Nolan E. Karras 

Also see Nolan Karras' answers to an April questionnaire on the top issues

Birth date: Dec. 30, 1944
Birthplace: Ogden, UT
Current city of residence: Roy
Family members: Wife, Lynda. Children: Brett married to Micol Anne Olson. Jodie married to R. Trent Sanders. Darrin married to Shannon Brooke Wancyzk. 10 grandchildren.
Education: BS Weber State College in Finance, MBA University of Utah
Current occupation: Investment advisor and CEO Western Hay Company
Hobbies/Interests: Golf, 4-wheeling, travel, family activities

Using 150 to 200 words, please state your reasons for running for governor. What compels you to take on this tremendous responsibility?

To be honest, there are some nights I lay awake in bed wondering the same thing. Utah faces some terrific challenges. There are basically three reasons:

A. I’ve always enjoyed public policy. My time spent in the Utah legislature was very rewarding. The relationships I built during that time have endured to this day. I enjoy working with people. It’s exciting to create well-planned solutions to problems we face as a state.

B. My experience is unmatched. I have spent my life, either in my career or my volunteer work in church and government prepraring to be Governor. When you examine my business experience, my elected government experience and my experience as a government appointee with major responsibilities, you see that there is not another candidate with my background. Each candidate may have experience in one area, but no one else offers the depth and quality of experience I have.

C. I want Utah’s citizens involved in our decision making process. I want to build a broad base of citizen involvement and bring folks to the table in a way that will help us meet our challenges. I want people to see the consequences of today’s decisions on tomorrow. As Governor, I want to make sure that citizens create the priorities and see how those plans are implemented. I want to make sure our decisions today will not compromise our needs of tomorrow.

I may not always tell you what you want to hear, but you’ll always know where you stand with me. When my administration is over I hope people will say of me, “He was tough, but he was fair.”

As a candidate for governor, what are your key campaign messages?

First:  Utah needs a Governor with a thorough understanding of finance.  All of the critical issues we face as a state are tied to the budget, taxes or the economy. We need a governor with a thorough understanding of finance, not just business. I have more experience and a greater understanding of finance than any other candidate.

Second:  I’m a “pay as you go” guy. To afford the things we really want we have to get our financial house in order, and that includes our state house.

Third: Sound long-term financial planning is essential. Our financial strategy must include policy that does not allow debt to become the escape hatch for poor planning.

What do you consider to be the top three issues currently facing Utah? Please list them in order of priority to you and your candidacy and explain why they are important to you and to Utah.

First:  Education. If our children are going to successfully compete in a global marketplace they must have strong skills. Our public education system needs to be strengthened from the elementary through the post-secondary levels. We need to extend our education system into our communities to help upgrade skills for adults who have transitioned either their careers or their lives. We must provide and pay for a quality educational system that is 1) driven by empowered parents willing to be involved, 2) managed at the local level, and 3) held accountable through outcome based measures. I will not sacrifice our children’s futures by providing them mediocre educational opportunities.

Second:  Job growth and economic development. Education and economic development go hand in hand. As Governor, I will take the lead in aggressively promoting focused economic development. I want to make Utah’s universities the engines that drive job growth in careers that offer higher wages. I want to remove the barriers that hinder start-up companies that originate in the labs and classrooms of our universities. Also, I want to actively recruit strong profit and growth centered companies to locate in Utah. I recently overheard a citizen comment Utah’s economic development efforts are like a cocktail party. Everyone stands in their corners and makes observations but no one is making any real difference. I want to transform our state and private economic efforts into a marching band, all of us working together, all of us playing off the same sheet of music.

It’s coordinated effort that gets results. Human networks make things happen. I believe I can motivate and lead in a manner that brings out the best in people. I recently read a book called “The Leadership Challenge.” The authors explain, “Leadership is not a private reserve of a few charismatic men and women…it is the process ordinary people use when they are bringing forth the best from themselves and others.” I believe I am that kind of leader.

Third:  Innovation. We literally cannot afford to do business as usual in Utah. We must re-examine the way we deliver public services, create jobs, and improve our quality of life without using a public payroll. Businesses call this “best practices.”  You’ve heard of Yankee ingenuity? I’m going to put Utah ingenuity to work by being inclusive and focused and accountable. That will require a “big tent.”  Milton Freidman said, “There is somebody wiser than any of us and that is all of us.”  I’m going to put Utah ingenuity to work by encouraging the participation of our residents who understand business development, the value of government services and who know how to measure our successes and keep us accountable for our progress. Whether it’s the way we use our natural resources, our technology, or our educational system, I will lead the charge for change.

What are your most important business or political accomplishments? How would those accomplishments help you be a more effective governor?

