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ASSOCIATIONS
• The Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce has appointed David Rowley as chief operating officer, a new position at the chamber. As COO, Rowley will help to lead and scale the chamber’s continued growth. Last year, the chamber saw over 40 percent growth and is projected to see similar growth this year as well. Rowley will continue his duties as the director of government and community affairs.
CONSTRUCTION
• HKS Architects Inc. has promoted Lance Shields of the Salt Lake City office to principal. Shields joined the company in 2006 and most recently served as a vice president. He has more than 25 years of industry experience, having served as project manager, project architect and construction administrator. Shields works in the Performance Venues studio and has experience working with all project types, most notably education, hospitality and commercial projects.
CONTESTS
• Nominations are being accepted until July 7 for the 2023 Outdoor Summit awards. The Utah Outdoor Recreation Summit takes place Sept. 6-7 in Ogden. Nominations are open for the Economic Impact Award, Social Investment Award, Stewardship Award and Every Kid Outdoors Award. Nominations may be emailed to outdoorteam@utah.gov with the name of the organization, the category, and the reason for the nomination. The Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation team will narrow the list to three to five finalists per category. Finalists advance to Stakeholder Advisory Committees, which will select winners in each category. Details about the summit are at https://utahoutdoorsummit.com/.
DIVIDENDS
• The board of directors of Extra Space Storage Inc., Salt Lake City, has declared a first quarter 2023 dividend of $1.62 per share on the company’s common stock. That is an 8 percent increase over the prior quarter’s dividend. The dividend is payable March 31 to stockholders of record March 15. Extra Space Storage is a real estate investment trust that owns and/or operates 2,338 self-storage properties. It is the second-largest owner and/or operator of self-storage properties in the United States and is the largest self-storage management company in the U.S.
• The board of directors of Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. has increased the quarterly cash dividend to 39 cents per share. The dividend will be paid March 8 to shareholders of record Feb. 27. It marks the 22nd consecutive year of paying and increasing the dividend. Nu Skin develops products for personal care, nutrition and anti-aging. It operates in nearly 50 markets worldwide.
• Bridge Investment Group Holdings Inc., based in Salt Lake City, declared a quarterly dividend of 17 cents per share on its Class A common stock. The dividend is payable March 24 to Class A common stockholders of record March 10. Bridge is a vertically integrated real estate investment manager with approximately $43.3 billion of assets under management as of Dec. 31.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
• Utah workers are owed over $1.44 billion in unpaid overtime, according to a study by law firm Bisnar Chase. It said the average Utahn in the private sector worked 1.5 hours of unpaid overtime per week over 2022. The national average was 2.1 hours of unpaid overtime per week. The highest number was in Maryland, at 3.5 hours. The lowest was in South Dakota, at 0.3 hours. Details are at https://www.bestattorney.com/overtime-owed/.
• Salt Lake City is No. 55 and West Valley City is No. 192 on a list of “Best Bachelorette Party Destinations,” compiled by Lawn Love. It compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities for attractions, restaurants, nightlife options and spas. It also considered safety, cost and transportation options, among 21 total metrics. The top-ranked city is Miami. The No. 200 city is Montgomery, Alabama. Details are at https://lawnlove.com/blog/best-bachelorette-party-destinations/.
• Salt Lake City is ranked No. 56 and West Valley City is No. 197 on list of “top Mardi Gras cities,” compiled by Lawn Love. It compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities by the number of Mardi Gras events, Cajun food vendors, costume stores and community interest, among eight total metrics. The top-ranked city is New Orleans. The bottom-ranked city is Thornton, Colorado. Details are at https://lawnlove.com/blog/best-cities-mardi-gras.
• Utah has the U.S.’s “most improved” drivers, ranking it 18th among most improved, according to a study by Gunther Volvo Coconut Creek. It analyzed data and rankings between 2018 and 2022. Utah moved up seven spots from 2018. The most-improved drivers are in Arizona, with the least-improved in Michigan. Based on the study, Massachusetts has the best drivers and Mississippi has the worst. Details are at https://www.gunthervolvocars.net/americas-most-improved-drivers.htm.
ENVIRONMENT
• Cariloha, a Salt Lake City-based brand of sustainable bamboo bedding, bath goods and apparel, has announced that it is now a Certified B corporation. The certification is awarded to companies that complete a vetting process to ensure their operations and business practices meet the standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, diversity and transparency. The brand launched in 2007.
EXPANSIONS
• Built, an American Fork-based company that produces Built Bars and Built Puffs in the protein and nutritional bar market, has announced nationwide availability of the products in Walmart locations. Three flavors can now be found on shelves in 3,700 stores across the U.S. The company, which built a following through a successful direct-to-consumer model, has more than tripled its retail footprint over the past three years and is on track to more than double its retail footprint year over year in 2023. The company was founded in 2018.
