Jon Huntsman Sr. is honored as a 'Giant in Our City'

Jon M. Huntsman, businessman and philanthropist, has been named the 2005 recipient of the Salt Lake Chamber's "Giant in Our City" award, recognizing "exceptional and distinguished public service and extraordinary professional achievement."

The award, the chamber's highest honor, will be presented on Wednesday, March 9, at the Grand America Hotel, 555 S. Main.

Huntsman is founder and chairman of Salt Lake-based Huntsman Corp., the world's largest privately held petrochemical and plastics business. Huntsman Corp. has major operations at 121 locations in 44 countries.

In 2003, Huntsman received the Humanitarian of the Year Award from CNN's Larry King. Recently, he donated $225 million to establish and fund the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, which is dedicated to finding a cure for cancer based on genetic research.

"Jon Huntsman is the epitome of everything the Giant in Our City award is about," Lane Beattie, president of the Salt Lake Chamber, said in a statement. "He is a giant in his industry. He is a giant in our community — supporting countless charitable causes. He also is a giant where it matters most — in his family. The Salt Lake Chamber is proud to honor him for not only what he has done, but for who he is."

President Gordon B. Hinckley of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will speak at the event. President Hinckley received the Giant in Our City award in 2003.

A 6 p.m. reception will be followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The cost is $150 per person and $1,500 for a table of 10. Reservations should be made by March 1 at www.saltlakechamber.org or by calling 801-328-5050. Black tie is invited. Seating is limited.