As governor, Matheson dealt with a number of important issues. As the increasing importance of outside forces became more evident, whether they were federal government agencies, national energy companies, or powerful regional interests, he tried, more than had his predecessors, to achieve some control over Utah's affairs. He advocated an alliance between government and the corporate community in order to encourage growth and the development in particular of Utah's mineral resources, and he worked closely with major corporations and the Western Regional Council, which consisted of top executives from the largest corporations in the interior West and identified itself as a regional equivalent of the National Business Roundtable.