John Price possesses significant experience in entrepreneurship, foreign relations & political issues, the future of sub-Saharan Africa, terrorism concerns as well as a love of vintage race cars.
Personal Life
John Price was born Hans Joachim Praiss on August 18, 1933 in Spandau, Germany. At the age of five in April 1939, his family fled Nazi Germany, eventually settling in New York City in the fall of 1940. Price first visited Salt Lake City as a geology student in 1954. He quickly realized Utah was where he wanted to be. Two years later, in June of 1956, he graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in geological engineering.
John Price as young boy
The following summer brought more changes as Price married his wife, Marcia Poulsen, on August 17, 1957. Shortly following the marriage he started his first business, J. Price Construction Company. During the following years and decades Price grew to be one of Utah’s most prominent businessmen. He enjoyed success in a variety of fields both throughout the Intermountain region and nationally, and also served on numerous local, state, and national boards.
Public Service
Price first visited the Horn of Africa in February 1970. He and his wife Marcia embarked on a fact-finding mission for the CARE and UNICEF operations and the United Nations World Food Program. Years later, he was ready when the White House called to enlist his service. On February 8, 2002, John Price was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Mauritius, Seychelles, and Comoros. Price served as ambassador until June 17, 2005.
Swearing-in of Ambassador John Price
In the time since his public service, Ambassador Price has continued to be involved in the area. Price works to raise awareness and interest in the issues facing sub-Saharan Africa as well as the resulting impact on the United States. These issues include; the Horn of Africa as an epicenter for terrorist groups, civil affairs programs including schools and hospitals, embassy closings, and many more. Ambassador Price shares his analysis and knowledge on these and many other issues via his archive on this website.
Vintage Race Cars
John Price has a love for vintage racers. The recently produced Boys of Bonneville is a documentary highlighting the story of David Abbott “Ab” Jenkins. With almost superhuman stamina and boyish charm, Ab set out to single-handedly break every existing land speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah. As part of the project, Jenkins’ car (the “Mormon Meteor III”) was restored and returned for ceremonial laps on the Salt. Boys of Bonneville was selected at many film festivals, and won a number of awards. Learn more about Boys of Bonneville here.
Ab Jenkins' Mormon Meteor III
The Price Museum of Speed was founded in Salt Lake City Utah. The Museum features a rare display of early racing history. Many of the vintage racers either won or placed well in numerous events such as the Grand Prix, Le Mans, Morris Park, Briarcliff Cup, Daytona Beach, Gordon Bennett Cup, Empire Track at Yonkers, Sheepshead Bay, Indianapolis, and Mille Miglia. The Mormon Meteor III calls the Museum its home. The mission of the Museum is to display unique vintage racers and memorabilia for future generations of car enthusiasts to enjoy. Learn more about the Museum here.
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- 08/18/1933 Hans Joachim Praiss was born in Spandau, Germany
- 04/08/1939 Hans, Wolfgang (brother), Selmann (father), and Margarete (mother), escaped the Holocaust in Nazi Germany
- 04/22/1939 Praiss family arrives in Panama
- 09/22/1940 Praiss family lands in United States by way of Ellis Island. Family names changed to more Anglicized version. Hans changed to John, brother to William, father to Simon, and mother to Margaret
- Parents work at wartime jobs. They pioneered the manufacture of plastic tablecloths, shower curtains, and other plastic film products
- Price attends public schools and works part-time in parents’ business
- Price also has other part-time jobs. At age 16, he buys two tricycle ice cream wagons and starts business
- 07/01/1954 Price visits Salt Lake City as a geology student
- 09/01/1954 Price enrolls at the University of Utah
- 01/01/1956 Price meets Marcia Poulsen at the University
- 06/01/1956 Price graduates University with a degree in Geological Engineering
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- 08/17/1957 Price marries Marcia Poulsen
- 09/01/1957 Price starts his first business, J. Price Construction Company
- 09/01/1958 Price is partner in Dearden & Price Construction Company
- 01/01/1960 Price buys his partner’s interest; changes name to John Price Associates, Inc.
