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ECONOMIC INDICATORS
• Utah is the nation’s top-ranked state for decorating the most for Halloween, according to Lombardo Homes, which analyzed Google search trends. It is the third consecutive year for Utah to lead the rankings. The study also indicates that a pumpkin is the most popular Halloween decoration in Utah. At the bottom of the list is Arizona. The study shows that 87 percent of Americans are decorating for Halloween in 2025. On average, Americans will spend $99 on décor, and more than half (55 percent) plan to carve pumpkins. Details are at https://lombardohomes.com/most-popular-halloween-decorations-by-state-2025/.
• Utah is ranked No. 8 on a list of “best states for startups,” compiled by BlauggBlog. It noted that Utah has relatively low corporate and personal income tax rates, affordability beyond taxes, a commitment to integrate digital infrastructure and streamline its services, and the fast-growing tech corridor of Silicon Slopes. The most affordable state is Wyoming. Details are at https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/start-a-business/affordable-states.
• Utah is ranked No. 15 for worst construction pay for women, according to a study by Construction Coverage, an online publisher of construction industry research reports. Its researchers analyzed the newest Census Bureau and BEA data to identify where women are earning the most in construction, adjusted for cost of living, and the states with the highest female employment shares. After adjusting for cost of living, Utah women working full-time in the construction sector in Utah earn a median annual wage of $53,108, the 15th-lowest in the country. Before COL adjustments, women in construction earn a median annual wage of $50,454 in Utah, compared to $49,512 for women working full-time overall. Nationwide as of July 2025, women make up 10.7 percent of full-time construction workers. In Utah, that share is 8.5 percent. Nationally, full-time female workers earn $54,044 annually in the sector, but pay varies widely by state. Additionally, regional differences in cost of living affect how far a given salary will go in a given location. Details are at https://constructioncoverage.com/research/best-paying-states-for-women-in-construction.
• Intermountain Health and Zions Bancorporation, both of Salt Lake City, and Qualtrics of Provo are (in order) Utah’s “hometown employers best for career growth,” according to a survey of employees by global outplacement and career development firm Careerminds. It asked which companies people would most like to join if career development and upskilling opportunities were the only criteria. Details are at https://careerminds.com/blog/best-companies-for-career-development.
• Salt Lake City is ranked No. 4 on a list of cities with “car-optional living,” compiled by nationwide self-storage search website StorageCafe. It analyzed 180 major cities for walkability, bike and transit access, commute times, safety, and access to amenities. Salt Lake City stood out for its balanced mix of mobility options, accessible services, and a growing commitment to pedestrian-friendly design. The top-ranked city nationally is Minneapolis. The bottom-ranked city is Cape Coral, Florida. Details are at https://www.storagecafe.com/blog/best-walk-and-ride-cities-in-the-us/.
• Salt Lake City, at No. 52 nationally, is Utah’s highest-ranked city on a list of “Best Cities for Training Your Dog,” compiled by Lawn Love. It looked at trainer access and ratings, affordability, club availability, park space, and overall dog-friendly living. The lowest-ranked Utah city is No. 427 Orem. The top-ranked city nationally is New York City. Details are at https://lawnlove.com/blog/best-cities-dog-training/.
EDUCATION
• The University of Utah has announced the creation of Utah Promise, an initiative designed to expand access to higher education across the state. Beginning in the fall of 2026, the university will guarantee full coverage of tuition and mandatory fees with scholarship and grant funding for Utah resident undergraduate students whose family household income and assets are each less than $100,000 per year (as defined by federal financial aid guidelines). The university said the program will help more Utahns pursue their degrees, graduate on time and thrive in their careers. The program applies to first-time, first-year undergraduate students who graduate from high school with an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or higher. It covers tuition and mandatory fees for up to four years of full-time enrollment with scholarships and grants. Eligible students must complete an application for admission by the university’s Dec. 1 priority deadline and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by Feb. 1. To maintain eligibility, students need to continue to submit the FAFSA each year and maintain qualifying income and asset levels. Recipients must also successfully complete full-time course loads each semester and maintain a cumulative 3.5 GPA or higher.
EVENTS
• Artificial intelligence will be the focus of an event Dec. 1-2 in Salt Lake City. The 2025 AI Summit will be hosted by the Utah Department of Commerce and its Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy, the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and the Nucleus Institute and takes place at the Salt Palace Convention Center. The theme is “Utah’s Pro-Human Leadership in the Age of AI.” The summit will feature a keynote address from Gov. Spencer Cox and a fireside conversation with Matthew Prince, CEO of Cloudflare. Session highlights include workforce development in the age of AI and its impact on employment trends; cutting-edge research from Utah’s top universities; emerging applications in biotechnology, finance and sustainable energy; and interactive policy discussions on topics such as AI companions, personalized medicine, and AI in learning. Dec. 2 is Summit Day. Dec. 1 features a pre-summit hackathon titled “Business Builders & AI,” hosted by nonprofit SeedAI in partnership with the state of Utah. The pre-summit hackathon costs $30. The summit costs $125 through Oct. 31, $175 thereafter. Details are at https://aisummit.utah.gov/.
