Samuel H. and Marian K. Barker Family Health Technology Building

The Samuel H. and Marian K. Barker Family Health Technology Building marks a major milestone for OTECH. It reflects the vision of the college leaders and the community to address the ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals. With healthcare jobs projected to grow by 45% through 2020 and many workers retiring, the new facility strengthens the region’s training capacity. 

The project highlights the power of partnerships, as college leadership, Weber County legislators, and the OTECH Foundation collaborated to secure nearly $22 million in state funding for construction. In 2006, the Foundation pledged $1 million for technical training equipment, its most ambitious project to date, and achieved that goal by 2009 through donations from foundations, corporations, and individuals.

Named in honor of Samuel H. and Marian K. Barker through a gift from the Samuel C. and Myra G. Powell Foundation, the building was made possible by 115 donors who contributed over $1.4 million for cutting-edge medical training equipment. 

The Barker Family Health Technology Building houses all OTECH healthcare programs, including Dental Assisting, Medical Assisting, Nursing, and Pharmacy Technician, and hosts a Weber State University Registered Nursing cohort. The facility enables the college to accommodate up to 1,200 healthcare students annually, effectively doubling its training capacity. 

By the beginning of the 2009 legislative session, the foundation had met its goal through contributions entirely from foundations, corporations, and individuals including numerous college employees. Through the efforts of the Weber County delegation and local legislative leadership, in March 2009, the college received nearly $22 million in funding from the state for construction. The contract for design/build was awarded to the team of Okland Construction/GSBS Architects for their stunningly beautiful and environmentally-friendly design. Students, faculty, staff, college leadership, legislators, and donors celebrated the groundbreaking on December 2, 2009.

The foundation was honored to grant naming rights for the building to the Samuel C. and Myra G. Powell Foundation for its founder and long-time tech college supporter, Samuel H. Barker and his wife, Marian. The three Barker family siblings, Charles, Mary, and Ann, continue to operate the Powell Foundation in the spirit intended by their father and by Mr. and Mrs. Powell with a special emphasis on health care. With the help of the Powell Foundation and an additional 114 donors, the OTECH Foundation has now raised over $1.4 million to purchase state-of-the-art medical training equipment for the new facility.

The Samuel H. and Marian K. Barker Family Health Technology Building houses all college health care programs including Dental Assisting, Dental Office Administration, Medical Assisting, Medical Office Administration, Medical Transcription, Medical Coder, Practical Nursing, Nursing Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, and a cohort of Weber State University’s Registered Nursing program to serve Ogden-Weber graduates. Overall, the new building will allow the college to double its capacity by serving up to 1,200 health care students annually.