"We wanted to put a face on the company to build a level of trust between the citizens of Utah and Envirocare at the time," Creamer says.

In 2006, EnergySolutions raised its profile dramatically when it bought the naming rights to Larry H. Miller's downtown arena.

Miller says he first became aware of EnergySolutions and Creamer through watching the first television commercials on the newly rebranded company. He says the ads intrigued him.

He didn't meet Creamer in person until after EnergySolutions had reached a preliminary agreement to purchase the naming rights of the arena.

"He was at the arena one night, and I went down and spent an hour or so with him and told him I'd like to hear more about their business, because I knew I was going to get questions," Miller says. "In that first meeting and subsequent meeting, I've been very impressed about how much he knows about his business. Right away, I liked him."

Creamer says he plans to stay with EnergySolutions "as long as I'm able to contribute." Following the success of the company's initial public offering, Creamer says EnergySolutions is poised to be a leader in the nuclear industry. He works hard to make that happen: He usually spends three to five days a week traveling, often internationally, and when he is in town, he wakes up in the wee hours and is the first person in the office.

But he does find time in his busy schedule for one of his favorite after-work diversions, a monthly dinner party where he and his wife enjoy a casual evening with several other couples playing bunco, a parlor game played in teams with three dice.

As for his legacy, he says he believes his work in providing safe ways to work with and dispose of radioactive waste is important for Utah.

"What we're doing today is something that will affect the lives of future generations," he says. "I was born here, raised here, never lived a day outside the state of Utah. I want people to know I am concerned about the community, I'm concerned about the environment, and they have my commitment that what we do, we'll do safely, and we'll do it to protect our environment, not to hurt our environment."

Steve Creamer

Age: 56

Hometown: Monroe, Sevier County, Utah

Education: B.S. in engineering, Utah State University (1973)

Professional career: Utah Department of Transportation, engineer (1973-74); Bureau of Environmental Health, engineer (1974-76); Creamer & Noble Engineering Consulting, co-founder and partner (1976-91); East Carbon Development Co., president and CEO (1991-97); ISG Resources, president (1997-2004); EnergySolutions, chairman and CEO (2004-present)

Personal: Married, with four children and four grandchildren

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E-mail: jlee@desnews.com