Chapter 12 THE MULTINATIONAL 269 principally in mining and has enjoyed remarkable growth and success, especially during the last 10 years.” Littlefield also commented on the company’s sound program of expansion, a favorable earnings trend, and the commitment of “a very talented, hard-working and dedicated staff,” whose contributions to the firm had been invaluable. In gratitude for a half-century of devotion to the company, the shareholders approved a resolution on the spot that expressed “their appreciation for his record of accomplishment, their esteem and respect for his high personal qualities of leadership and integrity.” In a speech some years later, Littlefield again honored Eccles: Marriner Eccles served the company very capably for over 50 years and was as wise as mortal men come. He was my mentor and my esteemed friend. He is entitled to great credit for his contribution to Utah’s success.... He was the constant watchdog of the shareholders’ interest and the toughest, highest hurdle we in management had to clear in getting approval for the revolutionary things we proposed and did. Littlefield became the new chairman of the board and chief executive officer in 1971. Eccles acknowledged in the Utah Report that the bulk of the credit for the company’s significant changes and progress over the last twenty years rightfully belonged to Littlefield: “The company was more fortunate than we realized when Mr. Littlefield was persuaded to come into the Utah organization over 20 years ago. He has served the company brilliantly for that time and has been general manager for the past 13 years and its president for the last 10 years, the decade of its greatest progress.” At the same meeting, Bud Wilson succeeded Littlefield as president. In keeping with the practice of most large corporations, Littlefield had been both president and chief executive officer, handling all of the managerial and policy implementation responsibilities of both. In yet another move indicative of Utah’s continued transition, the company assumed the title of Utah International, Inc., with shareholders’ approval on June 30, 1971, “to identify more