The Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) has welcomed Danny Stewart, an experienced economic development executive, as Associate VP of Regional Project Area Development and Kaitlin Felsted, an accomplished communications professional, as Marketing & Communications Director. These strategic additions to the UIPA team will play pivotal roles in advancing UIPA’s mission and bolstering interactions with stakeholders throughout Utah and beyond.
From economic development to entrepreneurship, Stewart has held numerous executive and operational leadership roles, most recently as the director of economic development for Cedar City and Iron County. Over the past nine years, he has spearheaded numerous initiatives that contributed to the economic growth of the region. His impressive track record includes recruiting prominent companies to Cedar City, such as American Packaging Corporation, GOEX Inc., and Rock Island Armory. Additionally, Stewart played a key role in revitalizing Cedar City’s historic downtown through the CRA Redevelopment Project Area and championed utility-scale solar projects in Iron County. His work also included the establishment of the county’s first small business grant program and the creation of Cedar City Business & Innovation Center in partnership with Southwest Technical College and others.
“From my initial meetings with UIPA, two things stood out: the unwavering dedication to supporting communities throughout Utah and the passion for fortifying the state’s position as a global leader in logistics and logistics technology,” said Danny Stewart, UIPA Associate VP of Regional Project Area Development. “I look forward to working with this fantastic team to drive vital, responsible, generational growth.”
Before his role in economic development, Stewart showcased his entrepreneurial aptitude by engaging in publishing, marketing, product development and distribution. He also served as bureau editor for The Spectrum newspaper in Cedar City. He is a proud graduate of Southern Utah University, and, alongside his wife, Suzanne, is a parent to three children and grandparent to seven. They are avid enthusiasts of living among Southern Utah’s natural beauty, recreational opportunities and entertainment scene.
Kaitlin Felsted brings a diverse and proficient background in communications to her role as UIPA’s Marketing & Communications Director. Most recently, Felsted served as the communications director for the Utah Department of Corrections, where she demonstrated her dedication to effective communication within the challenging context of corrections. Prior to her role with Corrections, Felsted spent five years with the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development, where she primarily supported science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) initiatives. Her efforts focused on equipping Utah’s emerging workforce with the skills necessary for prosperous, high-paying careers.
Felsted’s commitment to transparent communication and building meaningful relationships with stakeholders aligns seamlessly with UIPA’s mission and values. She holds a master’s degree in mass communications and possesses a background in crisis communication, marketing and organizational communication.
“Kaitlin joins UIPA with a well-established career, holding positions of increased responsibility and complexity,” said Ben Hart, UIPA Executive Director. “She will play an integral role in fostering positive relationships with all our varied stakeholders in a meaningful, unified way. With both Kaitlin and Danny’s breadth of knowledge and qualifications, UIPA will be better poised to ensure success with our forward-thinking initiatives and goals to move Utah forward.”
As a state entity, UIPA has a unique role to coordinate a statewide economic development and logistics system to ensure long-term sustainability and statewide value. To learn more about UIPA, visit inlandportauthority.utah.gov. For media inquiries,
