Dear Valued Stakeholders,

I am proud to introduce the 2026-2031 Strategic Plan for the Utah Department of Commerce, a comprehensive roadmap that underscores our commitment to fostering a thriving commercial environment in Utah. This plan is the result of extensive collaboration, incorporating insights from employee focus groups, leadership sessions, and the priorities established by the Cox-Henderson Administration.

At the Department of Commerce, our mission is to strengthen trust in Utah’s commercial activities. We strive to achieve this every day through reliable licensing, effective regulation and enforcement, and public education. Our strategic plan outlines our goals for the next five years, linking our broad aspirations with the daily work within our agency. Transparency and collaboration are essential, which is why we are sharing this strategy with you.

Over the next five years, we are uniquely positioned to lead transformative initiatives that will enhance the lives of Utah residents. Our Pro-Human AI initiative is at the forefront, exploring innovative ways to integrate artificial intelligence across multiple sectors in our state to benefit our communities.

We are also diligently working to improve healthcare delivery efficiency through the collaborative efforts of the Office of AI Policy and the Office of Professional Licensure Review. Additionally, we continue our groundbreaking work to hold social media companies accountable, ensuring that children are protected from addictive features and other harms they encounter on these platforms.

At Commerce, we are committed to fostering a "One Commerce" operational culture by breaking down silos and encouraging cross-divisional knowledge sharing, which is vital for advancing our shared vision. We recognize the importance of “Core Performance” in sustaining our operations, and every employee plays a pivotal role in this endeavor. To support our team, we are making significant investments in employee development through specialized onboarding and customer service training while prioritizing the implementation of modern tools, such as internal data dashboards and a unified license search tool. Furthermore, we are expanding recognition programs for essential "quiet work" and introducing professional development pathways, including a new "Manager-in-Training" track, to ensure our employees have the resources and support they need to thrive.

As we move forward, we acknowledge that our success depends on the contributions of every individual within the Department and the support of our external partners. Together, we aim to nurture innovation, support economic growth, and ensure a fair marketplace for all Utahns.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Margaret Woolley Busse

Commissioner, Utah Department of Commerce