met at the closing in Orem and he said, "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" I said, "No." He said, "Why did you move to Utah?" And I said, "Do you believe in inspiration?" And he said, "Yes." And I said, "Then I don't have to explain it to you, do I?" I moved into my brand new home on Thanksgiving of 2003. And it was an inspired decision. I've been so happy with that move. It's proven to be the right one. And it's really interesting, Ryan. I am a single person now. And I bought a six-bedroom home. The inspiration is I have a place for family to come. We're kind of at the crossroads and so I have a place for them to stay and it's worked out very well. So in a nutshell, that's how I came to be here in Lehi. And it's been a marvelous place to be.

Ryan: No, I love that story. Talk to us then about — so you're a chaplain then for the first responders, right?

Phil: Uh yes.

Ryan: Talk to me about that. How did that happen? Because obviously you told me you were a state inspector in California, so that wasn't the job.

Phil: No, no, it's completely different. I served in the United States Air Force for six years active and reserve and the only chaplain I'd ever met in the military was James K. Seant, Latter-day Saint that took me under his wing in basic training in Texas. I admired him for what he did. And later he became the mayor of the city of Las Vegas. And was instrumental in getting a temple in Las Vegas. That's the only exposure I've had to being any connection. Although I was a military group leader for three years at Grand Forks Air Force Base. So I did have that connection, but it was not as a chaplain for the entire population. It was for Latter-day Saints.

I was walking — one of the blessings of me being in Lehi has been the Lehi Legacy Center. And I became involved in that almost the following week after I moved here in 2003. I was walking on the track one morning and a person came up to me that I hadn't met before and he identified himself as Darren Paul. The police chief for the city of Lehi. And apparently he'd been observing me for some time because he said, "We had an executive meeting and we decided you would make an ideal chaplain." So the chaplaincy — I didn't seek it, it came to me.

And I like to make sure when I say yes to something that I am capable of following through. And so I said, "Darren, I am not sure what a civilian chaplain does. Would you let me inquire and find out more information before I say yes?" And he said, "Certainly." So I was in touch with the headquarters for the chaplain in Salt Lake and they said, "Well, the first thing you need to have happen is you need to submit an application with your qualifications and that means educational background, everything. And we will screen it and you'll be endorsed or you will not be endorsed as a chaplain." So shortly after that I was endorsed as a chaplain.

Phil: Now there's a difference between ecclesiastical training and training that you receive within a department. And so I was in touch with another chaplain that ironically I was his bishop when he was just a kid. And he said, "You need to get some excellent training in such topics as suicide, handling ceremonies, handling issues within a department, counseling, and other related items." And he said, "One of the best places I can tell you is the International Conference of Police Chaplains." And so I became credentialed with the International Conference of Police Chaplains and I received training from them and that was over 10 years ago. And I still every year attend their annual training which lasts for a week. I just returned from a week's training and I was acknowledged at that time as a master chaplain. Now I progress through the areas of basic and senior and now master. And that is a function of educational units, training and experience. That was in Little Rock, Arkansas. And when I returned home, there was a nice ceremony at the city hall with the mayor and the board there.

But I have to go back a little bit. An interesting thing happened after I became chaplain for the police department. Two firemen came up to me. And they said, "Hey, we go on the same calls that the cops do. Will you be our chaplain?" I said, "Sure, might as well." I said, "Let me see what's involved with that." And checking it out, I learned that I needed to become credentialed with the Federation of Fire Chaplains. So I'm credentialed with fire and police and church. I got it covered.

And the firefighters training is — I trained both within the departments as I can. Like yesterday for example, I trained at station 84 with the firemen. They were addressing the issue of electric cars and fires. I learned a lot from that. I learned a lot from every one of these. But this was interesting. Electric cars when they catch on fire, you cannot put the fire out. They just have to control the burning so it doesn't involve other vehicles or other things around them. They had a fire of an electric vehicle at Point of the Mountain here not too long ago. And the fire was so intense it took over 15,000 gallons of water. And it didn't put the fire out. It just quenched it to stop it from spreading.

And I learned that there are certain places like we have the jaws of life, the cutters and the spreaders. There are certain places on an electric car that you can cut, but certain places that you cannot cut. That car, if you were to look at it like an X-ray, that is one massive battery. I mean, from the chassis, it's a solid battery through there. And those electrical ring links go all the way through the car. There's a huge amount of airbags. In a Tesla, it goes all the way front to back. It's not just a little spot. And so we learned how if an electric car, a Tesla specifically, they had a Tesla there that we demonstrated with. They showed how you could access the car even if the doors were locked and it was not running and the people inside were not able to respond. We learned there's a place to access the electrical system and you hook in an auxiliary power unit and it'll pop the doors open. In desperation, you can wedge through the window. It's a waste of time to try to break the window in a Tesla. It's tempered glass. So it's very difficult and it's hard to break through. But you can get to the latch and pop the door open or you can get a spreader in to pop it. Anyway, this is fascinating information. It made me think, wow, with technology, these people have to be trained constantly about the changes that are occurring both within the police department and within the fire department, first responders.

At the same time we were going through this training, other parts of the department were over on an active shooter training with the police department. And we kind of rotate those things around. As you know, we've had a very serious thing occur recently in our area. And the colleges and the police departments and fire departments are assessing what we would do differently. And that's interesting about the difference between the police and fire. I've learned they go on the same calls. But when the fire department returns to the station, they are evaluating as a group what went well, what didn't go well, what we should do differently next time and on and on. The policeman just climbs back in his cruiser and goes back to the next call. Sometimes there's not a debrief there until he meets with his sergeant or if we have a critical incident. And I have been involved in critical incidents. Sometimes those things get evaluated, but they're under such challenges. Everyone in the world has a cell phone or a camera. And they're all photographing and they're just waiting for somebody. Well, that's wrong. They will observe any slip up. Or a proposed slip up. And the policemen and the firemen have to make instant decisions and sometimes you can second guess those out of the heat. They're running into situations that everybody else is running away from. And I admire them so much for what they do. Sometimes it's a very tough and challenging job, Ryan.

Phil: But it's an honor and a privilege to serve with them. Now you may ask what I do. What is my job? My responsibility is first of all I'm a chaplain to everyone. Faith aside, no faith. Whatever. I'm a standing minister to them. If someone asks me a specific religious question, I will answer that to the best of my ability. However, I don't proselytize in any way. If I did, I would cease to be a chaplain. That would be because you're not trying to convert anybody to a specific religion. You're just trying to support them in a religious context. Exactly. I have been blessed. First of all, it's important to be among the folks, the officers and the firemen. They have to learn to trust you. That means keeping confidences is essential. If I were to repeat something that I've heard to a superior officer, I would cease to be a chaplain because I would have betrayed that trust. So I'm very careful about that. So if I talk about incidents with you, it would be in a very general term. I would not use names. Just to protect both myself and the individuals. But again, I'm not a licensed therapist. I have boundaries that I respect. I will counsel an individual to the point to where I feel they need professional counseling. And at that point, I would turn it over. The same thing with religion, if a Catholic asked me to do the last rites, for example, I would decline that and I would get a Catholic friend to do that. Because that's crossing a line for me. So there are certain things that need to be respected as a chaplain.

Ryan: And so do you have like office hours that you're at different places? Do they come to see you? Tell me logistically how does that work?

Phil: That is an interesting part of it. I'm really on call 24/7. But I have responded on some calls, ride-alongs. And one of them was kind of funny. I happened to be in station 81 when there was a call on I-15. At rush hour. And it was a parking lot on I-15. Both the ambulance and the engine rolled. And if you can imagine cars having to move a foot or two one way or the other just to let them through. And of course people would fall in behind trying to get through. And we had the air horn going and the lights and the siren and it just was like moving through molasses. We finally got to the scene. It was a vehicle towing another trailer that had a new four-runner in it that had whipsawed and finally flipped over and blocked all of the lanes of traffic. But the funny part was that no one was injured. That is a good part. The funny part occurred when we got back to the station and the engineer who was driving said, "Chaplain, did you notice I didn't cuss once?" I said, "I noticed that, but I was thinking it." But those are good folks. They just support each other. It's a family. And they're exposed to a lot of things. Right now I admire Chief Jeremy Craft. Our fire chief, he has been a real exponent for cancer. Because these folks are exposed to carcinogenic elements in fires and in spills and other things that unfortunately we have a high rate of cancer among our firemen and policemen and they and suicide as well. You might be surprised to know that among law enforcement, our suicide rates are higher than the military on a ratio. But Chief Craft has been active with the legislature and other means to get cancer screening for the fire department. And it's in its infancy. He's making some inroads. But we're talking fiscal issues. And those are not hard to move through. But I admire him. Both he and Chief Paul have faced cancer issues themselves. I applaud having gone through the cancer with your wife issues. I applaud anytime I hear that someone has put it in recession and it's Chief Paul has been successful at that. Chief Craft is still struggling but he continues to work. They show up for work. They wouldn't ask anything of those who work under them to do something they wouldn't do themselves. So I admire the leadership. Lehi is very well served in our safety areas and so I would be called a chaplain of public safety. I am one person. And eventually I suspect that we will have more chaplains but at the present time the chiefs are happy with what they got.

Ryan: Well that means you're doing good. You mentioned suicide and different things like that, the mental health of them. How do you approach that with those that are struggling? I'm sure you've had to deal with that in our area.

Phil: I have. And it's on a personal note, I've seen it within members of my own family. Not immediate family, but within my family. Sometimes the signs are not all that apparent, but there are signs and we need to pay attention to those. If someone starts giving away prized possessions they've held on to for a long time or they start making little comments like, you know, everybody'd be better if I weren't here or things like that. You need to take those comments seriously and you need to be blunt. You need to say, "Are you thinking of killing yourself?" And do you have a plan? Those are things that you have to pick up on. Not everybody can do that because a lot of times that's something you don't want to hear. Depends on how close you are with the person. But sometimes it sneaks up on you and you didn't catch the signs and you were genuinely surprised. And you start going through the guilt thing of saying, "I wonder if I could have done something differently. I wonder how I missed the signs." And it's a serious nature. You know, I met a person on the track. I meet a lot of people over there. And I would just — I had just become a chaplain and we had something bad happen in Lehi the night before involving some youth that were seriously injured and so on. And I as a matter of conversation I brought that up with this person and the response was "Oh there's so many bad things happening. Let's talk about positive things." And I thought, you know, that's right. And I think it's Ryan right now at this time, and I'm not going to get political. It's very important that we ratchet down the negativity that's taking place. And that's happening way above my pay grade. But what it does is it creates a sense of a person who may be a little mentally margin thinking, well, I'm going to do the country a favor and I'm going to take out that person. We've got to stop that kind of whether it's on nighttime talk shows or whether it's just in conversation. We need to be more civil to each other. Kind. More loving. Right. Absolutely. And that's one of the things I say to everyone. The parting words of my wife to me were, "I love you more." That came about after three times during the night. My sister is an RN and she was monitoring my wife's vitals and it was really interesting. And at one point her heart rate went to zero and her pulse went to zero. Her respiration went to zero. And my sister said, "Phil, she's gone." And she would snap back. And it was just like she was just stepped in the other room for me. And so at about 8:00 at night, same thing happened and my sister leaned into my wife's ear and she said, "Joyce, you've done everything in this life you could possibly do. It's okay to go." And Joyce's eyes flew open. She says, "I'm not ready to go yet." My sister jumped out. But the next morning, she did the same evaluation and she said, "Phil, she's gone." And she pinched her this time to make sure. And I leaned over and I kissed my wife Joyce on the forehead and I said, "I love you." And I turned to walk away and in a voice that was strained but hard, she said, "I love you more." And that was her last words. So I've used that with everyone that I want to make sure I don't check out and let them know how I appreciate them, how I love them. And you'll, if you come to my home, you'll see that plastered all over. One of the gifts that she gave me, and she gave me a bunch of gifts that I didn't know anything about, was a flaming red hooded sweatshirt and it had "I love you more" appliqued on. I bawled like a baby when I saw it, opened that present. But anyway, I have found in conversations with individuals, everybody is going through something. Everybody is having a challenge of some sort, Ryan. And we can ignore those or we can address them. I appreciate what this person on the track told me because I don't have to get down in the mud and dwell in that and to share it with others. I need to bring the light and the hope to others in a positive way.

So one of the sweet things that I have done as a chaplain and I have had some really good positive experiences. I remember going with the police chief in West Valley to the home of an officer that had been slain, had been shot. They were expecting us — the parents, a son, and a fiance to the police officer. And when we went, we heard the sound of a radio saw going on and they couldn't hear the doorbell ring. And the chief turned to me and he says, "I've always wanted to do this." And he banged on the door. And they said, "Who is it?" And he says, "It's the cops. Open up." But it was obvious to me that he was a frequent visitor of that home. He knew those people. And I made a presentation to the family and that consisted of a certificate from our president of the ICPC. And I gave them a Bible. And the father said, "Oh, the chief said, 'What was all the noise?'" And he said, "Let me show you." And he took us to a room that was probably 9 by 12 in size. There was a Lazy Boy rocker sitting in the middle of the room. It was painted white and there was a blue border about 2 inches wide around the seated area and he had placed the flag, the folded flag of the officer, certificates, all of the things that he'd accumulated in his short life. He was just a young man. They were around that room. And the father said, "When we get to missing our son and when we get to feeling like we need to meditate, we just come in this room and sit in the easy boy and this is a very calming room for us." I thought what a neat way to memorialize your family member. And when we left the chief said to me, "I've tried to talk this younger brother out of becoming a policeman." That's interesting for a chief to say that. And I said, "Well, has it happened?" He says, "I don't think so." And then I read later that he was in the graduating class of the police academy. So yeah, he wanted to follow in brother's footsteps. He wanted to follow his brother's footsteps and I admired that. Which makes sense. But I've had some experiences that — I'm a volunteer. I don't get paid for what I do, but I do get paid big time. Just last Saturday, I officiated my 14th wedding as a chaplain and it was a sweet thing because it was another chaplain. And those are sweet times. I enjoyed those a lot more than I do funerals or memorials. I have conducted five memorials now for canines. We treat canines like we do officers because they're on the force. Yes. Unfortunately, two of those canines have been in Lehi. But there are others as well. But the blessing and privilege of being a chaplain is when you have those moments where you feel that you've made a difference. It could be minute. Sometimes you don't need to say anything. You just need to be quiet and listen. That is more beneficial sometimes than anything you might say. There are some trite things that I try to avoid saying. For example, "I know how you feel." No, I don't. That's personal. That individual, they know how they feel. And I may have had some experiences with the loss of loved ones. But I don't know how they feel. And so I'm careful about some of those things to not offend them by something I might say. And I've had some wonderful things. I've had some things that I would like to do over again differently. Not many thankfully, but I think about those. And after 10 years of having this opportunity, I'm still learning. I still train. I still learn. Again, I just underscore what a wonderful privilege it is. It makes me happy to have the guys — and gals — when I walk into the station greet me and welcome me and not as an outsider. Now, I didn't tell you this, but for the duration of my military career, I was in the air police. So I have some background in that area. Not like civilian, but different. And I can tell you enjoy what you do.

Ryan: Tell me about some of the more rewarding things, like the marriages and different things like that that you've been able to do. My guess is it's not all easy. So tell me, speak to some of the more challenging aspects of the job.

Phil: Sometimes, and I'm going back several years now, thinking about a couple of situations without getting into the details. I felt very helpless at one time sitting in a critical incident where there had been a child that had been run over by its mother. On that same day, a bicyclist was run over by one of these big gravel trucks that had a trailer behind it and she did not see the gravel truck behind it. That's more detail than I wanted to give you. But I looked at the faces of the first responders and on a critical incident, the only individuals involved and we sit in a circle. We don't talk about what so and so did. We talk about what we did, what our feelings were in the matter. And I watch carefully the individuals to see. And if there's anyone that has to get up and leave the room, I will get up and go with them until they come back because sometimes what they've experienced is so hard that they are reliving it. Now there's a treatment for that stress called EMDR and it's a function of flashing light. Sometimes one treatment is sufficient to take the stress out of that person and they can deal with them. But in this case I'm thinking it was hard for me to just hear the review and they were talking about they weren't being critical of anything. They were just debriefing of what happened as a group and I hurt for them when they experienced those things but a lot of times they cannot talk about them to their family. That's the last person they want to talk with about. Because when they leave and they kiss their loved ones goodbye, they want to know that they're coming back after the shift. And so a lot of times it's hard for a policeman or a fireman to share anything outside of the work family. And for my experience, my father was killed in a fire when I was five and he saved my life actually. And the trauma of that I remember to this day. I remember in vivid detail and I'm sure that every incident that our policemen firemen go through they remember in vivid detail as well. And it's not something that you want to relive but you want to learn from those things. And just like I said before, what would we do differently next time?

Ryan: Is that an area you think we're improving on? As a society, it seems like we're more aware of mental health and different things like that. And I would assume probably in specific with first responders who by definition are the first ones on the scene and often times they're seeing things that frankly I don't even want to see in a movie. And so yes, it is and I'm sure that's very hard to go through.

Phil: Well, we are making very significant strides in that area. It used to be in the wars, specifically the first world war, when they called it battle fatigue or something like that. Anyway, they struggled with that. We call it different things now. But we call it PTSD. We — the labels we put on that — as I mentioned there is one treatment, EMDR, that works with that quite well and that's something that a professional would be involved in and I would recognize to step back at that point. We do have with the city treatment. These are the folks we're dealing with are folks that don't want to appear weak or timid. So it's hard for them to express themselves in a manner that would indicate any weakness. And I asked once here a few years back about how many people actually use the facilities and they said not many. Hardly anyone. And it doesn't reflect on the person's employment because it's kept private. But it's still hard for a person to bring themselves to that point. But mental health is critical. You don't know what you're going to get when you get on a call. And you prepare. You train. You do all that you can, but the first thing that you do is protect the life and property of the citizens and your fellow officers. Whether it's a policeman or a first responder.

Phil: And I am pleased with the level of training that I see in the city of Lehi police and fire. They are constantly training. Just a tool for example that just was new to me yesterday. There is a rod that's probably 10 foot long that has a multi head sprinkler on the end of it and they shove that up under the car where the batteries are located with the electric motors. And that way they're not exposing themselves directly to that intense heat fire. That's just another little tool that has been developed and we keep improving, keep developing things that keep us safe and keep others safe. I don't know if that answers your question.

Ryan: That answered my question. No, that's perfect. Now tell me, are there any maybe misconceptions? You mentioned that tough exterior, right? I mean, cops, a lot of our interactions with the police is getting a ticket, right? For speeding or something like that. So tell me, having worked with both them and the firefighters, what are some misconceptions maybe or kind of address the humanity, I guess, of these people?

Phil: You know, it's interesting. If a ticket were issued for every speeder on I-15, there'd be no traffic up there at all. I think too many people regard the speed limit as a suggestion. And but involving traffic stops. I saw something that kind of wore my heart. I can't remember. I believe it was in Texas where they did traffic stops and the person driving was very defensive. The first thing you want to say, well, I wasn't speeding. What are you pulling me over for? And it was Thanksgiving time and they gave them a turkey. So there usually when the officer comes up to a vehicle on a stop, those are dangerous stops, by the way. A lot of the shootings of police officers have occurred over irate drivers that use a weapon and so typically an appropriate stop would involve two officers. One would be slightly behind and to the right rear of the car where the other officer is approaching the driver and the other officer is observing any activity inside that they might by threatening or something. Usually all they're doing is trying to enforce a safety issue. And when we know we're guilty, sometimes we think we can either bully the person, especially if it's a female officer, or to talk our way out of it some way. I will be honest with you. I've had one ticket in my life. One. It was 5 miles an hour over the speed limit. It was in a 35 mile zone and I was doing 40. And but I realized that I was wrong. And I just had to be honest and say, you know, you're right. I did it. But the misconception is that they're out to get you. They're not. They're there as a public safety to help you be safe. And there are other misconceptions about either firemen or policemen that if we understood the circumstances, we would probably think differently.

Ryan: Which I think is helpful to know sometimes, you know, because I think again we that's why it's good to get to know people, right? I mean, that's kind of actually even the purpose of this podcast is just to make the world a little smaller because then we do love each other more, right? And then we're less judgmental.

Phil: Reality is like hey these are real people who are doing their best you know like you said with safety issues and different things like that trying to actually make the world better is what they're trying to do right. And so I like the you're talking about the humanity of these people right and that because again I think that's the hope is that we do then love each other more right.

Ryan: So, well said, Ryan. Yes. I have to laugh remembering back at Chief Paul something. I bought a new Dodge Dart a few years back. And when he saw it, it's a it looks a hotter car than it is. Believe me. And the first thing Chief Paul said to me is, "Phil, whatever you do, don't get a ticket." Meaning, I'm not going to bail you out. You can't name drop me. That's good. That's good.

Ryan: So, you've received some awards and recognitions for your job here. Tell me about some of those.

Phil: I have. While I was at my training in Little Rock, Arkansas, I spent four hours a day for a week training to become an instructor for United States Constitutional Law as it applies to law enforcement. So I'm a licensed instructor for Hillsdale College in the constitution and applications. That's one award that I received. The other awards — I was surprised with one. The police department has a community service award. And I was I believe their first recipient of that award, maybe the second. That was an honor that I had not anticipated. And it was based on the person's contributions to the community. There's some other people up on that wall that they have, the honor wall in the Broadbent building that are far more worthy of that award than I felt. I bet they feel the same way too about their own contributions. I mean, I think everybody feels like everybody else is a little bit better, you know. So, but I'm sure you're very deserving of it is my point. Well, thank you. And each progression level within your national conference police chaplain. I have also served the last four years on a committee that involves the integrity of chaplain. And I'm happy to say to you, not once in that four years did we have an issue with a chaplain. Nice. Nice. That's not to say there's bad apples anywhere, you know. Of course. Of course. But as long as there's agency, right? Exactly. Yeah. I had to laugh one time. I among the really neat things I've had with the city. I have dedicated two fire stations and the fire engines in both. The fire department is big on tradition. And the wash down of the vehicle and pushing it into the bay is one of them. When I was in Wichita, Kansas at one ICPC meeting and one of the chaplains from the South that I've got to know real well said, "Hey, Phil, what branch of Baptists are you?" And I said, "Well, actually, I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." And he said, "Oh, there's not very many of you guys, are there?" I said, "No, there's not." He said, "You would make a great Baptist chaplain." And I said, "Stuart, you would make a great Mormon chaplain." And so I was telling the guys, I had dedicated station 83 and the engine. And one morning I was just listening to them talk and they were talking about all the problems they're having with the engine, station 83. And I said, "Wait a minute. I dedicated that engine." and they said, "You should have given it a Baptist blessing." I would have. I like that. That's awesome. But I've had the opportunity to dedicate the building and the land for station 84, our newest station. And I dedicated the city campus that's being constructed right now. That's an exciting addition to City Lehi. And so those are kind of fun things I do as a chaplain too. Yeah. Yeah. No, great privilege to be a part of those things I'm sure.

Ryan: So it is — so we've hit a lot of these things. So a lot of the questions — well they were well constructed, a compliment to you. Thank you. I just want to make sure we hit again because you hit a lot of those things already but so talking about the community and stuff like that. How do you think the community can better serve first responders? You know, what things can we as a community do to help them?

Phil: The support — we are very fortunate in a number of ways. Let me say first of all, we have a good rapport between our fire and police. That's not always true in the larger metropolitan cities. Sometimes they're at each other's throats over such things as who got more money than the other one and so on and so forth. And there's some natural in our area it's good natured jabbing each other like that. In other areas it's not so gentle. But the community has been in my experience very supportive. There is a person — I will not use the name — who out of her well I've exposed the gender but her husband supported her. They provided bulletproof vests for our canines. They provided a lot of other equipment to our canines. They were focused quite a bit on that area but they did that anonymously as a citizen of the community. And they also at large did other communities like Saratoga Springs and other communities. I see when around Christmas time holidays and others people are bringing cookies all the time and the firefighters enjoy the tours that they get. The police have to be more careful. It's hard to get a tour with the police because they have to be so careful. The glass in the front is bulletproof and it's locked tight. You have to have an escort to — I have to have an escort to get in. And they know you and they know me. But I see acts of kindness directed towards the departments in you know even with the cookies and other type things. But I see it also in the citizens on an active scene where they're more than willing to help without being a hindrance, without getting in the way. But to support and help. I'm thinking of a time when at a fire where there was a woman that brought out lemonade. It was in the heat of the summer. And gave to the first responders. Little acts of kindness like that show support. Other support. I've seen some of the businesses provide gifts and things for the officers when they have their annual awards ceremonies and banquets. They'll often have a drawing or whatever. And everybody gets something. It's not a one or two. And they're nice and they come from — I would name the names but I won't — some of the businesses in Lehi that have contributed a great deal and for the most part the smiles and the acts of kindness are appreciated and I see that. Parents can be such an example to their children. If an officer stops and there's a carload of family and the person who's pulled over uses berating language and whatnot either out of the presence or in the car. The children pick up on that. And suddenly they emulate what they hear. And so we can begin within our families to show respect in training and teaching our children.

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Phil Wasden Role in Lehi Chaplain for Lehi Police Department and Lehi Fire Department; U.S. Air Force veteran; former California state inspector Time Periods Discussed 1960s–2020s, with emphasis on 2003–present in Lehi Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview A Burial on September 11, 2001 Phil describes losing his wife Joyce to uterine cancer in 2001. Ironically, her burial took place on September 11, 2001, at the very hour the first plane struck the North Tower. Every year since, Phil has honored her memory by sitting at her graveside in rural Wyoming before sunup, meditating in a lawn chair. This day remains his personal memorial day, grounding his perspective on loss and gratitude. An Inspired Move to Traverse Mountain After retiring in Chico, Phil searched across Arizona, Texas, Wyoming, and Colorado before an honest realtor suggested Utah. On inspiration alone, this single man purchased a six-bedroom home in Traverse Mountain in 2003 — a decision that puzzled the builder until Phil simply asked, "Do you believe in inspiration?" The home became a crossroads for family, fulfilling a vision he didn't fully understand at the time. The Legacy Center Encounter While walking the track at the Lehi Legacy Center, Phil was approached by a man he hadn't met before who identified himself as Lehi Police Chief Darren Paul . After observing Phil for some time, Chief Paul told him the department had decided he would make an ideal chaplain. Phil hadn't sought the role; the chaplaincy came to him. From Police Chaplain to Fire Chaplain After becoming credentialed with the International Conference of Police Chaplains and eventually earning the title of Master Chaplain, two firefighters approached Phil with a simple request: "We go on the same calls as the cops — will you be our chaplain?" This led to dual credentialing with the Federation of Firefighter Chaplains, making Phil a chaplain to both departments. Electric Vehicle Fire Training Phil recounts training with firefighters on electric vehicle fires, including a Tesla demonstration that revealed the challenges of extinguishing battery fires. He learned that EV fires can require over 15,000 gallons of water simply to control — not extinguish — and that specialized tools are needed to access battery compartments safely without exposing responders to intense heat. A Firefighter's Gentle Accountability During a stressful I-15 response at rush hour, Phil rode along with a firefighter navigating gridlock. When they returned to the station, the engineer proudly announced, "Chaplain, did you notice I didn't cuss once?" Phil replied, "I noticed that, but I was thinking it." The moment captures the humor, humanity, and mutual respect within Lehi's fire department. Joyce's Last Words In the final hours with his wife, monitored by his sister — a registered nurse — Phil witnessed Joyce's vital signs drop to zero multiple times. When his sister finally assured Joyce she had done everything in this life, Joyce's eyes flew open. The next morning, as Phil kissed her forehead and said "I love you," Joyce strained to reply with her last words: "I love you more." Phil has carried those words into every relationship and conversation since. History Historical Insights About Lehi This interview offers valuable perspective on Lehi's institutions, growth patterns, and community infrastructure. Here are key historical insights from Phil Wasden's experience: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Explore the Full Archive Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Chapter 1: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Chapter 2: From California to Utah — Phil's Journey Ryan Harding: Welcome Phil Wasden to Roots and Branches of Lehi where we get to get to know you a little bit better and kind of reflect on your life, some of the things you've done, that kind of thing. So I appreciate you coming in today. Phil Wasden: So Ryan, thank you. It's a privilege. And I consider it an honor. Ryan: Good. Good. No, I'm actually very much looking forward to this and getting to know you a little bit better and stuff. So maybe let's go ahead and start with kind of a little introduction here of you. How long have you been in Lehi? Did you grow up here? Talk to me about that kind of thing, I guess, first. Phil: Well, that's an interesting start. So let's begin there. I lived in Chico, California for 37 years. And my wife was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2000 and she passed away in 2001. Ironically, her burial was on September the 11th, 2001, at the very hour the first plane hit the North Tower. So that is my memorial day. Every year I am at her graveside before sunup in a lawn chair just meditating. And this all occurs up in a little rural area in northern Wyoming called Penrose. It's up by Cody, Wyoming and just south of Billings, Montana by Yellowstone Park. We had talked before her passing of downsizing. We had a beautiful big home in California, but of downsizing and using the proceeds to finance a mission and we were going to build a home in Idaho. Well, things don't always go the way they're planned. So I continued to work until I retired in Chico. And then I started to look for places to live other than there. And when I came to Utah, I met a friend and he said, "Uh, have you considered Utah?" And I said, "Well, I've looked at Arizona. I've looked at Texas. I've looked at Wyoming, Colorado. Yeah, I'll check it out." And he said, "Well, I know an honest realtor." I said, "That's an oxymoron." No offense, realtor, but anyway. But I have worked with them. I was a state inspector for the state of California. Anyway, I would fly to Salt Lake, rent a car, and we would — my realtor who was an honest realtor — she had homes outlined all the way from Provo to Lehi. And I would come and I would look and I said, after about three weeks of doing this every week, everything you've shown me is either next door to a neighbor — I can't get used to that idea — or the cost is the same as buying a house. And so she said, "Why don't you buy a home?" So I said, "Okay, do you have something in mind?" and she said, "Yes, we're going to start building homes up in Traverse Mountain." And I said, "Why would you live up there?" And she said, "Because it's in the middle of everywhere and in the middle of nowhere, it's equidistant between Provo and Salt Lake." And I said, "Show me where you would live." And so she took me to a spot and I said, "Why would you live here?" And she said, "Because I know there's going to be a tot park that I can look out my window and see my grandkids playing. There's a mail house right there and there's a church within a couple of blocks." And I said, "I'll take it." And so the builder and I met at the closing in Orem and he said, "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" I said, "No." He said, "Why did you move to Utah?" And I said, "Do you believe in inspiration?" And he said, "Yes." And I said, "Then I don't have to explain it to you, do I?" I moved into my brand new home on Thanksgiving of 2003. And it was an inspired decision. I've been so happy with that move. It's proven to be the right one. And it's really interesting, Ryan. I am a single person now. And I bought a six-bedroom home. The inspiration is I have a place for family to come. We're kind of at the crossroads and so I have a place for them to stay and it's worked out very well. So in a nutshell, that's how I came to be here in Lehi. And it's been a marvelous place to be. Ryan: No, I love that story. Talk to us then about — so you're a chaplain then for the first responders, right? Phil: Uh yes. Chapter 3: Becoming a Chaplain Ryan: Talk to me about that. How did that happen? Because obviously you told me you were a state inspector in California, so that wasn't the job. Phil: No, no, it's completely different. I served in the United States Air Force for six years active and reserve and the only chaplain I'd ever met in the military was James K. Seant, Latter-day Saint that took me under his wing in basic training in Texas. I admired him for what he did. And later he became the mayor of the city of Las Vegas. And was instrumental in getting a temple in Las Vegas. That's the only exposure I've had to being any connection. Although I was a military group leader for three years at Grand Forks Air Force Base. So I did have that connection, but it was not as a chaplain for the entire population. It was for Latter-day Saints. I was walking — one of the blessings of me being in Lehi has been the Lehi Legacy Center. And I became involved in that almost the following week after I moved here in 2003. I was walking on the track one morning and a person came up to me that I hadn't met before and he identified himself as Darren Paul. The police chief for the city of Lehi. And apparently he'd been observing me for some time because he said, "We had an executive meeting and we decided you would make an ideal chaplain." So the chaplaincy — I didn't seek it, it came to me. And I like to make sure when I say yes to something that I am capable of following through. And so I said, "Darren, I am not sure what a civilian chaplain does. Would you let me inquire and find out more information before I say yes?" And he said, "Certainly." So I was in touch with the headquarters for the chaplain in Salt Lake and they said, "Well, the first thing you need to have happen is you need to submit an application with your qualifications and that means educational background, everything. And we will screen it and you'll be endorsed or you will not be endorsed as a chaplain." So shortly after that I was endorsed as a chaplain. Chapter 4: Training & Responsibilities of Chaplaincy Phil: Now there's a difference between ecclesiastical training and training that you receive within a department. And so I was in touch with another chaplain that ironically I was his bishop when he was just a kid. And he said, "You need to get some excellent training in such topics as suicide, handling ceremonies, handling issues within a department, counseling, and other related items." And he said, "One of the best places I can tell you is the International Conference of Police Chaplains." And so I became credentialed with the International Conference of Police Chaplains and I received training from them and that was over 10 years ago. And I still every year attend their annual training which lasts for a week. I just returned from a week's training and I was acknowledged at that time as a master chaplain. Now I progress through the areas of basic and senior and now master. And that is a function of educational units, training and experience. That was in Little Rock, Arkansas. And when I returned home, there was a nice ceremony at the city hall with the mayor and the board there. But I have to go back a little bit. An interesting thing happened after I became chaplain for the police department. Two firemen came up to me. And they said, "Hey, we go on the same calls that the cops do. Will you be our chaplain?" I said, "Sure, might as well." I said, "Let me see what's involved with that." And checking it out, I learned that I needed to become credentialed with the Federation of Fire Chaplains. So I'm credentialed with fire and police and church. I got it covered. And the firefighters training is — I trained both within the departments as I can. Like yesterday for example, I trained at station 84 with the firemen. They were addressing the issue of electric cars and fires. I learned a lot from that. I learned a lot from every one of these. But this was interesting. Electric cars when they catch on fire, you cannot put the fire out. They just have to control the burning so it doesn't involve other vehicles or other things around them. They had a fire of an electric vehicle at Point of the Mountain here not too long ago. And the fire was so intense it took over 15,000 gallons of water. And it didn't put the fire out. It just quenched it to stop it from spreading. And I learned that there are certain places like we have the jaws of life, the cutters and the spreaders. There are certain places on an electric car that you can cut, but certain places that you cannot cut. That car, if you were to look at it like an X-ray, that is one massive battery. I mean, from the chassis, it's a solid battery through there. And those electrical ring links go all the way through the car. There's a huge amount of airbags. In a Tesla, it goes all the way front to back. It's not just a little spot. And so we learned how if an electric car, a Tesla specifically, they had a Tesla there that we demonstrated with. They showed how you could access the car even if the doors were locked and it was not running and the people inside were not able to respond. We learned there's a place to access the electrical system and you hook in an auxiliary power unit and it'll pop the doors open. In desperation, you can wedge through the window. It's a waste of time to try to break the window in a Tesla. It's tempered glass. So it's very difficult and it's hard to break through. But you can get to the latch and pop the door open or you can get a spreader in to pop it. Anyway, this is fascinating information. It made me think, wow, with technology, these people have to be trained constantly about the changes that are occurring both within the police department and within the fire department, first responders. At the same time we were going through this training, other parts of the department were over on an active shooter training with the police department. And we kind of rotate those things around. As you know, we've had a very serious thing occur recently in our area. And the colleges and the police departments and fire departments are assessing what we would do differently. And that's interesting about the difference between the police and fire. I've learned they go on the same calls. But when the fire department returns to the station, they are evaluating as a group what went well, what didn't go well, what we should do differently next time and on and on. The policeman just climbs back in his cruiser and goes back to the next call. Sometimes there's not a debrief there until he meets with his sergeant or if we have a critical incident. And I have been involved in critical incidents. Sometimes those things get evaluated, but they're under such challenges. Everyone in the world has a cell phone or a camera. And they're all photographing and they're just waiting for somebody. Well, that's wrong. They will observe any slip up. Or a proposed slip up. And the policemen and the firemen have to make instant decisions and sometimes you can second guess those out of the heat. They're running into situations that everybody else is running away from. And I admire them so much for what they do. Sometimes it's a very tough and challenging job, Ryan. Chapter 5: Challenges & Rewards of the Role Phil: But it's an honor and a privilege to serve with them. Now you may ask what I do. What is my job? My responsibility is first of all I'm a chaplain to everyone. Faith aside, no faith. Whatever. I'm a standing minister to them. If someone asks me a specific religious question, I will answer that to the best of my ability. However, I don't proselytize in any way. If I did, I would cease to be a chaplain. That would be because you're not trying to convert anybody to a specific religion. You're just trying to support them in a religious context. Exactly. I have been blessed. First of all, it's important to be among the folks, the officers and the firemen. They have to learn to trust you. That means keeping confidences is essential. If I were to repeat something that I've heard to a superior officer, I would cease to be a chaplain because I would have betrayed that trust. So I'm very careful about that. So if I talk about incidents with you, it would be in a very general term. I would not use names. Just to protect both myself and the individuals. But again, I'm not a licensed therapist. I have boundaries that I respect. I will counsel an individual to the point to where I feel they need professional counseling. And at that point, I would turn it over. The same thing with religion, if a Catholic asked me to do the last rites, for example, I would decline that and I would get a Catholic friend to do that. Because that's crossing a line for me. So there are certain things that need to be respected as a chaplain. Ryan: And so do you have like office hours that you're at different places? Do they come to see you? Tell me logistically how does that work? Phil: That is an interesting part of it. I'm really on call 24/7. But I have responded on some calls, ride-alongs. And one of them was kind of funny. I happened to be in station 81 when there was a call on I-15. At rush hour. And it was a parking lot on I-15. Both the ambulance and the engine rolled. And if you can imagine cars having to move a foot or two one way or the other just to let them through. And of course people would fall in behind trying to get through. And we had the air horn going and the lights and the siren and it just was like moving through molasses. We finally got to the scene. It was a vehicle towing another trailer that had a new four-runner in it that had whipsawed and finally flipped over and blocked all of the lanes of traffic. But the funny part was that no one was injured. That is a good part. The funny part occurred when we got back to the station and the engineer who was driving said, "Chaplain, did you notice I didn't cuss once?" I said, "I noticed that, but I was thinking it." But those are good folks. They just support each other. It's a family. And they're exposed to a lot of things. Right now I admire Chief Jeremy Craft. Our fire chief, he has been a real exponent for cancer. Because these folks are exposed to carcinogenic elements in fires and in spills and other things that unfortunately we have a high rate of cancer among our firemen and policemen and they and suicide as well. You might be surprised to know that among law enforcement, our suicide rates are higher than the military on a ratio. But Chief Craft has been active with the legislature and other means to get cancer screening for the fire department. And it's in its infancy. He's making some inroads. But we're talking fiscal issues. And those are not hard to move through. But I admire him. Both he and Chief Paul have faced cancer issues themselves. I applaud having gone through the cancer with your wife issues. I applaud anytime I hear that someone has put it in recession and it's Chief Paul has been successful at that. Chief Craft is still struggling but he continues to work. They show up for work. They wouldn't ask anything of those who work under them to do something they wouldn't do themselves. So I admire the leadership. Lehi is very well served in our safety areas and so I would be called a chaplain of public safety. I am one person. And eventually I suspect that we will have more chaplains but at the present time the chiefs are happy with what they got. Ryan: Well that means you're doing good. You mentioned suicide and different things like that, the mental health of them. How do you approach that with those that are struggling? I'm sure you've had to deal with that in our area. Chapter 6: Supporting Mental Health in First Responders Phil: I have. And it's on a personal note, I've seen it within members of my own family. Not immediate family, but within my family. Sometimes the signs are not all that apparent, but there are signs and we need to pay attention to those. If someone starts giving away prized possessions they've held on to for a long time or they start making little comments like, you know, everybody'd be better if I weren't here or things like that. You need to take those comments seriously and you need to be blunt. You need to say, "Are you thinking of killing yourself?" And do you have a plan? Those are things that you have to pick up on. Not everybody can do that because a lot of times that's something you don't want to hear. Depends on how close you are with the person. But sometimes it sneaks up on you and you didn't catch the signs and you were genuinely surprised. And you start going through the guilt thing of saying, "I wonder if I could have done something differently. I wonder how I missed the signs." And it's a serious nature. You know, I met a person on the track. I meet a lot of people over there. And I would just — I had just become a chaplain and we had something bad happen in Lehi the night before involving some youth that were seriously injured and so on. And I as a matter of conversation I brought that up with this person and the response was "Oh there's so many bad things happening. Let's talk about positive things." And I thought, you know, that's right. And I think it's Ryan right now at this time, and I'm not going to get political. It's very important that we ratchet down the negativity that's taking place. And that's happening way above my pay grade. But what it does is it creates a sense of a person who may be a little mentally margin thinking, well, I'm going to do the country a favor and I'm going to take out that person. We've got to stop that kind of whether it's on nighttime talk shows or whether it's just in conversation. We need to be more civil to each other. Kind. More loving. Right. Absolutely. And that's one of the things I say to everyone. The parting words of my wife to me were, "I love you more." That came about after three times during the night. My sister is an RN and she was monitoring my wife's vitals and it was really interesting. And at one point her heart rate went to zero and her pulse went to zero. Her respiration went to zero. And my sister said, "Phil, she's gone." And she would snap back. And it was just like she was just stepped in the other room for me. And so at about 8:00 at night, same thing happened and my sister leaned into my wife's ear and she said, "Joyce, you've done everything in this life you could possibly do. It's okay to go." And Joyce's eyes flew open. She says, "I'm not ready to go yet." My sister jumped out. But the next morning, she did the same evaluation and she said, "Phil, she's gone." And she pinched her this time to make sure. And I leaned over and I kissed my wife Joyce on the forehead and I said, "I love you." And I turned to walk away and in a voice that was strained but hard, she said, "I love you more." And that was her last words. So I've used that with everyone that I want to make sure I don't check out and let them know how I appreciate them, how I love them. And you'll, if you come to my home, you'll see that plastered all over. One of the gifts that she gave me, and she gave me a bunch of gifts that I didn't know anything about, was a flaming red hooded sweatshirt and it had "I love you more" appliqued on. I bawled like a baby when I saw it, opened that present. But anyway, I have found in conversations with individuals, everybody is going through something. Everybody is having a challenge of some sort, Ryan. And we can ignore those or we can address them. I appreciate what this person on the track told me because I don't have to get down in the mud and dwell in that and to share it with others. I need to bring the light and the hope to others in a positive way. So one of the sweet things that I have done as a chaplain and I have had some really good positive experiences. I remember going with the police chief in West Valley to the home of an officer that had been slain, had been shot. They were expecting us — the parents, a son, and a fiance to the police officer. And when we went, we heard the sound of a radio saw going on and they couldn't hear the doorbell ring. And the chief turned to me and he says, "I've always wanted to do this." And he banged on the door. And they said, "Who is it?" And he says, "It's the cops. Open up." But it was obvious to me that he was a frequent visitor of that home. He knew those people. And I made a presentation to the family and that consisted of a certificate from our president of the ICPC. And I gave them a Bible. And the father said, "Oh, the chief said, 'What was all the noise?'" And he said, "Let me show you." And he took us to a room that was probably 9 by 12 in size. There was a Lazy Boy rocker sitting in the middle of the room. It was painted white and there was a blue border about 2 inches wide around the seated area and he had placed the flag, the folded flag of the officer, certificates, all of the things that he'd accumulated in his short life. He was just a young man. They were around that room. And the father said, "When we get to missing our son and when we get to feeling like we need to meditate, we just come in this room and sit in the easy boy and this is a very calming room for us." I thought what a neat way to memorialize your family member. And when we left the chief said to me, "I've tried to talk this younger brother out of becoming a policeman." That's interesting for a chief to say that. And I said, "Well, has it happened?" He says, "I don't think so." And then I read later that he was in the graduating class of the police academy. So yeah, he wanted to follow in brother's footsteps. He wanted to follow his brother's footsteps and I admired that. Which makes sense. But I've had some experiences that — I'm a volunteer. I don't get paid for what I do, but I do get paid big time. Just last Saturday, I officiated my 14th wedding as a chaplain and it was a sweet thing because it was another chaplain. And those are sweet times. I enjoyed those a lot more than I do funerals or memorials. I have conducted five memorials now for canines. We treat canines like we do officers because they're on the force. Yes. Unfortunately, two of those canines have been in Lehi. But there are others as well. But the blessing and privilege of being a chaplain is when you have those moments where you feel that you've made a difference. It could be minute. Sometimes you don't need to say anything. You just need to be quiet and listen. That is more beneficial sometimes than anything you might say. There are some trite things that I try to avoid saying. For example, "I know how you feel." No, I don't. That's personal. That individual, they know how they feel. And I may have had some experiences with the loss of loved ones. But I don't know how they feel. And so I'm careful about some of those things to not offend them by something I might say. And I've had some wonderful things. I've had some things that I would like to do over again differently. Not many thankfully, but I think about those. And after 10 years of having this opportunity, I'm still learning. I still train. I still learn. Again, I just underscore what a wonderful privilege it is. It makes me happy to have the guys — and gals — when I walk into the station greet me and welcome me and not as an outsider. Now, I didn't tell you this, but for the duration of my military career, I was in the air police. So I have some background in that area. Not like civilian, but different. And I can tell you enjoy what you do. Ryan: Tell me about some of the more rewarding things, like the marriages and different things like that that you've been able to do. My guess is it's not all easy. So tell me, speak to some of the more challenging aspects of the job. Phil: Sometimes, and I'm going back several years now, thinking about a couple of situations without getting into the details. I felt very helpless at one time sitting in a critical incident where there had been a child that had been run over by its mother. On that same day, a bicyclist was run over by one of these big gravel trucks that had a trailer behind it and she did not see the gravel truck behind it. That's more detail than I wanted to give you. But I looked at the faces of the first responders and on a critical incident, the only individuals involved and we sit in a circle. We don't talk about what so and so did. We talk about what we did, what our feelings were in the matter. And I watch carefully the individuals to see. And if there's anyone that has to get up and leave the room, I will get up and go with them until they come back because sometimes what they've experienced is so hard that they are reliving it. Now there's a treatment for that stress called EMDR and it's a function of flashing light. Sometimes one treatment is sufficient to take the stress out of that person and they can deal with them. But in this case I'm thinking it was hard for me to just hear the review and they were talking about they weren't being critical of anything. They were just debriefing of what happened as a group and I hurt for them when they experienced those things but a lot of times they cannot talk about them to their family. That's the last person they want to talk with about. Because when they leave and they kiss their loved ones goodbye, they want to know that they're coming back after the shift. And so a lot of times it's hard for a policeman or a fireman to share anything outside of the work family. And for my experience, my father was killed in a fire when I was five and he saved my life actually. And the trauma of that I remember to this day. I remember in vivid detail and I'm sure that every incident that our policemen firemen go through they remember in vivid detail as well. And it's not something that you want to relive but you want to learn from those things. And just like I said before, what would we do differently next time? Ryan: Is that an area you think we're improving on? As a society, it seems like we're more aware of mental health and different things like that. And I would assume probably in specific with first responders who by definition are the first ones on the scene and often times they're seeing things that frankly I don't even want to see in a movie. And so yes, it is and I'm sure that's very hard to go through. Phil: Well, we are making very significant strides in that area. It used to be in the wars, specifically the first world war, when they called it battle fatigue or something like that. Anyway, they struggled with that. We call it different things now. But we call it PTSD. We — the labels we put on that — as I mentioned there is one treatment, EMDR, that works with that quite well and that's something that a professional would be involved in and I would recognize to step back at that point. We do have with the city treatment. These are the folks we're dealing with are folks that don't want to appear weak or timid. So it's hard for them to express themselves in a manner that would indicate any weakness. And I asked once here a few years back about how many people actually use the facilities and they said not many. Hardly anyone. And it doesn't reflect on the person's employment because it's kept private. But it's still hard for a person to bring themselves to that point. But mental health is critical. You don't know what you're going to get when you get on a call. And you prepare. You train. You do all that you can, but the first thing that you do is protect the life and property of the citizens and your fellow officers. Whether it's a policeman or a first responder. Chapter 7: Innovative Tools & Training in Lehi's Departments Phil: And I am pleased with the level of training that I see in the city of Lehi police and fire. They are constantly training. Just a tool for example that just was new to me yesterday. There is a rod that's probably 10 foot long that has a multi head sprinkler on the end of it and they shove that up under the car where the batteries are located with the electric motors. And that way they're not exposing themselves directly to that intense heat fire. That's just another little tool that has been developed and we keep improving, keep developing things that keep us safe and keep others safe. I don't know if that answers your question. Ryan: That answered my question. No, that's perfect. Now tell me, are there any maybe misconceptions? You mentioned that tough exterior, right? I mean, cops, a lot of our interactions with the police is getting a ticket, right? For speeding or something like that. So tell me, having worked with both them and the firefighters, what are some misconceptions maybe or kind of address the humanity, I guess, of these people? Chapter 8: The Humanity of Police Officers Phil: You know, it's interesting. If a ticket were issued for every speeder on I-15, there'd be no traffic up there at all. I think too many people regard the speed limit as a suggestion. And but involving traffic stops. I saw something that kind of wore my heart. I can't remember. I believe it was in Texas where they did traffic stops and the person driving was very defensive. The first thing you want to say, well, I wasn't speeding. What are you pulling me over for? And it was Thanksgiving time and they gave them a turkey. So there usually when the officer comes up to a vehicle on a stop, those are dangerous stops, by the way. A lot of the shootings of police officers have occurred over irate drivers that use a weapon and so typically an appropriate stop would involve two officers. One would be slightly behind and to the right rear of the car where the other officer is approaching the driver and the other officer is observing any activity inside that they might by threatening or something. Usually all they're doing is trying to enforce a safety issue. And when we know we're guilty, sometimes we think we can either bully the person, especially if it's a female officer, or to talk our way out of it some way. I will be honest with you. I've had one ticket in my life. One. It was 5 miles an hour over the speed limit. It was in a 35 mile zone and I was doing 40. And but I realized that I was wrong. And I just had to be honest and say, you know, you're right. I did it. But the misconception is that they're out to get you. They're not. They're there as a public safety to help you be safe. And there are other misconceptions about either firemen or policemen that if we understood the circumstances, we would probably think differently. Ryan: Which I think is helpful to know sometimes, you know, because I think again we that's why it's good to get to know people, right? I mean, that's kind of actually even the purpose of this podcast is just to make the world a little smaller because then we do love each other more, right? And then we're less judgmental. Phil: Reality is like hey these are real people who are doing their best you know like you said with safety issues and different things like that trying to actually make the world better is what they're trying to do right. And so I like the you're talking about the humanity of these people right and that because again I think that's the hope is that we do then love each other more right. Ryan: So, well said, Ryan. Yes. I have to laugh remembering back at Chief Paul something. I bought a new Dodge Dart a few years back. And when he saw it, it's a it looks a hotter car than it is. Believe me. And the first thing Chief Paul said to me is, "Phil, whatever you do, don't get a ticket." Meaning, I'm not going to bail you out. You can't name drop me. That's good. That's good. Ryan: So, you've received some awards and recognitions for your job here. Tell me about some of those. Chapter 9: Awards & Recognitions in Law Enforcement Phil: I have. While I was at my training in Little Rock, Arkansas, I spent four hours a day for a week training to become an instructor for United States Constitutional Law as it applies to law enforcement. So I'm a licensed instructor for Hillsdale College in the constitution and applications. That's one award that I received. The other awards — I was surprised with one. The police department has a community service award. And I was I believe their first recipient of that award, maybe the second. That was an honor that I had not anticipated. And it was based on the person's contributions to the community. There's some other people up on that wall that they have, the honor wall in the Broadbent building that are far more worthy of that award than I felt. I bet they feel the same way too about their own contributions. I mean, I think everybody feels like everybody else is a little bit better, you know. So, but I'm sure you're very deserving of it is my point. Well, thank you. And each progression level within your national conference police chaplain. I have also served the last four years on a committee that involves the integrity of chaplain. And I'm happy to say to you, not once in that four years did we have an issue with a chaplain. Nice. Nice. That's not to say there's bad apples anywhere, you know. Of course. Of course. But as long as there's agency, right? Exactly. Yeah. I had to laugh one time. I among the really neat things I've had with the city. I have dedicated two fire stations and the fire engines in both. The fire department is big on tradition. And the wash down of the vehicle and pushing it into the bay is one of them. When I was in Wichita, Kansas at one ICPC meeting and one of the chaplains from the South that I've got to know real well said, "Hey, Phil, what branch of Baptists are you?" And I said, "Well, actually, I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." And he said, "Oh, there's not very many of you guys, are there?" I said, "No, there's not." He said, "You would make a great Baptist chaplain." And I said, "Stuart, you would make a great Mormon chaplain." And so I was telling the guys, I had dedicated station 83 and the engine. And one morning I was just listening to them talk and they were talking about all the problems they're having with the engine, station 83. And I said, "Wait a minute. I dedicated that engine." and they said, "You should have given it a Baptist blessing." I would have. I like that. That's awesome. But I've had the opportunity to dedicate the building and the land for station 84, our newest station. And I dedicated the city campus that's being constructed right now. That's an exciting addition to City Lehi. And so those are kind of fun things I do as a chaplain too. Yeah. Yeah. No, great privilege to be a part of those things I'm sure. Ryan: So it is — so we've hit a lot of these things. So a lot of the questions — well they were well constructed, a compliment to you. Thank you. I just want to make sure we hit again because you hit a lot of those things already but so talking about the community and stuff like that. How do you think the community can better serve first responders? You know, what things can we as a community do to help them? Chapter 10: Community Support for First Responders Phil: The support — we are very fortunate in a number of ways. Let me say first of all, we have a good rapport between our fire and police. That's not always true in the larger metropolitan cities. Sometimes they're at each other's throats over such things as who got more money than the other one and so on and so forth. And there's some natural in our area it's good natured jabbing each other like that. In other areas it's not so gentle. But the community has been in my experience very supportive. There is a person — I will not use the name — who out of her well I've exposed the gender but her husband supported her. They provided bulletproof vests for our canines. They provided a lot of other equipment to our canines. They were focused quite a bit on that area but they did that anonymously as a citizen of the community. And they also at large did other communities like Saratoga Springs and other communities. I see when around Christmas time holidays and others people are bringing cookies all the time and the firefighters enjoy the tours that they get. The police have to be more careful. It's hard to get a tour with the police because they have to be so careful. The glass in the front is bulletproof and it's locked tight. You have to have an escort to — I have to have an escort to get in. And they know you and they know me. But I see acts of kindness directed towards the departments in you know even with the cookies and other type things. But I see it also in the citizens on an active scene where they're more than willing to help without being a hindrance, without getting in the way. But to support and help. I'm thinking of a time when at a fire where there was a woman that brought out lemonade. It was in the heat of the summer. And gave to the first responders. Little acts of kindness like that show support. Other support. I've seen some of the businesses provide gifts and things for the officers when they have their annual awards ceremonies and banquets. They'll often have a drawing or whatever. And everybody gets something. It's not a one or two. And they're nice and they come from — I would name the names but I won't — some of the businesses in Lehi that have contributed a great deal and for the most part the smiles and the acts of kindness are appreciated and I see that. Parents can be such an example to their children. If an officer stops and there's a carload of family and the person who's pulled over uses berating language and whatnot either out of the presence or in the car. The children pick up on that. And suddenly they emulate what they hear. And so we can begin within our families to show respect in training and teaching our children. Ryan: No, I agree with that. You see a lot of these first responders and stuff. What advice would you give to someone that's looking to become a firefighter or a police officer? Knowing what you know and you've seen again a lot of this stuff. Any advice that you would give to somebody that's looking to go into that field? Chapter 11: Advice for Aspiring Firefighters & Officers Phil: I certainly would. First of all, education is important. And that is a priority with new employees. The training either through an academy for a police academy or a fire academy is essential. And a lot of that's provided through UVU and other places around that will provide that kind of training and it becomes a matter of personal commitment at some point. Because just because they have the credential, they still have to go through a lot of hard training. And a lot of that comes from their peers. Going back to myself, if I had a doctor of divinity degree and I had a lot of credentials behind my name, that wouldn't mean anything as to becoming a chaplain. You have to be invited into the department. Otherwise, you're just a good person on the outside looking in. And so becoming a firefighter or a police officer begins with usually an academy. It can be and we've had lateral transfers of officers from other cities who said, "Wow, Lehi is a great place to be. Think I'd like that." It's kind of like the NIL with the college sports now. Sure. The portal. The transfer portal over to Lehi. And that is a good way to get a quality officer who's proven themselves with their department. Maybe they're from a small department coming into a larger one. I talked to Chief Paul the other day and he said we're for the first time fully staffed. That's great. And boy that is a that's hard to get to. Chief Craft is pleased. He's getting a lot of recruits coming in. I see a lot of training taking place within the fire department. Good. Good. Ryan: You know, obviously you're a man of faith and your role is a faith thing there. Tell me how have you felt inspired at times in your calling where you especially guided at certain times. Chapter 12: The Role of Faith in Service Phil: Have you had those moments where you know you talk about inspiration in the beginning, right? And you know, what's inspiration, that's why I came here, right? So have you had moments like that where you're like, okay, I know I was guided in this moment to help so-and-so or something like that. I definitely have and you know that Ryan that's one of the real beneficial parts of my activity when I have actually helped someone but it's usually come at their request. I will start a conversation with how's things going? Usually the response is oh it's going great. Then if you think differently, and within you, you say, "Okay, how's it really going?" Are you lying to me today? Cuz most won't tell you, right? No. Cuz they're not looking to an open conversation with all their problems. And I've had some follow-up questions that said, you know, actually, I'm going through something right now. And that gives me an opportunity to either listen and I'm very careful with what I say back. I learned that as a bishop once upon a time. If you take somebody's problem, it's your problem. If you help them talk through their problem, it's still their problem, but you've assisted them in coming to a solution. And so I'm careful about taking another person's problem as mine. And some of my most rewarding conversations have been to come away from that conversation with them coming to a solution. I hadn't looked at it that way before. And they actually talk themselves through the And that's I found that to be true. A lot because a lot of us are smart enough to kind of figure things out, but sometimes we need that person to bounce things off of or to maybe just to hear us out, right? I mean, that's absolutely and to care. And I think that environment of love is where a lot of things can blossom, right? Absolutely. So, yes, we're all intelligent people. We are. Yes. And we can do some amazing things. I broke both of my femurs after the age of 80. I'm 88 years old, by the way. Wow. Good for you for doing all this. I'm 88. That's well, I learned something in the process. First of all, I learned that you can tolerate more pain than you think you can. My physical therapist would bend my leg about 30 degrees and it was excruciating. And he'd hold it there. He wouldn't release it to go back. He'd hold it. And he'd say, "Breathe." and think calm. And then he'd bend it more. And after a week of this punishment, I could bend my leg over 130 degrees. And I got even better than that. But your brain wants you to keep from hurting yourself. And so it says stop. And too often we listen to that. Not you have to be smart. You don't want to take it further. Yes. Yes. But but I'm not not all pain is bad. Not all pain is bad. Sometimes it's a good lesson for us. I wrote down some 20 things that I learned from my experience. My accidents were totally preventable. If I would had not been in a hurry, and that's another lesson. When I stand up here, I'll get my bearings before I take off. Sure. Sure. Um, but be patient. Realize that when someone asks, offers something, they're doing it out of the goodness of their heart. They've wanted to help you. And don't be so quick to refuse, saying, "Oh, I got it." Uh, let them help. Just so many little things like that that were blessings for me as a result of that femur. And to walk through it. I'm competing this year in my 18th Huntsman Senior Games. World Senior Games. And I will be in a shooting competition and basketball in St. George in October. That has been fun. Another thing that has filled the void for me, I miss my wife every day. But there in the quiet moments, I fill it with music. I love music. Of every variety. And I sang with the Coral Arts Society of Utah for over 20 years. We've gone all over the world. I've sang in Carnegie Hall with them. With the choir we did the national memorial day in Washington DC. And our director Sterling Poulson who is a channel 2 chief meteorologist invited me to participate in the laying of a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier at Arlington. That was a real honor. I've sailed on the vessel SS John Brown, which is one of the only three troop carriers from World War II. I was selected to toss a wreath off that vessel in honor of the airmen and the sailors and the soldiers that were lost at sea. And that was a real privilege, too. So, I've had a lot of great things happen in my life. Ryan: You have. You've led a very good life. And I'm not ready to quit yet. And I'm good with that. I think you know President Nelson's showing that hey 101, right? I mean you know so you got many years to go I guess. Right. That's right. Phil: You know one of the first things I did my wife gave me three challenges. I call them covenants. She said promised me. She knew I was in denial. She was she was accepting of it. And she said, "Promise me that you will always be active in the church." And I said, "I'll try." She said, "No, that's not what I asked you." I said, "I promise." And she said, "Promise me that you will stay close to our family." And I said, "I promise." Now, not one of my children live in the state of Utah, so I travel a lot. And the third promise was, "Promise me that you will not become a recluse. I didn't appreciate that at the time. I didn't understand it. I do now. That was very wise counsel. I wouldn't be a chaplain were not for the fact that I enjoy being with other people. Unfortunately, people in my situation, especially with a broken femur, would be content to say, "I've lived a good life. You know, and sit in a recliner. And die. I have a purpose. And I'm grateful for that. Every day I wake up, grateful for a new day. Happy that I can continue my journey. Ryan: Bill, I love that. I it uh it's you know I I got many more years before I reach your age but these are good examples for me so that I want to do that into those later years of life right where I'm continuing to make a difference and I think you're doing great. Thank you. Is there anything that we didn't cover that you wanted to talk about? Phil: Well there is a value in volunteering. One of the things that in compliance with that third charge. I had a CDL license. I've had a CDL license for wow 60 years. And the folks at Thanksgiving Point, I volunteered on the golf course. And for a while I was just cleaning golf carts and then I got the responsibility of hole number five to manicure that thing. But Johnny Miller, professional golfer, was the one that designed that course. And he used to have a pro-am tournament and they needed to have a driver for the trolley that had a CDL. I had a CDL. You were that guy. And I volunteered and you know, I never went back to the golf course. I drove for parades. I drove for orientation and whatnot. I loved it. And I would have paid them to let me drive. That was a fun game. But I did that for 18 years. Oh, wow. And retired not too long ago. It was kind of fun. I got a call from HR at Thanksgiving point and they said, "Hey, Phil, we know you've retired, but we have a group for orientation and they need a driver for the trolley. Would you do it?" And I said, "Sure, for you, I would do it." And so I went over and it sounded a little rowdy in the orientation room next door to the HR office. And she said, "Well, it's time we go in." So we went in. The first thing I saw was my grandson. And I said, "Colen, what are you doing here? You looking for a job?" And then I looked around. It's all my sons and daughters and my grandchildren. Oh, wow. And that was so fun. I said, "All right, you've all come for a trolley ride. I'm going to give you a trolley ride." So, I took them all around the property. Oh, that's great. I'm sure they loved that. But that was a fun thing. Volunteering is and that's what my wife was telling me in not becoming a recluse — look for opportunities to help other people. That's I'm a chaplain. That's why there's I live a good life. I will tell you that there are a lot of people are not living a good life. They're struggling and the worst thing that can happen is they lose hope. And hopefully whether it's just a smile, a greeting, or whatever, you can bring that little sliver of hope to that person. And so that's how I get my pay, my rewards. And and it it's a great pay. It is, right? I mean, that's that's well, I love that. And volunteering is something that, you know, I can tell the the happiness you have. And I think in large part it is based off of the fact that you're out in the world, you know, doing good, right? And and it's those relationships that you have, right? I mean, you're you can tell that you enjoy people. You love people, right? And so, you know, good job to your wife for for making you make that last covenant, I guess, right? Of not being a recluse. And I think the world's a better place because you made that promise with her. So, one of the other things I did with the city of Lehi was be involved with the historical department. I did that for I think about seven years. Until I became a chaplain and then it became difficult to do both. But I learned a lot about the origins of the city of Lehi and some of the pioneers and the people who made it such. I was involved with the Sons of the Utah Pioneers and Carl Miller. What a great guy he was. He's no longer with us, but I went to a tour on the Holy Lands with him and did a lot of things with the Sons of Utah Pioneers that I've really benefited from. Sure. We live in a great area. We do. I agree. Great historical area. I agree. I agree. Chapter 13: Volunteering & Staying Active Ryan: Phil, you know, as you're as you continue to work and do all these different things, what as far as your legacy or what you want to be remembered for by your children and the community at large, what would you say that is? Chapter 14: Final Reflections & Legacy Phil: That is a good question, Ryan. I think first and foremost, I'd like to be remembered as a good person, a good father, husband, loyal. I'm a patriot to the country. I think the goodness that I have received as a person I would like to reflect to others. Love that. Love that. Thank you. Not very well said but it's perfectly said for my heart. No. Perfectly said. Well, Phil, thank you for for coming on. Thank you for talking with me for a little bit of time and you know as we get to know you and I think you're a great example of somebody that's again trying to make a difference in their lives even into their later years, right? And I think you're showing that you can make a big difference even in your later years, right? Never stop doing things, right? Don't be a recluse. I think that's great advice for everyone really. And so, you know, hopefully your wife's advice to you can shine to others, too. And maybe others can kind of listen to this and say, "Okay, hey, what can I do? What more can I do to make things better? I'm not, you know, I haven't checked out of this life yet, right? So, what else can I do?" There's two ages to a person. There's a biological age. And there's a chronological age. And I preached this with a lot of people. You want to keep your biological age younger than your chronological age. That's good advice. Yes. No, that's good. I'm trying to do that. You are. You are. Well, yeah. Keep going to that legacy center. Keep working that body, right? You know, there you go. So, okay. Well, thanks, Phil. I appreciate you coming on. It's been a pleasure to be with you today, Ryan. I felt very comfortable being here and and I wish you well in this endeavor that you've undertaken. I don't know how many interviews you've done. Do you have any idea? I think that's a good question. I think we're around 20 to 25 somewhere in there, you know. So, yeah. And these are all recorded. Yeah. Uhhuh. Well, I may be very self-critical if I hear this again. Where would I go to to hear this? So you can just find it on podcast, you know, Apple podcast or Spotify. You can also find it on YouTube if you want to watch the video part of it. So those are the main platforms that we put this on. And then like I said, the Lehi Historical Society is archiving these too. So, they'll have those there. But, very good. Anyhow, well, thank you, sir. Yes. Thank you. Pleasure. Appreciate you coming on. So, thank you. Thank you. Ryan: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. We'd love to hear from you. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Hard Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Phil Wasden Lehi Utah Chaplain Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Lehi Utah chaplain Phil Wasden discusses first responder mental health, Lehi Police and Fire Department history, Traverse Mountain development, and community service in Lehi, Utah. Phil Wasden Lehi Utah. Lehi Police Department chaplain. Lehi Fire Department chaplain. Traverse Mountain early development. Lehi Legacy Center stories. First responder mental health Utah. Ryan Harding Roots and Branches. Lehi community history podcast. Utah public safety chaplain. Electric vehicle fire training Utah. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Contact

Ken Greenwood: Pioneer Roots, Main Street & Lehi Legacy

Former Lehi Mayor Ken Greenwood shares pioneer family history, revitalizing Main Street, the pool hall era, civic leadership, and a mission to East Africa. Listen to Roots & Branches of Lehi.

Ken Greenwood on Pioneer Roots, Main Street Revival, and a Life of Service in Lehi, Utah

Who Is Ken Greenwood, and Why Does His Story Matter?

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Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Pioneer Roots: "I'm Going to Starve to Death Here"

Betting on a Ghost Town: Revitalizing Main Street

The Pool Hall Bar and a Secret Sip of Beer

The Priesthood Blessing from a Pool Hall Regular

The Fire and the $10,000 Fundraiser

The Road to Mayor—and a Mission to Africa

The Legacy Center: A Bust, a Bond Rating, and 3/4 of an Inch

The Costco Handshake

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

Ken Greenwood Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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A descendant of one of Lehi's first five settler families reflects on pioneer hardship, revitalizing a dying Main Street, serving as mayor, and the generational legacy that shaped a modern city.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Ken Greenwood , a man whose life story is woven deeply into the earliest roots of Lehi, Utah. As a descendant of one of the first five families to settle the area, Ken bridges pioneer hardship, small-town traditions, and the explosive growth that transformed Lehi from a quiet farming community into a modern city of nearly 100,000 people. His memories—of pool halls, sheep herds flattening muddy roads, small-town dances, early businesses, and the evolution of community attitudes—offer a vivid portrait of Lehi's past that few living residents can match.

Listeners will hear how Ken became a central figure in revitalizing Lehi's Main Street during a time when nearly every storefront sat vacant. Through grit, creativity, and a willingness to take risks, he and his brother breathed new life into downtown—opening businesses, restoring old buildings, and creating gathering spaces that brought people back to the heart of the city. His later service as mayor, combined with a life-changing mission to East Africa, adds depth to his reflections on leadership, faith, and the responsibility of giving back to the place that shaped his family for generations.

For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah history , pioneer settlement stories , Main Street business development , local entrepreneurship , or the cultural shifts that continue to shape Utah Valley communities, this interview is essential listening. Ken's story preserves a living history of civic service, family legacy, and the resilience that defines small-town America.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Ken Greenwood

Business owner, Main Street revitalizer, former Mayor of Lehi

1800s settlement era; 1940s–1960s childhood; 1960s–1980s business years; 1990s–2000s civic service; mission in early 2000s

Ryan Harding

Ken's great-great-grandfather William Karren was among the first five families to settle Lehi. After being repeatedly kicked out of locations due to water conflicts with American Fork residents, the family ended up on the shores of Utah Lake. When talk turned to moving yet again, William took off his coat, threw it on the ground, and declared, "I'm going to starve to death here." That act of defiance anchored the family to Lehi for generations to come.

In the 1960s, nearly every building on Lehi's Main Street had a "For Sale" sign. Ken and his brother bought them cheap—everyone wanted out. They moved their floor-covering business from American Fork and opened a furniture store alongside a wedding reception center, hoping that waiting wedding guests might browse the couches and lamps. One day Ken stood outside and realized he couldn't see a single car, parked or moving, as far as he could look. He thought, "What the hell have I done?" But the gamble paid off, and those buildings became the seeds of a revitalized downtown.

Ken's grandfather ran the pool hall inside the old Blue Rock limestone building on Main Street. As a boy, Ken would sit on the end stool closest to the door while his dad drank a beer. When nobody was looking, his grandpa would pour a little beer into a shot glass and slip it to Ken. "That's where I found out I like beer," Ken laughs. Today, the actual bar from that pool hall sits in his home, refurbished as a centerpiece for their party room.

Ken shares a Lehi folk tale about a runaway wagon team that struck a child on Main Street. The mother ran into the pool hall looking for a specific man, a "Jack Mormon" who was known to play pool and drink beer. When he protested that he wasn't worthy to give a blessing, she grabbed him and said, "I don't need you—I need your priesthood." The story captures the complexity of faith, community, and human need in a small town where everyone knew everyone.

After a suspected arson fire gutted Ken's furniture store and reception center, the town rallied. They held banquets and fundraisers that raised $10,000—a substantial sum in the 1960s. The community support left a lasting impression on Ken and reinforced his belief that Lehi looked after its own. The experience also nudged him toward public service, helping him realize how much a community can accomplish when it pulls together.

Ken never planned to run for mayor. But a friend named Ken Shepard asked him one night in the grocery store, "Why don't you run for mayor?" He served two terms, improved the city's power system from near-insolvency to a $6 million surplus, and then was released by voters—something he now considers a blessing. Losing the election freed him to serve an LDS mission with his wife in Kenya and East Africa, an experience he describes as life-changing and one he still reflects on nearly 20 years later.

Ken tells how the Legacy Center came to be through a design-build partnership and creative financing. In a critical New York City meeting to secure a favorable bond rating, he pulled out the funeral program of Mike Hansen—a man who had devoted his life to Lehi youth—and slid it across the table to the bond raters. The emotional pitch worked, saving the city millions in interest. Later, when a portable stage needed to fit inside the gymnasium, Ken measured it himself and found it would clear the door by exactly 3/4 of an inch—if they let some air out of the tires.

Bringing Costco and Lowe's to Lehi required resolving a decades-old boundary-line dispute with American Fork that had stalled every previous attempt. Ken called Mayor Ted Barrett, said "Can't we get this thing straightened out?" and within 15 minutes they had squared it away with a handshake. When a railroad official later tried to deny a prior agreement in front of the Costco regional director, Ken's honest persistence prevailed. The Costco representative bowed down in the hallway and joked, "You must be God." Ken's reply: "It wasn't God. It was just having people who were being honest."

This interview offers a rare firsthand window into Lehi's evolution from frontier settlement to modern suburb. Here are key historical insights from Ken Greenwood's lived experience:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Ryan Harding: Welcome Ken Greenwood to Roots and Branches of Lehi. We're excited to have you on the podcast today and get to know you a little bit better. So give me a little background about yourself. Are you always from Lehi, or give me how long have you been here for?

Ken Greenwood: My great-great-grandfather, William Karren. He was one of the first five families to settle here. And they came here and they had a hard time finding a place to settle. Because American Fork people had camped along the creeks and one thing another with the water. They kept getting kicked out of here and kicked out of there. They ended up down on the shore of Utah Lake. Just north of Utah Lake. And they're talking about moving again. And according to one of the books, my grandfather took off his coat and throwed it on the ground and says, "I'm going to starve to death. I moved to starve to death here." And so they must have been a little bit persuaded because that's where they stayed for the winter. They tore the wagons apart and tried to make some shelters, one thing another. So that's how my maternal side of the family got here.

Ken Greenwood: And if you fast forward, my brother and I, we were in business in American Fork primarily doing floor coverings and that type of stuff. And just about every building on Main Street Lehi had a 4x8 piece of plywood painted white with "for sale" on it. And I drive them down. I thought, well, maybe I ought to buy them. So I bought them all. They were cheap. Everybody was trying wanted to get rid of them. And we put businesses in each one of them. We moved our business from American Fork over to here. And I stand outside one day and looking up and down Main Street. There was not one car coming or going or parked. Not one. Not one car the whole far as I could see west I could see. Not one car. I thought what the hell have I done? And anyway, I thought what could we do to maybe help stimulate customers? This type of thing.

Ken Greenwood: Where the Parker Brown building was. That was a vacant grocery store and had been vacant for several years. And we took both sides of that building. We put that mansard roof that's on the front of it now to hook the two buildings together so they look like one. And we put a kind of a wedding reception center type thing, smaller thing in the small side. And then we had we went in the furniture business and had all our furniture displayed in the larger side. We thought, well, if people come to weddings, let them stand outside while they're waiting to get in, they could stand inside. And I like that couch or I like this chair. Maybe I like that lamp. And actually worked. People would go in and we had it decorated quite nice with chandeliers and hanging glass ceiling and all that kind of stuff. And it worked out.

