Jack Rubin enters Park City mayoral race, pledging independent leadership and a focus on locals

Jack and Jamie Rubin. Photo: courtesy Jack Rubin

PARK CITY, Utah — Longtime Park City resident and seasoned executive Jack Rubin has officially entered the race for mayor, offering a campaign rooted in community values, local control, and an independent voice free from political entanglements.

Rubin, who has lived in Park Meadows with his wife Jamie since 2014, said his candidacy is driven by a desire to serve a town that captivated him from the moment he arrived.

“My first visit was in the winter of 1978 on a ski trip with the Atlanta Ski Club,” he said. “Main Street felt like something from a storybook… and in 2014, we made this place home.”

Rubin’s professional career spans decades in finance and nonprofit leadership. After earning a BSC from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School, he launched an institutional asset management division at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, growing it into a multibillion-dollar enterprise. At the same time, he served on the board of Let’s Get Ready, a nonprofit that helps first-generation students access college. During his 11-year tenure, including three years as chair, the organization expanded tenfold.

In 2013, Rubin spearheaded efforts to purchase and renovate 1,400 homes across the Midwest, converting most into affordable Section 8 housing for minority single mothers. That same year, he also entered the medical cannabis field, opening a licensed facility in Connecticut. Following the successful passage of Prop 2 in Utah, Rubin co-founded a medical cannabis company in Salt Lake City in 2019.

Rubin and his wife raised two sons and have remained involved in the Park City community. In 2020, he co-founded the Most Vulnerable Fund, which raised over $300,000 to help Summit County workers and residents pay for housing and utilities during the pandemic.

Rubin previously ran for Utah State Senate in 2018 on a platform focused on local control — a core issue he said still motivates him today. “I didn’t run to gain power. I ran to return it,” he said. “You can imagine how that played out in Utah’s political landscape.”

Now, Rubin sees another opportunity to serve. “This is a town in motion — growing, evolving, redefining itself with every new plan and project,” he said. “And while the voices of our ski resorts, developers, and largest nonprofits are well represented, the voices of everyday residents are too often dismissed.”

He joins Park City Councilmember Ryan Dickey in the race to succeed Mayor Nann Worel, who is not seeking reelection.

Rubin says he has never held office in Park City — a fact he considers a strength. “I’m not beholden to entrenched interests or any political machine. I owe no favors,” he said. “What I do offer is a fresh, independent voice grounded in common sense, committed to transparency, and focused on restoring balance to how we govern.”

If elected, Rubin said he’ll prioritize protecting cultural heritage, keeping Park City accessible to working families, and ensuring that growth reflects community values. “Our future should reflect who we are and who we want to be,” he said.

The filing deadline for municipal candidates is June 6. If more than two candidates enter the mayoral race, a primary election will be held August 12, followed by the general election on November 4.

Editor’s note: A factual error in the original version of this story has been removed. The original story reported that Rubin was the founder of  La Société Deux Magots. Rubin is an involved member who also often arranges speakers for the group.