HOSPITALITY
• Le Méridien Salt Lake City Downtown and Element Salt Lake City Downtown have opened in The West Quarter of Salt Lake City. Le Méridien Salt Lake City Downtown is at 131 S. 300 W., while Element Salt Lake City Downtown is at 145 S. 300 W. It represents Element Hotels’ 100th opening. It combined with Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 brands, as well as Salt Lake City-based The Ritchie Group and Layton-based Garn Development on the dual-branded property. It is the first Salt Lake City location for Element and first Utah hotel for Le Méridien. Le Méridien Salt Lake City Downtown features 144 rooms and suites. Element Salt Lake City Downtown offers 126 rooms and suites. Two meeting spaces and one pre-function area make up a total of 8,355 square feet of inviting event and meeting space. The property was designed by HKS. Interiors were designed by Studio HBA. The architect of record is Beecher Walker.
INSURANCE
• PCF Insurance Services, a Lehi-based insurance brokerage firm, has appointed Dan Goodwin as vice president of carrier relations. Goodwin manages appointments, contracts and relationships for property and casualty and health and benefits carriers, as well as wholesalers. Goodwin has more than two decades of insurance experience, most recently at AgencyKPI, where he served as national director of sales and carrier relations. Prior to that, he worked for Nationwide Insurance and Allied Insurance in underwriting, loss control, sales automation and technology, and ultimately business architect of P&C staff sales.
INTERNATIONAL
• World Trade Center Utah has announced the addition of Derrick Porter and Jeremy Andrus to its board of directors. Porter is CEO of Beauty Industry Group, a hair extension and solution company that sells its products in 16 countries. Andrus is CEO of Traeger Grills, a producer of wood-fired grills and grilling accessories that are sold in over 60 countries. In 2022, WTC Utah facilitated engagements with business and diplomatic delegations from 36 countries, led 15 international trips and awarded $1.5 million in grant funding. In total, WTC Utah helped nearly 400 Utah companies.
INVESTMENTS
• PCF Insurance Services, a Lehi-based insurance brokerage firm, has secured a $500 million preferred equity investment in a transaction co-led by Carlyle’s Global Credit platform and private equity firm HGGC, an existing minority investor. PCF also received significant investment participation in the transaction with funds managed by Owl Rock, a division of Blue Owl, and Crescent Capital, both of which have existing minority equity stakes in the business. At the time of investment, the valuation of PCF Insurance was $4.7 billion. J.P. Morgan served as the sole placement agent to PCF Insurance in connection with the transaction. PCF serves more than 415,000 clients.
• R-Zero, a Salt Lake City-based company focused on healthy and green buildings, has closed a $105 million Series C fundraising. R-Zero said the funding will allow it to continue scaling the adoption of its UV-C technology designed to disinfect indoor air. The round brings R-Zero’s total amount of capital raised to more than $170 million. Investors include BMO Financial Group, Qualcomm Ventures and Upfront Ventures, and existing investors DBL Partners, World Innovation Lab, Mayo Clinic, Bedrock Capital, SOSV and John Doerr.
MANUFACTURING
• SINTX Technologies Inc., a Salt Lake City-based original equipment manufacturer of advanced ceramics, has announced that equipment installation along with key renovations and upgrades to its SINTX Armor facility in Salt Lake City are now complete. The milestone, it said, is the result of a effort by the SINTX team to upgrade the facility’s infrastructure and install armor manufacturing equipment that was acquired from Ohio-based B4C LLC. The 10,000-square-foot facility can manufacture high-performance ceramic armor plates for personnel, aircraft and vehicles. After the purchase of B4C LLC and a technology collaboration with Precision Ceramics USA in 2021, SINTX Armor was established as a subsidiary of SINTX Technologies.
PARTNERSHIPS
• Derivita, a Salt Lake City-based company that provides educators with a digital toolbox, has announced a partnership with the Utah STEM Action Center. Derivita is now an approved vendor for its K-12 Personalized Math Software Grant. The five-year grant program is open to public educational institutions and their school and district-level administrators. The grant application for the 2023-24 school year will close March 31. The partnership’s goal is to ensure that teachers and students in Utah have equal access to high-quality instructional materials and tools to better the overall math learning experience. The STEM Action Center promotes science, technology, engineering and math education.
