By Frank Esposito, UT Akron BureauSalt Lake City, Utah-A familiar plastics industry name has won a top spot in Utah, as the state's voters elected Jon Huntsman Jr governor in the 2 Nov general election.Huntsman, 44, is the son of Huntsman Corp. founder Jon Huntsman. The Salt Lake City firm is a major producer of polyurethane, polypropylene, expanded polystyrene and other specialty chemical products.As chairman and chief executive officer of Huntsman Family Holdings llc, the younger Huntsman oversees family investments in Huntsman chemicals, plastics and other financial areas, but he is not involved in the day-to-day operations of Huntsman Corp.Huntsman won 57 percent of the popular vote in defeating Scott Matheson Jr, the son of a former Utah governor. A 2Nov Associated Press story described the Huntsman and Matheson families as "the closest thing to royalty in Utah."Huntsman has never held public office, but did serve as US Ambassador to Singapore in the first Bush administration and worked for the Commerce Department in Asia as well.Huntsman Corp. is in the process of becoming public through an initial public offering set to take place later this year."
