The Vest Pocket Business Coalition came together in the late 1990s, when small business owners in Salt Lake felt the city was favoring large chains in permitting, parking, zoning – all the everyday legalities that city government oversees. A frustrated, energetic group formed the coalition amid a swirl of media attention.

What started as an adversarial group has now evolved into a strong positive voice for small business in Utah, with a good amount of standing in the community. An ex-officio board member works in the mayor’s office as the city’s liaison to the small business community. A member of the Salt Lake County business and economic development staff who joined the board out of personal interest is now head of the county’s Office of Business and Economic Development. “Vest Pocket harangued the city for years,” says former coordinator Kinde Nebeker, “and the city created channels to respond to small business."

Ellen Reddick, president of the Vest Pocket board, remembers a Salt Lake before strip malls, a memory that drives her participation in the coalition. She is a member of the Salt Lake Community Council and belongs to the mayor’s small business advisory committee. Under her leadership, Vest Pocket has stepped in during several disputes between big-box stores and neighborhood concerns. Ellen is an amazing relationship-builder, with a passion for walkable and sustainable communities. She is leading Vest Pocket to greater influence by creating liaisons with community councils, government entities, and other groups who share Vest Pocket’s vision.