About four years ago Josh James, founder of the Orem-based online marketing and web analytics company Omniture, grew frustrated about the way his industry in Utah was perceived.

Utah is well-known for its recreational offerings, but its technology-related industries aren’t as well known. He started a community network called, “Silicon Slopes” as a project to promote Utah’s tech businesses.

“It’s more of a branding initiative,” explained Mark Adams, director of community development for Silicon Slopes. “Our vibrant technology community is not well known out of the state.”

Adams, who also works at Omniture, which was recently acquired by Adobe, said his boss would go to conferences and people were surprised a company like Omniture could or did start in Utah.

“It’s an attempt to get the word out there,” Adams explained.

One problem the initiative hopes to solve is the challenge of recruiting experienced executive-level talent to Utah.

“They’re concerned that if they move to the state, and it doesn’t work out, there are no other options. We want to convince them there are other things going on here,” he said.

In the industry it’s called redeployability. No one wants to relocate their family multiple times. People want to live in a place where numerous work opportunities are available.

Silicon Slopes is mainly a Web site that acts as a sort of sophisticated community page for Utah’s tech industry. The most visible aspect of the effort to mainstream Utahns is a calendar put out every year since 2007. It features a cartoon image of the valley highlighting both its ski and its technology offerings.

Adams sent 40,000 people requested the calendar in 2009. This year there were 100,000 requests.

Initially it was a project spearheaded by James, but it has grown in popularity and support so that now it will likely keep going even if Omniture or Adobe had to withdraw its sponsorship, Adams said.

One of the features of the Web site is “Deal Flow.” It tracks any kind of venture capital investment in the state. It’s produced through a partnership of Mountain West Capital Network.

The companies volunteer the information, and it allows people who might be interested in investing in technology businesses to read about what’s already happening, and what might be possible, he explained. The list is bifurcated so someone can look up any company and see what stage they’re in. It’s useful for people to see where investment dollars are spent, Adams said.

“Deal Flow puts us on the map, he added. “We’re allowing companies to post their successes so others can see.”

That’s the goal of everything on the site, Adams said. It wants to facilitate letting the outside world know what’s happening here.

“We’re saying there’s a vibrant community here and here’s what you want to know about it,” he added.

We have the infrastructure, the household technology, the community and a lot of state-sponsored perks for doing business here to compete with Silicon Valley, he said.

We don’t have the population, and may not ever, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t amazing stuff happening here, Adams explained.

One reads the name, Silicon Slopes, and they think about technology.

“That’s the whole goal,” Adams said.