Aaron Starks
CEO & President
Aaron Starks is the CEO and President of 47G_Utah Aerospace & Defense. In this role he leads the convening, promoting, and advocating efforts for industry in partnership with community organizations, academic institutions, and business leadership.
The vision for 47G is to build the world’s premier ecosystem for aerospace & defense companies in Utah. Developing the next generation of industry leaders and creating access to capital for innovators and entrepreneurs are two core focuses for the organization.
A Utah native, Aaron Starks was born and raised in the beautiful town of Huntsville, Utah. His parents have proudly raised five sons who have all settled in Utah and are raising families of their own.
A first-generation college student, Starks attended the University of Utah where he enjoyed studying Economics and Political Science. Later, Starks would be accepted into Duke University's Fuqua School of Business where he graduated with his master’s degree (MBA) in international business and strategy.
From 2013 -2020, Starks worked for a company with Utah roots and international ties – FranklinCovey. Over a seven-year span, he helped grow the company in 23 countries throughout Asia. During this same period, Starks was asked to open Asia Headquarters for the education division in Tokyo, Japan where he and his family resided for three years. Today, FranklinCovey continues to thrive throughout the world.
A strong supporter of education, Starks helped found a multi-national foundation (I am a Leader Foundation) in Japan and the U.S. designed to help companies sponsor schools, teachers, and students seeking leadership opportunities and character development. The foundation has successfully support hundreds of teachers and students throughout Asia.
More recently, He was asked to join the United States Global Leadership Coalition’s Utah Advisory Committee where he will join other civic and business leaders who are active in promoting the economic, diplomatic, and developmental interests of the U.S.
Starks has broad experience growing organizations, leading teams, and developing business worldwide. In 2020, he was asked to join World Trade Center Utah where his experiences could be leveraged to help Utah companies seeking new opportunities on the global stage - he and his team led strategic engagements with nearly 100 companies, helping them identify new market opportunities, diversify distribution channels, and identify new suppliers.
