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A complete list of The Salt Lake Tribune’s Utahns of the Year

From 1997 to 2023, here are the Utahns who — for good or ill — best reflected the state and its biggest news stories of that year.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Salt Lake City International Airport on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023.

Since 1997, The Salt Lake Tribune’s editors and editorial board members have selected a Utahn of the Year. The aim is to find the person, persons or entity who — for good or ill — best reflect the state and its biggest news stories of the year. We ask readers to weigh in each year, too, through a poll.

Here’s a look at the past Utahns of the Year:

  • 2023 • The new Salt Lake City International Airport.
  • 2022 • Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham.
  • 2021 • The Great Salt Lake.
  • 2020 • Health care workers.
  • 2019 • Utah Jazz owner and philanthropist Gail Miller.
  • 2018 • Former North Ogden Mayor and fallen soldier Brent Taylor.
  • 2017 • Longtime U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch.
  • 2016 • Madi Barney, who brought attention to how Brigham Young University was handling reports of sexual assaults.
  • 2015 • Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes.
  • 2014 • Same-sex marriage plaintiffs.
  • 2013 • Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill.
  • 2012 • Mormons Building Bridges.
  • 2011 • Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank.
  • 2010 • Elizabeth, Lois and Mary Smart.
  • 2009 • Elizabeth Smart.
  • 2008 • Utah Jazz owner and businessman Larry Miller.
  • 2007 • First responders to tragedies, including the Trolley Square shooting rampage and the Crandall Canyon Mine disaster.
  • 2006 • Latino leaders Jorge Fierro, Andrew Valdez, Ruby Chacon and Alma Armendariz.
  • 2005 • Pamela Atkinson, advocate for the poor and homeless.
  • 2004 • Utahns killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  • 2003 • Gov. Olene Walker.
  • 2002 • LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley.
  • 2001 • Winter Games organizer Mitt Romney.
  • 2000 • Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson.
  • 1999 • The letter that sparked the Olympic bribery scandal.
  • 1998 • Mary Ann Kingston, who suffered a brutal beating after escaping plural marriage.
  • 1997 • NBA MVP Karl Malone.