Sam Granato
Encyclopedia
Samuel Frank "Sam" Granato is a small business owner and chairman of the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
. He was the Democratic
nominee in the 2010 United States Senate election in Utah
.
Granato was defeated by Mike Lee, his Republican opponent.
During his teenage years, Granato attended and graduated from Olympus High School in Salt Lake City before enrolling at Southern Utah University for college. With an eye on his future, Granato decided to study Business Management during his time in Cedar City and, after finishing his degree in 1973, he returned to Salt Lake to work alongside his father in the family importing business, a job he has held ever since.
Established by Sam’s father following World War II, Frank Granato Importing Company has become a Utah legend and the state’s leading purveyor for authentic Italian and Mediterranean food, thanks to the Granatos’ strong work ethic and a belief that customer service is what matters most. Today, Sam Granato carries that same spirit and dedication forward as the company’s owner and president, and has expanded what began as a modest pushcart operation into a thriving small business with several locations throughout the Salt Lake Valley.
In addition to his business exploits, Granato has also served extensively in the community. Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. appointed him as chairman of the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in 2007, a position he still holds today. As chair, Granato worked with Huntsman and the state legislature to reform the state’s liquor laws, bringing additional revenue and many new jobs to Utah’s economy.
Granato also currently sits on the Board of Directors for Intermountain Health Care, regularly touted as one of the country’s most efficient and effective health care providers. He has also previously served on the Salt Lake City Committee for the Homeless, the Salt Lake County Board of Health, and as the chairman of the board at Beehive Credit Union.
nomination to challenge incumbent Senator Bob Bennett in the 2010 United States Senate election in Utah
. As Bennett gathered Republican challengers in the heavily conservative state, Granato remained the only Democratic candidate in the race until Christopher Stout entered in January 2010.
Granato received the Democratic nomination on May 8, 2010, winning 77 percent of the vote at the state convention. He was defeated by attorney Mike Lee in the November general election. Granato's campaign has focused on the candidate's moderate, mainstream political beliefs and the need for common sense solutions to the country's problems.
.
Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control is an agency of the government of the U.S. state of Utah. It has its headquarters in Salt Lake City....
. He was the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nominee in the 2010 United States Senate election in Utah
United States Senate election in Utah, 2010
Lee-Polling:-Results:-Candidates:*Tim Bridgewater, small businessman *Mike Lee, attorney- Endorsements :BridgewaterLee-Polling:-Results:-Results:- Candidates :* Scott Bradley , businessman...
.
Granato was defeated by Mike Lee, his Republican opponent.
Life and career
Sam Granato’s grandparents originally came to Utah from Italy in the 1800s to herd goats in the Draper, Tooele and Bountiful areas; In fact, the land upon which the Bountiful LDS Temple is built was at one time home to the Granatos’ goats, which roamed the high foothills. The son of a first-generation Italian-American father and a Scotch-Irish mother, Granato was born in Salt Lake City and still lives there today with his wife and family. All in all, he has spent every one of his 60 years in Utah.During his teenage years, Granato attended and graduated from Olympus High School in Salt Lake City before enrolling at Southern Utah University for college. With an eye on his future, Granato decided to study Business Management during his time in Cedar City and, after finishing his degree in 1973, he returned to Salt Lake to work alongside his father in the family importing business, a job he has held ever since.
Established by Sam’s father following World War II, Frank Granato Importing Company has become a Utah legend and the state’s leading purveyor for authentic Italian and Mediterranean food, thanks to the Granatos’ strong work ethic and a belief that customer service is what matters most. Today, Sam Granato carries that same spirit and dedication forward as the company’s owner and president, and has expanded what began as a modest pushcart operation into a thriving small business with several locations throughout the Salt Lake Valley.
In addition to his business exploits, Granato has also served extensively in the community. Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. appointed him as chairman of the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in 2007, a position he still holds today. As chair, Granato worked with Huntsman and the state legislature to reform the state’s liquor laws, bringing additional revenue and many new jobs to Utah’s economy.
Granato also currently sits on the Board of Directors for Intermountain Health Care, regularly touted as one of the country’s most efficient and effective health care providers. He has also previously served on the Salt Lake City Committee for the Homeless, the Salt Lake County Board of Health, and as the chairman of the board at Beehive Credit Union.
2010 Senate campaign
On June 1, 2009 Granato announced that he would seek the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nomination to challenge incumbent Senator Bob Bennett in the 2010 United States Senate election in Utah
United States Senate election in Utah, 2010
Lee-Polling:-Results:-Candidates:*Tim Bridgewater, small businessman *Mike Lee, attorney- Endorsements :BridgewaterLee-Polling:-Results:-Results:- Candidates :* Scott Bradley , businessman...
. As Bennett gathered Republican challengers in the heavily conservative state, Granato remained the only Democratic candidate in the race until Christopher Stout entered in January 2010.
Granato received the Democratic nomination on May 8, 2010, winning 77 percent of the vote at the state convention. He was defeated by attorney Mike Lee in the November general election. Granato's campaign has focused on the candidate's moderate, mainstream political beliefs and the need for common sense solutions to the country's problems.
Personal life
Granato is an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has been married to his wife, Ann, for 34 years. Together they have four children and nine grandchildren, and currently reside in Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
.
External links
- Sam Granato for U.S. Senate official campaign site
- Frank Granato Importing Company
- Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org