Another — for both the short and long terms — is building a work force. UTC will help Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s efforts to lure former Utah engineers and professionals back to the Beehive State, work on missions to recruit top talent from outside the state, and push for strong science, technology, engineering and math curricula in Utah schools.

"There are thousands of openings for these premiere professional and technical positions within high-growth companies," Nelson said.

West said UTC will be involved in both the "build" and "buy" approaches to strengthening the work force.

"We make people, maybe better than anybody else," he said of Utah. "So let's educate them, and educate them with the right thing. Let's feed the beast, because if we don't, our businesses will starve for that manpower, and we really will start to head down the other side of the mountain. We have the opportunity to grow that mountain."

What's more, tech companies usually invest for the long term, and their high-paying jobs are "sticky," meaning that expertise is less likely to be shifted outside Utah during tough times, he said.

In short, the council is encouraging companies to become UTC members, education experts to help with the push for better-equipped students, and the Legislature to listen to the UTC because, frankly, it has been successful.

During the most recent session, UTC pushed legislation for USTAR, funding for the state's engineering initiative, new tax credits for research activities, a capital gains tax credit resolution and better funding for the Centers of Excellence program.

"The things that the UTC gets behind tend to happen, and they're good, which is why they continue to tend to happen. I would challenge someone to point to a better core to focus on than the technology companies of Utah to make us, long-term, economically strong," West said.

West and Nelson are hoping others join in, for the betterment of the state.

"The reality is the UTC is important to the state, and we want to invite whoever is interested in the welfare of the state of Utah to join us in the various efforts that we've got going," West said. "Conversely, we want to join and support other people who are trying to drive economic development in Utah. Partner with us, or let us partner with you. The facts are, the things that we have been involved with make a difference, and we need public support for those kinds of efforts.

"If it's about economic strength, we're there," he said of partnering. "We want to support whatever good efforts happen to be going on. It's not about any particular political agenda or company agenda, but how do we make the state better?"

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E-mail: bwallace@desnews.com