Ken Greenwood: And where the old blue rock limestone building is. That was my grandfather when I was growing up, he ran the pool hall there. In fact, I have that bar that was inside that pool hall in my home right now. Hauled it out and took it up home and kind of refurbished it and made kind of a bar for our kind of a party room type thing. In fact, I remember going in there as a kid with my dad. He'd go to have a beer. And I sit on the end stool closest to the door. And grandpa would set a little shot glass on the bar and import beer for a squirt. Then when nobody was looking, he give me a little drink of beer. So that's where I found out I like beer.

Ken Greenwood: And a story that I assume is true. One of the main streets out here that was a thoroughfare for traffic going east and west just like it is now. Only then it was mud in the winter and hard dry dirt in the summer. In fact, they used to run the sheep herds as they would run them through town, especially in the spring. They'd be bringing them from their winter pastures out west and bring them through town and take them up on the mountains up to the east. And they do them just on Main Street. Well, they ran them through Main Street because the feet of the sheep would flatten out the ruts that was in the street from the winter. In fact, there's a tamper they use in road construction. I call it the sheep's foot tamper. Because all those hundreds of thousands of sheep walking would just kind of level the ruts out. So it was actually helpful for the roads. They done it on purpose.

Ken Greenwood: And there was a story that goes that there was a guy that used to always be in the pool hall. And there was a runaway with the team in a wagon. And a lady was crossing the street with one of her children. I don't know, boy or girl, and the little kid got hit with the wagon on this runaway team, and she went running in the pool hall and wanted to know where so-and-so was. He was what we call a Jack Mormon. He was a Mormon, Latter-day Saint guy. But he liked to go play pool and drink a beer. And so she went running in and she grabbed him and he says, "I need you to come out and give my boy a blessing." So it must have been a boy. And he says, "I can't do that. I'm not worthy." And she says, "I don't need you. I need your priesthood." And so she hauled him out and made him go give her kid a blessing. I assume the kid lived because I didn't hear otherwise. That's kind of a folk tale thing that come out of the old days.

Ken Greenwood: But anyway, we put a gift shop in that building. The next building down was the old Larson Market. I think that started out as a saloon. I think they called it the Log Cabin Saloon or something. But we remodeled that into a hair salon business. And then in the kind of little lean-to thing on the side where they kept their compressors and that for what used to be a market. We cleaned all that out and we put a milk depot in there. And there was a dairy down in Delta that was marketing milk and then put it in plastic bags and you seal it. Saved all of the bottling and expenses of bottles and caps and all that kind of stuff. So we started marketing that milk through there because we could sell it cheaper. And we kind of marketed it as a new bag in town and sure enough it kind of worked.

Ken Greenwood: And if you go on Second West the building across, I think there's Alton's carpet is in there. We bought that building and used that more or less as a warehouse for carpet pad and that kind of stuff. And then we had a fire that pretty well gutted the furniture store and the reception center and all that kind of stuff. It was we think it was arson by kids. One of my wife's relatives, she taught school up at Lehi Elementary and one of the little kids, I think she taught first grade. A little kid kept telling her my brother set fire to that store. And the family moved out of town, so we assumed that that's what happened. And the town really rallied around us. They had some banquets and fundraisers and this type of stuff to help us get back on our feet. I think the banquet they had raised $10,000. That was a lot of money back in the 60s. It was a lot more money then. Turkey and gravy and that to show up, many people.

Ken Greenwood: But anyway, we felt kind of like a— we actually turned the whole place into a reception center without the furniture and that. We concentrated primarily on floor coverings and wall coverings and that type of stuff. And it was based on that experience with one of our— Ken Shepard was in the market one night. Why don't you run for mayor? And the more I thought about that, maybe I can help give back to the community by serving the community. And that's why I kind of got in the mayor business. I've often said there's one prerequisite to being mayor. You have to have a low IQ. You can't be very smart. And I thought, well, I qualify for that. So I thought, well, if I got low enough IQ, maybe I can run it. So anyway, I ran for two terms. I served two terms and got kicked out. I'm actually really glad they did.

Ken Greenwood: Because we ended up being called on a mission to Kenya and I will be a mission in East Africa. My wife and I and those experiences we had there and the people that we're still engaged with even today, almost 20 years later. It was a life-changing event going there and I felt good about being mayor. We done some good things, made some mistakes. But just looking at your list there about things to do, I think we really dropped the ball as a town. We went from somewhere around 15, 16,000 people when I went in as mayor. Eight years later, I think there was close to 40,000 people. And today I think there's close around 100,000 people. We basically have the same transportation system now as we did. It's the same pioneer transportation system. All they've done is put hard top over the ruts so we don't run the sheep through town to level it out anymore. But they're basically the same roads when there was 3 to 5,000 people when I grew up in town.

Ken Greenwood: And I think as an elected official we rebuilt 12 East to have some type of artery to get people off the bench. And now what used to be just a almost a country road has stop lights on it. It's incredible the amount of traffic's coming down that. And now we put all these people here without a really good transportation system put together. I dropped the ball. And everybody since me has dropped the ball by not addressing that problem by getting those things fixed. Well, it should have been a priority and it was just, we'll build houses, it'll take care of itself. It doesn't. You needed prior planning. So I'm not throwing rocks at anybody without throwing myself first. So as far as what I see politically, I think that's one place where I think I should have done a better job is with the roads and the infrastructure.

Ryan Harding: What was it like to grow up in a place that was very small, very farming community kind of thing?

Ken Greenwood: I'll talk about from my side of the family. Like I mentioned, my grandfather ran the pool hall. And then my mom and dad they ran a beer joint in American Fork called the Curve Inn. It was right in West American Fork as you come around on Highway 89. You come down, you meet right in there. And this building, this beer joint was right on the left hand side. And there was an open air dance hall right by the beer joint. Good place to have a dance hall and a beer joint. Dancing and partying go together. When I grew up, the word of wisdom was really a strong part of the church here in town. And looking back on it, coming from a family that smoked cigarettes and drank beer, this type of thing was looked down on to a certain extent. And I'm glad to see that change.

Ken Greenwood: I married a girl who was very active in the church. She asked me on a date. She shouldn't have been asking me on a date. She jumped the fence. She shouldn't have done that. She's been paying the price now for almost 60 years. But we've had a good marriage and we've been active in the church. We do have a tendency sometimes to judge people by where they are instead of who they are. And that's been a good lesson for me to learn. I'm not throwing rocks at anybody, but you ask me the question, what's changed? That's the change I've seen happen. We're more accepting of people who are not necessarily colored with the same pencil. Or believe exactly the same as we do. So that's one of the things that I see that's affected me and that I've been a part of and I've lived it.

Ryan Harding: She must have had a good influence. Maybe she got you to jump the fence back?

Ken Greenwood: Well, we're quite honorable. It was the first girl's choice dance in forever. And so when the phone rang I said hello and said this is Rita Wing and I just called if you'd like to go to the Torp Twirl dance with me. And I thought gee, I didn't know there was a Torp Twirl dance. I have no idea. And I said yeah I'll go. And so we went and had a good time. And then I played football in high school and we had just played Pleasant Grove and they beat us 7 to 6. They went on and took state that year. And we thought we should have beat them. We was on the one foot line and we couldn't get it across before time went out. And she came out on the field and oh nice job like that. So we'd been married for a couple of years and I sat in on the chair and looked on a bookshelf and pulled out a yearbook. It was her yearbook the year that we got together and I'm looking through this yearbook. I see these boys with little checks by their names. And there's a check by my name. And I thought and about that time she came walking through the door and I says, "You little— I wasn't the first one you asked to go to the dance, was I?" And the look on her face. I said, "That's okay. At least I was the last." So she waited too long to ask somebody to the dance. All the good ones was taken. So she ended up with me. So it worked out really good. We got three boys and a girl and they're all upstanding great kids. Contributors wherever they're at. It's one of the better things happened to me in my life.

Ryan Harding: What made you go into floor coverings and doing that kind of stuff?

Ken Greenwood: I was living in Lehi and driving to Salt Lake for work. I was working for a kind of a dead-end job, a little manufacturing company called Vacuent Manufacturing. And my job was to take when you go to the dentist, they would suck all the stuff out of your mouth. Those machines, I was putting new motors in. They'd get all plugged up and burn the motor out. And I really didn't like it. And here again, Ken Shepard, he was I bought a 1956 hardtop Mercury convertible. And I thought, well, I'll give people rides to Salt Lake and they can pay me to go to Salt Lake and I'll pay for my car. And so it worked out. And he was working at the time for a floor covering distributor, Vulker Company in Salt Lake. And he said, "Well, why don't you go see these people and tell them I sent you and maybe they'll give you a job." So I did and I started working there and they basically taught me the trade.

Ken Greenwood: And I started doing a few little jobs down here in Lehi and their stores in Salt Lake. I was buying the material off from them and just coming down and doing the labor on weekends and stuff like that. And one night the guy told me, why don't you— we can't have you do that anymore. I said, "What do you mean you can't?" He said, "Well, we can't allow that." I said, "Well, I'm buying all the material off you." He said, "Well, you can't do that." And I told him, "Why don't you just take this job and shove it where the daylight doesn't shine?" He said, "What did you say to me?" I said, "You heard me." And so that's basically I quit.

Ken Greenwood: And I kind of had in the back of my mind to go back to school. And so we took off and went to Logan looking for a job. My dad's cousin was head of the math department there at Utah State University. And went and talked to him and he says, "Yeah, I can help you whenever we know him." And so I'm looking for a job and they were putting the gas lines in there in Logan and I had on my best clothes and there was about that much mud water in the bottom of the trench. And the guy looked up at me. He says, "When can you start?" I said, "We need somebody right now." And I said, "Where's your shovel?" And so he threw me a shovel and I jumped down and started working. Well, I worked there during the summer and I was going to school. Then I started working for some of the furniture stores there in Logan doing part time doing floor coverings.

Ken Greenwood: And I was doing a job one night in a new house on the way out of Sardine Canyon and I worked there on it. I picked up my stuff in the afternoon. I worked that afternoon all night all day the next night. All day the next day. And anyway, I got through and took him back in and the guy says, "What do you mean you're through?" He says, "Doctors don't make that much money." And I said, "Well, right through." And he said, "That's just not right. You're not worth that." Okay, I'll show you. So I kept it in my mind and my brother came out of the home on the surface and he was looking for something to do and it was coming summertime. I thought maybe we ought to give it a shot. And so we decided we'll come down and we kind of on a wing and a prayer and we went into business started doing basically labor on floor coverings and one thing led to another and entrepreneur this and entrepreneur that until pretty soon we got more than we can do and here we are an old man later answering questions from you.

Ken Greenwood: My mom says, "I'll help you. I'll work with you. I'll take care of the inside of the store for one year. And I'm going to quit." Now, 16 years later, she was still taking care of the inside. We worked the crap out of her. It was really a family business. My dad was working down in Geneva and then he retired and he would show up and try to be a gopher, go get stuff for us. It was a good thing. Lehi was a hard place to be in business. It wasn't like it is now. In fact they probably do as much business now construction-wise in a week than we used to do in 10 years. It's just unreal. And did any of your sons want to go into that business? I guess they all did. They've all college graduates. They worked on the side while going to school. One boy, he just retired as he was in administration at his school in the district here. But for many years while he was a classroom teacher, he was doing floor coverings for the district. He had a contract with them for several years. He would work nights after school during the summers. And then the other boys, they've augmented their income by doing floors. Ceramic tile, floor tile, carpeting. There's been a lot of people actually we've trained over the years who went ahead and went on to do their own business in the same thing. It was a good trade to learn. It's a good trade. We branched out into other things. There's really no old floor mechanics. Their knees wear out, their hips go out. I thought maybe I better start doing something different. So we started messing around with buying a few rentals and that so that eventually we ended up selling all of our Main Street properties and then put it into residential rentals. And even they're getting old now just like the rest of us. But it was a good transition. We knew how to take care of basically the inside of the house pretty well and we do our own repairs and our own floors.

Ryan Harding: So then the transition obviously as a business owner entrepreneurial guy you went into politics then.

Ken Greenwood: Well, as far as politics I don't know. I'm kind of afraid of the word politician because it's got a bad name. And we've given it a bad name by putting up with bad behavior. I'm talking primarily national behavior. Locally I'm not throwing any rocks. I think there's been some serious errors made. The great and spacious building was one of them. I think that was a total miss, ill-timed. It should have been put in transportation system, not an office building. They tore down a perfectly good building because it was there when it was engineered and put together. That building was a strong building. They shouldn't totally tear it down to build a new one in its place. It was awful. But they used that money to try to help the transportation system, they'd have done something. So I think they were wrong. But they call me wrong. That's the way it goes. That is politics, right? You always have competing views and that's good.

Ken Greenwood: Political-wise, friends come and go. You get elected and you got all this swarm of people that come. But make an enemy politically, you never lose them. And remember that into the eons of time, they'll never forget a political wrong if it affected them. They just can't get it out of their head. It's hard to forgive on those things. And I'm the same way. I won't ever forgive them about putting all the money in this great and spacious building. It could have been better spent. And right behind my house there's a $19 million family park. It's just like, are you kidding me? Little kids don't need a $19 million playground. When I was a kid, shooting marbles and skipping rope and swinging on swings. Very basic stuff. I think kids could benefit from rather than have ready-made whiz-bang stuff. But that's opinions.

Ryan Harding: What are some of the things you're most proud of?

Ken Greenwood: What was the turning point for me was that we had during the winter time quite an active youth basketball league. It was we were using the armory to play in the high school gym, every gym we could appropriate for little leagues basketball winter sports. The high school team made it into the tournament every one of those years and all of a sudden all those gymnasiums were shut off. They needed to practice and all that kind of stuff. And the phone started ringing off the wall. I mean it's all my fault. And like, hey, just a minute. Something that really does need to be changed here. There was a guy named Mike Hansen who worked his tail off for years and years and years serving the young people in town with their sporting programs. On a shoestring. And his real wish and desire was to have some type of a central place that he could work out of and have a sporting program for kids to do something. And I was walking out of the north end of the office building at the time and thought, you know, something has to be done. It's got to be done now. And I started talking to different contractors I knew about maybe stand-up walls and all this kind of stuff. And there was an architect in town. Ed Collins came in and said, "How serious are you about a place for your sporting program?" I said, "I'm totally serious." He says, "You want to look at something that—" I can't think of his name, the architect. And so we set up a meeting and he rolled out the plans. It's basically the Legacy Center. And we were like, wow, this might be something. And one thing led to another. We weren't really sure about how things would work out. So we done what we call a design-build concept. We met every Monday morning. I went over what from the basic plan, what can we do instead of putting out change orders. That's expensive when contractors put together a bid and a plan they hate to change because that screws up other things they've got planned. And Richard Ellsworth basically says I'll do it as cheap as I can for you and we'll work it down that way. So we did that and that's how the Legacy Center came to be born.

Ryan Harding: So you played a role in that and having that come to be.

Ken Greenwood: Well, my name hangs on the wall in there and we put a bust of Mike Hansen. They keep moving it around. Sometimes they put it in the corner, sometimes they put it in the closet. Sometimes they put it out front. We try to honor him because his wife, they just put him on this whole Walk of Fame thing they have. And she called and asked me about this story about Mike. We were back in New York City trying to get the funding for the Legacy Center. And I kept telling the guys I was with, I don't know why I'm here. I don't know anything what I'm doing. They said, "Well, you're just here to try to tell them why we need this place or just trying to make him feel good about it." Because basically it was to what rating we would get on the bonds. Junk bond or good bond affects the interest rate. This affects the end cost of the building. And we were riding up the elevator at a very tall building. And I reached in my suit coat pocket and I pulled out and I had Mike's funeral program in my pocket. I know what to say. And we got in and there's this big oval table, all these suits sitting around it and they expect me to say something bright and intelligent and I just took that out and I just slid it out on the table and I says, "Here's a man who devoted his life to the youth of Lehi City. We want to make this dream come true by providing a central point of interest and opportunity for the youth of our city. We've gone through public hearings. We haven't had one, not one dissenting vote from either the elected officials or from the townspeople. Everybody thought it was a good idea." And when we got through walking down and going out, a guy named John, as we was walking out of the elevator, he said, "Well, Greenwood says you just saved your city a lot of money today and we got a very favorable rating on our bonds." And so it saved the citizens, I think, a lot of money. I'm happy for that. I'm happy for the kids because it's such a multi-use building. They can be doing gymnastics, basketball, running around the track upstairs. We had a portable stage, kind of a big house trailer you could open up and make a stage on it. And I wish we'd have made that so we could back that stage into one of those gymnasiums in the Legacy Center and have a portable stage for music and that type of stuff if they want to have a band. And so we talked to the architect and he said, "I think we can do it. I don't know about the height. We're really really close." And I said, "If we're really close, we'll take the damn air out of the tire. We'll get it down." And so I went and measured it and I knew it had fit by 3/4 of an inch. So barely. It doesn't matter. If it's 3/4 of an inch or an inch or a foot and a half, whatever it is, as long as it goes through. The thing I didn't pay attention to, could you back it in and open up in the right side? Pure luck. Back it in. Opened up. And there's the gymnasium right there. So that's sometimes better be lucky than good.

Ryan Harding: So Legacy Center. Well, thank you for the Legacy Center.

Ken Greenwood: Lehi, I do take credit for kind of hey, something's got to be done here. And was it hard to get passed? No. Actually, the citizens had turned down a general obligation bond for basically a performing arts center. And the citizens have turned it down. And we thought, well, just a minute, maybe we'll put in a— we'll vote in with the council a revenue bond. And so that's why you have a lunch counter in there. That's why when I go walking around there, if I don't buy a pass, for the citizens, seniors that I'm part of now, we can go from— we thought, well, if we're going to have a senior citizen component be there, why don't we let the senior citizens come in from 9:00 in the morning till 2 o'clock in the afternoon and walk for free? And we put exercise stuff in some corners so they wouldn't have to pay. They could do it for free if they want to come during those times when the place wasn't busy. And so that's why those are in the corners. I've always wondered that. They're there because basically from 9 until 2 the seniors could go exercise for free. Some of them were fixed on fixed incomes. And they all got dinged for to pay for it if they own property in town. They paid for it too. And it was like— but so I thought, well, maybe there ought to be a perk for last long enough and that we'll make it so they can come. But the biggest thing was if they come early to walk, maybe they'll stay for dinner. Or if they come to dinner, maybe they'll stay and exercise after dinner. That was the thought process that went into that.

Ken Greenwood: I came home from my wife and I went on a mission to East Africa. We got back and the time was actually 10 to 2. And my boy owned the assisted living center right across the street north of it. And we got back and I was helping him with maintenance on his place and I thought, man, I need to go down at 9:00. Maybe I'll just start going over and walk at 9 instead of waiting till 10:00. And so I asked Dan Harrison, would it be possible I just come and walk at 9:00 instead of 10? Well, no. He says, "We can't do that. These things are put together for a reason. We have to stay with that." I thought, "Dan, I hired you, you dumbass. I hired you." But so I didn't fight with him. Never mind. Sure, I'll come. But the reason we had to go at 9:00— Paul and Doris Peterson, they was like, "Why can't we come at 9:00 instead of having to wait until 10?" And then that's what I got. I'm getting mixed up here a little bit. And so I said, "Well, I don't care. Come at 9:00. It makes no difference." And so when I asked Dan if we could come at 8 instead of 9, he was like, "No, we got reasons." We got reasons. There was no reason. We just— that was a random number. That's what happens. That's one of my pet peeves about people and rules. Rules become more important than the reason why they have the rule. And a lot of times the people that did those first rules, it was just a random number. It wasn't a lot of thought put into it. It was just let's do this. Well, exactly. It seemed like a good idea. There wasn't any complicated math. It was just kind of a common sense thing.

Ryan Harding: Anything else from your time as being mayor? Things that you learned about the inner workings of how cities work and stuff like that?

Ken Greenwood: When we were trying to get Costco here in town. Costco and Lowe's. We had made a boundary line agreement with American Fork worked on for years and years and years. Nobody could ever come to an agreement. I was like my gosh who cares, we're American Fork being where Lehi starts. And it's so we made that and then Costco wanted to come in. We needed to have access off a piece of property that was actually in American Fork now. And it was a bad deal trying to get through the councils one thing and another because they just people disagreeing. Somebody going to get a store and we're not going to have it. All that kind of clutchy mind type of stuff. And I called Mayor Barrett at the time. I said, "My hell, Ted, can't we get this thing straightened out? This has been going on for months." And I went over to him and within 15 minutes we had it all squared away. And he took his Calvin and I took my Calvin and done and it just went on through. And so there's you can do things if you work together.

Ken Greenwood: I had a secretary who was— I'm not going to name any names. I don't want any problems, but she got mad at me. And then she started telling tales. Just goes back to the enemy thing. She started telling people how much money I'd made because Micron and they created a new company called IM Flash. IM Flash went along with Intel Micron Intel and they formed a new company. And they started working right up here. And she started telling people that I made millions of dollars by being— People believe it. You can't fight that. And as these tales roll forward, you just the more you try to defend it, the worse it becomes. So you just have to learn to shut your mouth. And I even though you didn't make millions off of it. Well, I went into— in fact Mayor Johnson is the one that actually revealed it to me and I just kept my mouth shut and then one day I went in my sister had died and I went in to get the grave stuff squared away and we had the office for the cemetery there in the office building and I was walking out and I thought well, I'm just going to get it off the chest. So I went back to her office and I called her by name. I said, "You know, I just want you to know that I never did do that." And you know, then I would never say anything like that about you. Well, actually, you did. I know you did. And she started crying and balling and stuff. And I said, "I'm sorry. But I know you did it." And I said, "You can cry all you want." And I said, "Well, I said watching I forgive you. Whatever it is, whatever caused you to do it." And so I walked out and I tried calling Mark at his office and he didn't pick up. He worked for an engineering company in Orem. And then he called me back a couple hours later. I picked up the phone. He was laughing and he says, "She had me on the phone before he got down the front steps, Greenwood. She was chewing on his butt because she had told him." And he's the one that told me. So that's how it got back. She knew how it got back and she was so mad at him calling him. But when the natural man is carnal, sensual, and devilish. And I believe that. You and me both. We all got that within us. And who knows when it gets for whatever reason you be pushed and it pops its ugly head. And I give people credit there. Sometimes for whatever reason they got their toe stepped on. But I'm still unforgiven. I haven't forgotten it yet. I don't care anymore. I don't care anymore.

Ryan Harding: You mentioned some of the previous mayors and stuff like that. Is there a bond that takes place between mayors?

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Ken Greenwood Role in Lehi Business owner, Main Street revitalizer, former Mayor of Lehi Time Periods Discussed 1800s settlement era; 1940s–1960s childhood; 1960s–1980s business years; 1990s–2000s civic service; mission in early 2000s Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview Pioneer Roots: "I'm Going to Starve to Death Here" Ken's great-great-grandfather William Karren was among the first five families to settle Lehi. After being repeatedly kicked out of locations due to water conflicts with American Fork residents, the family ended up on the shores of Utah Lake. When talk turned to moving yet again, William took off his coat, threw it on the ground, and declared, "I'm going to starve to death here." That act of defiance anchored the family to Lehi for generations to come. Betting on a Ghost Town: Revitalizing Main Street In the 1960s, nearly every building on Lehi's Main Street had a "For Sale" sign. Ken and his brother bought them cheap—everyone wanted out. They moved their floor-covering business from American Fork and opened a furniture store alongside a wedding reception center, hoping that waiting wedding guests might browse the couches and lamps. One day Ken stood outside and realized he couldn't see a single car, parked or moving, as far as he could look. He thought, "What the hell have I done?" But the gamble paid off, and those buildings became the seeds of a revitalized downtown. The Pool Hall Bar and a Secret Sip of Beer Ken's grandfather ran the pool hall inside the old Blue Rock limestone building on Main Street. As a boy, Ken would sit on the end stool closest to the door while his dad drank a beer. When nobody was looking, his grandpa would pour a little beer into a shot glass and slip it to Ken. "That's where I found out I like beer," Ken laughs. Today, the actual bar from that pool hall sits in his home, refurbished as a centerpiece for their party room. The Priesthood Blessing from a Pool Hall Regular Ken shares a Lehi folk tale about a runaway wagon team that struck a child on Main Street. The mother ran into the pool hall looking for a specific man, a "Jack Mormon" who was known to play pool and drink beer. When he protested that he wasn't worthy to give a blessing, she grabbed him and said, "I don't need you—I need your priesthood." The story captures the complexity of faith, community, and human need in a small town where everyone knew everyone. The Fire and the $10,000 Fundraiser After a suspected arson fire gutted Ken's furniture store and reception center, the town rallied. They held banquets and fundraisers that raised $10,000—a substantial sum in the 1960s. The community support left a lasting impression on Ken and reinforced his belief that Lehi looked after its own. The experience also nudged him toward public service, helping him realize how much a community can accomplish when it pulls together. The Road to Mayor—and a Mission to Africa Ken never planned to run for mayor. But a friend named Ken Shepard asked him one night in the grocery store, "Why don't you run for mayor?" He served two terms, improved the city's power system from near-insolvency to a $6 million surplus, and then was released by voters—something he now considers a blessing. Losing the election freed him to serve an LDS mission with his wife in Kenya and East Africa, an experience he describes as life-changing and one he still reflects on nearly 20 years later. The Legacy Center: A Bust, a Bond Rating, and 3/4 of an Inch Ken tells how the Legacy Center came to be through a design-build partnership and creative financing. In a critical New York City meeting to secure a favorable bond rating, he pulled out the funeral program of Mike Hansen—a man who had devoted his life to Lehi youth—and slid it across the table to the bond raters. The emotional pitch worked, saving the city millions in interest. Later, when a portable stage needed to fit inside the gymnasium, Ken measured it himself and found it would clear the door by exactly 3/4 of an inch—if they let some air out of the tires. The Costco Handshake Bringing Costco and Lowe's to Lehi required resolving a decades-old boundary-line dispute with American Fork that had stalled every previous attempt. Ken called Mayor Ted Barrett, said "Can't we get this thing straightened out?" and within 15 minutes they had squared it away with a handshake. When a railroad official later tried to deny a prior agreement in front of the Costco regional director, Ken's honest persistence prevailed. The Costco representative bowed down in the hallway and joked, "You must be God." Ken's reply: "It wasn't God. It was just having people who were being honest." History Historical Insights About Lehi This interview offers a rare firsthand window into Lehi's evolution from frontier settlement to modern suburb. Here are key historical insights from Ken Greenwood's lived experience: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Ryan Harding: Welcome Ken Greenwood to Roots and Branches of Lehi. We're excited to have you on the podcast today and get to know you a little bit better. So give me a little background about yourself. Are you always from Lehi, or give me how long have you been here for? Ken Greenwood: My great-great-grandfather, William Karren. He was one of the first five families to settle here. And they came here and they had a hard time finding a place to settle. Because American Fork people had camped along the creeks and one thing another with the water. They kept getting kicked out of here and kicked out of there. They ended up down on the shore of Utah Lake. Just north of Utah Lake. And they're talking about moving again. And according to one of the books, my grandfather took off his coat and throwed it on the ground and says, "I'm going to starve to death. I moved to starve to death here." And so they must have been a little bit persuaded because that's where they stayed for the winter. They tore the wagons apart and tried to make some shelters, one thing another. So that's how my maternal side of the family got here. Ken Greenwood: And if you fast forward, my brother and I, we were in business in American Fork primarily doing floor coverings and that type of stuff. And just about every building on Main Street Lehi had a 4x8 piece of plywood painted white with "for sale" on it. And I drive them down. I thought, well, maybe I ought to buy them. So I bought them all. They were cheap. Everybody was trying wanted to get rid of them. And we put businesses in each one of them. We moved our business from American Fork over to here. And I stand outside one day and looking up and down Main Street. There was not one car coming or going or parked. Not one. Not one car the whole far as I could see west I could see. Not one car. I thought what the hell have I done? And anyway, I thought what could we do to maybe help stimulate customers? This type of thing. Ken Greenwood: Where the Parker Brown building was. That was a vacant grocery store and had been vacant for several years. And we took both sides of that building. We put that mansard roof that's on the front of it now to hook the two buildings together so they look like one. And we put a kind of a wedding reception center type thing, smaller thing in the small side. And then we had we went in the furniture business and had all our furniture displayed in the larger side. We thought, well, if people come to weddings, let them stand outside while they're waiting to get in, they could stand inside. And I like that couch or I like this chair. Maybe I like that lamp. And actually worked. People would go in and we had it decorated quite nice with chandeliers and hanging glass ceiling and all that kind of stuff. And it worked out. Ken Greenwood: And where the old blue rock limestone building is. That was my grandfather when I was growing up, he ran the pool hall there. In fact, I have that bar that was inside that pool hall in my home right now. Hauled it out and took it up home and kind of refurbished it and made kind of a bar for our kind of a party room type thing. In fact, I remember going in there as a kid with my dad. He'd go to have a beer. And I sit on the end stool closest to the door. And grandpa would set a little shot glass on the bar and import beer for a squirt. Then when nobody was looking, he give me a little drink of beer. So that's where I found out I like beer. Ken Greenwood: And a story that I assume is true. One of the main streets out here that was a thoroughfare for traffic going east and west just like it is now. Only then it was mud in the winter and hard dry dirt in the summer. In fact, they used to run the sheep herds as they would run them through town, especially in the spring. They'd be bringing them from their winter pastures out west and bring them through town and take them up on the mountains up to the east. And they do them just on Main Street. Well, they ran them through Main Street because the feet of the sheep would flatten out the ruts that was in the street from the winter. In fact, there's a tamper they use in road construction. I call it the sheep's foot tamper. Because all those hundreds of thousands of sheep walking would just kind of level the ruts out. So it was actually helpful for the roads. They done it on purpose. Ken Greenwood: And there was a story that goes that there was a guy that used to always be in the pool hall. And there was a runaway with the team in a wagon. And a lady was crossing the street with one of her children. I don't know, boy or girl, and the little kid got hit with the wagon on this runaway team, and she went running in the pool hall and wanted to know where so-and-so was. He was what we call a Jack Mormon. He was a Mormon, Latter-day Saint guy. But he liked to go play pool and drink a beer. And so she went running in and she grabbed him and he says, "I need you to come out and give my boy a blessing." So it must have been a boy. And he says, "I can't do that. I'm not worthy." And she says, "I don't need you. I need your priesthood." And so she hauled him out and made him go give her kid a blessing. I assume the kid lived because I didn't hear otherwise. That's kind of a folk tale thing that come out of the old days. Ken Greenwood: But anyway, we put a gift shop in that building. The next building down was the old Larson Market. I think that started out as a saloon. I think they called it the Log Cabin Saloon or something. But we remodeled that into a hair salon business. And then in the kind of little lean-to thing on the side where they kept their compressors and that for what used to be a market. We cleaned all that out and we put a milk depot in there. And there was a dairy down in Delta that was marketing milk and then put it in plastic bags and you seal it. Saved all of the bottling and expenses of bottles and caps and all that kind of stuff. So we started marketing that milk through there because we could sell it cheaper. And we kind of marketed it as a new bag in town and sure enough it kind of worked. Ken Greenwood: And if you go on Second West the building across, I think there's Alton's carpet is in there. We bought that building and used that more or less as a warehouse for carpet pad and that kind of stuff. And then we had a fire that pretty well gutted the furniture store and the reception center and all that kind of stuff. It was we think it was arson by kids. One of my wife's relatives, she taught school up at Lehi Elementary and one of the little kids, I think she taught first grade. A little kid kept telling her my brother set fire to that store. And the family moved out of town, so we assumed that that's what happened. And the town really rallied around us. They had some banquets and fundraisers and this type of stuff to help us get back on our feet. I think the banquet they had raised $10,000. That was a lot of money back in the 60s. It was a lot more money then. Turkey and gravy and that to show up, many people. Ken Greenwood: But anyway, we felt kind of like a— we actually turned the whole place into a reception center without the furniture and that. We concentrated primarily on floor coverings and wall coverings and that type of stuff. And it was based on that experience with one of our— Ken Shepard was in the market one night. Why don't you run for mayor? And the more I thought about that, maybe I can help give back to the community by serving the community. And that's why I kind of got in the mayor business. I've often said there's one prerequisite to being mayor. You have to have a low IQ. You can't be very smart. And I thought, well, I qualify for that. So I thought, well, if I got low enough IQ, maybe I can run it. So anyway, I ran for two terms. I served two terms and got kicked out. I'm actually really glad they did. Ken Greenwood: Because we ended up being called on a mission to Kenya and I will be a mission in East Africa. My wife and I and those experiences we had there and the people that we're still engaged with even today, almost 20 years later. It was a life-changing event going there and I felt good about being mayor. We done some good things, made some mistakes. But just looking at your list there about things to do, I think we really dropped the ball as a town. We went from somewhere around 15, 16,000 people when I went in as mayor. Eight years later, I think there was close to 40,000 people. And today I think there's close around 100,000 people. We basically have the same transportation system now as we did. It's the same pioneer transportation system. All they've done is put hard top over the ruts so we don't run the sheep through town to level it out anymore. But they're basically the same roads when there was 3 to 5,000 people when I grew up in town. Ken Greenwood: And I think as an elected official we rebuilt 12 East to have some type of artery to get people off the bench. And now what used to be just a almost a country road has stop lights on it. It's incredible the amount of traffic's coming down that. And now we put all these people here without a really good transportation system put together. I dropped the ball. And everybody since me has dropped the ball by not addressing that problem by getting those things fixed. Well, it should have been a priority and it was just, we'll build houses, it'll take care of itself. It doesn't. You needed prior planning. So I'm not throwing rocks at anybody without throwing myself first. So as far as what I see politically, I think that's one place where I think I should have done a better job is with the roads and the infrastructure. Ryan Harding: What was it like to grow up in a place that was very small, very farming community kind of thing? Ken Greenwood: I'll talk about from my side of the family. Like I mentioned, my grandfather ran the pool hall. And then my mom and dad they ran a beer joint in American Fork called the Curve Inn. It was right in West American Fork as you come around on Highway 89. You come down, you meet right in there. And this building, this beer joint was right on the left hand side. And there was an open air dance hall right by the beer joint. Good place to have a dance hall and a beer joint. Dancing and partying go together. When I grew up, the word of wisdom was really a strong part of the church here in town. And looking back on it, coming from a family that smoked cigarettes and drank beer, this type of thing was looked down on to a certain extent. And I'm glad to see that change. Ken Greenwood: I married a girl who was very active in the church. She asked me on a date. She shouldn't have been asking me on a date. She jumped the fence. She shouldn't have done that. She's been paying the price now for almost 60 years. But we've had a good marriage and we've been active in the church. We do have a tendency sometimes to judge people by where they are instead of who they are. And that's been a good lesson for me to learn. I'm not throwing rocks at anybody, but you ask me the question, what's changed? That's the change I've seen happen. We're more accepting of people who are not necessarily colored with the same pencil. Or believe exactly the same as we do. So that's one of the things that I see that's affected me and that I've been a part of and I've lived it. Ryan Harding: She must have had a good influence. Maybe she got you to jump the fence back? Ken Greenwood: Well, we're quite honorable. It was the first girl's choice dance in forever. And so when the phone rang I said hello and said this is Rita Wing and I just called if you'd like to go to the Torp Twirl dance with me. And I thought gee, I didn't know there was a Torp Twirl dance. I have no idea. And I said yeah I'll go. And so we went and had a good time. And then I played football in high school and we had just played Pleasant Grove and they beat us 7 to 6. They went on and took state that year. And we thought we should have beat them. We was on the one foot line and we couldn't get it across before time went out. And she came out on the field and oh nice job like that. So we'd been married for a couple of years and I sat in on the chair and looked on a bookshelf and pulled out a yearbook. It was her yearbook the year that we got together and I'm looking through this yearbook. I see these boys with little checks by their names. And there's a check by my name. And I thought and about that time she came walking through the door and I says, "You little— I wasn't the first one you asked to go to the dance, was I?" And the look on her face. I said, "That's okay. At least I was the last." So she waited too long to ask somebody to the dance. All the good ones was taken. So she ended up with me. So it worked out really good. We got three boys and a girl and they're all upstanding great kids. Contributors wherever they're at. It's one of the better things happened to me in my life. Ryan Harding: What made you go into floor coverings and doing that kind of stuff? Ken Greenwood: I was living in Lehi and driving to Salt Lake for work. I was working for a kind of a dead-end job, a little manufacturing company called Vacuent Manufacturing. And my job was to take when you go to the dentist, they would suck all the stuff out of your mouth. Those machines, I was putting new motors in. They'd get all plugged up and burn the motor out. And I really didn't like it. And here again, Ken Shepard, he was I bought a 1956 hardtop Mercury convertible. And I thought, well, I'll give people rides to Salt Lake and they can pay me to go to Salt Lake and I'll pay for my car. And so it worked out. And he was working at the time for a floor covering distributor, Vulker Company in Salt Lake. And he said, "Well, why don't you go see these people and tell them I sent you and maybe they'll give you a job." So I did and I started working there and they basically taught me the trade. Ken Greenwood: And I started doing a few little jobs down here in Lehi and their stores in Salt Lake. I was buying the material off from them and just coming down and doing the labor on weekends and stuff like that. And one night the guy told me, why don't you— we can't have you do that anymore. I said, "What do you mean you can't?" He said, "Well, we can't allow that." I said, "Well, I'm buying all the material off you." He said, "Well, you can't do that." And I told him, "Why don't you just take this job and shove it where the daylight doesn't shine?" He said, "What did you say to me?" I said, "You heard me." And so that's basically I quit. Ken Greenwood: And I kind of had in the back of my mind to go back to school. And so we took off and went to Logan looking for a job. My dad's cousin was head of the math department there at Utah State University. And went and talked to him and he says, "Yeah, I can help you whenever we know him." And so I'm looking for a job and they were putting the gas lines in there in Logan and I had on my best clothes and there was about that much mud water in the bottom of the trench. And the guy looked up at me. He says, "When can you start?" I said, "We need somebody right now." And I said, "Where's your shovel?" And so he threw me a shovel and I jumped down and started working. Well, I worked there during the summer and I was going to school. Then I started working for some of the furniture stores there in Logan doing part time doing floor coverings. Ken Greenwood: And I was doing a job one night in a new house on the way out of Sardine Canyon and I worked there on it. I picked up my stuff in the afternoon. I worked that afternoon all night all day the next night. All day the next day. And anyway, I got through and took him back in and the guy says, "What do you mean you're through?" He says, "Doctors don't make that much money." And I said, "Well, right through." And he said, "That's just not right. You're not worth that." Okay, I'll show you. So I kept it in my mind and my brother came out of the home on the surface and he was looking for something to do and it was coming summertime. I thought maybe we ought to give it a shot. And so we decided we'll come down and we kind of on a wing and a prayer and we went into business started doing basically labor on floor coverings and one thing led to another and entrepreneur this and entrepreneur that until pretty soon we got more than we can do and here we are an old man later answering questions from you. Ken Greenwood: My mom says, "I'll help you. I'll work with you. I'll take care of the inside of the store for one year. And I'm going to quit." Now, 16 years later, she was still taking care of the inside. We worked the crap out of her. It was really a family business. My dad was working down in Geneva and then he retired and he would show up and try to be a gopher, go get stuff for us. It was a good thing. Lehi was a hard place to be in business. It wasn't like it is now. In fact they probably do as much business now construction-wise in a week than we used to do in 10 years. It's just unreal. And did any of your sons want to go into that business? I guess they all did. They've all college graduates. They worked on the side while going to school. One boy, he just retired as he was in administration at his school in the district here. But for many years while he was a classroom teacher, he was doing floor coverings for the district. He had a contract with them for several years. He would work nights after school during the summers. And then the other boys, they've augmented their income by doing floors. Ceramic tile, floor tile, carpeting. There's been a lot of people actually we've trained over the years who went ahead and went on to do their own business in the same thing. It was a good trade to learn. It's a good trade. We branched out into other things. There's really no old floor mechanics. Their knees wear out, their hips go out. I thought maybe I better start doing something different. So we started messing around with buying a few rentals and that so that eventually we ended up selling all of our Main Street properties and then put it into residential rentals. And even they're getting old now just like the rest of us. But it was a good transition. We knew how to take care of basically the inside of the house pretty well and we do our own repairs and our own floors. Ryan Harding: So then the transition obviously as a business owner entrepreneurial guy you went into politics then. Ken Greenwood: Well, as far as politics I don't know. I'm kind of afraid of the word politician because it's got a bad name. And we've given it a bad name by putting up with bad behavior. I'm talking primarily national behavior. Locally I'm not throwing any rocks. I think there's been some serious errors made. The great and spacious building was one of them. I think that was a total miss, ill-timed. It should have been put in transportation system, not an office building. They tore down a perfectly good building because it was there when it was engineered and put together. That building was a strong building. They shouldn't totally tear it down to build a new one in its place. It was awful. But they used that money to try to help the transportation system, they'd have done something. So I think they were wrong. But they call me wrong. That's the way it goes. That is politics, right? You always have competing views and that's good. Ken Greenwood: Political-wise, friends come and go. You get elected and you got all this swarm of people that come. But make an enemy politically, you never lose them. And remember that into the eons of time, they'll never forget a political wrong if it affected them. They just can't get it out of their head. It's hard to forgive on those things. And I'm the same way. I won't ever forgive them about putting all the money in this great and spacious building. It could have been better spent. And right behind my house there's a $19 million family park. It's just like, are you kidding me? Little kids don't need a $19 million playground. When I was a kid, shooting marbles and skipping rope and swinging on swings. Very basic stuff. I think kids could benefit from rather than have ready-made whiz-bang stuff. But that's opinions. Ryan Harding: What are some of the things you're most proud of? Ken Greenwood: What was the turning point for me was that we had during the winter time quite an active youth basketball league. It was we were using the armory to play in the high school gym, every gym we could appropriate for little leagues basketball winter sports. The high school team made it into the tournament every one of those years and all of a sudden all those gymnasiums were shut off. They needed to practice and all that kind of stuff. And the phone started ringing off the wall. I mean it's all my fault. And like, hey, just a minute. Something that really does need to be changed here. There was a guy named Mike Hansen who worked his tail off for years and years and years serving the young people in town with their sporting programs. On a shoestring. And his real wish and desire was to have some type of a central place that he could work out of and have a sporting program for kids to do something. And I was walking out of the north end of the office building at the time and thought, you know, something has to be done. It's got to be done now. And I started talking to different contractors I knew about maybe stand-up walls and all this kind of stuff. And there was an architect in town. Ed Collins came in and said, "How serious are you about a place for your sporting program?" I said, "I'm totally serious." He says, "You want to look at something that—" I can't think of his name, the architect. And so we set up a meeting and he rolled out the plans. It's basically the Legacy Center. And we were like, wow, this might be something. And one thing led to another. We weren't really sure about how things would work out. So we done what we call a design-build concept. We met every Monday morning. I went over what from the basic plan, what can we do instead of putting out change orders. That's expensive when contractors put together a bid and a plan they hate to change because that screws up other things they've got planned. And Richard Ellsworth basically says I'll do it as cheap as I can for you and we'll work it down that way. So we did that and that's how the Legacy Center came to be born. Ryan Harding: So you played a role in that and having that come to be. Ken Greenwood: Well, my name hangs on the wall in there and we put a bust of Mike Hansen. They keep moving it around. Sometimes they put it in the corner, sometimes they put it in the closet. Sometimes they put it out front. We try to honor him because his wife, they just put him on this whole Walk of Fame thing they have. And she called and asked me about this story about Mike. We were back in New York City trying to get the funding for the Legacy Center. And I kept telling the guys I was with, I don't know why I'm here. I don't know anything what I'm doing. They said, "Well, you're just here to try to tell them why we need this place or just trying to make him feel good about it." Because basically it was to what rating we would get on the bonds. Junk bond or good bond affects the interest rate. This affects the end cost of the building. And we were riding up the elevator at a very tall building. And I reached in my suit coat pocket and I pulled out and I had Mike's funeral program in my pocket. I know what to say. And we got in and there's this big oval table, all these suits sitting around it and they expect me to say something bright and intelligent and I just took that out and I just slid it out on the table and I says, "Here's a man who devoted his life to the youth of Lehi City. We want to make this dream come true by providing a central point of interest and opportunity for the youth of our city. We've gone through public hearings. We haven't had one, not one dissenting vote from either the elected officials or from the townspeople. Everybody thought it was a good idea." And when we got through walking down and going out, a guy named John, as we was walking out of the elevator, he said, "Well, Greenwood says you just saved your city a lot of money today and we got a very favorable rating on our bonds." And so it saved the citizens, I think, a lot of money. I'm happy for that. I'm happy for the kids because it's such a multi-use building. They can be doing gymnastics, basketball, running around the track upstairs. We had a portable stage, kind of a big house trailer you could open up and make a stage on it. And I wish we'd have made that so we could back that stage into one of those gymnasiums in the Legacy Center and have a portable stage for music and that type of stuff if they want to have a band. And so we talked to the architect and he said, "I think we can do it. I don't know about the height. We're really really close." And I said, "If we're really close, we'll take the damn air out of the tire. We'll get it down." And so I went and measured it and I knew it had fit by 3/4 of an inch. So barely. It doesn't matter. If it's 3/4 of an inch or an inch or a foot and a half, whatever it is, as long as it goes through. The thing I didn't pay attention to, could you back it in and open up in the right side? Pure luck. Back it in. Opened up. And there's the gymnasium right there. So that's sometimes better be lucky than good. Ryan Harding: So Legacy Center. Well, thank you for the Legacy Center. Ken Greenwood: Lehi, I do take credit for kind of hey, something's got to be done here. And was it hard to get passed? No. Actually, the citizens had turned down a general obligation bond for basically a performing arts center. And the citizens have turned it down. And we thought, well, just a minute, maybe we'll put in a— we'll vote in with the council a revenue bond. And so that's why you have a lunch counter in there. That's why when I go walking around there, if I don't buy a pass, for the citizens, seniors that I'm part of now, we can go from— we thought, well, if we're going to have a senior citizen component be there, why don't we let the senior citizens come in from 9:00 in the morning till 2 o'clock in the afternoon and walk for free? And we put exercise stuff in some corners so they wouldn't have to pay. They could do it for free if they want to come during those times when the place wasn't busy. And so that's why those are in the corners. I've always wondered that. They're there because basically from 9 until 2 the seniors could go exercise for free. Some of them were fixed on fixed incomes. And they all got dinged for to pay for it if they own property in town. They paid for it too. And it was like— but so I thought, well, maybe there ought to be a perk for last long enough and that we'll make it so they can come. But the biggest thing was if they come early to walk, maybe they'll stay for dinner. Or if they come to dinner, maybe they'll stay and exercise after dinner. That was the thought process that went into that. Ken Greenwood: I came home from my wife and I went on a mission to East Africa. We got back and the time was actually 10 to 2. And my boy owned the assisted living center right across the street north of it. And we got back and I was helping him with maintenance on his place and I thought, man, I need to go down at 9:00. Maybe I'll just start going over and walk at 9 instead of waiting till 10:00. And so I asked Dan Harrison, would it be possible I just come and walk at 9:00 instead of 10? Well, no. He says, "We can't do that. These things are put together for a reason. We have to stay with that." I thought, "Dan, I hired you, you dumbass. I hired you." But so I didn't fight with him. Never mind. Sure, I'll come. But the reason we had to go at 9:00— Paul and Doris Peterson, they was like, "Why can't we come at 9:00 instead of having to wait until 10?" And then that's what I got. I'm getting mixed up here a little bit. And so I said, "Well, I don't care. Come at 9:00. It makes no difference." And so when I asked Dan if we could come at 8 instead of 9, he was like, "No, we got reasons." We got reasons. There was no reason. We just— that was a random number. That's what happens. That's one of my pet peeves about people and rules. Rules become more important than the reason why they have the rule. And a lot of times the people that did those first rules, it was just a random number. It wasn't a lot of thought put into it. It was just let's do this. Well, exactly. It seemed like a good idea. There wasn't any complicated math. It was just kind of a common sense thing. Ryan Harding: Anything else from your time as being mayor? Things that you learned about the inner workings of how cities work and stuff like that? Ken Greenwood: When we were trying to get Costco here in town. Costco and Lowe's. We had made a boundary line agreement with American Fork worked on for years and years and years. Nobody could ever come to an agreement. I was like my gosh who cares, we're American Fork being where Lehi starts. And it's so we made that and then Costco wanted to come in. We needed to have access off a piece of property that was actually in American Fork now. And it was a bad deal trying to get through the councils one thing and another because they just people disagreeing. Somebody going to get a store and we're not going to have it. All that kind of clutchy mind type of stuff. And I called Mayor Barrett at the time. I said, "My hell, Ted, can't we get this thing straightened out? This has been going on for months." And I went over to him and within 15 minutes we had it all squared away. And he took his Calvin and I took my Calvin and done and it just went on through. And so there's you can do things if you work together. Ken Greenwood: I had a secretary who was— I'm not going to name any names. I don't want any problems, but she got mad at me. And then she started telling tales. Just goes back to the enemy thing. She started telling people how much money I'd made because Micron and they created a new company called IM Flash. IM Flash went along with Intel Micron Intel and they formed a new company. And they started working right up here. And she started telling people that I made millions of dollars by being— People believe it. You can't fight that. And as these tales roll forward, you just the more you try to defend it, the worse it becomes. So you just have to learn to shut your mouth. And I even though you didn't make millions off of it. Well, I went into— in fact Mayor Johnson is the one that actually revealed it to me and I just kept my mouth shut and then one day I went in my sister had died and I went in to get the grave stuff squared away and we had the office for the cemetery there in the office building and I was walking out and I thought well, I'm just going to get it off the chest. So I went back to her office and I called her by name. I said, "You know, I just want you to know that I never did do that." And you know, then I would never say anything like that about you. Well, actually, you did. I know you did. And she started crying and balling and stuff. And I said, "I'm sorry. But I know you did it." And I said, "You can cry all you want." And I said, "Well, I said watching I forgive you. Whatever it is, whatever caused you to do it." And so I walked out and I tried calling Mark at his office and he didn't pick up. He worked for an engineering company in Orem. And then he called me back a couple hours later. I picked up the phone. He was laughing and he says, "She had me on the phone before he got down the front steps, Greenwood. She was chewing on his butt because she had told him." And he's the one that told me. So that's how it got back. She knew how it got back and she was so mad at him calling him. But when the natural man is carnal, sensual, and devilish. And I believe that. You and me both. We all got that within us. And who knows when it gets for whatever reason you be pushed and it pops its ugly head. And I give people credit there. Sometimes for whatever reason they got their toe stepped on. But I'm still unforgiven. I haven't forgotten it yet. I don't care anymore. I don't care anymore. Ryan Harding: You mentioned some of the previous mayors and stuff like that. Is there a bond that takes place between mayors? Ken Greenwood: I've never felt close to them because I felt like they badmouthed me in some pretty good ways. It's only been about two years ago. Crap, I haven't been there for 20 years. In fact, only been two years ago said they're going to badmouth you tonight at city council meeting. So I went down and the mayor and the city council sat there and I said well everything that Greenwood did he did on the cheap. And then the city attorney said well every legal document he signed has no legal consequence. They're talking about the soccer field up above town now. And it's just like my hell, guys. Get over it. Just forget it. There's no need to throw rocks. I can run against you ever again. And so to say we're close? Nah. I mean, I don't— I'm not mad at him. I just don't have any use for them. And I don't want to go to lunch. We went to lunch here a year ago or so with Bert and Mark and I think Ron Smith. And here's just been a few months ago. I read in the Lehi Ledger. Here it is about this good old boy thing in town. About Greenwood when he got elected mayor. See the good old boy apparatus in town. The thing they forgot, I signed the damn legislation to change it. And they were throwing rocks at me even then. It's only been a few months ago. And I don't know who's on the council now. A friend of mine called him and said I was kind of— he called me and said I'm so sorry. He said that came from one of the ex-mayors. Saying that the only reason I got in is through the good old boy standpoint. Actually, I like the good old boy standpoint. But I'm the one that put the kibosh on it. Because they— I only ran for mayor. In fact there's another story. I was going to run for mayor and Francis Kumer, she was a councilman. And she called me and forbid me to run for mayor. And I had just got through talking to the center guy. He was going to run for mayor. He was on the council. He called me and says if I was going to run, I said, "Well, if you're going to run for mayor, I'll just run for council. No big deal." I had no more than hung up the phone and Francis called and forbid me to run for mayor. So on the phone I told my wife I says I guess I have to run for mayor because she told me not to. Well, she hated my guts. And then I told her one time, I said you and I are going to become best friends before this is all over. She says no we won't. And I actually got to talk at her funeral from Africa. And it was pretty cool. And so it's uh I should be a little bit softer in some of my— I'm not mad at anybody. I just it's hard to get over things when people bear false witness. That's a hard one to get over. It is a hard one. If it was the truth, hell, I'd admit to it. I really would. But it's a false witness. There's a reason why that's put in the 10. It is a hard one. Ryan Harding: Maybe one of the things people don't always realize that comes with being in a public office because you're in the spotlight and if you have an opinion this way and people don't like that, they got to tear you down, I guess, sometimes, right? Ken Greenwood: For some way that's maybe it's always been that way, but it's someone who does says things out of ignorance. I don't have anything. People just don't know. They don't know. In fact, I told him in council meeting one night. I forget what the whole thing was about. And I said I'm not sure who it was. I said Mark Twain, I think it was. He says, "We're all ignorant just about different things." And I told that to the audience out there. And then after the meeting some woman, she was sobbing. I mean she was just shaking, sobbing, real tears coming out. Like real. I said, "Ma'am, what is the matter?" And she was she want she's trying to talk to me and she finally got it out. She says you called me ignorant, you know. I didn't call you. I said we call them we're all ignorant. Just about different things. I included myself in that group is what you're saying. I mean it's just we're only ignorant until we know it and then we're not ignorant anymore about that thing. And so it's just I'm starting to get personal about stuff. I don't think it's what you want to know. Ryan Harding: This is good. It really is just to get to know you and I think this has been good and I love Costco and I love the Legacy Center. So thank you for both of those things. Ken Greenwood: Costco would not come if they didn't have a little hook ramp coming out on the 89. And we talked to the region three Utah director and he had an emergency meeting down here in Utah County and was going to meet with the railroad people. He says when you meet with those people, do not meet with him alone. Make sure that I'm there and you tell me what it is and I'll be there. And so I called him up and told him we're going to meet at such and such time. He says I'll be there. And so I drove up with the guys from Costco. And we had it all put together because they had to adjust the right-of-way along the railroad track to get that little hook ramp coming out on the south side there. And we walked in and this Mike, apologize again for names, but he denied that we had that agreement. And this the guy knew stood up and said, "No, no, no, Mike." He says reminded him. And anyway, we got it all approved. It was all approved. He was walking out down the hallway and the guy from Costco ran around in front of me and got down and bowed down like he was worshipping a deity and says you must be God. Only God could have got that approved. It wasn't God. No, it was just having people who were being honest. Yeah, stood up for agreements instead of agreeing to stuff and then going back on it. Ken Greenwood: That's probably the— I had that happen when I was mayor with the school district at the high school. Trying to move fences to try to get because it was a dangerous situation with school buses parking there, kids darting out, traffic going by. Is that the high school at Lehi High School? Yeah, over here. And when he was going to build on the high school, I went and met with them and I told them I says, "What's your guys?" I says went over and met in the junior high and I counted the cars. There were 13 cars parked at the junior high. I came down to the high school and I says there's like I forget how many cars illegally parked down at the high school. I said you don't have enough room. Why don't we turn that into a middle school or do something and build a high school where— just your shorts are too tight. You don't have enough room to get in the shorts. Get too big a butt. Just I mean, we'll we can develop as a business area. You'll have money to buy the property and expand it out. And so this guy from Pleasant Grove attacked him. He said, "You guys made you think if you if you yell loud enough long enough, you can get anything you want." And so I went on and they were building on the junior high and they were building onto the high school. They wouldn't give us the plans. The city's supposed to have the plans. For emergency, whatever it is, when construction, when it's built, whatever, the city's supposed to have those plans. I mean that big around that tall. Rolls of plans. And so I told Ted Carter, he was chief building inspector. I said, "Go get the go shut them down. Go red tag them. If you can't get, they won't give you the plans. Just red tag it." He came in my office and he said, "Okay." He says, "But I'm not going alone. You got to come with me." So we went. And we red tagged both sides. And that same guy— I can't remember his name. Maybe it's good I can't. Was they wouldn't put me on the agenda to talk to the school board. And so I stood up during the public input time. I was over there before the meeting started and I stand in front. He walked up to me and he started poking me in the chest. I told him I says, "Don't poke me in the chest one more time." What will be nothing but elbows right in front of everybody? So poke me one more time. He didn't poke me another time. I'm sure he didn't. I kind of wished he had. I was a lot younger then. I was hoping he would. Because I wanted him. You were ready to go. Yeah. But it's here we are now with high school with they sell 800 permits and they got 500 parking spots. They tore down they took out the tennis courts that needed them for other stuff. It's just it was you could see it coming from a mile away, but it's hard to tell other people what to do. With my tax money. Sure. And a lot of these problems take time to fix, too. They're not there's not an easy solution for that problem right now. Quickly at least. It cost more to just to buy the property now than they got. It's old school. I mean, and there no property left. There's no property. So far as big acreages, one thing it's hard to find. And those that are is multi-unit. So but anyway. Ryan Harding: Talk to me a little bit more about the mission. What did you do on the mission there in East Africa? Ken Greenwood: We started off being a church education system, CES mission. And we ended up we were in we were sent down the coast of Tanzania. And the other senior couple there, they had to come home and so it was just my wife and I and we had six young missionaries down there. And so we basically got to do it all for about half our mission. It was a I mean I was I'm not really computer oriented. I can tell you are. And so I was trying to not— I kept me a room drawer full of cash. If I was short I added money. If I was long I took some out and put it in the drawer. That works. Stuff like that. I just made it work. I told the mission president I said I'll do the best I can. It's not going to be all that good but I'll do it. And so the time you got another one there we've been there for quite a while. So we got the taste of all and it was it was really a neat experience. Ryan Harding: Let's hear it. Go ahead. Ken Greenwood: They was getting ready to go in the 1st of January. Was supposed to the MTC on the 7th of March. And on the 3rd of March, phone rings and somebody old Elder Greenwood. Stone's holding church missionary department said, "We'll have you report to the MTC on the 7th of June instead of the 7th of March." And I said, "Well, that's great. But I won't be there. You have to get someone else." I said I spent three weeks arranging my business affairs and someone to take care of my house. I have a granddaughter. They were going to move in and live there while we were gone. They'd give up their place. You had a plan. So I said, "Well, if we don't go on 7th March, just forget it. We won't be gone." And they said, "Well, we'll can I call you back?" I said, "Yeah, sure." We come back in about 10 minutes. Said, "We'll have you report 7th of March." And so it's just there's— and I've learned a little bit when you're in a position of authority, you really need to treat people as people. Not as pieces on the chess board or something to move them around at will. Because they've got their lives that they're living and it's a whether they're getting paid or if they're getting paid, I guess that's a different story. But we're primarily volunteer type of thing. Better pay attention to their needs, not just a move for convenience sake. Ken Greenwood: And we had a they changed the mission to an English speaking mission just when we got there and just after we left they changed it back to a Swahili speaking mission. But there was this young lady there. She dearly wanted to go on a mission. And President Barger, he took us out to dinner one night and every six weeks he'd come 600 miles down the coast and go to dinner, hold meetings with this and that. But we sat at dinner. And I said, "President," he says, "I can't stand and recite D&C 4 with you anymore." He said, "Well, why is that?" And I said, "Well, I'm going to recite the whole thing, but it says in there, if you have a desire for the work, it qualifies you for the work." I said, "You're not calling Anna on a mission. And she really wants to go, so she has a desire." And I say, "You're not following your own script." And he said, he just went quiet. He came back the next six weeks. He said, "All right, agreement." He said, "I'll call her on a mission. I'll call her to my mission so I won't be sending a problem to someone else's mission. I don't care. She wants to go on a mission. She didn't care which one." And so he said, "Okay, go ahead and get her papers ready." So the next day went over to little branch and was filling them out. We say, "Okay, you know, here she was just like she couldn't read what we was trying to have her read." She sign and my wife had a pair of these glasses you buy at the drugstore that kind of magnify seeing a little bit. Here. Try. She put them on. She could write sign. She couldn't see. Oh. Oh. She couldn't see. So she— oh jeez. So we took her down and she needed prescription glasses. Got her some new glasses. She served a successful mission to South Africa. They got too dangerous down there for lady missionaries. So they withdrew the lady missionaries out of South Africa. And dog they didn't send her back to the Kenya Nairobi mission and her plane was landing coming in and his plane was landing taking off going out. Wow. So she did serve in his mission but he wasn't but he was gone. So it's funny how things work out. Ryan Harding: That is funny. No, I love that. That's a great story. Ken Greenwood: That is good. So I recognize the hand of God in a lot of things and I believe in God. I believe in what I do and what I've did. And I'm grateful for it all. I mean, I don't have any regrets what I did or even what I didn't do as mayor. I've done the best I could. And it made a lot of friends and made a few enemies. Probably more than I know, but most people have forgotten about it now. It doesn't matter anymore. So in fact, I got to meet you. Ryan Harding: Well, you know, kind of as we conclude here then, just thinking back on your life, obviously you've had a good life and hopefully we'll have many more years, but 86 is enough, right? But as you look back on your life, what do you want most to be your legacy or the thing that people remember both in the community and obviously in your family and different things? Ken Greenwood: Oh, my in my own family life. I'm so grateful for a loving God. God's important in her life and God's important in my life. I'm grateful for that. We've got five kids who are so far none of them in jail. And they don't beat up on their kids or their wives or their husband, whatever. And if I was to pick one single thing out personal-wise would be my family. I mean that's the top spot for me. Top spot. I mean that's and there's no question about that. So community-wise I'm I got a lot of friends we made and I had a good time. I mean, I just I went to so many meetings and I hate meetings, but I never had a meeting, man. I didn't think about it as being when's it going to be over? I mean, it was just things needed to be done and I don't mind doing that. And I got the hidden nickname of handyman mayor because I've done a lot of repairs around the city. We didn't have any money. When I went in mayor, we couldn't pay the payroll and the city bills all at the same time. We had to pay one or the other and wait for float to come in before we could pay the rest of it. I mean, we were that close financially. Didn't have enough money just the tax base. I guess it just wasn't there just— no, there was the power department in town. We had three different transformers. They couldn't talk to each other. There were different voltages in the transformers. We were losing so much electricity or line loss. It was incredible. The first four years I was mayor, the whole thing, we called it a cut over. We replacing lines and putting a couple new substations and put them all on so we could wheel power from one to the other. If you had power out in one part of town, you can close this shut off here and wheel power from the other one down to it because there was different lashups. It was insane. And so when we got rid of got that— I mean the electrical department ended up extremely profitable. Extremely profitable. And we were trying to we thought, well, when I left, we had $6 million in surplus which is going to do for community projects type of thing. This is what your power department is giving you back. For your staff and instance, but it's we've got we got so many people on the payroll in the United States. I don't know how they do it. We got a full-time police department now. They got three full-time fire stations. Man, for 24 hours a day. We've grown a lot. Nearly 90% of the fires in the whole United States are fought by volunteer firemen, not full-time ones. You need full-time response. Emergency first responders. You don't need a full-fledged fire department going every time. It's just here again, that's opinion. By just watching what's happening in other places. You don't need to have three and a fourth being built that's staffed with four fire chiefs or four hierarchies of a fire department. I just don't think you need it. It's there's another way to do it. And I'm not saying they're stealing money. No. They're spending money in a place they don't need to do it. This is a visible thing that I think is wrong. And so I'm going to vote for those who are not incumbent. I want a change. I want a change of attitude. Ryan Harding: Well, you know, I really appreciate you coming on and getting to know you a little bit better and all the obviously you've done a lot of good in the community. Ken Greenwood: Well, you don't know that. I don't want to try. Ryan Harding: I think you have done a lot of good in the community. So I think you've led a good life and obviously done good in the world in the mission and different things like that and your family and stuff. But I think you leave a good legacy and I'm sure your children are quite happy to have you as a father and grandfather and stuff. Ken Greenwood: We I hope so. I think they are. And I appreciate you and the opportunity to come and talk to you. I don't know if this will do any good or not. I don't know. Ryan Harding: This is perfect. It's all part of the community. It's keeping our community together. Well, whatever it is. So but thank you for having me down and giving me a chance to lip off. Yeah. So this is good. Thank you, Ken. Appreciate you. Thank you. Ryan Harding: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together, we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. We'd love to hear from you. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Harding Home Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Ken Greenwood Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Former Lehi Mayor Ken Greenwood discusses pioneer family history, Main Street revitalization, pool hall stories, the Legacy Center, civic leadership, and his mission to East Africa on Roots & Branches of Lehi. Ken Greenwood Lehi Utah. Lehi Main Street history. Lehi pioneer families. Former Mayor of Lehi. Lehi pool hall history. Lehi Utah oral history. Lehi community stories. Lehi growth and infrastructure. Lehi Utah podcast. William Karren Lehi settlement. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Contact

Melanie Busath on Lehi City Events & Community Traditions | Roots & Branches

Lehi City Events Manager Melanie Busath shares the story behind the Roundup, Summer Splash, Santa Parade, and how volunteerism and youth leadership keep Lehi's community spirit alive.

Melanie Busath on Lehi City Events, Community Traditions, and Building Community Through Celebration

Who Is Melanie Busath, and Why Does Her Story Matter?

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Bridge with Honor: The First Event That Changed Everything

Transforming the Roundup Concert

Moving to Family Park: Overcoming Resistance

Summer Splash: A New Independence Day Tradition

The Youth Council's Surprising Priority

From Maverick Center to Main Street

The Dream Event: A Hope Concert for Teens

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

Melanie Busath Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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Lehi City Events Manager Melanie Busath shares how a Midvale transplant found her home organizing the Roundup, Summer Splash, Santa Parade, and a growing calendar of community gatherings that keep Lehi connected.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Melanie Busath , Lehi City's Events Manager, whose work has helped shape some of the most beloved community traditions in Lehi, Utah. Originally from Midvale, Melanie found her way to Lehi through a passion for event planning and a desire to create meaningful, community-centered experiences. Over the past decade, she has played a key role in organizing and expanding events that bring residents together—from summer concerts and holiday parades to the iconic Lehi Roundup.

Melanie's story offers a behind-the-scenes look at how community events are built, funded, and sustained, highlighting the collaboration between city leaders, local businesses, and volunteers. Her work reflects the heart of Lehi's culture—where traditions like rodeo, family activities, and civic celebrations aren't just entertainment, but a vital part of preserving local identity and strengthening community bonds. As Lehi continues to grow, Melanie's efforts show how intentional planning and community involvement help maintain the small-town feel residents cherish.

For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah history , community events , local government , volunteerism , Lehi Roundup traditions , youth leadership , or the cultural life of Utah Valley's fastest-growing city, this interview is essential listening. Melanie's story preserves a living history of civic engagement, tradition-building, and the power of public celebration to unite neighbors.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Melanie Busath

Lehi City Events Manager

2010s–2020s (past 10 years)

Ryan Harding

Melanie's first city event, "Bridge with Honor," introduced her to the emotional impact of community gatherings. A local man would go to salute on a bridge honoring veterans, connecting generations. Though the event is no longer held after the founder moved away, it left a lasting impression on Melanie about how events can honor the past and bring people together across age groups.

Melanie transformed the traditional Roundup concert from a "picnic in the park" into a modern concert experience, drawing larger crowds and outside performers like Ned LeDoux and Drew Baldridge. A performer who visited Lehi loved the community so much he later sent a free video message during COVID, showing the town's lasting impression on visitors.

The move of the Roundup concert to the new Family Park amphitheater initially faced resistance from longtime attendees. People came with blankets, upset about leaving Wines Park. But when they left, many said "I take it back. This was wonderful." The new venue expanded capacity, improved parking, and gave the event "a whole new vibe" while preserving the community spirit.

The creation of the Summer Splash Concert added a new tradition combining music, food trucks, and fireworks for the 24th of July celebration. Started at Ivory Ridge Splash Park and later moved to the Family Park amphitheater, it replaced the water-dependent Foam Day with a reliable, scalable community celebration that families could count on every year.

Youth Council members surprised city leaders when asked about Lehi's biggest challenges. Adults expected answers about growth, traffic, or development. Instead, the youth identified bullying as their top concern. This unexpected insight shaped how leaders thought about community needs and demonstrated the value of listening to younger voices in city planning.

Melanie originally worked at the Maverick Center doing concerts, but she realized she loved the community aspects of events more than the commercial side. That realization led her to a communications major and eventually to Lehi, where she has spent 10 years building events that reflect small-town values rather than big-arena spectacle.

If she had unlimited resources, Melanie would bring a major performer like Post Malone to Lehi for a "hope concert" aimed at teenagers, with priority ticket access for youth. Inspired by the Youth Council's focus on bullying, she envisions a large-scale event that would resonate with teens and help them feel seen, connected, and part of the community.

This interview reveals how community events function as both mirror and memory for a growing city. Here are key historical insights from Melanie Busath's decade of service:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Ryan Harding: Welcome Melanie Busath to Roots and Branches of Lehi.

Melanie Busath: Happy to have you here. And I'm excited to be here. This is awesome.

Ryan Harding: Yeah, like I said, you get to be Lehi famous here now, right? I'm so excited.

Ryan Harding: So good. Good. Well, let's get to know you a little bit first, right? So tell me a little background. Tell me where you're from originally and what brought you to Lehi.

Melanie Busath: Um so I actually am from Midvale. I always tease I'm from the streets of Midvale. I went to school, I was working at Deseret Book and realized I really like doing events. So I did a communications major. I worked a couple other event jobs and realized I really wanted to get back to that community feel of events that I was doing. I was working at Maverick Center doing concerts. Yeah. It was awesome. But I really loved the community parts of events and then this just kind of opened up and it was so perfect. And I've been doing this for about 10 years now.

Ryan Harding: And you said Midvale and stuff like that. So how long have you been in Lehi then?

Melanie Busath: Yeah. So basically since, I guess, 10 years. I kind of, one of my jobs was all over kind of traveling. So I mostly just kind of stayed close to my parents and then when this opened up and now I live here. I love Lehi. I never thought I would live here. Now I can't see myself anywhere else.

Ryan Harding: Yeah. Can't leave. Yeah. You're stuck here.

Ryan Harding: Well, so yeah, talk to us about events and stuff like that then. What do you do for the city?

Melanie Busath: So, I'm the city events manager. Basically, what that means is that I do kind of all of our bigger events. We have all sorts of events like with Legacy Center Library. But the ones I focus on more like our Easter egg hunt. We do a big summer splash concert, our Santa parade, and then of course Lehi Roundup's kind of my big one. So those are kind of some.

Ryan Harding: And you've been doing that for about 10 years now. So were those already in place when you started?

Melanie Busath: So some of them, I didn't officially—I started some or we've kind of changed. Like our Easter egg hunt had just started the year before. So that's really grown and progressed since I started. We've changed the way we do it. We also added the summer splash party concert. That one I started. So and that one's one of my favorites. We get a big one. I love that one. So yeah. So I've definitely added events. Some were kind of just starting when I started.

Ryan Harding: Sure. Well, so let's go into some of those events because I'm not sure like the splash one for example. Tell me about that. What do we do for that?

Melanie Busath: So this one is so fun. I loved it. We started it up at Ivory Ridge Splash Park splash pad area. We've kind of changed it and we've moved it over to Family Park amphitheater this year since we have that new nice amphitheater. And so we've made it more of a concert type venue. We had Matt Hansen who I actually didn't know but our youth council was very excited. So he's awesome. He's kind of a Benson Boone type. And we had him come and do this awesome concert. We had food trucks. We do fireworks afterwards. So it's kind of for the 24th of July celebration. Just a little extra fun activity to do during the summer. We have always done foam day. But foam day was so dependent on water that we didn't always get to do it. So I was like, I want to do something all the time and then when we can do foam day, we'll figure that out.

Ryan Harding: And are these events typically free? Like they're provided by the city?

Melanie Busath: Yeah. And that's what I love. Most of our events are free. We very rarely charge. I don't think we've ever, at least for my events, charge more than like $5 for events. We want to keep it kind of low for those families that want to come.

Ryan Harding: Okay. And so tell me about some of the other ones. Obviously everybody probably knows about Roundup, so I'll let you skip that one. But tell me about some of the other events that we have in the city.

Melanie Busath: Okay. Um, some we do. We do some outdoor movie nights. Everyone does outdoor movie nights, so we try to do them a little bit differently. We have one, it's a drive-in movie night where the kids can make their own cars and kind of watch a drive-in. So we've done it with the theme with cars. We've done the last three movies the last three years. So we'll probably change it up this year a little or next year. We do a Harry Potter movie night. We do all sorts of booths and we do butterbeer and like just a big party and then we'll watch Harry Potter. We've done that in different movie. We've kind of done it every year as part of the movie. We do our Santa parade, which we're starting to get gearing up for Santa Parade, which I love. It's probably one of my favorites.

Ryan Harding: And where's that at? What do they do?

Melanie Busath: So that will be along Main Street. This year is going to be a little bit different because we have our new city hall. And so I'm hoping and it sounds like everything hopefully will go well that we can do that at least outside of there. We have reindeer coming, vendors. So we'll do it all on Main Street and it will end at the new city hall. It starts at Lehi High School. And it goes through there and then we'll have pictures of Santa and it's just a good time. We usually do cookies and hot chocolate for everyone and try to have a few activities.

Ryan Harding: It uh, so this year you're thinking using the city hall in some degree.

Melanie Busath: Yeah. And I'm hoping to make it kind of a little bit bigger because now we have a little bit bigger space. Before we did it at the literacy center and it was a little bit smaller so we couldn't do too much. So I'm excited to kind of expand it and get more people involved.

Ryan Harding: Okay. And how do people find out about this? If I'm a resident of Lehi, how do I even find out about these events?

Melanie Busath: So the first option is always our website. They're always on our city calendar on our website. I always put them on Facebook immediately. So that's kind of how our communications team works is when I have a new event, I'll make a Facebook event group and then they take it and disperse it to any other places. So I can tell you 100% it will always be on that Facebook event page. It's Lehi City. So it's just Lehi City Facebook. And then our lehi-ut.gov is our website. And those two places, it's almost always going to be there.

Ryan Harding: So as far as like the city provides all the stuff, it's very little price sometimes. Do you have vendors? What if I'm a business and I want to sponsor that?

Melanie Busath: We do sponsorships. Our biggest one is obviously Roundup. So that one's kind of always a little bit different. And then with the smaller events we kind of tailor it more to the smaller event and what they would like to be a part of whether they want to be there or just donate. So it's more just coming and talking to me and we'll come up with that.

Ryan Harding: I just know we're a mortgage company and we have we rented out the park last year at Wines Park and had a band there and stuff like that. So it's nice that you also have some of these other ones and so maybe something we piggyback sometimes.

Melanie Busath: Yeah, for sure. We love it. I'm all for I feel like some of them because they're bigger, we have to have certain structures and requirements, but I'm all for having Lehi businesses be a part of it. It's their community too and they want to be a part of it. So if I can ever work it out and have them be there, I'm all for it.

Ryan Harding: So talking about your first event, I guess. What was that? Was it a little overwhelming at first?

