In 1995, the Huntsman family led by Jon M. Huntsman Sr. and his wife Karen, pledged $100 million to construct a state-of-the-art cancer center, formally establishing and naming Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI). HCI is wholly owned by the state of Utah and is designated by the state legislature as the official cancer center of Utah.

In 1993, the Huntsman donated $10 million to the University of Utah to establish a cancer institute.