A well-known tech entrepreneur turned nonprofit leader has formally filed to run for Summit County Council, saying he hopes to bring a balanced perspective to the commission as a Republican.
Ari Ioannides has served as the board chair of Recycle Utah, as the former executive director of the Park City Institute and as the treasurer of the North Summit Fire District, but his interest in local government began when he started a technology company in 1989 that led to the development of the software management program BoardDocs in the early 2000s.
The position exposed him to the role of entities such as school boards and city councils as well as the importance of policy development, setting goals and what it takes to build community capital at the local level.
Ioannides was then inspired to jump into the nonprofit sector, where he’s worked for nearly a decade. He helped stabilize finances at Park City Institute during his three-year tenure, which ended in May 2023, and helped the organization enhance its brand and community presence.
Then, he was tapped by County Councilor Roger Armstrong in March 2022 to serve as an Administrative Control Board member for North Summit Fire. Ioannides assisted through the overhaul and reorganization of the volunteer department, including looking at large quantities of data and mapping it to tell a story, after firefighters were accused of boycotting shifts.
His time on the board inspired the run for County Council.
“I just kind of caught the bug,” Ioannides said.
He is the fourth candidate and second Republican to launch a campaign for Seat C, which is held by Chair Malena Stevens. Stevens is not seeking reelection.
Ioannides, who is the son of immigrants and grew up near Atlanta, is a lifelong Republican. He recognized many residents may be surprised to see he’s registered with the GOP, but he said he didn’t want to start a political career by being dishonest.
He became disillusioned with “Blue Dog Democrats” and the politics of former President Jimmy Carter, who served as the governor of Georgia before winning the presidential election of 1976. Instead, Ioannides found himself inspired by the words of former President Ronald Reagan.
“I’m not a radical Republican. I’m not one of those people who believe in conspiracy theories. I’m a nicer, kinder centrist,” he said. “I think when you’re looking from the outside in and you see everyone [on the County Council] is a Democrat, you think about whether you have a voice. … I want to get in there, have a bipartisan attitude and give voice to those people who maybe don’t think they have one.”
Ioannides lives in Tollgate Canyon, the midpoint between Park City and Coalville. He said community topics such as affordable housing, property rights and traffic may be perceived differently in eastern Summit County than the West Side, but the root issues are similar.
That’s why the Republican candidate said he believes the County Council can find solutions that address all residents’ needs, from affordability to environmental stewardship. He wants to help people better understand the decisions the government makes.
Ioannides wants to see smart growth, open space and water prioritized, too. He said it’s important to look at building height, density and traffic when considering development.
Ioannides also wants to limit unnecessary spending — a Republican value.
He was critical of a $136,000 county-funded assessment to study emergency medical services in Summit County. It found services are underfunded and said the system that was in place at the time was best despite assertions from fire chiefs that they needed to move away from the model. Officials waited several months for the results and ultimately opted to divert from the findings.
If Republicans want to ensure there’s a red seat on the County Council, Ioannides said he has the name recognition and support — even among Democrats — to make it happen. He acknowledged the nation’s politically charged environment, but Ioannides affirmed it doesn’t have to be that way at the local level.
“Having this seat doesn’t just benefit Republicans because if more people have a voice or feel like they have a voice in this county, that’s important,” he said. “I think that when you march down to the state and you’ve got the same ‘R’ on your jersey that they have, maybe it’s a little bit better.”
Republican Byron Ames, the former mayor of Francis, also filed to run for Seat C. The Summit County Republican Party will host a caucus in March to select delegates for the county convention, who will then determine which of the candidates receives the party nomination for the seat. A primary election will be held in June if no individual receives at least 60% of the delegate vote.
The top vote-getter will face the Democratic Party’s nominee during the general election in November. Snyderville Basin Planning Commissioner Thomas Cooke and housing advocate Megan McKenna are vying for the nomination.
The 2024 election will also have two other County Council races on the ballot.
Armstrong is seeking reelection to Seat A. LGBTQ+ advocate Cami Richardson, a fellow Democrat, and Tory Welch, a Republican, are running against him. Incumbent Tonja Hanson is challenged by Betsy Wallace. Both women are Democrats.