Melanie Busath: So I've been doing events before I started working here. So the actual planning of events wasn't too nervous. But there was this whole other layer of the city council being there, residents, and then my first event was actually we actually don't do it anymore because the man who started it moved and he was kind of over it, but it was the Bridge with Honor. It was over the bridge and he would go and salute on the bridge and people really loved it and wanted to be a part of it. So on Veterans Day we kind of did this with him and he would take the kids around and kind of explain that to them and then he would introduce them to another veteran and it was really awesome. But I had been doing like 5K fun runs or concerts. So in that sense, it was really a nerve-wracking thing, but I loved it because I just really love that sense of community and it was so cool to see these kids from the elementary school come and then have city council there and just like it was such a cool feeling of just like, yeah, this is a cool sense of community.

Ryan Harding: Any other events stand out? You've been doing it for 10 years. Anyone where this was especially meaningful?

Melanie Busath: Yeah the one I really love and I'm kind of the one who changed it is on Roundup we have our Monday night concert and it's always been like a picnic in the park concert. But I kind of, coming from Maverick Center concerts, I wanted it to be like a concert, like an actual concert. So I kind of changed that a little bit and now it's probably one of my favorite things. We had like Ned LeDoux came and what was so cool with Ned is that he loved it so much that when COVID happened, I said, "Hey, could you do a message for the residents and how much would that cost?" And he said, "Hey, we love Lehi. We'll do it for free. We'll send you a video." Because he just loved being here so much and that vibe. And so that concert always is such a joy to me because most concerts come thinking it's going to be like a serious concert and they realize how quickly Lehi just gloms on to them and makes them an honorary resident. They almost every time it's like, I can't believe it. Like they love it. Drew Baldridge loved Lehi. It's just such a special thing for them and I love being a part of that.

Ryan Harding: And was this the first year then we did it at the family park?

Melanie Busath: Yes. And that I was so actually nervous for that because Drew was awesome and he did a lot of marketing on his end too. So I was like I think we're good but this is our first time doing it. I don't 100% know what it will be like. A lot of people were a little worried about not doing it at Wines Park. People would come and put their blankets and come over to us and be like, "We're very upset. This is at Wines Park." And I was like, "Oh, no. I'm sorry." But when they left, so many people said, "I take it back. This was wonderful. This was great." So I think it did give a whole new vibe. And I loved it. And I think Drew was the perfect person to have because he also worked so hard to make it such a fun concert.

Ryan Harding: I mean that's the scary thing about some of those things, right? You think it could be better and so you're trying to do it but tradition's hard. Human beings tend to do that, right? We get stuck in our ways. But good for you for trying something new.

Melanie Busath: Yeah. And it's hard because I love the old Lehi vibe. I work with so many of them that pour so much into this community. So I want to be so respectful of that, but I also have to kind of plan for everyone and sometimes that makes it so tricky to keep that. But I try my hardest to keep everything as much as I can as traditional as possible.

Ryan Harding: I think from what I heard it was very good and it was a good change. Because you can have so many more people at that park, right?

Melanie Busath: We're still kind of learning that as we go. The nice thing about it, which park, I think is a little bit bigger area wise, but there's so many trees and things in the way that this actually is we're able to get more people to see the concert. So it makes it a little easier. And parking maybe too. Yeah, parking's a little easier.

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Melanie Busath Role in Lehi Lehi City Events Manager Time Periods Discussed 2010s–2020s (past 10 years) Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview Bridge with Honor: The First Event That Changed Everything Melanie's first city event, "Bridge with Honor," introduced her to the emotional impact of community gatherings. A local man would go to salute on a bridge honoring veterans, connecting generations. Though the event is no longer held after the founder moved away, it left a lasting impression on Melanie about how events can honor the past and bring people together across age groups. Transforming the Roundup Concert Melanie transformed the traditional Roundup concert from a "picnic in the park" into a modern concert experience, drawing larger crowds and outside performers like Ned LeDoux and Drew Baldridge. A performer who visited Lehi loved the community so much he later sent a free video message during COVID, showing the town's lasting impression on visitors. Moving to Family Park: Overcoming Resistance The move of the Roundup concert to the new Family Park amphitheater initially faced resistance from longtime attendees. People came with blankets, upset about leaving Wines Park. But when they left, many said "I take it back. This was wonderful." The new venue expanded capacity, improved parking, and gave the event "a whole new vibe" while preserving the community spirit. Summer Splash: A New Independence Day Tradition The creation of the Summer Splash Concert added a new tradition combining music, food trucks, and fireworks for the 24th of July celebration. Started at Ivory Ridge Splash Park and later moved to the Family Park amphitheater, it replaced the water-dependent Foam Day with a reliable, scalable community celebration that families could count on every year. The Youth Council's Surprising Priority Youth Council members surprised city leaders when asked about Lehi's biggest challenges. Adults expected answers about growth, traffic, or development. Instead, the youth identified bullying as their top concern. This unexpected insight shaped how leaders thought about community needs and demonstrated the value of listening to younger voices in city planning. From Maverick Center to Main Street Melanie originally worked at the Maverick Center doing concerts, but she realized she loved the community aspects of events more than the commercial side. That realization led her to a communications major and eventually to Lehi, where she has spent 10 years building events that reflect small-town values rather than big-arena spectacle. The Dream Event: A Hope Concert for Teens If she had unlimited resources, Melanie would bring a major performer like Post Malone to Lehi for a "hope concert" aimed at teenagers, with priority ticket access for youth. Inspired by the Youth Council's focus on bullying, she envisions a large-scale event that would resonate with teens and help them feel seen, connected, and part of the community. History Historical Insights About Lehi This interview reveals how community events function as both mirror and memory for a growing city. Here are key historical insights from Melanie Busath's decade of service: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Ryan Harding: Welcome Melanie Busath to Roots and Branches of Lehi. Melanie Busath: Happy to have you here. And I'm excited to be here. This is awesome. Ryan Harding: Yeah, like I said, you get to be Lehi famous here now, right? I'm so excited. Ryan Harding: So good. Good. Well, let's get to know you a little bit first, right? So tell me a little background. Tell me where you're from originally and what brought you to Lehi. Melanie Busath: Um so I actually am from Midvale. I always tease I'm from the streets of Midvale. I went to school, I was working at Deseret Book and realized I really like doing events. So I did a communications major. I worked a couple other event jobs and realized I really wanted to get back to that community feel of events that I was doing. I was working at Maverick Center doing concerts. Yeah. It was awesome. But I really loved the community parts of events and then this just kind of opened up and it was so perfect. And I've been doing this for about 10 years now. Ryan Harding: And you said Midvale and stuff like that. So how long have you been in Lehi then? Melanie Busath: Yeah. So basically since, I guess, 10 years. I kind of, one of my jobs was all over kind of traveling. So I mostly just kind of stayed close to my parents and then when this opened up and now I live here. I love Lehi. I never thought I would live here. Now I can't see myself anywhere else. Ryan Harding: Yeah. Can't leave. Yeah. You're stuck here. Ryan Harding: Well, so yeah, talk to us about events and stuff like that then. What do you do for the city? Melanie Busath: So, I'm the city events manager. Basically, what that means is that I do kind of all of our bigger events. We have all sorts of events like with Legacy Center Library. But the ones I focus on more like our Easter egg hunt. We do a big summer splash concert, our Santa parade, and then of course Lehi Roundup's kind of my big one. So those are kind of some. Ryan Harding: And you've been doing that for about 10 years now. So were those already in place when you started? Melanie Busath: So some of them, I didn't officially—I started some or we've kind of changed. Like our Easter egg hunt had just started the year before. So that's really grown and progressed since I started. We've changed the way we do it. We also added the summer splash party concert. That one I started. So and that one's one of my favorites. We get a big one. I love that one. So yeah. So I've definitely added events. Some were kind of just starting when I started. Ryan Harding: Sure. Well, so let's go into some of those events because I'm not sure like the splash one for example. Tell me about that. What do we do for that? Melanie Busath: So this one is so fun. I loved it. We started it up at Ivory Ridge Splash Park splash pad area. We've kind of changed it and we've moved it over to Family Park amphitheater this year since we have that new nice amphitheater. And so we've made it more of a concert type venue. We had Matt Hansen who I actually didn't know but our youth council was very excited. So he's awesome. He's kind of a Benson Boone type. And we had him come and do this awesome concert. We had food trucks. We do fireworks afterwards. So it's kind of for the 24th of July celebration. Just a little extra fun activity to do during the summer. We have always done foam day. But foam day was so dependent on water that we didn't always get to do it. So I was like, I want to do something all the time and then when we can do foam day, we'll figure that out. Ryan Harding: And are these events typically free? Like they're provided by the city? Melanie Busath: Yeah. And that's what I love. Most of our events are free. We very rarely charge. I don't think we've ever, at least for my events, charge more than like $5 for events. We want to keep it kind of low for those families that want to come. Ryan Harding: Okay. And so tell me about some of the other ones. Obviously everybody probably knows about Roundup, so I'll let you skip that one. But tell me about some of the other events that we have in the city. Melanie Busath: Okay. Um, some we do. We do some outdoor movie nights. Everyone does outdoor movie nights, so we try to do them a little bit differently. We have one, it's a drive-in movie night where the kids can make their own cars and kind of watch a drive-in. So we've done it with the theme with cars. We've done the last three movies the last three years. So we'll probably change it up this year a little or next year. We do a Harry Potter movie night. We do all sorts of booths and we do butterbeer and like just a big party and then we'll watch Harry Potter. We've done that in different movie. We've kind of done it every year as part of the movie. We do our Santa parade, which we're starting to get gearing up for Santa Parade, which I love. It's probably one of my favorites. Ryan Harding: And where's that at? What do they do? Melanie Busath: So that will be along Main Street. This year is going to be a little bit different because we have our new city hall. And so I'm hoping and it sounds like everything hopefully will go well that we can do that at least outside of there. We have reindeer coming, vendors. So we'll do it all on Main Street and it will end at the new city hall. It starts at Lehi High School. And it goes through there and then we'll have pictures of Santa and it's just a good time. We usually do cookies and hot chocolate for everyone and try to have a few activities. Ryan Harding: It uh, so this year you're thinking using the city hall in some degree. Melanie Busath: Yeah. And I'm hoping to make it kind of a little bit bigger because now we have a little bit bigger space. Before we did it at the literacy center and it was a little bit smaller so we couldn't do too much. So I'm excited to kind of expand it and get more people involved. Ryan Harding: Okay. And how do people find out about this? If I'm a resident of Lehi, how do I even find out about these events? Melanie Busath: So the first option is always our website. They're always on our city calendar on our website. I always put them on Facebook immediately. So that's kind of how our communications team works is when I have a new event, I'll make a Facebook event group and then they take it and disperse it to any other places. So I can tell you 100% it will always be on that Facebook event page. It's Lehi City. So it's just Lehi City Facebook. And then our lehi-ut.gov is our website. And those two places, it's almost always going to be there. Ryan Harding: So as far as like the city provides all the stuff, it's very little price sometimes. Do you have vendors? What if I'm a business and I want to sponsor that? Melanie Busath: We do sponsorships. Our biggest one is obviously Roundup. So that one's kind of always a little bit different. And then with the smaller events we kind of tailor it more to the smaller event and what they would like to be a part of whether they want to be there or just donate. So it's more just coming and talking to me and we'll come up with that. Ryan Harding: I just know we're a mortgage company and we have we rented out the park last year at Wines Park and had a band there and stuff like that. So it's nice that you also have some of these other ones and so maybe something we piggyback sometimes. Melanie Busath: Yeah, for sure. We love it. I'm all for I feel like some of them because they're bigger, we have to have certain structures and requirements, but I'm all for having Lehi businesses be a part of it. It's their community too and they want to be a part of it. So if I can ever work it out and have them be there, I'm all for it. Ryan Harding: So talking about your first event, I guess. What was that? Was it a little overwhelming at first? Melanie Busath: So I've been doing events before I started working here. So the actual planning of events wasn't too nervous. But there was this whole other layer of the city council being there, residents, and then my first event was actually we actually don't do it anymore because the man who started it moved and he was kind of over it, but it was the Bridge with Honor. It was over the bridge and he would go and salute on the bridge and people really loved it and wanted to be a part of it. So on Veterans Day we kind of did this with him and he would take the kids around and kind of explain that to them and then he would introduce them to another veteran and it was really awesome. But I had been doing like 5K fun runs or concerts. So in that sense, it was really a nerve-wracking thing, but I loved it because I just really love that sense of community and it was so cool to see these kids from the elementary school come and then have city council there and just like it was such a cool feeling of just like, yeah, this is a cool sense of community. Ryan Harding: Any other events stand out? You've been doing it for 10 years. Anyone where this was especially meaningful? Melanie Busath: Yeah the one I really love and I'm kind of the one who changed it is on Roundup we have our Monday night concert and it's always been like a picnic in the park concert. But I kind of, coming from Maverick Center concerts, I wanted it to be like a concert, like an actual concert. So I kind of changed that a little bit and now it's probably one of my favorite things. We had like Ned LeDoux came and what was so cool with Ned is that he loved it so much that when COVID happened, I said, "Hey, could you do a message for the residents and how much would that cost?" And he said, "Hey, we love Lehi. We'll do it for free. We'll send you a video." Because he just loved being here so much and that vibe. And so that concert always is such a joy to me because most concerts come thinking it's going to be like a serious concert and they realize how quickly Lehi just gloms on to them and makes them an honorary resident. They almost every time it's like, I can't believe it. Like they love it. Drew Baldridge loved Lehi. It's just such a special thing for them and I love being a part of that. Ryan Harding: And was this the first year then we did it at the family park? Melanie Busath: Yes. And that I was so actually nervous for that because Drew was awesome and he did a lot of marketing on his end too. So I was like I think we're good but this is our first time doing it. I don't 100% know what it will be like. A lot of people were a little worried about not doing it at Wines Park. People would come and put their blankets and come over to us and be like, "We're very upset. This is at Wines Park." And I was like, "Oh, no. I'm sorry." But when they left, so many people said, "I take it back. This was wonderful. This was great." So I think it did give a whole new vibe. And I loved it. And I think Drew was the perfect person to have because he also worked so hard to make it such a fun concert. Ryan Harding: I mean that's the scary thing about some of those things, right? You think it could be better and so you're trying to do it but tradition's hard. Human beings tend to do that, right? We get stuck in our ways. But good for you for trying something new. Melanie Busath: Yeah. And it's hard because I love the old Lehi vibe. I work with so many of them that pour so much into this community. So I want to be so respectful of that, but I also have to kind of plan for everyone and sometimes that makes it so tricky to keep that. But I try my hardest to keep everything as much as I can as traditional as possible. Ryan Harding: I think from what I heard it was very good and it was a good change. Because you can have so many more people at that park, right? Melanie Busath: We're still kind of learning that as we go. The nice thing about it, which park, I think is a little bit bigger area wise, but there's so many trees and things in the way that this actually is we're able to get more people to see the concert. So it makes it a little easier. And parking maybe too. Yeah, parking's a little easier. Ryan Harding: Have you always loved planning and organizing? Is this always been something? Melanie Busath: Sure. So, not until I actually—I was going to be a teacher. I really at first I was like, I don't want to just sit at a desk, but then I realized I don't really love the structure of school. I'm someone who likes to just be around and so I thought well maybe I could do high school kids, they're more fun, I could try that. And it just wasn't fitting and then when I started at Deseret Book I was kind of in this little limbo of do I keep doing teaching. I had transferred from Utah State to go to the U and then I started doing just like the little book signings and I was like hey this is actually kind of fun, I enjoy doing this. And then we helped out at an event called Time Out for Women and I thought oh this is what I'm going to do. I actually interviewed for a job as I was graduating thinking that was going to be my start and then the day of graduation they said, "Oh, we decided we're not going to hire. We're not going to do it." And so I was like, "I don't know what to do." So it kind of went into this—I found this job with this 5K fun run and it looked—I didn't even know if it was a real job at first. It was in the back of someone's garage and I was like, I'm going to trust it. And then I realized like I adore this. This is 100% what I want to be doing. Ever since. Yeah. Ryan Harding: Is it a normal 9 to 5 job in that regard? I mean you got different events. Melanie Busath: Yeah it's kind of like during the week it's a normal 9 to 5 when I don't have events. I'm just planning, I'm emailing people. I'm lucky. I also get to do some other things. I work with the youth council and we do things with them. So I'm working just normal 9 to 5 during the week. When we have events, it changes. They're really good about that. So I might not work like a Tuesday because I'm going to work all day Saturday or something. So you definitely are never working a fully normal schedule doing events, but usually here is so great because I'm kind of funny. I'm this weird little arm in the city that's not a city worker in the same sense. So I get to kind of be normal but also a little different with events. It is a city position. So when I was doing other events, it was like all the time working because you're just constantly doing events, but here I just feel so lucky to work here because it is part of that city arm so it's a little bit different. Ryan Harding: And so you mentioned some of the other work you do with the youth council. Is that part of that job or is that just on your side? Melanie Busath: Yeah. So I work with Sheri Benson. She is our administrative assistant for Mayor Johnson. She and Tisha Wilson, who's our city recorder, they were doing youth council. Tisha decided as she kind of moved to city recorder position, she didn't want to be over as much. So Sheri took over and I've been helping her and we've just kind of grown it into this awesome thing that it is right now. I love doing the youth council. It's probably one of my favorite parts of my job. Ryan Harding: But it sounds like it was something more that you kind of created then. Melanie Busath: Tisha created it. I'll give her that credit of all that. She's awesome. We took it and said, "Hey, we kind of want to do things a little bit differently." And it has grown so much. We have so many kids and it's so—we had to kind of adapt with that and it's just a blast. We do so much with them and they're so helpful. Ryan Harding: And so what is the Lehi Youth Council? Melanie Busath: Sure. So the Lehi Youth Council, we have probably right now signed up about 70 kids. We have probably about 30ish that come consistently every week. It kind of changes depending on their schedule. We have two meetings that are more focused on either city government or something to help them whether they want to do a service project or get to know each other. They help—this year we kind of changed it where they really planned those events. We had a few meetings with our city manager or our finance to teach them about city government. The rest was all what they wanted to do. We meet about twice a month. They also come to my events and help serve there. So they're always willing to come out and they help serve. They have barbecue. They did all the serving at Roundup. They serve the cookies at Santa Parade. So they're out there just helping out. Just these kids that are just wanting to help. They're just awesome kids who come out and are a part of the community. It's just a volunteer effort that they're doing. We kind of have different ways set up whether they want to be more involved and we have some incentives to help or if they just can come once or twice a month we're great with that too, whatever they're willing to do. Ryan Harding: If I have a youth that wants to be a part of this, how would they even go about it? Melanie Busath: Sure. So we just actually have registration from August to September officially to get kids in because we start then. From that point on then we just ask that they email Lehi Youth Council to get the link to sign up just so we make sure that they have all the information they need. From right now, all they need to do is just email and say they're interested in being a part of it. And anyone can join. We'll let them join regardless whether it's June or August. Ryan Harding: That's super cool. You probably already answered this, but what do you love most about working with the people of Lehi? Melanie Busath: I think what's so cool about working at Lehi, and I didn't ever feel this growing up, so I love that Lehi has this, is how many people are so wanting to help and be a part of the community. Like my job is so special in that I get to work with youth council, but I also get to work with Lehi Arts, Miss Lehi, Historical Society. So I get to really see the hard work of all the community members and what they want to bring to Lehi and what they want to make Lehi and I love that part of it. Ryan Harding: Is that unique to Lehi or is that just with your job obviously you're more in it? Melanie Busath: I think so. I meet with a lot of the other event coordinators in the cities. I think they have their people that are involved, but I do think that Lehi is very unique in that we have a lot of people who want to be involved and are just here and they just love the community. I know there's other cities that are trying to mimic that to some extent, trying to remind them like, hey, we're your hometown. So I do think it is somewhat unique to Lehi. Everyone has residents that love their cities, but just the sheer amount of even our rodeo. It's so cool that that's run so much by just residents wanting to help. It's a really unique situation, I think. Ryan Harding: There's a lot of labor, man hours doing that, right? Melanie Busath: Yes. And one thing I noticed with our rodeo, so I didn't know this because I work with them, but they're a separate committee. Tisha and her husband are on the committee. I mentioned that another rodeo was more expensive. And I said, "How come ours are so cheap? Why are our tickets so cheap?" And she said, "It's because we want to keep it cheap. We use all our residents are willing to help so we don't have to pay for all the things that other cities do." And I think that just made me realize really truly how unique Lehi is. We do all these. The rodeo is just service and miniature parade is just service. Ryan Harding: There's nobody getting rich off these things, right? The city itself is not—it's just wanting to provide that extra experience. Melanie Busath: Yeah. Just a feeling of community. And I think that's what's so cool. And that's cool that we're able to provide those things just because people want to be a part of it. Ryan Harding: Props to everybody that's put in all that time. There's a lot of people that have worked on that for a long time. Going back to a lot of the events that you've done, why do you think the city continues to put money into a Santa parade or the concerts? Why should a city do that? Is there any monetary benefit to it? Melanie Busath: I think it really goes to quality of life. I think council feels at least they love the events and I know it for everyone. I think that all of our streets department, parks—it's kind of I always tease them that I'm like this nuisance because they have their real jobs and then they have to help me. But I think they love doing it because we all know that it's something we can give to the residents that's just pure fun. There's a lot going on in Lehi. There's a lot of growth. There's traffic. There's all these things that are just naturally happening as we grow. And I think that's why our events are so important because they do remind us that at the end of the day, we're all neighbors and a community and living together. We're all fighting the same fight together. Whether it's our council or our residents, all of us are here and wanting the best city we can. And I think that's how events do it. It's really that camaraderie of hey, we're all here together. Ryan Harding: Sure. No, I love that. I think you're right. Are there any events you'd like to bring? There's certain times of year where there's a little gap right here maybe we did this. Melanie Busath: Oh I have so many events I'd love to bring. I try to be super aware because it's budget of the residents' money and not just bringing all the events I want. But one I really would love to do at some point— I actually had asked for it and it was something that was going to go forward and then COVID happened and then we had other needs come up and I just haven't yet. But I'd really love to do more of like a cultural experience. I think that we have grown in diversity and I think it would be fun to celebrate that a little bit more. So that's one I really am hoping at some point to bring. We have our new community center opening in city hall. So I'm hoping to bring a whole new slew of events that way too of just kind of letting people know this is here and for use. Ryan Harding: Let's talk about that for a second then. What do you think? Is there space for things like this? Melanie Busath: Yeah. So it's a pretty awesome building. I'm super excited. Even upstairs where our admin sits, we've been— we have some new part-time, they have to come in on separate days because there's not room for everybody. So I'm super excited just for all of us to have some space. But on top of that, we have the library gets this beautiful new area and they have an awesome programs room, but we get a community room as well, which I am stoked about. It's so nice. It's bigger than the Broadbent Room, which is over at the police department. It has like a kitchen. Heather Null, I think, told us on Facebook that there's someone's donating a piano. I don't know quite what that is, but I think that will be awesome. So I just think it's going to be just a beautiful nice place for residents. We had our Harry Potter event was supposed to be Saturday and the rain happened and we had to cancel because I just didn't have anywhere to put it. So from that standpoint, it's so nice to have something where we will have something to be able to bring stuff indoors and do maybe a little bit more during those winter months when it's a little harder to plan an event. Ryan Harding: And we also have a hall like where weddings and stuff like that? Melanie Busath: That's what I'm talking about. I'm hoping that we'll be able to kind of—we're looking at some of that right now as it's getting finished. How we want to bring that to it whether weddings like how do we offer that so they can have them there. I know Broadbent Room has had a few weddings and things, but making it a little bit nicer, keeping it accessible to the residents. So yeah, it's still so new. It's all kind of what council decides they want to do for it. But that's my hope is that we're able to offer some of that stuff to residents. Ryan Harding: Lehi's obviously experienced a lot of growth over the last 10 years for you. Have you seen an increase in attendance at these things? Does the city budget a little bit more because we're getting more people? Melanie Busath: Yes. So we definitely— I feel like especially in the last like two or three years, it's starting to feel like oh, we have a lot of people. The council and everyone is so good about making sure everyone's safe and doing well. I haven't asked for a ton more in the budget because we're still trying to be very aware of residents' money. So just trying to come up with a little bit more creative ways or maybe see about having more sponsorships, things like that. But that has been kind of our challenge of trying to figure out how do we keep the same caliber or grow it when we're also just growing naturally with residents. But that has been probably our biggest thing. I think we're doing good. Our businesses step up when we need a little bit extra help. We had a daddy daughter dance or kind of a dance on Valentine's Day. And it was one that we were like we would love to bring this to residents, but we don't know if we have enough money. So we did charge $5 and just did a sign up and people were here for it. It was fantastic. So I think that's kind of if we do charge it, that's really wise because we're like, "Hey, we think this will be a fun event, but we're trying to figure out how to bring this to you." Ryan Harding: Five bucks. A lot of people can afford. Sometimes the benefit of charging for things is it makes people maybe appreciate it a little bit more. Melanie Busath: Yeah. That's what we're hoping. Sometimes when it's free, it's like they don't value it as much. And that's what we saw even with the dances. Whether it was grandpas or grandmas bringing their daughters, it was a date night and they paid for it and it was so cute and fun and I loved it. So I definitely think that will be something. I'm hoping that we can also just be creative so we don't have to do too much with that as well. Ryan Harding: Anything about your job that people might be surprised to learn? Melanie Busath: I think with budget and everything— one is how long it takes to plan something. And two, the cost of things sometimes. I think some people are like, "Oh, why don't they just add this?" And it's really like because I'm out of money. I'm going to spend all the money I can on this event. So I think sometimes people— and I get it too. In your normal life things are costing maybe hundreds, but when it comes to thousands, it starts to be like, "Oh." So I think that surprises people sometimes. That's the question I get the most is how much did this cost or how much is this? And then even like Roundup, I mean we start planning for Roundup in January or February. So I think just the sheer amount of volume for some of those bigger events. Yeah. Ryan Harding: Any personal question for you. What does it mean to you personally to be part of preserving Lehi's heritage? Melanie Busath: I love that. Like I said, I'm from Midvale, but I feel like I've really kind of been able to grow up in Lehi a little bit. I didn't start here until I was almost 30, but it really was when I started like settling down. I've gotten married since I've been here. We bought a home. I feel like Lehi is my home. And one thing I've been able to see, you know, honorees from Heritage Day or all these people that have worked so hard to make this. And I love that I get to work beside kind of that newer generation of people also coming in like Kate Daley or Miss Lehi's who just care so much. I like that I'm able to be a part of that. I always tease like oh well it's my job, it's different for you guys. And it is to some extent, but even if it's me giving them the resources to do that, I love that. I really have loved watching Lehi grow and overcome some of these challenges of this growth, to allow everyone to feel like they're part of it. I'm so grateful that Lehi and all of its residents let me be a part of this community because I've never felt that before and I love that about Lehi. So I'm grateful to kind of be at least behind the scenes trying to help others have that same feeling. Ryan Harding: They've been very welcoming to you even though you're technically from Salt Lake County, right? Melanie Busath: Yeah. Yeah. Well, hey, I'm from North Dakota myself, so I did not grow up here. But I think that's what's nice about a community. We just welcome each other and it's just good people trying to make life better for everyone. And I've really seen that about Lehi. Even though sometimes we get into this old Lehi and traditions, when it comes right down to it everyone is so welcoming and wants everyone to be a part of it and I love that. Ryan Harding: No, agreed. Here's a fun question. If you had unlimited resources, what one project would you like to work on here in Lehi? Melanie Busath: Oh, what I think I would really love to do is when we talked to the youth council one time, we asked them what were they facing, what challenges was Lehi facing. And you would think all the adults would say like streets, traffic, growth. And they all said bullying really. And I was so surprised. And I thought oh, so if I had the money—and I'm still trying to figure out how to make this work so hopefully one day—I'd want to do like a hope concert or something for the teens. Just someone big that would resonate with them and help them to see that camaraderie that I think we're trying to build within the residents. But that would be my biggest one. Like a Post Malone or someone big enough to draw them, but to get it somehow make it for our teens first to get tickets. That would take endless money to figure that out, but that's my goal is to somehow do that for the teens. That's my big one. Ryan Harding: Love that. Any other initiatives or things that you feel like the city should start doing as far as events? Melanie Busath: I have so many. We want to do a Mother's Day one. Just a little bit smaller on that end. We're trying to figure out the best way to bring foam day back because that one's tricky. We have our outdoor movies. I'd like to add more. Just anything more Christmas stuff. I would love to do more Christmas. So yeah, I have lots of stuff. Ryan Harding: Here's an idea too. You could do some kind of a scavenger hunt with the historical markers they have now. Melanie Busath: It's funny that you said that because that was actually one of the things the youth council wanted to do—a scavenger hunt with it. And so we're actually doing an internal one with them, but maybe I'll see if I can bring that on as something. Because it would just be going around the town and finding okay, where is this one at and what is this and why is this important. I think that would be a really good one. Ryan Harding: That's a good idea. I love it. Look at you. You know, look at me. Yeah, that's right. That was all on the spot. But no, I think that I like what you're doing. In fact, I love what you're doing. All these things do add up and that's what I think does bring a community together. We're seeing the fruits of this. You mentioned Lehi Roundup over years of people dedicating their time. Now us new people that come in, we're just trying to build off the shoulders of what has already happened. They already laid the groundwork. We're just trying to make things better. Melanie Busath: Yes. Exactly. Keep those traditions but kind of adapt them as we grow. Ryan Harding: I'm here for it. Anything we haven't covered that you'd want people to know about? Melanie Busath: Uh, no. I think this has been great. I love getting here being able to talk to you about events. I'm always down for it. Ryan Harding: Kind of in closing, any message you would share with the people of Lehi about events? Melanie Busath: I think the best thing with events to try to remember is that they really are for all of our residents. And I try to remind people this especially during Roundup because it gets crazy. You're trying to park. Nothing that's happening is worth making someone else's day poor because you had a hard time. The point is to bring us together. So try to be more aware as we're doing events of other people, but also try to get to know them. My family would say no hassles. Just come and enjoy and just get to know each other. That's the key. And try to help each other out during those times. That's really what they're for is to get to know each other. Ryan Harding: I think people that tend to be a part of those events do feel more part of the community. If we sit at home and just watch TV, this community doesn't do anything. Well, you're not doing anything. You're isolating yourself. So it's good to be part of the group. Melanie Busath: Please. Like, everyone is invited. I think that's hard. Sometimes people be like, "Oh, I didn't know about Roundup." I'll be like, "Oh, we send a magazine to like every resident. We send out a lot of stuff." That's what makes me sad. I'm like, "You're invited. We want you there." I will try my hardest to get the word out as best I can, but please come and know that you're invited. Check the website, check the Facebook, and just come. We would love to see anyone there. We do at least 20 events a year, I believe. So there's one page that has all of them, but each month we'll get more information. So if you're looking, hey, I want to do some fun this month. Just come look and come. You're invited. Ryan Harding: Awesome. Okay. Well, thank you. Thanks for coming on. Thanks for all you're doing for the city. I think you're doing a lot of good. So thank you. I appreciate that. Ryan Harding: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together, we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. We'd love to hear from you. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Harding Home Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Melanie Busath Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Lehi City Events Manager Melanie Busath discusses Lehi Roundup, Summer Splash, Santa Parade, community events, volunteerism, Youth Council, and building community traditions in Lehi Utah on Roots & Branches of Lehi. Melanie Busath Lehi Utah. Lehi City events manager. Lehi Roundup traditions. Lehi community events. Lehi youth council. Lehi Santa parade. Lehi summer concerts. Lehi Utah oral history. Lehi community stories. Lehi growth and events. Lehi Utah podcast. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. 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Donna Barnes on Lehi Farming, Education, and Reviving the Lehi Free Press

Donna Barnes shares vivid memories of growing up on Lehi's north bench farm, her 30-year education career, serving on the school board, running Scrooge & Marley's Emporium, and reviving the Lehi Free Press with her sister. An oral history of Lehi, Utah.

Donna Barnes on Lehi Farming, Education, and Reviving the Lehi Free Press

Who Is Donna Barnes, and Why Does Her Story Matter?

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Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Growing Up in a Town of 4,500

A Pioneer of Soil Science

Selling the Family Farm

Love at a Basketball Game

A Teacher Who Changed Policy

Boardroom Battles

The Beanie Baby Frenzy

Reviving the Lehi Free Press

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

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Donna Barnes Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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A lifelong Lehi resident reflects on growing up in a farming town of 4,500, pioneering soil science on the north bench, teaching for three decades, and keeping local journalism alive.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Donna Barnes , a lifelong Lehi resident whose story captures the heart of Lehi, Utah's transformation —from a quiet farming town of 4,500 people to a rapidly growing city balancing heritage with modern life. Raised just a block from where she still lives today, Donna shares vivid memories of farm life on the north bench, her father's agricultural innovations, and the tight-knit community where "everybody knew everybody in town." Her reflections offer a rare firsthand window into Lehi's rural past and the values that shaped generations of families.

Throughout the interview, Donna discusses her decades-long career in education —as a teacher, counselor, and later a school board member—providing candid insight into how Lehi's schools evolved alongside the city's explosive growth. She speaks openly about challenges in testing, class sizes, district politics, and the eventual district split, grounding her perspective in lived experience. For anyone researching Alpine School District history , Lehi education history , or the experience of women educators in Utah, Donna's account is an invaluable primary source.

Donna also shares stories from her years as a small business owner , preserving Lehi's oldest standing home by transforming it into Scrooge & Marley's Emporium , a beloved local gift shop during the Beanie Baby craze. Her family's deep ties to the Lehi Free Press —from her mother's decades of work to Donna and her sister reviving the paper—highlight the importance of local journalism in maintaining community identity. Her interview is a rich, multi-generational portrait of Lehi's history, growth, and enduring sense of community .

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on Details Episode Overview Guest Name Donna Barnes

Educator (teacher & counselor), former Alpine School District board member, small business owner, contributor to the Lehi Free Press

1940s–2020s (childhood in the 1940s–50s, teaching career 1960s–1990s, business ownership 1990s–2010s, school board service 2000s)

Ryan Harding

Donna describes growing up in a rural Lehi of about 4,500 people where "everybody knew everybody in town," reflecting a deeply connected farming community. In her graduating class there were about 120 kids, and she remembers knowing all the leadership, the good kids, and yes—even the bad kids.

She shares how her father pioneered soil testing in the area, sending samples to Utah State and producing "beautiful crops" through careful fertilization. He owned about 360 acres on the north bench—land that is now Ivory Ridge and Skyridge High School.

Donna recounts her father selling the family's 360-acre farm after years of struggling with insufficient irrigation water. He told her mother, "Hun, you know what? I don't have enough water to keep this green." He sold it to the church for $65,000 in the 1950s—land that would later become some of Lehi's most prominent developments.

She tells the story of meeting her husband Marlin at a basketball game and raising five children in Lehi, where her husband taught at Lehi Elementary for decades. He retired after 30 years, then bought a dump truck and hauled for people for another 25 years—because it was something he loved to do.

Donna explains how Lehi teacher Rodonna Clark sued the district so pregnant women could continue teaching—changing policy for generations. Before that victory, women were required to inform the superintendent and were terminated upon pregnancy.

She describes the frustration of serving on the school board during rapid west side growth, including moments when Lehi's needs were dismissed by other board members. She recalls one board member saying, "We don't need them," when discussing Lehi voters. "I left many meetings in tears," she admits.

Donna shares the chaotic Beanie Baby craze at her shop, where customers drew numbers from a basket to buy new releases on Saturday mornings. The demand was so intense that she and her sister implemented a lottery system just to manage the crowds.

She recounts reviving the Lehi Free Press with her sister, starting with publishing the plot plan for Holbrook Farms and gaining hundreds of new subscribers. People in Lehi wanted to know what was going on—and the more they knew, the better decisions they could make.

This interview offers valuable perspective on Lehi's evolution from an agricultural outpost to a modern suburban city. Here are key historical insights from Donna's firsthand experience:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I am Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They are built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we will sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you have been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time.

Ryan Harding: Welcome Donna Barnes to Roots and Branches of Lehi where we get to know you, one of the citizens of Lehi here. Longtime citizen.

Donna Barnes: Longtime citizen. That is right.

Ryan Harding: So were you born and raised here?

Donna Barnes: Just raised. Born in American Fork Hospital. American Fork and raised in Lehi. Right up about a block up the street. Long time.

Ryan Harding: Have you always stayed in Lehi?

Donna Barnes: Never moved. We have lived in our same home now for probably 56, 57 years. Good amount of time. You have seen all the growth. Yes, I have.

Ryan Harding: Talk to me about Lehi back growing up.

Donna Barnes: Obviously, it was a wonderful town, very rural. When I was growing up, there were probably, I would say, 4,500 people. Farming community. My dad was a farmer. He owned some property up on the north bench. And most of the families were farm families. I think in my graduating class there were about 120 kids. And everybody knew everybody in town. We knew all of the leadership. We knew the good kids, the bad kids. We knew where to go to have fun. We knew where to go to have not so much fun. It was a great place to grow up. We got married in 1964. And I raised my kids here. They all graduated from Lehi High School. And they bemoan the fact that it has gotten so big.

Ryan Harding: Your dad was in farming?

Donna Barnes: Uh-huh. He owned about 360 acres. Actually, Skyridge High School sits on my dad's farm. Everything that was Ivory Ridge, all in that area, belonged to my dad. He was in fact the first farmer in the area who actually did a soil test to see what kind of nutrients the soil needed. Send it to Utah State. And when the results came back, he would always fertilize. He had beautiful crops. And he worked night and day. Hardest working man there is ever been. Irrigated and his biggest complaint was there was not enough water to keep his crops green. Even back then.

Ryan Harding: What kind of crops did he grow?

Donna Barnes: Oh, everything. He had wheat and barley and milo and one year peas, harvested crops. Mostly it was fall harvest crops. And all of us worked at the farm. I was driving in a truck when I was eight or nine years old. Everybody had to pitch in to help. He bought the farm in roughly 1945. I remember when he came home from work, we lived in the city, well, in Lehi. We did not have our home up on the bench because dad hated the wind up there. But he came home and irrigated all night and he came home tired and I remember him saying to my mom, he says, "Hun, you know what? I do not have enough water to keep this green." And that was about 1956. And then he sold the land to the church for $65,000. They got a good deal. They sold it all to the church. And years later they sold a lot to Ivory Homes. And that is what Ivory Ridge is now, my dad's farm.

Ryan Harding: Did you meet your husband here in Lehi?

Donna Barnes: Uh-huh. He is. And he lived on the west side of town and I kind of lived on the east side of town and we met at a basketball game. He has always loved sports and we happened to meet there. But we dated for a very long time.

Ryan Harding: How many kids do you have?

Donna Barnes: We have five. And Marlin was a school teacher, a longtime school teacher at Lehi Elementary. And he spent two years in Orem, but the rest of his career is at Lehi Elementary. And he sees his old students all the time. He was a great teacher. Had a great bunch of people that he taught with. And it was a great time. He retired after 30 years. And then he bought a dump truck and he has hauled for people for 25 years. Just something he enjoys doing. Something he loved to do. So, he had two careers, both he loved.

Ryan Harding: Talk to me about you then.

Donna Barnes: I went to Utah State for two and a half years. Got married and went to BYU. It was not my favorite experience. But graduated from BYU in education. I taught high school, English, drama, speech. I started my career at American Fork High School. And then I kept having my family. And back then, if you knew that you were expecting a baby, you had to tell the superintendent and you were terminated. It was a gal at Lehi High School, Rodonna Clark. And she sued the district and said you cannot make me quit. And she won and from then on women could be pregnant and teach. She was responsible for a lot of women being able to further their career. But back then, women stayed home. They did not work. That was kind of the mode of living.

Ryan Harding: Was there a lot of male teachers then?

Donna Barnes: Oh yes. Many many more male teachers than there are now. Which is unfortunate. We need more male teachers. Particularly, I think I was a junior high counselor for 14 years. And in those critical formative years, those young men need a good strong male role model. And there is getting fewer and fewer and fewer in the profession, which is I think tragic. My kids were fortunate to have some wonderful male role models in their education programs.

Ryan Harding: I remember my fifth grade teacher actually was a male, Mr. Wolf. He was a little more gruff. But it was good for me because I needed a little more study habits. So to your point, I do agree. It would be nice to see more males in there.

Donna Barnes: A lot of times they are in administrative positions, but not as many teachers. They feel like they have to move into administration to earn enough money to provide for their families. And that is, you know, I think they have got things backwards. The money needs to go into the teacher salaries. And not that I do not appreciate administrators. I do. But the real strong teaching needs to be where the money needs to be with the teachers.

Ryan Harding: So you were a teacher for a lot of your life.

Donna Barnes: I taught for 30 years. Well, I had to quit for a couple of times and then I went back. And I got a master's degree in educational psychology at BYU. And I was a counselor. Never did really intend to be a counselor. I love teaching very very much. But I went into counseling and was a counselor for 14 years. At American Fork High School for a time, at AF Junior High for a time, and at Mountain Ridge Junior High for a time. So, I dealt with teenagers a lot of my life.

Ryan Harding: What stands out to you from teaching?

Donna Barnes: You know, I love teaching and back when I was teaching things were quite different. We did not have professional development. In fact, I remember my first year at American Fork High School, the principal showed me my room. And introduced me to my colleagues. That was it. And here were my textbooks that I would teach from. And so I was pretty much left on my own and I appreciated the teachers who would kind of give me some guidance. But you pretty much were an experiment at first. And I loved that and I loved the kids. I really enjoyed teaching kids and when I see my own kids, I have four teachers of my own children and then I have several grandchildren who teach too. And I see what a difference there is from when I started to what they do.

Ryan Harding: Has education been improving?

Donna Barnes: This is what I saw both as a teacher counselor and then a schoolboard member. Parents demanded more accountability from teachers and so we had to test them so testing became a huge part of curriculum development. And we have now the common core and we developed curriculums and then the kids were tested on it and I have ambivalent feelings about all that testing. I know in some of the countries in the world that have the highest achievement test scores as far as kids in later their later educational experience, they do not test in junior high. They do not test in elementary school. And I really worry about we test and test and test. And I have kids who hate to be tested that much. And I think it makes it difficult to meet the needs of all the kids when you have got testing benchmarks that you have to meet. So I am not a fan of all the testing that goes on.

Donna Barnes: And this is what happened when I was at the junior high. It was interesting because I was in the first faculty member. I was a counselor at Mountain Ridge when they opened the school. And at AF Junior, there had been honors English taught in seventh, 8th, and 9th grade. So, I guess the parents just assumed there would be honors English. So, we hired an honors English teacher and she was to prepare a test to select which kids should be in her honors classes. She only had a handful of kids who passed the test. So, and it was getting close to the time when we had to have schedules made and the master schedule had to be made. So, I went into the principal that I dearly loved. Sheldon Worthington was his name. And we said, "Let's just do away with honors English classes for a while." And there was push back. But it was a wonderful thing because when you separate kids according to their ability in especially in junior high, it is not a healthy thing. So I noticed that it was two or three years after that then no junior highs had the separated classes, honors classes. And we do that in math kind of automatically. But English, no, not so much.

Ryan Harding: Are there better methods then for accountability?

Donna Barnes: If a teacher comes on time, spends the day with those kids. You know the ones who are doing well as a principal, as a parent, as a colleague. And testing creates an anxiety for the kids. And I remember one time there were several teachers and all they wanted to teach were the smart kids, you know, they wanted to teach the higher level math or they wanted to teach, we had a couple of AP classes taught in junior high. Well, everybody clamored for those kids and I thought, "No, no, no, no, no. This is not right." Because I saw some of our male teachers who could really discipline and handle the male students much better. And so I saw the teachers kind of self-selecting the students in their classes. And then some classes that had a few behaviors were given to male teachers, honestly. So, and I think that is just a natural consequence of what happens in schools. But I am not a fan of all these achievement tests. It is hard for parents to see their children maybe not in the 99th percentile. And we all have gifts. We all have gifts. And these achievement tests really test five things. And so kids get feelings of inferiority based on test scores and it is not a healthy thing.

Ryan Harding: Teaching has improved a lot over the years. What things have you seen that have gotten better?

Donna Barnes: That is an interesting question. I do not know if they have gotten better. Maybe as far as test scores are concerned. And that is what people look at. But our class sizes are still about the same as they have always been, too high. You know, 35 kids in a classroom is really a hard thing. But teachers who have the ability to relate to kids and to have rapport and you know they will always teach well. I think professional development has given teachers who maybe struggle a little bit with curriculum some helps. And I have seen that and that is great. I do not know if kids nowadays are better educated when they graduate from high school than they were 30, 35, 40 years ago. I could be wrong, but I think the test scores over time are pretty level. I do not think there has been spikes or real down times. Although during the pandemic, I know there were some real problems that we had with our achievement test scores.

Ryan Harding: What things do you think are solvable?

Donna Barnes: It really does come down to individuals. It is that teacher that really focuses and really cares that makes a difference. But you want to mass produce that right? How do you mass produce those good teachers? I do not know. Things to think about. I think that and I even hate to say this. In School of Rock, that Jack Black movie, there is a line in there and he says, "Those who can do and those who cannot teach." And that really bugged me for a long long time. And I think that that is not altogether true, but I do think sometimes that is true.

Ryan Harding: There is a discussion at large on a national level with education. Are we really preparing students for careers?

Donna Barnes: I see that trend. I see with my own kids and grandkids. I had one grandson who was really a smart kid. And he went to the University of Utah. And he was majoring in rhetoric. That was not my choice for him. But he was very good verbally. And with vocabulary and all of those things. But he could not see a future. What job do you get with that? Actually, right now he is an editor for Wild Fowl magazine. And doing fine. But at that time I thought, "Oh, Frederick." But he quit his education at the U. And he came home once and he says, "You know, grandma, I am not getting an education. I am getting an indoctrination." And that kind of surprised me. And he saw some of his professors as people who did not share his same value system. And that troubled him a little bit. And he was paying a lot of money. He was on partial scholarship. He was helping with the softball team, but he thought, I do not need to come here and have people tell me things that I do not really want to believe.

Ryan Harding: I do like that the trades are becoming a path for people.

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Donna Barnes Role in Lehi Educator (teacher & counselor), former Alpine School District board member, small business owner, contributor to the Lehi Free Press Time Periods Discussed 1940s–2020s (childhood in the 1940s–50s, teaching career 1960s–1990s, business ownership 1990s–2010s, school board service 2000s) Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview Growing Up in a Town of 4,500 Donna describes growing up in a rural Lehi of about 4,500 people where "everybody knew everybody in town," reflecting a deeply connected farming community. In her graduating class there were about 120 kids, and she remembers knowing all the leadership, the good kids, and yes—even the bad kids. A Pioneer of Soil Science She shares how her father pioneered soil testing in the area, sending samples to Utah State and producing "beautiful crops" through careful fertilization. He owned about 360 acres on the north bench—land that is now Ivory Ridge and Skyridge High School. Selling the Family Farm Donna recounts her father selling the family's 360-acre farm after years of struggling with insufficient irrigation water. He told her mother, "Hun, you know what? I don't have enough water to keep this green." He sold it to the church for $65,000 in the 1950s—land that would later become some of Lehi's most prominent developments. Love at a Basketball Game She tells the story of meeting her husband Marlin at a basketball game and raising five children in Lehi, where her husband taught at Lehi Elementary for decades. He retired after 30 years, then bought a dump truck and hauled for people for another 25 years—because it was something he loved to do. A Teacher Who Changed Policy Donna explains how Lehi teacher Rodonna Clark sued the district so pregnant women could continue teaching—changing policy for generations. Before that victory, women were required to inform the superintendent and were terminated upon pregnancy. Boardroom Battles She describes the frustration of serving on the school board during rapid west side growth, including moments when Lehi's needs were dismissed by other board members. She recalls one board member saying, "We don't need them," when discussing Lehi voters. "I left many meetings in tears," she admits. The Beanie Baby Frenzy Donna shares the chaotic Beanie Baby craze at her shop, where customers drew numbers from a basket to buy new releases on Saturday mornings. The demand was so intense that she and her sister implemented a lottery system just to manage the crowds. Reviving the Lehi Free Press She recounts reviving the Lehi Free Press with her sister, starting with publishing the plot plan for Holbrook Farms and gaining hundreds of new subscribers. People in Lehi wanted to know what was going on—and the more they knew, the better decisions they could make. History Historical Insights About Lehi This interview offers valuable perspective on Lehi's evolution from an agricultural outpost to a modern suburban city. Here are key historical insights from Donna's firsthand experience: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while trying to maintain its character: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I am Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They are built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we will sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you have been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Ryan Harding: Welcome Donna Barnes to Roots and Branches of Lehi where we get to know you, one of the citizens of Lehi here. Longtime citizen. Donna Barnes: Longtime citizen. That is right. Ryan Harding: So were you born and raised here? Donna Barnes: Just raised. Born in American Fork Hospital. American Fork and raised in Lehi. Right up about a block up the street. Long time. Ryan Harding: Have you always stayed in Lehi? Donna Barnes: Never moved. We have lived in our same home now for probably 56, 57 years. Good amount of time. You have seen all the growth. Yes, I have. Ryan Harding: Talk to me about Lehi back growing up. Donna Barnes: Obviously, it was a wonderful town, very rural. When I was growing up, there were probably, I would say, 4,500 people. Farming community. My dad was a farmer. He owned some property up on the north bench. And most of the families were farm families. I think in my graduating class there were about 120 kids. And everybody knew everybody in town. We knew all of the leadership. We knew the good kids, the bad kids. We knew where to go to have fun. We knew where to go to have not so much fun. It was a great place to grow up. We got married in 1964. And I raised my kids here. They all graduated from Lehi High School. And they bemoan the fact that it has gotten so big. Ryan Harding: Your dad was in farming? Donna Barnes: Uh-huh. He owned about 360 acres. Actually, Skyridge High School sits on my dad's farm. Everything that was Ivory Ridge, all in that area, belonged to my dad. He was in fact the first farmer in the area who actually did a soil test to see what kind of nutrients the soil needed. Send it to Utah State. And when the results came back, he would always fertilize. He had beautiful crops. And he worked night and day. Hardest working man there is ever been. Irrigated and his biggest complaint was there was not enough water to keep his crops green. Even back then. Ryan Harding: What kind of crops did he grow? Donna Barnes: Oh, everything. He had wheat and barley and milo and one year peas, harvested crops. Mostly it was fall harvest crops. And all of us worked at the farm. I was driving in a truck when I was eight or nine years old. Everybody had to pitch in to help. He bought the farm in roughly 1945. I remember when he came home from work, we lived in the city, well, in Lehi. We did not have our home up on the bench because dad hated the wind up there. But he came home and irrigated all night and he came home tired and I remember him saying to my mom, he says, "Hun, you know what? I do not have enough water to keep this green." And that was about 1956. And then he sold the land to the church for $65,000. They got a good deal. They sold it all to the church. And years later they sold a lot to Ivory Homes. And that is what Ivory Ridge is now, my dad's farm. Ryan Harding: Did you meet your husband here in Lehi? Donna Barnes: Uh-huh. He is. And he lived on the west side of town and I kind of lived on the east side of town and we met at a basketball game. He has always loved sports and we happened to meet there. But we dated for a very long time. Ryan Harding: How many kids do you have? Donna Barnes: We have five. And Marlin was a school teacher, a longtime school teacher at Lehi Elementary. And he spent two years in Orem, but the rest of his career is at Lehi Elementary. And he sees his old students all the time. He was a great teacher. Had a great bunch of people that he taught with. And it was a great time. He retired after 30 years. And then he bought a dump truck and he has hauled for people for 25 years. Just something he enjoys doing. Something he loved to do. So, he had two careers, both he loved. Ryan Harding: Talk to me about you then. Donna Barnes: I went to Utah State for two and a half years. Got married and went to BYU. It was not my favorite experience. But graduated from BYU in education. I taught high school, English, drama, speech. I started my career at American Fork High School. And then I kept having my family. And back then, if you knew that you were expecting a baby, you had to tell the superintendent and you were terminated. It was a gal at Lehi High School, Rodonna Clark. And she sued the district and said you cannot make me quit. And she won and from then on women could be pregnant and teach. She was responsible for a lot of women being able to further their career. But back then, women stayed home. They did not work. That was kind of the mode of living. Ryan Harding: Was there a lot of male teachers then? Donna Barnes: Oh yes. Many many more male teachers than there are now. Which is unfortunate. We need more male teachers. Particularly, I think I was a junior high counselor for 14 years. And in those critical formative years, those young men need a good strong male role model. And there is getting fewer and fewer and fewer in the profession, which is I think tragic. My kids were fortunate to have some wonderful male role models in their education programs. Ryan Harding: I remember my fifth grade teacher actually was a male, Mr. Wolf. He was a little more gruff. But it was good for me because I needed a little more study habits. So to your point, I do agree. It would be nice to see more males in there. Donna Barnes: A lot of times they are in administrative positions, but not as many teachers. They feel like they have to move into administration to earn enough money to provide for their families. And that is, you know, I think they have got things backwards. The money needs to go into the teacher salaries. And not that I do not appreciate administrators. I do. But the real strong teaching needs to be where the money needs to be with the teachers. Ryan Harding: So you were a teacher for a lot of your life. Donna Barnes: I taught for 30 years. Well, I had to quit for a couple of times and then I went back. And I got a master's degree in educational psychology at BYU. And I was a counselor. Never did really intend to be a counselor. I love teaching very very much. But I went into counseling and was a counselor for 14 years. At American Fork High School for a time, at AF Junior High for a time, and at Mountain Ridge Junior High for a time. So, I dealt with teenagers a lot of my life. Ryan Harding: What stands out to you from teaching? Donna Barnes: You know, I love teaching and back when I was teaching things were quite different. We did not have professional development. In fact, I remember my first year at American Fork High School, the principal showed me my room. And introduced me to my colleagues. That was it. And here were my textbooks that I would teach from. And so I was pretty much left on my own and I appreciated the teachers who would kind of give me some guidance. But you pretty much were an experiment at first. And I loved that and I loved the kids. I really enjoyed teaching kids and when I see my own kids, I have four teachers of my own children and then I have several grandchildren who teach too. And I see what a difference there is from when I started to what they do. Ryan Harding: Has education been improving? Donna Barnes: This is what I saw both as a teacher counselor and then a schoolboard member. Parents demanded more accountability from teachers and so we had to test them so testing became a huge part of curriculum development. And we have now the common core and we developed curriculums and then the kids were tested on it and I have ambivalent feelings about all that testing. I know in some of the countries in the world that have the highest achievement test scores as far as kids in later their later educational experience, they do not test in junior high. They do not test in elementary school. And I really worry about we test and test and test. And I have kids who hate to be tested that much. And I think it makes it difficult to meet the needs of all the kids when you have got testing benchmarks that you have to meet. So I am not a fan of all the testing that goes on. Donna Barnes: And this is what happened when I was at the junior high. It was interesting because I was in the first faculty member. I was a counselor at Mountain Ridge when they opened the school. And at AF Junior, there had been honors English taught in seventh, 8th, and 9th grade. So, I guess the parents just assumed there would be honors English. So, we hired an honors English teacher and she was to prepare a test to select which kids should be in her honors classes. She only had a handful of kids who passed the test. So, and it was getting close to the time when we had to have schedules made and the master schedule had to be made. So, I went into the principal that I dearly loved. Sheldon Worthington was his name. And we said, "Let's just do away with honors English classes for a while." And there was push back. But it was a wonderful thing because when you separate kids according to their ability in especially in junior high, it is not a healthy thing. So I noticed that it was two or three years after that then no junior highs had the separated classes, honors classes. And we do that in math kind of automatically. But English, no, not so much. Ryan Harding: Are there better methods then for accountability? Donna Barnes: If a teacher comes on time, spends the day with those kids. You know the ones who are doing well as a principal, as a parent, as a colleague. And testing creates an anxiety for the kids. And I remember one time there were several teachers and all they wanted to teach were the smart kids, you know, they wanted to teach the higher level math or they wanted to teach, we had a couple of AP classes taught in junior high. Well, everybody clamored for those kids and I thought, "No, no, no, no, no. This is not right." Because I saw some of our male teachers who could really discipline and handle the male students much better. And so I saw the teachers kind of self-selecting the students in their classes. And then some classes that had a few behaviors were given to male teachers, honestly. So, and I think that is just a natural consequence of what happens in schools. But I am not a fan of all these achievement tests. It is hard for parents to see their children maybe not in the 99th percentile. And we all have gifts. We all have gifts. And these achievement tests really test five things. And so kids get feelings of inferiority based on test scores and it is not a healthy thing. Ryan Harding: Teaching has improved a lot over the years. What things have you seen that have gotten better? Donna Barnes: That is an interesting question. I do not know if they have gotten better. Maybe as far as test scores are concerned. And that is what people look at. But our class sizes are still about the same as they have always been, too high. You know, 35 kids in a classroom is really a hard thing. But teachers who have the ability to relate to kids and to have rapport and you know they will always teach well. I think professional development has given teachers who maybe struggle a little bit with curriculum some helps. And I have seen that and that is great. I do not know if kids nowadays are better educated when they graduate from high school than they were 30, 35, 40 years ago. I could be wrong, but I think the test scores over time are pretty level. I do not think there has been spikes or real down times. Although during the pandemic, I know there were some real problems that we had with our achievement test scores. Ryan Harding: What things do you think are solvable? Donna Barnes: It really does come down to individuals. It is that teacher that really focuses and really cares that makes a difference. But you want to mass produce that right? How do you mass produce those good teachers? I do not know. Things to think about. I think that and I even hate to say this. In School of Rock, that Jack Black movie, there is a line in there and he says, "Those who can do and those who cannot teach." And that really bugged me for a long long time. And I think that that is not altogether true, but I do think sometimes that is true. Ryan Harding: There is a discussion at large on a national level with education. Are we really preparing students for careers? Donna Barnes: I see that trend. I see with my own kids and grandkids. I had one grandson who was really a smart kid. And he went to the University of Utah. And he was majoring in rhetoric. That was not my choice for him. But he was very good verbally. And with vocabulary and all of those things. But he could not see a future. What job do you get with that? Actually, right now he is an editor for Wild Fowl magazine. And doing fine. But at that time I thought, "Oh, Frederick." But he quit his education at the U. And he came home once and he says, "You know, grandma, I am not getting an education. I am getting an indoctrination." And that kind of surprised me. And he saw some of his professors as people who did not share his same value system. And that troubled him a little bit. And he was paying a lot of money. He was on partial scholarship. He was helping with the softball team, but he thought, I do not need to come here and have people tell me things that I do not really want to believe. Ryan Harding: I do like that the trades are becoming a path for people. Donna Barnes: I know a young man who went to Mtech getting his degree in welding and pipe fitting. And as soon as he graduates, he has been offered a job for six figures. And I think, oh my gosh, two years with a certificate and very little debt. Why would you argue with that? I think there is a trend that kids are leaning more toward certification in a trade. MTech is booming. And I know there is waiting lists in various programs at Mtech and I am thrilled about that. I have seen what it is done as a counselor. I have seen the accountability out there. The engagement with kids. It is a thrill for me to go out there and see what is happening. Ryan Harding: If you were in charge of everything, what would you do? Donna Barnes: I have had these dreams of being in charge. I would pay teachers better. I think that which then might help get more male teachers to your point. I think there has been some progress made, but I think there is a general feeling that it is not a valued profession as it used to be. And I feel bad about that. And it is becoming more and more a woman dominated field. You know, these are second income earners or single women. And there is nothing about that that I object to, but of course, teachers deserve better. I know in Finland and in some of the Scandinavian countries, teachers are up there with lawyers and with doctors. Their pay is commensurate with what those people do. So I think that would be helpful. I would love to see five or six or seven applicants for a position. That would make it more competitive and more valued. Ryan Harding: You also served on the school board then. Donna Barnes: Right. I retired and then I ran for the school board and I was on the school board for eight years. Because I had been in the schools for all those years and I did have an agenda. At that time there were seven board members. We had three board members from Orem area. One from Pleasant Grove, one from American Fork. One from the Highland Alpine area and then one from Lehi. And all the growth started in Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs. And I was thinking we need another board member out in the west side. Desperately. And it did not happen while I was on the board. Well, a woman did run and she won of course because there were such an influx of so many families. And I remember at one time I had 29 schools that I was kind of responsible for. And another board member from Orem had nine. So there were some inequalities that I saw there. And I was very much a proponent of a district split. Ryan Harding: Tell me why you feel that way. Donna Barnes: Because the needs, here is an example. One time there was a huge snowstorm and we had a little school up in Cedar Ridge called Cedar Ridge Elementary and that snow up there in Highland was so thick and so deep coming down so fast. And it was not over in Orem. And so here the Orem people did not see the necessity to let those school kids out early, catch their buses and go home. So finally when it was time for the buses to come, they could not get up there. So the kids had to stay at school overnight. And I thought this could have been anticipated. And we should have taken care of it then. And it is just, you would not think there would be that much difference between Highland and Orem, but there was. And the needs of Cedar Ford and Fairfield and Eagle, they were not being met. So I felt like we needed to split the district. And we got that. I think it is going to be very good. Ryan Harding: I know that the district was very much opposed to a split. Donna Barnes: Anything that is unknown is very frightening, of course. But my son teaches in the Canyon School District at Alta High School. And they split off from Jordan. And I have talked to him many times about a split and he said it was the very best thing that could have happened because all the growth was going out to West. Herriman High School got to 3,000 kids and the suicide rate at Herriman went through the roof and so they needed it. It was a good thing for them too. Smaller is better. And when you are closer to the people that you serve, you can do a better job. Ryan Harding: Did you find that when you were on the school board? Was it very frustrating? Donna Barnes: I left many meetings in tears. I really did. I remember a meeting and it was at Meadow Elementary. And we were discussing the remodel of Lehi High School. And I knew that my patrons did not want another remodel of Lehi High School. It is on the smallest footprint in the district and it had been remodeled and remodeled and remodeled and remodeled and we needed a new school because we knew that parking would become a problem eventually which it is now. And so I watched that whole process and at that meeting at Meadow I said if you put another remodel of Lehi High School on the bond no one in Lehi will ever vote for it. And one of the board members that was there with us said, "We do not need them." The superintendent looked a little flushed and he says, "Yeah, we do." But there was that kind of attitude. And I was angry because our voices were not heard. They did not know what was going on out here. So, yeah, it was hard. Frustrating. Because Orem pretty much dominated. Because they had four votes. They had the three Orem and the PG and they all voted together and then the three of us, the AF and the Highland Alpine and Lehi. Well, it did not matter how we voted. Because all the growth is out here. The Orem's run out of room. So all the growth is here still. That was at the beginning of the growth. But I could see what was happening. And the response time was slow. Slow moving. Ryan Harding: Anything you are proud of? Donna Barnes: I remember a developer was planning a huge development in Vineyard. It is right when Geneva Steel had been sold and they were starting that development down there. We had a developer come to one of our meetings and wanted an RDA. And I was, why would we give them a tax break when they are bringing all of these kids? We are going to need the money and we need the money. So, I just said, "No, that is not something we really ought to do." I was glad that I spoke up about that. We actually do need an impact fee for education. I am very much in favor of an impact school fee. Well, the developers come in and they pay impact fees for infrastructure for various things that you have to have and but they do not have it for education. And so there is not an incentive to keep housing under control. It is just bring them in and we will figure out a way to educate them. But where does that money come from? Property taxes. But that initial fee would be nice to have to help fund those. Developers would never go for it. We have a lot of developers in our legislative legislature. Donna Barnes: I just love teaching and I love the teachers. And I think they work so hard and I see what they do and how much they care just through the members of my own family. But with my grandkids, I mean, I could tell you story after story after story of how teachers have made a difference in my kids and my grandkids lives. I remember I had a granddaughter that went to Freedom Elementary. And she was so excited because they were planting a butterfly garden right outside the school. And she came home so excited. "Grandma, we are gonna have butterflies right outside our school and we have not seen butterflies for so long." And I thought, oh, that just warms your heart. And all of them have had those kind of experiences. And I have a granddaughter in the seventh grade at Mountain Ridge right now, and she has a teacher she just raves about, comes home. "Oh, I love Mr. Gettis. He is the best teacher." I love teachers and I love what they do and I love their influence and they are probably the most important component in our society there is. Ryan Harding: Did you own a business in Lehi, too? Donna Barnes: I did. In 1995, a building came available for sale about four houses up from where I was raised. It was the oldest standing home in Lehi. And it was built by John Beck. And it was owned by the Strasburg family. And they had kind of passed away. And here was this old building and I had heard that they were going to tear it down and put a car wash there. And I was horrified to think that that would happen. So I talked to my husband and I said, "What do you think about buying the Strasburg house?" And he said, "Well, we could probably turn it into a rental." And we had a duplex. And so we made him an offer that they took. And got it kind of fixed up for a rental and then the city said, "No, that is in a commercial zone. You cannot use it as a rental." So I thought, "Okay, what do I do now?" So, I have great friends who are artists and I thought, well, we will have a little Christmas boutique in it just for once and then we will decide. I asked some of my friends if they wanted to come and bring what they made and we will have a little Christmas store. We called it Scrooge and Marley's. Never expecting it to last beyond Christmas. And I had to go to market and buy a few more things to fill it up and it turned out to be so much fun and I could hire my grandkids and my relatives to work there and it was called Scrooge and Marley's Emporium of Country Gifts and Furniture and it was a great place. It was fun. Not so profitable, but it was just a lot of fun. So I had that for almost 20 years and my sister worked there and people loved her and they went there for therapy and then we went through the beanie baby phase. Donna Barnes: That was an interesting experiment. Because it got so popular that we would not put out our new beanie babies until Saturday morning. And then people who we knew would come to buy the new beanies, they had to draw paper out of a basket for their place in line to go in and buy beanies. Sell out. Oh, it was just incredible. I have never seen such a phenomenon. And luckily, we had bought enough of Ty Warner's other plush that we could buy what we wanted. And he was really restrictive. I mean, within a certain area, you could only have this many Beanie Baby stores. So he knew what he was doing. Obviously a marketing genius. We did Beanie Babies for a while and that was great fun. And then we did home shows. We did decorating for a couple of home shows. I had really great employees who were so helpful. But I needed to put on a new roof. I talked to a city person and said, "Do I need a building permit to put on a new roof?" And he said, "Well, yeah. Anything you can see from the road, you will need to get a building permit." And I thought, "Oh, brother. Then I have got to make ramps and I have got to upgrade it so it is user friendly." And so it was built in 1867 and it was a very rickety structure. It had quaking aspen floor joist and it had rocks for foundation and I just decided I cannot afford to do all of the work that is required. So I had someone come to me and say I would love to buy it and I will make it a replica of the old building so that people will have an idea of what the oldest house in Lehi looked like. And so I sold it to him. Because he would do what you wanted to do. He was not going to make a car wash. Car wash gone. It turned out great. Do I miss it? Oh yeah. It was fun. Ryan Harding: You have a little bit of history with businesses in your past, too, right? Because your mom worked at the paper. Donna Barnes: My mom started working for the paper. She was in a club with Russ who owned the original Lehi Free Press. And Mrs. McMillan who was the editor was ill. And so Russ asked mom, "Would you go in and fill in?" And mom went in and never left. She was there for almost 22, 23 years. My mom was an incredibly hard worker and she loved people. She wrote the paper. She did the layouts for the paper. She kept the books for the paper and every Tuesday often she would provide lunch for the staff. And when I see what we do at the free press, I cannot even imagine how she did it for all those years. But she had a unique ability to draw things out of people and she would write these stories sometimes about our family which we were not too thrilled about. But it was a great thing for this city. Because she loved sports and she loved to brag about the kids who played sports. Well, anything they did. She was our number one cheerleader for Lehi. People loved her for it. Ryan Harding: Tell me your thoughts on now seeing your sister take this back over. Donna Barnes: She moved back from California. And she asked me one day, "Donna, we have not had this free press for a while." And I said, "No, I think it has been eight or nine years." "Let's do it again." And I kind of shuddered. And she said, "I know the business end of it. Will you help me write?" And I said, "I can do the writing. That does not frighten me quite as much as the other part." So we took a trip out to Tooele and we got the publishers out there who printed it to buy into it and from then on and at first there was just Sal and I and a handful. I did the city news, I did the planning commission news. And the very first issue we published the plot plan for Holbrook Farms. And it was a double-sided. And we got probably three or four hundred subscriptions after publishing that because people in Lehi want to know what is going on. And there had not really been that much interest. But that was a good way to start. And it is just kept going from then on. Donna Barnes: That we got started and it was up and down. And Sal is amazing businesswoman. She balanced things and borrowed from Peter to pay Paul and I do not know what all else she did because I kind of stayed out of that part of it. But so far it has been almost 10, it will be 10 years in March. And we have had wonderful people working for us. We love Becky Beaten. She was she is amazing. And many of the others who have worked for us. It has been great. And what I found is that people want to know. And the more they know, the better decisions they make about things. And we have tried it is very important to Sal and to me that what we print is right. And objective. And so we have kind of stayed a little bit out of the political realm. But lately it has gotten a little more political. And it is election year. And there has been some things lately that have happened that have been troubling. So, I guess it is like anything political. It has been hard. Ryan Harding: It sounds like you get to work with family again with your sister. Donna Barnes: We have many debates. I promise you that. I am sure we do not see eye to eye on everything. But that is good. We need to have disagreements on different things. That does not mean we disagree on everything. Well, I used to be an avid newspaper reader. I took the Tribune. I took the Deseret News and I saw the Tribune become a terrible one-sided paper. And then the Deseret News went away and now all they do is publish once a week a commentary in the church news. And so there is nothing. The Herald does not have a lot of news in it. And so we need and you cannot, my opinion, you cannot believe what you read online. I have become so disillusioned with social media. And so where do you go to find out what is true? And that is kind of our motive is to present things that it is the truth. And maybe we have offended people. I am sure. Well, we know we have. But we try and get the truth. Ryan Harding: It is good you have an online presence because that is where a lot of us get our news. Donna Barnes: Right. And you guess who, you know, the ones you can trust. It is true. I think that is probably all I can tell you about the free press. Ryan Harding: Going back to Lehi. Obviously you have been here a long time. Anything you would like to see Lehi implement? How can we make Lehi better? Donna Barnes: We have problems, of course. It is too late, that is kind of our evaluation. I live now on 900 North or 900 North 1200 East and both of those have become thoroughfares. I cannot let my little ones out on the front lawn because the roads are too busy and that makes me very sad. And I know this push for high density. That is fine because kids need places to live or people do. But it comes at a cost. The traffic is a nightmare. And that was one of the reasons why my husband quit driving a truck other than the fact that the engine blew up. But he said it was getting so hard to maneuver. There were times a day when he would not even get in it because you could not get around. So traffic has become hard. And that old town feeling where everybody knew everybody and it is kind of gone away. And it is different. And it is hard to adjust. Old-timers are moving out. I know several families who have moved to Sanpete County or moved somewhere else in a little smaller area. Ryan Harding: Tell me what you like about Lehi. What are we doing right? Why is Lehi still a great place to live? Donna Barnes: Good people. I think our schools are excellent. And we now have amenities that we did not have when I was growing up. I mean, a Costco for heaven's sakes. Who would have thought? It is hard to say what is good about Lehi because I love Lehi and I have lived here so long. I would love to see more parks and open space. I think we have missed the boat on that a little bit. Kids need places to play and I have grandkids who play sports and I go around to some of these other communities and I see the facilities that they have to play ball and we are lacking. I do not know why we cannot understand that it is important. Spanish Fork, my kids play down there quite often, and it is amazing to me to see what they are doing. And they have got beautiful parks in Salem Hills and in Salem and some of the other areas. And I think we are woefully under what we should have for open space regional parks. Donna Barnes: I know I was on a panel or they had a meeting where they were discussing what to do with Main Street and this has been about 10 years ago and I went down because of the paper and they were going to tear out Main Street and make it a thoroughfare. Because we needed more. And this was before Pioneer Crossing. And I remember one gal stood up and she was a meek young mother. And she just got up and she said, "I will be damned if everything I love about Lehi is ruined so Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs people can have a faster route to the freeway." And she got a standing ovation. Everybody there adored her. And I thought, yeah, that was a good thing to say. Because sometimes in being forward thinking and I was on the planning commission for a couple of years. And you know, they get these grandiose notions about development where you work, live, and play and all of that stuff. And not here. In fact, I have a pretty good relationship with a PR girl for the prison land. And she says, you know, I could not live like that. I could not live in a community that is work, live, play. Because I take my kids to piano lessons. I take my kids to ball games. You know, we have to get in the car and drive. And that is the mindset of most families who live in this area. They have three or four or five kids more and they take them places. So that whole idea that they developed of live, work, play does not work for our families. We have to be careful about buying into something that looks good in San Diego or on the East Coast because we are not them. Ryan Harding: Donna, this has been great. Obviously you are very much a part of this community and trying to make it better. Donna Barnes: I am getting old. I told Sal I cannot do this too much longer. But it is my joy. I can tell you enjoy it. You would not spend years and years and years if you did not enjoy it. Not many people can spend a lifetime doing that. So, good job for you. Is there anything that we did not cover? Donna Barnes: I do not think so. I think pretty much everything. Well, thank you for lending us some of your time and letting us get to know you. And thank you also just for being a big part of this community. It has been my joy and pleasure. Ryan Harding: Thank you, Donna. Appreciate it. Ryan Harding: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together we are what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. We would love to hear from you. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Harding Home Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Donna Barnes Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Donna Barnes Lehi Utah farming history education. Lehi Free Press history. Alpine School District split. Ivory Ridge farm history. Skyridge High School land origins. Lehi small businesses 1990s. Beanie Baby craze Utah. Historic homes Lehi Utah. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Be a Guest Contact

Soul of a Small Town: Lehi Farmland, Education & Change | RB-032

A Lehi educator reflects on family farmland becoming Ivory Ridge, education reform, the Beanie Baby craze, and preserving Lehi's soul amid rapid growth.

Soul of a Small Town: A Lifetime of Roots, Education, and Change in Lehi, Utah

A Life Woven Into the Fabric of Lehi, Utah

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Episode

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

From Farm Fields to Football Fields

The Teacher Who Would Not Quit

Twenty-Nine Schools, One Voice

Snowbound: When Students Stayed Overnight

The Beanie Baby Lottery

The Car Wash That Never Was

Her Mother's Paper

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

Soul of a Small Town Lehi Utah Farmland Education History Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

Quick Links

Contact

A Lehi educator, counselor, school board member, and local shopkeeper reflects on growing up on farmland that became Ivory Ridge, fighting for pregnant teachers' rights, managing the Beanie Baby craze, and preserving the soul of a community amid relentless growth.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding welcomes a guest whose life story traces the transformation of Lehi, Utah from a quiet farming community into one of the fastest-growing cities in America. Through the eyes of a lifelong educator, school counselor, school board member, and local business owner, listeners gain a rare firsthand account of how farmland became subdivisions, how classroom policies evolved, and how the fight to preserve community character continues today.

Her family's farm once stretched across the land where Ivory Ridge and Skyridge High School now stand. She drove trucks for her father at eight years old, watched water scarcity end an agricultural era, and later spent decades inside Lehi's classrooms and school board chambers trying to protect the town's educational values. Along the way, she ran a shop during the national Beanie Baby phenomenon, fought to save a historic building from becoming a car wash, and carried forward her mother's legacy of local journalism. This is not merely an interview—it is an oral history of Lehi's soul.

