1 / 5

BYU presidents, from left, Shane Reese, Kevin Worthen, Cecil O. Samuelson and Merrill J. Bateman accept awards at the Utah Valley Chamber's Pillar of the Valley gala Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Provo.

2 / 5

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Dallin H. Oaks attends the Utah Valley Chamber's Pillar of the Valley gala Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Provo.

3 / 5

BYU President Shane Reese speaks at the Utah Valley Chamber's Pillar of the Valley gala Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Provo.

4 / 5

BYU Cougarettes dance at the Utah Valley Chamber's Pillar of the Valley gala Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Provo.

5 / 5

BYU Young Ambassadors perform at the Utah Valley Chamber's Pillar of the Valley gala Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Provo.

❮ ❯

A century-and-a-half of higher learning at Brigham Young University has produced 14 university presidents who each left their own stamp on the institution and the greater community. 

Their accomplishments were recognized by the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce, which awarded the last seven university presidents with the Pillar of the Valley award at its annual gala Tuesday night in Provo.

The impact of the relationship between BYU and the Utah Valley business community was underscored by the notable people in attendance.

All five living BYU presidents were there, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Dallin H. Oaks, who served as president from 1971 to 1980. He did not go up on stage, but sat at a front table and stayed for the event’s duration.

Merrill J. Bateman, Cecil O. Samuelson, Kevin J Worthen and current BYU president C. Shane Reese were also present, as were the families of Jeffrey R. Holland and Rex E. Lee, who were honored posthumously.

“Just having all seven presidents represented here for the last 55 years (was meaningful),” chamber CEO Curtis Blair said. “Oaks’ presence signaled how meaningful Brigham Young University has been in his life. It helped shape his early career, and now, he sits in the seat of a global leader. You think about BYU as a little university in Provo that most people haven’t heard of until maybe the last five to 10 years. President Oaks really set the trajectory for this university, and we couldn’t thank him enough for being here tonight.”

The gala, coinciding with the BYU sesquicentennial, had elements of a pep rally, with Cosmo and the Cougarettes performing and BYUtv play-by-play announcer Dave McCann emceeing.

But a ceremony containing a video highlighting each president’s achievements followed by on-stage honors and a speech from Reese solidified the dignity of the event.

“At BYU’s centennial celebration 50 years ago, President Spencer W. Kimball expressed his vision that BYU would become a refining host for shining stars who would go out into the world and bless it. These past presidents are among those brilliant stars. They have served and illuminated this valley so magnificently,” Reese said.

Their community impacts highlighted in the video involved mentoring students, starting new academic departments, building new infrastructure and leading the institution through global challenges such as the recession and COVID-19.

Reese said it was Oaks who set up BYU’s law school in 1973, an immense task that proved successful, with the institution becoming a top 25 law school in the nation just 53 years later.

“This is a remarkable, remarkable development, not just for BYU, but for all of Utah Valley, and its economic impact for this community may not ever be fully quantified,” Reese said.

Blair said it was important for the chamber to recognize the presidents, because honoring BYU’s legacy is essentially honoring the founding of Utah County.

“One of the largest employers in Utah County for many, many years, and the economic impact that they’ve had, not only in this valley, but all along the I-15 corridor and beyond,” Blair said. “And then you have students that come in from everywhere around the world, gain an education, and they take that back home to their hometowns and cities and countries. The reach of BYU is just beyond our imagination.”

To have an event with all the living presidents together required close coordination with the BYU administration, according to Blair. He said one highlight was seeing how each past president wanted to be involved in the planning phase of for an evening that carried so much meaning.

“They no longer have their EAs, or their staff. They themselves were sharing with  us memories and accolades and what happened at this university when they were president,” Blair said. “And it became a conversation over the last 90-plus days in getting down to the details of what the university has meant to them, and then we created a timeline of what they were able to accomplish while president.”

The other highlight, Blair said, was when Reese paid tribute to the first ladies of each president, eliciting a standing ovation from the crowd.

“That was a special moment to see them stand and receive a little bit of recognition for their sacrifices, contributions and probably their leadership, too,” Blair said.