After searching for a few months, the Utah Lake Authority has selected a new executive director, Luke Peterson. Peterson’s hiring was finalized and approved at a ULA board meeting last week.

Peterson has experience in economic development, government relations and strategic communications, according to a press release distributed Wednesday. Most recently, he has worked in economic development with the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce and was previously the director and editor of the Innovation Lab at The Salt Lake Tribune, which focuses on solutions-based journalism.

“The two main themes, I guess, of my career are that I love solving tricky, complex problems and I love public service,” he said.

Peterson said he was raised in Payson and has always been “fascinated by Utah Lake,” adding it’s where he proposed to his wife.

Peterson said that he and ULA want to see Utah Lake become the “resource that it is” for communities.

“There’s so many counties and communities across this country that would kill for a lake like this in their backyard,” he said. “And for some reason, in Utah County, we’ve always kind of treated it as, like the ugly secret that we want to hide or something. And it’s unfortunate.”

Peterson said he believes on top of the lake’s ecological issues, like the evasive carp population and harmful algal blooms, there’s also a “perception issue.”

“I want to deal with the perception issues, but then also the reality of making the lake as healthy as it can be,” he said.

While the carp issue has been improving, Peterson said looking for more creative and “cutting edge” solutions are a focus for him.

He pointed to research from the University of Minnesota that had developed some solutions for reducing common carp populations with novel approaches involving new netting and baiting practices.

He said there wouldn’t be “one magic solution” for Utah Lake, but ULA can focus on using its funds the best it can, creating a strategic approach and utilizing the resources at hand.

ULA’s search for a new director comes after Eric Ellis, the previous executive director, exited and took a job as city manager for Vineyard in October. Ellis’ move to Vineyard came after reports that he promised millions from the Utah Lake Commission to the failed Utah Lake island-dredging project.

Peterson said he is committed to transparency and added that, right now, he’s working on learning what the board and citizens are concerned about in regard to the lake.

“We’re going to have some work sessions with our governing board that will be all built around making sure that we’re transparent, that we have good financial checks, that we’re being good stewards of the funding and the trust that has been placed in the Utah Lake Authority,” Peterson said. He added they’ll also make sure ULA has the best policies to ensure operations are being done “above board.”

In his first few months, Peterson said he plans on engaging with the community to gain an understanding of various viewpoints, whether it’s from “a mayor or an interested citizen or a fisherman or a scientist.”

“There is a lot of work that we have to do in terms of just having good conversations, being really open to to the public, to landowners around the lake, to the communities that we serve,” he said.

Up until Peterson’s appointment, Sam Braegger, ULA deputy director, was operating as the interim executive director.

During the same meeting, the board also voted to elect Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi as board chair. She replaces Vineyard Mayor Julie Fullmer, who sat in the position last year.

Carolyn Lundberg, mayor of Lindon, was elected as vice chair.

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