For anyone researching Lehi, Utah history , Utah County farmland development , education reform in Utah , or the community stories that define small-town America, this conversation offers irreplaceable perspective. It bridges the 1950s agricultural era with modern suburban expansion, connecting generations through land, learning, and an unshakable devotion to place.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

RB-032 — "Soul of a Small Town"

Educator, School Counselor, School Board Member, Local Shop Owner, Community Advocate

1950s–present, with emphasis on agricultural decline, 1990s–2000s suburban expansion, and modern development

Ryan Harding

The guest's father farmed the very land where Skyridge High School now stands. Driving a truck at eight or nine years old, she remembers the moment her father looked across the fields and admitted, "I don't have enough water to keep this green." By 1956, he sold the farm to the church for $65,000—an amount that seems impossibly small today for land that would eventually become Ivory Ridge and one of Lehi's largest high schools. The story captures the heartbreak of water scarcity ending Utah County agriculture and the irreversible transformation of farmland into suburbia.

Before Rodonna Clark, pregnant teachers in Utah faced automatic termination. The guest recalls the systemic injustice: if a teacher was expecting, she had to tell the superintendent and resign. Rodonna Clark refused. She sued the district, declaring, "You cannot make me quit." When she won, the policy changed statewide. The guest remembers this case vividly because it represented a turning point not only for education policy but for women's rights in the workplace across Utah.

During her time on the school board, the guest oversaw 29 schools while another board member from a neighboring area managed only nine. The disparity revealed deep inequities in representation, resources, and attention. She left many meetings in tears, particularly one at Meadow Elementary where she knew her constituents opposed another remodel of Lehi High School but felt powerless against political maneuvering. The experience shaped her conviction that smaller, localized governance serves students better than sprawling bureaucracies.

Rapid growth strained Lehi's infrastructure long before the latest building boom. The guest recalls a time when buses could not reach schools due to weather and impassable roads, forcing children to stay overnight at school. It is a haunting image of a district expanding faster than its transportation network could support—a problem echoed in today's debates about traffic, school capacity, and boundary changes.

During the height of the 1990s Beanie Baby craze, the guest's shop became a local phenomenon. Demand grew so intense that new shipments could not simply be placed on shelves. Instead, customers drew numbers from a basket on Saturday mornings to determine their place in line. The guest became a savvy negotiator with Ty Warner's distribution machine, leveraging relationships built on other plush toys to secure scarce inventory. It was a moment when a small Lehi business briefly held national cultural power.

When the guest heard developers planned to demolish a beloved historic building and replace it with a car wash, she was horrified. Rather than surrender the structure to commercial convenience, she pursued buying it herself, pledging to restore it as a replica of the original building. The car wash plan vanished. The story illustrates how individual determination, when rooted in love for place, can still defeat development pressure in a rapidly changing city.

The guest's mother was an extraordinary force in local journalism. She wrote the paper, designed layouts, balanced the books, and served as Lehi's "number one cheerleader." Under her stewardship, subscriptions surged by three or four hundred because, as the guest notes, "people in Lehi want to know what's going on." That legacy informs the guest's passionate belief that informed citizens make better decisions—and that holding a physical newspaper still carries a legitimacy digital chaos cannot replicate.

This interview preserves critical context for understanding how Lehi, Utah evolved from an agricultural outpost into a modern city. These historical insights emerge directly from lived experience:

Beyond specific events, this interview reveals enduring values that have defined Lehi across generations. These themes connect the past with present challenges:

This episode connects deeply to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related stories and subjects to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history:

Discover related episodes from the oral history archive:

To enrich this community profile, the following visual materials would strengthen the historical record and reader engagement:

Ryan Harding: Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together.

Guest: We've lived in our same home now for probably 56, 57 years.

Ryan Harding: Okay. Good amount of time. That's a good amount.

Guest: It's hard when something you love so much does change, which I mean, the world itself has changed, I guess, too, right? But the nostalgia of that past is sometimes hard to let go of. Actually, Skyridge High School sits on my dad's farm. I was driving in a truck when I was eight or nine years old. He says, "Hun, you know what? I don't have enough water to keep this green." And that was about 1956. And then he sold the land to the church for $65,000. Wow. They got a deal. And that is what Ivory Ridge is now—my dad's farm. That's your dad's farm. And then he bought a dump truck and he's hauled for people for 25 years.

And back then if you knew that you were expecting a baby, you had to tell the superintendent and you were terminated.

Ryan Harding: Oh, really? Yes.

Guest: Oh, interesting. Rodonna Clark. Yeah. And she sued the district and said, "You cannot make me quit." Yeah. And she won. And from then on, women could be pregnant and teach. Young men need a good, strong male role model. Sure. And there's getting fewer and fewer and fewer in the profession, which is, I think, tragic. Feel like they have to move into administration to earn enough money to provide for their families. And that's, you know, I think they've got things backwards. The money needs to go into the teacher salaries. I love teaching very, very much. Yeah. But I went into counseling and was a counselor for 14 years. We didn't have professional development. In fact, I remember my first year at American Fork High School, the principal showed me my room and introduced me to my colleagues. I really worry about we test and test and test. Yeah.

And I have kids who hate to be tested that much. Yeah. So, we hired an honors English teacher and she was to prepare a test. This is true story. To select which kids should be in her honors classes. Okay. She only had a handful of kids. Sure. Who passed the test and testing creates an anxiety for the kids. Sure. And I remember one time there were several teachers and all they wanted to teach were the smart kids. And so kids get feelings of inferiority based on test scores and it's not a healthy thing. That's an interesting question. I don't know if they have gotten better. 35 kids in a classroom is really a hard thing. But you want to mass-produce that, right? How do you mass-produce those good teachers? Right.

Grandma, I'm not getting an education. I'm getting an indoctrination. I mean, I'm all about education, but let's make sure it's education with a purpose. But I think hopefully as a nation, we're we need to better prepare children for real life. I mean, what I tell my kids is just get good at something because the world will pay you if you're really good at something. If you're not really good at anything, then they don't know what to do with you. I think there's a general feeling that, you know, it isn't a valued profession as it used to be. Money attracts talent whether we like it or not.

Because I'd been in the schools for all those years and I did have an agenda. Yeah. And I remember at one time I had 29 schools that I was kind of responsible for. Yeah. And another board member from Orem had nine. So there were some inequalities that I saw there. So finally when it was time for the buses to come, they couldn't get up there. So the kids had to stay at school overnight. Oh wow. Well, there's been a need for a while. Yeah. And I know that the district was very much opposed to a split. Yeah. And I know there was a lot of fear associated with that. Will we keep our benefits? Well, you know, will we have an opportunity to what's going to happen? And the suicide rate at Herman went through the roof.

And so they needed—it was a good thing for them, too. Yeah. So smaller is better. Yeah. And when you're closer to the people that you serve, you can do a better job. I mean, we can make decisions very quickly here, right? You know, pivot left or right. Sure. But a big corporation, you know, there's benefits to a big corporation, but as far as moving quickly, that's not something you typically think of. Exactly. I left many meetings in tears. I really did because I remember maybe this is getting a little bit personal but I remember a meeting and it was at Meadow Elementary. Oh, okay. And we were discussing the remodel of Lehi High School. And I knew that my patrons did not want another remodel of Lehi High School. And one of the board members that was there with us, there was about five of us, said, "We don't need them."

The superintendent looked a little flushed and he says, "Yeah, we do. Why would we give them a tax break when they're bringing—" and it was a housing development. Yeah. Help fund the schools, right? You know, we actually do need an impact fee for education. Do we—I am very much in favor of an impact fee. We have a lot of developers in our legislature. Grandma, we're going to have butterflies right outside our school. They're more—they're probably the most important component in our society there is. And so it's good that these conversations are being had on how to improve things and make things better.

And I had heard that they were going to tear it down and put a car wash there. Oh. And I was horrified to think that that would happen. And then we went through the beanie baby phase. Yeah. Okay. And that was an interesting experiment. Yeah. Because it got so popular that we would not put out our new beanie babies until Saturday morning. And then people who we knew would come to buy the new beanies, they had to draw paper out of a basket for their place in line to go in and buy beanies. Oh, it was just incredible. Yeah. Wow. So, I've never seen such a phenomenon. Yeah.

And luckily, we had bought enough of Ty Warner's other plush that we could buy what we wanted. And he was really restrictive. I mean, within a certain area, you could only have this many Beanie Baby stores. So, he knew what he was doing. Obviously, a marketing genius. I would love to buy it. Mhm. And I will make it a replica of the old building. He wasn't going to make a car wash. Car wash gone. Yeah. Okay. Good. Good. So, it turned out it turned out great.

Mrs. Miller was driving this convertible and Larry was in the back of the convertible hanging on for his dear life. I guess my mom was an incredibly hard worker and she loved people. Mhm. And she wrote the paper. She did the layouts for the paper. She kept the books for the paper. She was our number one cheerleader for Lehi. People loved her for it. And we got probably three or four hundred subscriptions after publishing that because people in Lehi want to know what's going on. And what I found is that people want to know. Yeah. And the more they know, the better decisions they make about things.

I mean, you have to have the information to make a correct decision. And we've tried. I mean, it's very important to me that what we print is right. Yeah. And objective. I frankly, we need more of that. I mean, you know, if we all live in our little echo chambers, that doesn't help anybody. You never know what to believe. Yeah. On social media, especially now with AI and you can make videos of people doing different things. It's like, okay, this isn't real anymore. You know, I can't believe my eyes on different things. I, you know, crazy. The reason I like a hard copy is we can do more. Yes.

And there's something legitimate about holding a newspaper. It just feels better. I can't let my little ones out on the front lawn because the roads are too busy. Yeah. And that makes me very sad. I mean a Costco for heaven's sakes. Who would have thought? I think we are woefully under what we should have for open space regional parks. I will be damned if everything I love about Lehi is ruined so Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs people can have a faster route to the freeway. She says, you know, I couldn't live like that. I couldn't live in a community that's work, live, play. Emphasize what makes Lehi good.

Ryan Harding: I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together, we're what makes Lehi feel like home. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care.

Lehi Utah history podcast interview covering farmland development, Ivory Ridge history, Skyridge High School land history, education reform, Beanie Baby craze, local journalism, and community preservation in Lehi, Utah.

Lehi Utah history. Lehi farmland development. Skyridge High School land history. Ivory Ridge Lehi origins. Lehi school district history. Utah teaching history. Beanie Baby craze local business Utah. Lehi newspaper history. Lehi community stories podcast. Utah County development history. Preserving historic buildings Lehi.

Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible.

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Details Episode Overview Episode RB-032 — "Soul of a Small Town" Role in Lehi Educator, School Counselor, School Board Member, Local Shop Owner, Community Advocate Time Periods Discussed 1950s–present, with emphasis on agricultural decline, 1990s–2000s suburban expansion, and modern development Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview From Farm Fields to Football Fields The guest's father farmed the very land where Skyridge High School now stands. Driving a truck at eight or nine years old, she remembers the moment her father looked across the fields and admitted, "I don't have enough water to keep this green." By 1956, he sold the farm to the church for $65,000—an amount that seems impossibly small today for land that would eventually become Ivory Ridge and one of Lehi's largest high schools. The story captures the heartbreak of water scarcity ending Utah County agriculture and the irreversible transformation of farmland into suburbia. The Teacher Who Would Not Quit Before Rodonna Clark, pregnant teachers in Utah faced automatic termination. The guest recalls the systemic injustice: if a teacher was expecting, she had to tell the superintendent and resign. Rodonna Clark refused. She sued the district, declaring, "You cannot make me quit." When she won, the policy changed statewide. The guest remembers this case vividly because it represented a turning point not only for education policy but for women's rights in the workplace across Utah. Twenty-Nine Schools, One Voice During her time on the school board, the guest oversaw 29 schools while another board member from a neighboring area managed only nine. The disparity revealed deep inequities in representation, resources, and attention. She left many meetings in tears, particularly one at Meadow Elementary where she knew her constituents opposed another remodel of Lehi High School but felt powerless against political maneuvering. The experience shaped her conviction that smaller, localized governance serves students better than sprawling bureaucracies. Snowbound: When Students Stayed Overnight Rapid growth strained Lehi's infrastructure long before the latest building boom. The guest recalls a time when buses could not reach schools due to weather and impassable roads, forcing children to stay overnight at school. It is a haunting image of a district expanding faster than its transportation network could support—a problem echoed in today's debates about traffic, school capacity, and boundary changes. The Beanie Baby Lottery During the height of the 1990s Beanie Baby craze, the guest's shop became a local phenomenon. Demand grew so intense that new shipments could not simply be placed on shelves. Instead, customers drew numbers from a basket on Saturday mornings to determine their place in line. The guest became a savvy negotiator with Ty Warner's distribution machine, leveraging relationships built on other plush toys to secure scarce inventory. It was a moment when a small Lehi business briefly held national cultural power. The Car Wash That Never Was When the guest heard developers planned to demolish a beloved historic building and replace it with a car wash, she was horrified. Rather than surrender the structure to commercial convenience, she pursued buying it herself, pledging to restore it as a replica of the original building. The car wash plan vanished. The story illustrates how individual determination, when rooted in love for place, can still defeat development pressure in a rapidly changing city. Her Mother's Paper The guest's mother was an extraordinary force in local journalism. She wrote the paper, designed layouts, balanced the books, and served as Lehi's "number one cheerleader." Under her stewardship, subscriptions surged by three or four hundred because, as the guest notes, "people in Lehi want to know what's going on." That legacy informs the guest's passionate belief that informed citizens make better decisions—and that holding a physical newspaper still carries a legitimacy digital chaos cannot replicate. History Historical Insights About Lehi This interview preserves critical context for understanding how Lehi, Utah evolved from an agricultural outpost into a modern city. These historical insights emerge directly from lived experience: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Beyond specific events, this interview reveals enduring values that have defined Lehi across generations. These themes connect the past with present challenges: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics & Episodes This episode connects deeply to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related stories and subjects to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history: Explore More from Roots & Branches of Lehi Discover related episodes from the oral history archive: Mayor Mark Johnson on City Leadership Jeanne Marie Burroughs on Education & PTA Leadership Donna Barnes on Farming, Education & the Lehi Free Press Sally Francom on the Lehi Free Press Legacy Ken Greenwood on Pioneer Roots & Main Street Revival View All Episodes → Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enrich this community profile, the following visual materials would strengthen the historical record and reader engagement: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding: Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Guest: We've lived in our same home now for probably 56, 57 years. Ryan Harding: Okay. Good amount of time. That's a good amount. Guest: It's hard when something you love so much does change, which I mean, the world itself has changed, I guess, too, right? But the nostalgia of that past is sometimes hard to let go of. Actually, Skyridge High School sits on my dad's farm. I was driving in a truck when I was eight or nine years old. He says, "Hun, you know what? I don't have enough water to keep this green." And that was about 1956. And then he sold the land to the church for $65,000. Wow. They got a deal. And that is what Ivory Ridge is now—my dad's farm. That's your dad's farm. And then he bought a dump truck and he's hauled for people for 25 years. And back then if you knew that you were expecting a baby, you had to tell the superintendent and you were terminated. Ryan Harding: Oh, really? Yes. Guest: Oh, interesting. Rodonna Clark. Yeah. And she sued the district and said, "You cannot make me quit." Yeah. And she won. And from then on, women could be pregnant and teach. Young men need a good, strong male role model. Sure. And there's getting fewer and fewer and fewer in the profession, which is, I think, tragic. Feel like they have to move into administration to earn enough money to provide for their families. And that's, you know, I think they've got things backwards. The money needs to go into the teacher salaries. I love teaching very, very much. Yeah. But I went into counseling and was a counselor for 14 years. We didn't have professional development. In fact, I remember my first year at American Fork High School, the principal showed me my room and introduced me to my colleagues. I really worry about we test and test and test. Yeah. And I have kids who hate to be tested that much. Yeah. So, we hired an honors English teacher and she was to prepare a test. This is true story. To select which kids should be in her honors classes. Okay. She only had a handful of kids. Sure. Who passed the test and testing creates an anxiety for the kids. Sure. And I remember one time there were several teachers and all they wanted to teach were the smart kids. And so kids get feelings of inferiority based on test scores and it's not a healthy thing. That's an interesting question. I don't know if they have gotten better. 35 kids in a classroom is really a hard thing. But you want to mass-produce that, right? How do you mass-produce those good teachers? Right. Grandma, I'm not getting an education. I'm getting an indoctrination. I mean, I'm all about education, but let's make sure it's education with a purpose. But I think hopefully as a nation, we're we need to better prepare children for real life. I mean, what I tell my kids is just get good at something because the world will pay you if you're really good at something. If you're not really good at anything, then they don't know what to do with you. I think there's a general feeling that, you know, it isn't a valued profession as it used to be. Money attracts talent whether we like it or not. Because I'd been in the schools for all those years and I did have an agenda. Yeah. And I remember at one time I had 29 schools that I was kind of responsible for. Yeah. And another board member from Orem had nine. So there were some inequalities that I saw there. So finally when it was time for the buses to come, they couldn't get up there. So the kids had to stay at school overnight. Oh wow. Well, there's been a need for a while. Yeah. And I know that the district was very much opposed to a split. Yeah. And I know there was a lot of fear associated with that. Will we keep our benefits? Well, you know, will we have an opportunity to what's going to happen? And the suicide rate at Herman went through the roof. And so they needed—it was a good thing for them, too. Yeah. So smaller is better. Yeah. And when you're closer to the people that you serve, you can do a better job. I mean, we can make decisions very quickly here, right? You know, pivot left or right. Sure. But a big corporation, you know, there's benefits to a big corporation, but as far as moving quickly, that's not something you typically think of. Exactly. I left many meetings in tears. I really did because I remember maybe this is getting a little bit personal but I remember a meeting and it was at Meadow Elementary. Oh, okay. And we were discussing the remodel of Lehi High School. And I knew that my patrons did not want another remodel of Lehi High School. And one of the board members that was there with us, there was about five of us, said, "We don't need them." The superintendent looked a little flushed and he says, "Yeah, we do. Why would we give them a tax break when they're bringing—" and it was a housing development. Yeah. Help fund the schools, right? You know, we actually do need an impact fee for education. Do we—I am very much in favor of an impact fee. We have a lot of developers in our legislature. Grandma, we're going to have butterflies right outside our school. They're more—they're probably the most important component in our society there is. And so it's good that these conversations are being had on how to improve things and make things better. And I had heard that they were going to tear it down and put a car wash there. Oh. And I was horrified to think that that would happen. And then we went through the beanie baby phase. Yeah. Okay. And that was an interesting experiment. Yeah. Because it got so popular that we would not put out our new beanie babies until Saturday morning. And then people who we knew would come to buy the new beanies, they had to draw paper out of a basket for their place in line to go in and buy beanies. Oh, it was just incredible. Yeah. Wow. So, I've never seen such a phenomenon. Yeah. And luckily, we had bought enough of Ty Warner's other plush that we could buy what we wanted. And he was really restrictive. I mean, within a certain area, you could only have this many Beanie Baby stores. So, he knew what he was doing. Obviously, a marketing genius. I would love to buy it. Mhm. And I will make it a replica of the old building. He wasn't going to make a car wash. Car wash gone. Yeah. Okay. Good. Good. So, it turned out it turned out great. Mrs. Miller was driving this convertible and Larry was in the back of the convertible hanging on for his dear life. I guess my mom was an incredibly hard worker and she loved people. Mhm. And she wrote the paper. She did the layouts for the paper. She kept the books for the paper. She was our number one cheerleader for Lehi. People loved her for it. And we got probably three or four hundred subscriptions after publishing that because people in Lehi want to know what's going on. And what I found is that people want to know. Yeah. And the more they know, the better decisions they make about things. I mean, you have to have the information to make a correct decision. And we've tried. I mean, it's very important to me that what we print is right. Yeah. And objective. I frankly, we need more of that. I mean, you know, if we all live in our little echo chambers, that doesn't help anybody. You never know what to believe. Yeah. On social media, especially now with AI and you can make videos of people doing different things. It's like, okay, this isn't real anymore. You know, I can't believe my eyes on different things. I, you know, crazy. The reason I like a hard copy is we can do more. Yes. And there's something legitimate about holding a newspaper. It just feels better. I can't let my little ones out on the front lawn because the roads are too busy. Yeah. And that makes me very sad. I mean a Costco for heaven's sakes. Who would have thought? I think we are woefully under what we should have for open space regional parks. I will be damned if everything I love about Lehi is ruined so Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs people can have a faster route to the freeway. She says, you know, I couldn't live like that. I couldn't live in a community that's work, live, play. Emphasize what makes Lehi good. Ryan Harding: I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together, we're what makes Lehi feel like home. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Soul of a Small Town Lehi Utah Farmland Education History Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Lehi Utah history podcast interview covering farmland development, Ivory Ridge history, Skyridge High School land history, education reform, Beanie Baby craze, local journalism, and community preservation in Lehi, Utah. Lehi Utah history. Lehi farmland development. Skyridge High School land history. Ivory Ridge Lehi origins. Lehi school district history. Utah teaching history. Beanie Baby craze local business Utah. Lehi newspaper history. Lehi community stories podcast. Utah County development history. Preserving historic buildings Lehi. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Be a Guest Contact

Kate Daly: Miss Lehi, Roundup Week & Community Service | Roots & Branches

Kate Daly shares her lifelong Lehi, Utah story through the Miss Lehi Scholarship Program and Lehi Roundup Week. A community leader on tradition, pageantry, and growth.

Kate Daly on Miss Lehi, Roundup Week, and a Lifetime of Community Service

Who Is Kate Daly, and Why Does Her Story Matter?

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Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

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Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

The Circus on the Soccer Field

A Living Room Full of Miss Lehi Hopefuls

From Stage Manager to Director

The COVID Queen's Path to Miss Utah

Behind the Scenes at Roundup Week

Moving the Monday Concert

A Small-Town Girl in a Big Town

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

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Kate Daly Miss Lehi Roundup Week Community Service Lehi Utah History Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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A conversation with a lifelong Lehi resident about pageantry, tradition, neighborhood floats, and keeping small-town spirit alive in a city of 93,000.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Kate Daly , a lifelong Lehi resident whose life has become deeply intertwined with the traditions, events, and people that define this rapidly growing Utah city. Born and raised in Lehi, Kate has lived in nearly every corner of town and now dedicates countless hours to preserving the community's heritage through two of its most beloved institutions: the Miss Lehi Scholarship Program and Lehi Roundup Week .

Kate's story offers a rare window into Lehi, Utah history from the perspective of someone who remembers when the city's first stoplight went in, when the circus pitched its big red tent on the field where the Legacy Center now stands, and when McDonald's was still a new arrival. Her memories capture a version of Lehi that longtime residents cherish while her current leadership helps bridge that past with a future that now includes 93,000 neighbors.

For anyone interested in Lehi community events , Miss Lehi pageant history, Roundup parade traditions , youth programs , or the challenge of balancing small-town values with modern growth, this interview is both an oral history and a call to get involved. Whether you are a newcomer trying to understand Lehi's culture or a longtime resident who remembers pedaling paper floats down Main Street, Kate's voice will remind you why this city's roots run deep.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Kate Daly

Director of the Miss Lehi Scholarship Program (since 2013); Chairperson of Lehi Roundup Week (since 2019); Lifelong community volunteer

1990s childhood, 2000s–2020s community involvement, modern Lehi growth era

Ryan Harding

Kate remembers a time before the Legacy Center dominated the west side of Lehi, when the land was an open soccer field. Each year, the circus and carnival would arrive, erecting a big red tent that Kate recalls as "magical." This memory anchors a piece of Lehi history that has vanished under new development, showing how quickly the physical landscape has transformed while the cultural calendar remains.

Kate's parents ran a music studio offering vocal and piano lessons, and her father wrote for the Lehi Free Press. Contestants regularly came to their home to practice talent pieces, refine resumes, and rehearse interview answers. As a child, Kate watched from the living room as these young women encouraged her, telling her she could one day join the program. Those moments shaped her belief that Miss Lehi is about mentorship as much as crowns.

Kate became the director of the Miss Lehi Scholarship Program in 2013, following in the footsteps of her mother, who had also directed the program. She describes the challenge of preserving tradition while adapting to a "new age" of pageantry, including streaming competitions, introducing fitness wear instead of swimsuits, and allowing partnered talents such as cheerleading and ballroom dance.

Lindsay Larson, Miss Lehi 2019, served an extended reign through the pandemic before competing as Miss Utah County and ultimately winning Miss Utah. Kate tells the story with pride, emphasizing that local chapters like Lehi can launch young women to state and national stages. The legacy wall at the Legacy Center now honors this lineage of queens, donated by former director Jean Hatch and her husband Jerry.

Appointed in 2019, Kate now chairs Roundup Week, working alongside city event manager Mel Hansen and a network of committees. She details the months of preparation that begin each January or February: scheduling entertainers, coordinating with parks and streets departments, managing wristbands and attendance clickers, and deciding whether beloved traditions can stretch to accommodate a city that has outgrown its original venues.

One of the most consequential recent decisions was moving the Monday Roundup concert from Wines Park to the new Family Park. The change stirred mixed emotions among longtime residents, but Kate explains the necessity of accommodating larger crowds. It exemplifies the central tension she navigates: honoring tradition while making room for the thousands of new families who now call Lehi home.

Kate closes with a reflection on why she stays in Lehi. She loves the grocery-store greetings, the Roundup reunions with old classmates, and the Hallmark-movie quality of a place where you know your neighbors. Her dream of eventually running for mayor underscores a life philosophy: community service is not an obligation but an identity.

This interview preserves valuable details about how Lehi has physically and culturally evolved. Here are key historical takeaways:

Kate's interview reflects broader values that have shaped Lehi's identity through decades of change:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related stories to deepen your understanding of the community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Ryan Harding: Welcome Kate Daly to Roots and Branches of Lehi. And we're excited to have you here. Get to know you a little bit better.

Kate Daly: Thank you. I'm happy to be here.

Ryan Harding: Yeah. All the different things you're doing, right? You know, very much like you just said, you're live here, work here, go to church here, pageantry here, all these different things, right?

Kate Daly: Okay. Okay. Well, so let's get to know you first. So, tell me like uh did you grow up here? Where you from originally?

Kate Daly: Born and raised here actually. Born and raised in Lehi. I've kind of lived in every part of Lehi throughout my childhood and I ended up living or buying a home on the west side. So, I'm out there.

Ryan Harding: Okay. And how how long ago did you buy that home? What?

Kate Daly: Uh 2017, I believe. Okay. Yeah. So, I'm in a condo in a nice community out there. Perfect. Love it. It's definitely busy. I'm I live right on Main Street, so I hear all the traffic. I hear all the things, but love it. But love it. Good. Okay. And tell me what it was like uh you know, let's let's go back to your childhood, I guess, a little bit. Tell me what it was like to live here, cuz obviously it was much smaller then. Very small.

Ryan Harding: I mean, you're not you're not, you know, old here, but like we're not talking, you know, but I mean, it was smaller than than it is now, right? So,

Kate Daly: yeah, it was definitely I mean, I remember when the stoplight was put in. Okay. I remember when the McDonald's was brought up. I remember. Yeah, it was it was a different time then. And it was definitely I don't easier to live. It was definitely easier to be in the neighborhoods and not come home until dark when the street lights come on. Like definitely a '90s kid running around. So, yeah. Any, you know, any good memories from that childhood time, I guess, that stand out to you as far as, you know, related to the city and, you know, growing up years and different like just explaining kind of what it was like back then? I mean, I've always been involved in the Roundup parade. I was a float puller. I was a banner carrier. I never got to ride on the float. I was never privy to that, but I got to do everything else. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, yeah, probably Roundup is probably a big childhood memory and just going to all the things, all the We used to have in the place of the Legacy Center, there was a soccer field. Okay. And the carnival used to come, the circus used to come. So I remember a big red tent would be here and it was magical. It was awesome. Oh, that's good. Yeah.

Ryan Harding: And and tell me your thoughts on obviously, you know, Lehi has grown, right? And and tell me your thoughts on on that part, I guess, of things, you know.

Kate Daly: I mean, it was bound to happen. We have a beautiful land. We have great community leaders and we have a lot of things to offer. Yeah. I don't think I expected it to grow this much though. Okay. As I was coming home from a trip a couple weeks ago, my friend and I were checking the population of different towns on our way home from St. George. And we're at 93,000. Yeah. And that blows my mind because that was not what I grew up with in high school or what I was born in when I, you know. Yeah. So, I think it just is surprising, but it's also very exciting. Sure. Yeah. Traffic is not my favorite, of course. And you always have to plan a little extra time. Yeah. But honestly, like being involved in Miss Lehigh, being involved in the rodeo, it definitely changes your perspective on the community and you get to see a lot more people. You get to learn about new people. You get to learn about different cultures. You get to kind of expand on what the tradition was and how we can grow with it.

Ryan Harding: Yeah. Yeah. No, I love that. Um and and it's a good positive way to look. I mean obviously nobody likes the extra traffic and stuff like that and leaders are working on that and I get that it's a long process and so you know we don't need to talk about that today but but I like your positive parts about you know hey with the growth has come some of these opportunities that maybe wouldn't have been here so okay so let's talk about the you know the pageantry and stuff like that right so so for somebody that doesn't understand you know what it is and stuff like that just talk to me about what Miss Lehi is what goes into that Sure give me a little background I guess of of that.

Kate Daly: Sure. So, we are a local chapter of the Miss America opportunity where states have local chapters of different titles where you could be a city, you could be a county, you could be an open pageant where you don't really have too many restrictions on who can and cannot compete. For us as a local chapter of Lehi, you have to work, go to school, or live in Lehi in order to compete. And this is an opportunity for young women 18 to 28 to win scholarship money, to learn how to interview, to learn resume skills, to learn people skills, and to have a a platform that they're passionate about. Every contestant has to have a community service outreach. Whether that be they want a local food pantry, they want to partner with another organization or they just really care about, you know, a different organization. And each contestant brings their own unique service opportunity to the local chapter, which is really exciting.

Ryan Harding: Yeah. Yeah. No, that's very exciting. And how long has that been around for, Miss Lee? You know, uh 80 80 years, I want to say. A good amount of time. Yeah. Okay.

Kate Daly: I think so. And and so is it something that where is there like advancement like hey if they win here then they also try you know on the state level correct you know regional level I you know yeah so if whoever wins Miss Lehi serves Lehigh city for a year and then they'll go to Miss Utah in June. Okay. If they win Miss Utah then they'll go to nationals which is Miss America in September which is very exciting. So, our current Miss Lehi, Jennifer Connelly, she is working with the community, serving, doing her community service outreach, and she will be preparing from now until June when she competes at Miss Utah. Okay, that's awesome. Yeah.

Ryan Harding: And and uh have we had anybody from from Lehi that you know of that has gone on to to state?

Kate Daly: We have. Yeah. So, Miss Lehi 2019, she was our COVID queen. So she served from 2019 to 2021. Lindsay Larson. She didn't win as Miss Lehi, but she won as Miss Utah County. So her first year she went as Miss Lehi and won first runner up, maybe second runner up. Okay. And then she came back a year later as Miss Utah County. Okay. And won the title with Miss Utah. So we were very, very proud. Hey, that's our girl. Yeah, exactly. We've also had a Miss Lehigh uh get in the top five in the last couple of years. So yeah. Yeah. We've had talent award winners. We've had prelim. We've had Yeah, we've had great great wins.

Ryan Harding: And and and so if we anybody's been to the Lehigh Legacy Center, there's a bunch of pictures on the wall. We have the legacy wall. Yeah. Okay. So that's them and stuff like that. That's all of our queens. Yep. Okay. That's awesome. For and and there's a lot there. There is. Yeah. So that's been around for a while. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah.

Kate Daly: That was donated by Jean and Jerry Hatch. Jean was a former Miss Leehigh director. Okay. She's also a former Miss Utah director or producer. And yeah, her and her husband donated that and we get to carry on the tradition and add our next queen after she serves the city. That's awesome. Yeah.

Ryan Harding: So now, is this something that, you know, anybody can participate in? I mean, how many people do you get participating in this? How do people find out about, you know, participating in this? I mean,

Kate Daly: sure. I'm not sure if everybody knows. They may know this exists, but they don't know exactly. Well, okay. How do I, you know, because if I want to play soccer, okay, you know, I sign up for the Legacy Center to go to soccer. But is this something they can also just sign up for? How does that work?

Kate Daly: They can't. Yeah. So, you have to be 18 to 28 years old. You have to be a young woman in the community. You have to live here, go to school full-time, or work here part or work here full-time in the city of Lehi. So, we're looking for someone in the community and we do a lot of workshops. We do a lot of events where we show people who are interested, here's the board, here's all the things that we want to do for you and with you and here's the competition. So, we'll start that probably in February where we'll start advertising all of our workshop dates, advertising dates and times. Yeah. So, anybody, any young woman 18 to 28.

Ryan Harding: And so, let's say they, so let's say they sign up. Then, what's the process? How many hours? What's the time commitment on some of these things?

Kate Daly: Uh, we try to make it easy where we're we're only getting with the girls or young women once a month. We don't want to take up too much of their time. Correct. Yeah. We're not looking to invade their already busy schedule, but we like to help them prepare for interview. We like to help them prepare on their paperwork, get head shot done, and just kind of guide them and help them grow for a couple of months before the competition, okay, happens. So, yeah. So, if they sign up, then they'll meet the board, they'll meet me, they'll meet our current Miss Lehi, and we'll just kind of work with them from now until June when we have our competition.

Ryan Harding: Okay. And do you ever and like what's an average size group that you get in this?

Kate Daly: Oh, yes. I think I've had anywhere from five to 12 contestants. Okay. Okay. So really that's not super huge. I mean so really no there's a lot of opportunity. There's a lot of opportunity. Yeah. And we are one of the highest giving scholarship local chapters in Utah. Okay. So we love Lehigh City. We are grateful for our partnership with them and grateful for their their belief in us. Yeah. So really any but any anybody that participates has a high likelihood of getting some of that scholarship. Correct. Yeah. Even the runners up in the royalty, they also get a a scholarship award. Yeah.

Ryan Harding: And and and I'm assuming the scholarship is for school then or for school. Yep. And that can be a trade school, that could be traditional school. Yeah. Okay. As long as it's an accredited college or or university. Yeah. Or school, I should say. Yeah.

Ryan Harding: And so then assuming they win, what's the time commitment then for that next year? Is this uh you know how much how much time do they end up spending you know on something like this once they

Kate Daly: So we kind of give them full reign of here's your service project or your service initiative that you want to provide to the community and you run with it. So that could be they want to do a service project. They want to do a 5K. They want to put on a concert. We put that into their hands. The other side of it is we are kind of at the hands of Lehigh City and we work very closely with our community events manager and say, "Okay, where do you need us? Where can we help?" And we help at uh I mean the girls just did the Halloween at Legacy Center. We're about to do the Main Street trickor treat and handing out candy. And it's really just every month there's there's an event that we are involved in whether we are helping, attending, yeah, kind of doing whatever.

Ryan Harding: Okay. And so they're involved in all those Lehi events. Absolutely.

Ryan Harding: And and and what's like so at the Halloween one that we just had, what was what was the role of of the the queen there?

Kate Daly: They welcomed them at they welcome the kids at the entrance. They helped uh take tickets. They helped walk around and make sure that other booths were working properly and just seeing if anybody needed anything. Okay. Do they walk around with the crown, too? Walk around with the crown. Crown. Oh, yeah. It's a big deal. Yeah. Everybody knows when Miss Lehi is in the room. Correct. Yes. Okay, let's give her her props, right? Exactly. So, red carpet rolling out. Oh, yeah. And Jennifer will wears it very well. Yes.

Ryan Harding: Good. That's awesome. Any You know, so you've been doing this for how long? Uh, I've been the director since 2013. 2013. Okay.

Kate Daly: Yeah. But I was the stage manager before that. Okay. So, really, you've been associated with this program for a very long time. My whole life, actually. Okay. Yeah.

Ryan Harding: Okay. Any, you know, any stories stand out from from that experience? you know, any experiences you've had, you know, either with the the queen or with, you know, the community, you know, things that stand out from that that time that you've been able to to do in here.

Kate Daly: Yeah. Uh, like I said, I've been involved my whole life. My parents used to run a studio where they did vocal lessons and piano lessons. So, girls who were trying out back in the day, they would come to my parents and say, "Hey, I want to do this. Will you work with me?" My dad used to also write for the newspaper, the Lehigh Free Press, back in its day. and he would help them with interview questions. He would help them with their resume and make sure that grammar was proper. Yeah. So, I remember as a kid just waiting in the living room for so and so contestant to come to the house and go through either the wardrobe, go through their talent, go through an a mock interview. And I just those girls really swept me up and just held me under their wing and it was like, "Yeah, you can do this too. You can be a part of this program. You can, you know, be whatever you want to be." So, I remember as a little girl just looking up to these amazing women and women who I still know today and a lot of them live in this community, which is amazing that I get to see my favorite Miss Lehi, you know, every so often. But being the director, it's been a really cool experience. My mom actually was a former director as well. Oh, really? So, that transition of, okay, well, this is what mom used to do. Okay, what do I need to do now? How do I make this better? How do I keep that tradition but do it in, you know, the new age of of where we are? Yeah. So, I would say kind of every girl or every queen I've had has had their own unique experience. Whether it was an event that they created, whether it was an event that we got to be together at, we made memories with it. Just I don't know. I've had a I've had a beautiful experience with each queen that I've had. Good. Yeah.

Ryan Harding: Have you seen things change? You know, obviously the world continues to change, right? Definitely.

Ryan Harding: So, so you know, and I don't know how much technology plays in some of these things, but just in general, the world, what what changes have you seen over the last, you know, 10, 20 years here?

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Kate Daly Role in Lehi Director of the Miss Lehi Scholarship Program (since 2013); Chairperson of Lehi Roundup Week (since 2019); Lifelong community volunteer Time Periods Discussed 1990s childhood, 2000s–2020s community involvement, modern Lehi growth era Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview The Circus on the Soccer Field Kate remembers a time before the Legacy Center dominated the west side of Lehi, when the land was an open soccer field. Each year, the circus and carnival would arrive, erecting a big red tent that Kate recalls as "magical." This memory anchors a piece of Lehi history that has vanished under new development, showing how quickly the physical landscape has transformed while the cultural calendar remains. A Living Room Full of Miss Lehi Hopefuls Kate's parents ran a music studio offering vocal and piano lessons, and her father wrote for the Lehi Free Press. Contestants regularly came to their home to practice talent pieces, refine resumes, and rehearse interview answers. As a child, Kate watched from the living room as these young women encouraged her, telling her she could one day join the program. Those moments shaped her belief that Miss Lehi is about mentorship as much as crowns. From Stage Manager to Director Kate became the director of the Miss Lehi Scholarship Program in 2013, following in the footsteps of her mother, who had also directed the program. She describes the challenge of preserving tradition while adapting to a "new age" of pageantry, including streaming competitions, introducing fitness wear instead of swimsuits, and allowing partnered talents such as cheerleading and ballroom dance. The COVID Queen's Path to Miss Utah Lindsay Larson, Miss Lehi 2019, served an extended reign through the pandemic before competing as Miss Utah County and ultimately winning Miss Utah. Kate tells the story with pride, emphasizing that local chapters like Lehi can launch young women to state and national stages. The legacy wall at the Legacy Center now honors this lineage of queens, donated by former director Jean Hatch and her husband Jerry. Behind the Scenes at Roundup Week Appointed in 2019, Kate now chairs Roundup Week, working alongside city event manager Mel Hansen and a network of committees. She details the months of preparation that begin each January or February: scheduling entertainers, coordinating with parks and streets departments, managing wristbands and attendance clickers, and deciding whether beloved traditions can stretch to accommodate a city that has outgrown its original venues. Moving the Monday Concert One of the most consequential recent decisions was moving the Monday Roundup concert from Wines Park to the new Family Park. The change stirred mixed emotions among longtime residents, but Kate explains the necessity of accommodating larger crowds. It exemplifies the central tension she navigates: honoring tradition while making room for the thousands of new families who now call Lehi home. A Small-Town Girl in a Big Town Kate closes with a reflection on why she stays in Lehi. She loves the grocery-store greetings, the Roundup reunions with old classmates, and the Hallmark-movie quality of a place where you know your neighbors. Her dream of eventually running for mayor underscores a life philosophy: community service is not an obligation but an identity. History Historical Insights About Lehi This interview preserves valuable details about how Lehi has physically and culturally evolved. Here are key historical takeaways: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Kate's interview reflects broader values that have shaped Lehi's identity through decades of change: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics & Episodes This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related stories to deepen your understanding of the community: Visual Archive Photo & Visual Archive Suggestions To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Ryan Harding: Welcome Kate Daly to Roots and Branches of Lehi. And we're excited to have you here. Get to know you a little bit better. Kate Daly: Thank you. I'm happy to be here. Ryan Harding: Yeah. All the different things you're doing, right? You know, very much like you just said, you're live here, work here, go to church here, pageantry here, all these different things, right? Kate Daly: Okay. Okay. Well, so let's get to know you first. So, tell me like uh did you grow up here? Where you from originally? Kate Daly: Born and raised here actually. Born and raised in Lehi. I've kind of lived in every part of Lehi throughout my childhood and I ended up living or buying a home on the west side. So, I'm out there. Ryan Harding: Okay. And how how long ago did you buy that home? What? Kate Daly: Uh 2017, I believe. Okay. Yeah. So, I'm in a condo in a nice community out there. Perfect. Love it. It's definitely busy. I'm I live right on Main Street, so I hear all the traffic. I hear all the things, but love it. But love it. Good. Okay. And tell me what it was like uh you know, let's let's go back to your childhood, I guess, a little bit. Tell me what it was like to live here, cuz obviously it was much smaller then. Very small. Ryan Harding: I mean, you're not you're not, you know, old here, but like we're not talking, you know, but I mean, it was smaller than than it is now, right? So, Kate Daly: yeah, it was definitely I mean, I remember when the stoplight was put in. Okay. I remember when the McDonald's was brought up. I remember. Yeah, it was it was a different time then. And it was definitely I don't easier to live. It was definitely easier to be in the neighborhoods and not come home until dark when the street lights come on. Like definitely a '90s kid running around. So, yeah. Any, you know, any good memories from that childhood time, I guess, that stand out to you as far as, you know, related to the city and, you know, growing up years and different like just explaining kind of what it was like back then? I mean, I've always been involved in the Roundup parade. I was a float puller. I was a banner carrier. I never got to ride on the float. I was never privy to that, but I got to do everything else. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, yeah, probably Roundup is probably a big childhood memory and just going to all the things, all the We used to have in the place of the Legacy Center, there was a soccer field. Okay. And the carnival used to come, the circus used to come. So I remember a big red tent would be here and it was magical. It was awesome. Oh, that's good. Yeah. Ryan Harding: And and tell me your thoughts on obviously, you know, Lehi has grown, right? And and tell me your thoughts on on that part, I guess, of things, you know. Kate Daly: I mean, it was bound to happen. We have a beautiful land. We have great community leaders and we have a lot of things to offer. Yeah. I don't think I expected it to grow this much though. Okay. As I was coming home from a trip a couple weeks ago, my friend and I were checking the population of different towns on our way home from St. George. And we're at 93,000. Yeah. And that blows my mind because that was not what I grew up with in high school or what I was born in when I, you know. Yeah. So, I think it just is surprising, but it's also very exciting. Sure. Yeah. Traffic is not my favorite, of course. And you always have to plan a little extra time. Yeah. But honestly, like being involved in Miss Lehigh, being involved in the rodeo, it definitely changes your perspective on the community and you get to see a lot more people. You get to learn about new people. You get to learn about different cultures. You get to kind of expand on what the tradition was and how we can grow with it. Ryan Harding: Yeah. Yeah. No, I love that. Um and and it's a good positive way to look. I mean obviously nobody likes the extra traffic and stuff like that and leaders are working on that and I get that it's a long process and so you know we don't need to talk about that today but but I like your positive parts about you know hey with the growth has come some of these opportunities that maybe wouldn't have been here so okay so let's talk about the you know the pageantry and stuff like that right so so for somebody that doesn't understand you know what it is and stuff like that just talk to me about what Miss Lehi is what goes into that Sure give me a little background I guess of of that. Kate Daly: Sure. So, we are a local chapter of the Miss America opportunity where states have local chapters of different titles where you could be a city, you could be a county, you could be an open pageant where you don't really have too many restrictions on who can and cannot compete. For us as a local chapter of Lehi, you have to work, go to school, or live in Lehi in order to compete. And this is an opportunity for young women 18 to 28 to win scholarship money, to learn how to interview, to learn resume skills, to learn people skills, and to have a a platform that they're passionate about. Every contestant has to have a community service outreach. Whether that be they want a local food pantry, they want to partner with another organization or they just really care about, you know, a different organization. And each contestant brings their own unique service opportunity to the local chapter, which is really exciting. Ryan Harding: Yeah. Yeah. No, that's very exciting. And how long has that been around for, Miss Lee? You know, uh 80 80 years, I want to say. A good amount of time. Yeah. Okay. Kate Daly: I think so. And and so is it something that where is there like advancement like hey if they win here then they also try you know on the state level correct you know regional level I you know yeah so if whoever wins Miss Lehi serves Lehigh city for a year and then they'll go to Miss Utah in June. Okay. If they win Miss Utah then they'll go to nationals which is Miss America in September which is very exciting. So, our current Miss Lehi, Jennifer Connelly, she is working with the community, serving, doing her community service outreach, and she will be preparing from now until June when she competes at Miss Utah. Okay, that's awesome. Yeah. Ryan Harding: And and uh have we had anybody from from Lehi that you know of that has gone on to to state? Kate Daly: We have. Yeah. So, Miss Lehi 2019, she was our COVID queen. So she served from 2019 to 2021. Lindsay Larson. She didn't win as Miss Lehi, but she won as Miss Utah County. So her first year she went as Miss Lehi and won first runner up, maybe second runner up. Okay. And then she came back a year later as Miss Utah County. Okay. And won the title with Miss Utah. So we were very, very proud. Hey, that's our girl. Yeah, exactly. We've also had a Miss Lehigh uh get in the top five in the last couple of years. So yeah. Yeah. We've had talent award winners. We've had prelim. We've had Yeah, we've had great great wins. Ryan Harding: And and and so if we anybody's been to the Lehigh Legacy Center, there's a bunch of pictures on the wall. We have the legacy wall. Yeah. Okay. So that's them and stuff like that. That's all of our queens. Yep. Okay. That's awesome. For and and there's a lot there. There is. Yeah. So that's been around for a while. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Kate Daly: That was donated by Jean and Jerry Hatch. Jean was a former Miss Leehigh director. Okay. She's also a former Miss Utah director or producer. And yeah, her and her husband donated that and we get to carry on the tradition and add our next queen after she serves the city. That's awesome. Yeah. Ryan Harding: So now, is this something that, you know, anybody can participate in? I mean, how many people do you get participating in this? How do people find out about, you know, participating in this? I mean, Kate Daly: sure. I'm not sure if everybody knows. They may know this exists, but they don't know exactly. Well, okay. How do I, you know, because if I want to play soccer, okay, you know, I sign up for the Legacy Center to go to soccer. But is this something they can also just sign up for? How does that work? Kate Daly: They can't. Yeah. So, you have to be 18 to 28 years old. You have to be a young woman in the community. You have to live here, go to school full-time, or work here part or work here full-time in the city of Lehi. So, we're looking for someone in the community and we do a lot of workshops. We do a lot of events where we show people who are interested, here's the board, here's all the things that we want to do for you and with you and here's the competition. So, we'll start that probably in February where we'll start advertising all of our workshop dates, advertising dates and times. Yeah. So, anybody, any young woman 18 to 28. Ryan Harding: And so, let's say they, so let's say they sign up. Then, what's the process? How many hours? What's the time commitment on some of these things? Kate Daly: Uh, we try to make it easy where we're we're only getting with the girls or young women once a month. We don't want to take up too much of their time. Correct. Yeah. We're not looking to invade their already busy schedule, but we like to help them prepare for interview. We like to help them prepare on their paperwork, get head shot done, and just kind of guide them and help them grow for a couple of months before the competition, okay, happens. So, yeah. So, if they sign up, then they'll meet the board, they'll meet me, they'll meet our current Miss Lehi, and we'll just kind of work with them from now until June when we have our competition. Ryan Harding: Okay. And do you ever and like what's an average size group that you get in this? Kate Daly: Oh, yes. I think I've had anywhere from five to 12 contestants. Okay. Okay. So really that's not super huge. I mean so really no there's a lot of opportunity. There's a lot of opportunity. Yeah. And we are one of the highest giving scholarship local chapters in Utah. Okay. So we love Lehigh City. We are grateful for our partnership with them and grateful for their their belief in us. Yeah. So really any but any anybody that participates has a high likelihood of getting some of that scholarship. Correct. Yeah. Even the runners up in the royalty, they also get a a scholarship award. Yeah. Ryan Harding: And and and I'm assuming the scholarship is for school then or for school. Yep. And that can be a trade school, that could be traditional school. Yeah. Okay. As long as it's an accredited college or or university. Yeah. Or school, I should say. Yeah. Ryan Harding: And so then assuming they win, what's the time commitment then for that next year? Is this uh you know how much how much time do they end up spending you know on something like this once they Kate Daly: So we kind of give them full reign of here's your service project or your service initiative that you want to provide to the community and you run with it. So that could be they want to do a service project. They want to do a 5K. They want to put on a concert. We put that into their hands. The other side of it is we are kind of at the hands of Lehigh City and we work very closely with our community events manager and say, "Okay, where do you need us? Where can we help?" And we help at uh I mean the girls just did the Halloween at Legacy Center. We're about to do the Main Street trickor treat and handing out candy. And it's really just every month there's there's an event that we are involved in whether we are helping, attending, yeah, kind of doing whatever. Ryan Harding: Okay. And so they're involved in all those Lehi events. Absolutely. Ryan Harding: And and and what's like so at the Halloween one that we just had, what was what was the role of of the the queen there? Kate Daly: They welcomed them at they welcome the kids at the entrance. They helped uh take tickets. They helped walk around and make sure that other booths were working properly and just seeing if anybody needed anything. Okay. Do they walk around with the crown, too? Walk around with the crown. Crown. Oh, yeah. It's a big deal. Yeah. Everybody knows when Miss Lehi is in the room. Correct. Yes. Okay, let's give her her props, right? Exactly. So, red carpet rolling out. Oh, yeah. And Jennifer will wears it very well. Yes. Ryan Harding: Good. That's awesome. Any You know, so you've been doing this for how long? Uh, I've been the director since 2013. 2013. Okay. Kate Daly: Yeah. But I was the stage manager before that. Okay. So, really, you've been associated with this program for a very long time. My whole life, actually. Okay. Yeah. Ryan Harding: Okay. Any, you know, any stories stand out from from that experience? you know, any experiences you've had, you know, either with the the queen or with, you know, the community, you know, things that stand out from that that time that you've been able to to do in here. Kate Daly: Yeah. Uh, like I said, I've been involved my whole life. My parents used to run a studio where they did vocal lessons and piano lessons. So, girls who were trying out back in the day, they would come to my parents and say, "Hey, I want to do this. Will you work with me?" My dad used to also write for the newspaper, the Lehigh Free Press, back in its day. and he would help them with interview questions. He would help them with their resume and make sure that grammar was proper. Yeah. So, I remember as a kid just waiting in the living room for so and so contestant to come to the house and go through either the wardrobe, go through their talent, go through an a mock interview. And I just those girls really swept me up and just held me under their wing and it was like, "Yeah, you can do this too. You can be a part of this program. You can, you know, be whatever you want to be." So, I remember as a little girl just looking up to these amazing women and women who I still know today and a lot of them live in this community, which is amazing that I get to see my favorite Miss Lehi, you know, every so often. But being the director, it's been a really cool experience. My mom actually was a former director as well. Oh, really? So, that transition of, okay, well, this is what mom used to do. Okay, what do I need to do now? How do I make this better? How do I keep that tradition but do it in, you know, the new age of of where we are? Yeah. So, I would say kind of every girl or every queen I've had has had their own unique experience. Whether it was an event that they created, whether it was an event that we got to be together at, we made memories with it. Just I don't know. I've had a I've had a beautiful experience with each queen that I've had. Good. Yeah. Ryan Harding: Have you seen things change? You know, obviously the world continues to change, right? Definitely. Ryan Harding: So, so you know, and I don't know how much technology plays in some of these things, but just in general, the world, what what changes have you seen over the last, you know, 10, 20 years here? Kate Daly: Yeah, very grateful for technology now where we can see the pageant even when it's, you know, not when we're not in person, right? So, a lot of technology as far as streaming, broadcasting, all of that. A lot of the talents have changed. We're not so limited in a performable talent. There's now a lot of her stories which is a a personal monologue. So it's not, you know, reading a piece done by a playwright, but it's here is my story. Here's why I need to tell you this. So we have her stories, we have partners. Now you can perform a talent with a partner. So cheerleading, ballroom dancing, those types of things. You can now have a partner be included in your talent, which hasn't been the case in the last couple of years. So yeah, definitely has grown and changed. We also used to have a swimsuit portion of the competition. We now have a fitness portion. So it's more of modeling an ambassador brand that we work with. So, Rebel Red Wear, we have the contestants purchase an outfit that they feel is speaking to their personality and then they model that and that's that's the health and fitness portion. It also comes with a voice over of what makes them fit, why they, you know, or what they do to strive to be healthy and how they fit that brand. So, yeah, definitely has changed. Ryan Harding: Yeah. Yeah. Those are quite a few changes then. Yeah. Mhm. Uh, you know. Okay. Yeah. So, you know, you mentioned an average size group is, you know, 5 to 12, I guess, you know, kind of thing. So, how do you how do you end up picking who wins the, you know, how like cuz that's got to be a little tough, I'm guessing, right? Kate Daly: Yeah, that's a great question. I have nothing to do with picking the winner. Okay. Nothing to do with it. So, we have a list of people in the pageant world that have been certified to be judges and anybody can become a judge. If you want to, I can send you the link. And you basically take a training that says this is how we judge. This is these are the areas. This is the scale 1 to 10. This is what you know average is. And we get a list of five judges. my judges chair. She will pick five people that don't know any of my contestants. Okay? And those five people are the p or are the let me rephrase this. We have five judges that end up watching every portion of the competition and judge them on a scale from 1 to 10. And then those scores are composed and whoever is the highest scored person is the winner. Winner. Yeah. So I don't pick, my judges chair doesn't pick. We just pick five people that will do the do the scoring and the judging and we don't see those scores. We have nothing to do with those. So good. So trying to be as impartial. Exactly. I do go in front of the judges at the beginning of the day and say, "Hey, this is the type of girl that I'm looking for. This is the type of girl my city needs. This is the type of person that we need for this year." And a lot of it is community focused. A lot of it is service-based and personality and, you know, I need someone that can talk to anybody. I need someone that can have a conversation and be the one to start the conversation. I need someone who can walk in a room and take charge. I can't have someone timid. I can't have someone too shy. And you know, like I said, with different experiences that I've had with all of my queens, growth is also a very big part where they started out as this beautiful person and they ended up as a bigger beautiful person at the end of their reign, which really is probably one of the main purposes of an organization like this, right? Is I mean, you know, none of us come, you know, fully processed, you know, individuals, right? I mean, exactly. And so the goal is I'm guessing Yeah. You're making somebody better, right? Totally. Yeah. We're helping them learn who they are, helping them grow in their own way. Yeah. Yeah. Cuz I mean, you know, not everybody's Some people are more timid and stuff like that, but if you can take that person that is more timid and then Yeah. put them in front of Halloween thing and okay, you got to greet people. You got to be the one. Literally. Yeah. You're the first person that they see. Yeah. Get ready. Yeah. Yeah. No, again, because it's very nice. And to have those conversations, that makes sense, right? I mean, because that's again what you have to you have to do. Yeah. She also has to be able to work with people, different people. You know, she works with me and my board and we are all very different, but we all come together for a one goal of, you know, getting the best Miss Lehi and then helping her in her progress towards Miss Utah, but then also having that new class of contestants coming in to then become the next Miss Lehi. So, yeah, we're constantly working with our girls. We're constantly working to improve, help, grow wherever we can. Ryan Harding: Yeah, that's great. And you kind of answered this a little bit, but but as far as Miss Lehi's impact on the broader community, how how do you feel like, you know, you're doing that or or is that happening? Kate Daly: Yeah, I feel like through their community service outreach, whether it's through their platform specifically or just doing city events, I feel like we're being seen. I feel like there's always eyes. There are always eyes on our Miss Lehi. Whether it's, you know, seen or unseen from us, you know. I feel like I get DMs all the time. Hey, your Miss Leehigh is so great. Thank you so much for having her at this event. Or, hey, look at this cute picture. Your Miss Lehigh was so kind to my daughter. Or, yeah, she's definitely in the spotlight at all times. And it's a very important role. So, I feel like we're seen by the community and um I definitely feel loved by the community and that outreach. Ryan Harding: Good. Any advice you would give to young girls that are, you know, maybe not quite of the age to do this, but you know, would be prepping for this or thinking about doing this, uh or maybe even on the fence about doing this and they're not, you know, this is should I do this? Is this something for me? What advice would you give to those young women? Kate Daly: We actually have a teen program as well. We have a Miss Lee Heis teen program. Okay. So that is for young women 13 to 16 and that is another great opportunity to learn about the Miss America opportunity and learn about resume skills, interview skills and being on a stage. So anytime you know somebody comes to me and says how do I start preparing? What do I look for? And I just my biggest advice is know who you are. know where you stand on things, whether that be political things or virtue things or or what or value things. It's know who you are because that's what we're looking for. We're looking for someone who can give what they have. I'm not looking for a cookie cutter version of anything. I need someone that can be different. I need someone that can show me who they are. So, I feel like the teen program is a great way to start if they're in that limbo age. just coming to different events, getting involved in the community already, getting a service project or a service platform that they are passionate about now. Start working with it. If you if you're so invested in this, why not start now? And we have a lot of Queens, former Queens who are still involved in their things, still involved in their service projects, still involved in their service initiative, whether that be their new job or that be, you know, something they do on the weekends. So definitely, you know, we look to say we try to encourage involvement. Just get involved. Just start hanging around. Start hanging out. Yeah. Yeah. Just Okay. I love that. Yeah. Ryan Harding: Uh, and I love that the queens still do their community initiatives even after they're they're done. I love that. I mean, obviously shows, you know, commitment to what they're doing despite no recognition for it, right? I mean, it's not like No, it's just become a part of become something they've enjoyed. Yeah. Which again, a good testament to your program, I guess, right? You know, because it's it's actually, if we go back to the purpose, you're trying to make better people and and somebody continues to do it, that seems like a good person. Kate Daly: Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. We've had Queens go through multiple school options and multiple degrees and now they're living their best life, doing their job that they've always wanted that, you know, started from being in their service opportunity, being in their service platform, and it just Yeah, it's really exciting to see. I love it. Good. Well, a fun question for you. So, so Miss Congeniality, you've seen that movie. Oh, very much. Yeah. Okay. So, it's one of my wives and you know, Sandra Bulock, great movie, right? Oh, it's a classic. It's a classic, right? So tell me how does so that you know compared to real life pageantry? Ryan Harding: Well, you know the biggest misconception is there's caddyy girls and while girls may have an attitude when they when they learn about who they are, when they learn about the board, when they learn those skills, I feel like that just kind of all goes out the window. I feel like we've been able to knock down some walls in people, board members as well. It's like, oh, they want to they want to be let in. I should let them in. Like, we can be family, you know? So, I definitely say that Catty Girls is not an actual thing that happens in pageant land. Maybe maybe some hard attitudes, but those fall away very quickly. Good. Good. But Miss Congeniality, we have that award in one of our awards. It is. Yep. And we have all of our contestants and board members compile a gift basket of just, you know, little knickknacks and things. And she also wins $100, which is, hey, thanks for being nice. Here's some money. Yeah. Yeah. But it's, you know, someone who says hi to everybody, someone who comes to the workshops, someone who has a good attitude, someone helpful. Yeah. So definitely that is still a part of the pageant land. Yeah. Okay. We love our Miss Congeniality for sure. Ryan Harding: Great. at uh that's good. Okay, we need you need to teach this younger generation to watch that movie then too. Oh my gosh, I know. I did interview uh uh the the Jennifer and uh and she hadn't seen that. The runner up had but I have failed. I know. I have failed as a pageant mother. Oh, no. I will get on that. Don't you fret. Sounds good. Thank you. Appreciate it. Ryan Harding: All right. Well, so moving on a little bit. So pageantry isn't the only thing you're doing, right? So you're also involved in the Lehigh Roundup. Yes. And you mentioned even such a young age that was something that you enjoyed. Always did. Yeah. Yeah. So tell me tell me your role in that I guess. What do you do there? Kate Daly: Yeah. So I am the chairperson. So I oversee the committee of the roundup week. Okay. I also work very closely with the CIA and the rodeo committee. So we are two separate but joined together. Okay. So the rodeo and the and you said the CIA. Yeah. Rodeo and the CIA do the rodeo portion and then I do the week. So all the events. Yeah. Okay. So I work closely with Mel Hansen at the at the city. Okay. And we have a incredible community that or community incredible committee who oversees the different events during the week. Okay. Yeah. Okay. So I'm I'm over them. Yeah. That's awesome. Yeah. Ryan Harding: And how did you get that position? How how long have you been doing that for? Kate Daly: Uh I was appointed by somebody and my name got floated up to Mel Hansen who's our event manager and she called me and was like, "Hey, so I know I work with you on the Miss Lehigh side of things. What would you think about working on the roundup side of things?" And like I said, being involved, it was like a no-brainer. Especially as, you know, a small town girl like me, it's like, "Oh, yeah. I would love to do that job." I was appointed in 2019. 2019. Okay. Yeah. So, that was my first year. Yeah. Ryan Harding: And and and so you're in charge of the whole week of the different things. And so, is that largely at this point kind of a plug-and-play kind of thing? Kate Daly Miss Lehi Roundup Week Community Service Lehi Utah History Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Lehi Utah history podcast interview covering Miss Lehi pageant, Lehi Roundup Week traditions, neighborhood floats, community events, youth programs, and preserving small-town spirit in a growing city. Lehi Utah history. Miss Lehi pageant. Lehi Roundup parade traditions. Lehi community events. Lehi rodeo history. Lehi scholarship programs. Lehi neighborhood floats. Growing up in Lehi Utah. Lehi Legacy Center history. Lehi volunteer opportunities. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Be a Guest Contact

Buddy Deimler on Agricultural Education, FFA, and a Lifetime of Mentorship in Lehi, Utah | Roots & Branches of Lehi

Buddy Deimler on Agricultural Education, FFA, and a Lifetime of Mentorship in Lehi, Utah

Who Is Buddy Deimler, and Why Does His Story Matter to Lehi?

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Moving to Lehi for the Ag Program

The Church Meeting That Revealed a Legacy

Drip Irrigation from Israeli Engineers

The Student Who Bought a Few Cows

"I Think You'd Make a Great Ag Teacher"

A Daughter's Agriscience Project

Cows That Milk Themselves

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Buddy Deimler Lehi Utah Agricultural Education FFA Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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A sweeping journey from New Mexico pecan orchards to the classrooms and farms of Lehi. How one educator spent 43 years helping young people find purpose through agriculture, hands-on learning, and the quiet power of a teacher who believes in you.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Buddy Deimler , one of Utah's longest-serving leaders in agricultural education and the FFA. Buddy's story is a sweeping journey from the pecan orchards and alfalfa fields of New Mexico to the classrooms, farms, and community life of Lehi, Utah . Raised in a military family and shaped by hands-on agricultural work, Buddy eventually became a cornerstone of agricultural education in the state—touching the lives of thousands of students over a 43-year career.

Buddy moved to Lehi in 1994, when the town had only about "eight or nine thousand people" and still retained a distinctly rural, agricultural identity. His arrival placed him in a community whose entrepreneurial spirit, strong farming roots, and deep respect for hands-on learning aligned perfectly with his mission: to help young people learn, work, and thrive. In this conversation, he reflects on Lehi's transformation from a small agricultural town to a booming economic center, and how FFA programs, local teachers, and experiential education shaped generations of students. From tales of early drip-irrigation experiments to the emotional impact of legendary Lehi ag teachers like Byron Metcalf and Klay Christensen , Buddy shows how agricultural education has been woven into the very fabric of Lehi's identity.

This interview matters because it captures the heart of Lehi's community values— hard work, resourcefulness, mentorship, and the belief that every young person deserves a place to belong . His decades of experience reveal how education, agriculture, and community leadership intersect to shape the Lehi we know today. For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah history , agricultural education , FFA programs , family farms , local mentorship , or the growth of Utah County , Buddy's perspective provides essential context for understanding where Lehi has been—and what it risks losing as it grows.

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Buddy Deimler

State FFA Adviser; Education Specialist for Agricultural Education (Utah State Board of Education); longtime advocate for agricultural programs in Lehi

1950s–2020s (childhood in New Mexico, teaching career beginning in 1980, move to Lehi in 1994, 43-year career)

Ryan Harding

Buddy describes moving to Utah after his Arizona employer refused a raise. With five children to educate, he settled on Lehi because it had "a good agricultural education program." That single decision—driven by a father's desire to give his children hands-on learning opportunities—would place the Deimler family at the center of one of Lehi's most enduring community traditions.

Shortly after moving to Lehi, Buddy attended church and heard grown men tearfully praise their former ag teachers. It was a powerful introduction to the deep local legacy of FFA in Lehi—a community where agricultural education wasn't just a school program, but a formative force that men remembered with gratitude decades later. This moment helped Buddy understand that he had landed in a place where his life's work would be valued.

Buddy shares how drip irrigation technology, brought by Israeli engineers, transformed his school farm in Arizona. Students saw cutting-edge agriculture firsthand—learning that farming wasn't just tradition, but innovation. This story illustrates Buddy's lifelong commitment to showing students that agriculture evolves, and that they could be part of that evolution.

Buddy tells the story of a struggling student who discovered agriculture at Granite Technical Institute, bought a few cows, and eventually moved to Idaho to build a herd and a career. It's a testament to the power of practical education: when a young person finds something they can touch, build, and grow, their whole trajectory can change. This is the kind of story Buddy collected over four decades.

Buddy recounts how his own ag teacher changed his life by telling him, "I think you'd make a great ag teacher." It was the first positive comment he'd ever received from a teacher, and it gave him a confidence he'd never felt in school. That single sentence set the course for a 43-year career that would impact thousands of students. Buddy became the kind of teacher who saw what others missed.

Buddy describes his daughter's award-winning agriscience project—fertilizer trials on pasture grass—supported by Lehi's Bruce Webb . The project was so impressive it earned her a BYU scholarship . It's a window into how Lehi's agricultural community supported not just school programs, but the individual curiosity of young people willing to experiment, measure, and learn.

Buddy shares how autonomous dairy technology at Coler Dairy in Heber Valley allows cows to "milk on demand" with no human involvement. It's a striking illustration of modern agriculture's evolution—from the alfalfa fields Buddy knew as a boy to robotic systems that would have seemed like science fiction a generation ago. For Buddy, it's proof that agriculture never stops changing, and neither should agricultural education.

Buddy's interview offers a rare firsthand perspective on how Lehi changed across several pivotal decades. Here are the key historical insights his story reveals:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it evolves from farming community to modern city:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile and preserve Buddy Deimler's story visually, consider adding these images to the historical record:

Today I'm honored to be joined by Buddy Deimler, one of the most influential voices in Utah agricultural education and a man whose 43-year career has touched thousands of young lives. Buddy, thank you for being here.

Buddy Deimler: Thank you for having me, Ryan. I appreciate the opportunity to share some of these stories.

Ryan Harding: Let's start at the beginning. You didn't grow up in Utah, did you?

Buddy Deimler: No, I grew up in New Mexico. My dad was military, so we moved around some, but I spent a lot of my formative years in the pecan orchards and alfalfa fields of southern New Mexico. That's where I fell in love with agriculture—not from textbooks, but from doing the work. I learned early that there's something deeply satisfying about working with your hands and watching things grow.

Ryan Harding: How did you end up in Lehi?

Buddy Deimler: That's an interesting story. I was teaching in Arizona, and when my employer refused a raise I felt I had earned, I started looking elsewhere. I had five children, and one of my priorities was finding a place with a strong agricultural education program. Lehi had exactly that. When I moved here in 1994, there were probably eight or nine thousand people in this town. It still had that rural feel, that agricultural character. It felt like home immediately.

Ryan Harding: What was your first impression of Lehi's agricultural community?

Buddy Deimler: I remember attending church shortly after moving here, and I heard grown men—tough men, farmers and tradesmen—tearfully praising their former ag teachers. Men in their forties and fifties, emotional talking about a high school teacher. I'd never seen anything like it. That's when I knew I had landed in a special place. The legacy of agricultural education here runs deep.

Ryan Harding: You've said that you've never met anyone who didn't remember the name of their ag teacher. Why do you think that bond is so strong?

Buddy Deimler: Because ag teachers do more than teach curriculum. They show up at your livestock show at 5 in the morning. They help you fix your truck so you can get to a competition. They see you when you're struggling and give you something meaningful to work on. I've never ever met anyone who did not remember the name of their ag teacher. It's because that teacher was often the first adult who really believed in them.

Ryan Harding: Was that true for you? Did you have a teacher like that?

Buddy Deimler: Absolutely. My ag teacher in New Mexico was the first real teacher who had a positive comment for me. I wasn't a great student in traditional classes. I struggled with sitting still and memorizing facts. But my ag teacher pulled me aside one day and said, "I think you'd make a great ag teacher—what do you think?" That was the first time an adult had looked at me and seen potential instead of problems. It changed everything. It gave me confidence I'd never felt in school.

Ryan Harding: And you spent 43 years paying that forward.

Buddy Deimler: I did. And I always tried to remember what my teacher did for me. I was not teaching agriculture. I was teaching kids. The animals and the crops and the welding projects were just the tools I used to reach them. Some kids need to touch something to learn. Some need to build something. Some need to care for a living creature. When you give them that opportunity, you see them come alive.

Ryan Harding: Can you share a story of a student whose life changed through your program?

Buddy Deimler: There are so many. One that stands out was a student at Granite Technical Institute. He was struggling in traditional school—academically behind, disconnected, no real direction. He discovered agriculture in our program, bought a few cows, and started learning about animal science and business management. Eventually he moved to Idaho and built a herd and a career. Last I heard, he was running his own operation. That's the power of giving a kid something real to work toward.

Ryan Harding: There's a tension in education between helping kids and letting them struggle. Where do you fall on that?

Buddy Deimler: Kids don't need helpful adults—sometimes the struggle is where they learn. That doesn't mean we abandon them. But if we step in every time something gets hard, they never develop resilience. Agriculture teaches that naturally. The animal still needs to be fed even when it's cold and you don't feel like going out. The irrigation line breaks and you have to figure out how to fix it. That's real problem-solving, and it's where character is built.

Ryan Harding: You mentioned technology in agriculture earlier. Can you give us an example?

Buddy Deimler: Sure. When I was in Arizona, Israeli engineers introduced us to drip irrigation technology. It transformed our school farm. Suddenly we could teach students about precision agriculture, water conservation, and engineering all at once. The students saw that farming wasn't just old men with pitchforks—it was cutting-edge science. More recently, I've seen autonomous dairy technology at Coler Dairy in Heber Valley. Cows can milk on demand with no human involvement. The technology tracks their health, their production, everything. It's remarkable.

Ryan Harding: How did your own children benefit from Lehi's ag programs?

Buddy Deimler: Oh, tremendously. FFA gave my kids mentors at the exact moment they stopped listening to me. That's not a joke—teenagers need voices beyond their parents. My daughter did an award-winning agriscience project on fertilizer trials with pasture grass. Bruce Webb, a wonderful community mentor here in Lehi, supported her work. That project earned her a scholarship to BYU. All my kids were shaped by the program, by the teachers, by the community that surrounded them.

Ryan Harding: Lehi has changed dramatically since you arrived in 1994. What have you observed?

Buddy Deimler: When I moved here, agriculture was still a major part of the local economy alongside Geneva Steel. Fields were everywhere. You knew your neighbors because everyone was connected through the land or the schools or the church. Today, Lehi is an economic powerhouse. If you want to be part of a strong economy, you're going to live in a place like Lehi. But we've lost something too. The farmland is mostly gone. The kids who once grew up working alongside their parents in the fields are now in tech jobs. That's not bad, but it's different. We have to work harder now to give kids those hands-on experiences that used to be part of daily life.

Ryan Harding: Who are some of the Lehi ag teachers who made a lasting impact?

Buddy Deimler: Byron Metcalf is legendary. Klay Christensen, who later served on the State Board of Education. Doug Webb, who became a district curriculum director but never stopped being a teacher at heart. Nathan Bushman, Brett Robertson, Lisa Hatfield, Suzanne Spencer—the list goes on. These weren't just instructors. They were community builders. I could break down in any town in the United States, and if I could just find the ag teacher, things would be okay. That's how I feel about this profession.

Ryan Harding: What do you hope people take away from your story?

Buddy Deimler: That every young person deserves a place to belong and an adult who believes in them. That hands-on learning isn't second-rate—it's essential. That agriculture is not our past; it's our future, but it will look different. And that communities like Lehi are special because of the people who quietly show up for kids year after year. The teachers, the mentors, the parents who support FFA programs even when they don't fully understand them. That's what builds a community worth living in.

Ryan Harding: Buddy, thank you for 43 years of service, and thank you for sharing your story with us today.

Buddy Deimler: Thank you, Ryan. It's been a privilege.

Ryan Harding: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together we're what makes Lehi feel like home. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care.

Buddy Deimler interview on Lehi Utah agriculture history, FFA programs, Lehi High School ag teachers, agricultural education, and community mentorship in Utah County.

Buddy Deimler Lehi Utah. Lehi FFA program history. Lehi High School agricultural education. Utah agricultural education leaders. Lehi community stories. Family farms Utah County. Lehi growth and development. Hands on learning Utah schools. Heber Valley dairy technology. Byron Metcalf Lehi. Klay Christensen Lehi.

