Welcome to the Haunting Season | My Member Story

It's not unusual for someone passing through Utah to take one look at our majestic mountains and say to themselves, "Wow! I would love to live here!" That’s what happened to Blake Warren. When he first laid eyes on the Salt Lake Valley, he knew he would live here one day.

What he didn't know was how he would soon find a community with a shared love of all things Halloween!

Falling in love with the valley

Born and raised in southern Alabama, Blake was awestruck when he first saw the sky-high Wasatch Mountains and the Salt Lake Valley below as he drove his 18-wheeler down Parley’s Canyon. He made a promise to himself that he was going to call this place home once he was financially able.

In his younger years, Blake had moved around quite a bit. Once he had decided to relocate to Utah, he knew it would be for a good, long time. So, in 2014, he and his sweet dog and traveling companion, Tayla, headed west.

Finding his tribe

As a single person in a new city, and a self-proclaimed introvert, Blake knew it was important to intentionally put himself in uncomfortable situations to meet new people. One day, he saw a casting call for Fear Factory, a world-renowned haunted attraction in Salt Lake, and he jumped at the chance to audition. As a fan of Halloween and everything haunted, he was able to find a community of like-minded people who brought him into the fold as one of their own.

Blake is now in his sixth season at Fear Factory, loving the experience and the friends he has made. “It’s nice to work at a place where you feel like your work is appreciated,” he shares. “People have the same interests so we can all be our weird, goofy selves without fear of judgement.”

Haunting as a way of life

Halloween is more than just a hobby for Blake—it’s really a lifestyle! His home is decorated with plenty of horror memorabilia, souvenirs and one-of-a-kind keepsakes—like two porcelain dolls that a friend painted and dressed to look like Pennywise and Annabelle (if you know, you know!).

Blake is currently busy converting his front yard into a spooky graveyard scene with plastic skeleton bones and foam tombstones, and he even attends horror conventions when he can.

What is it about working at a haunted attraction that he loves so much? “It’s fun to make people scream for a second and then you hear them laugh—we live for that,” he muses! “It brings us joy because you know you are doing your job right.”

Establishing his roots with Mountain America

Blake was ready to build a life in Utah, but he knew he couldn’t do it alone. After purchasing a townhome in Ogden, and experiencing some flooding from a burst pipe, he decided to check into a home equity loan to help with some remodeling.

He had heard from several friends that Mountain America Credit Union was a great choice. They were easy to work with and offered a friendly approach to helping people with their financial needs.

In 2016, Blake walked into a branch, and has been a satisfied credit union member ever since. “[Mountain America is] a very good ally in helping make what I want to come true happen.”

Blake, we are so proud to have you as a fellow Utahn, a credit union member and a master of all things Halloween. Thanks for bringing the scary in the most amazing way!