(Photo Credit: Visit Salt Lake)

By: Deborah S. Bayle
President and CEO

On Thursday, June 16, United Way of Salt Lake was proud to receive the Tourism Achievement Award from Visit Salt Lake, as one of the creators of the Utah Compact.  Carlene Walker, the incoming chair of Visit Salt Lake, presented the award to United Way, along with Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, Salt Lake Chamber President and CEO Lane Beattie, Stan Rasmussen, director of public affairs for the Sutherland Institute, and Dee Rowland, representing Bishop John Wester of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City.

Ms. Walker explained that the Utah Compact was developed over several months by groups and individuals who were concerned about the tone of Utah’s immigration discussion.  The Compact is based on Utah values and the creators of the Compact urge our state’s leaders to use these guiding principles as they address the complex challenges associated with a broken national immigration system.  The Compact has broad support from community leaders, business associations, law enforcement officers and members of Utah’s religious community. It is a simple document that expresses our values as a community as they relate to specific policy issues that have become central to the immigration discussion.

The Tourism Achievement Award was presented to the creators of the Utah Compact in recognition of the significant positive impact that the document had has on Utah’s tourism and convention business.