EXPANSIONS
• Halia Therapeutics, a Lehi-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapies for chronic inflammation and obesity-related diseases, has expanded into Abu Dhabi with a new office and five hires in Masdar City. Halia’s mission is to decode genetic resilience and turn it into transformative therapies targeting chronic inflammation, the underlying driver of diseases like Alzheimer’s, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), obesity, and others.
• Owlet Inc., a Lehi-based company offering smart infant monitoring, has announced that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization — India’s national regulatory body for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and medical devices — has approved its Dream Sock product for distribution. The company said it now prepares to launch its integrated monitoring devices, including Dream Sock, Dream Sight and Dream Duo, across India in early 2026.
LIFE SCIENCES
• Biotechgate, a Swiss-based global business development database, has announced a collaboration with Salt Lake City to launch a dedicated life science directory for the Salt Lake County region. The initiative aims to enhance the visibility, connectivity and growth opportunities for biotech, medtech and pharmaceutical companies based in Salt Lake County on a global scale. This dedicated Salt Lake City directory aims to ensure that regional companies are more visible to potential investors, partners and stakeholders worldwide. Biotechgate’s database contains over 69,000 company profiles and provides users with information on available biotech and pharma assets, financing rounds, key management, technology platforms, licensing deal-terms and more. The Biotechgate database is property of Swiss-based Venture Valuation AG.
MANUFACTURING
• Tern Industries LLC, parent company of Mixing Tanks USA, has announced the opening of Mixing Tanks’ national headquarters in the Ogden Valley. The new location will house the company’s design, engineering, sales, marketing and administrative teams. Subsidiary Mixing Tanks USA manufactures stainless steel mixing and storage systems for the life sciences, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, industrial chemicals, food and beverage industries. It was founded in 2011.
PARTNERSHIPS
• Utah City, a 700-acre, mixed-use development on Utah Lake’s eastern shore, has entered a partnership with Peloton, a global fitness and wellness brand, so that every residential building at Utah City will feature Peloton Spaces, a co-branded space with Utah City that includes Peloton’s fitness equipment. The partnership recently launched with Peloton yoga instructor Kirra Michel leading a free, outdoor class for the public with 200-plus people in attendance. Every multi-family building in Utah City is equipped with Peloton Bike and Peloton Row equipment, and Utah City will be among the first communities nationwide to introduce the new commercial Peloton Tread+ Pro in January 2026. Residents will find both private Peloton-powered workout pods and gyms featuring the brand’s complete suite of fitness equipment.
RECOGNITIONS
• The Utah Office of Tourism and the Utah Tourism Industry Association recently honored the 2025 Utah Tourism Hall of Fame inductees at the annual Utah Tourism Conference held in Bryce Canyon. Honorees are selected based on their history of contributions to the state’s tourism industry through leadership and longstanding contributions to their region or to the entire state. Beginning in 1985, the Hall of Fame has recognized 134 recipients. Inductees this year are Olivier Barthez, account manager for France, Belgium and Luxembourg for the Utah Office of Tourism; Kym Buttschardt, owner of Roosters Brewing Co. & Restaurant Group; and Lance Syrett, general manager of Ruby’s Inn in Bryce Canyon. Barthez has been instrumental in elevating Utah’s profile among European travelers. As the Utah Office of Tourism’s representative in France (also overseeing Belgium and Luxembourg), Barthez leads Orkestra Tourism, a communications and PR agency specialized in promoting U.S. destinations, and has spearheaded partnerships that showcase Utah’s iconic landscapes and cultural heritage to new audiences abroad. Buttschardt is a restaurateur and community leader whose contributions have greatly impacted Utah’s tourism landscape. She helped spur downtown Ogden’s renaissance by transforming historic 25th Street from a declining rail-era district into a vibrant gathering place for locals and visitors alike. The success of her brewpubs and eateries not only revitalized Ogden’s city center but also created a backdrop for festivals, farmers markets, concerts and events, many of which the Buttschardts organize or support. In addition to running a growing restaurant group, she has taken on key tourism leadership roles, currently serving as chair of the Utah Office of Tourism board of directors. Syrett is a fourth-generation ambassador of Utah hospitality as the great-grandson of the lodge’s founders. He also has served the tourism industry through various leadership roles, including as chair of the Utah Office of Tourism board of directors and chair of the Garfield County Tourism & Travel Council, while lending his expertise as a board member of the Utah Tourism Industry Association.
