Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, Ezra Nair often accompanied his mother to local polling stations and HOA meetings. Now Nair carries on his mother’s commitment to public service in his role as Utah County’s first-ever county administrator. Whether he’s balancing the county budget or arranging fire services for unincorporated counties, Nair draws on the skills he gained from the BYU Marriott School of Business’ executive MPA (EMPA) program to manage and serve the county.
Nair graduated from BYU with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a passion for working in people-oriented organizations. After graduation, he managed local political campaigns, which eventually helped him become the senior policy advisor to Utah County Commissioners Tanner Ainge and Amelia Powers Gardner.
Working for Utah County allowed Nair to blend his passion for serving people with his interest in local government, but following elected officials from position to position didn’t guarantee him job security beyond a four-year term. Nair considered getting an MPA to help him create a long-lasting career in public service, and after hearing a student give a glowing recommendation of BYU Marriott’s EMPA program, Nair submitted his application and was soon accepted to the Romney Institute.
Even though Nair had already worked in local government, he shares that he was eager to learn from the EMPA program’s high-caliber faculty, challenging course materials, and unique structure. “Right from the get-go, you’re put into teams, you learn about team dynamics, and you learn about how to run effective meetings,” says Nair. “These skills are really important, and they’re really unique to the program.”
The skills Nair was gaining in the EMPA program were put into action sooner than he expected. During his second semester, Nair was offered a full-time position as Vineyard City manager. Nair took the position and worked hard to juggle multiple responsibilities. “My wife was incredibly supportive,” Nair says. “It was a lot of long nights studying, working late, and balancing work and family.”
When Nair had earned his degree and worked at Vineyard City for nearly two years, Nair was encouraged to apply to the newly created Utah County administrator position. Initially Nair was reluctant to consider leaving Vineyard where he had found his stride as city manager, but the commissioners he previously worked with inspired Nair to apply.
Nair submitted his brushed-up résumé, completed the interview process, and was offered the job. As Nair considered the offer, he realized he might be ready for a new learning opportunity. Nair recalls, “I knew I could do a lot of good at the county, being the first person in the role. It would be exciting to build up something new.”
Since beginning the role in 2023, Nair has enjoyed the daily variety and challenges that accompany his position. But no matter what each day brings, Nair feels grounded by a greater purpose to lift and elevate his community: “The job that I have is to serve the public—to help people feel proud of where they live and to enjoy their lives and time with their families and friends. That’s what we try to do here.”
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Written by Sarah Griffin Anderson
