Joseph Angus Cannon (July 31, 1949) is a businessman with interests in steel and energy, and active in the

Utah Republican Party The Utah Republican Party is the affiliate of the Republican Party in the U.S. state of Utah. It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling all four of Utah's U.S. House seats, both U.S. Senate seats, the governorship, and has su ...

. He was Chairman of the Utah

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa * Republican Party (Liberia) *Republican Party ...

from 2002 to 2006. Along with his brother,

Chris Cannon Christopher Black Cannon (born October 20, 1950) is an American politician who formerly served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, for the Republican Party, representing the third district of Utah from 1997 to 2009. He w ...

, he operated

Geneva Steel Geneva Steel was a steel mill located in Vineyard, Utah, United States, founded during World War II to enhance national steel output. It operated from December 1944 to November 2001. Its unique name came from a resort that once operated nearby on ...

in Utah County, Utah from 1987 to its closure in 2001–2002. As recently as 2018 he was listed as the CEO of the Fuel Freedom Foundation. Cannon was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992 (defeated by former Senator Bob Bennett). He served as an assistant administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from 1983 to 1985.

Early life

Cannon was born on July 31, 1949. Cannon served as a

missionary A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...

for

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The ch ...

(LDS Church) in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

as well as on the

Isle of Man ) , anthem = "O Land of Our Birth" , image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg , image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg , mapsize = , map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe , map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green) in Europe ...

, the ancestral homeland of the Cannons.Swensen, Jason
"Pioneer newspaper appoints new editor,"
''

Church News The ''Church News'' (or ''LDS Church News'') is a weekly tabloid-sized supplement to the ''Deseret News'' and the '' MormonTimes'', a Salt Lake City, Utah newspaper owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It is ...

'', January 13, 2007. Cannon received a degree in political science and, in 1977, a law degree from

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

Career

Law clerk

Cannon served as a law clerk in Salt Lake City for U.S. District Judge Aldon J. Anderson.

Geneva Steel company

Cannon played a pivotal role in the purchase of Geneva Steel from U.S. Steel in 1987. After that transaction, he became chairman of Geneva Steel. The company twice filed for bankruptcy, most recently in 2002, when Geneva Steel closed. The equipment was sold, but the steel plant in operation at one site since 1942 leaves other assets to sell and issues to settle. The Geneva Steel site will require up to $42 million in environmental remediation efforts, as the soil and water of the site are heavily polluted.

Political and government activity

Cannon was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992 (defeated by former Senator Bob Bennett). He served as an assistant administrator of the EPA, Office of Air and Radiation, from 1983 to 1985. He was Chairman of the Utah Republican Party from 2002 to 2006. As recently as 2018 he was listed as the CEO of the Fuel Freedom Foundation.

Deseret News

He was named editor of the '' Deseret Morning News'' on December 8, 2006, serving from 2007 until 2010

Family and personal life

Cannon is part of the well-known, politically involved

Cannon family The Cannon family is a prominent U.S. political family in the states of Utah, Nevada and Idaho which descends from the 19th century marriage of George Cannon and Ann Quayle before their emigration from Peel, Isle of Man. The family's most nota ...

of Utah. He is the grandson and great-grandson of Utah Congressmen, and cousin of other Utah Congressmen. His brother, Chris Cannon, was a Congressman from 1997 until 2009. Cannon married Jan Barney, and they are the parents of seven children. Among other positions in the LDS Church, Cannon has served as

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

of the BYU 6th

Stake Stake may refer to: Entertainment * '' Stake: Fortune Fighters'', a 2003 video game * '' The Stake'', a 1915 silent short film * "The Stake", a 1977 song by The Steve Miller Band from ''Book of Dreams'' * ''Stakes'' (miniseries), a Cartoon Netw ...

."New stake presidents", ''

'', April 16, 1994.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cannon, Joseph A. 2004 United States presidential electors 20th-century Mormon missionaries American leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints American Mormon missionaries in Ireland American people of Manx descent Businesspeople from Salt Lake City Cannon family Deseret News people J. Reuben Clark Law School alumni Latter Day Saints from Utah Lawyers from Salt Lake City Living people Mormon missionaries in the Isle of Man State political party chairs of Utah Utah Republicans 1949 births American expatriates in the Republic of Ireland American expatriates in the United Kingdom