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Senators honor longtime chief of staff Rick Cantrell; Cantrell offers 'Top 10' lessons and accepts AG chief of staff offer
Summary
Utah Senate members praised Rick Cantrell at a farewell during an August 2017 special order; Cantrell, the Senate chief of staff, delivered a 'Top 10 lessons' address and said he accepted an offer to become Chief of Staff to Attorney General Sean Reyes.
The Utah State Senate held a special order of business to honor Rick Cantrell, the Senate's chief of staff, who said he will leave the Senate to accept a position with Attorney General Sean Reyes.
Senators from both parties praised Cantrell's long service, accessibility to new members, confidentiality and role in modernizing the Senate's communications and technology. Multiple speakers described Cantrell as a bipartisan steadying influence and thanked his family for their support.
Cantrell addressed the chamber and offered a list of "Top 10 lessons" drawn from his 14 years working with the Senate staff and leadership. He said, "These positions, mine and yours, are temporary entrustments for the people of the state," and urged members to "perform them with honor so you can be proud." He advised senators to seek bipartisan inclusion and to strike a work-life balance, saying "if you want to go fast, go solo. If you want to go far, go together." Cantrell also said he had been contacted by Sean Reyes and that he had accepted the AG's invitation "to come on board as my chief of staff," characterizing the move as "a lateral move" and noting he would take a "slight pay cut."
Speakers described Cantrell as instrumental in the Senate's outreach and social-media efforts and praised his mentorship of newly elected members. The farewell concluded with members expressing continued appreciation and an informal reception for Cantrell and his family.
