The former head of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, who left Utah shortly after the 2002 Winter Games to launch a successful run for governor of Massachusetts, offered the same warning during his luncheon speech.

He told an audience of Zions Bank customers and a few Utah lawmakers that the United States faces "challenges unlike anything our nation has ever known."

That includes an economic threat from Asia and other parts of the world, Romney said.

"We can't afford to be a second-tier economy," he said, especially if the nationU.S. is going to take the lead in protecting the world's peace.

Falling behind economically is a threat to the nation's security, Romney said.

He also spoke of the need to protect the "principles and culture that make us a great land." What will help the country, the Massachusetts governor said, are heroes like those who emerged during the 2002 Winter Games.

Romney was not paid for his appearance, said Heidi Prokop, a spokeswoman for the bank. However, Prokop said the bank did purchase about 1,000 copies of Romney's book, "Turnaround" — about the lessons he learned from the Olympics — to distribute to luncheon guests with proceeds going to the Romney Institute of Public Management at Brigham Young University.

About 70 of those guests waited as long as a half-hour after Romney's speech to have him sign their copies. Several were former Olympic organizing committee employees or volunteers, and a number of people in line urged him to run for president.

"I have the utmost respect for Gov. Romney," said R. Brent Nyman, a retired bank employee. "I think he would make an excellent candidate and would have my wholehearted support."

Romney told the well-wishers it was too soon to be thinking about a presidential race. He's up for re-election next year and is expected to seek a second term.

"I'm focused on the job at hand," he said.

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Contributing: Associated Press

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