The independent research firm Pollina Corporate Real Estate has put Utah on the top of its list of the Ten Pro-Business States for 2012.

Utah’s No. 1 ranking comes after three consecutive years at the second spot on the list.

“Our tradition of responsible fiscal management, low taxes and a strong workforce have fueled Utah’s predictable and stable business-friendly environment,” Gov. Gary Herbert said in a statement announcing Utah’s top ranking on the Pollina list.

The annual Pollina Top 10 study was co-published with the American Economic Development Institute, a nonpartisan public policy and economics research group. The annual report analyzes a state’s pro-business environment across 32 individual measures that state governments control, including taxation, human resources, economic incentive programs and state economic development efforts.

“Utah is a great example of what enlightened and motivated political leadership can accomplish with a solid plan,” said Brent Pollina, vice president of Pollina and co-author of the study.

He said Utah is the first state west of the Mississippi to rank No. 1, affirming its role as a regional leader in several key areas of economic development, innovation and entrepreneurship.

At the same time, Utah has positioned itself as a leader in export growth, in part as a result of the collaboration between private sector exporting companies and the state’s commitment to growing Utah’s presence in the international marketplace, he said.

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2012 Top 10 Pro-Business States

1. Utah

2. Virginia

3. Wyoming

4. North Dakota

5. Indiana

6. Nebraska

7. South Dakota

8. Kansas

9. Missouri

10. Oklahoma

Source: Pollina Corporate Real Estate