• Wesley Sundquist, Samuels Professor and chair of the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Utah, has been awarded the World Laureates Association Prize in Life Science or Medicine for his discoveries related to essential pathways that help sort and move proteins within cells. The WLA Prize, established in 2021, recognizes the world’s leading researchers and technologists. With a 10 million yuan award, equivalent to about $1.41 million, the WLA Prize is one of the largest scientific awards in the world. Sundquist shares the honor with Scott Emr, professor of molecular biology and genetics at Cornell University. Research in Sundquist’s lab first showed that the HIV virus uses a cellular pathway called ESCRT (endosomal sorting complexes required for transport, pronounced “escort”) to escape host cells. The Sundquist lab’s work also characterized this pathway in humans.
• Gov. Spencer Cox and the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity presented annual awards at the recent One Utah Summit in Cedar City. The awards recognize individuals and companies that have significantly contributed to Utah and beyond in economic development, local communities and industry. The Businessperson of the Year is Korey Wright, owner of Bar-W Beef. Wright expanded his family’s multi-generational cattle ranching legacy and built a world-class beef processing facility for ranchers throughout the state. His leadership helped create new jobs in the Nephi community and strengthen Utah’s food supply chain, demonstrating a powerful commitment to local industry, community well-being and economic resiliency. The Business of the Year is The Creamery. Founded in 1952 by local farmers, The Creamery has been a cornerstone of the rural Utah economy for over seven decades. It sources dairy from neighboring family farms and produces its products locally.
• The Women Tech Council recently announced the recipients of the 2025 Women Tech Awards, honored for their work in transforming technology and shaping the future of the industry. Award recipients are Strategic Innovator Award, Kori Ann Edwards, chief strategy officer, 47G, for turning strategic insight into measurable impact; Public Sector Innovator Award, Lynne Yocom, fiber optics director, Utah Department of Transportation, for modernizing public infrastructure through technology; Tech Leadership Award, Shawnna DelHierro, chief information officer, SoundHound AI, for guiding her teams through the cutting edge of AI; Distinguished Engineer Award, Mou Nandi, CEO and co-founder, Monere, for engineering solutions that matter; Growth Accelerator Award, Mary-Lou Smulders, chief marketing officer, Dedrone by Axon, for driving market expansion through smart innovation; Leadership Excellence Award, Kathryn Armstrong, chief science officer, USANA Health Sciences, recognized for visionary leadership; Biotech Disruptor Award, Evita Weagel, CEO and co-founder, Eris Biotech, for revolutionizing biotech with bold new solutions; Research Trailblazer Award, Amy McDonnell, neuroscientist, University of Utah, for pioneering research shaping the future of neuroscience. Rising Star Awards, presented to young professionals already making waves in their fields, were presented to Abbey Lasater, senior data scientist, Swire Coca-Cola; Alexis Cook, infrastructure product manager, Awardco; Amelia Shelton, group product manager, Lucid Software; Anindita Roy, vice president of research, Seek Labs; Kristen Hansen, strategy and operations, Leland; Melissa Daniels, nuclear engineer, Nusano; and Sierra Melanson, data analyst, Mobly. Student Pathway Awards were presented to Adrienne Madsen, Utah Valley University; Jordyn Wilder, University of Utah; Kat Harvey, Salt Lake Community College; Kate Grandia, Utah State University; Rachel Serre, Brigham Young University; and Sarah Silvest, Weber State University. Honored with Impact Awards were a group of leaders who have volunteered with SheTech for five or more years, mentoring over 15,000 students through workshops, internships and hands-on STEM programs.
• The Davis Technical College Foundation recognized exceptional individuals and organizations for their dedication to transforming students’ lives during its recent annual Life-Changer Luncheon, held on the Davis Technical College campus. Honorees are Haven J. Barlow Legacy Award, George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation; Community Partner Award, Utah Food Bank; Industry Partner Award, CR Lighting and Electric Inc.; Education Partner Award, Weber State University; and President’s Award, Troy Wood. In the 2024-25 school year, Davis Tech awarded 510 scholarships totaling $463,199 from funds raised by the foundation and its charitable donors.
