Each spring, Utah Business Magazine recognizes the top CEOs from across the state for their vision and leadership. “During the past 12 months, every business has felt the strain of dealing with the new normal. But these CEOs have not only pulled their company through the hardship of a pandemic, they’ve dedicated themselves to overcoming the challenge and boldly going where no CEO has gone before.”
Steve Starks was selected as one of the notable CEOs of the year. The publication shared these insights from their interview with Steve:
What does success look like to you?
Being a good husband, father, son, and brother; being true to what I believe and know; leaving my little spot in the garden better than I found it, and helping lift other fellow travelers on the path.
If you weren’t a CEO, what would you do?
I would enjoy teaching at Weber State University, golfing at Wolf Creek, and living in Huntsville surrounded by my wife and beautiful daughters.
On the heels of the CEO of the Year honors, Steve was also the subject of a feature article in the Deseret News by Dennis Romboy. The article looked at how the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies took on the pandemic and the high-profile sale of its beloved NBA franchise.
Like many companies in Utah and across the country, the LHM Group, adapted and evolved during the early weeks and months of the pandemic. Instead of hunkering down, the Group embraced technology and innovation to navigate the economic downturn. It leaned on experienced leadership, communicated regularly to its workforce and valued its employees and customers.
“Our culture was tested, but our culture gave us a competitive advantage,” Starks said. “In a moment of change or uncertainty, the ability to communicate clearly really helped us get through those challenging months, and people could hear directly from Gail Miller and be reassured that we’ll get through this.”