From owning a business to serving the community, religious engagement, and recreation, city councilmember Chris Killpack’s entire life has prepared him to serve all aspects of Orem.
Killpack was born and raised in an Orem that resembled a city of orchards, where summer jobs consisted of picking cherries and getting paid pennies per cup. His first memory of the city was a summertime greased flagpole climbing competition hosted at the city fire station. He was too small to climb the pole, but he loved watching others do it. At that age, he also loved watching the high school cross country and track teams run down his street for practice each day.
“They were heroes in my life,” Killpack said. He longed for the day he would be in school playing sports, just like those “bigger boys.” It only took a few years before he was on the field himself. Playing little league football in junior high is the first time Killpack met his wife, Shelby. She was on the cheerleading squad for his team. Their paths would continue to cross as they were classmates at Orem High School.
It wasn’t until years later that they would fall in love at BYU. After finding each other at a dance, she invited him to a fireside and he accepted, but showed up late.
“I come in, sitting down as the opening hymn is going. She’s leading the music, scanning the congregation, and we made eye contact, and I winked at her,” Killpack said. “I knew it had an effect on her because she turned red and she got off beat.” Killpack took that as a sign to pursue her, and they dated nonstop until they were married a few months later. Now they have six kids and 20 grandchildren.
He finished his degree in electronic engineering technologies so he could work for the family business his dad started in 1952. There, creating wireless technology used in government and large business entities, has kept his family in Orem for all these years. Eventually, he merged the company with a larger, family owned business. Along the way, he also went back to school and got a Masters in Business Administration from BYU.
“Our three sons weren’t interested in taking it over and running it as their career path, so the next option was to consider joining forces,” Killpack said.
The transition maintained a lot of their company culture. Now, Killpack works managing large projects for that company, which is less customer-facing than he used to be when he owned the business.
“I’d work with department heads and city managers…that allowed me to see the inner workings of government,” Killpack said. “I think all of those life lessons of owning a business in Orem…made me say ‘hey this is a great place, I’d be happy to give back and offer service there.”
His choice to merge the business came with a call to be a mission president in Orem for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also spent time serving for the Boy Scouts of America and on various neighborhood groups and commissions. Eventually, Killpack’s friends in the community started asking him if he had considered running for city council.
“I wasn’t seeking it directly…I was heavily involved in other nonprofit and service related areas,” Killpack said, but soon he saw the need and stepped up.
“Meeting people all throughout the city was wonderful,” Killpack said, despite the challenges that came with running for city council. “It was a good learning experience.”
Since starting work on the council, Killpack said he’s appreciated how every member communicates to understand, instead of driving disagreements deeper.
“Most of us arrive at the same place in the end,” Killpack said. Their shared goal to make Orem an amazing place creates a motivation to work together.
Killpack hopes to focus his time on city council towards Orem now, and Orem in the future. He said he’s taken inspiration from the many business owners and previous public servants he’s gotten to know.
He even lived two doors down from previous mayor Jerry Washburn. “Watching how he led with kindness, respect, and dignity…he didn’t have his own agenda or ego, he just wanted to lead Orem to be the best,” Killpack said. “If a good neighbor of mine could serve the city, I could serve the city.”
In between his busy schedule working, on city council, and involved in church and the community, Killpack spends time with his family.
“I don’t have much time for hobbies, but I would call my family my hobby right now…We currently have a tradition where every other Sunday we have them all over,” Killpack said.
When he’s stressed, Killpack likes to sit down with his family and watch a “silly Hallmark movie.”
“I’ve probably watched all of them…those will give you an avenue of light drama that allows somebody to win in the end.”
In the future, he hopes to visit the Killpack Forest in England, where his family name originated. For now, he loves relishing in the community of Orem, attending events, utilizing community resources, and supporting local businesses, mentioning Kohinoor and El Gallo Giro as some of his favorites.
His continuous desire to serve the people of Orem started early, when he would do the paper route as an 11 year old.
“I had to do it everyday, day in, day out, snow, shine, everything…people are counting on you.” Killpack’s experience delivering the paper no matter the condition prepared him to improve Orem in the same matter.
“That’s kind of the essence of why I’m here now, to help serve everyone.”