• The University of Utah has announced the recipients of the third annual Innovation Awards, which recognize the efforts of UofU students, staff, faculty and startups in pursuing impactful research and contributing to the university’s culture of innovation. Recipients are Startup of the Year, Trace AQ, a UofU spinout that delivers advanced forecasting and air quality solutions to provide accurate and reliable intelligence to communities, corporations and health care systems; Founders of the Year, Vahe Bandarian and Karsten Eastman, co-founders of the UofU startup Sethera Therapeutics, who have developed their PolyMacrocyclic Peptide Discovery Platform that revolutionizes peptide-based drug treatment; Innovator of the Year, Alana Welm, senior director of basic science at the Huntsman Comprehensive Cancer Center and chair of the University of Utah’s Department of Oncological Sciences, who works on developing groundbreaking models of human breast cancer; Breakthrough of the Year, Tommy Gambles, postdoctoral research associate in the College of Pharmacy at the UofU and co-founder of Thera-T Pharmaceutics, who has helped develop a new class of immunotherapy for blood cancers that could significantly improve patient outcomes; Investigator on the Rise, Tao Gao, assistant professor of chemical engineering at the UofU, who has developed a novel electrochemical absorption and desorption process for lithium extraction, enabling efficient and sustainable lithium recovery from brines and leachates; Lifetime Achievement Award, Bob Palais, research professor in the Department of Mathematics at the UofU, who has devoted decades of experience to his study of DNA melting analysis; Global Impact, Wes Sundquist, Samuels Professor and co-chair of the Department of Biochemistry at the UofU, who has labored for over 12 years to turn an antiviral treatment into a twice-a-year therapy to prevent HIV infection in high-risk individuals; Excellence in Innovation Graduate Student Award, Prince Minkah, recipient of the Skaggs Graduate Research Fellowship, who has tackled the issue of therapy resistance in aggressive solid tumors; and Excellence in Innovation Undergraduate Student Award, Brynne Byars, a biomedical engineering student at the UofU, who has collaborated with Sunac Therapeutics on the lab’s translational research in finding a cure for osteoarthritis.
• BambooHR, a Draper-based company offering a platform for HR, payroll and benefits, recently held Connect 2025, its annual customer event. The company showcased over 30 innovations to its platform and honored people with the 2025 HR Experience Maker Awards for demonstrating dedication, creativity and leadership in building thriving workplaces. Each winner received a $2,000 vacation stipend. Winners are Problem Solving, Kim Annetts, HR and quality manager at Mills CNC; Heart & Soul, Krystal Eason, director of people operations at Saxbys; Employee Experience, Afiqah Mustafa, manager of people analytics and rewards at QS Quacquarelli Symonds; Business Growth, Travis McCracken, human resources manager at Global Laser Enrichment; Strategic Leadership, Caroline Marcus, manager of HR at Anaqua; and Career Advocate, Destiny Schindler, human resources and facilities manager at Elemental Enzymes.
• Supplemental Health Care, a Salt Lake City-based provider of health care and education staffing, has been included in a list of “Largest Education Staffing Firms in the U.S.,” compiled by Staffing Industry Analysts. SHC is a health care and education workforce solutions provider that connects health care and school professionals with opportunities.
SERVICES
• Tommy’s Express, based in Michigan, has announced that locations in Layton and Saratoga Springs have transformed the car wash tunnels into a “Tunnel of Terror” Halloween experience, continuing through October. They will feature masked employees, jump scares and haunting sounds. Dates, times and costs vary by location. Details are at https://tommys-express.com/tunnel-of-terror/.
SPORTS
• To mark the leadup to the Bank of Utah Championship, Utah’s annual PGA Tour event that took place Oct. 23-26 at Black Desert Resort, the resort and the Ogden-based bank hosted a statewide trophy tour Oct. 2-10 at several locations. The trophy was designed and created by O.C. Tanner, a Salt Lake City-based employee rewards and recognition company.
SURVEYS
• The Utah Women & Leadership Project is conducting a statewide study to explore more deeply Utahns’ understanding, awareness, attitudes, concerns and perceptions around challenges that women and girls face. All Utahns age 18 or older are urged to participate. The form is at https://usu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d52a11WlepTEAwC. Questions may be directed to Susan Madsen, the primary researcher for the study, at uwlp@usu.edu, susan.madsen@usu.edu or 435-797-0873.
TRANSPORTATION
• AIP Capital, an Ireland-based alternative investment manager focused on opportunities in asset-based finance, and Breeze Airways, a Salt Lake City-based air carrier, have closed a $47.5 million secured debt financing through AIP’s Private Credit strategy. The financing is secured by a diversified collateral package comprising the airline’s spare parts inventory, a spare engine, and a flight simulator, AIP said. The financing will support Breeze’s growth strategy. AIP Capital’s Private Credit business, through its global origination capabilities and long-term investor relationships, provides tailored financing solutions secured by aircraft and non-aircraft collateral to airline customers around the world. Breeze Airways operates more than 300 year-round and seasonal routes to 81 cities in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.