Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
Ivory Homes is a giant name in Utah homebuilding. Now its CEO, Clark Ivory, will be named the Salt Lake Chamber's Giant in Our City.
On April 25, amidst a sparkling ballroom in Salt Lake City's Grand America Hotel, Clark Ivory will receive the 45th iteration of the Giant in our City award from the Salt Lake Chamber. This award honors those with exceptional and distinguished service as well as extraordinary professional achievement.
"As a business leader and philanthropist, Clark Ivory has made a lasting mark on our community," Derek Miller, president of the Salt Lake Chamber says. "From excellence in home building to his leadership and hands-on service finding solutions to some of our biggest challenges, Clark is always finding ways to help our community prosper. We are thrilled to recognize Clark with this award and cannot wait to see what he will do next."
A lifetime of innovative leadership
Ivory grew up in the shadow of the mountains in Millcreek, Utah. As a young teenager, he showed a knack for business, going door to door selling innovative products like Nike shoes with team logos stenciled onto the back.
He attended the University of Utah and graduated in 1998 before heading east where he received an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1992.
Ivory purchased Ivory Homes in 2000 and built upon his father's legacy of principled leadership. Ivory Homes has built more than 25,000 single-family homes and 4,000 apartment homes for people throughout Utah.
For nearly 20 years, Ivory Homes focused on building semi-custom homes for buyers in Utah. Ivory recognized the changing needs in Utah's communities and shifted focus to building housing at every price point.
Ivory Homes increased its emphasis on building master-planned communities with amenities like parks, recreational facilities and open space, as well as expanding offerings to include townhomes, cottages and luxury custom homes.
As of January 2024, Ivory had 1,917 homes under construction: 667 traditional Ivory homes and 1,250 apartment homes, student housing units and affordable townhomes.
Civil servant and education philanthropist
Clark and his wife Christine met while both serving as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Italy (Clark in Rome and Christine in Milan).
In 2003, they started the Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation, focused on making a positive impact in the community. The foundation is steadfast in its commitment to building sustainable communities, meeting critical demands in education and addressing housing affordability.
The foundation partners with colleges and universities to provide scholarships and financial support, with an emphasis on first-generation students and nontraditional students. Many scholarships are directed toward individuals focused on innovation, construction and education. To date, the foundation has provided scholarships, mentoring and tutoring to more than 10,000 students.
Ivory has served on the University of Utah's Board of Trustees, the Salt Lake Chamber Board of Governors, and most recently as a co-chair of Utah Community Builders — the Chamber's non-profit entity that focuses on employee mental health and family-friendly workplaces.
Ivory helped found the Utah Impact Partnership, which helps advance impactful solutions for homelessness. He also helped start the Utah Housing Preservation Fund. In 2018, Clark and his daughter Abby launched the non-profit Ivory Innovations, which showcases the most promising innovators in housing affordability.
Clark and Christine believe in the power of education to improve lives and support civil society. They recently opened Ivory University House, which provides student housing for 624 students near the University of Utah. All proceeds from this project go towards student scholarships, internships, and housing stipends.
The Giant in Our City event
Clark Ivory will be honored for his immense contributions to our community at the Giant in Our City celebration on Thursday, April 25. Visit the Salt Lake Chamber website to learn more about the event.
