Foxley & Pignanelli rebrands as Utah Capitol Partners

Utah’s longtime government relations firm has adopted a new name effective Nov. 10, 2026, while keeping its partners, client work and Salt Lake City base unchanged. The rebrand is meant to better reflect the firm’s focus on advocacy in the Legislature, state agencies and local governments as Utah’s growth drives more policy and permitting fights.

Why it matters: - Utah Capitol Partners is positioning itself around the kinds of government decisions that can make or break projects in a fast-growing state, from permits and appropriations to rules and bills. - The rebrand is designed to make the firm’s role clearer to businesses, trade groups and institutions that need help navigating Utah government. - The firm says the new name better matches where its work happens: the Utah Legislature, state agencies, and city and county governments.

What happened: - Foxley & Pignanelli became Utah Capitol Partners effective Nov. 10, 2026. - The firm says its three partners, client relationships, offices and phone numbers are unchanged. - Frank Pignanelli leads the firm as managing partner, alongside Renae Cowley and Steve Styler. - Mel Robe remains an associate with the firm. - The new website is UtahCapitolPartners.com.

The details: - Utah Capitol Partners represents businesses, trade associations and institutions before the Utah Legislature, state agencies and local governments. - The firm also works for national clients with interests in Utah. - Foxley & Pignanelli has operated at the Utah State Capitol since 1997. - The firm says it handles legislative advocacy, state appropriations, regulatory and agency matters, local government approvals, and campaign and referendum strategy. - For development clients, the firm says it can guide projects from the first conversation through approvals, incentives, permitting and completion. - The partners review every bill before the Utah Legislature and every proposed state administrative rule year-round. - The firm says that process helps clients spot potential problems before they become bigger issues. - Utah Capitol Partners says it often resolves disputes through clarifying legislation rather than litigation. - The firm says that approach can save months and, in many cases, hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal costs. - The firm cites past work on crane airspace rights for Utah’s construction industry and ownership of geothermal resources. - The firm also says it helps organizations with strategic planning, public affairs and competitiveness.

Between the lines: - Utah’s population and economy have expanded enough that policy, regulation and permitting now shape more commercial outcomes. - The firm’s new branding leans into a simpler message: local government relations is the product, not a side service. - Pignanelli said the new name is meant to remove barriers for organizations that know what they need to accomplish but not how to move through government. - Styler said the firm sees water, energy and development as the state’s biggest opportunities, and those sectors all depend on government action. - The partners are using the rebrand to signal legal, legislative and agency work as one integrated service.

What’s next: - Current client engagements will continue under the Utah Capitol Partners name. - The firm will keep working from its current offices with the same partners and contact numbers. - Utah Capitol Partners will continue serving clients at the Utah State Capitol and in local government as Utah’s growth drives more regulatory and policy decisions.

The bottom line: - The rebrand changes the name, not the business: Utah’s long-running bipartisan lobbying shop is keeping its team and clients while sharpening its pitch to a growth-heavy market.