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Mark Wait went from an intern to the youngest chief of staff in the U.S. Senate. His shot to success from growing up in Bountiful and Provo to being a key player in Washington, D.C., comes down to relying on the principle: “Say yes to everything.”

Getting promotion after promotion

Soon after Wait arrived in Washington, Sen. Mike Lee led out in promoting his freshest staffer from office assistant to scheduler, then to deputy chief. And, in 2023, Lee asked Wait to be his chief of staff at age 26, Brigham Tomco reported.

“He had political skills and instincts that reflect a maturity one doesn’t expect out of somebody still in his 20s,” Lee said. “He could see the forest for the trees.”

Wait’s responsibilities for Sen. Lee

The young Wait was given a complex task: coordinating the senator’s public persona, policy shop and Capitol Hill connections — all in a position previously held by some of the biggest names in Beehive State politics.

On being the youngest chief of staff

He often hears that he is the youngest to get the job and says that incentivizes him to outwork everyone in the room.

“It’s actually a blessing in disguise,” Wait said. “It’s more motivation to learn more about an issue than anybody else.”

WWII hero returns to Utah more than 8 decades after being shot down over France

A Utah native was brought home to rest more than eight decades after losing his life defending his country in France.

U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. George F. “Frankie” Wilson was killed when the B-17 bomber he was piloting was shot down over France. On Tuesday, a funeral was held at the Hill Aerospace Museum at Hill Air Force Base to honor the fallen soldier.

“I’m grateful that through his sacrifice, peace was achieved — and that the enemies of his day are our friends today,” said Maj. Gen. Daniel Boyack, the adjutant general of the Utah National Guard.

“I’m also grateful for those who still seek to honor those that passed on and gave their lives and never made it home. The fact that (Wilson) has been returned 81 years after his death — and that people still dedicate their time, efforts and resources to making this happen — gives me renewed hope for our country.”

Born in Ogden in 1921, Wilson was an adventurous kid who loved scouting and skiing. He attended West High School, played the clarinet — and, according to his late mother, Retta, “had no problem finding girlfriends,” Jason Swensen reported.

He later enrolled at the University of Utah and joined the ROTC program. Wilson got married before signing up for the Army Air Corps and became a father to a son he named Terry.

Read more about the war hero’s return to Utah.

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