Jim Matheson
Jim Matheson is a sixth-generation Utahn. His Utah roots and Utah values guide his daily commitment to solve problems and help people.
Born and raised in Salt Lake County, Jim learned the values of faith, family and commitment to community from his parents - Scott and Norma Matheson. Jim’s parents, whose pioneer families settled in Parowan and Murray, taught their children the lessons of personal accountability, the importance of honesty, and of our duty to work every day to improve ourselves, our families, and our state.
Growing up Jim played on the high school football and tennis teams; worked summers mowing lawns for neighbors and grounds keeping local baseball fields; and graduated from public school along with his two brothers and one sister. He went on to study government at Harvard and after graduating, earned his Masters in Business from UCLA. While they were students, Jim met his wife Amy- a pediatrician- and together they moved back to Utah to start their family that includes sons Will and Harris.
Jim’s professional career began in the energy industry where he worked for several years developing privately owned power plants and also working with large energy users to improve their competitiveness. In these jobs, Jim gained a real understanding of the challenges small businesses face, with overregulation and government red tape.
Following in his father’s footsteps- Jim committed the next years of his life to public service. As a representative, Jim has always been an independent voice for change and fiscal responsibility. He has led the fight to cut waste, stop Congressional pay raises, end the transfer and storage of nuclear waste in Utah and place a moratorium on nuclear testing in our backyard.
As our representative, Jim takes the job seriously and believes that using common sense and finding common ground are key to solving problems and achieving progress for Utah. He is committed to be someone that will always “reach across party lines” for constructive solutions to issues. The Deseret News said, “Matheson isn’t the first member . . . to be more independent than their parties may like.” And the Salt Lake Tribune said, “He is a voice for constituents, not simply a party mouthpiece and has the proven ability to be a player in the national arena.”
Today, Jim lives in Salt Lake County - just a few houses away from his childhood home. In his spare time, Jim’s favorite things are spending time with his family; enjoying the chance to be outside in Utah - hiking, biking, skiing and playing sports with his sons.
