Preservation Action’s Hero of the Quarter is an outstanding historic preservation advocate who furthers our mission of making historic preservation a national priority by demonstrating exemplary leadership and making significant contributions to the field of historic preservation!
Announcing our Q1 Hero of the Quarter: Dr. Chris Merritt
Dr. Chris Merritt started working for the State of Utah more than 13 years ago and became Utah’s State Historic Preservation Officer in 2019, the first archaeologist in that role.
He received his Ph.D. from the University of Montana, focusing on the archaeological and historical investigations of the Overseas Chinese, and a Master’s of Science in Industrial Archaeology from Michigan Technological University.
Since 2004, Merritt has worked in a variety of professional archaeological settings, including the United States Forest Service and private archaeological contracting in Salt Lake City. In addition, he is Adjunct Faculty in Anthropology at Weber State University and Salt Lake Community College.
On October 29, 2025, Merritt testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in Washington, DC to explain how the National Historic Preservation Act and Section 106 Review protect cultural and historic resources. Merritt’s passionate testimony highlighted the efficiencies of the Section 106 Review process in Utah, thanks to strategic investments in technology and a commitment to finding pragmatic solutions to allow projects to move forward while protecting irreplaceable resources.
Thank you, Chris, for embodying what it means to be a Preservation Hero!
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