I am a career financial adviser and CPA who has built financial security for an impressive list of clients. These clients range from widows to CEO’s of large corporations who have trusted me for many years to increase their personal wealth and business assets. I take their trust very seriously.  As Governor, I will use my financial expertise in behalf of Utah’s citizens and take their trust equally seriously.  I have expertise in investing money and running a business. Both are vital for a Governor to be successful I have been a CPA for 30 years, working with large and small companies. With my combined financial and business expertise, I intend to make Utah financially secure for the future.

I’m proud to have represented my legislative House district in Roy for ten years. During those 10 years I served as the House Appropriations Chair. From this appointment I learned the mechanics of building a state budget. I know how to balance state needs against available dollars. I was also chosen by my colleagues in the House of Representatives to serve as Majority Leader and eventually Speaker of the House. This elected experience has given me a thorough understanding of how state government works, and how to build consensus among elected officials.

My service on the Boards of Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Humana Hospital has taught me the complexities of Utah’s health care issues. I will incorporate this knowledge as I manage Utah’s the difficult demands of growing health care needs.

As the CEO for Western Hay Company I am constantly aware of the unique needs of Utah’s farmers and ranchers. Natural laws cannot be ignored. I appreciate as never before the fact that your best efforts can be reduced to rubble by an errant rain storm. I know what farmers mean when they say, “You plan, you work, and you pray.” I think Utah’s farm families will benefit from having someone who understands their industry governing their state. As Governor, my door will always be open to those who work the land and rely on natural resources for their livelihood.

My current appointment as Chairman of the Board of Regents is one of my most demanding roles and one I am most proud of. As Governor, I can greatly help our public and higher education community work as a system to the benefit of any citizen who wants to learn and improve their job skills. We need an educated society and my understanding of academia is an asset I will bring to the job of Governor. I was selected by my peers to serve as Chairman of the Board of Regents, and I have great respect for the men and women who run Utah’s colleges and universities. I have a better understanding of the challenges higher education faces than any other candidate.

I was selected by the Utah League of Cities and Towns to Chair a Blue Ribbon Task Force. I know first hand the challenges local governments face working with state regulations and funding constraints.

I feel honored that a guy from Roy, Utah was selected to serve on the Board of Directors of an international energy company. I will use my understanding of global markets and economies to help shape wise financial policies for our state.

As Chairman of the Finance Committee for Beneficial Life, a billion dollar insurance company, I help guide the decision making of a company committed to prudence and profitability. The ability to analyze information, make decisions, and plan for the future are critical skills I have honed through years of experience.

What are your most important civic or community accomplishments or involvements? How would those accomplishments help you be a more effective governor?

My civic and community accomplishments have all been training ground for me in preparing myself to be Governor. I have received a Public Service Award from the Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants and I received an Outstanding Alumnus Award from Weber State University. I serve/served on the following Boards:

The Board of Trustees of the Utah Foundation, a group committed to the development of wise public policy;

The Board of Directors for the Ogden/Weber Applied Technology Center. I believe these types of training programs help our children gain valuable work skills. I am honored to have a guiding hand in their growth and development;

The Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee as Finance Chair. I am proud the Committee not only paid back a $59-million dollar loan to the citizens of Utah but also made $100-million in profit from the Games. This experience reinforced to me the importance of government accountability;

Past member of the Board of Trustees for the Ogden Symphony Ballet Association; and

The Board of Directors for the Ogden/Weber Chamber of Commerce.

I am actively involved with my church and have served in leadership capacities.

What skills, talents, and strengths do you have that enhance your ability to be an effective governor?

I am a financial expert. My experience includes billion dollar companies and small businesses. I have spent years working in the public and private sector, setting economic policy and grappling with issues which include budget, finance, bonds, taxes, investments, and long-range financial planning.

However, I believe my greatest talent is my ability to bring people together. I am open- minded. I have a direct, straight forward style that tends to win people’s confidence.

I believe in the power of the human touch. It is a unique gift that connects people in a manner that makes them feel valued and needed. True leaders know they cannot succeed alone and they act accordingly. They empower their colleagues to be successful in their own right and they acknowledge and praise the results.

I believe more important than knowing all the answers is having the humility to ask the right questions.

I believe I am that kind of leader. I will be that kind of Governor.

Why do you belong to your political party? Why is your party the right one to lead Utah at this time?

My commitment to family and family values is the primary reason I am a member of the Republican Party. However, I also believe, as expressed in my party’s oath, that the proper function of government is to do for people only those things that cannot be done by individuals for themselves.

I am a free market conservative. I believe in free enterprise and the encouragement of individual incentive. Individuals, not governments, tend to have better economic solutions.

I believe that the government that governs least governs best. The Federal government, and to some degree State government as well, needs to get off the backs of business and out of the classroom.

Perhaps most important, I believe in the Constitution of the United States of America. I will do my utmost to make certain the values we cherish most are upheld and protected.

Utah needs a Republican Governor who is not afraid to stand in defiance of national political forces that would jeopardize those beliefs.