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Buddy Deimler Role in Lehi State FFA Adviser; Education Specialist for Agricultural Education (Utah State Board of Education); longtime advocate for agricultural programs in Lehi Time Periods Discussed 1950s–2020s (childhood in New Mexico, teaching career beginning in 1980, move to Lehi in 1994, 43-year career) Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview Moving to Lehi for the Ag Program Buddy describes moving to Utah after his Arizona employer refused a raise. With five children to educate, he settled on Lehi because it had "a good agricultural education program." That single decision—driven by a father's desire to give his children hands-on learning opportunities—would place the Deimler family at the center of one of Lehi's most enduring community traditions. The Church Meeting That Revealed a Legacy Shortly after moving to Lehi, Buddy attended church and heard grown men tearfully praise their former ag teachers. It was a powerful introduction to the deep local legacy of FFA in Lehi—a community where agricultural education wasn't just a school program, but a formative force that men remembered with gratitude decades later. This moment helped Buddy understand that he had landed in a place where his life's work would be valued. Drip Irrigation from Israeli Engineers Buddy shares how drip irrigation technology, brought by Israeli engineers, transformed his school farm in Arizona. Students saw cutting-edge agriculture firsthand—learning that farming wasn't just tradition, but innovation. This story illustrates Buddy's lifelong commitment to showing students that agriculture evolves, and that they could be part of that evolution. The Student Who Bought a Few Cows Buddy tells the story of a struggling student who discovered agriculture at Granite Technical Institute, bought a few cows, and eventually moved to Idaho to build a herd and a career. It's a testament to the power of practical education: when a young person finds something they can touch, build, and grow, their whole trajectory can change. This is the kind of story Buddy collected over four decades. "I Think You'd Make a Great Ag Teacher" Buddy recounts how his own ag teacher changed his life by telling him, "I think you'd make a great ag teacher." It was the first positive comment he'd ever received from a teacher, and it gave him a confidence he'd never felt in school. That single sentence set the course for a 43-year career that would impact thousands of students. Buddy became the kind of teacher who saw what others missed. A Daughter's Agriscience Project Buddy describes his daughter's award-winning agriscience project—fertilizer trials on pasture grass—supported by Lehi's Bruce Webb . The project was so impressive it earned her a BYU scholarship . It's a window into how Lehi's agricultural community supported not just school programs, but the individual curiosity of young people willing to experiment, measure, and learn. Cows That Milk Themselves Buddy shares how autonomous dairy technology at Coler Dairy in Heber Valley allows cows to "milk on demand" with no human involvement. It's a striking illustration of modern agriculture's evolution—from the alfalfa fields Buddy knew as a boy to robotic systems that would have seemed like science fiction a generation ago. For Buddy, it's proof that agriculture never stops changing, and neither should agricultural education. History Historical Insights About Lehi Buddy's interview offers a rare firsthand perspective on how Lehi changed across several pivotal decades. Here are the key historical insights his story reveals: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it evolves from farming community to modern city: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile and preserve Buddy Deimler's story visually, consider adding these images to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Today I'm honored to be joined by Buddy Deimler, one of the most influential voices in Utah agricultural education and a man whose 43-year career has touched thousands of young lives. Buddy, thank you for being here. Buddy Deimler: Thank you for having me, Ryan. I appreciate the opportunity to share some of these stories. Ryan Harding: Let's start at the beginning. You didn't grow up in Utah, did you? Buddy Deimler: No, I grew up in New Mexico. My dad was military, so we moved around some, but I spent a lot of my formative years in the pecan orchards and alfalfa fields of southern New Mexico. That's where I fell in love with agriculture—not from textbooks, but from doing the work. I learned early that there's something deeply satisfying about working with your hands and watching things grow. Ryan Harding: How did you end up in Lehi? Buddy Deimler: That's an interesting story. I was teaching in Arizona, and when my employer refused a raise I felt I had earned, I started looking elsewhere. I had five children, and one of my priorities was finding a place with a strong agricultural education program. Lehi had exactly that. When I moved here in 1994, there were probably eight or nine thousand people in this town. It still had that rural feel, that agricultural character. It felt like home immediately. Ryan Harding: What was your first impression of Lehi's agricultural community? Buddy Deimler: I remember attending church shortly after moving here, and I heard grown men—tough men, farmers and tradesmen—tearfully praising their former ag teachers. Men in their forties and fifties, emotional talking about a high school teacher. I'd never seen anything like it. That's when I knew I had landed in a special place. The legacy of agricultural education here runs deep. Ryan Harding: You've said that you've never met anyone who didn't remember the name of their ag teacher. Why do you think that bond is so strong? Buddy Deimler: Because ag teachers do more than teach curriculum. They show up at your livestock show at 5 in the morning. They help you fix your truck so you can get to a competition. They see you when you're struggling and give you something meaningful to work on. I've never ever met anyone who did not remember the name of their ag teacher. It's because that teacher was often the first adult who really believed in them. Ryan Harding: Was that true for you? Did you have a teacher like that? Buddy Deimler: Absolutely. My ag teacher in New Mexico was the first real teacher who had a positive comment for me. I wasn't a great student in traditional classes. I struggled with sitting still and memorizing facts. But my ag teacher pulled me aside one day and said, "I think you'd make a great ag teacher—what do you think?" That was the first time an adult had looked at me and seen potential instead of problems. It changed everything. It gave me confidence I'd never felt in school. Ryan Harding: And you spent 43 years paying that forward. Buddy Deimler: I did. And I always tried to remember what my teacher did for me. I was not teaching agriculture. I was teaching kids. The animals and the crops and the welding projects were just the tools I used to reach them. Some kids need to touch something to learn. Some need to build something. Some need to care for a living creature. When you give them that opportunity, you see them come alive. Ryan Harding: Can you share a story of a student whose life changed through your program? Buddy Deimler: There are so many. One that stands out was a student at Granite Technical Institute. He was struggling in traditional school—academically behind, disconnected, no real direction. He discovered agriculture in our program, bought a few cows, and started learning about animal science and business management. Eventually he moved to Idaho and built a herd and a career. Last I heard, he was running his own operation. That's the power of giving a kid something real to work toward. Ryan Harding: There's a tension in education between helping kids and letting them struggle. Where do you fall on that? Buddy Deimler: Kids don't need helpful adults—sometimes the struggle is where they learn. That doesn't mean we abandon them. But if we step in every time something gets hard, they never develop resilience. Agriculture teaches that naturally. The animal still needs to be fed even when it's cold and you don't feel like going out. The irrigation line breaks and you have to figure out how to fix it. That's real problem-solving, and it's where character is built. Ryan Harding: You mentioned technology in agriculture earlier. Can you give us an example? Buddy Deimler: Sure. When I was in Arizona, Israeli engineers introduced us to drip irrigation technology. It transformed our school farm. Suddenly we could teach students about precision agriculture, water conservation, and engineering all at once. The students saw that farming wasn't just old men with pitchforks—it was cutting-edge science. More recently, I've seen autonomous dairy technology at Coler Dairy in Heber Valley. Cows can milk on demand with no human involvement. The technology tracks their health, their production, everything. It's remarkable. Ryan Harding: How did your own children benefit from Lehi's ag programs? Buddy Deimler: Oh, tremendously. FFA gave my kids mentors at the exact moment they stopped listening to me. That's not a joke—teenagers need voices beyond their parents. My daughter did an award-winning agriscience project on fertilizer trials with pasture grass. Bruce Webb, a wonderful community mentor here in Lehi, supported her work. That project earned her a scholarship to BYU. All my kids were shaped by the program, by the teachers, by the community that surrounded them. Ryan Harding: Lehi has changed dramatically since you arrived in 1994. What have you observed? Buddy Deimler: When I moved here, agriculture was still a major part of the local economy alongside Geneva Steel. Fields were everywhere. You knew your neighbors because everyone was connected through the land or the schools or the church. Today, Lehi is an economic powerhouse. If you want to be part of a strong economy, you're going to live in a place like Lehi. But we've lost something too. The farmland is mostly gone. The kids who once grew up working alongside their parents in the fields are now in tech jobs. That's not bad, but it's different. We have to work harder now to give kids those hands-on experiences that used to be part of daily life. Ryan Harding: Who are some of the Lehi ag teachers who made a lasting impact? Buddy Deimler: Byron Metcalf is legendary. Klay Christensen, who later served on the State Board of Education. Doug Webb, who became a district curriculum director but never stopped being a teacher at heart. Nathan Bushman, Brett Robertson, Lisa Hatfield, Suzanne Spencer—the list goes on. These weren't just instructors. They were community builders. I could break down in any town in the United States, and if I could just find the ag teacher, things would be okay. That's how I feel about this profession. Ryan Harding: What do you hope people take away from your story? Buddy Deimler: That every young person deserves a place to belong and an adult who believes in them. That hands-on learning isn't second-rate—it's essential. That agriculture is not our past; it's our future, but it will look different. And that communities like Lehi are special because of the people who quietly show up for kids year after year. The teachers, the mentors, the parents who support FFA programs even when they don't fully understand them. That's what builds a community worth living in. Ryan Harding: Buddy, thank you for 43 years of service, and thank you for sharing your story with us today. Buddy Deimler: Thank you, Ryan. It's been a privilege. Ryan Harding: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together we're what makes Lehi feel like home. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. People Notable People Mentioned Lessons Lessons and Values Buddy Deimler Lehi Utah Agricultural Education FFA Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Buddy Deimler interview on Lehi Utah agriculture history, FFA programs, Lehi High School ag teachers, agricultural education, and community mentorship in Utah County. Buddy Deimler Lehi Utah. Lehi FFA program history. Lehi High School agricultural education. Utah agricultural education leaders. Lehi community stories. Family farms Utah County. Lehi growth and development. Hands on learning Utah schools. Heber Valley dairy technology. Byron Metcalf Lehi. Klay Christensen Lehi. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Be a Guest Contact

John Jay Harris Lehi Education Purple Pig Pizza

John Jay Harris on 50 Years in Lehi, Purple Pig Pizza, and a Life of Service

Introduction

At a Glance

Episode Highlights

Stories from the Interview

Arriving in Lehi, 1972

The Purple Pig Pizza Dynasty

Kurt Seville and the Lehi Marching Band

The Pixar Classroom

Songs as First Words

Changing the Geology of Lehi

The Tithing Barn and Square Dancing

The Flood of 1983

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community & Legacy Themes

Words That Stay With You

Photo & Visual Suggestions

Full Transcript

Chapter 1: Introduction to Roots and Branches of Lehi

Chapter 2: Meet John Jay Harris

Chapter 3: John's Early Life & Family Background

Chapter 4: Growing Up in Lehi

Chapter 5: The Purple Pig Pizza Legacy

Chapter 6: Changes in Lehi Over the Years

Chapter 7: John's Musical Journey

Chapter 8: A Career in Special Education

Chapter 9: Philosophy & Approach to Teaching

Chapter 10: Memorable Moments in Teaching

Chapter 11: Advice for Aspiring Educators

Chapter 12: Reflecting on Retirement

Chapter 13: Creating a Successful Classroom Environment

Chapter 14: Continuing Community Involvement

Chapter 15: The Rock Polishing Analogy

Chapter 16: Historical Preservation Efforts

Chapter 17: Final Thoughts & Future Hopes

From the beloved Purple Pig Pizza and the Lehi High marching band to pioneering autism education in Utah County and polishing rocks across the valley—one man's story of roots, branches, and relentless community care.

Guest Profile

John J. Harris

John J. Harris has spent more than fifty years woven into the fabric of Lehi, Utah—a town he moved to as a young child in 1972 and never truly left. In this warm and reflective interview, John shares the story of growing up in a close-knit Lehi where neighbors waved on Main Street, drinking fountains ran constantly in Wines Park, and everyone knew the Harris family thanks to the beloved Purple Pig Pizza. His memories paint a vivid picture of small-town Lehi before the explosive growth of recent decades, offering listeners a heartfelt glimpse into the community's past.

John's story matters because it bridges generations. As a longtime special education teacher, a musician in a local band, a photographer, and a volunteer deeply involved in historical preservation, he has shaped Lehi in ways both seen and unseen. From helping pioneer autism education in the 1980s to placing polished beach rocks on playgrounds across the valley, John embodies the spirit of service, creativity, and community connection that defines Lehi's heritage.

Whether he is teaching children, documenting historical sites, or supporting his wife's classroom at Sego Lily Elementary, John continues to strengthen the roots of Lehi while inspiring future branches. His interview is a celebration of education, family legacy, local history, and the enduring charm of a town that still feels like home.

Join host Ryan Harding for the full conversation with John Jay Harris—a discussion spanning five decades of Lehi history, education, music, and the little moments that bind a community together.

Guest

Role in Lehi

Educator, Musician, Photographer, Volunteer

Years Discussed

1970s – 2020s

Episode Number

RB-035

Primary Topics

John recalls moving to Lehi as a child and discovering a town where "everybody knew everybody." Neighbors waved as cars passed on Main Street, and the pace of life moved with the rhythm of front-porch conversations and unlocked doors. It was a Lehi before the explosive growth—a town defined by relationships rather than traffic.

John's parents, Jerry and Annette Harris, opened Purple Pig Pizza and built more than a restaurant—they built a community living room. Decades after closing, old-timers still approach John to reminisce about the pizza. He jokes that if any Harris sibling ever needs a kidney, they could auction a dozen Purple Pig pizzas to the "old Lehi people" at a premium.

As a freshman at Lehi High School, John joined the band under Kurt Seville, a director who transformed a small-town ensemble into a regional powerhouse competitive with American Fork and Sky View. That foundation in music stayed with John for life—he still plays drums today with the Shane Lee Band.

Early in his teaching career, John learned that a challenging student was obsessed with Pixar. He completely redesigned his classroom theme, gathered his own children's Pixar toys, and created a world that the student recognized as his own. The child walked in, looked around, and declared, "I'll be back from time to time." He returned—for two years.

John's classroom used roughly fifty songs every single day—for transitions, greetings, weather reports, math, and reading. At monthly parent programs, families witnessed something remarkable: the first verbal language some children ever spoke was a song John had taught them. Because songs are memorized scripts, they bypass the anxiety of composing sentences and unlock a child's voice.

John and his wife collect beach rocks from San Diego, tumble them for weeks through abrasive grit, and scatter the polished stones across Lehi playgrounds. He imagines a thousand-year-old geologist puzzling over why California beach rocks are concentrated in this valley. For John, each rock is a lesson in adversity: "You cannot polish rocks in marshmallows."

Through his work with the historical marker society, John photographed the ceremony at the old tithing barn behind Bruce Webb's home—where youth square danced and the community gathered to honor a place where pioneers once brought in-kind offerings. These markers, John hopes, could one day anchor a guided historical tour of Lehi, much like the Road to Hana in Maui.

John remembers the day residents were excused from sacrament meeting to fill sandbags and protect homes from rising canal waters. He also watched the town of Thistle disappear from the phone book after a landslide blocked the river at Spanish Fork Canyon. The experience taught him how tightly knit Lehi was—and how quickly a community could mobilize when neighbors were in danger.

1970s Small-Town Life

Lehi was a close community where neighbors waved, drinking fountains on Main Street ran continuously, and everyone knew the Harris name.

Purple Pig Pizza

A major local business and cultural gathering place for decades, still remembered fondly by longtime residents.

Lehi Junior High

The "new" junior high was built in 1987–88, a milestone in the district's expansion.

Marching Band Prominence

Under Kurt Seville, Lehi High School's marching band rose to compete with powerhouse programs across Utah County.

Autism Education Growth

From one small classroom in the early 1990s to dozens today, Lehi became a hub for special education innovation.

Historical Markers

Sites like the old tithing barn and the 1983 flood canal are now commemorated with plaques and community ceremonies.

1983 Flood Response

Residents left church services to fill sandbags, demonstrating the town's instinct for mutual aid in crisis.

Community Traditions

Square dancing, youth involvement, and neighborhood gatherings around historical sites continue to define Lehi's social fabric.

"Everybody knew everybody… you would always be up, heads up, and waving at whoever you passed."

On Lehi in the 1970s

"That child is doing their very best at that moment."

On Compassionate Teaching

"Sometimes the first language we heard from a child was a song we taught them."

On Music in the Classroom

"You cannot polish rocks in marshmallows."

On Adversity & Growth

"People love this town… but we've got to be able to take care of them."

On Lehi's Future

This episode connects to a broader archive of Lehi stories. Readers interested in John Jay Harris's memories may also want to explore these themes from the Roots & Branches of Lehi collection:

Episode RB-035 · John J. Harris · Interviewed by Ryan Harding · Recorded 2025

Ryan Harding: Welcome, John J. Harris, to the Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast, where we get to know you and many other people.

John Jay Harris: Exciting for you. I'm happy to be here. Nice to meet you.

Ryan Harding: Nice to meet you, too. Obviously, I don't know you yet, and so the listeners get to know you at the same time I do. Tell me your background as far as born and raised here. Where were you born? What brought you to Lehi? Give me a little background there. Let's start.

John Jay Harris: I was born in Northern California, a little town called Nevada City. And we lived in Grass Valley, California. It was just this beautiful little mountain on the other side of Donner Summit. And I was born there and I went to kindergarten and most of my first grade year.

John Jay Harris: And then we came to Lehi in about January of '72. This is really all you've known then, kind of thing, if you were very young. And we haven't gone far. I spent a couple of years on my church mission in California, in the San Jose area. And then came back and was at BYU in Provo for about a year, but we haven't wandered too far from Lehi. Oldest of 10. My mom and dad are still around and most Lehi-ites will know Jerry and Annette Harris.

John Jay Harris: Because they owned the Purple Pig Pizza Restaurant and that was an iconic pizza place for a lot of years here that people still ask about.

Ryan Harding: Is that what brought them to Lehi, or what was he doing?

John Jay Harris: My dad was an antique wholesaler, meaning that he would travel the world collecting antiques. And then distribute those to different antique shops in the Mountain West and California. And that was just something that I think Mom pretty much spearheaded. And we had 10 kids, so she had the job for us. But it was a lot of fun, the Purple Pig Pizza. If any of us ever need a kidney, we will just come up with a dozen of these Purple Pig pizzas and auction them off to the old Lehi people because they will sell quick, I think, at a premium. We'll buy our kidney.

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Mike Willes: Lehi Holiday Lights, 40 Years in Construction | Roots & Branches

Mike Willes shares his story of growing up in Lehi, Utah, a 40-year career with Leighton Construction, and the beloved holiday light displays that became a northern Utah tradition. Part of the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast archive.

Mike Willes on a Lifetime in Lehi, 40 Years in Construction, and the Holiday Lights That Brought a Community Together

Introduction

At a Glance

Episode Highlights

Stories from the Interview

A Life Within a Half Mile of Birth

Four Decades at Leighton Construction

The "Uncurable Disease" of Decorating

Beating the Doctor's Timeline

A Proposal Among the Lights

The Schulz Connection

Why Christmas Keeps Going

Watching from the Recliner

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community & Legacy Themes

Words That Stay With You

Photo & Visual Suggestions

Full Transcript

Chapter 1: Introduction to Roots and Branches of Lehi

Chapter 2: Meet Mike Willes: A Lifelong Resident of Lehi

Chapter 3: Mike's Career in Construction

Chapter 4: The Evolution of Lehi Through Mike's Eyes

Chapter 5: A Passion for Holiday Displays

Chapter 6: Family Support & Community Involvement

Chapter 7: The Impact of Mike's Displays on the Community

Chapter 8: Reflecting on the Journey

Chapter 9: The Impact of Cancer

Chapter 10: Off-Road Adventures

Chapter 11: Christmas Decorations & Community Involvement

Chapter 12: Family & Foster Care

Chapter 13: Legacy & Community Influence

From a small town of 5,000 and a few stop signs to a beloved northern Utah landmark—Mike Willes spent four decades building Utah's foundations, then built something even more lasting: a gathering place where school buses, limos, and marriage proposals meet under thousands of lights.

Guest Profile

Mike Willes

Growing up within a half mile of where he was born, Mike Willes represents a rare and steady thread woven through the changing fabric of Lehi, Utah. His life spans the era when Lehi had "practically only a couple stop signs and 5,000 people" and extends into the city's modern growth. Mike spent 40 years with Leighton Construction, helping build the physical foundations of Utah while remaining deeply rooted in the community that shaped him.

But Mike is best known today for something far more colorful: his extraordinary holiday displays. What began as a small interest grew into a beloved Lehi tradition—an elaborate, year-round rotation of Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's, and St. Patrick's decorations that draws school buses, limos, and families from across northern Utah. His yard has become a gathering place, a landmark, and a source of joy for thousands. As Mike says, "It's just something I enjoy… a labor of love for the community."

His story is one of family legacy, quiet service, creativity, and resilience. From pioneer-era roots to modern neighborhood traditions, Mike's life reflects the heart of Lehi: community connection, faith, and the simple power of bringing people together.

Join host Ryan Harding for the full conversation with Mike Willes—a story of small-town Lehi, a lifetime of construction, and the holiday light displays that turned a front yard into a community landmark.

Guest

Role in Lehi

Construction veteran; creator of Lehi's beloved holiday light displays

Years Discussed

1950s – 2020s

Episode Number

RB-036

Primary Topics

Mike opens the interview with a statement that encapsulates his entire story: "I live within a half mile of where I was born." In an age of transience, he has never strayed far from his origins. His grandfather bought a house in Lehi, his father owned property on the same block, and his brother Dell's family still lives nearby. Mike himself moved the "furthest away"—but still within Lehi city limits. He has been a Lehi First Warder for 73 years.

Before the lights, there was concrete. Mike's construction career began through a connection made on his church mission: his companion Deoy Adams's father worked for Tecton Incorporated and helped him get started. After a year or two, Mike moved to Leighton Construction, where he stayed for 40 years. By the time he left in 2014, he was second in seniority. Leon Al Jr., the owner, trusted him so completely that he had Mike build his personal house.

Mike describes his decorating passion with a grin as "an uncurable disease." It started small. He saw other people's displays and thought, "I can do that." Then, in typical fashion: "I don't do anything—go big or go home." Today the setup consumes roughly 400 hours each for Halloween and Christmas. Every artificial tree is reinforced with rebar driven into the ground. Plastic stands are replaced with metal ones so the cold won't crack them. Even the rebar gets shorter each year so Mike doesn't have to lift as high.

In one of the interview's most moving moments, Mike reveals that doctors told him he wouldn't live to see last Christmas. He did. Prostate cancer metastasized to his bones, leaving him with four back operations and strict orders not to lift anything. Rather than letting the tradition die, his brother volunteered to handle the heavy lifting, joining Mike's wife to keep the displays alive. "It's become a family affair," Mike says—and a testament to stubborn hope.

The displays have become more than scenery; they are ritual. A young man brought his date to see Mike's Christmas lights. A year later, he returned to the same yard and proposed. Marriage proposals have become a recurring feature of Mike's front lawn. Stretch limousines cruise by twice a night with different passengers. School buses unload dozens of children at Halloween. One night, three buses arrived at once.

Because Mike's display includes Peanuts characters, word spread through unusual channels. The granddaughter of Charles Schulz—creator of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and Woodstock—learned about the display and visited in person. She came bearing gifts: a commemorative book celebrating the 100th anniversary of Schulz's birth, plus handmade items of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and Woodstock. She now lives on property that once belonged to Mike's family farm.

Mike used to sink into real depression when Christmas ended and the takedown began. His solution was radical: keep going. After Christmas comes Valentine's Day—leave up the red. Then St. Patrick's Day—switch to green. His house and sheds are lined with permanent RGB trim lights he controls from his phone. Now there is no end, only rotation. "I'd rather decorate than go to Italy or anything," he says.

Mike installed cameras around his property and placed a monitor beside his recliner. When a crowd gathers outside, he and his wife pause the television and simply watch. He has placed spinning lights near speakers, and when families dance and stomp on the projections, the Willeses laugh along from inside. It is not performance for them; it is communion.

1950s Small-Town Lehi

Lehi once had only a few stop signs and a population around 5,000. Mike's childhood memories capture a town where everyone knew each other and growth was still unimaginable.

Multi-Generational Neighborhoods

Families like the Willeses often lived within the same block or neighborhood for generations. Mike's grandfather, father, uncles, and brother all held property within walking distance.

Transformation of Lehi

From a small rural town to a booming city, Lehi's growth has reshaped its landscape. Mike recalls a time when the town was so small that commercial holiday decorations were unavailable—residents simply built their own.

Holiday Displays as Community Culture

Mike's yard has become part of Lehi's modern community fabric. What began as one man's hobby has evolved into a tradition that brings school buses, limos, and families from across the region.

Home-Built Traditions

In earlier decades, nativity scenes and holiday figures were prohibitively expensive or unavailable. Mike painted his own nativity figures and engineered custom supports rather than buying pre-made displays.

The Lehi First Ward Legacy

Mike identifies proudly as a "Lehi First Warder for 73 years." The ward system has anchored social life in Lehi for generations, and Mike's loyalty reflects the deep institutional ties that shaped old Lehi.

"I live within a half mile of where I was born."

On Roots

"I don't do anything—go big or go home."

On His Philosophy

"It's an uncurable disease… started out small, got big."

On Decorating

"The doctor said I wouldn't be here for last Christmas."

On Defying the Odds

"Every display out there singly costs more than my power bill for the month."

On the Economics of Joy

"I used to get really depressed when Christmas was over… so I thought, just put something else up."

On Year-Round Celebration

"We wasn't apart from day one. Ever."

On Meeting His Wife

"I'd rather decorate than go to Italy or anything."

On Passion

"We pause the TV and just watch the people outside."

On Community Connection

"I'm a Lehi First Warder for 73 years—born and still am."

On Institutional Loyalty

This episode connects to a broader archive of Lehi stories. Readers interested in Mike Willes's memories may also want to explore these themes from the Roots & Branches of Lehi collection:

Episode RB-036 · Mike Willes · Interviewed by Ryan Harding · Recorded 2025

Ryan Harding: Welcome Mike Willis to Roots and Branches of Lehi. Happy to have you here and excited to get to know you a little bit better. So thanks for coming in. Okay.

Ryan Harding: Yeah. So tell me a little bit about yourself. So did you grow up here in Lehi or where are you from originally?

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Gary Rogers: Rogers Automotive, Lehi History & Family Legacy | Roots & Branches

Gary Rogers shares his journey from the old Lehi Hospital to founding Rogers Automotive on State Street. A story of family business, three generations, and watching Lehi grow from 8,000 to 100,000.

Gary Rogers on Building Rogers Automotive, Lehi's Small-Town Roots, and a Three-Generation Family Legacy

Who Is Gary Rogers, and Why Does His Story Matter to Lehi?

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Born in the Old Lehi Hospital

Falling in Love with Automotive Work

The Plymouth Troubleshooting Contest

Stepping In for His Father

Founding Rogers Automotive in 1992

The Car No One Else Could Fix

Saturday Projects in a Box

Hero Day and the Cutaway Engine

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

Gary Rogers Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

Quick Links

Contact

From the old Lehi Hospital to State Street's most trusted automotive shop, Gary Rogers shares how family, hard work, and community connection built a business that grew alongside a city of 8,000 into a community of nearly 100,000.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Gary Rogers , the founder of Rogers Automotive, to explore a life deeply intertwined with the mechanical and human fabric of Lehi, Utah. Born in the old Lehi Hospital and raised in a family with deep Pleasant Grove and Lehi roots, Gary eventually returned to Lehi as a young adult—drawn back by family ties, community familiarity, and the desire to build a life close to home. His journey from a young boy watching his father teach automotive classes for General Motors to becoming the founder of one of Lehi's most trusted automotive shops reflects the entrepreneurial spirit that has shaped so many businesses along State Street.

Over three decades, Gary built Rogers Automotive into a place where neighbors gathered, problems were solved, and relationships were built. From the days when Lehi had only 8,000 residents to today's bustling community of nearly 100,000, his shop became a cornerstone of local commerce. His story highlights the evolution of automotive technology, the challenges of small business ownership, and the power of multi-generational family involvement in a community that values hard work, loyalty, and service. His reflections offer a window into Lehi's growth, the importance of local businesses, and the enduring value of community connection—one repaired engine, one loyal customer, and one family bond at a time.

For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah history , State Street businesses , local entrepreneurship , automotive repair legacy , or family-owned businesses in Utah County , this interview provides essential historical context and a warm, personal perspective on how one family business grew alongside a transforming city. Whether you remember the old Lehi Hospital, the days of Saturday projects in a box, or the changing landscape of Main Street and State Street, Gary's story will resonate as a piece of living Lehi history.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Gary Rogers

Founder of Rogers Automotive; long-time local business owner; community mentor in automotive education

1950s–2020s (childhood through retirement)

Ryan Harding

Gary Rogers begins his story by revealing he was born in the old Lehi Hospital, where his aunts worked as nurses. Though he spent much of his childhood in Salt Lake near the mouth of Parley's Canyon, his family's roots in Pleasant Grove and Lehi ran deep. The old hospital stands as a symbol of the tight-knit medical and family networks that once defined the community—a reminder that many Lehi families have multi-generational ties to the area's institutions.

Gary describes watching his father teach automotive classes for General Motors, saying he "just really fell in love with it" while helping set up training rooms. His father went from being a warranty adjuster to an instructor for Chevrolet new car products. Gary spent evenings at the GM training center watching his father prepare classrooms, absorbing a passion for working with his hands that would define his entire career.

As a high school senior at Skyline High School, Gary competed in the Plymouth Troubleshooting Contest, where only two students from each high school in Utah were selected. Contestants had one hour to diagnose deliberately planted problems in brand-new Chrysler Plymouth cars. Gary and his teammate placed second in the state, missing first place only because one spark plug wire wasn't clipped in exactly the way judges wanted, resulting in a 20-minute deduction.

After his father suffered a stroke while working as a salesman for Sun Electric, Gary took over half of his sales territory covering from Salt Lake to southern Utah. This allowed his father to continue working locally while maintaining his employment with the Chicago-based company. Gary spent 18 years with Sun Electric, selling and training mechanics on automotive diagnostic equipment across the state, before the company was bought out by Snap-on Tool Company.

After the buyout, Gary made the leap to open his own shop. He describes the experience as "very scary" with "a lot of the unknown," particularly around business fees and taxes. But he felt confident in his skills and his vast network of contacts across Utah dealerships, mechanic shops, and colleges. He found a building on State Street that was part of an old wrecking yard—once owned by actor Wilford Brimley—and went into partnership with his father-in-law to purchase it. What began as a frightening gamble became a 30-year institution.

Gary tells the story of a car towed all the way from Sanpete County after three shops in Nephi and Mount Pleasant failed to get it running again. The vehicle had hit a deer and died. After many late nights spent thinking through the problem—because daytime was too busy for deep diagnostics—Gary discovered a tiny sheared pin on the camshaft that had thrown off valve timing. The shops before him had assumed it was electrical. It was a triumph of persistence and diagnostic logic, even if the financial return was minimal.

In the early years, when Lehi had only 8,000 residents, Rogers Automotive was open on Saturdays. Farmers brought in tractors for repair, and residents brought what Gary calls "projects in a box"—disassembled equipment they couldn't put back together. The shop did whatever the community needed, from farm equipment to household assembly. Eventually, the demand grew so much that one day off wasn't enough, and Saturdays became a thing of the past.

Gary's daughter, a second-grade teacher at River Rock Elementary, invites him and his wife to "Hero Day" each spring. Gary brings a small Briggs and Stratton lawn mower engine that he has cut away and painted in different colors so children can see the internal parts move. He cranks it over and explains how engines work. Recently, he added a model bicycle with an electric motor to introduce the kids to the future of automotive technology alongside the gasoline engines he grew up with.

Gary Rogers' interview reveals rich details about how Lehi has changed across seven decades. These insights help preserve the memory of a city in transition:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values shaping Lehi's identity:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Ryan Harding: Welcome Gary Rogers to Roots and Branches of Lehi, where we get to know you a little bit better and just we'll get to know you. So this will be a good opportunity. Talk to me a little bit about yourself. You grew up in Lehi. Where you from originally?

Gary Rogers: I was born in the old Lehi hospital. My aunts were nurses there. And so my mom wanted to have the kids there. But I actually grew up in Salt Lake. In Salt Lake. Yeah. Up by the mouth of Parley's Canyon. My whole life till I was 18 up there. It seemed like we got more snow. And living up there by the mouth of Parley's Canyon, it was we got a lot of snow and it was always fun to play in the winter. As a kid and had to walk to school because they didn't have bus service. Was close enough but far enough away. But yeah, it was a great place to grow up and have fun and enjoy it up there.

Ryan Harding: And so what did your dad do for work? What he originally he had a shop? Before World War II over where Olive Garden is over in American Fork. He went into service and when he came out the owner of the place had rented out to someone else so he had no place to work. So he bought a shop in Lehi. Right next to Verns where the overpass is for the high school. Built a shop there and work there for a few—I don't know four, five, six years. Had the business there and then went to work for General Motors. And the Chevrolet division. So, because they had several different divisions and that's probably where I got my start or my interest, my love of automotive was being around that because he started out as a warranty adjuster and then he went into being an instructor for the Chevrolet new car products and stuff.

Gary Rogers: So he was always training and I was involved as a kid being watching him help set up the classes and do that kind of stuff and I just really fell in love with it, interested and always like working with my hands and making things and doing things. And that's how it's all evolved and through school and high school they had they called it the Plymouth Troubleshooting Contest. That for seniors they only picked two from every high school in the state to participate in it. And we placed second. And they actually put bugs in the car and then we had to figure out what the problem was and how to fix it and take care of it. And so we had a fun time doing that.

Gary Rogers: I've always had an interest in automotive and loved it. And so I did that all my life. They just took it like just an old car. No, they were brand new cars. Brand new cars. They were brand new Chrysler Plymouth. Don't basically set it up and did it. Took brand new cars and they would put like a bad spark plug in it or a bad spark plug wire or missing components or whatever and we had an hour to figure out what it was and get it running correctly. So, that's super cool. Yeah, it was fun.

Gary Rogers: Do they still do that or no. No. Fork started a thing like that, but no, none of them do it anymore. Just expense and everything. But it was a great experience for high school kids to be able to learn how to do it. And they had many to isolate who's going to be in the finalist. They had little classes in each high school until they picked the two from each high school to participate in it. And so me and another guy were the ones for Skyline. I went to school at Skyline High School in Salt Lake. And we took second place, which was cool. But that is cool. We just missed it cuz one of the spark plug wires wasn't clipped in the way they wanted it and so they docked us 20 minutes for that. But yeah, I enjoyed that.

Gary Rogers: I started working at a shop in Salt Lake, an alignment shop called Bob Stoie Company. They're not around anymore, but just basically cleaning and doing odd things. And then they showed me more about the alignments and brakes and stuff and kind of trained them in. I worked there for two years and then Sears fashion place opened up. And automotive department and I went to work for them and worked for them for three and a half years. And I did everything there. So, I was one of their lead techs there. Even though I was young, sure, I could do most everything that a lot of them couldn't do because my dad's experience teaching and training me. And as well as just doing it, everything else. So, it worked out good.

Ryan Harding: It sounds like your dad obviously had a big impact on you then as far as because you said you did get to follow him around and do, you know, be a part of things.

Gary Rogers: They had a they call it the training center. It was a big building where they actually had the different divisions separated out and they'd do classes. All the automotive dealerships would send technicians up there to do the training and he would be the one training. So at night he'd have to set up for the next day. So I would go with him up to the training center as he was setting things up and got to experience that. So it was fun to spend time with him and stuff. Good father son bonding time but also hey you're developing a skill you probably didn't even know at that time you were going to use long term right probably was probably just hey I like hanging out with dad right and and it was good.

Gary Rogers: I was going to say he worked for them for 16 years and then he went to work after that to for a company selling automotive test equipment sun electric. And I was working at Sears for the three years and he had a stroke and they needed someone to help him to take part of his area because he covered basically from Salt Lake all the way south. In Utah and he was as a salesman selling automotive diagnostic equipment. And so I went to work for Sun Electric taking part of his area selling automotive diagnostic equipment. So I had to sell it to the dealers to the mechanic shops. Gas stations, people like that. And then I'd have to train them on how to use it to figure out the problems on the cars.

Ryan Harding: Wow. So you you took so you said after his stroke and stuff like that you took over some of his job then.

Gary Rogers: Really yeah. And it was a nationwide company and they were based out of Chicago, Illinois. And so I worked for them but basically they split his area because he couldn't handle it all. So I took half of the state and he took the other other half of the so he could stay local. And so he was still employed then. He still got to do his job but not as big an area. But not as big of an area. That's really cool that that I don't think that happens very a lot of times. It's hey sorry you can't do this or somebody but to have the son step in that's unique. The company was good to work for took care of him and me. And he only worked for him for about another three—it was four years after that after I had started for him before he retired just because his health was bad. But I worked for him for 18 years. Wow. You worked for that company? Sun electric. For yeah. For 18 years. And then they were bought out by Snap-on Tool Company. And at that point in time, I what am I going to do? I was a salesman, but I knew how to work on cars and do that cuz I had to train them how to do it and everything else. So, you hadn't lost those skills.

Gary Rogers: And so, that's when I decided maybe it's time to open my own shop and do my own thing. So, that's when in in 90 they bought us out in '92 and I made the decision, okay, we're going to open up Rogers Automotive. And so that's when I started Rogers Automotive and and been working at that up until two and a half years ago. So I put my 30 years in. Yes, you did. With Rogers Automotive. And at that point in time, I basically turned it over to my son Michael. Who is running it now. And it's pretty unique because his son is working there now, too. Oh wow. So you got multi-generational. I hope that it's going to be a three generation thing. Oh, that's awesome. So, we'll see. You never know.

Ryan Harding: Was your grandfather interested in in He was actually a principal. Of the high school over in Pleasant Grove. And so, he had no automotive interest or desire in it at all. And I don't know where my dad got the interested in it, but he liked it. And I liked what he did. And I just I've enjoyed working on things and doing things all my life.

Ryan Harding: Did any of your siblings take on your dad's? No. So, I have three sons. One of them, my oldest one, is taking over the business. And the other one likes playing in the dirt. He has his own construction company. Like it loves the dirt. And the other one is into it. So technology and stuff like that. But yeah, none of them had any interested in taking over the business.

Gary Rogers: Every one of my kids have had a chance to work at the shop. Either cleaning or bookkeeping or whatever. So talk to me about that for a bit. Let's from a family perspective. So obviously you said so one son has followed you into this, but the other two not so much. But you were still able to use that business to to help teach your kids some skills, right?

Gary Rogers: Yeah, they like I said, they've all had a chance to work there. The girls, they did cleaning, but a little bookkeeping and stuff cuz my wife helped with the books and stuff. So, they've all learned a skill from it. And it was good. It's not something they wanted to pursue as a career. but they had a chance to work, make some money, and be able to see what it's all about, how family businesses ran and everything. So, it's worked out good. And I've had some of my grandkids work there, too, to make a few extra bucks. Oh, I love that. Good on you for giving them that opportunity. But at the same time, again, we all have different interests. My dad was in the med medical field, and I loved his job, and I I wanted to be like my dad, but I had no interest in medicine. like blood and guts just didn't appear, but I wanted it to cuz I liked I loved my dad and I liked what he was interested in. But just personally, I was more businessminded. I enjoyed that kind of stuff.

Ryan Harding: Let's go back to 1992 93 shop. So talk to me just somebody that's interested in starting a business. How scary to do that?

Gary Rogers: Very scary. Yeah. There was a lot of the unknown and a lot of things as you get into it. Oh, I didn't know I had to pay this fee or that tax or this. So, there's a lot of that. But I wasn't really afraid of not being able to fix the cars because not only did I feel like I had the skill set to do it, but have been working through basically the whole state of Utah with contacts with with other shops, dealerships, school teachers, colleges, all of that. I knew that if I ran into a problem like that that I had a resource to go to to be able to find out. But the business part of it was a little bit different. But there again, I had as when I worked for Sun Electric selling equipment stuff, I'd gone into a lot of different shops from a single one bay garage owner to multi-level dealerships, Larry Millers, all of those kind of places to sell equipment. And so I really looked at it and said, "What's working here and what's not working?" So I was able to take that information and those skill sets basically into my own business to help set it up which has been it was a good help good start.

Ryan Harding: That makes a lot of sense and that that is sometimes what happens for entrepreneurs is whether they have another position typically you don't start from high school and then start your own business right everybody wants that but it just doesn't happen. I think you're speaking to a point of hey you got to see how other businesses were run and then you copied the parts that you liked into your own businesses is what happened.

Gary Rogers: Yeah. And back in '93 when I first started into it, computers were just starting to come about and stuff. They had been out for a few years, but that was one thing I knew that I wanted to do was make sure everything was done on the computer for tracking and paperwork. Instead of having to fill out all the journals and track it and do all of that because I had seen both going into the shops. And so, you were ahead of your time or at least right on the the forefront of it. Yeah. That was interesting when I first started my shop and the word got out to the other shops in the area. Some were really happy and others weren't so happy, of course.

Gary Rogers: And I had one come to me and say, "Why don't you just come work for me instead of you opening your own shop?" No, I don't want that. I'm good. Thank you. So, when you started, did you start, was it just you or did you have some employees, too? When originally when I first started, my father-in-law had basically retired from Kennot and was doing construction on his own and he was getting older and he just felt he was looking for something different, too. And I says, "Why don't you come in with me and you can do the parts up in the front counterpart and I'll take care of the service in the back." So, he thought that maybe that would work out okay. And it was pretty overwhelming where he had never really used computers or looked up parts and books or anything. He lasted four months and said, "I'm done. I'm done. Retirement is for me. I'm good." It was a good experience to bond with him a little bit more and stuff, so it worked out. But so it was just me and him at first. And then my son was in high school. After school, he would come down and help with different things. And I managed for about three or four months on my own. And then I finally hired another person to help me out and stuff. And he was okay, but he didn't have the skill set that I needed. And so I ended up working harder to repair his problems and stuff.

Gary Rogers: As time went on, then we hired another guy that worked out pretty good and learning experience as time goes. So that is always the hard thing with employees is you're trying to replicate yourself and some of these guys aren't you to your point, having to repair his problems. And what about the building? Was that like from a cost perspective? I'm assuming there was some initial outlay to to I don't know if you bought or rent the building at first. We found the building. It was on State Street and it was part of an old wrecking yard body shop. That had closed up and the building sacked on a different angle. And so it wasn't real visible from State Street. But it wasn't too bad. So anyway, come to find out Wilfr Brimley owned it. Oh, the movie star. And my father-in-law had done some work for him on his ranch that he built here in Lehi. Water lines, sewer lines, and stuff like that. So he knew him pretty good. So, we talked to him and found out that it was his wife that owned it cuz they were splitting. And so, we went and talked to her and she said, "Why don't you just rent it until you find out if it's going to work?" And I said, "No, I that's that's a good idea, but I don't want to go down that road. I want if it does work, you know, you're going to raise the price. I just want to have it. It's to be mine." So, him, my father-in-law and I went in partners on the building. And bought it. And then, of course, after he decided it wasn't for him, then I've bought him out of all of that. But, yeah. So it it was a little scary going into it.

Gary Rogers: Again, risk. I mean, there's but greater reward, too. Obviously, you owned the business then. So, I did a lot of remodeling on the building because it's by the tracks up there. Union Pacific used to go by and it was so loud. So, we closed all the windows in on that one side of the track. And made the building more usable for what we needed it for. And it worked out good. And we did that for quite a few years. And then in 2009, the corner mark that was next to us. Okay. a little convenience store. They got shut down selling to underage and and I had expressed several times to him that if you ever do close up, I'm interested in your building and stuff. And and we had used his parking lot anyway, a lot of it. And so he approached me and says, "Yeah, I'm done. I'm out of here." So I bought that building in 2009. So now I have two buildings on State Street there, which gave us better exposure and more parking and stuff, too. And that worked out better. And then we started to hire a few more employees and have a few more headaches and things, but it's been good.

Ryan Harding: So, you just retired two and a half years ago, but how did where did you end up as far as employees go and stuff like that?

Gary Rogers: We had seven, counting myself when I retired, and that's about where they're at right now, too. Awesome. So, it's working good. And it would be nice to have more, but we just don't have any room to put anybody else. We got eight eight stalls to work in. And with with four people out in the shop working the stuff, I have four out in the shop, one service writer, and then kind of the guy that bounces between it all and there's just not enough room for everybody.

Ryan Harding: What kind of work do you do then? Is it just routine stuff or is it like, hey, diagnosing major problems and stuff like that?

Gary Rogers: General automotive repair and we do Asian and domestic. We don't get into any European and but we get in we get a lot of other shops problems. Sometimes we even get a few that the customers get frustrated at the dealer and they bring them into us. And we find the problems. Electrical problems and other things that some people are just having a hard time trying to figure out. We take our skills and sometimes it takes a while but we do figure it out and usually I can't think of any time we've just thrown our hands in there and said we're done with this car. We've been able to work through it to the end.

Ryan Harding: Talk to me about that. What obviously you get a thrill out of that that being able to say that, right? That hey, no, we always solve the problem.

Gary Rogers: Yeah, it's a challenge, but but is a it's a good feeling when you're done because you feel like I accomplished that. Sometimes you look at it and go, man, that wasn't worth it. Do I need the brownie points to say I accomplished it when I needed the money to pay the bills and everything else? Cuz sometimes the money Yeah. You're not getting paid much more for finding this out, but it's I just want to figure it out. That's like when we first started the first few years, Lehi was small. We only had 8,000 people in the town. So, it wasn't a big town. So, we basically had to take in do whatever they wanted to do, whatever they needed us to do. I remember several times we were open Saturdays when we first opened, too. That seemed like it was everybody's project. They'd bring it in a box and say, "I can't put this together. Can you put it back together for me?" And it finally got to the point that one day off a week wasn't enough. So, we closed Saturdays, too. But yeah, it was good people. We did a lot of work, farm equipment and everything else and really and now it's progressed to the point that we can pick and choose a little bit more of our work. We don't work on farm tractors anymore. And we don't we do engines. We don't basically overhaul them because it's it's easier for us just to take one to someone the manufacturers rebuilt and we'll install it and get it running. because there's a lot of companies out there that specialize in rebuilding it and then we install them. Why? I mean, we can do that, but it's not cost effective. From a cost perspective, right? You got to go with where you're making the money. Exactly. And like some of the older cars, fortunately, there's a couple of other shops in town that will work on some of the older cars. because you just can't get parts for them and it just takes so much time away from making money on something else. To fix a a 1960 car. So, we just have to look at what's cost effective, where we can make the money that we need to make and get the customers happy and going.

Ryan Harding: Talk to me about just automotive in general. You said 1993, we're now 2025. You said computers were at the beginning. Now, we now cars are computers. So talking about how automotive has changed over that what 30 years.

Gary Rogers: Yeah, it's changed a lot because now we have a lot more computers on the cars. Everything's electronic. Everything is interfaced. Even the window levers switches to roll the windows up and down all go through a body control computer. And if you don't have the equipment to program that switch to the body control, you can put a new switch in, but it still won't do anything. So, it seems like we're constantly upgrading on our diagnostic equipment to be able to do it, too. And just like the emission program, they're changing the emission program. Come January 1st on the equipment that we're using right now won't be used anymore. We had to buy all new equipment, everything to pro to proceed next year with the program.

Ryan Harding: And what's changing, I guess, on that?

Gary Rogers: It used to be when it first came out, we always had to do a tailpipe probe where you put the machine in the tailpipe and you look at the gases coming out of the car. It's getting to the point in 95 they changed and went to what they call OBD2, onboard diagnostics too. Which is where you plug the connector into the vehicle and the machine analyzes the computer on the car. And the computer on the car is what's monitoring all the emission devices. And if anything's out of normal, then it sets the check engine light comes on, the little check engine light, and then the car won't pass emissions. And so now 93, we've been 30 years plus. And and the cars in 95, everything had to do it. So we don't need to even do that anymore. So they're not going to have an exhaust probe for the tailpipe anymore. It's all going to be computer. going to have a tablet that you basically plug into the diagnostic connector on the car and the computer on the car is going to tell the tablet, I'm good or I got a problem here, I got a problem there. And so it's interesting. It's technology changes. Just constantly. And so you're having to constantly adapt. As you do the business and stuff, equipment and knowledge and everything else. So, so we do take a few classes now and then on stuff to that the manufacturers provide to be able to look like electric cars, computers on the cars and things like that. So, we have to stay on top of that, too.

Ryan Harding: Do you repair electric cars? Do you do anything with electric cars?

Gary Rogers: Yeah, we do. Like the Priuses have been out for a long time. We've worked done a lot of work on those. The Teslas, not as much because they kind of like to keep it in house. proprietary information and parts and everything else. So, it's harder to get parts and information on that unless you're a Tesla dealer or certified Tesla and technician. But, yeah, we still have plenty of that to do. Plenty of work with the cars that are out there. That's great. And the electric ones, too. Yeah, that's an evolving program the whole time.

Ryan Harding: I like that you're taking So, do you with obviously your employees and stuff like that, you're just on the job training in that regard or you said classes and stuff? because I assume you have to continue to learn, right?

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Gary Rogers Role in Lehi Founder of Rogers Automotive; long-time local business owner; community mentor in automotive education Time Periods Discussed 1950s–2020s (childhood through retirement) Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview Born in the Old Lehi Hospital Gary Rogers begins his story by revealing he was born in the old Lehi Hospital, where his aunts worked as nurses. Though he spent much of his childhood in Salt Lake near the mouth of Parley's Canyon, his family's roots in Pleasant Grove and Lehi ran deep. The old hospital stands as a symbol of the tight-knit medical and family networks that once defined the community—a reminder that many Lehi families have multi-generational ties to the area's institutions. Falling in Love with Automotive Work Gary describes watching his father teach automotive classes for General Motors, saying he "just really fell in love with it" while helping set up training rooms. His father went from being a warranty adjuster to an instructor for Chevrolet new car products. Gary spent evenings at the GM training center watching his father prepare classrooms, absorbing a passion for working with his hands that would define his entire career. The Plymouth Troubleshooting Contest As a high school senior at Skyline High School, Gary competed in the Plymouth Troubleshooting Contest, where only two students from each high school in Utah were selected. Contestants had one hour to diagnose deliberately planted problems in brand-new Chrysler Plymouth cars. Gary and his teammate placed second in the state, missing first place only because one spark plug wire wasn't clipped in exactly the way judges wanted, resulting in a 20-minute deduction. Stepping In for His Father After his father suffered a stroke while working as a salesman for Sun Electric, Gary took over half of his sales territory covering from Salt Lake to southern Utah. This allowed his father to continue working locally while maintaining his employment with the Chicago-based company. Gary spent 18 years with Sun Electric, selling and training mechanics on automotive diagnostic equipment across the state, before the company was bought out by Snap-on Tool Company. Founding Rogers Automotive in 1992 After the buyout, Gary made the leap to open his own shop. He describes the experience as "very scary" with "a lot of the unknown," particularly around business fees and taxes. But he felt confident in his skills and his vast network of contacts across Utah dealerships, mechanic shops, and colleges. He found a building on State Street that was part of an old wrecking yard—once owned by actor Wilford Brimley—and went into partnership with his father-in-law to purchase it. What began as a frightening gamble became a 30-year institution. The Car No One Else Could Fix Gary tells the story of a car towed all the way from Sanpete County after three shops in Nephi and Mount Pleasant failed to get it running again. The vehicle had hit a deer and died. After many late nights spent thinking through the problem—because daytime was too busy for deep diagnostics—Gary discovered a tiny sheared pin on the camshaft that had thrown off valve timing. The shops before him had assumed it was electrical. It was a triumph of persistence and diagnostic logic, even if the financial return was minimal. Saturday Projects in a Box In the early years, when Lehi had only 8,000 residents, Rogers Automotive was open on Saturdays. Farmers brought in tractors for repair, and residents brought what Gary calls "projects in a box"—disassembled equipment they couldn't put back together. The shop did whatever the community needed, from farm equipment to household assembly. Eventually, the demand grew so much that one day off wasn't enough, and Saturdays became a thing of the past. Hero Day and the Cutaway Engine Gary's daughter, a second-grade teacher at River Rock Elementary, invites him and his wife to "Hero Day" each spring. Gary brings a small Briggs and Stratton lawn mower engine that he has cut away and painted in different colors so children can see the internal parts move. He cranks it over and explains how engines work. Recently, he added a model bicycle with an electric motor to introduce the kids to the future of automotive technology alongside the gasoline engines he grew up with. History Historical Insights About Lehi Gary Rogers' interview reveals rich details about how Lehi has changed across seven decades. These insights help preserve the memory of a city in transition: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values shaping Lehi's identity: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Ryan Harding: Welcome Gary Rogers to Roots and Branches of Lehi, where we get to know you a little bit better and just we'll get to know you. So this will be a good opportunity. Talk to me a little bit about yourself. You grew up in Lehi. Where you from originally? Gary Rogers: I was born in the old Lehi hospital. My aunts were nurses there. And so my mom wanted to have the kids there. But I actually grew up in Salt Lake. In Salt Lake. Yeah. Up by the mouth of Parley's Canyon. My whole life till I was 18 up there. It seemed like we got more snow. And living up there by the mouth of Parley's Canyon, it was we got a lot of snow and it was always fun to play in the winter. As a kid and had to walk to school because they didn't have bus service. Was close enough but far enough away. But yeah, it was a great place to grow up and have fun and enjoy it up there. Ryan Harding: And so what did your dad do for work? What he originally he had a shop? Before World War II over where Olive Garden is over in American Fork. He went into service and when he came out the owner of the place had rented out to someone else so he had no place to work. So he bought a shop in Lehi. Right next to Verns where the overpass is for the high school. Built a shop there and work there for a few—I don't know four, five, six years. Had the business there and then went to work for General Motors. And the Chevrolet division. So, because they had several different divisions and that's probably where I got my start or my interest, my love of automotive was being around that because he started out as a warranty adjuster and then he went into being an instructor for the Chevrolet new car products and stuff. Gary Rogers: So he was always training and I was involved as a kid being watching him help set up the classes and do that kind of stuff and I just really fell in love with it, interested and always like working with my hands and making things and doing things. And that's how it's all evolved and through school and high school they had they called it the Plymouth Troubleshooting Contest. That for seniors they only picked two from every high school in the state to participate in it. And we placed second. And they actually put bugs in the car and then we had to figure out what the problem was and how to fix it and take care of it. And so we had a fun time doing that. Gary Rogers: I've always had an interest in automotive and loved it. And so I did that all my life. They just took it like just an old car. No, they were brand new cars. Brand new cars. They were brand new Chrysler Plymouth. Don't basically set it up and did it. Took brand new cars and they would put like a bad spark plug in it or a bad spark plug wire or missing components or whatever and we had an hour to figure out what it was and get it running correctly. So, that's super cool. Yeah, it was fun. Gary Rogers: Do they still do that or no. No. Fork started a thing like that, but no, none of them do it anymore. Just expense and everything. But it was a great experience for high school kids to be able to learn how to do it. And they had many to isolate who's going to be in the finalist. They had little classes in each high school until they picked the two from each high school to participate in it. And so me and another guy were the ones for Skyline. I went to school at Skyline High School in Salt Lake. And we took second place, which was cool. But that is cool. We just missed it cuz one of the spark plug wires wasn't clipped in the way they wanted it and so they docked us 20 minutes for that. But yeah, I enjoyed that. Gary Rogers: I started working at a shop in Salt Lake, an alignment shop called Bob Stoie Company. They're not around anymore, but just basically cleaning and doing odd things. And then they showed me more about the alignments and brakes and stuff and kind of trained them in. I worked there for two years and then Sears fashion place opened up. And automotive department and I went to work for them and worked for them for three and a half years. And I did everything there. So, I was one of their lead techs there. Even though I was young, sure, I could do most everything that a lot of them couldn't do because my dad's experience teaching and training me. And as well as just doing it, everything else. So, it worked out good. Ryan Harding: It sounds like your dad obviously had a big impact on you then as far as because you said you did get to follow him around and do, you know, be a part of things. Gary Rogers: They had a they call it the training center. It was a big building where they actually had the different divisions separated out and they'd do classes. All the automotive dealerships would send technicians up there to do the training and he would be the one training. So at night he'd have to set up for the next day. So I would go with him up to the training center as he was setting things up and got to experience that. So it was fun to spend time with him and stuff. Good father son bonding time but also hey you're developing a skill you probably didn't even know at that time you were going to use long term right probably was probably just hey I like hanging out with dad right and and it was good. Gary Rogers: I was going to say he worked for them for 16 years and then he went to work after that to for a company selling automotive test equipment sun electric. And I was working at Sears for the three years and he had a stroke and they needed someone to help him to take part of his area because he covered basically from Salt Lake all the way south. In Utah and he was as a salesman selling automotive diagnostic equipment. And so I went to work for Sun Electric taking part of his area selling automotive diagnostic equipment. So I had to sell it to the dealers to the mechanic shops. Gas stations, people like that. And then I'd have to train them on how to use it to figure out the problems on the cars. Ryan Harding: Wow. So you you took so you said after his stroke and stuff like that you took over some of his job then. Gary Rogers: Really yeah. And it was a nationwide company and they were based out of Chicago, Illinois. And so I worked for them but basically they split his area because he couldn't handle it all. So I took half of the state and he took the other other half of the so he could stay local. And so he was still employed then. He still got to do his job but not as big an area. But not as big of an area. That's really cool that that I don't think that happens very a lot of times. It's hey sorry you can't do this or somebody but to have the son step in that's unique. The company was good to work for took care of him and me. And he only worked for him for about another three—it was four years after that after I had started for him before he retired just because his health was bad. But I worked for him for 18 years. Wow. You worked for that company? Sun electric. For yeah. For 18 years. And then they were bought out by Snap-on Tool Company. And at that point in time, I what am I going to do? I was a salesman, but I knew how to work on cars and do that cuz I had to train them how to do it and everything else. So, you hadn't lost those skills. Gary Rogers: And so, that's when I decided maybe it's time to open my own shop and do my own thing. So, that's when in in 90 they bought us out in '92 and I made the decision, okay, we're going to open up Rogers Automotive. And so that's when I started Rogers Automotive and and been working at that up until two and a half years ago. So I put my 30 years in. Yes, you did. With Rogers Automotive. And at that point in time, I basically turned it over to my son Michael. Who is running it now. And it's pretty unique because his son is working there now, too. Oh wow. So you got multi-generational. I hope that it's going to be a three generation thing. Oh, that's awesome. So, we'll see. You never know. Ryan Harding: Was your grandfather interested in in He was actually a principal. Of the high school over in Pleasant Grove. And so, he had no automotive interest or desire in it at all. And I don't know where my dad got the interested in it, but he liked it. And I liked what he did. And I just I've enjoyed working on things and doing things all my life. Ryan Harding: Did any of your siblings take on your dad's? No. So, I have three sons. One of them, my oldest one, is taking over the business. And the other one likes playing in the dirt. He has his own construction company. Like it loves the dirt. And the other one is into it. So technology and stuff like that. But yeah, none of them had any interested in taking over the business. Gary Rogers: Every one of my kids have had a chance to work at the shop. Either cleaning or bookkeeping or whatever. So talk to me about that for a bit. Let's from a family perspective. So obviously you said so one son has followed you into this, but the other two not so much. But you were still able to use that business to to help teach your kids some skills, right? Gary Rogers: Yeah, they like I said, they've all had a chance to work there. The girls, they did cleaning, but a little bookkeeping and stuff cuz my wife helped with the books and stuff. So, they've all learned a skill from it. And it was good. It's not something they wanted to pursue as a career. but they had a chance to work, make some money, and be able to see what it's all about, how family businesses ran and everything. So, it's worked out good. And I've had some of my grandkids work there, too, to make a few extra bucks. Oh, I love that. Good on you for giving them that opportunity. But at the same time, again, we all have different interests. My dad was in the med medical field, and I loved his job, and I I wanted to be like my dad, but I had no interest in medicine. like blood and guts just didn't appear, but I wanted it to cuz I liked I loved my dad and I liked what he was interested in. But just personally, I was more businessminded. I enjoyed that kind of stuff. Ryan Harding: Let's go back to 1992 93 shop. So talk to me just somebody that's interested in starting a business. How scary to do that? Gary Rogers: Very scary. Yeah. There was a lot of the unknown and a lot of things as you get into it. Oh, I didn't know I had to pay this fee or that tax or this. So, there's a lot of that. But I wasn't really afraid of not being able to fix the cars because not only did I feel like I had the skill set to do it, but have been working through basically the whole state of Utah with contacts with with other shops, dealerships, school teachers, colleges, all of that. I knew that if I ran into a problem like that that I had a resource to go to to be able to find out. But the business part of it was a little bit different. But there again, I had as when I worked for Sun Electric selling equipment stuff, I'd gone into a lot of different shops from a single one bay garage owner to multi-level dealerships, Larry Millers, all of those kind of places to sell equipment. And so I really looked at it and said, "What's working here and what's not working?" So I was able to take that information and those skill sets basically into my own business to help set it up which has been it was a good help good start. Ryan Harding: That makes a lot of sense and that that is sometimes what happens for entrepreneurs is whether they have another position typically you don't start from high school and then start your own business right everybody wants that but it just doesn't happen. I think you're speaking to a point of hey you got to see how other businesses were run and then you copied the parts that you liked into your own businesses is what happened. Gary Rogers: Yeah. And back in '93 when I first started into it, computers were just starting to come about and stuff. They had been out for a few years, but that was one thing I knew that I wanted to do was make sure everything was done on the computer for tracking and paperwork. Instead of having to fill out all the journals and track it and do all of that because I had seen both going into the shops. And so, you were ahead of your time or at least right on the the forefront of it. Yeah. That was interesting when I first started my shop and the word got out to the other shops in the area. Some were really happy and others weren't so happy, of course. Gary Rogers: And I had one come to me and say, "Why don't you just come work for me instead of you opening your own shop?" No, I don't want that. I'm good. Thank you. So, when you started, did you start, was it just you or did you have some employees, too? When originally when I first started, my father-in-law had basically retired from Kennot and was doing construction on his own and he was getting older and he just felt he was looking for something different, too. And I says, "Why don't you come in with me and you can do the parts up in the front counterpart and I'll take care of the service in the back." So, he thought that maybe that would work out okay. And it was pretty overwhelming where he had never really used computers or looked up parts and books or anything. He lasted four months and said, "I'm done. I'm done. Retirement is for me. I'm good." It was a good experience to bond with him a little bit more and stuff, so it worked out. But so it was just me and him at first. And then my son was in high school. After school, he would come down and help with different things. And I managed for about three or four months on my own. And then I finally hired another person to help me out and stuff. And he was okay, but he didn't have the skill set that I needed. And so I ended up working harder to repair his problems and stuff. Gary Rogers: As time went on, then we hired another guy that worked out pretty good and learning experience as time goes. So that is always the hard thing with employees is you're trying to replicate yourself and some of these guys aren't you to your point, having to repair his problems. And what about the building? Was that like from a cost perspective? I'm assuming there was some initial outlay to to I don't know if you bought or rent the building at first. We found the building. It was on State Street and it was part of an old wrecking yard body shop. That had closed up and the building sacked on a different angle. And so it wasn't real visible from State Street. But it wasn't too bad. So anyway, come to find out Wilfr Brimley owned it. Oh, the movie star. And my father-in-law had done some work for him on his ranch that he built here in Lehi. Water lines, sewer lines, and stuff like that. So he knew him pretty good. So, we talked to him and found out that it was his wife that owned it cuz they were splitting. And so, we went and talked to her and she said, "Why don't you just rent it until you find out if it's going to work?" And I said, "No, I that's that's a good idea, but I don't want to go down that road. I want if it does work, you know, you're going to raise the price. I just want to have it. It's to be mine." So, him, my father-in-law and I went in partners on the building. And bought it. And then, of course, after he decided it wasn't for him, then I've bought him out of all of that. But, yeah. So it it was a little scary going into it. Gary Rogers: Again, risk. I mean, there's but greater reward, too. Obviously, you owned the business then. So, I did a lot of remodeling on the building because it's by the tracks up there. Union Pacific used to go by and it was so loud. So, we closed all the windows in on that one side of the track. And made the building more usable for what we needed it for. And it worked out good. And we did that for quite a few years. And then in 2009, the corner mark that was next to us. Okay. a little convenience store. They got shut down selling to underage and and I had expressed several times to him that if you ever do close up, I'm interested in your building and stuff. And and we had used his parking lot anyway, a lot of it. And so he approached me and says, "Yeah, I'm done. I'm out of here." So I bought that building in 2009. So now I have two buildings on State Street there, which gave us better exposure and more parking and stuff, too. And that worked out better. And then we started to hire a few more employees and have a few more headaches and things, but it's been good. Ryan Harding: So, you just retired two and a half years ago, but how did where did you end up as far as employees go and stuff like that? Gary Rogers: We had seven, counting myself when I retired, and that's about where they're at right now, too. Awesome. So, it's working good. And it would be nice to have more, but we just don't have any room to put anybody else. We got eight eight stalls to work in. And with with four people out in the shop working the stuff, I have four out in the shop, one service writer, and then kind of the guy that bounces between it all and there's just not enough room for everybody. Ryan Harding: What kind of work do you do then? Is it just routine stuff or is it like, hey, diagnosing major problems and stuff like that? Gary Rogers: General automotive repair and we do Asian and domestic. We don't get into any European and but we get in we get a lot of other shops problems. Sometimes we even get a few that the customers get frustrated at the dealer and they bring them into us. And we find the problems. Electrical problems and other things that some people are just having a hard time trying to figure out. We take our skills and sometimes it takes a while but we do figure it out and usually I can't think of any time we've just thrown our hands in there and said we're done with this car. We've been able to work through it to the end. Ryan Harding: Talk to me about that. What obviously you get a thrill out of that that being able to say that, right? That hey, no, we always solve the problem. Gary Rogers: Yeah, it's a challenge, but but is a it's a good feeling when you're done because you feel like I accomplished that. Sometimes you look at it and go, man, that wasn't worth it. Do I need the brownie points to say I accomplished it when I needed the money to pay the bills and everything else? Cuz sometimes the money Yeah. You're not getting paid much more for finding this out, but it's I just want to figure it out. That's like when we first started the first few years, Lehi was small. We only had 8,000 people in the town. So, it wasn't a big town. So, we basically had to take in do whatever they wanted to do, whatever they needed us to do. I remember several times we were open Saturdays when we first opened, too. That seemed like it was everybody's project. They'd bring it in a box and say, "I can't put this together. Can you put it back together for me?" And it finally got to the point that one day off a week wasn't enough. So, we closed Saturdays, too. But yeah, it was good people. We did a lot of work, farm equipment and everything else and really and now it's progressed to the point that we can pick and choose a little bit more of our work. We don't work on farm tractors anymore. And we don't we do engines. We don't basically overhaul them because it's it's easier for us just to take one to someone the manufacturers rebuilt and we'll install it and get it running. because there's a lot of companies out there that specialize in rebuilding it and then we install them. Why? I mean, we can do that, but it's not cost effective. From a cost perspective, right? You got to go with where you're making the money. Exactly. And like some of the older cars, fortunately, there's a couple of other shops in town that will work on some of the older cars. because you just can't get parts for them and it just takes so much time away from making money on something else. To fix a a 1960 car. So, we just have to look at what's cost effective, where we can make the money that we need to make and get the customers happy and going. Ryan Harding: Talk to me about just automotive in general. You said 1993, we're now 2025. You said computers were at the beginning. Now, we now cars are computers. So talking about how automotive has changed over that what 30 years. Gary Rogers: Yeah, it's changed a lot because now we have a lot more computers on the cars. Everything's electronic. Everything is interfaced. Even the window levers switches to roll the windows up and down all go through a body control computer. And if you don't have the equipment to program that switch to the body control, you can put a new switch in, but it still won't do anything. So, it seems like we're constantly upgrading on our diagnostic equipment to be able to do it, too. And just like the emission program, they're changing the emission program. Come January 1st on the equipment that we're using right now won't be used anymore. We had to buy all new equipment, everything to pro to proceed next year with the program. Ryan Harding: And what's changing, I guess, on that? Gary Rogers: It used to be when it first came out, we always had to do a tailpipe probe where you put the machine in the tailpipe and you look at the gases coming out of the car. It's getting to the point in 95 they changed and went to what they call OBD2, onboard diagnostics too. Which is where you plug the connector into the vehicle and the machine analyzes the computer on the car. And the computer on the car is what's monitoring all the emission devices. And if anything's out of normal, then it sets the check engine light comes on, the little check engine light, and then the car won't pass emissions. And so now 93, we've been 30 years plus. And and the cars in 95, everything had to do it. So we don't need to even do that anymore. So they're not going to have an exhaust probe for the tailpipe anymore. It's all going to be computer. going to have a tablet that you basically plug into the diagnostic connector on the car and the computer on the car is going to tell the tablet, I'm good or I got a problem here, I got a problem there. And so it's interesting. It's technology changes. Just constantly. And so you're having to constantly adapt. As you do the business and stuff, equipment and knowledge and everything else. So, so we do take a few classes now and then on stuff to that the manufacturers provide to be able to look like electric cars, computers on the cars and things like that. So, we have to stay on top of that, too. Ryan Harding: Do you repair electric cars? Do you do anything with electric cars? Gary Rogers: Yeah, we do. Like the Priuses have been out for a long time. We've worked done a lot of work on those. The Teslas, not as much because they kind of like to keep it in house. proprietary information and parts and everything else. So, it's harder to get parts and information on that unless you're a Tesla dealer or certified Tesla and technician. But, yeah, we still have plenty of that to do. Plenty of work with the cars that are out there. That's great. And the electric ones, too. Yeah, that's an evolving program the whole time. Ryan Harding: I like that you're taking So, do you with obviously your employees and stuff like that, you're just on the job training in that regard or you said classes and stuff? because I assume you have to continue to learn, right? Gary Rogers: They just went to a air conditioning class two weeks ago on the new air conditioning systems and stuff they're using. This is like a fourth new Freon that they've come out with and the systems change and then we have to stay up to date and certified in that area too. So, we had to go to a threeight class and get certified with the new Freon and everything to be able to know how to use it and properly do it. And you can't even buy Freon without a certificate saying that you're certified, know how to handle it and stuff. Gary Rogers: So, yeah, it's it's always evolving, always getting certified, changing and things like that. And and fortunately, there's companies out there that specialize just in training. So, they'll say, "Hey, we have a class this month, next month coming up on," we went to one the other day on diesel fuel injection. We don't do a lot on diesels, but we do enough that it's Yeah. We need to know this stuff, too. So they give us a book and a certificate saying that we figured out how to do it. Wow. So it's not like it used to be this the shade tree mechanic can fix it into the Yeah. A lot of changes, a lot of technology. Ryan Harding: What would you recommend if somebody if I have a child that's trying to figure out what to do with their life and stuff like that? Is automotive a good career for them? What would they do to prepare? Talk to me about that just from a from a youth standpoint. Gary Rogers: Yeah, there's the thing about automotive industry is there's a lot of options and different ways to go. It isn't just working on the car. You can be a salesman selling the parts or salesman selling the tools or the equipment or anything that way. As well as if you wanted to get into engineering and figuring out the software and when you start looking at a car and you divide it into the metal parts and the electrical parts and the software and even tires. Even tires have changed. So, there's a lot of different avenues to take. So, you just have to look at it and say, I'm really interested. I really like this. I'd like to Yeah. pursue this. I guess the way I looked at it when I first started is I just got to be in a shop somewhere where I can see what's going on. And that was cleaning the floors and stuff and be able to look at it and see what's going on and going, "Yeah, I'm interested in this." Yeah, I don't know that this is ready for me or not. And we get customers that ask us if their kid can work there doing that kind of stuff. And we do that every once in a while for them, too. And some progress and some don't. Ryan Harding: Are the You said the seven that you have are they're younger, older. Is this is this a more of a part-time job for the youth or is this more of a career job for We have one that he's 18. Okay. He's graduated. He just kind of cleans and runs and does stuff like that. But it ranges from that to 45 46 career job, right? Able to feed a family and and take care of your family and do this with you. Yeah. And most of my employees, they're Mike's employees, you know, feel like I'm with you. It's two and a half years. That's not that long. You're still basically there. But my service writer on the front counter has been there for 12 years with us. One of the other technicians that does the emissions and brakes and easy more easier things than that. Yeah. He's been there for 12 years. And then the other's been there for nine years. So then my grandson's been there for two years now. That's awesome. So that's awesome. So yeah, it's it can be a career thing. And good. And then we try to look at it at as a career for our employees. So after they've been there for so long, we do give them a retirement program, too. And vacation, too. Yeah. Which not a lot of shops do that. So you really do try to treat it as a Do you want them to stay? Take care of them, your employees and Yeah. Yeah. And we like them and they seem to like us. So it's a win-win. Good. Good. Yeah. Ryan Harding: Talk to me about working with your son and stuff like that. How has that been? How long has he been at that place with you then? Gary Rogers: He was 15. And he and if he's got a kid, he's he's older then obviously. Yeah. He's 45 46 now. He's been with me for a long time. So he's seen it from the very beginning as we grow and all the growing pains and frustrations and everything, but he's done well and he's he likes it. So obviously he's Yeah, he better like it, right? Has that been fun to obviously not only just with him, but you said also the family and stuff like that. Anything else you'd speak to on is just from a family standpoint, I guess. It was fun. It's fun working with the family members and stuff. Like I said, I've had every one of my six kids work there at one point or another. And it can be frustrating at time but it can be real rewarding too because sure you build a bond with them. Ryan Harding: What are some things you've learned from owning a business? Forget just the mechanical part this because I'm sure there's some principles that apply to anybody with any business that's looking at it. What things have you learned from owning a business for the last 30 years? Gary Rogers: It's important that you get your margins so you can make the money that you need. Be it has to be profitable. Because you know at first when you first start into it I haven't done this and oh I didn't know I needed to charge this much in order to make it profitable. The first year was real tough. We didn't make as much money as we had hoped to and and it's been a lot of ups and downs but overall it's been pretty good and figuring it out and learning from it and the people that you get to know your customers and stuff. You have good and bad customers and everything but we have some that are you're my customer. Why are you being so nice to me? But yeah, but it's been good. I got some real good oldtime customers in Lehi that taken care of us and we've taken care of them. So, it's been really good. Ryan Harding: So, speak to that, I guess, for a minute, too. You mentioned obviously you've been in Lehi now for I lived in Lehi for almost 50 years. 47. 49 years. And I never asked you what brought you because what brought you here to Lehi then, I guess. Well, when I was growing up in Salt Lake, I like going to school up there and spending time up there. But my parents were from Pleasant Grove and Lehi, the Strasburgs, pretty old family from here. And they wanted to move back down here to be closer to the family and relatives and stuff. So, they built a home by the cemetery and moved down here in 72. And I stayed up there until I almost finished high school till March. And then I had to drive from here to Skyline every day for 2 months. So then I moved down here with them. And so that's basically what brought him down here and that's what brought me down here. And I got married two years after I moved down here. Moved back to Sandy because I thought I wanted to be back in Salt Lake. It was there for about two and a half years and said, "I want to get back to Lehigh." And so my wife and I built a home in Lehi and raised our kids there. And then when the company made the changes that they did, it's like it's time to open a business now and try that. Why not close to home? I'm one mile from my shop. And as a crows fly, I'm only a half mile, but I have to go around the freeway. But yeah, that's basically what brought us back to Lehi and why we started a business in Lehi's. It's been a good career and yeah, good life. Ryan Harding: You mentioned so you know your clients and stuff like that. What impact do you think you've had on Lehi itself as far as Yeah, I just like today when we went to lunch, I ran into two of our old customers that they knew I had retired. They said, "Oh, we haven't seen you and I'm not down there every day anymore." But it was good for them to be able to know who I am. Not just, oh, you're the owner of that company. They know me personally. Good on that. So, I feel like I've had an impact with a lot of good customers in Lehi now that it's grown to where it's almost 100,000 people. I don't know all the customers and I'm not there all the time, but the original ones that when I first started the business, we have a relationship that we can know each other on firstname basis and stuff. So, yeah, I feel like we've had a good effect on Lehi on the people that we worked and helped out in the beginning. Unfortunately, a lot of those are older and are starting to leave us now. Dying off. But but yeah, it's been a it's been a good relationship. Ryan Harding: Good. Yeah. Which I think that's you're not just trying to make money. You want to be part of a community. Try you care about actually people. It has to be profitable, but you try to take care of people and form those relationships. And if we make a mistake, they let us know about it and we'll take care of it. Good. We stand by your work. And so that's helped build a reputation in town too that they know and we can take care of things. So it's been good. Ryan Harding: Where do you see the company going over the next 10 20 years? Any major changes or kind of business as usual over the next 10 20 years? Gary Rogers: My son's talked about expanding. He'd like to build a new building and have a lot of money. So I don't know if he's going to do it on the property that's there. I don't think he'll leave the property, but I'm not sure if he can acquire any more property around there either. He's thought about that. But I think for the most part, it'll just probably continue like it is. Would the building would a brand new building help with Is there You mentioned tools that you have to get for like the emissions that change. Are there other things that would help with a new building? Is that kind of his idea behind it? Is that's just the building is just set funny on the property. He would like to have it more visible from State Street to make it look Okay. Just a new building. That building that we're in now is built in 54. So, it's old. It still works good. We've taken care of it and stuff, but it just like the young people always have the idea, let's make it bigger and better. Until they start to see how much it is. There's always a cost, right? If it's an investment, then it doesn't get you more business. More visibility like you said and stuff. I can see there's obviously benefit to it. As far as the business itself goes, I I basically think it'll continue like it is. And are you still invested in the business as silent partner? I own the buildings. The plan is four more years he'll start buying the buildings from me. That's my retirement. That's your Sure. Yeah. Hey, that's good. That's good. So, you want this business to keep going for many reasons, I'm sure. Just for your own legacy and stuff like that or something that you built. That's Yeah, because it it is cool to be able to say, "Yeah, I started that. Yeah, my son is running it now and my grandson is working there that hopefully he'll take it over in another 30 years, you know. Talk about legacy and just Yeah, I agree. I think that's super cool. So, yeah, that's idea. That's what we're hoping for. Ryan Harding: Good. Um, I've been enjoying this conversation. I forgot I have the outline. I just basically like working on cars and I don't know if there's any I like General Motors probably more than any of them because my dad worked for General Motors. Sure. and he had a lot of the special tools. Of course, those have been outdated now. That was the area that the direction that I went and enjoyed it. So, I still enjoy the cars. When my son gets too busy, sometimes he'll bring one up to my house. So, he ask me to help him with it or whatever. That's more in the summertime because summer's usually our busiest time and get slammed. So, yeah. Air conditioning work or whatever. is to it keeps your your skills tuned up because like anything I'm sure you start to lose it if you're not using it. Comes up and says, "Go for a ride with me so we can listen to this and tell me what you think." Cuz diagnosing is it's easy to just put a part on and say, "I fixed it." But to figure out which part and what you got to do to fix it. That's the hard part. What actually is Yeah. Ryan Harding: What do any stories that stand out to you over the 30 years of running that business? any clients that stand out or problems that stood out? Anything that stands out from those 30 years that we're sharing? Gary Rogers: Yeah, there's always little problems here and there. There's been a few times I had to spend all night down there fixing problems that was created during the day. But we got it fixed. Got the customer taken care of and stuff, but yeah, we've we had one car that was from San Pee County. It was down from Mount Pleasant. Okay. and they were going home and a deer ran in front of them and they went off the road and the car died. And it wouldn't start again and they took it to three different shops at Nephi, Mount Pleasant down in that area and finally they had heard about it. So they towed it all the way from there up to Lehi. So that I could look at it and try to figure it out. And I spent a lot of time on that. A lot of nights. Because you don't have the time during the day to do it because you're thinking so much. But yeah, we finally did figure out the problem and stuff and we thought for sure it was an electrical problem, but it wasn't electrical problem. It was a little tiny pin on the cam shaft that had sheared and let the timing on the valves change. And it wouldn't let the car start. And when we found that, it was like, oh, thank goodness. But it was a real challenge. I Wow. I spent a lot of time figuring that one out. Ryan Harding: And what do you think? You mentioned three different shops and they all No, no, no. And you were able to do it. Why? Why is that? Why did you fix it? Is it just you spent more time on it? You're able to You don't quit on it. Is that maybe it? Gary Rogers: That's probably a lot of it, too. But diagnostic skills, figuring out what is going on, what's happening, and stuff, and reason it out. I tease my wife all the time about logic. You got to have logic to be able to think this stuff out. Common sense logic. And it just just took time. But when we found it, it's like I wanted to go back to those shops and say, "Look, I found this. Here's the error. Here's what it was." But probably a lot of it they just they weren't making any money and just didn't want to hassle with it anymore and said just ship the thing, get it out of here. But it's but I I can tell you enjoy your job. That's you're doing this in your spare time just trying okay I want to I want to figure this out. To your point yeah the if you figure out your hourly wage for that it's probably like very little right? So from a financial standpoint it wasn't worth it but maybe and maybe that's the key there for a business. So that project itself you there wasn't much money in there. But to have a reputation as the guy that does fix things and the the place that does do it and it's helped because we've had that reputation. We're getting stuff from other shops here in town and other places too because they they can fix it. If anybody can fix it, they'll fix it. So that's good. So that's why I'm saying that I think it's helped you build that brand or that rec that reputation there even though individually sure there's not much money in that one car and it probably wasn't worth it. But it was in a bigger sense. Gary Rogers: That's like when we first started farmers say, "Can you fix this tractor, fix that?" And so I really don't have the manuals and the information, but some logic can try to figure it out. When my son would always say, "We're not making any money on this, but we did it. We fixed it and got it going for him and stuff." So, you just have to get to a point of I just can't prove to everybody that I can fix this and do it because I got to make money to be able to support it and pay the bill. But it is fun. It is a challenge. Again, I can tell you like it. I know you enjoy that kind of stuff. Ryan Harding: Do you have a favorite model that you like to work on? You mentioned General Motors, but is there a favorite kind of car that you like to work on? Gary Rogers: I don't know. A Corvette would be a lot of fun to own. Hard to work on, but I love trucks. I spend most time working on trucks and doing things and doing that. I don't know if there's any one particular model or anything but there just a lot of fun. But more General Motors favored than anything. Ryan Harding: And is there a common car issue you wish more people knew how to prevent? Any kind of just from a hey we all own cars. Hey here's a tip for people. Gary Rogers: During the summer, we used to, probably not as much now, but used to always get people that were coming over the point of the mountain and the little red light comes on saying it's overheated. And instead of shutting it down, pulling off the rotor, they just keep driving in a Lehi. And by the time they get to us, if they make it that far, the engine's toast. So, it would be nice if they just pay attention to the lights or the gauges, and when it's in the red, it means stop. Red means stop. Red means stop. So, advice. Ryan Harding: And and what causes that overheating is that it's usually because they've had coolant leak like a hose leaking or something like that and so they're low on coolant so it doesn't have enough to keep the engine cool but they don't want to stop on the point of the mountain because nobody's out there. So they just keep driving and then it ruins it by the time they get down off the point of the mountain. So yeah, it's interesting how the point of the mountain has played such a role in our life all this time. My dad when he had his garage in Lehi had a an old Dodge military truck that they had converted into a wrecker. And he would go out there at night and pull people off the point of the mountain that would slide off really and stuff. And recover towing and recovery. And so now we have problems with the point. People bring us their cars first to fix because they weren't smart enough to stop. So yeah. Ryan Harding: So any other issues? Any other tips for car owners? I guess that is the the oil change recommendations good is the the way all those recommendations that we hear those right? Gary Rogers: Yeah, they they've gone on a lot of the oil changes now letting the car figure out how long the oil change should go. So they have a it's time to change the oil when that pops up. It's time to change the oil. So as opposed to the sticker that says so many miles, 3,000 miles is typical. The cars can go, you know, four, some go six. But when it says it's time to change the oil, I better change the oil. I change mine every 3,000 miles because I just see what happens to it with all the dirt in the engine. And you probably enjoy it too, right? It's like fun for you to get it. But yeah, you know, a lot of the new cars, they have what they call variable val variable valve timing. So, they use the oil to control the timing on the cam shafts. And if the oil gets thick and dirty, it can't move and then it destroys them. And so then you end up spent a lot more money. So, an oil change, it's not as cheap as it used to be, but it's a lot cheaper than an engine. Agreed. So, so yeah, I would try to change the oil when it's recommended and and shut it off if the red light comes on and shut it off. All right. That's perfect. That's good. Ryan Harding: Have you ever had people career nights go to your like a young a youth night or something like that? Go to your place. Release society. Gary Rogers: Yeah. All the time. And what do you teach them in those movies? About the lights. They always want to know how do you check the oil and what do you do? What about this? And I go over the basics with them and stuff and point out things under the hood and that and let them know that if it's a yellow light, it means caution. Just like when you're going through a street light. Figure it out. You can keep going, but you don't have to stop. But if it's red, it means stop. That means shut the engine down. But yeah. I haven't done any for a while, but used to do them all the time for the release society. And then then we have the scouts come down to the shop all the time so they can see raise a car up and they can look underneath it and all that kind of stuff. So we we do things like that too. Good. Just being part of the community teaching them these things and obviously it's fun for us to because a lot of us don't know much about cars, right? That's what we have you for. Fix this for us. It's broken. We need some help. Gary Rogers: So, my daughter teaches second grade out at River Rock and and in the spring she always has what you call a hero day and it's basically when her she brings my wife and I in cuz we're her heroes and then we explain what why we're the way we are and stuff and I always take a small Briggs and Stratton lawn mower engine that I've cut away so they can see the internals on how it works and I've painted a different color so I can explain to it how it works and crank it over and stuff to it and the kids love it. They think it's great to be able to see it and do all of that. So, yeah, give them a little bit of an introductory to it. And I've had to add to it. Now, I've got a little model bicycle that I put an electric motor on and say, "This is a gas engine, but this is what's coming is electric." So, they can see an electric motor pedals and all that. So, they enjoy that kind of an introduction to it all. Ryan Harding: is an electric motor obviously it's different than I guess a than a gas powered motor but how is there a lot of differences there the electric motor doesn't have moving parts like a a gasoline engine has pistons that go up and down and so the crankshaft is turning but the piston has to go all the way up and stop and change direction go down to the bottom and stop and change and go back and forth electric motor just turns forward and just keeps going and going So there's really no limit to how fast it can go. Until it just blows itself apart where where a gasoline engine has its limit because of the moving parts that are inside of it and the way it works. But yeah, explaining that to the kids and showing them how it all works and stuff. So yeah, just introductory to it. But they enjoy it. Ryan Harding: Good. Hey, this has been great to get to know what you've done, all these different things. Is there anything we haven't covered that you would want to that you'd want that we should talk about? Gary Rogers: Not that I can think of offh hand. You've pretty much heard my live, which is perfect. That's what we wanted. So, that's what we wanted. Any since this is a podcast about you and, you know, also about Lehi, any um uh any things that you would like to see in Lehi, you know, over the next 10 to 20 years as far as if you were in charge, mayor for the day kind of thing. Gary Rogers: Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. It's just there's just so many people and so much traffic and stuff. There's not a lot you can do about that other than just trying to make more roads to be able to get around and stuff. I have a daughter lives out in Saratoga and it's such a hassle to get out there to but other than that I don't really know. I like Lehi. It's been a good little town. Yeah, it's a good town. Good. Ryan Harding: Hey, thank you for coming on and thanks for giving us a little bit of your time. I I love that you've been part of the community and I love your desire to to fix things and not to give up on them and really kind of make it work. I love the family legacy of just the family business. Even for those that again didn't continue on with the automotive part, but obviously learned the skills and and probably just learned work work ethic and to not give up. I'm sure the second grade teacher, I'm sure she learned some of that, too, and stuff like that. So, yeah. Yeah, I love that. So, yeah, they love teaching. My wife did a preschool in our basement for 20 years. Oh, wow. And so, all the girls wanted to spend more time teaching. Sure. And two of them have gone into teaching. And they're teachers. A very noble profession. We love good teachers. That's what helps the next and I'm sure that's Yeah. Between your wife and you both good teachers yourself trying to teach this next generation. So yeah. So we we love Lehi. I've been here for a while. Plan on staying here. Good. Yeah. I already have my plot over here. You're staying here forever. Okay. I love it. Ryan Harding: Okay. Hey, thanks Gary. Thanks for coming out. No problem. Appreciate you taking the time. No, love it. Thank you. Ryan Harding: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story and together we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. We'd love to hear from you. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Harding Home Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Gary Rogers Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Lehi Utah automotive history interview with Gary Rogers, founder of Rogers Automotive on State Street. Family business, three generation legacy, Lehi small business stories, and local entrepreneurship. Gary Rogers Lehi Utah. Rogers Automotive Lehi. Lehi Utah automotive repair. State Street Lehi businesses. Lehi small business stories. Lehi family owned businesses. Lehi community oral history. Lehi Utah local entrepreneurs. Gary Rogers interview. Point of the Mountain car issues. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Contact

