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Former President George W. Bush will give his thoughts on international affairs to more than 900 business and political leaders Wednesday in downtown Salt Lake City as part of a conference organized by Zions Bank.
"It is nice to have someone who sat in that unique position," said David Clark, Zions Bank's director of international finance, and a former Utah House speaker. "His insight and perspective, even after being out of office for a few years, hasn't changed any. We are delighted to have someone of his magnitude."
Bush is headlining the 12th annual Trade and Business Conference located at the Marriott Hotel at City Creek, but his invitation-only lunchtime address won't be open to the public or the news media, at the request of the speaker's bureau that handles his appearances.
A spokesman for the president declined to comment.
The last time Bush visited Utah was in 2010, when he signed about 1,800 copies of his book "Decision Points" for people who lined up at the Costco warehouse store in Sandy.
This time, Bush will speak on the impacts recent events are having on trade, said Clark. He'll be introduced by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Other political attendees include Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and Idaho Gov. Butch Otter.
Other speakers at the day-long event include Joel Kotkin, a demographer and author of "The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050;" Randal Quarels, managing director at The Carlyle Group and a former under secretary of the Treasury; and Leslie M. Schweitzer, a vice president at Capitalize, a former trade adviser for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.