Utah Business, Government Leaders Deepen Connections in Ireland

October 29, 2026

Members of BioUtah participated this past week in a Governor’s Trade Mission to Ireland. The trade mission focused primarily on life sciences and was organized by World Trade Center Utah, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, and BioUtah. Industry members participating included Merit Medical, Varex Imaging, Renegade Medical, Blackrock Neurotech, Bloom Surgical, Intermountain Health, Medtronic, Aust Group, Portal Innovations, Sera Prognostics, and a cameo by Shawn Fojtik, who was in Ireland.

BioUtah’s President and CEO, Kelvyn Cullimore, as well as Erin Barry, VP of government affairs for Merit Medical and BioUtah Board Chair, joined the delegation’s travels. “Utah and Ireland share a powerful, common bond as premier hubs for medical technology innovation,” said Kelvyn Cullimore, president and CEO of BioUtah. “Governor Cox’s trade mission highlights the incredible synergy between our two countries. By deepening our relationships with Irish partners, we are opening new doors for Utah companies to expand into the European and UK markets.”

The delegation also heard from Irish leaders in business and government about why Ireland is the gateway for U.S. companies to the UK and the rest of the European Union. Leaders from both countries discussed robust apprenticeship models as well as opportunities for further trade and research partnerships. Meetings were also held with the Irish equivalent to the FDA, trade associations in the life sciences, universities, and other industry partners in Dublin, Galway, and Belfast, including tours of Merit Medical’s Galway facilities and Medtronic in Galway. As important as the connections in Ireland were, connections among trade mission participants were also valuable.

In addition to Governor Cox, other government participants included Ambassador Jeff Flake, GOED Commissioner Jefferson Moss, Senators Mike McKell and Wayne Harper, and Representatives Paul Cutler and Logan Monson.