Nathan Bushman: Lehi Farming Roots, FFA & Education | RB-038

Hear Nathan Bushman share his Lehi pioneer heritage, journey from Thanksgiving Point farmland to Lehi High FFA adviser, and his work today as Lehi Junior High assistant principal.

Nathan Bushman on Lehi's Farming Roots, FFA Legacy, and a Life in Education

Who Is Nathan Bushman, and Why Does His Story Matter?

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Pioneer Roots and the Evans Settlement

From Family Farm to Thanksgiving Point

Doug Webb's Life-Changing Mentorship

Summers with FFA and Lehi Roundup

The Traveling Agriculture Teacher

The Emotional Weight of Administration

Raising Kids Through Agriculture

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

Nathan Bushman Lehi Utah Agriculture Education FFA Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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From the farmland that became Thanksgiving Point to the classrooms of Lehi High School, Nathan Bushman carries forward a multigenerational commitment to agriculture, education, and the young people of Lehi, Utah.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

Nathan Bushman's story is woven deeply into the early fabric of Lehi, Utah . As a descendant of one of the original families sent by Brigham Young to settle the area, his roots stretch back to the Evans settlement group, and his upbringing reflects the long-standing agricultural traditions that shaped early Lehi. Growing up on farmland that would eventually become Thanksgiving Point , Nathan experienced firsthand the blend of heritage, hard work, and community responsibility that defined generations of Lehi families.

In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Nathan to explore how his life bridged two of Lehi's most defining legacies— farming and education . Influenced by his father, an elementary principal, and inspired by mentor Doug Webb, Nathan found his calling as an agricultural science teacher and FFA adviser at Lehi High School . His story highlights the evolving role of agriculture in a rapidly growing city, the importance of hands-on learning, and the enduring value of leadership programs like FFA in shaping confident, capable young people.

Today, as an assistant principal at Lehi Junior High , Nathan continues to invest in the next generation. His reflections on education, community needs, and the challenges facing modern youth offer a meaningful look at how Lehi's heritage continues to influence its future. His journey reminds us why preserving agricultural education , community traditions, and strong mentorship still matters in a changing Lehi. For anyone interested in Lehi Utah history , pioneer family stories , FFA leadership , or the future of Alpine School District education , this interview offers both historical perspective and practical inspiration.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Nathan Bushman

Former Lehi High School agriculture teacher & FFA adviser; Assistant Principal at Lehi Junior High

1800s family settlement; 1980s–2020s personal life; 2000s–2020s teaching and administration

Ryan Harding

Nathan describes his family's deep pioneer roots, noting his great-grandfather was part of the Evans group sent by Brigham Young to settle Lehi—establishing a multigenerational legacy that still shapes his identity today.

He shares how his family farm eventually became the land where Thanksgiving Point now stands, a powerful symbol of Lehi's transition from agriculture to development. The family sold that farm and bought a ranch, continuing their agricultural life in a new form.

Mentor Doug Webb pulled Nathan aside while he was at college and said, "You should think about this." That single conversation opened Nathan's eyes to leadership opportunities in FFA and set him on the path to becoming an agriculture teacher.

Nathan recalls summers spent preparing floats, ponies, and petting zoos for Lehi Roundup. As an FFA adviser, he didn't get summers off—because that's when agriculture happens. He and his students were heavily involved in Wines Park events and community traditions.

He describes driving around all summer visiting students' livestock and garden projects—whether a lamb for the county fair or a two-acre garden destined for the farmers market. He even acted like a "vet" some days, helping kids troubleshoot sick animals to avoid expensive veterinary bills.

Nathan reflects on the shift from teaching to administration. While teaching offered daily wins and visible student growth, administration brings heavier emotional challenges: supporting at-risk students facing divorce, incarceration, or mental health struggles. He actively works to stay connected to the positive moments by attending FFA events and basketball games.

He shares how raising animals with his wife and daughters teaches responsibility and connection to the land, even as Lehi loses open space. He believes there's no better way to raise kids than caring for animals or land—trudging out to the barn in snow or rain to make sure everything is fed.

This interview offers valuable perspective on Lehi's agricultural past and its rapid evolution. Here are key historical insights from Nathan's experience:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while honoring its roots:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Welcome Nathan Bushman to Roots and Branches of Lehi, where we get to know you and kind of your background and all these different things and stuff. Talk to me first about childhood and stuff like that. Were you raised here in Lehi? Where did you grow up? What brought you to Lehi?

Nathan Bushman: Yep. Born and raised in Lehi. In fact, we go pretty far back as a Bushman family to the original Brigham Young sent people to settle Lehi and my great-grandfather, if I am doing my genealogy right, was part of that Evans group. He came to Lehi to settle.

Ryan: Awesome. So long time then.

Nathan: Yep. So born and raised in Lehi. On my mom's side, same thing. They were born and raised here. My mom and dad were, but my grandpa was chief of police for a few years. Anthony Fkovich, but his grandparents actually came from Poland, I want to say. Yeah, I should know that and answer better. So, yeah, I have been born and raised here and an agriculture family, right? So, obviously came here and my genealogy was farming and agriculture and so that is what it was for a while.

Ryan: Is that what your dad did then, too?

Nathan: No. So that is what grandpa did and my uncle did. My dad did it growing up, but then my dad actually became an elementary educator and then an elementary principal.

Ryan: And so you can kind of see how the agriculture and the education started to mesh together. So a lot of heritage there, I guess.

Nathan: Yeah, that is exactly it. The agriculture and the elementary education part of things. Did your dad have a big influence on you going into education? Yeah. Yep. I grew up in dad's classroom playing teacher on the chalkboard like all those kind of things and so it was always a lifestyle that I understood and then we did—my dad still helped out on the farm and we still had some land and so on the side we did the agricultural stuff and then I actually—our family farm is where Thanksgiving Point is. So we sold that farm to Thanksgiving Point and we bought a ranch. And so then when I went to college, I was headed more down the agricultural path and then realized that if I wanted to farm, I could just run a family farm. I want to go to college for that.

Ryan: And so things started to mesh and changed to where I had a few—I do not know if you know Doug Webb?

Nathan: Yep. So Doug Webb was my teacher. And he pulled me aside while I was going to college one day and he is like, "You should think about this." And so I took the teaching stuff that I knew I liked and the dad that I grew up with and then the agriculture and changed my major at Utah State to become an ag teacher. Awesome. And never looked back. There is days, but no. No.

Ryan: Good. So talk to me then. So after Utah State, tell me where life took you then as far as jobs go.

Nathan: After Utah State, during Utah State, I did summer internships. So FFA and agricultural classes—most teachers have their summers off. But agriculture teachers do not because that is when agriculture is happening. And so we work all year long. And so during the summer kids are having projects and they can earn school credit for that. And so we supervise that and drive around and help and mentor any way we can. And so during college I did a couple internships down here with Doug. And then between that and the connections of other people that I had when I graduated, Lehi started to boom at that point and they needed another teacher. So, Doug, you should interview. And so I came right out of college and came right back to Lehi.

Ryan: Oh, wow. Okay. And so you were teaching at Lehi High then?

Nathan: Yep. So I was at Lehi High and one of the things we wanted to start because back in the day we did not have agriculture classes and FFA in the junior highs. Okay. And so I was full-time at Lehi High School, but one of those class periods I started teaching at Lehi Junior as well. So I was up there for one period and then at the high school.

Ryan: Okay. And so talk to me about—so you brought up Doug. Talk to me about mentoring and stuff like that. How—was that like a big influence? Just just a small nudge and that sent you in this direction. Talk to me about that for a second.

Nathan: No, I think I went through a transition of the teacher before Doug Webb. So I started the FFA and then Doug came in my last year and he really just opened my eyes, took us to state conventions and to leadership events and those kind of things which we had not been doing before and that is really where I guess his mentorship of taking me to see those bigger opportunities available in the FFA. He took me on those as so much of us students would go to those activities and things. And so that was a big part of helping me understand and appreciating the FFA. And then he was a big part of helping mesh the two to really start thinking about putting the two together because of course my dad's—you need to teach elementary. It is wonderful. Little kids are wonderful. I am not sure little kids are wonderful. And somebody else said, I would not do teenagers. But so I said, I am going to try the teenager thing. And really, my favorite age is high school. Even though I work at a junior high now, it is fine, but it is not the maturity level that the high school kids get. And the real drive and passion for what is going to happen after high school.

Ryan: And so how long did you teach for then?

Nathan: I was 11 years at the high school. And there was—we had a program of three teachers. So there was myself and then I worked with Brett Robertson. I did a lot of the sciences. So animal science, equine science, natural resources, those kind of things. And then the other teacher was doing all the shop. And then we had Lisa Clement was part of our team and she was the teacher at Willow Creek. So at that time those were the two junior highs and that was our program we did and we were the three of us were basically all there together for 11 years.

Ryan: Okay. And now talk to me about FFA just in general because a lot of times people think hey there is not a lot of farms anymore. Mom and dad we even—your dad was a school teacher and stuff like that. Talk to me about why is it still relevant? What—talk to me about why FFA still helps people and what it is doing in that regard.

Nathan: Yeah. And that is what I appreciate about that organization is the diversity of it because it is the largest youth organization in the country. And I think that is because whether you are in a rural community and you really want to focus on like the skills that come with the actual animal husbandry or the plant science or that kind of stuff or you want to focus on the leadership side of things. And it does a really good job of having leadership events that help students learn how to public speak and how to extemporaneous speak or evaluate and give reasons and be a leader. Like we had a parliamentary procedure team. So like I have kids that were on my team and now have left and they have become certified parliamentarians. And so there is just—that there is the ability for a kid to go really heavy after the leadership or there is the ability of a kid that is really into the agricultural part of it and it does a really good job of meshing the two of them. Which is which I think is why it is successful. And when I started my career, Lehi High School's boundaries went all the way out to Cedar Fort, Fairfield and everything. So when I started, we had a lot of kids that were doing what I would say big agriculture. Versus when I left, Westlake had been formed and we were smaller. We started to see more smaller scale things. But there is still quite a few kids involved with the agricultural raising livestock, taking care of horses, training horses, those kind of things still.

Ryan: And what I have heard, too, also is that it is not only—so I think of jobs on a farm, right? But it also could be, hey, there is a lot of big corporations that are selling to those people and they maybe need those guys that understand the logistics of the things that you are teaching.

Nathan: And even small farmers as ourselves because we still raise cattle here. And we like—we have to learn how—marketing. If we are going to compete against the big guys and those kind of things, like we have got to learn to market our own stuff, figuring out social media, podcasting, like all those kind of things are all skills that kids learn that they can then either take to a corporation or they can take back to their own farm where they are either—they might have 12 stalls and they are training horses and but they have got to learn how to market because we do not market a lot on TV anymore. And so there is yeah a lot of aspects that teach them more than they learn the basics in class as well. They are going to learn proper ways to grow and fertilize and animal husbandry skills when it comes to branding and vaccinating all those kind of things. But then the FFA helps tie in the other part to it so that they can walk out and really be businessmen and women.

Ryan: Sure. Sure. So talk to me about—so you said 11 years or 13 years?

Nathan: 11. 11 years. Okay. So 11 years at the high school. Anything stand out from that 11 years? Any stories? Any obviously you mentioned you had somebody influential help you, right? And Doug, did you have any of those stories on the flip side where you were the guy kind of thing?

Nathan: No, I would hope so. Yeah, I have kids that did come up and talked to me and shared those kind of things. Trying to think of like specific situations. There were some teams that came in and did incredible fantastic things and fundraisers and service projects and things like that, but I cannot think of like a specific story, but it always—it was fun to see a student go from 9th grade and then graduate and the skill set and the opportunities that they created along the way.

Ryan: Good. And during that time, I guess you mentioned so 11 years there, the summers and stuff like that. Talk to me then about the summer. So are you still employed by Alpine School District through the summer?

Nathan: Yep. So it is still through the school. So then what does your kind of day-to-day look like during that summer time? That looked like we were heavily involved in Roundup. So back in the day, we are getting floats ready. We are getting the horses and the wagons for the horse parade ready. The kids are getting things decorated for that. And then back at that time when I was involved, we were involved with Wines Park. So we had pony rides. We and as an FFA we did not own ponies so kids were searching for ponies that were ridable and so rounding up ponies and we had the petting zoo so kids are rounding up that. So we spent a lot of June in preparation for that when it came to the FFA side of things and the leadership team that was doing that.

As for what I would do in the summer, there was a lot of—one of the requirements for us to document hours and stuff like that was actually physically see students and so we would show up whether they were raising a lamb for the county fair or a kid had a 2-acre garden because he was going to take it to a farmers market or whatever they were doing, we were there to kind of show up, see how things were going, give them advice, ask us if they had questions about how we could help with that kind of stuff. And we just spent a lot of times driving around visiting kids. And then of course kids—we had kids doing livestock shows. And so we would have groups go out to once a month there were different livestock shows where we would go help support kids and a lot of them did not have necessarily trailers and so we—the school district had the horse trailer and we were able to help transport the animals and stuff for the kids like that. And there were days I felt like a vet. They would call and say my animal is sick and so we would do our best to help them avoid that bill and see if we could help figure out the problem and stuff.

Ryan: You mentioned a lot about animals and stuff like that. What if—what would you tell a kid that is maybe I am not interested in animals. I am not interested in that kind of stuff. Is there a place for somebody like that in FFA in some of those classes?

Nathan: Yep. And that is one of the advantages of when we—when I got there with Doug, too. One of the first things we pushed really hard for was a greenhouse. So we have a greenhouse over there. So we have a lot of kids that find a passion with the plant side of things and so we had a lot of kids that were interested in the natural resource stuff which a lot of them probably signed up for the class that they were going to talk about hunting. But it was a lot more than that. So we did a lot of conversations and topics about forestry and mining and I mean with the mining right here by us and so introduced a lot of kids. So there really was—between a kid could weld or a kid could work with animals, a kid could take plant science. Floriculture is a real popular one. Floriculture classes and then the natural resource and the equine science. Like I would be hard-pressed to find a kid that could not be interested in one of those things for a hobby reason. And if they were not then they were down the hall in the foods class.

Ryan: Sure. And are you seeing kind of a resurgence in some of those more hands-on? It seems like for decades we pushed college and education which obviously education is very important but it was only college white collar work kind of thing and so are you seeing that shift where okay hey sure get educated but it does not have to necessarily be down this white collar path. We want you to get specialized in welding, you mentioned electrician. Are you seeing a resurgence there?

Nathan: Yes and for multiple reasons but I definitely think we are starting to see more of that kind of circling back of students being interested in. We have a really good relationship in Alpine right now with MTech. So we have a lot of kids that go over to MTech and pursue quite a bit through them. There is a lot of diesel mechanics and those kind of things, electricity, and so that is what I liked about the ag classes and CTE classes in general is that exposure to all of that. To be able to understand like—I, for example, cannot ever—an individual in today's world cannot buy a farm. Even in the Midwest, the cost of it at this point. But a kid can certainly pursue, like you said, a corporation where they are going to learn media skills to tie it all together. And but there is definitely an interest in getting the trade skills. Even when we talk to kids about the opportunities to go to MTech because they can learn some of those skills to even just have a higher paying job while they are going to college because now they can be a vet tech while they are going to college or they can be a phlebotomist while they are going to medical school. So I think there is a vision and an understanding that having those skill-based things are important.

Ryan: I think it is a more healthy way of looking at education. It is not there is not only one path, right? Again, specialization—I am a big believer in like the world will pay you if you get really good at something, right? But get good at something and choose what that is. And so I like that. My guess is that is what FFA is trying to help. And I guess maybe expose kids to different areas where they are like hey I did not know I was interested in X, Y, or Z.

Nathan: Yeah. And that is what I like about our education system. I had quite a few foreign exchange students that would come through and take my classes. And I was always fascinated and had conversations with them about what their education system looked like. And they—there is a lot of education systems outside of the US that are just really core based, right? With math, science, and English, your sports, your agriculture, all those kind of stuff are community-based. And I do not think they get the exposure where a kid can go and get a comprehensive exposure to everything because there is so many different things that they can pursue. Yeah. So I like that about it.

Ryan: Good. Anything else on FFA or anything else on that topic that you want to bring up or talk about?

Nathan: No, I think we have covered most of it. Just an understanding that a lot of times it is—it is different than the rodeo situation, right? It is a legitimate organization that is going to build leadership. And the rodeo, the Utah rodeo, all that does too in its own way. And but there is such leadership opportunities. I have seen a lot of kids that have found really incredible futures because of skills that they had being able to communicate and talk and have those kind of skills to lead and to work on a team.

Ryan: Sure. So good. So 11 years there. So then transitioned to Lehi Junior after that or was there something?

Nathan: So at that point again—so through that process of 11 years there, Doug Webb became an administrator. And so having a friend in that world seeing what that world looks like and I think it is like anything in life—11 years of something is a long time. Sure. And we had—it was a little bit of half and half of looking for a shift of I need to do something different as well as we had been running so hard to manage that organization that I was there—it was a little bit of I am tired. And so we—and I had already gone through received my master's degree at administrative endorsement. Those are all ways that we increase pay in our job. And so we had been through all that and so when the opportunity came up, we decided to give it a try. And so I put in for the interviews and went through all of it, made the pool and then I actually ended up with my first administrative job down in Orem at Canyon View Junior High. I was there for seven years as an administrator and then—and when you say administrator, so like vice principal, assistant principal? Assistant. Okay. Yep. Which was a different looking community than here, right? And really there was not an ag teacher there. And so there really was a time frame for those seven years that I was pretty much disconnected from the FFA part of things. We still had CTE classes and stuff like that, but there was not an ag teacher. Was not a super strong FFA down there at that time. And did you find yourself wanting to create that? Yeah, I missed having my part in it. But at that point, I had been recently married and we were just chasing personal stuff because I had had more time at that point to pursue some of that. So was disconnected from it but not out of it. I still involved in community and stuff like that. And so seven years there and then from there—nope. So then from there I was moved to Vista Heights out to Saratoga Springs. Yep. And I was there for four years. And we did have an ag teacher there and a program out at Westlake and so was more involved in it. Not nothing like when I was the actual teacher of course but was involved with that and then of course we have got the big split coming.

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Nathan Bushman Role in Lehi Former Lehi High School agriculture teacher & FFA adviser; Assistant Principal at Lehi Junior High Time Periods Discussed 1800s family settlement; 1980s–2020s personal life; 2000s–2020s teaching and administration Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview Pioneer Roots and the Evans Settlement Nathan describes his family's deep pioneer roots, noting his great-grandfather was part of the Evans group sent by Brigham Young to settle Lehi—establishing a multigenerational legacy that still shapes his identity today. From Family Farm to Thanksgiving Point He shares how his family farm eventually became the land where Thanksgiving Point now stands, a powerful symbol of Lehi's transition from agriculture to development. The family sold that farm and bought a ranch, continuing their agricultural life in a new form. Doug Webb's Life-Changing Mentorship Mentor Doug Webb pulled Nathan aside while he was at college and said, "You should think about this." That single conversation opened Nathan's eyes to leadership opportunities in FFA and set him on the path to becoming an agriculture teacher. Summers with FFA and Lehi Roundup Nathan recalls summers spent preparing floats, ponies, and petting zoos for Lehi Roundup. As an FFA adviser, he didn't get summers off—because that's when agriculture happens. He and his students were heavily involved in Wines Park events and community traditions. The Traveling Agriculture Teacher He describes driving around all summer visiting students' livestock and garden projects—whether a lamb for the county fair or a two-acre garden destined for the farmers market. He even acted like a "vet" some days, helping kids troubleshoot sick animals to avoid expensive veterinary bills. The Emotional Weight of Administration Nathan reflects on the shift from teaching to administration. While teaching offered daily wins and visible student growth, administration brings heavier emotional challenges: supporting at-risk students facing divorce, incarceration, or mental health struggles. He actively works to stay connected to the positive moments by attending FFA events and basketball games. Raising Kids Through Agriculture He shares how raising animals with his wife and daughters teaches responsibility and connection to the land, even as Lehi loses open space. He believes there's no better way to raise kids than caring for animals or land—trudging out to the barn in snow or rain to make sure everything is fed. History Historical Insights About Lehi This interview offers valuable perspective on Lehi's agricultural past and its rapid evolution. Here are key historical insights from Nathan's experience: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values and challenges facing Lehi as it grows while honoring its roots: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I am Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They are built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we will sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you have been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Welcome Nathan Bushman to Roots and Branches of Lehi, where we get to know you and kind of your background and all these different things and stuff. Talk to me first about childhood and stuff like that. Were you raised here in Lehi? Where did you grow up? What brought you to Lehi? Nathan Bushman: Yep. Born and raised in Lehi. In fact, we go pretty far back as a Bushman family to the original Brigham Young sent people to settle Lehi and my great-grandfather, if I am doing my genealogy right, was part of that Evans group. He came to Lehi to settle. Ryan: Awesome. So long time then. Nathan: Yep. So born and raised in Lehi. On my mom's side, same thing. They were born and raised here. My mom and dad were, but my grandpa was chief of police for a few years. Anthony Fkovich, but his grandparents actually came from Poland, I want to say. Yeah, I should know that and answer better. So, yeah, I have been born and raised here and an agriculture family, right? So, obviously came here and my genealogy was farming and agriculture and so that is what it was for a while. Ryan: Is that what your dad did then, too? Nathan: No. So that is what grandpa did and my uncle did. My dad did it growing up, but then my dad actually became an elementary educator and then an elementary principal. Ryan: And so you can kind of see how the agriculture and the education started to mesh together. So a lot of heritage there, I guess. Nathan: Yeah, that is exactly it. The agriculture and the elementary education part of things. Did your dad have a big influence on you going into education? Yeah. Yep. I grew up in dad's classroom playing teacher on the chalkboard like all those kind of things and so it was always a lifestyle that I understood and then we did—my dad still helped out on the farm and we still had some land and so on the side we did the agricultural stuff and then I actually—our family farm is where Thanksgiving Point is. So we sold that farm to Thanksgiving Point and we bought a ranch. And so then when I went to college, I was headed more down the agricultural path and then realized that if I wanted to farm, I could just run a family farm. I want to go to college for that. Ryan: And so things started to mesh and changed to where I had a few—I do not know if you know Doug Webb? Nathan: Yep. So Doug Webb was my teacher. And he pulled me aside while I was going to college one day and he is like, "You should think about this." And so I took the teaching stuff that I knew I liked and the dad that I grew up with and then the agriculture and changed my major at Utah State to become an ag teacher. Awesome. And never looked back. There is days, but no. No. Ryan: Good. So talk to me then. So after Utah State, tell me where life took you then as far as jobs go. Nathan: After Utah State, during Utah State, I did summer internships. So FFA and agricultural classes—most teachers have their summers off. But agriculture teachers do not because that is when agriculture is happening. And so we work all year long. And so during the summer kids are having projects and they can earn school credit for that. And so we supervise that and drive around and help and mentor any way we can. And so during college I did a couple internships down here with Doug. And then between that and the connections of other people that I had when I graduated, Lehi started to boom at that point and they needed another teacher. So, Doug, you should interview. And so I came right out of college and came right back to Lehi. Ryan: Oh, wow. Okay. And so you were teaching at Lehi High then? Nathan: Yep. So I was at Lehi High and one of the things we wanted to start because back in the day we did not have agriculture classes and FFA in the junior highs. Okay. And so I was full-time at Lehi High School, but one of those class periods I started teaching at Lehi Junior as well. So I was up there for one period and then at the high school. Ryan: Okay. And so talk to me about—so you brought up Doug. Talk to me about mentoring and stuff like that. How—was that like a big influence? Just just a small nudge and that sent you in this direction. Talk to me about that for a second. Nathan: No, I think I went through a transition of the teacher before Doug Webb. So I started the FFA and then Doug came in my last year and he really just opened my eyes, took us to state conventions and to leadership events and those kind of things which we had not been doing before and that is really where I guess his mentorship of taking me to see those bigger opportunities available in the FFA. He took me on those as so much of us students would go to those activities and things. And so that was a big part of helping me understand and appreciating the FFA. And then he was a big part of helping mesh the two to really start thinking about putting the two together because of course my dad's—you need to teach elementary. It is wonderful. Little kids are wonderful. I am not sure little kids are wonderful. And somebody else said, I would not do teenagers. But so I said, I am going to try the teenager thing. And really, my favorite age is high school. Even though I work at a junior high now, it is fine, but it is not the maturity level that the high school kids get. And the real drive and passion for what is going to happen after high school. Ryan: And so how long did you teach for then? Nathan: I was 11 years at the high school. And there was—we had a program of three teachers. So there was myself and then I worked with Brett Robertson. I did a lot of the sciences. So animal science, equine science, natural resources, those kind of things. And then the other teacher was doing all the shop. And then we had Lisa Clement was part of our team and she was the teacher at Willow Creek. So at that time those were the two junior highs and that was our program we did and we were the three of us were basically all there together for 11 years. Ryan: Okay. And now talk to me about FFA just in general because a lot of times people think hey there is not a lot of farms anymore. Mom and dad we even—your dad was a school teacher and stuff like that. Talk to me about why is it still relevant? What—talk to me about why FFA still helps people and what it is doing in that regard. Nathan: Yeah. And that is what I appreciate about that organization is the diversity of it because it is the largest youth organization in the country. And I think that is because whether you are in a rural community and you really want to focus on like the skills that come with the actual animal husbandry or the plant science or that kind of stuff or you want to focus on the leadership side of things. And it does a really good job of having leadership events that help students learn how to public speak and how to extemporaneous speak or evaluate and give reasons and be a leader. Like we had a parliamentary procedure team. So like I have kids that were on my team and now have left and they have become certified parliamentarians. And so there is just—that there is the ability for a kid to go really heavy after the leadership or there is the ability of a kid that is really into the agricultural part of it and it does a really good job of meshing the two of them. Which is which I think is why it is successful. And when I started my career, Lehi High School's boundaries went all the way out to Cedar Fort, Fairfield and everything. So when I started, we had a lot of kids that were doing what I would say big agriculture. Versus when I left, Westlake had been formed and we were smaller. We started to see more smaller scale things. But there is still quite a few kids involved with the agricultural raising livestock, taking care of horses, training horses, those kind of things still. Ryan: And what I have heard, too, also is that it is not only—so I think of jobs on a farm, right? But it also could be, hey, there is a lot of big corporations that are selling to those people and they maybe need those guys that understand the logistics of the things that you are teaching. Nathan: And even small farmers as ourselves because we still raise cattle here. And we like—we have to learn how—marketing. If we are going to compete against the big guys and those kind of things, like we have got to learn to market our own stuff, figuring out social media, podcasting, like all those kind of things are all skills that kids learn that they can then either take to a corporation or they can take back to their own farm where they are either—they might have 12 stalls and they are training horses and but they have got to learn how to market because we do not market a lot on TV anymore. And so there is yeah a lot of aspects that teach them more than they learn the basics in class as well. They are going to learn proper ways to grow and fertilize and animal husbandry skills when it comes to branding and vaccinating all those kind of things. But then the FFA helps tie in the other part to it so that they can walk out and really be businessmen and women. Ryan: Sure. Sure. So talk to me about—so you said 11 years or 13 years? Nathan: 11. 11 years. Okay. So 11 years at the high school. Anything stand out from that 11 years? Any stories? Any obviously you mentioned you had somebody influential help you, right? And Doug, did you have any of those stories on the flip side where you were the guy kind of thing? Nathan: No, I would hope so. Yeah, I have kids that did come up and talked to me and shared those kind of things. Trying to think of like specific situations. There were some teams that came in and did incredible fantastic things and fundraisers and service projects and things like that, but I cannot think of like a specific story, but it always—it was fun to see a student go from 9th grade and then graduate and the skill set and the opportunities that they created along the way. Ryan: Good. And during that time, I guess you mentioned so 11 years there, the summers and stuff like that. Talk to me then about the summer. So are you still employed by Alpine School District through the summer? Nathan: Yep. So it is still through the school. So then what does your kind of day-to-day look like during that summer time? That looked like we were heavily involved in Roundup. So back in the day, we are getting floats ready. We are getting the horses and the wagons for the horse parade ready. The kids are getting things decorated for that. And then back at that time when I was involved, we were involved with Wines Park. So we had pony rides. We and as an FFA we did not own ponies so kids were searching for ponies that were ridable and so rounding up ponies and we had the petting zoo so kids are rounding up that. So we spent a lot of June in preparation for that when it came to the FFA side of things and the leadership team that was doing that. As for what I would do in the summer, there was a lot of—one of the requirements for us to document hours and stuff like that was actually physically see students and so we would show up whether they were raising a lamb for the county fair or a kid had a 2-acre garden because he was going to take it to a farmers market or whatever they were doing, we were there to kind of show up, see how things were going, give them advice, ask us if they had questions about how we could help with that kind of stuff. And we just spent a lot of times driving around visiting kids. And then of course kids—we had kids doing livestock shows. And so we would have groups go out to once a month there were different livestock shows where we would go help support kids and a lot of them did not have necessarily trailers and so we—the school district had the horse trailer and we were able to help transport the animals and stuff for the kids like that. And there were days I felt like a vet. They would call and say my animal is sick and so we would do our best to help them avoid that bill and see if we could help figure out the problem and stuff. Ryan: You mentioned a lot about animals and stuff like that. What if—what would you tell a kid that is maybe I am not interested in animals. I am not interested in that kind of stuff. Is there a place for somebody like that in FFA in some of those classes? Nathan: Yep. And that is one of the advantages of when we—when I got there with Doug, too. One of the first things we pushed really hard for was a greenhouse. So we have a greenhouse over there. So we have a lot of kids that find a passion with the plant side of things and so we had a lot of kids that were interested in the natural resource stuff which a lot of them probably signed up for the class that they were going to talk about hunting. But it was a lot more than that. So we did a lot of conversations and topics about forestry and mining and I mean with the mining right here by us and so introduced a lot of kids. So there really was—between a kid could weld or a kid could work with animals, a kid could take plant science. Floriculture is a real popular one. Floriculture classes and then the natural resource and the equine science. Like I would be hard-pressed to find a kid that could not be interested in one of those things for a hobby reason. And if they were not then they were down the hall in the foods class. Ryan: Sure. And are you seeing kind of a resurgence in some of those more hands-on? It seems like for decades we pushed college and education which obviously education is very important but it was only college white collar work kind of thing and so are you seeing that shift where okay hey sure get educated but it does not have to necessarily be down this white collar path. We want you to get specialized in welding, you mentioned electrician. Are you seeing a resurgence there? Nathan: Yes and for multiple reasons but I definitely think we are starting to see more of that kind of circling back of students being interested in. We have a really good relationship in Alpine right now with MTech. So we have a lot of kids that go over to MTech and pursue quite a bit through them. There is a lot of diesel mechanics and those kind of things, electricity, and so that is what I liked about the ag classes and CTE classes in general is that exposure to all of that. To be able to understand like—I, for example, cannot ever—an individual in today's world cannot buy a farm. Even in the Midwest, the cost of it at this point. But a kid can certainly pursue, like you said, a corporation where they are going to learn media skills to tie it all together. And but there is definitely an interest in getting the trade skills. Even when we talk to kids about the opportunities to go to MTech because they can learn some of those skills to even just have a higher paying job while they are going to college because now they can be a vet tech while they are going to college or they can be a phlebotomist while they are going to medical school. So I think there is a vision and an understanding that having those skill-based things are important. Ryan: I think it is a more healthy way of looking at education. It is not there is not only one path, right? Again, specialization—I am a big believer in like the world will pay you if you get really good at something, right? But get good at something and choose what that is. And so I like that. My guess is that is what FFA is trying to help. And I guess maybe expose kids to different areas where they are like hey I did not know I was interested in X, Y, or Z. Nathan: Yeah. And that is what I like about our education system. I had quite a few foreign exchange students that would come through and take my classes. And I was always fascinated and had conversations with them about what their education system looked like. And they—there is a lot of education systems outside of the US that are just really core based, right? With math, science, and English, your sports, your agriculture, all those kind of stuff are community-based. And I do not think they get the exposure where a kid can go and get a comprehensive exposure to everything because there is so many different things that they can pursue. Yeah. So I like that about it. Ryan: Good. Anything else on FFA or anything else on that topic that you want to bring up or talk about? Nathan: No, I think we have covered most of it. Just an understanding that a lot of times it is—it is different than the rodeo situation, right? It is a legitimate organization that is going to build leadership. And the rodeo, the Utah rodeo, all that does too in its own way. And but there is such leadership opportunities. I have seen a lot of kids that have found really incredible futures because of skills that they had being able to communicate and talk and have those kind of skills to lead and to work on a team. Ryan: Sure. So good. So 11 years there. So then transitioned to Lehi Junior after that or was there something? Nathan: So at that point again—so through that process of 11 years there, Doug Webb became an administrator. And so having a friend in that world seeing what that world looks like and I think it is like anything in life—11 years of something is a long time. Sure. And we had—it was a little bit of half and half of looking for a shift of I need to do something different as well as we had been running so hard to manage that organization that I was there—it was a little bit of I am tired. And so we—and I had already gone through received my master's degree at administrative endorsement. Those are all ways that we increase pay in our job. And so we had been through all that and so when the opportunity came up, we decided to give it a try. And so I put in for the interviews and went through all of it, made the pool and then I actually ended up with my first administrative job down in Orem at Canyon View Junior High. I was there for seven years as an administrator and then—and when you say administrator, so like vice principal, assistant principal? Assistant. Okay. Yep. Which was a different looking community than here, right? And really there was not an ag teacher there. And so there really was a time frame for those seven years that I was pretty much disconnected from the FFA part of things. We still had CTE classes and stuff like that, but there was not an ag teacher. Was not a super strong FFA down there at that time. And did you find yourself wanting to create that? Yeah, I missed having my part in it. But at that point, I had been recently married and we were just chasing personal stuff because I had had more time at that point to pursue some of that. So was disconnected from it but not out of it. I still involved in community and stuff like that. And so seven years there and then from there—nope. So then from there I was moved to Vista Heights out to Saratoga Springs. Yep. And I was there for four years. And we did have an ag teacher there and a program out at Westlake and so was more involved in it. Not nothing like when I was the actual teacher of course but was involved with that and then of course we have got the big split coming. Ryan: And so I had requested I wanted to be back home so I could be in the same district as my children. Because you knew the split was coming and dependent on where you end up when the split happens. Right. Correct. Yep. So they are starting to help shuffle people around to kind of get people where they want to be. Sure. When that happened, when I was called and said I was offered I could come up here, I was super excited. Sure. To be back where I was. Because you do live in Lehi? Okay. Okay. So, yeah, obviously it is—yeah. So nice to be home. It is very nice to be home. Ryan: So talk to me about the difference between administration and teaching. Obviously, I am sure there is some obvious examples, but has that been a good change for you? You talk about as far as just a challenge. Is it a new challenge that is good for you? Nathan: Yeah. Yep. It has been a good change. A different pace. I would say when you are a teacher, a lot of your life is like really ruled by a bell. Sure. And so I have enjoyed even though the bell rings and I have got to be out in the hall and I am trying to help keep a lid on the place, right? But if I cannot get out, I cannot—then I do not have to get out. So that is that has been a pleasant change. But the definitely different challenges. I was excited to come back to Lehi Junior High because in my absence we did lose an ag teacher up there and so there is not a FFA teacher at Lehi Junior and so that is one of the challenges that we are trying to work through is get ourselves set up so that we can bring that back because I think when I talk to patrons and stuff like that that is definitely something that people are interested in having is some agriculture classes back up there. And so that is something you are actively working on. Yep. Okay. It all comes down to finances, money, and who is applying and all that kind of stuff. But yeah, something that we are trying to regroup and get going back again up there. Ryan: And talk to me about your day-to-day in that job. I before we started, I brought up like my own kids and stuff like that. Obviously, it is a big school and stuff like that. My guess is you are saying you end up spending a lot of times with maybe those that are—I guess at risk. At risk. Okay, there we go. That is a good way to say it. Talk to me about that. You know what is—yeah, we spend—I spend a good chunk of my day. We have a really good community and we do not have a lot of behavior issues at Lehi Junior and a lot of that is because we do spend a lot of time being preemptive to it all and proactive to it. So we spend a lot of time in team meetings looking at attendance looking at students that have been referred for social and emotional wellness things and trying to find resources and things like that to help students. Sure. We spent quite a bit of time doing that, looking over who is credit deficient, why they are credit deficient, trying to find ways that we can intervene and create interventions that help them access the education different. And then there is a chunk of my day that is just wandering around the lunchroom making sure we are not throwing food. Sure. And and then monitoring kids getting on off buses and those kind of things. There is the mundane stuff and then the random phone call from somebody that has had a bad experience or a good experience and take those phone calls. But I would say a lot of my responsibility as an assistant principal is focusing on students that are at risk. Like I mentioned before we started this that I think as an administrator we have to actively sometimes make sure that we are at the basketball game and we are seeing that kind of stuff and that we are finding ourselves going to an FFA event and watching the kids compete to be reminded of all the—and because like I said it is not a constant negative necessary thing but we definitely are—it can be a heavy day when you by the time you find out this kid is struggling because of this divorce situation or this kid is struggling because Dad has gone to jail. And so you just—it is that kind of stuff and you really have to put yourself into situations to—because when you were teaching it is generally you see—you are seeing successes all day. Sure. Kid figures out something you taught or a kid won that award and so you get that fulfillment that way. Sure. But a little probably more good highs I guess with the teaching because you are able to focus on the kids and you are seeing the fruits of good things there and generally—like I said if you put yourself in a situation to work with these at risk kids and then get out and about to see it like you will see it as well. Ryan: Sure. Okay. Okay. Yeah. So there is definitely a principal on the other side is he is going to focus more on kind of culture of the building and helping improve curriculum and professional development and those kind of things. Yeah, we all have our different roles. Ryan: More that principal's vision of the school then or is that more the district that sets that vision? Nathan: The district does a lot to help create that vision, but the principal's job is to help make sure that we get teams and people in the right place and develop leadership in the building for teachers to improve that vision. Okay. Because education is constantly changing. Sure. Ryan: So let us talk about that then, too. As far as if you were in charge, if you were on the district level or the principal level, what changes would you like to see in education? Maybe not specifically at Lehi Junior, more broad. Nathan: Yeah. I just wish we could tailor it better to kids, but—and I hate to always come down and say it is about the money. Sure. But if we had more money, I would make—I if I was in charge and there was a magic wand of money. Like I would make class sizes smaller. And I want to be able to help tailor that education more directed towards individual rather than teaching the masses because that is what I think we do right now. Sure. Is have to teach the masses. I think we do a fantastic job at it with what we can with the resources that we have. But it would be nice to be able to be like, "Okay, this kid has ADHD. This kid cannot sit in a desk 90 minutes for four different periods. Let us get this kid out and about and learning his math skill as he is over here building something or"—and that is what his day would look like would be intertwined into what is what they are passionate about. And then we help them get those skills rather than having to walk in and we are just learning equations or walk in and we are just learning how to write a paragraph. And that is how I could see education could improve, but that is going to be a big investment monetarily. Ryan: Sure. Do you see technology helping with that as far as being able to maybe not making class sizes smaller, but getting more one-on-one like anything that you are seeing coming down the pipe there? Your own vision kind of thing. Nathan: It is hard because as adults, we view technology as this tool that you explained. When you are dealing with a 12-year-old, they see it as—it could be such a distraction as well. Fair enough. And so trying to find that balance of—I wish when I was teaching that I would have had some of the access because we—I remember when I was teaching if I wanted computers like I would have to schedule the computer lab for 3 weeks from now to take my class down to get the computers. And so I wish I had had that access because I think I could have visually helped kids see stuff better. We would talk about certain things or even biology and those kind of things and how heart works and a lot of it was just trying to explain it and drawing and now there is so much technology that could help them. So yes, I think technology could help us tailor it. But there would need to be—it is still they are still 12 and you still need adults. To help them navigate it because between parents working or parents not engaged in their education of their children as much they—it ends up a 12-year-old will generally always pick Minecraft over exploring something educational. So it is more of the distraction that—oh hey computer oh that is where I associate video games with. And you are saying no look at the picture of the heart. We are trying to explore anatomy here. And we have to really—we have to really monitor and redirect and focus kids as they are on computers. Sure. Makes sense. Ryan: Yeah. Anything else you see coming down the pipe, maybe not necessarily technology then, but that you think could help in education. Nathan: It has been interesting to see us integrate artificial intelligence. And trying to find a balance of using that tool appropriately without—I it is without them losing those basic skills. Sure. It is like I have not had to do math. We are in math forever. But I am also like the minute I am at the barn and I am trying to not have my phone and I am trying to figure something out. So trying to find that balance where the kids are like why do I need to know this? I can just do it on the computer. I can just—AI can just tell me how to do this and helping them understand. You might not think it but there is times when you are not going to have your artificial intelligence. So trying to find a way to incorporate that in. And I think teachers are—we are just on the cusp of helping them figure out how to navigate that as a tool. Without a kid saying, "I am supposed to write a paper about To Kill a Mockingbird and please write it for me." Yeah. Exactly. And I am sure that is hard and I do not necessarily envy that because I know in my own job I use AI all the time now. It is helping me craft some things and stuff like that. But it is also because I already understand the basics of what I am doing too and so it carries over into that. But it does free up my mind to maybe do higher level tasks. I do not know that is a hard road, right? Like but you mentioned math and stuff like that. Yeah, I use a calculator all the time. People like you do mortgages know these numbers. I have a calculator. That is how I know. I mean I just run it through and it tells me what it is. And that is even in the CTE world back to the classroom part of that is 10 years ago like we were teaching kids how to make websites and now you can just have AI make you a website and so just trying to—and that is the hard thing is where we are trying to find ways to professional development teachers because they are teaching every day all day long. It is not like they can be out learning new things without doing it on their own time, but yet they have got to be learning new things because the world's changing. We do not teach like we did 10 years ago. But and hopefully with AI, my thought is that it will continue to be that tool. I guess like anything, it is if you compare chopping a tree down, an axe works, but a chainsaw works better, right? And so but you still got to chop down the tree, right? You still got to do it. And so I would assume AI will continue to be that tool that can help us in that regard. And it already does. When I went to school, I would write a paper and then I would give it to my English teacher, grandma. And she would spell check it and she would be like, "Use this word instead." And that is the basics, which I think is how a lot of it is being used now. And I have seen some really cool things happen in the classroom with teachers using it way more than I even sure I even understand it. I think that will be good. But just figuring out how to develop patience and the children of saying we will get there. We still got to figure out—you still need to know how to write a paragraph. Yeah. And that is—and again, so good job with the basics. Because it—I figure I already know the basics. I am going to use AI now for all these different things. But it is because I know the basics. But then how much basic do we learn—cursive again? What? Some basics are probably gone and then others. Okay. Let us keep this. So let us keep like you mentioned a paragraph. That is a hard challenge. So and then the nice thing is there is a lot of state and things like that that organizations that are helping train us on how all that works. Ryan: Good. Good. Grateful for you in that job and stuff like that. Obviously, you are doing good work there and continue to have an impact on children and stuff. Your dad would be proud. Hey, you know, with doing that teaching and stuff like that, but any takeaways from just being in education over these years, obviously FFA and teaching and administration. Any takeaways from—yeah I one of the questions that I looked over when we were starting was advice to give and what I would say is I would find opportunities to put yourself in situations in a classroom—it is definitely one of those things like you have got—it has got to be your niche, you have got to love it, because there is definitely shots fired from lots of angles between an angry parent or legislation that is passed or those kind of things. And so I would just recommend, my advice would be just to either do some internships or there is courses now at the school called teaching as a profession. So you can actually take a semester course where you will learn about teaching and then you can be placed in a classroom to see if that is something where you want to go and make sure that you—that is the direction that you want to go as you go into it. And it can be really rewarding to be a teacher. Ryan: Good. And I would say where I am at, so this is actually your 24. Okay. What I miss the most is my ag days. Really? Yeah. Now that I have gone through all of it, the stresses that I had then as a teacher, like I would not have now. Sure. You cannot really financially go back to that myself. But what stressed me out then probably did not need to, which I think we are all like wherever we are at in our life, like the older we get, the wiser we get, the more we realize that of course those things did not need to stress me out. That those were definitely the most rewarding times in the career that I had. Would you ever go back if the pay could be the same? Yeah, the pay could be the same. Okay. Yeah. I guess that goes back to what you are saying about putting more money into this. Okay, good. Anything else that we did not cover that you want to cover before we wrap up here? Nathan: We need agriculture. And as much as there can be such a disconnect, I encourage anybody with youth that are listening to make sure that a kid maybe finds an opportunity to take a class in that realm while they are young, just to help them understand just the importance of agriculture. I get a lot of people, we raise beef and so I get a lot of people are like, "What in the heck? Why is it so expensive?" And they just do not realize that one, like we started tariffing everybody. Sure. And so that is going to cause it. And two, because of inflation, people dumped cows. Yeah. And to buy a cow and to raise her to maturity where she can get pregnant and then she can raise a baby, which we can then harvest is can be four years. Yeah. So it is just understanding that—we just cannot—understanding agriculture and that food where food comes from and having an appreciation for that is was probably my biggest drive was not to send a bunch of kids out that wanted to be vets. Sure. Because personally, I think that would be the worst job. But I just wanted kids to come in and understand the kind of the effort and the toil that goes into producing what we just go to the supermarket and get. Sure. And so that was my goal as an ag teacher and FFA adviser. Okay. Okay. I love that. Thanks for coming on and thanks for talking with me for a little bit. Yeah. You had the opportunity. It has been good to get to know obviously you get to know what you have been doing. Obviously you have been doing good work. I will end with this last question. Let us pretend your wife is here. Okay. What impact has she had on you? Nathan: What impact has my wife had? She probably has helped with keeping me not making rash decisions myself when it comes—because not only like we do have farms and stuff on the side, but I could twist that question into where her involvement is where we have a family and two young girls. Now, I do not think there is a better way to raise kids than to have the responsibility of caring for animals or even caring for land. I just—if I was going to say what a disservice to the community now day in Lehi is there is just not enough land for kids to have that responsibility. Like whether it is snowing or raining. Yeah. My wife, myself, and my girls have to traipse out into the barn and get everything fed to make sure that they are okay. And I think those are really important skills to teach youth. Yeah. So it is really become a family affair for you guys doing that kind of stuff. You have lived what you been teaching kind of thing. And so yeah, that is good you found somebody that shares that enjoyment, I guess, of those guys. I am not sure everybody would, but okay, awesome. Thanks. Appreciate you coming on. Thanks for the invite. Yep. Ryan: Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together we are what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. We would love to hear from you. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Harding Home Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Nathan Bushman Lehi Utah Agriculture Education FFA Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Nathan Bushman Lehi Utah interview discussing pioneer heritage, agriculture, FFA leadership, Lehi High School teaching, and Lehi Junior High administration. Nathan Bushman Lehi Utah. Lehi High School FFA. Bushman family Lehi. Thanksgiving Point farmland history. Lehi Roundup traditions. Alpine School District education. Lehi Junior High administration. Utah agricultural education. Pioneer families of Lehi. FFA leadership stories. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Be a Guest Contact

Dave Rhonda Nerden Lehi Rodeo Volleyball

Dave & Rhonda Nerdin on 40 Years of Lehi Roundup Rodeo, Youth Volleyball, and a Lifetime of Community Service

Dave and Rhonda Nerdin: The Heart of Lehi's Volunteer Spirit

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Episode Overview

Guest Names

Roles in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

"In My Life, There Was Christmas and There Was the Rodeo"

The Loose-Leaf Binder Handoff

The Nerdin Name and Sports Announcers

Guarding the Candy Bars

Three Teams and a Dream

Thanksgiving at the Volleyball Family's Table

Rhonda's Father and the Huddle of Men

The South Jordan Hamburger Run

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive

Full Transcript

Dave and Rhonda Nerdin Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Episode RB-039

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Two longtime Lehi residents share how decades of volunteer work—rodeo concessions, youth sports, parade committees, and ward service—have helped preserve the small-town spirit of one of Utah's fastest-growing cities.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

Dave and Rhonda Nerdin represent the heart of Lehi's community spirit—two longtime residents whose lives have been woven into the city's traditions, service, and growth. Rhonda was born and raised in Lehi, while Dave grew up just next door in American Fork before she "made Dave come over to Lehi." Their story is one of deep roots, family legacy, and decades of volunteer work that have shaped beloved Lehi traditions like the Lehi Roundup Rodeo and the city's thriving youth volleyball program.

For more than 40 years, the Nerdin family has been at the center of the Lehi Roundup Rodeo , especially through their leadership of the concessions committee. Their work modernized the concession stands, streamlined operations, and helped fund the iconic ward mini floats —an essential part of Lehi's cultural heritage. Rhonda also spent nearly three decades building Lehi's youth volleyball league from three teams to more than 50, creating opportunities for generations of girls to learn skills, build confidence, and find belonging.

Their interview is a warm reminder of what makes Lehi special: service, tradition, and the belief that community grows stronger when people work side by side. Through rodeo hamburgers, youth sports, parade committees, and countless hours of volunteerism, Dave and Rhonda have helped preserve the small-town feeling that Lehi residents cherish—even as the city continues to grow into one of Utah's largest communities. For anyone interested in Lehi Utah history , Lehi Roundup Rodeo traditions , youth sports development , or the power of community volunteerism , this conversation offers both inspiration and historical insight.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Dave & Rhonda Nerdin

Dave: Financial professional; 40+ year Lehi Roundup Rodeo concessions leader. Rhonda: 40-year Bank of American Fork employee; founder of Lehi youth volleyball league; Miss Lehi and parade committee member.

1960s–2020s (childhoods through present day)

Ryan Harding

Rhonda shares how her father served on the rodeo committee, making the Roundup an immovable pillar of her childhood. The rodeo was not merely an annual event—it was a season, a responsibility, and a source of joy that rivaled Christmas itself. When she married Dave, he was essentially adopted into this tradition, illustrating how family legacy in Lehi often extends through marriage and shared service.

Dave describes being handed a loose-leaf binder and told, "Here's what you do. You're in charge. Good luck," when he unexpectedly became head of concessions. This moment captures the organic, sometimes chaotic nature of community leadership in Lehi—where institutional knowledge passes hand-to-hand, and new leaders learn by doing alongside experienced volunteers.

The Nerdin kids' last name caused announcers to avoid saying "Nerd," leading to humorous mispronunciations during sports games. By halftime, some announcers would cautiously attempt "Nerdin," but many simply avoided it. The family took it in stride, laughing about the situation and recognizing that their unusual name made them memorable.

Dave recalls sleeping overnight in the concession stand as a young man to guard candy bars—and being told, "Eat all you want." This anecdote reveals both the informal, trust-based culture of early rodeo operations and the humor inherent in community volunteering. It also hints at the practical challenges of running a multi-day event with limited infrastructure.

Rhonda explains how she and Lehi High volleyball coach Kaani Curtis started the city's first youth volleyball program with just three teams practicing at the high school. The Legacy Center had not yet been built, so they improvised. What began as a small gathering of girls learning basic skills grew into a league of 48–54 teams with waiting lists, fundamentally changing athletic opportunities for Lehi youth.

A family in the volleyball program became so close to Rhonda that they invited her to Thanksgiving dinner. This story exemplifies how youth sports in Lehi function as community builders, transforming coach-parent relationships into genuine friendships that extend beyond the court. Rhonda describes the league as "like a great big family to me."

Dave shares a memory of Rhonda's father, Mike Nerdin Sr., entertaining a group of men at the rodeo grounds, saying he "was loved by everybody." Mike Sr. served as president of the Civic Improvement Association and possessed what Dave calls an approachable charisma—neither "goody two shoes" nor unapproachable, but someone who could draw people together through humor and warmth.

A truck from South Jordan once stopped Dave in the parking lot and asked him to buy eight rodeo hamburgers because they had driven down just for the food. This story has become part of rodeo lore—the famous "secret sauce" and the distinctive taste of a concession-stand burger in the atmosphere of a community tradition. Dave notes that even committee members have tried and failed to duplicate the rodeo hamburger at home.

The Nerdin interview reveals several important threads in Lehi's historical fabric. Here are key insights about how this community has developed, celebrated, and sustained itself across generations:

Dave and Rhonda's interview reflects broader values that have sustained Lehi through decades of change. These themes connect their personal story to the community's collective identity:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics and interviews to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile and preserve the visual history of Lehi's traditions, consider adding these images to the historical record:

Welcome Dave and Rhonda Nerdin to the Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast. So we get to know you guys a little bit better and have a little bit of a conversation here. So thank you.

Yes. Thanks for coming on. We appreciate the opportunity.

Yeah. Yeah. This will be fun. So talk to me about… are both of you from Lehi? Talk to me about where you both grew up and stuff like that. Go ahead.

Well, little introductions here. I grew up in Lehi. Just been here all my life and love it here and made Dave come over to Lehi.

Perfect. It was such a good place and… that's right. Yeah. I'm from American Fork. I grew up right below the Fox Hollow Golf Course. And played sports in American Fork and I've loved it, but I love it here now. I've been here longer than I ever was in American Fork.

Sure. Yeah. That's funny. She brought you to Lehi, but I'm thinking maybe out of state or something, but you next door. You weren't really that far away.

When we first got married, we moved to Pleasant Grove and we thought, "Okay, that's ground zero." Because Lehi and American Fork had a history… Sure. …of like with sports and things, not liking one another. Yeah. A little rivalry. Yeah. Rivalry. That's the good word.

So anyway, we moved to Pleasant Grove and then I finally got him over here to Lehi and actually her brother found us a house here and we moved in and…

So you've been like raised your family here? Yeah. Long time. Yeah. Okay. That's awesome. Yeah.

And tell me what you guys… what do you do for work?

I've been in software a long time ago and I worked for an airline reservation software company. But now I do finances. You know, I'm the registered rep and finance.

Okay. Awesome. And I assume took care of the children and stuff like that, but also did some of the other things we're going to talk about here too.

I actually worked at Bank of American Fork. Bank of America Fort Bank now. But Bank of American Fork for 40 years. Was it 40? It was over 40 officially, but I think it was 40. My biggest thing was the people that I came in contact with. That's the biggest thing I've missed is my customers and being able to help them.

And so when did that end then? Two years ago. Okay. So, just barely. Were you at this branch here? I was in American Fork at first and then moved to Lehi when it opened. And what did you do at Bank American Fork?

I opened new accounts. I worked in loans when I very first started working there and then worked as a teller for a little bit and then new accounts and just customer service. Yeah. Love that. That's great.

That's where we met. Okay. I came home from my mission from Venezuela and then I worked part-time at the bank. I actually got hired at the bank before I got released from my mission. Oh, really? By a day. And we met there and dated and then stopped dating and dated again. And… I had to fend off a lot of her boyfriends… that's when you know you got a good one when there's a lot of competition for…

So, can I tell you a quick story about that? My brother Mike always called me a nerd and I always called him a turkey. And so when he started working at the bank, I called him and I said, "You'll never believe this. There's a guy named Dave Nerdin that just started working here." And he goes, "You're going to get married and have a bunch of little nerds running." Right. And that is what happened.

We actually went to Salt Lake one time because her friends called her a nerd. And one of her friends said, "Get out your driver's license. I don't believe that your name's Nerdin." And it was. And I think it was Gar, wasn't it? Yes, it was. Yeah. That's awesome. That's… With a name like that, you have to have a little bit of fun with it, right? You know, got just roll with it, right? As we're talking about roots. Yeah. Nerdin is a name. Oh, okay. There's actually 32 alternate spellings to my last name through our genealogy. But for some reason, a couple of the kids of the nine kids changed it to N-R-D-I-N in Utah. And if you go up to the family search and you type in Nerdin, it'll just show Utah. It doesn't show any other countries. Oh, really? Interesting. Yeah.

So, but where is your heritage from then? Before England and Norway. In England and Norway. Okay. Okay. That's awesome. That's awesome.

All of our kids played sports and we found that… and I just don't think that they wanted to say nerd. By like with basketball by halftime, by the third quarter, they would start saying Nerdin, but they would call it… What are some of the names they would say? They wouldn't get it. And I honestly think a lot of it was because they didn't want to say nerd. Sure. They're like, you can't be that. Yeah. It was actually pretty funny. Yeah. Oh, yeah. We had… I love that. Yeah, you got to have a good sense of humor there. Yes, you do. That's perfect.

Okay. Talk to me about obviously you've raised your family here and stuff like that and part of that is probably trying to be involved in the community where your kids are being raised, right? Talk to me about some of the things you guys have done there. Let's start.

So, let's start with the Lehi Roundup and stuff like that. So, you guys have been a part of that for years.

44 years, I think. So, because he was involved a little bit before I got involved. Okay. But my dad, and Michael may have said this before, but my dad was on the rodeo committee when we were growing up. Yeah. In my life, there was Christmas and there was the rodeo. Just loved it. Yep. And I married into the family, so I was automatically… Yeah. You got to do it. Yeah.

But with the rodeo, I've been… I was on several different committees like the ushering committee and the parking and… Yeah. In 2007, they put me on the concessions committee. Okay. And did were you involved a lot at that first? Not at first. Yeah, not at first. They just had you. Lamont and Vicky Peterson were over that. And Mack and what's her… Susan Fattis were on the committee with us. And it was really cool to do that. And then two years later, they said, "Here you go." And Vicky Peterson handed me a loose leaf and said, "Here's what you do. You're in charge. Good luck." And it's… And that's when they had both of us. Yeah. Then both of us got involved. Rhonda took care of the financial side and I took care of the logistics and… Yeah. But I could go into maybe 20 minutes of what we've done down there. Yeah. Give me the three minute version. Okay. Yeah.

We started out with wards volunteering and we'd get four wards and they'd have their own areas. So they would just set up their own areas. They'd bring all their own equipment down. A few years later we thought maybe that's not the best way. We had a ward that they just didn't want to bring their own stuff. So we went and bought all the equipment and then we decided after that to just buy equipment for everybody. Yeah. So we did that and then in the next few years we put… because we put ceilings in the rodeo concession rooms because about the third day on a hot day the old grease from the last 40 years would start dripping down and we said we don't want to do… we don't want for many reasons. Yeah. I don't want to drip it on my head. I don't want to drip it on the burger. Yeah. Yeah. So, we put ceilings in, new lights, we put big oven fans on to the venting fans, venting, and we put in plumbing. Now, we've got gas lines in there, and we have walk-in coolers, and we have a lot of equipment like hamburger warmers and stuff. So, we've taken the money that we've gotten in excess and reinvested it into the rodeo. Yeah. Our the concessions runs separately… but together with the rodeo. So our funding is directly through the rodeo. Okay. But the main purpose of the concessions is to offset the cost for the wards to build the mini floats. Yes. I've heard that that a lot of the money then goes to… hey here's 500 to this ward or something like that to… Okay. Okay. And that's and and the extra day has been a lot more work, but it's also… you set up and you get through the days. Yeah.

We'll go through the last two years we've gone through over 4,000 lbs of hamburger. Wow. Wow. So that that's been a cool thing. It's helped people in Lehi. We try to source locally, but… yeah, there are some things we don't. Luckily, one of our committee members is a man building manager at Smiths. Sure. So, he knows if we're getting a good deal or not. Yeah, but I was looking at our price lists and really from 2009 when I took it over till now, our prices, we've been able to do things to make it so we don't have to raise prices, but really the only price we've raised, I think, is $2 on the hamburgers. I was going to say we have raised prices that out of the… Sure. You're probably not even keeping up with inflation. It would be my guess. And and we've cut down the line times to under 10 minutes for anybody getting in line no matter how long it is. We've always… That's great. Yeah. Our thought is you came to watch the rodeo not to stand in line. Correct. The bathroom lines are longer in our longer in our line. So they would stand in line though for a hamburger. Yes. Of course. Yeah. What have you done to cut those lines down? Just more staffing or just better? We've just figured out how to do it to do it faster. We have little mini menus that we hand out while they're in line. Okay. To kind of prep them for… Yeah. prep them and then they just come and we've started using credit cards was… we brought credit cards in what 3 years ago? Yeah. Not very long ago. Okay. So cash before. Okay. And people are using cash, right? And iPads have been big help on that. Yeah. But we get them through and it's… my committee is unbelievable and they love doing the service.

Yeah. One figure I was thinking of this morning was during this last rodeo we with the volunteers from the wards and everything there was about just during the rodeo time was about 3,000 hours of service. Wow. Wow. And I don't know where else you'd find something like that either. Yeah. Because again as I've learned the rodeo is largely pretty volunteer. I mean I was going to say I don't think there's anybody paid. I I don't want to speak out to one person but there's no but yeah. Okay. So it's all volunt… that's quite the… do you think why do you think we… why do we keep doing that then… why is that still something that… so you guys have been around for a long time and stuff like that is this going to… is this going to die with you guys is the next generation involved why do you think we keep doing this I guess and… couple questions there but yeah go ahead.

Now go in… okay I think there is a service to community it's… if when people understand that we're still trying to keep this even though it's a large city keep it as small and care about the one and… you know it's just there's such a camaraderie when they start doing hamburgers together and now we've knocked out in the north concession stand we had a wall between the two sides we've knocked that down we combined the south side so two wards are and other volunteers are working together in a group and so they get their friends expand just by being together sure rubbing shoulders with each other right. Yeah. And I just think our community needs more of that. I think I've seen there's some wards that we have issues with getting enough people to come. I think the parade's worth it. It was sanctioned. It was the parade was actually sanctioned by the first presidency to to continue. Wow. For us to be able to pay them. Yeah. To pay them and then to do that, we had to get permission for that. That was a long time ago. Sure. Yeah. But some just new people to the town don't understand that. But once they work in the rodeo, they grant concessions and that they get that sense of community that… Yeah, we need to give something back. Yeah. So, I think that's one of the big reasons.

And are you seeing or anything to add, I guess, to… I was just going to say I think it's a community thing. It has gone on forever and those people that have lived in Lehi forever and forever have seen the great things that have happened and come about because of the rodeo and they're willing to help. And and I agree with Dave because sometimes the ward's going, "Oh, wow. That's a lot to do. And it is. It's a lot of work. But when they come in and they work it and they get talking with their friends and their neighbors and all that, it's just the neatest thing in the world to watch them. Yeah. And are you seeing as far as the people in charge and stuff like that, are there younger people starting to get involved in this? Are we at passing the baton, I guess, is what I'm trying to say.

Go ahead. There are so our committee we've got quite a few members on our committee and their kids have started coming to help to volunteer and help out and their friends have come but also with the wards there are some younger kids that come to help. It's it's just a neat… it's a neat way to give to the community. So it uh no end in sight then it's… we don't have to worry about this disintegrating or something. I don't think so. That's good.

