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South Valley Riverton Journal

Mayor Staggs honored by U.S. Global Leadership Coalition

May 02, 2022 07:58PM ● By Michael J. Jewkes

By Michael J. Jewkes | [email protected]

“United States leadership in the world cannot be understated,” Mayor Trent Staggs said to open his acceptance speech last month.

Staggs was honored by the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition for his work to advocate for U.S. global leadership. So, what is the USGLC? What does the USGLC do? How does a local mayor work to advocate for U.S. global leadership?

According to Coby Jones from the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, the USGLC is a 501c3 comprised of an advocacy organization as well as a 501c4 education organization. Jones continued, saying the USGLC “represents a broad-based influential network of 500 businesses and NGOs; national security and foreign policy experts; and business, faith-based, academic, military, and community leaders in all 50 states...”

The USGLC is a massive organization with a Utah advisory committee comprised of 97 members as well as two committee co-chairs. Members are made up of state and local government officials, local business owners and attorneys. Some notable members include Attorney General Sean Reyes, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and former Congressman Ben McAdams.

The USGLC is a nonpartisan organization that focuses its advocacy efforts on “helping to build a bipartisan consensus in Congress…on why U.S. leadership in the world matters…” Jones told the City Journals.

 

Staggs “demonstrated commitment that leading globally matters locally and championing global issues in order to bring prosperity to Riverton,” Jones said. More specifically, Jones sited Staggs’ mayoral declaration of Dec. 14, 2021 as Global Engagement Day. Furthermore, Jones stated Staggs’ priorities of “making Riverton a global hub for medicine and healthcare, finance and technology” also earned him the award.

“When there is instability in the world, like we are seeing with Russia’s war on Ukraine, we feel the impacts at the local level with rising gas prices, ongoing inflation and continued supply chain issues,” Staggs said at Riverton’s Old Dome Meeting Hall. He continued, saying “I encourage every local and state leader here today to consider what you can do in your own spheres of influence...”

 

With recent conflicts like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the global leadership lobbying campaign has skyrocketed in support. Awards like the one given to Staggs have become increasingly common. “USGLC has honored nearly 100 mayors across the United States for their leadership in addressing global issues that are now kitchen table issues,” Jones said.

 

“I think some of it has to do with some of the positions I’ve taken in politics…but I’ve also worked with World Trade Center Utah and helped with one of [their] committees,” Staggs told the City Journals before stepping on stage to accept his award.

 

Working with World Trade Center Utah is not the only way Staggs has demonstrated global leadership. Staggs has also done international serving work as a member of the board of directors of Vivakor, a public clean tech remediation company that had its IPO mid-February.

 

Vivakor has worked on projects both locally and in the middle east.