In compliance with House Bill 443. Gov. Spencer Cox has appointed Dan Hemmert and Teresa Foxley to the Inland Port Authority Board.
SALT LAKE CITY – Gov. Spencer Cox has appointed Teresa Foxley and Dan Hemmert to the Inland Port Authority Board.
“Over many years, Theresa and Dan have demonstrated their commitment to Utah and their skill in economic development, public-private partnerships and negotiation,” Cox said.
In March, the Utah Legislature passed House Bill 443, which requires the governor to appoint two individuals to the Inland Port Authority Board.
The new law directed that the governor appoint one individual who is engaged in statewide economic development or corporate recruitment and retention; and another who is engaged in statewide trade, import and export activities, foreign direct investment or public/private partnerships.
Foxley is president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCUtah), a position she’s held since 2017.
Hemmert is executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (Go Utah).
The Utah Inland Port is a proposed dry port in the northwest quadrant of Salt Lake City and other undeveloped land in Salt Lake County. It is currently in the planning and pre-construction stages. It would cover over 16,000 acres.
An inland port, or dry port, typically refers to a logistics and distribution hub inland from coastal seaports.
In Salt Lake City’s case, after cargo arrives at West Coast seaports, it would be transported to Utah via ground or rail. From there, the cargo would either be stored for future use or processed and distributed to its intended destination.
Inland ports alleviate some of the pressure on coastal ports by handling that distribution workload. Similar ports have been established in Kansas City and Greenville, SC.
The inland port is governed by a board of directors consisting of 11 appointed members. Foxley and Hemmert would presumably replace two representatives of Salt Lake City on that board.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall calls the legislative maneuver “retaliatory and unconstitutional.” That case is now being heard in the Utah Supreme Court.
An attorney who enjoys putting deals together, Foxley has attracted dozens of companies to the state, including Goldman Sachs, Stadler Rail and Facebook. Prior to joining EDCUtah, she was a senior leader in the Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
Foxley holds a bachelor’s degree in political economy from Utah State University and a law degree from the University of Utah.
Prior to his appointment, Hemmert owned and operated Red Hanger Cleaners, a multi-store retail dry cleaning operation.
He also served as majority whip in the state Senate.
Hemmert has an undergraduate degree in economics, a master’s degree in business administration and a law degree, all from Brigham Young University.
“I’m so pleased,” Cox said of their appointments, “that they are willing to bring their expertise to serve the interests of Utahns in their new roles on the Inland Port Authority Board.”