PHILANTHROPY
• The Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation is donating $3.5 million to the Huntsman Mental Health Foundation, which will help fund construction of the Kem and Carolyn Gardner Mental Health Crisis Care Center. The center is the first building on the site of the planned Huntsman Mental Health Institute “Campus of Hope,” meant to increase Utah’s mental health resources. Excavation has started for the 78,000-square-foot facility near the Salt Lake County jail and the South Salt Lake Men’s Resource Center. When the center opens, it will be able to treat 30 people needing short-term stabilization care and treatment and provide 24 inpatient beds for patients requiring longer-term care. It will also include a medication-assisted treatment clinic for people with opiate use disorders, intensive outpatient treatment for adults needing support for substance use disorders and mental health day treatment for adults that need more help than traditional outpatient care. In addition to crisis care and stabilizing treatment, the new center will connect patients and their families with professional and social services. The Huntsman Mental Health Foundation is continuing to raise funds for the construction and operational expenses of the crisis care center.
REAL ESTATE
• Clearlink has signed a lease on 135,000 square feet at 42 Future Way, Draper, to be the company’s headquarters in Utah. The Class A office campus originally was designed for Pluralsight. The move consolidates Clearlink’s former headquarters located at the Salt Lake International Center and Utah County offices. Brandon Fugal, Utah chairman of Colliers, represented Clearlink in the transaction.
• Crandall Capital, a Park City-based real estate development company, has announced it will break ground on Studio Crossing, a 320,000-square-foot community development in the Quinn’s Junction neighborhood, this summer. Studio Crossing will feature 192 affordable housing units, 50 market-rate townhomes, and dining and retail options.
RECOGNITIONS
• CRN, a brand of The Channel Co., has named Mark Rogers, senior vice president of global strategic accounts and partnerships at South Jordan-based Impartner, to its 2023 Channel Chiefs list for the third consecutive year. The annual list honors channel executives who work to advance the channel agenda and deliver successful channel partner programs and strategies. Those recognized are selected by the editorial staff based on their record of business innovation and dedication to the partner community. Impartner is focused on partner relationship management technologies.
• Weave, a Lehi-based company offering a customer communications and engagement platform for small and medium-sized businesses, has been named in G2’s 2023 Best Software Awards as one of the “50 Best Products for Small Business.” This annual list ranks the world’s best software companies and products based on authenticated customer reviews. To be recognized as a Best Software Award winner, a software company or product must receive at least 50 approved and published reviews during the 2022 calendar year.
• Cicero, a Salt Lake City-based consulting firm, has been named by Vault.com as one of the “Top 50 Boutique Consulting Firms” to work for in North America in 2023. The “Best Firms to Work For” ranking is based on 22 quality-of-life categories, including benefits, diversity, and training opportunities. Based on employee scores, the company was recognized in the top 20 overall for internal mobility and top 25 for selectivity.
• The Support Center Team for Avetta, an Orem-based provider of contractor prequalification software, has won a 2022 International Service Excellence Award, presented by the Customer Service Institute of America and the International Council of Customer Service Organizations. The team was named as a 2022 Service Excellence Up and Comer, making it the only company given this designation.
SCHOLARSHIPS
• Supplemental Health Care, a Cottonwood Heights-based healthcare staffing provider, has continued its philanthropic partnership with the National Black Nurses Association by announcing $25,000 in scholarship opportunities for NBNA members pursuing Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees. The current focus of the scholarships is to support licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs) and individuals with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) continuing their education. NBNA has a network of 111 local chapters.
TECHNOLOGY
• HireVue, a Salt Lake City-based provider of video interviewing, assessments and text-enabled recruiting tools, has appointed Natalie Dopp as chief people officer. Dopp has over 25 years of experience in human resources, mostly recently at Integrate. Before that, she implemented the foundation of the HR function at LifeLock.
• Nav, a California-based financial health platform company with event spaces in Salt Lake City and two other cities, has appointed Neha Komma as vice president of product. Komma has spent the past decade building products and experiences, most recently as product lead and board member at Robinhood Crypto. She also worked in the product and growth teams at Coinbase, Airbnb and Facebook.
TRANSPORTATION
• WSP USA, an engineering, environment and professional services consultancy, has hired Matthew Sibul as transportation district business line lead for the firm’s Southwest Mountain district. He will lead operations, project delivery and client success to help grow WSP’s transportation business in the district, which includes Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Mexico and Wyoming. Sibul has 29 years of transportation experience both for public agencies and in the private sector. His most recent role was head of sales and business development for an international train manufacturer with U.S. operations based in Salt Lake City. Before that, Sibul served the Utah Transit Authority as director of government relations, chief planning officer and a senior program manager. He also has additional experience in corporate consulting. WSP has more than 15,500 employees in 300 offices across the U.S.