President Nathan Eldon Tanner, who served as a counselor to four Church presidents and also was a prominent businessman in Canada and Utah, was posthumously inducted into the Utah Business Hall of Fame Sept. 29. He died Nov. 27, 1982.
President Tanner moved to Salt Lake City from Canada after he was sustained as an Assistant to the Twelve on Oct. 8, 1960. Along with his other work in the Church, he was given the responsibility to continue the Church's efforts to improve the area surrounding Church headquarters and Temple Square.He played a role in the construction of several buildings owned by the Church or in which it had an interest, including the Church Office Building, the South Visitors Center on Temple Square, the Museum of Church History and Art, Deseret Gymnasium, the Deseret Book Building, the ZCMI Center and Beneficial Life Tower. He was also involved in the planning and construction of the Salt Palace, Symphony Hall, Crossroads Plaza, the Kennecott Building, the Heber M. Wells State Office Building and various other buildings.
He was ordained an apostle Oct. 11, 1962, and on Oct. 4, 1963, was sustained as second counselor to President David O. McKay. He also served as second counselor to President Joseph Fielding Smith and as first counselor to President Harold B. Lee and President Spencer W. Kimball.
Born in Salt Lake City on May 9, 1898, he grew up and was educated in and around Cardston, Alberta. He married Sara Isabelle Merrill on Dec. 20, 1919.
He was an educator in Canada before rising to prominence in business. He was president of the Trans-Canada Pipeline, president of the Canadian Gas Association and director of the Toronto Dominion Bank of Canada. He was also elected to the Alberta Legislature and was House Speaker.
Also inducted into the hall of fame with President Tanner were a former business associate of his and former chairman of Questar Corporation, B.Z. Kastler, and Spencer F. Eccles, who is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of First Security Corporation.
The hall of fame is sponsored by Junior Achievement of Utah.