Can I go a little bit historical here? Totally. Yeah. Go ahead. When we first moved to Lehi, they would assign a ward to the south side and a ward to the north side. I think it was just one ward each. And that's how they would do… that's the money they earned from that after they paid the floats went into their budget when they had the old budget program. So all of them are really eager to do it because they make their budget for a year or two from that one event. Sure. And I remember sleeping in the South concession stand one night because so nobody would come in and steal all that candy bar. They also said eat all you want. So I got the best of both worlds. That would be a good job. You can't. No, nobody else ate it. But I'm going to eat get some good good. That's awesome. That's awesome. So it was part of their ward budget and stuff like that and… Okay. Then they went to the consolidated budgeting. Yeah. That's when the first presidency gave permission for us the wards to still do floats and us to pay them for those floats. Okay. Like the days of 47 when they do the big floats. Yeah. Yeah. What?

So you guys have been a part of rodeo for a while. Anything that you think we can do better or… and anything that you would like to see as part of the rodeo or is it hey business as usual just keep it going kind of thing. Any thoughts there?

More of a stick to what you're doing if it's working. Don't change it if it's working. And like Dave said, we've done a lot of changes that have improved like the concession stands that have improved the way that they order. Yeah. And things like that. So, we do look for things that we can improve on every year even. But the bulk of it is wonderful. Yeah. It works. Yeah. So, I don't know if I said that the right way, but… yeah, it's perfect. I know when we had… So, Mike's your brother, you said, right? Okay. Yeah. And he was talking to me about the drones that were coming and stuff. I think that was so neat. Which was super neat. I loved seeing that. That doesn't have anything to do with us. It's just the rodeo committee, but it's wonderful. I love it. Yeah, they're looking at… Yeah. But great. That's great. Any anything else to add on that or?

No, I think as we see things, we add the things. It's now a lot of tweaking like running gas lines in from the main gas to hook to our stoves. I think that was a big thing. Yeah. Having on demand hot water in there to get the grease off the floor for the next day. That's that's important, too. So, I'm… I've been a part of those concessions sometimes. And the cleaning, the cleaning is the hard part that it is. There's a lot of… Yeah. Anyhow, any before we leave the rodeo, any favorite stories or any kind of… you've been doing this for a long time, so anything stand out to you as far as, hey, remember this experience or this experience or does it just all blend in and just a time to be together and like you said, rub shoulders with other people?

But I think the thing for me when we get going on with the concessions, it's it's work and it's fun and we get to rub shoulders and we have fun, but at the same time, we're doing a lot of work. Yeah. But I think one of the cool things for me is we meet as a committee twice a year. Yeah. We have a meeting to kick off the season and we ask the committee members, what do you think we need to change? do we need? And we look at what we're have on the menu, see if we want to add anything or subtract anything or… and then we have a summer party after to celebrate what we do. And I think that's the fun part for me is I'm not so busy that I can just sit and talk with all our committee members. Yeah, I think that's… I like what you brought up about talking to the committee about any changes that may take place. I think that helps them feel more a part of the committee. So, it's nice. Yeah, it's a good thing. I love that.

Can I bring up an experience? It's not… It's not concessions. That's okay. But it was when I was on the committee before I did concessions. Yeah. There there's the south bleachers of the rodeo grounds. They're big. They're a little bit taller than the rest. They got engineered to be 2 in taller between each seat. So, it was 3 ft higher. But instead of having a company come and they did had a company come and do the structural, but the seating they had us do as a committee. And I wish we'd do a little bit more like that, but… yeah, it was real windy from the north. And I remember we would pick up the seats and the wind would take us up to where we need to be and we drop them down. So the only thing we had to do is lift and let the wind take us there. But that was a fun thing. I had to bring up one more. Now I'm thinking about it. I was working one day and Rhonda's dad, Mike, Mike… Mike senior was the president or I think he was the president of the civic improvement association. And I was… I was doing stuff and all of a sudden I realize I'm by myself. I'm going like where is everybody? So I go wandering around and I walk up over the around to the south side and there's this big huddle of men and I was going like what are they doing? I go over there and Rhonda's dad was telling jokes to him and they were just a hooting. I just remember he he just looked at me and smiled and he was such a… they people just loved him. He was just… he had that attraction. He wasn't goody two shoes and he wasn't… anybody could approach him and just was loved by everybody.

Yeah. Love that. I mean I think what you're describing in my opinion is the formula for people to enjoy being together. It's just time together, right? And so what I think this rodeo does is gives the community more time to be together, which obviously helps us like each other more and stuff like… in a day of polarization. It seems we just had elections and it seemed a little more heated this time and stuff like that where it… I think probably the benefit of service is, hey, we're all the same community. Let's get along. We love each other. You know what I mean? As opposed to some of the fighting that can sometimes take place when I think differently than you think and and so we want to fight there. But yeah, I I can see the benefit of the rodeo in bringing a community together and it does… not just the actual event itself, but the service that goes behind the scenes, I think.

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Details Episode Overview Guest Names Dave & Rhonda Nerdin Roles in Lehi Dave: Financial professional; 40+ year Lehi Roundup Rodeo concessions leader. Rhonda: 40-year Bank of American Fork employee; founder of Lehi youth volleyball league; Miss Lehi and parade committee member. Time Periods Discussed 1960s–2020s (childhoods through present day) Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview "In My Life, There Was Christmas and There Was the Rodeo" Rhonda shares how her father served on the rodeo committee, making the Roundup an immovable pillar of her childhood. The rodeo was not merely an annual event—it was a season, a responsibility, and a source of joy that rivaled Christmas itself. When she married Dave, he was essentially adopted into this tradition, illustrating how family legacy in Lehi often extends through marriage and shared service. The Loose-Leaf Binder Handoff Dave describes being handed a loose-leaf binder and told, "Here's what you do. You're in charge. Good luck," when he unexpectedly became head of concessions. This moment captures the organic, sometimes chaotic nature of community leadership in Lehi—where institutional knowledge passes hand-to-hand, and new leaders learn by doing alongside experienced volunteers. The Nerdin Name and Sports Announcers The Nerdin kids' last name caused announcers to avoid saying "Nerd," leading to humorous mispronunciations during sports games. By halftime, some announcers would cautiously attempt "Nerdin," but many simply avoided it. The family took it in stride, laughing about the situation and recognizing that their unusual name made them memorable. Guarding the Candy Bars Dave recalls sleeping overnight in the concession stand as a young man to guard candy bars—and being told, "Eat all you want." This anecdote reveals both the informal, trust-based culture of early rodeo operations and the humor inherent in community volunteering. It also hints at the practical challenges of running a multi-day event with limited infrastructure. Three Teams and a Dream Rhonda explains how she and Lehi High volleyball coach Kaani Curtis started the city's first youth volleyball program with just three teams practicing at the high school. The Legacy Center had not yet been built, so they improvised. What began as a small gathering of girls learning basic skills grew into a league of 48–54 teams with waiting lists, fundamentally changing athletic opportunities for Lehi youth. Thanksgiving at the Volleyball Family's Table A family in the volleyball program became so close to Rhonda that they invited her to Thanksgiving dinner. This story exemplifies how youth sports in Lehi function as community builders, transforming coach-parent relationships into genuine friendships that extend beyond the court. Rhonda describes the league as "like a great big family to me." Rhonda's Father and the Huddle of Men Dave shares a memory of Rhonda's father, Mike Nerdin Sr., entertaining a group of men at the rodeo grounds, saying he "was loved by everybody." Mike Sr. served as president of the Civic Improvement Association and possessed what Dave calls an approachable charisma—neither "goody two shoes" nor unapproachable, but someone who could draw people together through humor and warmth. The South Jordan Hamburger Run A truck from South Jordan once stopped Dave in the parking lot and asked him to buy eight rodeo hamburgers because they had driven down just for the food. This story has become part of rodeo lore—the famous "secret sauce" and the distinctive taste of a concession-stand burger in the atmosphere of a community tradition. Dave notes that even committee members have tried and failed to duplicate the rodeo hamburger at home. History Historical Insights About Lehi The Nerdin interview reveals several important threads in Lehi's historical fabric. Here are key insights about how this community has developed, celebrated, and sustained itself across generations: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Dave and Rhonda's interview reflects broader values that have sustained Lehi through decades of change. These themes connect their personal story to the community's collective identity: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Stories This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics and interviews to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile and preserve the visual history of Lehi's traditions, consider adding these images to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Ryan Harding Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time. Ryan Harding Welcome Dave and Rhonda Nerdin to the Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast. So we get to know you guys a little bit better and have a little bit of a conversation here. So thank you. Dave Nerdin Yes. Thanks for coming on. We appreciate the opportunity. Ryan Harding Yeah. Yeah. This will be fun. So talk to me about… are both of you from Lehi? Talk to me about where you both grew up and stuff like that. Go ahead. Rhonda Nerdin Well, little introductions here. I grew up in Lehi. Just been here all my life and love it here and made Dave come over to Lehi. Dave Nerdin Perfect. It was such a good place and… that's right. Yeah. I'm from American Fork. I grew up right below the Fox Hollow Golf Course. And played sports in American Fork and I've loved it, but I love it here now. I've been here longer than I ever was in American Fork. Ryan Harding Sure. Yeah. That's funny. She brought you to Lehi, but I'm thinking maybe out of state or something, but you next door. You weren't really that far away. Rhonda Nerdin When we first got married, we moved to Pleasant Grove and we thought, "Okay, that's ground zero." Because Lehi and American Fork had a history… Sure. …of like with sports and things, not liking one another. Yeah. A little rivalry. Yeah. Rivalry. That's the good word. Rhonda Nerdin So anyway, we moved to Pleasant Grove and then I finally got him over here to Lehi and actually her brother found us a house here and we moved in and… Ryan Harding So you've been like raised your family here? Yeah. Long time. Yeah. Okay. That's awesome. Yeah. Ryan Harding And tell me what you guys… what do you do for work? Dave Nerdin I've been in software a long time ago and I worked for an airline reservation software company. But now I do finances. You know, I'm the registered rep and finance. Ryan Harding Okay. Awesome. And I assume took care of the children and stuff like that, but also did some of the other things we're going to talk about here too. Rhonda Nerdin I actually worked at Bank of American Fork. Bank of America Fort Bank now. But Bank of American Fork for 40 years. Was it 40? It was over 40 officially, but I think it was 40. My biggest thing was the people that I came in contact with. That's the biggest thing I've missed is my customers and being able to help them. Ryan Harding And so when did that end then? Two years ago. Okay. So, just barely. Were you at this branch here? I was in American Fork at first and then moved to Lehi when it opened. And what did you do at Bank American Fork? Rhonda Nerdin I opened new accounts. I worked in loans when I very first started working there and then worked as a teller for a little bit and then new accounts and just customer service. Yeah. Love that. That's great. Rhonda Nerdin That's where we met. Okay. I came home from my mission from Venezuela and then I worked part-time at the bank. I actually got hired at the bank before I got released from my mission. Oh, really? By a day. And we met there and dated and then stopped dating and dated again. And… I had to fend off a lot of her boyfriends… that's when you know you got a good one when there's a lot of competition for… Rhonda Nerdin So, can I tell you a quick story about that? My brother Mike always called me a nerd and I always called him a turkey. And so when he started working at the bank, I called him and I said, "You'll never believe this. There's a guy named Dave Nerdin that just started working here." And he goes, "You're going to get married and have a bunch of little nerds running." Right. And that is what happened. Dave Nerdin We actually went to Salt Lake one time because her friends called her a nerd. And one of her friends said, "Get out your driver's license. I don't believe that your name's Nerdin." And it was. And I think it was Gar, wasn't it? Yes, it was. Yeah. That's awesome. That's… With a name like that, you have to have a little bit of fun with it, right? You know, got just roll with it, right? As we're talking about roots. Yeah. Nerdin is a name. Oh, okay. There's actually 32 alternate spellings to my last name through our genealogy. But for some reason, a couple of the kids of the nine kids changed it to N-R-D-I-N in Utah. And if you go up to the family search and you type in Nerdin, it'll just show Utah. It doesn't show any other countries. Oh, really? Interesting. Yeah. Ryan Harding So, but where is your heritage from then? Before England and Norway. In England and Norway. Okay. Okay. That's awesome. That's awesome. Dave Nerdin All of our kids played sports and we found that… and I just don't think that they wanted to say nerd. By like with basketball by halftime, by the third quarter, they would start saying Nerdin, but they would call it… What are some of the names they would say? They wouldn't get it. And I honestly think a lot of it was because they didn't want to say nerd. Sure. They're like, you can't be that. Yeah. It was actually pretty funny. Yeah. Oh, yeah. We had… I love that. Yeah, you got to have a good sense of humor there. Yes, you do. That's perfect. Ryan Harding Okay. Talk to me about obviously you've raised your family here and stuff like that and part of that is probably trying to be involved in the community where your kids are being raised, right? Talk to me about some of the things you guys have done there. Let's start. Ryan Harding So, let's start with the Lehi Roundup and stuff like that. So, you guys have been a part of that for years. Rhonda Nerdin 44 years, I think. So, because he was involved a little bit before I got involved. Okay. But my dad, and Michael may have said this before, but my dad was on the rodeo committee when we were growing up. Yeah. In my life, there was Christmas and there was the rodeo. Just loved it. Yep. And I married into the family, so I was automatically… Yeah. You got to do it. Yeah. Dave Nerdin But with the rodeo, I've been… I was on several different committees like the ushering committee and the parking and… Yeah. In 2007, they put me on the concessions committee. Okay. And did were you involved a lot at that first? Not at first. Yeah, not at first. They just had you. Lamont and Vicky Peterson were over that. And Mack and what's her… Susan Fattis were on the committee with us. And it was really cool to do that. And then two years later, they said, "Here you go." And Vicky Peterson handed me a loose leaf and said, "Here's what you do. You're in charge. Good luck." And it's… And that's when they had both of us. Yeah. Then both of us got involved. Rhonda took care of the financial side and I took care of the logistics and… Yeah. But I could go into maybe 20 minutes of what we've done down there. Yeah. Give me the three minute version. Okay. Yeah. Dave Nerdin We started out with wards volunteering and we'd get four wards and they'd have their own areas. So they would just set up their own areas. They'd bring all their own equipment down. A few years later we thought maybe that's not the best way. We had a ward that they just didn't want to bring their own stuff. So we went and bought all the equipment and then we decided after that to just buy equipment for everybody. Yeah. So we did that and then in the next few years we put… because we put ceilings in the rodeo concession rooms because about the third day on a hot day the old grease from the last 40 years would start dripping down and we said we don't want to do… we don't want for many reasons. Yeah. I don't want to drip it on my head. I don't want to drip it on the burger. Yeah. Yeah. So, we put ceilings in, new lights, we put big oven fans on to the venting fans, venting, and we put in plumbing. Now, we've got gas lines in there, and we have walk-in coolers, and we have a lot of equipment like hamburger warmers and stuff. So, we've taken the money that we've gotten in excess and reinvested it into the rodeo. Yeah. Our the concessions runs separately… but together with the rodeo. So our funding is directly through the rodeo. Okay. But the main purpose of the concessions is to offset the cost for the wards to build the mini floats. Yes. I've heard that that a lot of the money then goes to… hey here's 500 to this ward or something like that to… Okay. Okay. And that's and and the extra day has been a lot more work, but it's also… you set up and you get through the days. Yeah. Dave Nerdin We'll go through the last two years we've gone through over 4,000 lbs of hamburger. Wow. Wow. So that that's been a cool thing. It's helped people in Lehi. We try to source locally, but… yeah, there are some things we don't. Luckily, one of our committee members is a man building manager at Smiths. Sure. So, he knows if we're getting a good deal or not. Yeah, but I was looking at our price lists and really from 2009 when I took it over till now, our prices, we've been able to do things to make it so we don't have to raise prices, but really the only price we've raised, I think, is $2 on the hamburgers. I was going to say we have raised prices that out of the… Sure. You're probably not even keeping up with inflation. It would be my guess. And and we've cut down the line times to under 10 minutes for anybody getting in line no matter how long it is. We've always… That's great. Yeah. Our thought is you came to watch the rodeo not to stand in line. Correct. The bathroom lines are longer in our longer in our line. So they would stand in line though for a hamburger. Yes. Of course. Yeah. What have you done to cut those lines down? Just more staffing or just better? We've just figured out how to do it to do it faster. We have little mini menus that we hand out while they're in line. Okay. To kind of prep them for… Yeah. prep them and then they just come and we've started using credit cards was… we brought credit cards in what 3 years ago? Yeah. Not very long ago. Okay. So cash before. Okay. And people are using cash, right? And iPads have been big help on that. Yeah. But we get them through and it's… my committee is unbelievable and they love doing the service. Dave Nerdin Yeah. One figure I was thinking of this morning was during this last rodeo we with the volunteers from the wards and everything there was about just during the rodeo time was about 3,000 hours of service. Wow. Wow. And I don't know where else you'd find something like that either. Yeah. Because again as I've learned the rodeo is largely pretty volunteer. I mean I was going to say I don't think there's anybody paid. I I don't want to speak out to one person but there's no but yeah. Okay. So it's all volunt… that's quite the… do you think why do you think we… why do we keep doing that then… why is that still something that… so you guys have been around for a long time and stuff like that is this going to… is this going to die with you guys is the next generation involved why do you think we keep doing this I guess and… couple questions there but yeah go ahead. Dave Nerdin Now go in… okay I think there is a service to community it's… if when people understand that we're still trying to keep this even though it's a large city keep it as small and care about the one and… you know it's just there's such a camaraderie when they start doing hamburgers together and now we've knocked out in the north concession stand we had a wall between the two sides we've knocked that down we combined the south side so two wards are and other volunteers are working together in a group and so they get their friends expand just by being together sure rubbing shoulders with each other right. Yeah. And I just think our community needs more of that. I think I've seen there's some wards that we have issues with getting enough people to come. I think the parade's worth it. It was sanctioned. It was the parade was actually sanctioned by the first presidency to to continue. Wow. For us to be able to pay them. Yeah. To pay them and then to do that, we had to get permission for that. That was a long time ago. Sure. Yeah. But some just new people to the town don't understand that. But once they work in the rodeo, they grant concessions and that they get that sense of community that… Yeah, we need to give something back. Yeah. So, I think that's one of the big reasons. Rhonda Nerdin And are you seeing or anything to add, I guess, to… I was just going to say I think it's a community thing. It has gone on forever and those people that have lived in Lehi forever and forever have seen the great things that have happened and come about because of the rodeo and they're willing to help. And and I agree with Dave because sometimes the ward's going, "Oh, wow. That's a lot to do. And it is. It's a lot of work. But when they come in and they work it and they get talking with their friends and their neighbors and all that, it's just the neatest thing in the world to watch them. Yeah. And are you seeing as far as the people in charge and stuff like that, are there younger people starting to get involved in this? Are we at passing the baton, I guess, is what I'm trying to say. Rhonda Nerdin Go ahead. There are so our committee we've got quite a few members on our committee and their kids have started coming to help to volunteer and help out and their friends have come but also with the wards there are some younger kids that come to help. It's it's just a neat… it's a neat way to give to the community. So it uh no end in sight then it's… we don't have to worry about this disintegrating or something. I don't think so. That's good. Dave Nerdin Can I go a little bit historical here? Totally. Yeah. Go ahead. When we first moved to Lehi, they would assign a ward to the south side and a ward to the north side. I think it was just one ward each. And that's how they would do… that's the money they earned from that after they paid the floats went into their budget when they had the old budget program. So all of them are really eager to do it because they make their budget for a year or two from that one event. Sure. And I remember sleeping in the South concession stand one night because so nobody would come in and steal all that candy bar. They also said eat all you want. So I got the best of both worlds. That would be a good job. You can't. No, nobody else ate it. But I'm going to eat get some good good. That's awesome. That's awesome. So it was part of their ward budget and stuff like that and… Okay. Then they went to the consolidated budgeting. Yeah. That's when the first presidency gave permission for us the wards to still do floats and us to pay them for those floats. Okay. Like the days of 47 when they do the big floats. Yeah. Yeah. What? Ryan Harding So you guys have been a part of rodeo for a while. Anything that you think we can do better or… and anything that you would like to see as part of the rodeo or is it hey business as usual just keep it going kind of thing. Any thoughts there? Rhonda Nerdin More of a stick to what you're doing if it's working. Don't change it if it's working. And like Dave said, we've done a lot of changes that have improved like the concession stands that have improved the way that they order. Yeah. And things like that. So, we do look for things that we can improve on every year even. But the bulk of it is wonderful. Yeah. It works. Yeah. So, I don't know if I said that the right way, but… yeah, it's perfect. I know when we had… So, Mike's your brother, you said, right? Okay. Yeah. And he was talking to me about the drones that were coming and stuff. I think that was so neat. Which was super neat. I loved seeing that. That doesn't have anything to do with us. It's just the rodeo committee, but it's wonderful. I love it. Yeah, they're looking at… Yeah. But great. That's great. Any anything else to add on that or? Dave Nerdin No, I think as we see things, we add the things. It's now a lot of tweaking like running gas lines in from the main gas to hook to our stoves. I think that was a big thing. Yeah. Having on demand hot water in there to get the grease off the floor for the next day. That's that's important, too. So, I'm… I've been a part of those concessions sometimes. And the cleaning, the cleaning is the hard part that it is. There's a lot of… Yeah. Anyhow, any before we leave the rodeo, any favorite stories or any kind of… you've been doing this for a long time, so anything stand out to you as far as, hey, remember this experience or this experience or does it just all blend in and just a time to be together and like you said, rub shoulders with other people? Dave Nerdin But I think the thing for me when we get going on with the concessions, it's it's work and it's fun and we get to rub shoulders and we have fun, but at the same time, we're doing a lot of work. Yeah. But I think one of the cool things for me is we meet as a committee twice a year. Yeah. We have a meeting to kick off the season and we ask the committee members, what do you think we need to change? do we need? And we look at what we're have on the menu, see if we want to add anything or subtract anything or… and then we have a summer party after to celebrate what we do. And I think that's the fun part for me is I'm not so busy that I can just sit and talk with all our committee members. Yeah, I think that's… I like what you brought up about talking to the committee about any changes that may take place. I think that helps them feel more a part of the committee. So, it's nice. Yeah, it's a good thing. I love that. Dave Nerdin Can I bring up an experience? It's not… It's not concessions. That's okay. But it was when I was on the committee before I did concessions. Yeah. There there's the south bleachers of the rodeo grounds. They're big. They're a little bit taller than the rest. They got engineered to be 2 in taller between each seat. So, it was 3 ft higher. But instead of having a company come and they did had a company come and do the structural, but the seating they had us do as a committee. And I wish we'd do a little bit more like that, but… yeah, it was real windy from the north. And I remember we would pick up the seats and the wind would take us up to where we need to be and we drop them down. So the only thing we had to do is lift and let the wind take us there. But that was a fun thing. I had to bring up one more. Now I'm thinking about it. I was working one day and Rhonda's dad, Mike, Mike… Mike senior was the president or I think he was the president of the civic improvement association. And I was… I was doing stuff and all of a sudden I realize I'm by myself. I'm going like where is everybody? So I go wandering around and I walk up over the around to the south side and there's this big huddle of men and I was going like what are they doing? I go over there and Rhonda's dad was telling jokes to him and they were just a hooting. I just remember he he just looked at me and smiled and he was such a… they people just loved him. He was just… he had that attraction. He wasn't goody two shoes and he wasn't… anybody could approach him and just was loved by everybody. Ryan Harding Yeah. Love that. I mean I think what you're describing in my opinion is the formula for people to enjoy being together. It's just time together, right? And so what I think this rodeo does is gives the community more time to be together, which obviously helps us like each other more and stuff like… in a day of polarization. It seems we just had elections and it seemed a little more heated this time and stuff like that where it… I think probably the benefit of service is, hey, we're all the same community. Let's get along. We love each other. You know what I mean? As opposed to some of the fighting that can sometimes take place when I think differently than you think and and so we want to fight there. But yeah, I I can see the benefit of the rodeo in bringing a community together and it does… not just the actual event itself, but the service that goes behind the scenes, I think. Dave Nerdin So service heals people. Yeah. And I don't… you don't think that it's… we think, oh, there's a service project. I guess I better go. And then you go and you come back and you're always uplifted. Oh yeah. And I think that's how the rodeo is. We work hard. It takes time. We had a… we pull in pulled in a truck with all the drinks, a Coke truck. Yeah. And we were putting them in the coolers and all the kids, our committee members and all their kids made a bucket line to take those drinks in. You got kids about this tall and they're they're doing their share. I actually was going to bring that up because it was so wonderful. Just a big line. Yeah. and they love coming and a lot of times we look at the monetary side… can be happy unless we get paid for doing something and really money is important but service and being together is a bigger thing. Yeah, that's… I guess you can make the choice. Do you want to get paid in money or do you want to get paid in all these benefits that you get? The joy, the camaraderie, the friendships. That's right. You you'll get paid one way or another. I like that. Ryan Harding And so it just depends on how… love that. Anything else from the rodeo that you want to talk about? Anything else that… hamburgers? Have you had a rodeo hamburger? Dave Nerdin I have had a rodeo hamburger. Wonderful. They are… I agree. I agree. It just… it brought to mind I was talking to one of my friends yesterday and they didn't get tickets last year, but she was talking about a rodeo hamburger. Yeah. And I says, "Oh, you can go down to the rodeo stands and get one. Just tell them that you want a hamburger and they'll let you in to get the hamburger." But there's a whole bunch of people that come from Salt Lake to get the hamburgers. Really? Yes. Oh, wow. So I was walking around to the other side concessions and this truck stops. He goes, "Do you… are you on the committee?" And I says, "Yeah, here's some money. Go us and get us eight hamburgers where you came down from South Jordan. We just want some hamburgers." So I went and got it for him and gave it to them and off they went. Fun. Yeah, that's awesome. That's awesome. We have our secret sauce. It's not real secret, but secret it the way we mix it and we probably went through 60 70 gallons of it last year. Wow. Yeah. Just unbelievable. Yeah, that's a lot of sauce. That is a lot of sauce. I think I remember that when the… when I think it's been a couple… it was probably two or three years ago the last time I worked the concessions and it was… but I remember them making a big deal. Yeah, I'm sorry. Never mind. Did I say something? I might might have to cut that one out. Edit that. We're gonna… Darn it. Forgot who I was with. Dave Nerdin We have a lot of people that don't belong to the wards that we are assigned. But they come back and they will tell me if you need some help, just call us. So people in the community want to… Yeah, they can. And is there anything that they can do? So obviously the day of there's lots of things to do, but I'm assuming there's a lot of prep beforehand. Is there any way… any opportunities for people to help beforehand or is that more… hey if you're on the committee that's where you're doing those things or… a lot of wards do cleaning and stuff like that and we're always… if they have young men's groups or something like that that want to come and do service down there we'll find things for them to do but mostly that's why we have a bigger… commit committee. Sure. It takes really two years to train a committee member. Yeah. To feel comfortable doing this stuff. Sure. Okay. We only get three, four days a week. I know it's it's relatively short actually. There's a lot of prep for that. Just just few days that… And so if somebody is in a young men's group or scout group or some kind of group that wants to do that service, how would they reach out to whoever? Probably through your brother Mike. Yeah. Yeah. they can contact me or Rhonda and we can put them in it. There's a lot of things that concessions just do themselves that there's a lot of other projects through the rodeo grounds that… okay they can do and if somebody… So as far as finding contact information and stuff is any of that listed on Lehi City or Lehi Roundup Rodeo page or where do they just… I'm just trying to think practically if somebody wanted to… lehirodeo.com I thought it was somewhere on there. Okay. So, somewhere maybe on there that could maybe get them to where… I'm just thinking out loud here. That's a good question cuz we're a small town, but we're not that small that everybody has your cell phone, right? Thank goodness. Yeah, it's probably a good thing for you. But unless they need financial help, they can call me all day. They call me all day long. Yeah, that's right. That's right. I like it. Good. Okay. You had some… was any of this that you wanted to share part of… on the rodeo part? I don't want to. Dave Nerdin Well, I I just had price lists from last year. Uhhuh. And they're priceless from 2008. Okay. I wish I had a bigger one of this last year. We found out how to get drinks cheaper, but see hamburgers is $5 here. And it's… And then 2008 was $3. Yeah. Yeah. And hot dogs for are three and 2008 was $2. Yeah. And nachos were three. Yeah. $2. Yeah. So we tried not… Still very cheap. You're almost Costco prices there. We've had our suppliers tell us that we should double our price. Yeah. And I said, "That's not… We've got all volunteer people. Why? This is just a side thing to the rodeo." Yeah. And we just wanted to make sure that get a hamburger and enjoy the rodeo. And that's what I was going to say. It's more… It's a family… Yeah. type activity and they bring all their kids and everything. And sometimes you can't afford to go get $200 worth of food or $300 worth of food. Sure. So we try to keep those low so that the family can afford that because you're trying to make this available to everyone and obviously the lower the incomes… hey still coming like we… price isn't an issue at these things. Sure. Yeah. Dave Nerdin We one of the things that's helped us a lot about maybe 8 10 years ago we've did a PowerPoint… Oh. to train the wards and this is a summary of it. There's been some updating but… sure one of the… I'll let you thumb through it. There's the process of making a hamburger. Oh, sure. Just as far as… Yeah. Yeah. I'm… This looks familiar to me. Yeah. That was a cool thing that people didn't understand how we made the hamburger. Yeah. And a hamburger to me is not good unless there's a little bit of sauce in the bottom of the package. A few people will say not, but the vast majority like it that way. Yeah. Yeah. No, I remember when we were doing it there, more sauce. Put more sauce on, you know. Don't be skimpy on that sauce and stuff. Yeah. Oh, that's awesome. Dave Nerdin But we have a whole PowerPoint and when we do ward trainings, we go into the wards and train either their whole ward or train the person in charge and then they do the training for the ward. Yeah. And I leave that to my committee. I I'm starting… Rhonda and I are starting to be over making sure they have the stuff and everything. And Lawn and Carolyn Hutchinson and Josh and Whitney Pullm are over the two concession stands. Yeah. And then they train the people in there and how they want to do it. And each of them set up a little bit different because of the size and you know how they want to do stuff. And that's okay. Yeah. At first I think it was okay because I want everything the same. But I found that you got to let personalities come in. Yeah. Yeah. A little. It's hard to delegate sometimes, right? Because you're like, "Hey, I'm good at this. I can do this." Yeah, I get it. In my own job, I do the same. But it but… yes, don't… delegation is that's how you let these other people learn how to do it, too, right? So exactly. And there's not one right way to do it. Even if your way is probably better, just as long as they make the hamburgers, right? Exactly. That's exactly. Okay. There is one right way to do. Yes. Okay. Exactly. I got you. We're on the same page now. Okay. It Yes, we're on the same page. I love that. It's… How many wards? So, we're now four days of rodeo. How many wards participate in that? Do we know? Eight. Eight. Okay. So, two per day. Yeah. Essentially, I'm trying to remember. It's staggered a little bit. It is. Each ward only serves two nights. Okay. On each side. Okay. There's four. Was it only eight? Gosh, maybe I'm wrong. I was thinking it was only four. There's more. Are there eight? I think there's eight. Cuz I thought they went now. Wednesday and Friday and then Thursday and Saturday. Oh, there's eight because there's four for each side and then they stagger which days they come. That's true. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Sorry you caught me there. I I asked… the tough questions. Yeah. So, I asked a tough question. My my committee actually decided to do it that way. Okay. And so, I said, "Hey, fine." I was thinking we'd have four wards and they do all four nights. But that's a lot… a lot of volunteers. And frankly, I the benefit of having more wards, I guess, is more people to serve. Lots of hands make light work, right? As they say. So, I think and my guess is because I don't think our stake has been asked to to do it in a while. That's why I think it was a couple years ago for me. But my guess is people… I don't know. Yeah, it's probably good to have lots of wards and so I don't know if that's something to… if you want to add wards or I don't know but I'm sure you… it's good. So, okay, Rhonda, talk to me about… So, you were involved with the Lehi Recreation Center. Tell me what you were doing there for all those years. Rhonda Nerdin Lehi. Oh gosh. Okay, how do I start this? We didn't have a volleyball program a long time ago and my love is volleyball. Love volleyball. Yeah. and my daughter I think was eight or nine and I kept thinking to myself, "Oh, there's got to be… there there needs to be a volleyball program here so that the girls can learn skills for… with the volleyball." My my future daughter-in-law at that time, which is my daughter-in-law now, was playing volleyball and she was talking to the coach and saying my… my… I keep saying my… my future mother-in-law has been talking about wanting to get a volleyball program set up. So, she and I met together. She was the coach. It was Kaani Curtis. Okay. She was the coach of the Lehi volleyball team and we thought, "Okay, who do we need to talk to?" It was Mike Canson at the time that was over the recreation. And so we decided we would get together and go down and talk to him and see if there was something we could do if we could start it. And he says, "Yeah, I think that would be a good idea, but there's got to be someone that sticks with the program so that we're not always trying to get here." Yeah. Continuity. That's a good word. And so he said, "Yeah, we can do it." Well, Legacy Center wasn't here at the time. And like I said, this was about in 1997, okay, or 98, one of the two. And so she and I got together and we started calling all these people that we know. She had contacts because she knew parents that… her the kids were playing volleyball and they had the younger kids. And so we actually… cuz they can't play the wreck ball if they're on the high school team. So we had to… Yeah. Yeah. So we had to find people that weren't playing volleyball at that time. We started with… and we started at the high school. We did games and stuff at the high school because this wasn't here yet. The center wasn't here. And when we began, we had three teams, enough girls for three teams. We didn't put them into teams really, but when they came, we would just play and practice and just have fun, rotate out what needed to be done. But it was really quite fun. Rhonda Nerdin So, we were at the high school and I looked into it. What I found out is the Legacy Center opened in 2001. And I knew this that we were at the high school for three… three years. Yeah. Maybe two, three, four years. Yeah. The program grew a little bit. We got more people coming every single year. And so then Kaani couldn't do it anymore. So she had her sister help me. Her name was Lorie Jones. So she helped me. And what she and I did, we took flyers to all the elementary schools and just got the word out. You know, it it was a lot, but it was fun. It was fun. It was worth doing it. Yeah. Yeah. So, we did all that and then the Legacy Center opened and then we started the league in there. We've changed it a little bit. Right now, we've got a third, fourth grade league, a fifth, sixth grade league, seventh, eighth grade league, and a 9th through 12th grade league. And it has just worked out wonderfully. Last year we had 48 teams and it goes anywhere from 48 to maybe 54 depending on the year or whatever, but… a lot more than the three that you started with. Yeah. A lot more than the three. They have a waiting list now. We do. We got a waiting list. Yeah. But we're confined with when we can have… Yeah. when we can have the gyms and stuff. We do have a waiting list. We try to get as many on as we can. But I have just loved it. And the ones that have helped me out, April Lond was a big one that helped me for many years. Yeah. And then Larry Slater and now our daughter Ashley, okay, is helping with it and it has worked out really quite well. So that's awesome. That's awesome. Yep. Ryan Harding What any cool stories from that time? And why do you think… why do you think it is important to even have this league? Rhonda Nerdin I think it's a lot like the rodeo… just community and being able to help out with the community. I will tell you this, the reason that Kaani, which was the coach of Lehi, wanted a program here. Yeah. Is because she was actually when they would come in, whether they were in 9th grade or 10th grade, when they would come in, she was teaching them the basics. They had no idea how to play volleyball. and even the three or four years when she was helping and then afterwards when her sister was helping, she said it made the biggest difference in them learning the skills and everything. So, and it's been wonderful. It's been great. And the neat thing about it, and I'm going back to like camaraderie type thing. I've had coaches that have coached clear up until their daughter gets through the whole thing because they love the… the game and they love working with the girls and everything. And so, they've stuck with me for a long time. And one neat thing, and not even just one, but there's one particular family that you just get so close to them, the girls and the parents and everyone. Couple years ago, one of the families came up and invited us to Thanksgiving. Really? Oh, wow. That's awesome. It was pretty neat. It was pretty neat. But that's what I love is just because it is like a great big family to me. The coaches, the girls, the parents, they're all just… they're all pretty neat. Yeah. And I'm going to tell you too, I haven't had many situations where I've had to call the Legacy Center, the managers or whatever to say, "Okay, we need to get… we need to kick this person out." It's just… it's been great. I think if you ask my kids, it's just the look is… I'll just look up at them and… but it's my mother's look. Yes. Yes. Carried it down. I love it. I love it. But I have just… I've loved them. I've loved everyone. Ashley right now my daughter is over the ref… reffing and stuff so she gets the girls to ref and… but it's just like a great big family I just… I and I think you're obviously both of those things it's just being part of a community right and and expanding your influence… maybe in the church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints a lot of times you have the ward right and so a lot of times you focus on that ward and then maybe to multiple wards if you have a stake calling or something like that… the benefit of a community is hey your impact is even bigger there's a lot of people you can affect and through the 28 29 years that I've done it, just the friendships that I've been able to make with the girls on up, they'll come, they know when the games are and everything because we haven't changed schedule or anything and they'll come and say hi. They're not playing or anything, but they'll come and say hi and it's just been neat. Yeah. Just been wonderful. I love it. Good. Good. I love that. Big family. Ryan Harding Yes. And you were also over… so Miss Lehi too and talk to me about because you were some other things there too that you were doing. Maybe… Rhonda Nerdin I was on the Miss Lehi committee for a long time. I was only over it for two years. Okay. But that was great too getting to be with the committee and the girls and all of that. But yeah, so committee member for quite a while. Yeah. And then over it for two years and then I actually went to work on the Miss Utah committee. Okay. Okay. We did the finances. I did the finances for them. For them. Okay. And still that's recent. No. Okay. That was a while ago. Okay. Maybe 10 years ago. Okay. So, a little bit more than that. Yeah. Okay. Yep. Okay. And you were over the parade committee, too, or… No, just on the parade committee. Okay. For a few years. On the parade committee and stuff like that. And what… talk to me about that, I guess, for a second. Is that obviously different than concessions and… fill in the service and stuff like that? But what goes into… is there more that goes into the parade than maybe we think about, I guess, as far as prep work or… basically. Yeah. It's getting like the people to participate in the parade. There's the bands and the the bigger floats. The miniature floats are the wards. Yeah. So, we just have to find out who is doing who are doing the ward miniature floats. Yeah. And then you have to get the bands, the big floats, the things that are going to be in it like the cheerleaders and all that kind of thing. Sure. Okay. But it's a pretty big thing. Yeah. Sure. And I… What advice do you guys have for people that are… that didn't grow up with all of this? You both have, especially you, but have family that's been a part of this for a long time. So, it's almost… of course I'm going to do this. It is. Oh, it is. Because I'd… be shunned by my family. It's a given, right? And you're… sure your family's nice. I wouldn't do that, but… but it's all part of that. So, what advice to… So, somebody that has moved in from maybe out of state, never been a part of the community, they want to be a part… like what advice would you give to that person that doesn't quite have that same heritage that either of you guys have? Rhonda Nerdin I've actually had people, and I think Dave has also that have moved in, gotten to know him, whether through volleyball, whatever. Yeah. And said, "I'd really like to get involved in the community." So, we've been able to tell them some of the things that are going on in the city and and be able to tell them… lead and guide them. Is that the right way to say it? To be able to help with some of the things in the community. Yeah. Looking at the city calendar is a good thing. If you start attending a lot of the heritage days and you'll find out more and more about the community and like I say, we're always looking for volunteers, but it's hard when you come into a community and you don't know the traditions and stuff like that. It's… we can sit down with them for a while. You'll teach them a thing or two. You got a… PowerPoint, right? I'm sure there's another PowerPoint on service that you got or something like that. some other things that you can show them and I think they too could go to the legacy center and find out what's going on in the community and find out the things that are available for them to help with or get on with. Sure. Sure. Dave Nerdin Can I say one thing too that I forgot to say? Yeah, go ahead. The recreation department, Britney, I don't know if you know her. I don't know. Britney Crumback there, her group over there is wonderful to help with the volleyball and things. Oh, good. So, couldn't do it without them or with the volunteers, the other like the coaches and that type thing. So that's wonderful. Yeah. Great. That's awesome. I appreciate that. Ryan Harding So, switching gears a little bit. Obviously, you're citizens of Lehi. You live here in Lehi and stuff like that. Talk to me just about what… what do you like about Lehi? What makes this home for you? And then slash, you know, hey, if you were mayor for the day or had… what would you like to see change or if you had some control over… and stuff like that as far as thinking about things to make Lehi better? Make Lehi better. Two questions there. as far as you know now and future. Rhonda Nerdin What I like about Lehi now is they still care about the individual and I think it's a two-way road. We have to do… I think everybody should volunteer somewhere. I think once they figure out where to volunteer, whether it's in a school or their church group or other places like their rodeo committee. Yeah. There's always something they gain from it and there's camaraderies. I think that's something I would continue. Yeah. I feel the same way. I think because and you can edit this out if you want, but I think sometimes I think to myself, I miss little ol' Lehi. Yeah. Knowing everyone and of course, but if you get involved with the community and do the things that like the volleyball and like the rodeo, the people that you meet, you can't replace that. Yeah, that's wonderful. I think to your point, so yeah, the benefit of a small town is everybody knows everybody, right? Yes. But I would give Lehi a little bit of credit in the sense that it… as far as big cities go, it feels rather small for its size. I'm not saying that… for as big as it is, it actually doesn't feel big. It still has that hometown feeling. It does. It really does. That's what I'm getting at. Yeah. And so I think that's… I think a a shout out to all the people that serve and do the different things that they do in the community because I think it makes the community seem smaller. I agree. Because again, the more people you know now of the sudden… Yes. Oh, hey, I go shop at there and oh, I… I know that guy or I know that. And so it does make for a smaller community, which is nice. It is nice. But okay. And so as far as future, so now I just made you mayor. I have that power here. What things would you change? Any… anything you would change? Anything if you had a mayor? You go ahead. Dave Nerdin Yeah. I tell… I'm a big proponent of doing things together. Okay. Maybe have more concerts. Find more uses for the rodeo grounds besides just rodeo. Yep. They were going to have that concert there last year, but it got moved up to the family park, which is a great place and they're doing a lot of work up there. Yeah. I at some point… I like where the rodeo grounds are, but I think… but if there was a better place that had parking closer, I… it would be a good thing to look at. Sure. But I just think the more things… the Sunday things in the park, some people don't like concerts in the park. There are some people that say you shouldn't do that on Sunday, but I'm going like that's a community gatherer. Yeah, it is more… maybe more things that draw more people together and maybe not have them all in this central area. Maybe some of them are up in Traverse where it seems like they're cut off a little bit because of logistics… which people up there… which… I think that's actually part of the reason they did the family park. We had another gal on that was in charge of that and that was part of… they said they got a whole different group than they normally get here at Coins Park, right? And so some people were upset obviously, hey, we've been doing this for years and and I get it. But they did get a different demographic or different group of people cuz well now it's closer for me. I'm going to go to this one whereas I don't live downtown. Anyhow, we live a few blocks from the family park and what a great thing that has been so far. Yeah. Yeah. Good. Good. Ryan Harding All right, Dave, we're going to pass the mayorship to Rhonda. Rhonda, what would you do? in the future. You should feel that weight off your shoulders. It just feels so much better. Rhonda Nerdin My one of my big things too is basically the same thing that we were just talking about is to put venues different places so that it hits every corner of Lehi. Yeah. That it's not just in one particular place. And it's like both of you said, that's hard for some people because they're used to it being in one place. For sure. But I like the idea of including other people also in the venues. Good. Good. Then the only thing that I would say is traffic. Sure. What else can I say? And that… that is a hot button of us all, right? We would all like less traffic or… But it also shows that Lehi's thriving. Correct. Correct. We'll go with that. Yes. No. Agreed. Agreed. Perfect. Have I missed anything that we were going to talk about? I think so. I'll tell you one thing while you're… while you're looking. Yeah. Dave Nerdin I miss scouting. I was a district scouting commissioner for a while. Yeah. And I miss the service that scouts provided. Yeah, it… we used to have a lot of scouting projects at the rodeo grounds and other places and I don't see that as much anymore. I worry a little bit about young men and young women both going out and doing activities outside like outdoor. Scouts used to go to scout camp and I don't see that as much. They go on overnighters and stuff like that. I think there's certain skills that they need to learn from that later in life. Yeah. And so I've always been a big scout. I think I was over a wood badge. Yeah. And wood badge helped teach adults how to train… the love to train their kids. Not necessarily all the skills. Yeah. But I think that when we train a leader, we train 100 young men. Sure. So I think that's one thing I see kind of lost. I think it'll get figured out sooner or later. But… but you're drawing attention to something that you're right. I mean that when obviously there is a need there. Scouts did fill a role and obviously when the church… I think they say scouts left the church. Church didn't leave the scouts. That's what they say sometimes. But like it… it's… but there's obviously a need there still for service projects and stuff like that. and I guess maybe that's a area maybe the city could try to improve on too would be maybe giving that knowledge to different people cuz I know if I'm serving in a young men's group or something like that I may not always know… hey I want my young man to do a service project but I don't know what to do… we'll go mow somebody's lawn and it's ah that person didn't really need the lawn mower but I bet there might be some community things but I just don't know about it… you know and I know it doesn't quite do the service project for the the eagle project but some kind of service… our stake used to go once a year and clean up the decorations after Memorial Day in the parks and… men and young… but they don't do that anymore. They let… they have employees. I miss that. I understand why they've changed but… it's stuff like that. There's when you get a whole group with one purpose there's always power in that. Sure. Yeah. No, I agree. Good. Hopefully some city leaders are listening and… Okay, let's do this. Are there other microphones here besides ours? They are listening. They're always listening. Hey, thank you guys for coming on, for talking with me for a little bit. I can tell you're very much part of the community, very much loved the community. Obviously, you've raised your family here. Do all your kids live around here? Do they? Okay. One lives in American Fork. American Fork. Okay. Yeah. And the other three are here in Lehi. Oh, wow. Okay, that's awesome. But he lives on the west side of American Fork, so not too far. Okay. Well, still we can reel them in when we need to. Yes, even the fact that they live in Lehi, you know, cuz Lehi is getting more expensive and so I know a lot of times kids are going to Saratoga Springs, Eagle Mountain because it's just… price go where you can have a house and so they're still around here. But that's awesome. That's nice. Yeah, that is nice. So I'm sure it makes family gatherings very nice. Good. Any… I guess here maybe a parting question for you speaking to your children and grandchildren. Any kind of thing that you'd want them to remember that's important to you that… that you would say to them, I guess, as we conclude here. Dave Nerdin I would say stay with family traditions and try to promote community traditions. And even though we're getting bigger, those traditions are important to all of us. I agree with that. Stay with family traditions, but also start your own family traditions, too. Our kids, speaking of our traditions, all of them love the rodeo, and they go basically, most of them go three or four nights. So that's important to me, I think, because I've grown up with it. Yeah. For all my life, but I won't say how many years, but… Yeah. All my life. We won't… make you say. Okay. It was important enough to Rhonda's mom and dad to provide funds to buy the tickets. Yeah. To the rodeo. Important. Yep. And also provide us hamburgers once or twice during the rodeo. Not that I needed any more hamburgers, but they taste good. Yeah. It's okay. We've tried to duplicate that. I know the process and we've tried to do it in the backyard. Our committee members have tried it and they said we just can't duplicate what we get at the rodeo. Sure. There's something that's like when you go camping, everything tastes better. There's something that… that's part of that. It's the feeling. It's the feeling. Yeah. It's exactly… that's exactly it. Do you think they'll ever extend it to to five days? We barely went to four two years ago. Now, what year was that? Springs. I… Were you going to talk about the… They were renovating Rhonda's parents' house and Dad was fixing it up. Yeah. And they got down into some… like the installation part and they found an old poster. It was in the kitchen. It was in the kitchen of the rodeo and it used to be 4 days. Oh. So then it went down to three and now back up to four. And this was like at the inception of the rodeo actually because I think the poster was like maybe 5 years after. And I don't remember dates or anything, but I think it was like 5 years after the rodeo had started. Okay. So, it was an old poster. Yeah. Sure. So, it started with four nights. Okay. Rhonda's brother Mike has it framed at his house. I had it framed. Oh, you had it framed. But it's framed… at his house. It's in his house. You did the work. He got the… I get it. But I don't know when it went back to three. I don't either. I know four is when you're looking at volunteerism and that you get much past four and you just about… you're burn… it's hard. Sure. You know volunteerism is there but it's logistically it's getting harder and harder. Yeah. Yeah. No, which makes sense. And I'm not… it… I just know I think tickets sell out pretty quickly. It seems to… even that fourth night seems to sell out which… hey it's in high demand. So it is… it's a good thing. Like I said there's Christmas and then the rodeo. Yeah. And yeah. Yeah. And I have heard some people still enjoyed the drone show though from outside. Oh yeah. It's like it's like Stadium of Fire down in Provo. You can go. You can still… you don't have to go to actually the State of Fire. You can just look outside. So… So I guess maybe that's a little residual benefit for the… Did you see that last year? I did actually. Yeah. Holy cow. That was something. I loved it. And they're planning on doing it more. But I did enjoy it. It made for the that space between the the the… rodeo and the motocross cuz a lot of times you're like, should I stay? Should I go? You know what I mean? And then, oh, I got something to do this whole time. You hit it right on the head because most people left. Yeah, because they've seen it before, which is fun to watch. I'd love to watch it. But they're going, okay, but you hit it right on the head when it fills that part between them setting up the… Oh, it's a perfect way to fill that that time. It is. And so, I'd like the hamburger in the sky. That was my favorite. So fun. Did concessions increase during that moment? like just everybody all of a sudden felt the urge to come back and get some more. That was fun. Hey, thank you again for coming. Thank you so much. Thanks for taking time to do this. Love it. No, it's it's been good to get to know you guys and, you know, be a part of this and stuff, but… Okay. No, thank you. Ryan Harding Thank you for joining us on Roots and Branches of Lehi. I hope today's story helped you feel a little more connected to the people who make up our community. Remember, every person here has a unique story, and together, we're what makes Lehi feel like home. If you know someone who would be a great fit for this podcast, please fill out the form in the show notes so we can reach out and schedule an interview. We'd love to hear from you. A big thank you to our sponsors, the Work Harding Home Mortgage team and Play Harding Nightly Vacation Rentals for supporting this show and helping us bring our community closer together. Until next time, keep growing those roots and reaching out to your branches. Take care. Dave and Rhonda Nerdin Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast Episode RB-039 Lehi Utah history Nerdin family rodeo concessions youth volleyball. Dave and Rhonda Nerdin share 40 years of Lehi Roundup Rodeo volunteer service, building youth volleyball from 3 teams to 50+, and preserving Lehi small town culture through community service. Lehi Utah history, Lehi Roundup Rodeo, Lehi rodeo concessions, Lehi youth volleyball league, Lehi community traditions, Lehi parade history, Lehi volunteer stories, Nerdin family Lehi, Lehi civic improvement, Lehi ward mini floats, Lehi small town culture, Utah rodeo heritage. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home Episodes Be a Guest Contact

Kurt Elison & The Lehi Arts Council | Roots & Branches RB-040

Kurt Elison, president of the Lehi Arts Council, shares his lifelong passion for theater, the growth of youth arts programs in Lehi, and why the arts are essential to community identity. Watch the interview and read the full transcript.

Kurt Elison & The Lehi Arts Council

A Life Built on Stage

Primary Topics Discussed

What You'll Discover

Moments That Matter

Waking Up to Music

The Little Witch

A Daughter's Pull

Three-Minute Sellouts

The Magic of Frozen

Bright Star and the Audible Gasp

Youth Groups and Dismantling Sets

A Father in the Audience

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

The Threads That Connect

Community Service

Youth Development

Creative Expression

Family Legacy

Collaboration

Accessibility

Small-Town Relationships

Cultural Enrichment

Words That Stay With You

Preserving the Story in Images

Kurt inside the Lehi Arts Center theater space

Youth rehearsals for Shrek, Frozen, or other productions

Ceramics or digital art classes in session

Backstage set building or costume preparation

Audience interactions with cast members after a show

Full Transcript

Chapter 1: Introduction to Roots and Branches of Lehi

Chapter 2: Meet Kurt Elison — Longtime Lehi Resident

Chapter 3: Kurt's Professional Background

Chapter 4: Lehi Arts Council — Overview & Mission

Chapter 5: Programs and Activities at Lehi Arts

Chapter 6: Theater Programs & Community Impact

Chapter 7: Challenges & Successes in Local Arts

Chapter 8: Personal Journey & Passion for the Arts

Chapter 9: The Cost of Producing a Show

Chapter 10: Technical Requirements Behind Frozen

Chapter 11: Marketing, Outreach & Audience Engagement

Chapter 12: Collaboration Between Theater & Community

Chapter 13: The Future of Lehi Arts

Chapter 14: Community Support & Involvement

Chapter 15: Family & Personal Connections to Theater

Chapter 16: Conclusion & Gratitude

Quick Links

Contact

Theater, community, and creative life in Lehi, Utah. How a lifelong passion for the stage became one of the city's most vibrant community institutions.

Growing up backstage with a drama-teacher father and piano-teacher mother

The explosive growth of Lehi Arts Council youth programs

Producing Frozen and the technical magic of community theater

Why the arts are essential to Lehi's small-town identity

For nearly three decades, Kurt Elison has called Lehi home—a place he chose with his wife because it sat perfectly between their childhood cities of Orem and Salt Lake. What began as a practical midpoint soon became the center of Kurt's life, family, and service. Today, he is best known as the president of the Lehi Arts Council, where he leads one of the most vibrant community arts programs in Utah County.

From youth theater workshops to ceramics, digital art, choirs, and full-scale productions like Frozen , Kurt has helped build a creative home where Lehi residents of all ages can learn, perform, and belong. His programs sell out in minutes, his volunteers donate countless hours, and his productions bring families together in ways that feel uniquely "Lehi."

In a city known for sports, growth, and tradition, Kurt reminds us that the arts are just as essential to community identity. Through his work with the Lehi Arts Council, he helps preserve the small-town feeling residents cherish—creating spaces where neighbors gather, children discover their talents, and stories come alive on stage. This episode explores how a lifelong love of theater, rooted in family legacy, became a gift to an entire community.

Join host Ryan Harding for a warm, wide-ranging conversation with Kurt Elison about theater, family legacy, and the creative heartbeat of Lehi, Utah.

President, Lehi Arts Council

State of Utah

From childhood theater to modern Lehi productions

501(c)(3) nonprofit on Center Street

Kurt describes growing up in a home filled with music and theater, saying he "woke up to a piano playing every morning" and spent his childhood backstage with his drama-teacher father. His mother taught piano; his father taught drama and produced at Sundance Summer Theatre. Three pianos sat in one room of the house. That environment shaped a life.

He recalls his first stage role at age three as a "little witch in The Wizard of Oz ," jumping out of a pot before being tossed back in by the Tin Man. He and his brothers got progressively smaller as puppets took their place—a story his family still teases him about.

Kurt explains how his daughter's involvement in youth theater pulled him back into the arts after a decade-long break during early parenthood. What started as helping with sets turned into directing, then leading the entire council. "It's in my blood," he says. "It's hard to get it out of your blood once it's in there."

The Lehi Arts Council's youth workshops sell out in minutes—sometimes "within 3 minutes"—because demand is so high. Kurt and his team have iterated through multiple registration systems trying to keep up. They squeeze in as many kids as space allows, but the building on Center Street is always busy.

Kurt describes the massive technical and financial effort behind producing Frozen . The show required new snow machines, a specialized fog machine that shoots upward for Elsa's transformation, and a total budget of roughly $70,000—nearly double their typical summer show. The rights alone for major Broadway shows can run $5,000 to $10,000.

He recounts the emotional impact of directing Bright Star , where audiences "audibly gasped" at intermission before being moved by the show's powerful second half. "You rarely walk away from a theater experience with a downer," Kurt says—and then gives you goosebumps proving it.

Community volunteers—including youth groups—regularly help dismantle sets, clean storage areas, sort costumes, and support productions. Kurt tells of arriving after one group had been in and finding an entire set broken down and hauled away. An Eagle Scout even built new costume racks for the organization.

Kurt reflects on his father attending every show he directed before passing away, calling it a meaningful bond they shared through theater. His father also directed two shows for the Lehi Arts Council. That legacy lives on: all of Kurt's children are involved in theater in some way, from teaching to performing to simply showing up in the audience.

Lehi's arts community has grown steadily over the past 20-plus years, especially in youth theater and visual arts. What began as modest programming has expanded into a multi-faceted organization serving hundreds of families per session.

The Lehi Arts Center building on Center Street is city-owned but operated by a nonprofit, reflecting a longstanding public-private partnership. The city maintains the structure; the council maintains everything inside. This model has allowed arts programming to thrive without requiring the city to manage creative operations directly.

Park tax grants have historically funded major upgrades such as sound systems, lighting, and seating. Kurt leveraged one year's grant—originally intended for performance rights—to completely redesign the theater's audio system with help from a professional sound designer who volunteered his expertise.

Lehi's strong sports culture has shaped community identity for generations, but arts programs have expanded to serve youth who prefer creative outlets. Kurt explicitly frames theater as "their sport" for kids who aren't drawn to athletics. The council's "Stage for Everyone" program includes special-needs performers paired with volunteer buddies—a model of inclusion that has grown "almost every time."

Local schools rely on community arts groups for support with sets, costumes, and technical expertise. Kurt spends days at Willow Creek Junior High building scenery, even though his own children have moved on. This symbiosis between public education and community organizations is part of what makes Lehi's cultural infrastructure work.

Utah County's broader theater ecosystem—including Hale Centre Theatre, SCERA, Timpanogos Arts, and others—creates a collaborative regional culture rather than pure competition. Kurt describes coordinating with neighboring organizations to alternate shows, share resources, and avoid scheduling conflicts. That coordination is rare and valuable in a growing region.

Hundreds of volunteers make every production possible, from set builders to costume sorters to concession stand operators.

Theater builds confidence, empathy, and belonging. For many kids, it's the place they finally find their people.

From digital art on iPads to pottery in a working kiln, the Arts Council makes creative expression accessible and affordable.

Three generations of Elisons have lived theater. Kurt's father directed for the council; now his son studies musical theater at SUU.

The Arts Council partners with Lehi City, local schools, neighboring theaters, and community groups to share resources and avoid conflict.

Workshop fees are kept affordable. Ticket prices for youth productions are discounted because families already paid participation fees.

In an 84-seat theater, there is no screen between audience and actor. After the show, the cast lines up to shake hands. That's the Lehi way.

In a city of nearly 100,000, the Arts Council preserves the cultural spaces where neighbors gather, children discover talent, and stories come alive.

43 years of agricultural education and how a town of 8,000 became an economic powerhouse without forgetting its farming roots.

How a city-funded program on Main Street helps over a thousand Lehi children a year discover the joy of reading.

Growing up in Lehi since 1972, from the beloved Purple Pig Pizza to pioneering autism education and photographing historical markers.

A life spent building up Lehi's students and why family involvement makes Lehi schools thrive.

Leading Utah's largest 6A schools and why strong families and student belonging define education in this community.

Browse the complete Roots & Branches of Lehi archive and discover more stories from your neighbors.

To fully capture this episode for the historical record, the following photographs and visual materials would enrich the archive:

A portrait showing the intimate 84-seat venue and its volunteer-built upgrades.

Documenting the energy and scale of children's and junior theater programs.

Showing the breadth of visual arts programming beyond theater.

Highlighting the volunteer labor that makes professional-quality productions possible.

Capturing the community intimacy that distinguishes Lehi Arts Council from larger regional venues.

The following transcript preserves the full conversation between Ryan Harding and Kurt Elison for search indexing, historical reference, and accessibility. Speaker labels and chapter breaks have been added for readability.

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Becky White: 30 Years Teaching, Mascot Bowl & Bear Hugs for Kids | Lehi, UT

Lifelong Lehi educator Becky White shares how one phone call to the Utah Jazz launched a 15-year charity tradition, why 400 students still take kids Christmas shopping, and what small-town spirit looks like in a booming city. Oral history archive.

Becky White on 30 Years of Teaching, the Mascot Bowl, and Bear Hugs for Kids in Lehi, Utah

Who Is Becky White, and Why Does Her Story Matter?

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Cruising Main Street in a Town With No Stoplight

Replacing Her Favorite Teacher — and Walking Into the Faculty Room

The Student Idea That Sparked a 15-Year Tradition

From 1,000 to 5,000 — The Mascot Bowl's Explosive Growth

Celebrity Coaches, a Guinness Record, and Starstruck Students

Honoring the Granite Mountain Hotshots

The Boy Who Put Back the Helicopter

A Full-Circle Legacy — From Recipient to Shopping Buddy

Four Kids, Three Teachers, and One Nurse Practitioner

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Suggested Photos & Visuals

Full Transcript

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A lifelong Lehi resident and beloved educator shares how one phone call to the Utah Jazz sparked a 15-year charity tradition, why 400 high school students still wake up early on a Saturday to take children Christmas shopping, and what it means to keep small-town spirit alive in a booming city.

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Becky White's story is woven deeply into the fabric of Lehi, Utah . A lifelong resident who grew up when Lehi was a small farming town with “no stoplight” and a population under 10,000, Becky represents the heart of what longtime Lehi families have contributed to the community's growth and identity. Raised by two Lehi schoolteachers and inspired by her own mentors, she carried forward a legacy of education that shaped thousands of students over her 30-year career .

Her interview highlights the evolution of Lehi's schools , the traditions of Lehi High School , and the powerful community spirit that continues even as the city grows. Becky shares stories of teaching business and sports marketing, building the beloved Mascot Bowl charity event, and creating Bear Hugs for Kids — a program that has helped hundreds of local children each Christmas. Her story matters because it shows how one educator's creativity, compassion, and deep roots can ripple outward to strengthen an entire community.

Through memories of cruising Main Street, opening Skyridge High School , partnering with the Utah Jazz , and mentoring generations of students, Becky reminds us why Lehi's history is built not just on places — but on people who choose to serve, uplift, and stay connected. For anyone interested in Lehi Utah history , local education legacy , community service stories , or the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast , this interview offers both inspiration and a living connection to the city's past and present.

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Becky White

Business and sports marketing teacher at Lehi High School (27 years) and Skyridge High School (3 years); creator of the Mascot Bowl and Bear Hugs for Kids programs

1970s–2020s

Ryan Harding

Becky describes growing up in a small Lehi with “no stoplight” and a population under 10,000. For fun, teenagers would cruise Main Street all the way from Lehi to American Fork and back — for hours — with barely any police presence. It's a vivid snapshot of a rural, close-knit past that long-time Lehi residents remember fondly, and a stark contrast to the bustling tech-hub city Lehi has become today.

Becky shares how her favorite teacher, Kim Jorgensen , inspired her to pursue business education. Years later, Becky returned to Lehi High to literally take over Mrs. Jorgensen's job. She recalls the terrifying moment of walking into the faculty room and seeing her own former teachers — including Lloyd Jacobson and Kent Day — sitting there. Their warm welcome (“You're one of us now”) symbolizes the generational handoff that has kept Lehi High's culture alive.

In a sports marketing class with no established curriculum, Becky asked her students how to make the class more exciting. Lee Adamson , a student who grew up just a few houses down, casually suggested: “Why don't we get the Jazz Bear to come to a basketball game?” Becky left class mid-discussion, made a phone call, and came back with a commitment — and a fundraising target. That single moment launched a 15-year partnership with the Utah Jazz, celebrity coaches, and eventually the beloved Mascot Bowl .

What began as a modest event with roughly 1,000 attendees grew so large that Lehi High's facilities could no longer hold the crowd. The move to Skyridge High School's stadium was partly motivated by the need for more space — and their final year there drew between 4,000 and 5,000 people. The event raised enough money annually to take 150–175 children Christmas shopping with $100 each, all funded through student-led sponsorship sales and ticket revenue.

Through the Mascot Bowl, Becky's students met legends: Jerry Sloan, Rulon Gardner, Derek Parra, Jeff Hornacek, Thurl Bailey, Shawn Bradley, and Frank Layden . Rulon Gardner let students wear his Olympic gold medal. The event even set a Guinness World Record for the longest football drop from a helicopter, caught by Utah athlete Aaron Leu. Becky herself was starstruck when Jerry Sloan arrived early and she got to chat with him one-on-one.

In 2013, after 19 Granite Mountain Hotshot firefighters perished in an Arizona wildfire, Becky wanted to honor them at the Mascot Bowl. Through her cousin's husband Rick Howard , a Lehi firefighter, they connected with the fallen firefighters' department and flew one of the widows and her friends to Utah for the event. The Lehi Fire Department attended in formal uniforms, a ceremonial bell was rung, and Becky stayed in touch with the widow for years afterward. It remains one of her most deeply felt memories.

During Bear Hugs for Kids, one young boy at the Walmart checkout realized he was over his $100 limit. He had chosen sweatpants, a shirt, socks — and a remote-control helicopter. Without hesitation, he put the helicopter back to keep the clothes. Becky's daughter spotted it, bought the helicopter, and on Monday morning two of Becky's daughters — wearing Santa hats — surprised the boy at school. He was wearing the new clothes and asked, “How did you know I wanted that?”

Years after Bear Hugs for Kids began, a former recipient — now a high school student — rushed into Becky's classroom asking when she could sign up to be a shopping buddy . “Because I was one of those little kids that got to go shopping,” she said, “so I want to be the first to sign up.” That moment crystallized what Becky always believed: the program's greatest impact may be on the teenagers who learn to see Christmas through someone else's eyes.

Becky's son teaches at Lehi High School and a co-op. Her oldest daughter taught at Lehi High before staying home to raise her family. Her third child teaches at Skyridge High School. Only the youngest broke the mold — she became a nurse practitioner. Becky jokes that education is in their DNA, but her deeper point is that none of her children saw teaching as merely a job. They watched their mother end each day knowing she had made a small difference, and they wanted that same satisfaction.

Becky White's memories offer a rare firsthand window into Lehi's transformation from rural farm town to one of Utah's fastest-growing cities . In the 1970s and 1980s, Lehi had no stoplights, a population under 10,000, and a Main Street culture where teenagers cruised for hours between Lehi and American Fork. Multi-generation families clustered near Wines Park and along 5th West , creating tight social webs that defined daily life.

Lehi High School has long functioned as more than an academic institution — it has been a central community hub with deep traditions that bind residents across decades. Becky's experience of returning to teach at her alma mater, replacing her own favorite teacher, and later sobbing in the parking lot on her final day illustrates the emotional stakes that locals attach to the school. The opening of Skyridge High School in the mid-2010s marked a major inflection point: a physical symbol of population growth that forced the community to redistribute loyalties, traditions, and identity.

The interview also documents how community events function as civic infrastructure . The Mascot Bowl and Bear Hugs for Kids were not district-mandated programs — they were teacher-initiated, volunteer-supported, and business-sponsored efforts that filled gaps official systems could not address. Local police, fire departments, bus drivers, and businesses like Costa Vita regularly donate time and resources, suggesting that Lehi's volunteer culture runs deeper than any single organization.

Finally, Becky's observation that “you don't have to look very far to find people who love this community” captures a defining trait of Lehi's historical identity: even as the city has ballooned to over 80,000 residents, a small-town willingness to “rise to the occasion” persists. The parade of 12 buses, a fire-department ladder truck carrying Santa, and the Jazz Bear rolling through Lehi on a Saturday morning in December is not just a charming tradition — it is evidence of how Lehi's historical culture of mutual aid has adapted to modern scale.

“ ”

This episode connects to broader themes explored across the Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Listeners interested in Becky's story may also want to explore these related subjects from other interviews:

To enrich this archival page and preserve the visual history of this conversation, the following images would complement the written record:

This transcript has been lightly formatted for readability while preserving the complete conversation. Speaker labels and paragraph breaks have been added; minor verbal filler has been trimmed for clarity. Chapter headings organize the interview by topic.

An oral history archive capturing the stories, people, and traditions that make Lehi, Utah unique. Hosted by Ryan Harding.

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Rick Howard on 40 Years of EMS & Fire Service in Lehi, Utah | Roots & Branches

Longtime Lehi EMT and battalion chief Rick Howard shares how personal loss led to 40 years of emergency medicine, the shotgun merger of Lehi fire and ambulance, Olympic medical work, and building the next generation of first responders.

Rick Howard on 40 Years of EMS, Fire Service, and Emergency Medicine in Lehi, Utah

Who Is Rick Howard, and Why Does His Story Matter?

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

A Blind Date on Valentine's Day — And First Impressions of Lehi

A Son's Heart Defect That Changed Everything

The Shotgun Merger of Lehi Fire and Ambulance

From Pagers and Air Raid Sirens to Modern Paramedic Response

Nursing at the 2002 Winter Olympics Snowboarding Venue

"I Just Get It" — The Aha Moment Behind a Teaching Career

Training Paramedics in a War Zone — Ukraine and Morocco

The Student Who Said, "Mrs. Howard Saved My Life"

"Can This Keystone Cop Get Any Better?"

Meadow Elementary — A Fatal Call and the Power of Staying Together

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Suggested Photos & Visuals

Full Transcript

Chapter :

Roots & Branches of Lehi

Sponsored By

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Longtime Lehi EMT, firefighter, battalion chief, and paramedic educator Rick Howard shares how personal tragedy led to a lifetime of emergency medicine, the dramatic shotgun merger of Lehi's fire and ambulance departments, working the 2002 Winter Olympics, and training first responders around the world.

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For more than four decades, Rick Howard has been one of the quiet pillars behind emergency medicine and fire service in Lehi, Utah . His story begins far from Utah — in Southern California and Hawaii — before life circumstances, family loss, and a blind date on Valentine's Day brought him to Lehi. What started as a young couple settling into a small, quiet town eventually became a lifelong commitment to serving and protecting the people who call Lehi home.

Rick's journey into emergency medicine was shaped by deeply personal experiences: the loss of his father, the passing of his infant son, and the encouragement of his wife, who recognized his natural instinct for medical care long before he ever wore a uniform. Over the years, he became a cornerstone of Lehi's EMS and fire evolution — from the days of pagers and volunteer response to the development of advanced EMT programs, paramedic services, and modern emergency protocols. His work reflects the growth of Lehi itself: from a small rural town to a thriving, modern community with expanding public safety needs.

Today, Rick continues to teach, mentor, and shape the next generation of emergency responders. His story is one of service, humility, and innovation — rooted in Lehi's community spirit and carried forward by a lifelong desire to help others on their hardest days. For anyone interested in Lehi Utah history , emergency medical services , local first responder stories , or the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast , this interview offers a rare, firsthand look at the people who built the safety net beneath a growing city.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Rick Howard

Longtime EMT, firefighter, battalion chief, EMS trainer, paramedic educator, and CERT program founder

1970s–2020s

Ryan Harding

Rick met his wife Susan on a blind date 48 years ago on Valentine's Day. They visited Lehi for the first time at a dance in the Colonial House — a venue made from an old building turned into a dance hall. Rick's first thought was blunt: “Who in the crap would want to live out here?” Yet three years later they were married and settled in Lehi, eventually spending over four decades building a life and career of service there.

In 1982, Rick and Susan's first baby was born with a heart defect called tetralogy of Fallot and was missing a pulmonary valve. After four months of hospital visits, their son passed away. Susan noticed Rick had an uncanny ability to diagnose and understand medical situations even without training. Encouraged by her and his lumber yard boss, Rick enrolled in an EMT program at St. Mark's Hospital in 1984, launching a medical career that would span nursing, trauma care, fire service, and global education.

In the early 1990s, Lehi's fire and ambulance departments were completely separate — different buildings, different cultures, and no desire to cross-certify. City Manager Ed Collins called a joint meeting in the city council chambers, walked in, “basically racked a shotgun,” and declared: “Your departments are now married.” Firefighters had to become EMTs. EMTs had to become firefighters. Some left; most adapted. Rick, who already held both certifications, found himself uniquely positioned to bridge the two worlds.

Rick recalls the early days when Lehi responders used an old air raid siren on top of the building to alert volunteers, followed by pagers. Whoever got to the station first went on the call. There was no full-time staff, no paramedic service, and no unified department. Over the decades he helped transform the agency into a modern, full-time operation with multiple stations, advanced cardiac protocols, and a paramedic program — a reflection of Lehi's explosive growth from a quiet rural town to a city of nearly 100,000.

Rick worked the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics as a nurse at the snowboarding venue. While the athletes often brushed off injuries, the medical team treated a steady stream of wealthy visitors from sea-level Southern California who flew private jets to Heber, drove up to 10,000 feet in Park City, and promptly developed altitude sickness. It was a surreal season of “business as usual” for an experienced trauma nurse, but one that connected his hometown department to a global stage.

When Rick's daughter switched her college major from dance to math education, he teased her: “You can't be a math teacher — the only numbers you know are five, six, seven, eight.” Her reply stopped him cold: “Because I get it.” Rick realized that was exactly how he felt about emergency medicine. It wasn't learned purely from textbooks; it was an intuitive grasp of physiology, protocols, and human crisis that he now works to instill in every paramedic student at UVU.

Rick and his son traveled to Ukraine to train paramedic police in a region near the Donbas that was actively being bombed. He admits he might not have gone had he studied the map more carefully. They also participate in a National Guard and UVU program teaching fire and EMS personnel in Morocco . Rick believes medical knowledge should be shared freely — not hoarded. He now sends his lecture materials in PDF form to anyone who asks, hoping one day a student he trained in Casablanca might save a life because of it.

At a fire scene in South Lehi, a man in his 30s approached Rick because he saw the name Howard on his helmet. He asked Rick to tell Susan something: “She saved my life.” When Rick asked how, the man said, “She taught me how to read.” The moment crystallized for Rick why teaching matters — not for credit or recognition, but for the quiet, lifelong impact an educator can have. It also reinforced the Chicago Fire Department mantra he repeats to every class: “Your worst day has to be my best day.”

Rick and his partner Kenny responded to a full arrest in the old part of Lehi. En route, Kenny hit a water runoff dip so hard the ambulance front end left the ground and shelves broke inside. They arrived laughing, then shattered a screen door with Kenny's backside while carrying the patient out on a backboard. Kenny then slipped stepping into the ambulance and dropped the board. “Now the board's here and the dead guy's here,” Rick recalls. “We're trying to be respectful. And the lady's crying.” It was a lesson in maintaining composure when everything goes comically, tragically wrong.

After a little girl was fatally run over by a truck near Meadow Elementary, Rick and his chief officers sequestered the crew in a room to debrief. They offered to send everyone home and cover their shifts. The crew refused. “No, we want to stay together,” they said. “We're family.” Rick believes this crew cohesion — the ability to diffuse together over days at the station — is why full-time agencies often fare better mentally than volunteer or part-time departments, where responders go home alone after the worst moments of their careers.

Rick Howard's memories provide a rare firsthand account of Lehi's public safety infrastructure as it evolved alongside the city itself. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Lehi operated separate fire and ambulance departments with distinct cultures, buildings, and certifications. The two agencies were so siloed that a city manager literally used a shotgun rack as a dramatic device to force a merger. That moment captures the tension of a small town growing faster than its institutional structures could adapt.

