USU Remembers Karen Huntsman's Contribution to Community

The Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University joins countless individuals across Utah and around the world in mourning the passing of Karen H. Huntsman.

“While many know Karen Huntsman for her extraordinary philanthropy and public service,” USU President Brad Mortensen said, “those connected to Utah State remember her as a steadfast champion of education, opportunity and the values that define great leaders. We extend our deepest condolences to the Huntsman family and express our profound gratitude for Karen's remarkable life, enduring example, and lasting contributions to Utah State University.”

In 2007, Jon and Karen Huntsman made what was then the largest gift in Utah State University history, contributing nearly $26 million to support students and strengthen business education. The transformational gift led to the naming of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business and helped establish a foundation that would shape the lives of thousands of students for generations to come.

The announcement marked a pivotal moment in the university's history. Gary Herbert, Utah’s governor at the time, reflected on the impact of the couple's generosity.

"We cannot say enough about the Huntsman family,” Herbert said. “We appreciate the great contributions that have been made in so many ways. We cannot overstate the blessing that Utah receives because Jon and Karen Huntsman call Utah home."

Huntsman’s support of the Huntsman School extended far beyond philanthropy. She believed deeply in the responsibility of higher education to develop not only capable professionals, but people of character.

At the opening of Huntsman Hall in 2016, she shared the values she hoped students would carry into their careers and communities.

"I hope they teach that honesty, and integrity, and your word is your bond,” Huntsman said. “Nothing else is going to be as important as teaching that to these students."

Those words continue to reflect the mission and culture of the Huntsman School today.

Huntsman's most recent visit to the Huntsman School came during the opening of the Carolyn and Kem Gardner Learning and Leadership Building on Aug. 29, 2025. During the celebration, she spoke warmly of her late husband's friendship with Kem Gardner, their shared vision for strengthening Utah's future, and her admiration for the opportunities the Huntsman School and Utah State University creates for students.

In her remarks on that occasion, she reflected on her family’s long ties with the university, dating to the years her father, David B. Haight, spent here as a student. He would go on to become mayor of Palo Alto, California, and serve as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It was in Palo Alto that Karen met her future husband, Jon, whose family had moved there from rural Idaho for his father’s graduate education at Stanford. She recalled that her father, who was also from Idaho, would invariably say of the boys she was dating, “Yes, but they are not from Idaho.” That changed when she met Jon Huntsman.

The two were great partners: parents of nine children, they were inseparable in their commitment to use their extraordinary gifts for the betterment of society. Karen often told the story of how she discovered that Jon, as a young naval officer, was making contributions to a sailor’s fund out of their base pay when they really didn’t have a lot to spare. As their fortune increased, they both took joy in the opportunity to give.

Reflecting on their relationship to each other and to the students, faculty and alumni of the College of Business at Utah State University, Dean Douglas Anderson said: “Karen and Jon never did anything halfway. They were either all in or not in. Before I became dean, my wife Kathy and I were near neighbors of Karen and Jon in Salt Lake City, and we remained that way during the last 20 years. We saw her regularly and were privileged to be in their home frequently. Both were dear friends, inspirational role models, and a personal source of great encouragement. Before our recent USU 2026 Commencement, Karen sent a personal message to me, even though she was not feeling well physically. She wanted me to know how proud she was of Huntsman School. It meant the world to me.

“Karen Huntsman believed deeply in the power of education to change lives and strengthen communities. Karen served on the Utah State Board of Regents for 12 years. She often attended Board of Regents meetings with her son Mark by her side, and that image has stayed with me over the years. It reflected the way she approached life, serving as a respected higher education policy leader while remaining deeply devoted to her family. Through her generosity, leadership, and unwavering commitment to helping others, she and Jon created opportunities that have benefited generations of Utah State University students and will continue to do so for years to come.”

The Huntsman School that exists today stands as part of the legacy that Karen and Jon Huntsman helped make possible. Thousands of students have benefited from opportunities, scholarships, programs and experiences that trace back to their belief in education and in the potential of future generations.

Karen Huntsman's influence will continue to be felt in classrooms, boardrooms (she also later served on the USU Board of Trustees for a short time), communities and lives touched by the institution she helped build.