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

Revisit the Utahns who best reflected the state’s biggest news stories.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Supreme Court Justices John A. Pearce, Paige Petersen, Diana Hagen, Jill Pohlman and Chief Justice Matthew B. Durrant following the State of the Judiciary at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024.

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. Vote and let us know who you think should be named the 2026 Utahn of the Year.

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

  • 2024 • Justices of the Utah Supreme Court
  • 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.
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