Introducing Honorary Consul of Canada, Paul Campbell

SALT LAKE CITY -- Meet Paul Campbell, chairman of Campbell Companies and Canada’s Honorary Consul to Utah. 

Unbeknownst to many, but perhaps unsurprisingly,  Utah has deep economic and cultural ties with Canada. Canadian fur trappers explored Utah’s terrain long before Latter-day Saint pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. These trappers were engaged in the fur trade, forming some of the first trading relationships between Canada and the area that would later become the State of Utah. From those simple frontier beginnings, trade relations between Utah and Canada have expanded to encompass all sectors of the economy. According to the United States Census Bureau, Canada consistently ranks among Utah’s top three trading partners. Within the UCC, the Honorary Consul of Canada, Paul Campbell, plays a vital role in facilitating and continuing Utah’s long-standing and mutually beneficial relationship with Canada.

A native of Utah, Mr. Campbell previously served a church mission in Alberta and the Northwest territories. Upon returning to Utah, he obtained an undergraduate degree from the University of Utah. After graduation, he began working for his family’s business, Campbell Companies, where he is currently a chairman. Outside of the family business, Paul is an adjunct professor at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business and he serves on the board of numerous other businesses. Throughout his career, Paul has worked closely with Canadian businesses helping organize multiple trade missions. He attributes these activities as the reason he was nominated by the Canadian Consular General in Denver for the Honorary Consul role he now occupies. 

While many Honorary Consuls are primarily focused on visa and passport services, Paul’s focus is strengthening and maintaining economic relations between Canada and Utah, which includes not only trade, but also foreign direct investment between Utah and Canadian companies. This requires him to work extensively with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, World Trade Center Utah, and the Governor's Office. Paul believes that at the core of his role is what he calls “coalition-building” - helping people and companies develop relationships with Utah.
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As the Honorary Consul of Canada, Paul’s primary goal is to help connect Utahns and their business with their Canadian counterparts. Luckily, Utah is an appealing partner for Canadian businesses due to our strong economy and long-standing history. With new leadership in the Governor’s Office, Paul looks forward to continuing building strong connections between Utah and Canada.