Spencer P. Eccles, Executive Director, Governor's Office of Economic Development
Spencer Peterson Eccles was appointed executive director of the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) since August 2009. Eccles has created a vibrant, collaborative office, which is functionally divided into Business Outreach & International Trade, Corporate Recruitment & Business Services and Tourism, Film & Global Branding.
GOED programs range from Business Development and State Incentives to Avenue H, the small business health insurance marketplace. Each GOED program is designed to assist business growth and statewide economic development. The Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) helps Utah businesses obtain government contracts. It is one of the most successful assistance centers in the country, helping Utah firms obtain more than $400 million in contracts last year. Business Resource Centers (BRC's) are a collaborative effort of GOED, local community development organizations and higher education. There are 14 conveniently located BRC's covering the state, as well as numerous online resources.
Growing up in Utah, Eccles has strong ties to Utah's urban and rural communities as well as international markets where he has had a number of business relationships. Prior to joining GOED, Eccles was involved with web-based software and materials technology companies in the U.S. and abroad. He was formerly affiliated with the Salt Lake City office of Wells Capital Management (Wells Fargo Bank). In 1997, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games tapped him to manage the development of its Snow Basin venue and oversee the premier Olympic downhill events as well as all of the alpine Paralympic competitions. Eccles has also been involved in the nonprofit sector through his past chairmanship of the Salt Lake Chamber's International Committee and service on its Board of Governors and Executive Committee. Eccles received his MBA from BYU's Marriott School of Management and his BA in history from the University of Utah.
The Eccles family has been great supporters of Utah's outstanding quality of life including sports, music and the cultural arts for many generations. Eccles and his wife have three active children, who credit their love of the outdoors to their father's past involvement with international ski racing and his love for hunting and fishing. He and his family enjoy the great outdoor venues in Utah and the West whenever school and work allow them to travel.