This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

On Wednesday night at the Grand America Hotel, the spotlight will be on businessman Kem Gardner as he receives the Salt Lake Chamber's Giant in Our City award.

Chances are Gardner will immediately shift the focus and credit to others. At 69, the soft-spoken but successful developer and family man said he's personally known almost all of the 31 "giants" who received the prestigious honor since its inception 42 years ago.

"In business and on community boards, I've met and worked with almost all of them, and admired them all greatly," Gardner said Tuesday. "Because I know them and know of the giant causes they've been involved in, it's really very humbling to think that I would be on that list."

Scott Anderson, president of Zions Bank, has been friends with Gardner since their college days.

"Kem is really a product of the American dream," Anderson said. "As you look around the Intermountain area, you see his thumbprint on a lot of things."

While the physical structures that Gardner helped build stand as a testimony to his business talents, Anderson pointed to his quiet nonprofit work and generous giving of time and resources that vault him to "giant" status.

"He's really a renaissance man," Anderson said, noting Gardner's love for the rodeo and horses, along with his ability to quote Emily Dickinson poems from memory. "He's met with presidents, political leaders, movie stars, and he's as warm and friendly with them as with the homeless in Pioneer Park."

His path to success came from more humble beginnings. As a boy, his family moved from its small Wyoming farm to Davis County, where his father taught school. Gardner was one of nine children. Fresh out of the University of Utah's Law School in 1970, Gardner had two very attractive job offers — one with a California law firm, the other to serve as Sen. Frank Moss' administrative assistant. Gardner chose the latter and spent the next three years in Washington, D.C.

Roger Boyer then asked Gardner to help him launch the Boyer Co., now one of the largest development firms in the Western United States.

In 2005, Gardner formed the KC Gardner Co. to serve as his family business. Today some of his children and five of his brothers have joined Gardner.

"I left Boyer, but I didn't leave my relationship with Roger," Gardner said.

Gardner and wife Carolyn had seven children, six of whom are still living — three sons, three daughters and now three son-in-laws, 22 grandchildren and more on the way.

A lifelong Democrat, Gardner sought his party's nomination for governor in 1984 but lost a primary battle to Wayne Owens, who lost to Republican Norm Bangerter.

"I've gravitated to things where I feel I can help people and make a difference," Gardner said. "It doesn't have to be in public office."

For Randy Horiuchi, a Democrat on the Salt Lake County Council and longtime Gardner friend, the sold-out awards program Wednesday night marks his first social outing since suffering a stroke in late January.

Gardner "really is a nice, humble guy who has accomplished a lot," Horiuchi said, touting Gardner's efforts to ease poverty, promote transportation on Salt Lake Valley's west side and improve higher education.

Gardner also spearheaded fundraising efforts for Salt Lake City's 2002 Winter Olympics and later for the new Intermountain Medical Center in Murray.

He is working with United Way's "Changing the Odds" program to set up neighborhood centers to help children out of poverty.

"I have a concern that 50 percent of our preschool kids are minorities speaking 129 different languages," Gardner said of the need to "mentor them and help them find jobs."

Gardner has no intention of retiring or fading into the background.

"I'm restless. If I see things that I think need to be done, I want to get after it," he said. "And I tend to notice things that need to be done."

Lane Beattie, president of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce for the past 8 ½ years, described Gardner as gregarious and outgoing and said he is well deserving of the award.

"He's intellectually very bright," Beattie said, "but has as big a heart as he does an intellect."

cmckitrick@sltrib.comtwitter: @catmck —

Kem Gardner's contributions

38 years developing real estate • 2,500 residential lots, more than 23 million square feet of corporate office, medical buildings, lifestyle and shopping centers, hotels and industrial/manufacturing facilities.

Community involvement • Served on Intermountain Healthcare board, United Way of Salt Lake, Utah Symphony board, Salt Lake Olympic bid committee, Salt Lake Chamber Board of Governors.