The interview documents Lehi's transition from a volunteer and paid-on-call system — complete with an old air raid siren and home pagers — to a modern, full-time department with multiple stations, advanced life support, and specialized cardiac protocols. Rick notes that Lehi was among the first agencies in Utah County to read EKGs in the field, identify heart attacks, and bypass local hospitals to transport patients directly to percutaneous cardiac intervention (PCI) labs. This was not just medical progress; it was a local agency asserting its capabilities against institutional skepticism.

The development of Lehi's CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program also reflects a historical pattern in the city: when formal systems could not cover every need, community members stepped in. Rick recalls LDS wards filling sandbags during floods in the late 1980s, before CERT was formally established. That volunteer culture — later organized, trained, and equipped through city support — demonstrates how Lehi's civic infrastructure has historically blended professional services with grassroots participation.

Finally, Rick's career trajectory mirrors Lehi's geographic and economic expansion. He commuted to trauma centers in Salt Lake City, worked full-time at Sandy Fire, and taught at UVU — all while maintaining his roots and leadership role in Lehi. The fact that a battalion chief in a city of 100,000 still responds from home to major calls, teaches international paramedic courses, and mentors students at the local university illustrates how Lehi's modern identity remains connected to the hands-on, multi-hat-wearing culture of its rural past.

“ ”

This episode connects to broader themes explored across the Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Listeners interested in Rick's story may also want to explore these related subjects from other interviews:

To enrich this archival page and preserve the visual history of this conversation, the following images would complement the written record:

An oral history archive capturing the stories, people, and traditions that make Lehi, Utah unique. Hosted by Ryan Harding.

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Jean Hatch on Miss Lehi, Arts Council & Community Service | Lehi, UT

Jean Hatch shares growing up on historic Trinaman Lane, leading Miss Lehi and Miss Utah pageants, building the Lehi Arts Council for 18 years, traveling to Miss America during 9/11, and 25 years with March of Dimes.

Jean Hatch on Miss Lehi, the Lehi Arts Council, and a Lifetime of Community Service in Lehi, Utah

Who Is Jean Hatch, and Why Does Her Story Matter?

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Naming Trinaman Lane — "When You're the Only Ones There, You Can Name It Whatever You Want"

The Hutchings Museum — From Private Home to Public Treasure

Saving the Miniature Parade from Its Own Success

The "Godhead" of Miss Lehi — Three Women, Decades of Pageant Leadership

Miss America, 9/11, and the Flight Nobody Wanted to Take

"Trust Me — If You Do This Like I've Asked, the Audience Will Love It"

Disneyland Paris — Lehi Roots, Global Stages

March of Dimes — 25 Years with Heroes in the NICU

"I'm Not Dead Yet!" — Grandchildren and Jewelry Claims

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Suggested Photos & Visuals

Full Transcript

Chapter :

Roots & Branches of Lehi

Sponsored By

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Born on historic Trinaman Lane, Jean Hatch helped build the first Hutchings Museum, standardized Lehi's beloved miniature parade, led Miss Lehi and Miss Utah for decades, chaired the Lehi Arts Council for 18 years, and traveled to Miss America during 9/11 — all while keeping family and community at the center of everything.

helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

NMLS | Company NMLS

Jean Hatch is one of those rare people whose life story is inseparable from the story of Lehi, Utah itself. Born in the old Lehi Hospital and raised on historic Trinaman Lane — a street named after her grandfather and great-uncles who built the first homes there — Jean grew up in a tight-knit farming town where dirt roads outnumbered sidewalks, Vets Park was the social center of the universe, and walking past a taxidermist shop on the way home from the movies was a rite of passage.

Over the decades, Jean became one of Lehi's most dedicated community builders. Her leadership in the Miss Lehi Pageant and the Miss Utah organization helped shape generations of young women. As chair of the Lehi Arts Council for nearly 18 years, she expanded youth theater, adult productions, music programs, and arts education in a city that was growing faster than its cultural infrastructure. She helped standardize Lehi's beloved miniature parade when wealthy wards threatened to turn it into a full-scale float competition. She even helped fundraise for the very first Hutchings Museum when it was still a private collection in John Hutchings' own home.

Jean's story spans some of the most pivotal moments in modern American history, too. She was in Atlantic City for Miss America on September 11, 2001 — one of the first commercial flights out of Salt Lake City after the attacks, landing in a changed world where sharpshooters stood on hotel rooftops and PT boats patrolled the shoreline. She spent 25 years with the March of Dimes , supporting families with medically fragile infants and calling NICU nurses her heroes. And through it all, she never stopped mentoring — still coaching young women for Miss Utah interviews every Sunday, still showing up, still serving.

For anyone interested in Lehi Utah history , Miss Lehi pageant stories , Lehi Arts Council history , community theater development , or the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast , this interview is a treasure. Jean Hatch's memories offer a vivid, firsthand window into old Lehi's small-town charm, the institutions that defined it, and the people who ensured those traditions survived into a new century.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Jean Hatch

Longtime community volunteer; Miss Lehi committee leader; Miss Utah board member; Lehi Arts Council chair; director and organizer of community theater and music programs

1940s–2020s

Ryan Harding

Jean grew up on Trinaman Lane , a street that didn't get its name from a city planner but from her own family. Her grandfather and his two brothers built the first homes in that small area, and because they were the only ones there, they got to name the road. Decades later, a developer built Trinaman Fields — an entire neighborhood where the family once had a monopoly on street names. It's a perfect metaphor for how Lehi's rural landscape has transformed into one of Utah's fastest-growing cities.

Long before the Hutchings Museum had its own building, John Hutchings kept his entire collection — rocks, minerals, arrowheads, and artifacts from canyon explorations — inside his private home. Jean recalls grade school classes touring through his house, and her family helping with salmon bakes and fundraisers to build the first dedicated museum space. She even remembers a teacher correcting her poster: "I don't think he wants these things called stuff."

Lehi's miniature parade originally grew out of simple ward "round-the-block" parades led by accordion players like Lucille Brooks . The first floats were wagons with plywood tops. But as wards grew wealthier, the floats grew larger — verging on full-size and threatening the parade's unique identity. Jean approached a McNaughton family member then overseeing Roundup celebrations and was promptly appointed to the committee. She established standardized dimensions, height limits, and spending caps so that every ward competed on equal footing. "Everybody was kind of on an equal playing field," she says, "and was able to win those coveted awards for best float."

After years of involvement with Miss Lehi, Jean joined the Miss Utah board under David Haw. When Lynn Smith stepped down after one year, Jean, Reneita Revel , and Bonnie Evans took over — a trio Jean laughingly calls "the godhead of the pageant." They guided the organization for years, ensuring financial stability and smooth leadership transitions. Even after Revel stepped down due to her husband's health, Jean stayed on to secure the pageant's future before handing it to a new generation.

Jean, her daughter, and a friend flew to Atlantic City to support Jackie Hunt , a former Miss Lehi competing at Miss America. Then the planes hit the towers. The pageant contestants voted unanimously to continue: "We don't want them to dictate how we live our lives." When airports reopened, Jean's family was on one of the first commercial flights out of Salt Lake City — nearly empty, staffed entirely by older crew members because younger employees refused to fly. They were upgraded to first class, flew over Ground Zero at the pilot's offer, and walked silent New York streets filled with photographs and candles. Two weeks earlier, they had stood atop the World Trade Center. Jean had felt an inexplicable unease and urged everyone to leave. Her husband later said he felt "something almost evil" in the building that day.

During a youth theater production of Honk , a young boy playing a bullfrog struggled with his stand-up comedy lines. He thought the jokes were stupid and wasn't buying in. Jean kept encouraging him: "Trust me." On opening night, Jared Ellison — father of theater contributor Kurt Ellison — sat in the audience. The moment the boy delivered his first one-liner, Jared nearly fell on the floor laughing, his joy echoing through the building. "It was like a light switch turned on," Jean recalls. "I'm funny. People like what I'm doing. I can do this." From then on, he owned the role. It's a lesson Jean has seen repeated countless times: one person's encouragement can change a child's trajectory.

Jean has watched children she taught in Lehi's community theater programs go on to professional careers. One young man who started in children's theater progressed to Hale Center Theater , then to the new theater in Sandy, and recently moved to Paris to perform at Disneyland Paris . Another boy from her 1970s children's singing group graduated from BYU law school, became a Las Vegas attorney, and now sings with a Gladys Knight group — having released his own CD. "His roots were in Lehi," Jean says. "It started right here."

Jean never became a school teacher, her original career plan. Instead, after volunteering with March of Dimes , she was invited to work part-time, then full-time, then as division director — a role she held for nearly 25 years. She calls the families she met her heroes: parents whose children were born with birth defects, told there was a 3-4% chance of recurrence, only to face it again. And the doctors and nurses who dedicate their lives to saving babies "no bigger than a dollar bill when they're born." The work changed her life, deepened her compassion, and connected her to people who "touched my heart and changed my attitude about things."

When Ryan Harding joked that Jean isn't dead yet and should keep working, Jean laughed and shared a running family joke. Her granddaughter regularly goes through her jewelry, admiring rings and trying them on. Jean's response is always the same: "I'm not dead yet." It's a lighthearted moment that captures her spirit — still active, still mentoring, still very much alive in the community she has served for more than seven decades.

Jean Hatch's memories provide an extraordinarily detailed portrait of old Lehi — the farming community that existed before Silicon Slopes, before the population explosion, before paved streets reached every neighborhood. She describes a town where dirt roads were the norm, where children walked to the church for concrete smooth enough to roller skate, and where families like hers built their own homes and named their own streets. Her recollections of Vets Park as the central gathering place for baseball, fireworks, and community events underscore how public spaces shaped social life long before shopping centers and entertainment complexes arrived.

The interview documents the origins of several beloved Lehi institutions . The Hutchings Museum began not as a modern facility but as a private collection in John Hutchings' home, visited by schoolchildren who toured through his living spaces. Lehi's miniature parade emerged from ward "round-the-block" celebrations with accordion players and plywood-topped wagons, not the elaborate float bases seen today. Jean's work to standardize the parade in the late 1980s preserved its unique identity against the pressures of growth and wealth inequality between wards.

The interview also captures the evolution of Lehi's cultural infrastructure . When Jean joined the Lehi Arts Council in the early 2000s, it operated out of the old Hutchings Museum building with mirrors being installed, a proper stage being built, and folding chairs giving way to real theater seating. Under her 18-year chairmanship, the youth theater program expanded from a single group to multiple age categories performing several shows annually. This growth paralleled Lehi's physical expansion — from a town where everyone knew everyone to a city of 90,000 where, as Jean notes, it's now hard to find a spot on the parade route.

Jean's reflections on Lehi's schools offer a multigenerational timeline. She attended Seagull Elementary (later the name changed), was among the first PTA presidents at Meadow Elementary when it was newly built, and watched her children graduate from Lehi High before Skyridge existed. Today her grandchildren have graduated from Lehi, Skyridge, Westlake, and Cedar Valley — a single family's educational journey tracing the district's geographic expansion across northern Utah County.

Finally, the interview preserves the texture of daily life in mid-20th century Lehi — the two movie theaters on State and Main Streets, the taxidermy shop that made walking home from scary movies genuinely terrifying, the Pony League games where her father coached and her mother kept score, and the family picnics in American Fork Canyon while her prospector father worked his claims. These are not just nostalgic details; they are the building blocks of community memory, documenting how ordinary routines and local landmarks created a sense of place that newer residents are still trying to replicate in a transformed city.

“ ”

This episode connects to broader themes explored across the Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Listeners interested in Jean's story may also want to explore these related subjects from other interviews:

To enrich this archival page and preserve the visual history of this conversation, the following images would complement the written record:

An oral history archive capturing the stories, people, and traditions that make Lehi, Utah unique. Hosted by Ryan Harding.

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Brent Knudson Fkosh Bakery Lehi Utah

Brent Knudson on F'kosh Bakery, Lehi Main Street, and Discovering His Pioneer Roots

Who Is Brent Knudson, and Why Does His Story Matter?

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Episode Overview

Guest Name

Role in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Discovering an Unexpected Legacy

Reinvention at Midlife

From Farmers Markets to Main Street

A Family-Run Operation

The Name Nobody Wanted to Say Out Loud

"From Day One, It's Just Been So Busy"

Five Ingredients, One Secret: Time

Local Restaurants as Partners, Not Competitors

"You Have to Put in the Hours"

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Suggested Photos & Visuals

Full Transcript

Chapter :

Roots & Branches of Lehi

Sponsored By

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How a midlife career pivot led to one of Lehi's most beloved new businesses — and a surprising connection to the city's earliest days.

helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

NMLS | Company NMLS

Brent Knudson's story is a rare blend of deep Lehi heritage and modern Main Street entrepreneurship. Though he grew up near Seattle, Brent later discovered that his great grandfather, Matias Knudson , lived in Lehi in the late 1800s and even helped build the iconic Lehi Roller Mills . Today, Brent finds himself working just steps from where his ancestors lived, in a historic Main Street building that once served as a doctor's office — one his great grandfather likely visited.

In this episode, Brent shares how a midlife career pivot led him to launch F'kosh Bakery , a family-run focaccia shop that has quickly become one of Lehi's most beloved new businesses. What began as a hobby — selling bread to neighbors and at farmers markets — has grown into a bustling Main Street storefront known for selling out daily, handmade loaves, and creative flavors.

Brent's story highlights the power of community support, the resurgence of small local businesses, and the meaningful connections that come from building something with your own hands. His journey reflects the heart of Lehi: family legacy, entrepreneurship, Main Street revitalization, and the enduring value of authentic, handmade work. Whether you're a longtime resident or new to town, Brent's story reminds us how deeply our roots can shape our branches.

For anyone interested in Lehi Utah history , Lehi Main Street businesses , F'kosh Bakery , family-run bakery Utah , Lehi Roller Mills family stories , or the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast , this interview is essential listening. Brent's memories offer a vivid, firsthand window into old Lehi's pioneer settlement, the evolution of its historic downtown, and the entrepreneurs reviving its commercial corridor today.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Brent Knudson

Owner & Head Baker, F'kosh Bakery on Lehi Main Street

Late 1800s (family roots), 1980s–2020s (Brent's life), 2023–2025 (bakery launch)

Ryan Harding

Brent grew up in the Seattle area and moved to Utah in 2013, settling in Lehi in 2016. It was only after arriving that he began digging into his family history and realized his great grandfather, Matias Knudson , had lived on Center Street in the late 1800s and helped build the Lehi Roller Mills . Brent now operates his bakery in a historic Main Street building that was once a doctor's office — the very place his great grandfather likely visited. "My great grandfather… has a historic home just here on Center Street… and now I have a bakery there. It's cool."

After losing his job in his mid-40s, Brent faced the daunting question of "what now?" He had worked as a game designer, graphic designer, and even sold cruises for Norwegian Cruise Lines — but none of it ever felt real. The idea for a focaccia bakery, which "always sounded stupid," suddenly became the most authentic path forward. He started selling to neighbors, then farmers markets, and finally took the leap to open a storefront on Lehi Main Street.

What began as a fun hobby quickly gained traction. By the end of one summer, Brent and his family were operating at five farmers markets per week . The validation came not from friends and family, but from strangers who returned week after week. That organic demand gave them the confidence to sign a lease on a historic Main Street building and open their doors on November 1, 2025.

On Saturdays, the bakery is run entirely by Brent, his wife, and their four children — ages 15, 14, 12, and 10. While Brent admits the dynamic can be challenging with younger kids working the busiest day, he wouldn't trade it. "If this was any other job, I wouldn't get to see my wife and kids." The family business model harkens back to the old "mom and pop" shops that once defined American Main Streets.

The original planned name was "What the Fasha?" — a gag idea Brent owned the domain for. But as the business became real, he realized it would "age poorly" and might alienate customers in Lehi's market. His brother's casual slang — "bring over some focash" — became the spark for F'kosh , a name that's easy to say, unique, and brandable. The original domain still sits in Brent's back pocket for future marketing use.

Brent and his wife entered Main Street with a survival plan: keep heads above water until summer farmers markets could sustain them. They never needed it. From the very first day, the storefront was overwhelmingly busy. Within weeks, Brent hired five or six people just to keep up. The biggest challenge isn't finding customers — it's producing enough bread to meet demand. "That's the best problem you can have."

Brent's focaccia uses only five ingredients: flour, water, yeast, salt, and oil. He freely shares the recipe with anyone who asks — because the magic isn't in the ingredients. It's in the process . The dough undergoes a long ferment, sometimes made on Monday or Tuesday for Thursday's bake. That time creates the structure, the flavor, and the light airiness customers love. "There's nothing magical about the recipe. It's the process that actually makes our bread stand apart."

F'kosh Bakery has become the table bread provider for Edna's in Lehi and the new Magleby's in Pleasant Grove. David, owner of Lehi Bakery and Magleby's, has been "super supportive." Matt, who owns NZ next door, has also embraced the new neighbor. This kind of local business mutualism is exactly the community-building Brent hoped for when he chose Main Street.

Brent's core advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is brutally simple: put in the hours. He describes months of 4 AM wake-ups, baking all morning, packing for farmers markets, making dough at night, and repeating the cycle. Sacrifices that "on paper don't make sense" eventually pay off. "You're planting the seeds and you're putting that work and you'll harvest it later." He tested his own resolve by flying to Seattle to bake bread for his sister's race — a grueling, faraway order that confirmed he still loved the work even under the worst conditions.

Brent's interview offers a unique window into how Lehi's past and present intertwine. The building that now houses F'kosh Bakery dates back to the late 1800s and once served as the town doctor's office — a reminder that Main Street has always been the beating heart of local commerce and community care.

The conversation also sheds light on Lehi's agricultural origins. Brent's ancestors, immigrants from Norway, raised sheep and worked in farming — the backbone of early Lehi's economy. Their contributions to structures like the Lehi Roller Mills demonstrate how immigrant labor and ingenuity shaped the city's physical landscape.

Today, that same Main Street corridor is experiencing a renaissance. Small businesses like F'kosh Bakery, Edna's, and Magleby's are revitalizing the historic corridor through collaboration rather than competition. When local restaurants use F'kosh bread as their table bread, they continue a tradition of Main Street mutualism that has defined Lehi for over a century.

The interview documents the Lehi Cemetery's role as a physical record of generational continuity — Brent's family plot there connects him to great grandparents he never knew. And the dedication of his great uncle's historic home, happening "next month" at the time of recording, illustrates how Lehi's historic preservation efforts keep pioneer stories alive for new residents who discover their roots decades later.

Finally, Brent's reflections on the desire for authentic, handmade work capture a cultural shift visible across historic downtowns nationwide. In a city where population has exploded from small-town numbers to nearly 100,000, businesses like F'kosh offer a tangible link to the slower, more personal commercial relationships that once defined places like Lehi. The fact that customers accept — even embrace — selling out speaks to a hunger for scarcity-based authenticity in an age of infinite mass production.

“ ”

This episode connects to broader themes explored across the Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Listeners interested in Brent's story may also want to explore these related subjects from other interviews:

To enrich this archival page and preserve the visual history of this conversation, the following images would complement the written record:

An oral history archive capturing the stories, people, and traditions that make Lehi, Utah unique. Hosted by Ryan Harding.

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Reed and Katie Madsen on Family History, Faith, and Finding Belonging in Lehi, Utah | Roots & Branches of Lehi

Reed and Katie Madsen share their journey to Lehi, Utah — FamilySearch, DAR service, pioneer heritage, and neighborly love. A Roots & Branches of Lehi oral history episode.

Reed and Katie Madsen on Family History, Faith, and Finding Belonging in Lehi, Utah

Who Are Reed and Katie Madsen, and Why Does Their Story Matter?

Watch the Full Interview

Episode Overview

Guest Names

Roles in Lehi

Time Periods Discussed

Host

Primary Topics Discussed

Episode Highlights

Key Stories from the Interview

Compton, Knott's Berry Farm, and a Childhood Across the Street

American Teenagers in Tonga

"Consider Yourself Asked"

Becoming the First DAR Patriot in Her Family Line

Naturalization Ceremonies and a Daughter-in-Law's Journey

The Red Build Emergency and Moving FamilySearch to AWS

The Pioneer Who Fed Saints from Utah Lake

"I Come From Good Stock. I Can Get Through This."

Miracles Through Medicine

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

Community & Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

Suggested Photos & Visuals

Full Transcript

Chapter :

Roots & Branches of Lehi

Sponsored By

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From Compton and Tonga to FamilySearch and the DAR — a story of pioneer resilience, neighborly love, and a marriage shaped by music, faith, and divine timing.

helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

NMLS | Company NMLS

Reed and Katie Madsen have spent more than a decade as part of the Lehi community, bringing with them a lifetime of global experiences, deep family history roots, and a commitment to service. After years in Texas, their move to Lehi connected them with neighbors, church community, and the support network that has become essential — especially as Reed navigates Parkinson's disease. Their story blends small-town belonging with worldwide perspective, from Katie's childhood in Compton and Orange County to Reed's teenage years in Uruguay and Tonga.

Their interview highlights the heart of Lehi's community spirit: neighbors helping neighbors, shared faith, and a love of preserving stories. Katie's leadership in the Daughters of the American Revolution and Reed's long career at FamilySearch reflect their passion for genealogy, education, and civic service — values that resonate deeply in Lehi's history of pioneer resilience, family legacy, and community connection. Their journey reminds us why Lehi remains a place where roots deepen and branches reach outward across generations.

In this episode, Reed and Katie share their unlikely love story that began with a violin performance at BYU, their decades of service to veterans and new citizens through the DAR, Reed's pivotal role modernizing FamilySearch's global software infrastructure, and the pioneer ancestor who fed starving Saints from the ice of Utah Lake . They also open up about faith, medical miracles, and the lessons they hope their grandchildren will carry forward.

For anyone interested in Lehi Utah history , Reed and Katie Madsen interview , Lehi community stories , FamilySearch engineer story , DAR Utah chapter regent , Lehi genealogy stories , Utah Lake pioneer fisherman , American Fork Symphony violinist , Lehi faith and heritage , Utah naturalization ceremonies , or the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast , this interview is essential listening.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Reed and Katie Madsen

Katie: DAR Chapter Regent, Violinist with American Fork Symphony. Reed: Retired Software Engineer at FamilySearch.

1960s–2020s (California, Uruguay, Tonga, BYU, Texas, modern Lehi)

Ryan Harding

Katie describes growing up in Compton during the 1965 Watts riots before her parents relocated the family to Orange County. Their ward building sat directly across the street from Knott's Berry Farm , and as a teenager she and her friends spent countless hours there before fences and admission fees changed the experience. "We had a great time just hanging out at Knott's Berry Farm."

Reed recounts attending high school in Tonga after his father accepted a church building assignment. The cultural shift was immense — "Tonga is very different than Utah" — but Reed and eight other American teenagers formed a tight-knit group. "We did everything together. Go to the beach, go to the movies, go to school, do our homework, rinse and repeat." That shared experience created bonds that transcended the usual one-on-one dating culture of American high schools.

Reed and Katie's love story began when Reed woke up in sacrament meeting to see Katie playing the violin — an impression he felt was divinely guided. When he asked her to homecoming a month in advance, his coolest pickup line was: "Consider yourself asked." Katie immediately recognized the parallel to her own father's proposal — "Best we go" — and the symmetry made her laugh. It was the beginning of a marriage that has now lasted nearly 52 years.

At a Dallas genealogy conference, Katie sat next to a DAR member and decided to join — despite the fact that no one in her family had ever done so . She became the first person in her family line to document a Revolutionary War patriot, a two-year paper-trail process completed in 1999 before the internet made research faster. "What I like about [DAR] is you get to be the good in the world."

One of Katie's favorite DAR responsibilities is speaking at naturalization ceremonies . She draws on her daughter-in-law's citizenship journey from South Africa to connect with new Americans. Her speeches weave together the seal on the back of the dollar, John F. Kennedy's "Ask not" address, and her own family's immigrant roots — creating moments of patriotic reflection for people who have just taken their oath of citizenship.

Reed was hired at FamilySearch to solve a crisis: software builds were failing every single day , and recovery consumed the team's mornings. Within a year, Reed and his team eliminated the "red build emergency" meetings entirely. Later, he led the migration from FamilySearch's own data centers to AWS , where on a Sunday afternoon 4,000–5,000 servers now handle millions of requests. "Things have happened during my stay there that could only have happened through revelation."

Reed's great-grandfather Peter Madsen , a Danish fisherman and bishop of Lake View, Utah, used his knowledge of ice fishing to save the community during a devastating crop failure year. "The year that the seagulls came and ate the crickets, they did not save the crops. The crops were decimated." Peter set up fishing operations on Utah Lake at the mouth of the Provo River, feeding Saints from across the Intermountain West. A plaque with his name still marks the location near the Provo Boat Harbor.

Katie draws daily strength from her ancestors. When she and Reed sat drenched and cold in the Salt Lake Tabernacle during an organ recital, the musician began playing "Come, Ye Saints." Both felt instantly that their ancestors were present with them. "We just felt like our ancestors were right there with us in that tabernacle." For Katie, ancestor stories are not just history — they are reservoirs of resilience. "When I have hard days, I just think: I come from good stock. I can get through this."

In April 2024, Reed was diagnosed with prostate cancer . After hormone therapy and two months of daily radiation, his doctor delivered the news: he was in remission . But Reed's message is nuanced. "Sometimes miracles don't come through administrations of the priesthood. Sometimes you have to go through the trial." He urges others not to deprive themselves of medical miracles by waiting for supernatural ones alone. "If we didn't take advantage of the medical information that's out there, we'd be depriving ourselves of many miracles that could have been made."

Reed and Katie's interview illuminates several threads of Lehi's community fabric. First, it demonstrates how ward-based neighborhoods create built-in support networks that become essential when residents face health challenges. Reed's Parkinson's disease has made him dependent on neighbors for tasks he once handled himself — and he receives that help generously. "I rely on my friends and neighbors here in Lehi. They come over and help me out."

The interview also documents Lehi's role as a destination for families returning from out of state , drawn by community cohesion and church involvement. After 17 years in Texas, the Madsens chose Lehi specifically because of the percentage of church membership and the integrated social structure that accompanies it.

Lehi's growth parallels the expansion of FamilySearch and the broader genealogy industry, which plays a significant role in Utah's tech and cultural landscape. Reed's decade-long career at FamilySearch places Lehi residents at the center of one of the state's most consequential technology missions — preserving humanity's family records at global scale.

Local arts participation — such as Katie's role in the American Fork Symphony — remains a vibrant part of Utah County's community identity. The symphony provides not only cultural enrichment but also intergenerational continuity: Katie plays on a violin her grandmother bought during the Depression, and her daughter plays on the matching instrument purchased at the same time.

Finally, the interview reflects Lehi's broader culture of preserving pioneer stories, family records, and intergenerational heritage . From Peter Madsen's Utah Lake fishing operations to the DAR's historical preservation work, the Madsens embody a community value system that treats the past as a living resource rather than a distant memory.

“ ”

This episode connects to broader themes explored across the Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Listeners interested in Reed and Katie's story may also want to explore these related subjects from other interviews:

To enrich this archival page and preserve the visual history of this conversation, the following images would complement the written record:

An oral history archive capturing the stories, people, and traditions that make Lehi, Utah unique. Hosted by Ryan Harding.

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Melissa Everett on BYU Pathway Worldwide, Global Education, and Lifelong Learning from Lehi, Utah | Roots & Branches of Lehi

Melissa Everett shares her journey from health promotion to global education leadership with BYU Pathway Worldwide. Recorded in Lehi, Utah, this episode explores online learning, job-ready certificates, and education's power to lift communities worldwide.

Melissa Everett on BYU Pathway Worldwide, Global Education, and Lifelong Learning from Lehi, Utah

Who Is Melissa Everett, and Why Does Her Story Matter?

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I Just Got Goosebumps — The Moment Pathway Clicked

From Adjunct Mom to Full-Time Remote Leader

The 2023–2024 System Overhaul: A Really Challenging Year

You Have Everything You Need in This Room — Audriana in Zimbabwe

Skipping Meals to Afford Data

Government Meetings and Job-Ready Degrees in Africa

The Certificate-First Flip

Education as a Missionary Accelerator

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From health promotion to global education leadership — how a Lehi resident is helping BYU Pathway Worldwide reach nearly 100,000 students across 180+ countries.

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Melissa Everett's journey to Lehi is anything but ordinary. Raised across Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, Melissa eventually found her way to Utah after college and built a career that blends education, service, and global impact. Her story on Roots & Branches of Lehi highlights how someone who didn't grow up in Lehi has still become deeply connected to the community through her work, her faith, and her commitment to helping others rise. Her role with BYU Pathway Worldwide — a rapidly expanding global education program — has placed her at the center of one of the most transformative initiatives in modern Church Educational System history.

In this conversation, Melissa shares how she transitioned from health promotion to teaching, then into online education leadership. She describes the early days of BYU-Idaho's online programs, the birth of Pathway, and the remarkable worldwide growth that now reaches nearly 100,000 students. Her experiences — from helping build curriculum to traveling to Africa to evaluate job readiness — reveal a story of compassion, innovation, and a belief in the power of education to lift individuals and communities. For Lehi listeners, her work reflects the same values that built this town: hard work, faith, community support, and a desire to help others thrive.

Melissa's story matters because it shows how global service and local community values intersect. Her work touches lives across continents, yet her roots in Utah — and now in Lehi — anchor her in the same spirit of connection that defines Lehi's history, growth, and community identity.

For anyone interested in Lehi Utah education stories , BYU Pathway Worldwide history , Melissa Everett BYU Pathway , Lehi community podcast guest , Pathway Connect global program , Church education online learning , Utah Education Initiative Pathway , job-ready certificates BYU Idaho , LDS education Africa growth , Lehi Utah community interviews , or the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast , this interview is essential listening.

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Melissa Everett

Instructor Manager & Administrator for BYU Pathway Worldwide; Lehi-area Church Education Initiative representative

1980s–2026 (childhood through present day)

Ryan Harding

In the fall of 2009, shortly after being hired as one of BYU-Idaho's first online instructors, Melissa heard about a new preparatory program called Pathways. When I first heard about Pathway, I just got goosebumps. Having served an LDS mission in Italy, she immediately pictured the people she loved there gaining access to church-based higher education. That emotional connection launched a career that has now spanned sixteen years.

Melissa spent years teaching online as an adjunct while raising her children. In 2016, a full-time instructor manager position opened — earlier than she had planned to return to full-time work. Remembering how BYU-Idaho had once hired remote faculty and then stopped, she decided not to wait. I better throw my hat in the ring now because you never know if they'll offer another remote position again. She got the job, cried for two days, and accepted.

As Pathway decoupled from BYU-Idaho's systems, the organization implemented an entirely new student information system and merged three major databases. The result was widespread data corruption and student frustration. It was all in an effort to simplify things for students in the long term and make us more scalable long term. But it resulted in a pretty challenging year. By mid-2024, strategic pivots in registration brought immediate relief.

During a difficult gathering with female students in Zimbabwe, Melissa witnessed a transformative moment. Her colleague Audriana — a former Pathway student from Argentina who had risen to become a designer — stopped the conversation cold and told the women: You have everything you need in this room. You have each other. You have this skill and you have this skill. The women, who had been venting their frustrations, were empowered to rely on their own community strength rather than waiting for outside rescue.

Melissa shares heartbreaking early research about Pathway students in impoverished areas: some were skipping meals to afford internet data. In regions where data is sold by the gigabyte, the sacrifice required to access education was staggering. This reality directly shaped the creation of Pathway's jobs team, which now helps students find employment so they can afford to stay in school.

Melissa traveled to Zimbabwe, Malawi, and South Africa with the applied health program to ask a question most universities never ask: Are our degrees actually employable here? She met with government officials to determine whether Pathway credentials were recognized and what jobs graduates could realistically obtain. We need to assess the process, not just the product.

Melissa explains Pathway's radical inversion of the traditional degree model. Instead of starting with general education, students begin immediately with job-ready certificates — starting with Excel. Even if you didn't even finish your certificate, Excel, you could already get a better job. The goal is employability at every step, not just a diploma at the end.

Pathway's growth is directly accelerating missionary work. In Africa, where Christianity is widespread and the LDS faith is not stigmatized as non-Christian, non-member students are flocking to Pathway Connect in droves. One Zimbabwe mission went from baptizing roughly 100–200 people per year to a projected 4,000. Melissa recalls Elder Kim B. Clark's solemn prophecy that Pathway would help build the kingdom and usher in the return of our Savior — a vision she now sees unfolding in real time.

Melissa's interview reveals how Lehi is home to residents who work in education, technology, and global service roles , reflecting the city's shift from farming roots to a modern, globally connected community. While she didn't grow up in Lehi, her presence here as a remote education leader illustrates how the city's proximity to Salt Lake and Utah County's tech corridor has made it a hub for professionals whose impact radiates far beyond local boundaries.

The Church Educational System's presence in Utah — including Pathway's headquarters in Salt Lake — creates ripple effects in Lehi, where many employees and volunteers live. Melissa serves as the Lehi South Stake's representative for the Utah Education Initiative, directly connecting her global administrative work to neighborhood-level service. This layering of international mission and local stewardship is increasingly characteristic of Lehi's professional population.

Lehi's culture of service and community involvement aligns with Pathway's mission of lifting individuals through education and faith. The same neighbor-helping-neighbor ethic that defined Lehi's pioneer settlement now manifests in volunteers who help students navigate educational options, serve as gathering-site facilitators, or mentor returning students. The interview documents how Lehi residents participate in what is essentially a global humanitarian effort without ever leaving home.

Finally, the Utah Education Initiative , mentioned by Melissa as a resource for all Utah residents regardless of church membership, reflects Utah's long-standing commitment to accessible education. For Lehi residents who may have stopped out of college, changed careers, or never believed higher education was possible, this initiative — and Melissa's personal advocacy — provides a practical local pathway to re-engagement.

“ ”

This episode connects to broader themes explored across the Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Listeners interested in Melissa's story may also want to explore these related subjects from other interviews:

To enrich this archival page and preserve the visual history of this conversation, the following images would complement the written record:

An oral history archive capturing the stories, people, and traditions that make Lehi, Utah unique. Hosted by Ryan Harding.

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Jordan Harmon: Angel Studios, The Chosen & Values-Driven Entertainment | Lehi

Jordan Harmon on VidAngel, the Disney lawsuit, crowdfunding The Chosen, and building Angel Studios from Lehi, Utah. A Roots & Branches oral history interview.

Jordan Harmon on Building Angel Studios, The Chosen, and Values-Driven Entertainment from Lehi, Utah

Who Is Jordan Harmon, and Why Does His Story Matter to Lehi?

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Jordan Harmon Angel Studios Lehi Utah Interview - Roots and Branches of Lehi Podcast

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From a 280-person Idaho farm town to a $62 million Disney lawsuit, crowdfunding miracles, and 2.2 million Angel Guild members—Jordan Harmon shares how Lehi, Utah became home base for a global movement to tell stories that amplify light.

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In this episode of Roots and Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Jordan Harmon , co-founder and president of Angel Studios—the Utah-based entertainment company behind The Chosen , Dry Bar Comedy , Sound of Freedom , and a rapidly expanding slate of values-driven films and series. Jordan's journey is one of small-town roots, entrepreneurial grit, and an unshakable belief in the power of community. Growing up on a potato farm in tiny Declo, Idaho, he learned early the value of hard work, family, and faith. Those values carried him to BYU, to an LDS mission in Mexico, and finally to Lehi in 2016, where he and his wife settled just before the birth of their third child.

Today, Jordan is one of the key architects behind a global entertainment force that is reshaping how stories are funded, produced, and distributed. From the early days of VidAngel—a small startup built to help families filter content— to surviving a high-stakes Disney lawsuit, filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy, pioneering the "Pay It Forward" model, and building a 2.2 million member global guild, his story touches on some of the most significant forces shaping modern media. It is also a story inseparable from Lehi, Utah and Utah County's tech ecosystem , where Angel Studios employs roughly 300 people, predominantly engineers, in three buildings on Center Street in Provo.

For anyone interested in Lehi entrepreneurship , Utah County startup culture , values-based entertainment , crowdfunding innovation , or the faith and business intersection that characterizes so many local success stories, this interview offers both historical perspective and a look at what comes next.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Jordan Harmon

Co-Founder & President of Angel Studios; long-time Lehi resident since 2016

1990s–2026 (childhood in Idaho, mission years, early marriage, VidAngel founding 2013–2014, Disney lawsuit era 2015–2017, Angel Studios growth 2018–2026)

Ryan Harding

This interview offers valuable perspective on Lehi's cultural fabric and Utah County's distinctive tech ecosystem:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values Jordan discovered in Lehi and the principles that guided his journey:

This episode connects to the broader Roots and Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Jordan Harmon discusses founding VidAngel, the Disney lawsuit, crowdfunding The Chosen, building Angel Studios, and creating values-based entertainment from Lehi, Utah. Oral history interview from Roots and Branches of Lehi.

Jordan Harmon Angel Studios. Lehi Utah entrepreneur. VidAngel lawsuit Disney. The Chosen crowdfunding. Utah County tech companies. Values based entertainment. Pay It Forward model. Angel Guild voting system. Dry Bar Comedy origins. Lehi community stories. Utah startup success stories.

Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible.

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Jordan Harmon Role in Lehi Co-Founder & President of Angel Studios; long-time Lehi resident since 2016 Time Periods Discussed 1990s–2026 (childhood in Idaho, mission years, early marriage, VidAngel founding 2013–2014, Disney lawsuit era 2015–2017, Angel Studios growth 2018–2026) Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview History Historical Insights About Lehi This interview offers valuable perspective on Lehi's cultural fabric and Utah County's distinctive tech ecosystem: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values Jordan discovered in Lehi and the principles that guided his journey: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots and Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Jordan Harmon Angel Studios Lehi Utah Interview - Roots and Branches of Lehi Podcast Jordan Harmon discusses founding VidAngel, the Disney lawsuit, crowdfunding The Chosen, building Angel Studios, and creating values-based entertainment from Lehi, Utah. Oral history interview from Roots and Branches of Lehi. Jordan Harmon Angel Studios. Lehi Utah entrepreneur. VidAngel lawsuit Disney. The Chosen crowdfunding. Utah County tech companies. Values based entertainment. Pay It Forward model. Angel Guild voting system. Dry Bar Comedy origins. Lehi community stories. Utah startup success stories. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home About Episodes Contact Be a Guest Contact

Joan Collette Nurse Humanitarian Lehi Service Legacy

Joan Collett on a Life of Nursing, Humanitarian Service, and Finding Home in Lehi, Utah

Who Is Joan Collett, and Why Does Her Story Matter to Lehi?

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Joan Collett Nurse Humanitarian Lehi Utah Interview - Roots and Branches of Lehi Podcast

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From Whidbey Island fog to Polynesian islands, ICU wards to the Berlin Mission — a retired nurse practitioner reflects on faith, family, eight children, and why Lehi's community spirit feels like the home she has been searching for all her life.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah.

In this episode of Roots and Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Joan Collett , a retired nurse practitioner whose life weaves together the foggy coastlines of Whidbey Island, the bustling ICU wards of Utah County, the remote villages of Samoa and Tonga, and the quiet spiritual work of a patriarch's home. Her journey is one of resilience, deep faith, and unwavering service — a story that mirrors the values many Lehi residents hold dear.

Joan grew up in a Navy family, married a Navy officer, and raised eight children across six states before settling in Lehi nearly 15 years ago. After decades devoted entirely to motherhood, she returned to school at BYU, earned her nursing degree and later her nurse practitioner credentials, and built a second career in critical care and oncology research. Alongside her husband Howard, she developed humanitarian medical programs in the Pacific Islands and later served as the medical adviser for the Germany Berlin Mission. Today, she supports senior missionary medical reviews and serves as a scribe for her husband's patriarchal blessings — all while championing the preservation of downtown Lehi and the community traditions that make this city feel like home.

For anyone interested in Lehi Utah community stories , women returning to education later in life , healthcare careers in Utah County , humanitarian medical missions , or the everyday faith and family life that defines this town, Joan's interview offers both historical perspective and quiet inspiration. Her story reminds us that Lehi's true history is not only found in its buildings and streets, but in the ordinary people who choose to serve, love, and stay.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on Details Episode Overview Guest Name Joan Collett

Retired nurse practitioner; community member; scribe for patriarchal blessings; senior missionary medical reviewer

1950s–2020s (childhood through retirement)

Ryan Harding

Joan's interview illuminates Lehi's cultural identity while connecting the city to broader national and international histories:

Several broader themes emerge from Joan's story that reflect both her personal values and the spirit of Lehi itself:

This episode connects to the broader Roots and Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Retired nurse practitioner Joan Collett discusses growing up on Whidbey Island, raising eight children, returning to nursing school, humanitarian medical work in Samoa and Tonga, serving as medical adviser in the Berlin Mission, and finding community in Lehi Utah. Oral history interview from Roots and Branches of Lehi.

Joan Collett Lehi. Lehi Utah community stories. Lehi Main Street history. Lehi Rodeo traditions. Lehi nursing professionals. Whidbey Island childhood stories. Utah humanitarian missions. Lehi family histories. Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast. Lehi small-town culture. Lehi faith and service stories. Nurse practitioner Lehi Utah. Berlin Mission medical adviser. Polynesian diabetes program. Patriarchal blessings scribe. Senior missionary medical review. Women returning to education Utah. Howard Collett patriarch. Lehi community podcast Ryan Harding.

Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible.

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Details Episode Overview Guest Name Joan Collett Role in Lehi Retired nurse practitioner; community member; scribe for patriarchal blessings; senior missionary medical reviewer Time Periods Discussed 1950s–2020s (childhood through retirement) Host Ryan Harding Primary Topics Discussed Highlights Episode Highlights Stories Key Stories from the Interview History Historical Insights About Lehi and Beyond Joan's interview illuminates Lehi's cultural identity while connecting the city to broader national and international histories: Themes Community and Legacy Themes Several broader themes emerge from Joan's story that reflect both her personal values and the spirit of Lehi itself: Quotes Memorable Quotes Explore Related Lehi Topics This episode connects to the broader Roots and Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics: Visual Archive Photo Opportunities for Historical Archive To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record: Transcript Full Transcript Joan Collett Nurse Humanitarian Lehi Utah Interview - Roots and Branches of Lehi Podcast Retired nurse practitioner Joan Collett discusses growing up on Whidbey Island, raising eight children, returning to nursing school, humanitarian medical work in Samoa and Tonga, serving as medical adviser in the Berlin Mission, and finding community in Lehi Utah. Oral history interview from Roots and Branches of Lehi. Joan Collett Lehi. Lehi Utah community stories. Lehi Main Street history. Lehi Rodeo traditions. Lehi nursing professionals. Whidbey Island childhood stories. Utah humanitarian missions. Lehi family histories. Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast. Lehi small-town culture. Lehi faith and service stories. Nurse practitioner Lehi Utah. Berlin Mission medical adviser. Polynesian diabetes program. Patriarchal blessings scribe. Senior missionary medical review. Women returning to education Utah. Howard Collett patriarch. Lehi community podcast Ryan Harding. Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible. Quick Links Home About Episodes Contact Be a Guest Contact

Andy Hadfield Lehi High Football Coach Resilience Community

Andy Hadfield on Building Lehi High Football, Coaching with Purpose, and Finding Strength Through Adversity

Who Is Andy Hadfield, and Why Does His Story Matter to Lehi?

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Andy Hadfield Lehi High School Football Coach Interview - Roots and Branches of Lehi Podcast

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From a winless season to multiple state championships, Lehi's new head football coach shares how respect, presence, and a lawn-care office inside the high school helped build a culture—and how family hardship reshaped what winning really means.

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In this episode of Roots and Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Andy Hadfield , the newly appointed head football coach at Lehi High School and a lifelong member of the Lehi community with deep family roots in the area. Andy shares his journey from local athlete to assistant coach—and now to leading one of Utah’s most successful high school football programs. His story highlights not only the evolution of Lehi High athletics but also the powerful role sports play in shaping young lives.

Andy offers a behind-the-scenes look at what makes Lehi’s football program a consistent contender, emphasizing the importance of community support, strong coaching culture, and player leadership. Beyond the field, this conversation explores broader themes of parenting, personal growth, and resilience—especially as Andy reflects on challenges like his daughter’s battle with cancer and how it reshaped his perspective on life.

For anyone interested in Lehi High School football history , youth sports leadership in Utah , coaching philosophy , or the community values that define modern Lehi , this interview is a compelling look at leadership and the everyday moments that build strong families and lasting connections.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on the Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast feed via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other platforms.

Andy Hadfield

Head Football Coach, Lehi High School; Local Business Owner (Lawn Care)

2000s–2020s (focus on last 10–15 years)

Ryan Harding

This interview offers valuable perspective on Lehi's cultural fabric, athletic evolution, and community dynamics:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values Andy brings to Lehi High and the community:

This episode connects to the broader Roots and Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Andy Hadfield, Lehi High School head football coach, discusses the program's turnaround from winless to state champion, coaching philosophy built on respect and presence, parenting lessons, and resilience through his daughter's cancer battle. A Roots and Branches of Lehi oral history interview.

Andy Hadfield Lehi High. Lehi Utah football program history. Lehi High School football coach. Lehi Utah community stories. High school sports leadership Utah. Youth sports lessons and development. Lehi Utah growth and community. Coaching philosophy football. Raising kids through sports. Utah high school football success. Roots and Branches of Lehi podcast Ryan Harding.

Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible.

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Wylene Benson: 40 Years of Homeownership & Utah Real Estate Advice

Wylene Benson shares her journey from Georgia to 40 years in Mapleton, Utah — plus real estate advice for first-time buyers, ADUs, house hacking, and market insights.

From Rents to Roots: How Wylene Benson Built a 40-Year Homeownership Legacy — and Helps Others Start Theirs

Who Is Wylene Benson, and Why Does Her Homeownership Story Matter?

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Homeownership Stage

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Mapleton

Goshen

Mount Pleasant

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Wylene Benson Utah Real Estate Agent Homeownership Journey Mapleton From Rents to Roots Podcast

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A Utah real estate agent shares how faith, resilience, and creative strategies are opening doors for first-time buyers in a market that feels impossible. From her first showing on the day she quit her part-time job to advising clients not to sell when it protects their future, Wylene's story proves that homeownership is still possible with the right mindset and guidance.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Utah with expert guidance, creative financing solutions, and a commitment to education.

Wylene Benson's journey into Utah real estate is a story of faith, resilience, and the unshakable belief that homeownership can transform lives . After growing up in Mapleton and watching the town grow from 3,000 residents to over 10,000, she developed a rare understanding of Utah housing, community growth, and the emotional side of buying a home. Her 30+ years of experience — from investing to office management to becoming a full-time agent — give her a perspective that few can match on how real estate builds stability, financial growth, and long-term roots.

In this episode of From Rents to Roots , Wylene shares how she overcame the fear of leaving a secure paycheck, trusted her instincts, and closed her first deal the very day she committed to real estate full-time. She opens up about helping first-time buyers shift their mindset, navigate affordability challenges in the Utah housing market , and use creative strategies like ADUs and house hacking to make homeownership possible. Her story is filled with hope, practical wisdom, and a belief that the right home shows up when people stay open, prepared, and willing to take the next step.

For anyone dreaming of buying a home in Utah , building equity , or creating long-term family stability, Wylene's insights offer both inspiration and real-world guidance on navigating Utah's evolving market, overcoming financial obstacles, improving credit, and building lasting roots through intentional real estate decisions.

Watch the full conversation to hear the complete story, lessons learned, and practical insights from this homeownership journey. Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Wylene Benson

Utah real estate agent; former real estate investor; former office manager; background in accounting; 18 years in commission-based sales (Mary Kay); breakthrough mentor

Long-term homeowner (40 years in same home), mid-career entrepreneur, advisor to buyers and sellers

Investor, long-term homeowner, real estate professional

Wylene brings decades of lived experience to the practical side of buying, holding, and selling real estate in Utah. Here are the educational insights buyers and sellers can apply immediately:

Grew from 3,000 to 10,000+ residents. Proximity to freeway exits and airports continues to drive appreciation and demand.

Rural feel with larger plots, lower prices, and improving freeway access via Spanish Fork Airport expansion. Wylene calls it 'the old Mapleton.'

Retirement destination with grocery, college, and small airport amenities. Positioned to become a self-contained community similar to Saratoga Springs.

Beyond the transaction details, Wylene's interview reveals deeper truths about perseverance, faith, and the purpose of work:

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Utah first-time homebuyer tips, ADU house hacking, creative mortgage strategies, Mapleton Utah growth, real estate investing beginners, faith and financial decisions, Work Hard Mortgage podcast, buying a home in Utah, rural Utah homes for sale, building equity in real estate, overcoming homebuyer fear, mortgage education Utah, Wylene Benson realtor.

Whether you are a first-time buyer, looking to upgrade, or exploring investment properties in Utah, Work Hard Mortgage is here to guide you with education, creative strategies, and personalized support.

Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible through education and personalized guidance.

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Nikki Lemon on 20+ Years of Utah Real Estate, Creative Homeownership Strategy, and Leading Buyers Through Fear | From Rents to Roots

Nikki Lemon on 20+ Years of Utah Real Estate, Creative Homeownership Strategy, and Leading Buyers Through Fear

Who Is Nikki Lemon, and Why Does Her Homeownership Story Matter?

Watch the Full Interview

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Homeownership Stage

Primary Topics Discussed

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The Journey

Homeownership & Financial Insights

Utah Market Trends to Watch

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Nikki Lemon Utah Real Estate Agent Homeownership Strategy First-Time Buyers From Rents to Roots Podcast

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From the Vernal oil boom to Director of People & Culture at Presidio Real Estate, Nikki Lemon shares why mindset matters more than market headlines — and how first-time buyers can stop waiting and start building roots through creative strategy, honest teamwork, and long-term thinking.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Utah with expert guidance, creative financing solutions, and a commitment to education.

In this episode of From Rents to Roots , host Ryan Harding sits down with longtime Utah real estate professional Nikki Lemon to discuss what it really takes to navigate today's housing market. From growing up in Vernal, Utah, to building a 20+ year real estate career across both rural and urban Utah communities, Nikki shares the lessons she has learned helping families pursue homeownership , financial growth , and long-term stability.

The conversation explores the emotional side of buying a home, especially for first-time buyers facing fear, uncertainty, and rising housing costs in Utah real estate markets . Nikki explains why many young families feel overwhelmed by mortgage payments and financial pressure, while also offering practical strategies for overcoming obstacles through creativity, teamwork, and long-term thinking. Her perspective encourages buyers to stop waiting for "perfect timing" and instead focus on building roots , creating stability, and making thoughtful financial decisions that align with their lives.

Beyond mortgage education and real estate strategy , this episode is ultimately about mindset, resilience, and creating opportunity. Nikki shares powerful insights on entrepreneurship, professional growth, reputation, trust, and adapting during difficult market shifts. Whether you are preparing to buy your first home, grow your financial confidence, or better understand Utah housing trends , this episode offers both hope and practical guidance for building a future with intention .

Nikki Lemon

Utah real estate agent, Director of People & Culture at Presidio Real Estate, real estate mentor and leadership professional

Experienced professional, parent of adult children, career growth and leadership stage

Real estate professional advising first-time buyers, sellers, and growing families

Nikki brings decades of lived experience to the practical side of buying, holding, and selling real estate in Utah. Here are the educational insights buyers and sellers can apply immediately:

Salt Lake City has been marked as a top market for 2026. Prices traditionally rise over time, making entry-level purchases valuable long-term assets despite higher monthly payments today.

Vernal and other northeastern communities remain strong markets for buyers seeking affordability, outdoor access, and lower density while maintaining equity growth potential.

With homes sitting 70+ days and inventory near 18,000 listings, thoughtful sellers and buyers have more room to negotiate concessions, rate buydowns, and creative terms.

Beyond the transaction details, Nikki's interview reveals deeper truths about perseverance, integrity, and the purpose of work:

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Hellewell Family: Multi-Generational Homeownership in Eagle Mountain | RR-003

Betsy, Lynn & Nicole Hellewell share their first-time homebuyer journey in Eagle Mountain, Utah. Discover how multi-generational co-buying, creative financing, and perseverance made homeownership possible.

How the Hellewell Family Beat Rising Housing Costs Through Multi-Generational Homeownership

A First-Time Homeownership Story Rooted in Perseverance, Family Unity, and Creative Thinking

Watch the Full Interview

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Homeownership Stage

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The Journey

Homeownership & Financial Insights

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Hellewell Family Multi-Generational Homeownership Eagle Mountain Utah First-Time Buyer

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After four years of searching, Betsy, Lynn, and Nicole Hellewell discovered a path to homeownership they never expected: buying a home together. Their story proves that with family teamwork, creative financing, and the right guidance, first-time buyers in Utah can still find stability — even when the market feels impossible.

Work Hard Mortgage helps Utah families achieve homeownership through expert guidance, creative financing solutions, and personalized mortgage education.

The Hellewell family — Betsy, Lynn, and their daughter Nicole — share a powerful and deeply relatable first-time homeownership story rooted in perseverance, financial creativity, and family unity. After years of renting, rising Utah housing costs , and a long, discouraging search, they discovered a path to homeownership they never expected: purchasing a multi-generational home together . Their journey highlights the emotional highs and lows of buying a home, the realities of the Utah real estate market , and the courage it takes to build long-term stability.

For Nicole, homeownership once felt impossible. But when she learned she could "split a home" with her parents, everything changed. For Betsy and Lynn, years of searching finally made sense when they found a home that "checked all the boxes" and offered the quiet, rural lifestyle they longed for. Together, they navigated credit concerns, rising rents, market volatility, and the overwhelming mortgage process — discovering along the way that the right guidance, the right people, and the right timing can turn fear into confidence.

Their story matters because it reflects the reality many Utah families face today: high rents, limited inventory, and the need for creative solutions. It's a hopeful reminder that homeownership is still possible , even when the path looks different than expected. Through family teamwork, mortgage education , and a willingness to think outside the box, the Hellewells built roots, stability, and a home they truly love. Whether you are a first-time buyer , struggling with credit improvement , or exploring shared ownership options, this episode offers practical inspiration and proof that transformation is within reach.

Betsy Hellewell, Lynn Hellewell, Nicole Hellewell

Betsy — Lifelong Utah resident, long-term renter. Lynn — Idaho native, long-term renter. Nicole — Utah/Montana upbringing, returning to Utah workforce.

Multi-generational family navigating rising housing costs and long-term stability

First-time buyers (multi-family purchase with basement apartment)

The Hellewell episode delivers genuine educational value for anyone navigating the Utah housing market, considering shared ownership, or helping a family member buy their first home:

Nicole watched her roommate-shared housing costs climb from $900 to projected $2,000 for the same arrangement — a trajectory forcing many Utah renters to reconsider ownership.

For the Hellewells, a combined mortgage payment was comparable to what they would have paid in separate rent payments — but with equity, stability, and control.

By pooling qualifying income and dividing living space, three individuals achieved a home purchase that none could have managed alone under standard single-buyer programs.

Beyond the financial mechanics, the Hellewell interview reveals deeper truths about family, perseverance, and what it means to build a stable life:

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Whether you are a first-time buyer, exploring shared ownership with family, or looking for creative financing solutions in Utah, Work Hard Mortgage is here to guide you every step of the way.

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Matthew & Kaylee Kendall: USDA Rural Loan Homeownership Story

Matthew & Kaylee Kendall went from renting in Eden to owning in Tremonton with a USDA loan. Learn how patience, credit improvement, and family focus made homeownership possible.

From Renting in Eden to Owning in Tremonton: How Matthew & Kaylee Kendall Bought Their First Home With a USDA Loan

Who Are Matthew and Kaylee Kendall, and How Did a Family of Five Become Rural Utah Homeowners?

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Matthew and Kaylee Kendall Tremonton Utah USDA Rural Housing Loan First Time Homebuyer Story From Rents to Roots Podcast

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A Utah teacher and her husband share their patient journey from canyon rentals to rural homeownership — overcoming credit hurdles, walking away from the wrong house, and discovering that zero-down USDA loans can turn farmland dreams into addresses.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Utah with expert guidance, creative financing solutions, and a commitment to education.

In this episode of From Rents to Roots , host Ryan Harding sits down with Matthew and Kaylee Kendall , a determined couple who turned a cramped rental situation in Eden, Utah into a spacious homeownership dream in Tremonton. With five children, a teacher's income, and a vision of raising animals on open land, their story is a powerful reminder that first-time homebuying is not reserved for perfect credit scores or hefty savings accounts. It is for families willing to be patient, ask questions, and keep searching until they find the right fit.

The Kendalls' journey highlights the real-world path many Utah first-time buyers face: improving credit over time, recovering from a failed purchase attempt, and navigating the emotional rollercoaster of underwriting. Their discovery of the USDA rural housing loan — a zero-down program designed to make rural communities accessible — changed everything. By the time they held the keys, they were not just moving into a house. They were planting roots for generations.

For anyone exploring homeownership in Utah , credit improvement strategies , USDA loan education , or simply need proof that persistence pays off, Matthew and Kaylee's experience offers both practical mortgage guidance and heartfelt inspiration. Their message is simple: just try . You cannot answer the what-ifs until you do.

Matthew Kendall and Kaylee Kendall

Kaylee is a teacher; Matthew and Kaylee are parents focused on building a stable family life in rural Utah.

Married couple raising five children and relocating for a better long-term lifestyle.

First-time buyers / transitioning from renters to homeowners

Matthew and Kaylee's experience translates into practical, actionable guidance for anyone considering a first home purchase in Utah. Here are the educational insights buyers can apply:

Eligible buyers can finance 100% of the home's value, removing the traditional down payment barrier that keeps many renters on the sidelines.

USDA loans are designed for rural and semi-rural communities. Towns like Tremonton in Box Elder County often qualify, offering affordable entry points near larger cities.

Because USDA loans often feature lower interest rates and mortgage insurance costs, monthly payments can be more affordable than conventional or FHA alternatives.

Beyond mortgage mechanics, Matthew and Kaylee's story carries deeper truths about family, faith in the process, and the courage to begin before you feel fully ready:

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Whether you are a first-time buyer, exploring USDA rural loans, or simply curious about what you qualify for, Work Hard Mortgage is here to guide you with education, patience, and personalized support.

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Authenticity in Utah Real Estate | From Rents to Roots

Ryan Harding speaks with Utah real estate professional Chris on From Rents to Roots. Learn how authenticity, humor, and full-service commitment build lasting client trust.

Authenticity Over Polish: How a Utah Real Estate Professional Built a Brand on Personality, Humor, and Full-Service Commitment

Why Authenticity Is the New Currency in Utah Real Estate

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Chris Authentic Real Estate Branding Utah Interview - From Rents to Roots Podcast

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From rejecting the corporate "suit and tie" image to creating viral videos for a 1960s Orem home with maroon carpet, Chris shares why showing up honestly—and treating every listing like it matters—wins in today's Utah housing market.

Work Hard Mortgage helps first-time buyers, move-up buyers, and investors navigate the Utah housing market with clarity and confidence.

In this episode of From Rents to Roots , host Ryan Harding sits down with Chris , a Utah real estate professional who is quietly redefining what it means to serve buyers and sellers in one of the nation's most competitive housing markets. Instead of relying on polished corporate branding or the traditional "suit and tie" image, Chris has built a thriving practice around personality-driven marketing, creative video content, and an unwavering commitment to full-service representation—regardless of a property's price tag.

For first-time buyers nervous about entering the Utah housing market, homeowners preparing to sell, and aspiring real estate entrepreneurs , this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on modern marketing, client relationships, and long-term financial growth. Chris shares how rejecting industry stereotypes helped him connect with clients more deeply, why a modest 1960s Orem home with maroon carpet deserves the same creative energy as a nearly $3 million Alpine estate, and how showing up honestly helps build the trust that turns transactions into lifelong relationships.

Whether you are exploring homeownership in Utah , trying to improve your financial habits before buying, or simply looking for proof that success comes from consistency and authenticity, this episode delivers practical inspiration rooted in real-world experience. You will walk away with insights on personal branding , client service , and the mindset shifts that separate good agents from truly great ones.

Watch the full conversation above to hear the complete story, the lessons learned, and the practical insights behind this approach to real estate service and marketing in Utah.

Chris

Utah real estate agent, content creator, and entrepreneur

Established professional actively building a personal brand and scaling a full-service real estate business

Real estate professional / industry expert guiding buyers and sellers across all price points

This episode delivers genuine educational value for buyers, sellers, and industry professionals navigating the Utah housing market. Here is what Chris's experience teaches us about marketing psychology, client service, and building a resilient real estate business:

Beyond real estate tactics, this conversation touches on universal themes about identity, perseverance, and the kind of life you build when you refuse to compromise your values:

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Utah real estate professional Chris discusses rejecting the suit and tie realtor image, building an authentic personal brand through social media videos, and providing full-service real estate marketing to every listing from Orem to Alpine. Hosted by Ryan Harding on From Rents to Roots.

Utah real estate marketing. Authentic real estate agent Utah. Social media for realtors. Creative home listing videos. Full-service realtor approach. Building a real estate brand. Utah housing market professionals. Real estate entrepreneurship. Personality-based real estate branding. Modern real estate marketing. First-time buyers Utah. Real estate video content. Work Hard Mortgage podcast. From Rents to Roots episode RR-005.

Helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in Lehi and across Utah. Work Hard Mortgage is committed to making the mortgage process simple, transparent, and accessible.

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Chris Mikkelson: Utah County Real Estate, Authenticity & Guatemala Service | RR-005

Top Utah County agent Chris Mikkelson shares how burnout led to real estate, why authenticity wins, how he markets every listing equally, and building 25 homes a year in Guatemala. Watch RR-005.

From Burnout to Building an Empire: How Chris Mikkelson Became Utah County's Top Agent Through Authenticity and Hard Work

Who Is Chris Mikkelson, and What Does It Take to Build a Top Real Estate Career in Utah?

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Utah Market Trends to Watch

Alpine Luxury Surge

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Tooele Townhomes

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Chris Mikkelson Utah County Real Estate Agent Pine Valley Realty Alpine Luxury Homes Entrepreneurship Guatemala Humanitarian Work From Rents to Roots Podcast RR-005

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Top Utah County real estate agent Chris Mikkelson shares how burnout led him to real estate, why authenticity beats the suit-and-tie persona, how he markets luxury and starter homes with equal effort, and the Guatemala home-building project that grew from six friends to 25 houses a year.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Utah with expert guidance, creative financing solutions, and a commitment to education.

In this episode of From Rents to Roots , Ryan Harding sits down with Chris Mikkelson, the top-producing real estate agent in Utah County, to explore what it really takes to build long-term success in the Utah housing market . Chris's journey is a powerful example of how entrepreneurship, authenticity, and relentless consistency can transform a career — and help countless families along the way.

Chris entered real estate in 2013 after burning out on constant international travel. What he thought would be an easier path turned into an eleven-year masterclass in adaptability, social media marketing, and relationship building. From sitting in the office answering phones as a rookie to becoming runner-up for Rookie of the Year, to marketing everything from modest Orem homes to multimillion-dollar Alpine estates, Chris proves that first-time buyers , luxury clients, and everyone in between deserve the same level of care and expertise.

Beyond transactions, Chris shares the inspiring story behind a major annual humanitarian effort in Guatemala, where he and a growing network of volunteers have built dozens of homes for families living in poverty. His story reflects core themes of creating stability, building roots, giving back, and using professional success to positively impact others. For anyone interested in Utah real estate , entrepreneurship , social media marketing for realtors , or building wealth through real estate , this episode delivers both practical education and meaningful perspective on what it takes to grow — and keep growing — in a competitive market.

Watch the full conversation to hear the complete story, lessons learned, and practical insights from this real estate journey and humanitarian effort. Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Chris Mikkelson

Real estate agent, real estate marketer, and community humanitarian at Pine Valley Realty in Alpine, Utah

Established entrepreneur growing a long-term real estate career while balancing family, business, and international service work

Real estate professional / industry expert; developer; works with first-time buyers, move-up buyers, and luxury clients

Chris brings over a decade of frontline experience to the practical side of buying, selling, and developing real estate in Utah. Here are the educational insights buyers, sellers, and aspiring agents can apply:

Since COVID, roughly 90% of all $3 million-plus sales in Alpine have occurred. Pine Valley Realty has held the top sales volume in Alpine for decades.

A major mixed development near Fox Hollow Golf Course featuring high-end cottage homes under $1 million and estate lots with custom builds starting around $1.5 million.

Quality-built townhomes starting in the low $300s with over 2,000 square feet, offering attainable entry points for first-time and move-up buyers in Utah County.

Beyond commissions and contracts, Chris's interview reveals deeper truths about building a meaningful career and life:

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Utah County top real estate agent, Alpine luxury real estate, first-time homebuyer education, social media marketing for realtors, authentic real estate branding, Utah housing market trends, real estate development Utah County, how to succeed in real estate, building trust with homebuyers, entrepreneurship in real estate, real estate client relationship strategies, Pine Valley Realty, Work Hard Mortgage podcast, Guatemala home building project, NAR settlement buyer agent commissions, Tooele townhomes, The Bridges American Fork, real estate referral business, luxury home market Utah, Chris Mikkelson realtor.

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Darcy Oliva on Starter Homes & Real Estate | RR-006

Utah real estate agent Darcy Oliva shares her journey from social work to selling homes, why starter homes build wealth, and first-time buyer advice for a rising market.

From Social Work to Selling Homes: How Darcy Oliva Built a Purpose-Driven Real Estate Career in Utah

Who Is Darcy Oliva, and What Can Her Career Change Teach Homebuyers About Patience, Risk, and Starting Small?

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Darcy Oliva Utah Real Estate Agent Career Change Homeownership First-Time Buyers Tooele County From Rents to Roots Podcast

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After years of dreading her commute and dreaming of something more, Darcy Oliva took a calculated leap into real estate — keeping her day job for four years, closing just one deal in 2020, and eventually building a brand around rescue dogs, authentic relationships, and the belief that homeownership wealth is built slowly, one starter home at a time.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Utah with expert guidance, creative financing solutions, and a commitment to education.

Darcy Oliva's journey into Utah real estate is not the story of an overnight success. It is the story of someone who spent years in a career that drained her spirit, mustered the courage to leap into the unknown, and then had the discipline to keep her safety net firmly in place while she built something better. In this episode of From Rents to Roots , host Ryan Harding sits down with Darcy to explore how she transitioned from state social work into commission-only real estate, why she advises new agents — and new homeowners — to avoid going all-in too quickly, and how her personal experience of buying three homes before finding her forever home shapes the advice she gives to first-time buyers every day.

Darcy's story offers a rare blend of emotional honesty and practical mortgage education . She talks openly about the dread that finally pushed her to change careers, the financial caution that kept her family secure during the transition, and the reality that real estate wealth is built slowly through starter homes, townhomes, and fixer-uppers — not through waiting for a dream home that may never arrive at the right price. She also dives deep into the Utah housing market , explaining why prices keep climbing, why the state's top-ranked economy matters for buyers, and why attempting to time the market often leaves families permanently priced out.

For anyone considering buying a home in Utah , navigating a career transition , or simply looking for proof that meaningful change is possible without reckless risk, this episode delivers both inspiration and a concrete roadmap. From social media marketing and AI tools to the NAR settlement and the ethics of buyer representation, Darcy brings an agent's-eye view of an industry in flux — and a human perspective on why owning a home still matters deeply for family stability, financial growth, and building roots.

Darcy Oliva

Utah real estate agent; former state social worker; dog rescue advocate; founder of "The Dog Friendly Realtor" brand

Career reinvention after years of professional dissatisfaction; established marriage; entrepreneurship; community service

Move-up buyer advocate; three-time homeowner; real estate professional guiding first-time and repeat buyers

Darcy Oliva brings a boots-on-the-ground perspective from one of the nation's fastest-growing housing markets. Whether you are a first-time buyer worried about affordability, a seller clinging to a low interest rate, or a professional considering a commission-based career, her insights offer concrete, actionable guidance:

Utah recently claimed the nation's number one economy. That strength attracts out-of-state buyers and supports consistent housing demand.

Continued job growth — especially in technology — brings new residents who compete for limited inventory, pushing prices upward.

Once overlooked, Tooele County is now seeing major builder activity, townhome development, and commuter-friendly access without I-15 congestion.

Darcy's interview is rich with reflections that extend far beyond real estate transactions. These themes capture the deeper currents running through her story:

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Utah first-time homebuyer tips, starter home advice, real estate career transition, dog friendly realtor, Tooele County homes, NAR settlement buyer representation, Utah housing market 2024, mortgage affordability, building equity through real estate, social work to real estate, commission career change, Work Hard Mortgage podcast, buying a home in Utah, financial growth through homeownership, Ryan Harding podcast.

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Ammon Childs on 17 Years in Utah Real Estate & Building Wealth | RR-007

Veteran Utah real estate agent Ammon Childs shares 17 years of hard-won lessons on new construction, the NAR settlement, and why real estate is the best path to long-term wealth. Watch the full interview on From Rents to Roots.

Ammon Childs on 17 Years in Utah Real Estate, Getting Rich Slowly, and Why He Wishes He'd Bought More

Why Ammon Childs Believes Real Estate Is Still the Smartest Long-Term Investment in Utah

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Ammon Childs Utah Real Estate Agent 17 Years Experience New Construction Luxury Investing From Rents to Roots Podcast RR-007

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A veteran Utah agent shares hard-won lessons from new construction, luxury sales, and the NAR settlement — plus the single piece of advice he would give his younger self about building wealth through real estate.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Utah with expert guidance, creative financing solutions, and a commitment to education.

In this episode of From Rents to Roots , host Ryan Harding sits down with Ammon Childs, a veteran Utah real estate agent with 17 years of experience spanning new construction, luxury homes, land development, and commercial leasing. Ammon's journey began when he noticed a friend's life looked "a little more free" than his own — and decided to chase that freedom through a career built on relationships, hard work, and an unshakable belief in the power of property ownership.

This conversation is packed with practical guidance for first-time buyers , move-up buyers, and anyone curious about building wealth through real estate in the Utah housing market . Ammon breaks down the pros and cons of new construction versus resale homes , explains why the NAR settlement could actually improve the industry, and delivers a blunt truth about wealth: "Show me one wealthy person out there that doesn't own real estate. I've yet to meet one."

For anyone dreaming of homeownership , navigating mortgage rate concerns , or wondering whether now is the right time to buy a home in Utah , Ammon's story offers both encouragement and a reality check. He reflects on knocking doors for business, adapting through market cycles, and his single biggest regret: not buying more properties sooner. His core message is simple but powerful — real estate is how you get rich slowly , and the best time to start is always earlier than you think.

Ammon Childs

Veteran Utah real estate agent with 17 years in residential, new construction, luxury, land development, and commercial leasing

Married father of three; established professional reflecting on long-term growth and industry experience

Real estate professional, homeowner, investor mindset, advisor to first-time and move-up buyers

Ammon brings nearly two decades of transactional experience to the practical questions buyers and sellers face in today's Utah market. Here are the insights you can apply to your own journey:

Beyond transaction tactics, Ammon's interview surfaces enduring truths about work, wealth, and the purpose of professional service:

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Utah first-time homebuyer tips, buying a house in Utah, real estate investing for beginners, mortgage education podcast, new construction vs resale homes, building wealth through real estate, homeownership financial growth, Utah real estate podcast, NAR settlement commissions, long-term real estate investing, family stability through homeownership, Work Hard Mortgage, Ryan Harding podcast.

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Boo Maddox on Utah Real Estate & Homeownership | RR-008

Boo Maddox shares why he left EDG Homes to build the Perry Group's Utah County office, his housing market forecast for 2024–2025, and why the hyperlocal agent will win. Watch the full interview.

Real Estate Is Where I Was Always Supposed to Be: Boo Maddox on Career Reinvention, Market Forecasts, and Building the Future of Utah Real Estate

Who Is Boo Maddox, and Why Does His Reinvention Story Matter for Utah Homebuyers?

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Boo Maddox Utah Real Estate Market Forecast New Construction Builder Incentives Perry Group From Rents to Roots Podcast

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After walking away from a thriving career at EDG Homes, Boo Maddox joined the Perry Group to launch a new Utah County office, challenge himself, and prove that real estate — and life — should still be fun. In this episode, he shares powerful insights on mortgage rates, builder incentives, buyer negotiation, and why the hyperlocal agent will win the next five years.

Work Hard Mortgage helps families achieve the dream of homeownership in Utah with expert guidance, creative financing solutions, and a commitment to education.

In this episode of From Rents to Roots , host Ryan Harding sits down with real estate leader and Utah housing expert Boo Maddox to talk about growth, risk, leadership, and the future of homeownership in Utah. After years of high-level success in new construction sales with EDG Homes, Boo made the difficult decision to leave the security of a thriving career and step into a completely new chapter — helping build and lead a new office with the Perry Group in Utah County. His story is one of reinvention, personal growth, and learning how to balance financial success with purpose, family, and fulfillment.

Throughout the conversation, Boo shares powerful insights into the realities of today's Utah real estate market , including mortgage rates, Utah housing inventory, first-time buyer challenges , and the changing role of real estate agents. He explains why homeownership still matters for long-term family stability and wealth building, even during uncertain market conditions. From helping buyers understand when it's the right time to purchase a home to discussing the importance of negotiation, systems, and financial education, Boo offers practical advice rooted in nearly a decade of real estate experience.

More than a market discussion, this episode is ultimately about creating stability, building roots, and embracing meaningful challenges. Boo's journey highlights the emotional side of financial growth — realizing that success alone is not enough without purpose, fun, and personal development. For first-time homebuyers , aspiring entrepreneurs, and anyone navigating change in the Utah housing market , this conversation offers hope, perspective, and a grounded look at what it takes to build a lasting future in Utah real estate.

Boo Maddox

Real estate professional, new construction sales expert, team leader, brokerage recruiter

Career transition, leadership growth, young father balancing family and business

Real estate professional, housing market educator, investor-minded homeowner advocate

Boo brings nearly a decade of front-line real estate experience to the practical side of buying, holding, and negotiating in Utah. Here are the educational insights buyers, sellers, and investors can apply immediately:

Watch for 3% concessions to disappear. When they do, list-price increases usually follow within months. Right now, new construction often costs less monthly than resale because of these buydowns.

Expect 12–18 months of grinding market conditions with sporadic inventory spikes. If rates drop into the 4s, move-up buyers locked in at 2–3% may finally reenter the market.

Utah City, The Point at Bluffdale, and Holiday Hills are rolling out over the next few years. These projects could permanently reshape demand, traffic patterns, and pricing across connected counties.

Beyond transaction details, Boo's interview reveals deeper truths about perseverance, discipline, and the purpose of work:

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Whether you are a first-time buyer exploring new construction, a homeowner considering a move-up purchase, or an investor evaluating rental strategy, Work Hard Mortgage is here to guide you with education, market insight, and personalized support.

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Darcy Oliva on Starter Homes & Real Estate | RR-006

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Jay Lawrence: 54 Years of Music & Lehi History | Roots & Branches

Jay Lawrence on 54 Years of Music, Touring with Legends, and Finding Home in Lehi, Utah

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Mayor Mark Johnson on Leadership, Growth, and the Future of Lehi, Utah | Roots & Branches of Lehi

Mayor Mark Johnson on Leadership, Growth, and the Future of Lehi, Utah

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