Salt Lake City and Utah lost a beloved member of our business community: Paul Ballard Keyser. He succumbed to a long battle with cancer on January 3rd, 2023.
Keyser was best known as the Chairman of the Board of Utah PaperBox (UPB), a 109-year multi-generational packaging company that he worked for an astounding 55 years! He loved that he got to witness his granddaughter, Madison Keyser, work at the business in his last six months of life and how she liked to tease her father (Paul’s son), Steve Keyser, UPB’s current CEO. He also enjoyed watching his daughter, Cari Brinkerhoff, excel at Packsize, another Utah-based packaging company.
Keyser was a father figure to many and helped numerous entrepreneurs start businesses, including NAI Utah and SDI Screen Printing, to name a few. He changed a lot of people’s lives and was a great mentor to many. In addition to his many professional endeavors at Utah PaperBox, he was active in the community, serving on the boards of the Salt Lake Water, Kiwanis, and US Bank. He was also a big philanthropist. He frequently noted that because he made much of his wealth on the West Side of the greater Salt Lake area, he should focus on giving back in this area. He was active in the Boys and Girls Club and Guadalupe Center and was especially proud of the work they completed.
He is survived by his younger brother, Bill Keyser; two children: Cari Brinkerhoff (Larry Brinkerhoff) and Steve Keyser (Barb Gander); and six grandchildren: Ryan (Aleena), Madde (Aidan), Niki (Austin), Katie (Roman), Sara (Nick), and Erin, as well as many dear friends. He will be missed, but he lived a great life. His legacy will be carried on at Utah PaperBox and through his family and friends.
