This is the February 1 - 14, 1997 update.
February 14, 1997
Contact Vicki Varela, 538-1503
or Paula Ernstrom, 538-1509
Listed below are the highlights of Governor Mike Leavitt's activities over
the past two weeks. Please call if you have any questions.
Appointed David Winder as executive director of the Department of Community and
Economic Development and Merwin Stewart as commissioner of the Insurance Department.
Winder replace Joe Jenkins, who left the Department of Community and Economic Development
after the first term to pursue opportunities in the private sector. Winder is a Certified Public
Accountant and is retiring as managing partner of KPMG Peat Marwick's Salt Lake office.
During his 34 years with the firm, he has worked with a wide variety of businesses as a tax and
financial advisor. He also spent time as the partner in charge of Tax Quality Assurance and
Operational Support for the entire firm. In commenting on his appointment, the governor said,
"David's mix of economic development and community experience makes him a perfect fit for
this position. He will play an instrumental role in maintaining Utah's strong economic growth
and fueling the economic resettlement of rural Utah." Winder serves on several state and
community boards including the Economic Development Corporation of Utah board of trustees,
the Utah Sports Advisory Committee, the SmartUTAH board of trustees, and Mayor Corradini's
Business Advisory Task Force. He is currently the vice chair and chair-elect of the Utah
Symphony board of directors, treasurer and member of the board of trustees for the Institute for
Arts and the Humanities at Deer Valley and treasurer of the Salt Lake Rotary Club. A native of
Utah, Winder graduated with high honors from Stanford University and spent two years as an
officer in the Navy.
Merwin Stewart replaces Robert Wilcox as Insurance Commissioner. Wilcox left the
administration at the end of the first term to pursue opportunities in the private sector. Stewart
recently retired as president and chief executive officer of Deseret Mutual Benefit
Administrators. In 1970 he was asked to organize and direct Deseret Mutual to provide
insurance and retirement benefits for employees of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints and its related organizations. Since that time, the company has grown to a $2.3 billion
organization. "Merwin brings a lifetime of experience in the insurance industry to his new state
role. We are fortunate to have his knowledge and expertise and I am pleased that he has agreed
to be a part of state government," the governor said. Stewart received a bachelor's degree from
Brigham Young University in finance and a master's of business administration from Indiana
University. He was the first president of the Utah Health Insurance Association and served on its
board for 14 years. He was also an original member of the Utah Health Cost Management
Foundation, serving one term as chair of the board and several years as a member of the
executive committee. He has represented the insurance industry on the Utah Peer Review
Organization and spent two years on the Medical Examiner Committee for the Utah Department
of Health.
Was elected co-chair of the Western Governors University Board of Trustees. The board,
meeting for their first time since its incorporation, elected Governor Leavitt and Governor
Roy Romer of Colorado as co-chairs. The board also appointed E. Jeffery Livingston, Utah's
associate commissioner for higher education, as interim chief executive officer to run the
nonprofit corporation. Livingston will work out of WGU headquarters which will be in Salt
Lake City. "The WGU is being described by many higher education experts as one of the
most promising and extensive distance learning efforts in the country," Leavitt said. "We are
working very hard with the higher education community, the accrediting agencies and the
corporate world to make sure we fulfill that promise by creating a quality learning institution
for the Cybercentury." The board also announced a $250,000 grant from the AT&T
Foundation to assist in the development of the WGU. It is the largest corporate donation to
date.
Joined with youth correction officials to dedicate the state's first privatized juvenile detention
facility. The new $11.5 million Salt Lake Valley Detention Center will hold 160 inmates in
120 rooms and is located just west of the old facility. The old facility will be renovated into a
new 56-bed secure facility for juvenile offenders. The new facility will be operated by
Cornell Corrections and is the largest youth detention center in the state. Because of the size
and type of the facility, it will only cost the state $85 per day to keep a youth at the new
facility compared to a statewide average cost of $108 per day at other youth detention centers.
Celebrated the 60th Anniversary of the creation of the College of Eastern Utah. Governor
Leavitt joined with college officials in his office to declare February 20 as College of Eastern
Utah Day. This day commemorates Governor Henry Blood's signing of legislation that
created the college.
Joined with the Governor's Initiative on Families Today and families from Central Utah for
the Richfield Family Conference. The annual event draws hundreds of people from around
the region to workshops on building strong families.
Declared March, "Shamrock Power Month." Governor Leavitt joined with the Muscular
Dystrophy Association to encourage Utahns to support their "Luck for a Buck" campaign.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is a nonprofit organization that provides medical
services for people with muscle diseases at the MDA muscle clinic at the University of Utah
Medical Center. MDA also funds research grants and provides a free week-long camp for
children with muscle disease and support groups for families affected by such diseases.
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