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H.C.R. 10 Enrolled

             1     

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION HONORING THE

             2     
LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF LARRY H.

             3     
MILLER

             4     
2009 GENERAL SESSION

             5     
STATE OF UTAH

             6     
Chief Sponsor: Carl Wimmer

             7     
Senate Sponsor: Mark B. Madsen

             8      Cosponsors:
             9      Douglas C. Aagard
             10      Sheryl L. Allen
             11      Roger E. Barrus
             12      Trisha S. Beck
             13      Jim Bird
             14      Melvin R. Brown
             15      Rebecca Chavez-Houck
             16      David Clark
             17      Stephen D. Clark
             18      Tim M. Cosgrove
             19      Bradley M. Daw
             20      Brad L. Dee
             21      John Dougall
             22      Jack R. Draxler
             23      Susan Duckworth
             24      James A. Dunnigan
             25      Ben C. Ferry
             26      Janice M. Fisher
             27      Julie Fisher
             28      Lorie D. Fowlke
             29      Craig A. Frank
             30      Gage FroererKevin S. Garn
Francis D. Gibson
Kerry W. Gibson
James R. Gowans
Richard A. Greenwood
Keith Grover
Neil A. Hansen
Wayne A. Harper
Lynn N. Hemingway
Neal B. Hendrickson
Christopher N. Herrod
Kory M. Holdaway
Gregory H. Hughes
Fred R Hunsaker
Eric K. Hutchings
Don L. Ipson
Brian S. King
Todd E. Kiser
Bradley G. Last
David Litvack
Rebecca D. Lockhart
Steven R. Mascaro
John G. MathisKay L. McIff
Ronda Rudd Menlove
Michael T. Morley
Merlynn T. Newbold
Curtis Oda
Patrick Painter
Marie H. Poulson
Kraig Powell
Paul Ray
Phil Riesen
Stephen E. Sandstrom
F. Jay Seegmiller
Jennifer M. Seelig
Kenneth W. Sumsion
Evan J. Vickers
C. Brent Wallis
Christine F. Watkins
R. Curt Webb
Mark A. Wheatley
Ryan D. Wilcox
Larry B. Wiley
Bradley A. Winn              31     
             32      LONG TITLE
             33      General Description:
             34          This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor honors the life and
             35      legacy of Larry H. Miller.
             36      Highlighted Provisions:


             37          This resolution:
             38          .    honors the life and legacy of Larry H. Miller, patriot, entrepreneur, philanthropist,
             39      owner of the Utah Jazz and other sports teams, automobile dealership owner,
             40      community advocate, humanitarian, husband, father, grandfather,
             41      great-grandfather, and friend.
             42      Special Clauses:
             43          None
             44     
             45      Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
             46          WHEREAS, Larry H. Miller was born on April 26, 1944;
             47          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller graduated from West High School in 1962;
             48          WHEREAS, after high school graduation Mr. Miller worked construction and played
             49      fast pitch softball but it was his interest in drag car racing that led him to the auto industry;
             50          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller married his high school sweetheart, Karen Gail Saxton, on
             51      March 25, 1965;
             52          WHEREAS, in 1966, Mr. Miller became a parts manager for a Utah auto dealer, then
             53      moved to Denver in 1970 where he also worked as a parts department manager at a Toyota
             54      dealership, was promoted to general manager of that dealership, and in a short time was
             55      promoted to manage six dealerships owned and operated by Chuck Stevenson;
             56          WHEREAS, on May 1, 1979, he and his uncle opened Larry H. Miller Toyota in
             57      Murray, Utah;
             58          WHEREAS, throughout the 1980s and 1990s he acquired a number of other
             59      automobile dealerships in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, and New Mexico;
             60          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller developed an intimate understanding of our nation's founders
             61      and the principles in which they believed and was a tireless advocate for individual liberty,
             62      limited government, and the free enterprise system;
             63          WHEREAS, as a dynamic entrepreneur and business leader, Mr. Miller amassed more
             64      than 80 businesses and properties in the western United States, most notably the Utah Jazz,


             65      Energy Solutions Arena, the Salt Lake Bees, Miller Motorsports Park, Megaplex Theatres, and
             66      39 automobile dealerships spanning the Rocky Mountain West;
             67          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller also developed vast real estate holdings, including commercial
             68      and agricultural properties;
             69          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller purchased a half interest in the Utah Jazz professional
             70      basketball team on April 11, 1985;
             71          WHEREAS, one year later he blocked the move of the team to Minnesota by buying
             72      the remaining interest in the Jazz;
             73          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller was instrumental in drafting future hall of fame players Karl
             74      Malone and John Stockton and built his franchise around them, along with the grit of coach
             75      Jerry Sloan;
             76          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller and city leaders broke ground on what would become the Delta
             77      Center on May 22, 1990;
             78          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller privately financed most of the arena's $66 million price tag;
             79          WHEREAS, the arena was completed on schedule on October 4, 1991;
             80          WHEREAS, the 2008-09 National Basketball Association season marked Mr. Miller's
             81      24th year as owner of the Jazz, a franchise that has grown considerably and become a winner
             82      both on and off the court under his ownership;
             83          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller's unwavering personal commitment to professional sports in
             84      Salt Lake City created the foundation for a strong franchise in one of the league's smallest
             85      markets and was rewarded with achievements such as consecutive trips to the NBA finals in
             86      1997 and 1998 and hosting the NBA All-Star Game in 1993;
             87          WHEREAS, in 1993, Mr. Miller purchased the Salt Lake independent television
             88      station, KJZZ-TV;
             89          WHEREAS, in 1999, Mr. Miller entered the movie theater and restaurant business,
             90      developing the Jordan Commons complex in Sandy;
             91          WHEREAS, in 2001, Mr. Miller agreed to manage the Gateway Theatre complex in
             92      downtown Salt Lake City, and added to his theater business in the fall of 2004 when he took


