Biographies

Wilford Sommerkorn

Professional Experience

Salt Lake City Planning Division

Director - August 2008 to Present

Davis County Department of Community & Economic Development

Director - January 1994 to August 2008
Assistant Director - July 1987 to January 1994
Planner III - January 1984 to July 1987
Planner II - January 1981 to January 1984

Davis County Council of Governments (staffed by Davis County CED Dept.)

Administrator - January 1994 to Present
Staff planner - January 1981 to January 1994

Centerville City (contract with Davis County)

Community Development Director - January 1981 to February 1993

University of Utah Urban Planning Program

Adjunct Professor - September 1985 to September 1986

Wasatch Front Regional Council

Planner II - July 1980 to January 1981

Transportation Research Center, University of Tennessee/Knoxville

Research Assistant - March 1978 to June 1979

Professional Education

Graduate School of Planning, University of Tennessee/Knoxville

Master of Science in Planning (MSP) - 1980
Areas of Emphasis: Transportation, Economic Development

University of Utah

Bachelor of Science (BS) - 1978
Major: Physical Geography
Minor: Geology

Professional Affiliations

American Planning Association, Utah Chapter
Legislative Chair - 1990 to Present
Newsletter Editor - 1988-90
Chapter President - 1986-88
Chapter Vice-President - 1984-86

Urban Land Institute, Rocky Mountain Council

Board Member - 1995-96

Utah Economic Development Alliance

President - 1994-96; 2007
Board Member - 1996-98

Alliance for Regional Stewardship

Member - 2001-2008

Utah Land Use Institute

Board Member - 2008-2011

Significant Professional Activities

Envision Utah

Steering Committee Member, 1996 to present
Chair, Transit Oriented Development Subcommittee, 2002
Member, LRTP Collaboration Planning Group, 2004
Member, Quality Growth Awards Committee, 2004

Davis COG Transportation Task Force

Organized 3 transportation seminars
Preparation and adoption of Transportation Strategic Plan for Davis County, 1996
Updated Transportation Strategic Plan, 2004
Legislative coordination and support of transportation issues

Public Transit Ballot Issue Working Group, 2000

Organized committee with membership from Salt Lake, Davis, Weber Counties
Worked on campaign to have ballot issue placed on ballot in three counties
Worked on campaign prior to November 2000 election

Utah Quality Growth Commission, 1999 to 2005

Staff support of Commission on behalf of Utah Association of Counties
Participated in development of Quality Growth Principles
Participated in development of Quality Growth Communities program

Legislative Activity

Primary author of Land Use & Development Act, 1991
Assisted in development and passage of Utah Quality Growth Act, 1999
Primary co-author, assisted in passage of new Municipal Annexation Code, 2000
LUDMA Revision Committee, 2004
ULCT Land Use Task Force - meet regularly with Coalition for Property Rights (developer group)

Ogden Area Transportation Study (OATS) Technical Committee

Chair, 1986

Ogden-Layton Technical Advisory Committee for the WFRC Regional Growth Committee

Chair, 2004-6

Professional Awards

Outstanding Graduate Student Award, 1980
Graduate School of Planning, University of Tennessee

Outstanding Service to the Planning Profession Award, 1991
Utah Chapter, American Planning Association

Community Service Award, 1993
Centerville City

Meritorious Planner Award, 2001
Utah Chapter, American Planning Association