- 1962 Price and three partners form Calron Electric Supply Company
- 1968 Price forms Price Development Company
- 1968 Price acquires controlling interest in Salt Lake Hardware Company, which later becomes a subsidiary of Alta Industries Corporation
- 1970 John and Marcia Price visit four East African countries on fact-finding mission for CARE, UNICEF, and United Nations World Food Program
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- Alta Industries Family Loom Division is a pioneer in the manufacture of pantyhose brand “Little Prune” from repurposed wartime nylon stocking machines
- Alta Industries exports crushed cars to Japan to be reborn as sheet metal
- Steelco Division, a regional steel products distributor, pioneers sheet metal roll-formed roofing and siding panels
- Alta Industries is a pioneer in the first voicemail answering machine
- 1974 Price forms Price Broadcasting Company and ultimately acquires eighteen radio and three TV Stations; Jamboree in the Hills Country Music Concerts
- 1975 Price sells his interest in Calron Electric Supply
- 1976 John Price Associates Inc. is selected as Construction Manager of Symphony Hall (later renamed Maurice Abravanel Hall), adjacent Art Center, and restoration of the Capitol Theatre
- Price serves on several Utah and National Boards, including Utah Business and Economic Development, Utah State Fairpark, Utah Sports Commission, University of Utah as Trustee, and International Council of Shopping Centers
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- 1978 Price completes his first of nine marathons
- 1981 Price completes the Iron Man Triathlon in Hawaii in 14hr:25 min.
- 1982 Price races off-road vehicles in Baja 500 and Baja 1000
- 1987 Price treks to Mt. Everest Base Camp in Nepal
- 1987 Price treks to Mt. Aconcagua upper camp in Argentina
- 1982 Price purchases Idaho Security Savings and Loan three branches
- 1987 Price sells Security Savings and Loan before banking crisis
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- 1989 Price and two partners form Cypress Packaging Company to extrude polyethylene pellets into plastic film bags for food packaging
- Price interests over the years included sixteen businesses, including construction, real estate development, distribution, manufacturing, textiles, warehousing, retail malls, banking, and trucking
- 1989 Price appointed by President George H.W. Bush to Industry Sector Advisory Committee for Small and Minority Business and Advisory Committee of the Small Business Administration
- 1989 Price forms John and Marcia Price Family Foundation
- 1994 Price forms JP Realty, Inc. with the real estate properties and lists on the New York Stock Exchange
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- 1995 Price is appointed by Governor Michael Leavitt and SLC Mayor Deedee Corradini to Organizing Committee Board for Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics
- 1999 Price is asked to serve on National Finance Advisory Council for the George and Barbara Bush Endowment for Innovative Cancer Research at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
- 1999 Governor Leavitt appoints Price to the Management and Audit Committee for Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics
- 1998-2001 Price sells most business interests, except its JP Realty Inc. stock and personal real estate interests
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- 03/14/2001 White House personnel director calls Price to serve as U.S. Ambassador to three African Countries
- 06/02/2001 Dedication of Marcia and John Price Utah Museum of Fine Arts Building (UMFA), at the University of Utah
- 09/19/2001 President George W. Bush sends Price Ambassador nomination to U.S. Senate for confirmation
- 11/29/2001 Price confirmation hearings begin with Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee
- 02/08/2002 Price is Sworn-in as U.S. Ambassador by Secretary of State Colin Powell at the Utah State Capitol
- 02/08/2002- 6/17/2005 Price serves as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Mauritius, Republic of Seychelles, and Union of the Comoros
- 02/10/2002 JP Realty Inc. merges with General Growth Properties, Inc. to form major retail mall presence in forty-six states
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- Price authors the book “When the White House Calls”
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- Price serves as Resident Scholar at Hinckley Institute of Politics, University of Utah. Leads a Think Tank Class on Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Middle East, and U.S. Foreign Policy
- 2011-2022 Price publishes Articles, Commentaries and Opinions on the spread of Radical Islam by al-Qaeda linked terrorist groups, which had infiltrated North Africa, Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa, Arabian Peninsula, and Middle East; the 2009 Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) expansion into the region for which the U.S. was not prepared; also articles on National and Global issues
- 2023 John and Marcia Price focus on Price Family Foundation, which supports arts and cultural programs, scholarships, and global internships; Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA), University of Utah Theatre Arts, John and Marcia College of Engineering, Quinney Law School, Immigrant legal services, and Maurice Abravanel Hall preservation