             93      over the movie complex at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah, and then again with the opening
             94      of the Megaplex 13 in Ogden, Utah in the summer of 2007;
             95          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller's sports interests expanded as he acquired the Salt Lake Bees, a
             96      minor league team in the Anaheim Angels baseball organization, and built the Miller Motor
             97      Sports Park, located 30 minutes west of Salt Lake City in Tooele County, which is the longest
             98      and widest road-course style racetrack in the United States;
             99          WHEREAS, during his lifetime, Mr. Miller received awards from Sports Illustrated
             100      and the American Import Auto Dealers Association and honorary doctorate degrees from the
             101      University of Utah, Weber State University, Salt Lake Community College, and Utah Valley
             102      State College;
             103          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller was named Utah's 1997 Master Entrepreneur of the Year,
             104      received the Salt Lake Chamber Giant In Our City award in 2007, was named Salt Lake
             105      Tribune 2008 Utahn of the Year, and has received numerous other honors from business,
             106      civic, and non-profit organizations;
             107          WHEREAS, during his lifetime, Mr. Miller had an enormous impact for good on Utah
             108      and its people, not just through his sports franchises but also through his businesses and his
             109      entrepreneurial efforts which currently employ over 7,000 individuals;
             110          WHEREAS, Larry H. Miller Charities, a foundation funded by monthly contributions
             111      from his businesses, fundraising events in the community, and personal donations from
             112      employees, has donated millions of dollars to communities in which Mr. Miller does business;
             113          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller felt the Utah community was a place where he could do good
             114      things, spent his life making things better wherever he went, and was grateful that he could
             115      have a positive influence;
             116          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller's positive perspective on life allowed him to push his personal
             117      limits to succeed;
             118          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller was a natural leader, and even the day prior to his passing he
             119      was teaching and leading;
             120          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller did not want his legacy to be so much about business and


             121      commercial ventures but about what he did to help make the world a little better than he found
             122      it, such as creating quality jobs and promoting higher education;
             123          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller and his wife, Gail, provided close to 300 college scholarships
             124      each year and have performed countless other acts of charity without the knowledge or fanfare
             125      of the public eye;
             126          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller felt that these would create opportunities for people, who could
             127      then reach out and hopefully take their turn in making life better for others;
             128          WHEREAS, Larry and Gail also donated millions of dollars to Utah-based colleges and
             129      universities for campus improvements such as the state-of-the-art softball and baseball
             130      complexes at BYU, and the Larry H. Miller Campus of the Salt Lake Community College,
             131      including the Larry H. Miller Entrepreneurship Training Center and the Larry and Gail Miller
             132      Public Safety Education & Training Center;
             133          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller's children fondly recall the activities they shared with him,
             134      including his car racing, fishing at the family ranch in Idaho, and family vacations to southern
             135      Utah;
             136          WHEREAS, the opening of the Delta Center, now Energy Solutions Arena, was a
             137      singular moment for Mr. Miller because there were a lot of people that thought the project
             138      either shouldn't happen or couldn't happen;
             139          WHEREAS, one night during a snowstorm more than a decade ago, Mr. Miller
             140      suggested to his family that they get in their 1985 land cruiser and help those who had slid off
             141      the road, and they did just that;
             142          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller treated everyone the same; he loved people, it was the
             143      hallmark of his character, and he instilled it in his children and his grandchildren;
             144          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller wanted to do good things and coined the phrase, "Go about
             145      doing good until there is too much good in the world";
             146          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller was always preparing for the future, setting goals, defining
             147      roles, transferring legacies and responsibilities, and teaching everywhere he went;
             148          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller taught his children that he and his family were simply stewards


             149      of the businesses, influence, cars, and buildings that he acquired and that his turn had come
             150      and gone and now it was the next generation's turn;
             151          WHEREAS, the way Mr. Miller worked, thought, and dealt with people inspired many
             152      to greater accomplishments;
             153          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller was passionate about his membership in the Church of Jesus
             154      Christ of Latter-day Saints and was continually trying to learn from his endeavors;
             155          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller faced tremendous health challenges during the last six months
             156      of his life;
             157          WHEREAS, close to death on multiple occasions, Mr. Miller fought courageously
             158      under extremely difficult circumstances;
             159          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller was able to come to terms with his illness in his own mind
             160      before passing away at home, overlooking the city that he loved, surrounded by people that he
             161      loved, in an atmosphere of peace;
             162          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller's family expressed appreciation to the media for addressing his
             163      passing with professionalism and sensitivity and for recognizing the importance of the family's
             164      privacy and time together;
             165          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller leaves behind a profound professional and personal legacy,
             166      and the entities he created have had a significant and lasting impact on the communities in
             167      which he did business and the more than 7,000 individuals he employed;
             168          WHEREAS, Mr. Miller was full of strength, vision, character, and a desire to do good
             169      things, and wore himself out doing them:
             170          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
             171      Governor concurring therein, honor the life and legacy of Larry H. Miller, patriot,
             172      entrepreneur, philanthropist, owner of the Utah Jazz and other sports teams, automobile
             173      dealership owner, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend.
             174          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor express their
             175      sincerest condolences to the Larry H. Miller family at this time of great loss.
             176          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to Larry Miller's


             177      wife Gail, and to his children Greg, Roger, Stephen, Karen, and Bryan.


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