Industry Briefs are provided as a free service to our readers. Company news information may be sent to brice@slenterprise.com. The submission deadline is one week before publication.
ASSOCIATIONS
• The Utah Ready Mixed Concrete Association has hired Brad Stevenson as executive director. Stevenson has 35 years of experience in the industry. The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) announced its first state partnership with the newly established URMCA in October. The state organization’s mission is to promote ready-mixed concrete products. The association includes most of the ready-mixed producers in the area and in the future may begin to include associate members such as local contractors. The URMCA has plans to implement training seminars and workshops for the concrete community. They also plan to educate the community and state legislators about the production of ready-mixed concrete.
CONTESTS
• RevRoad, a Provo-based business accelerator, is sponsoring a $10,000 Entrepreneur Competition allowing applicants to pitch their idea and get advice from entrepreneurs. The winner also could be invited to become part of the RevRoad “Roadie” crew for the 2018 second quarter. Entrepreneurs from Salt Lake and Utah counties can apply before Feb. 28 at revroad.com/comp2018.
• Online voting continues until Feb. 15 during the next stage of the Outdoor Weber contest hosted by Weber State University’s Hall Global Entrepreneurship Center. Eighty contestants — from students at 24 universities across 13 states and Canada — have submitted 90-second videos of themselves pitching an innovative outdoor-related business plan. The public’s popular vote will determine the top 25 competitors to proceed to the semifinals. After that, contestants’ success will depend on a panel of industry experts who will select 10 finalists to proceed in the competition. The final competitive event will take place March 22-24, when the remaining contestants will have the opportunity to improve their business plans with the help of world-renowned experts. The winner will receive $30,000 to develop an outdoor recreation idea. Voting is taking place at outdoorweber.com.
DIVIDENDS
• The board of directors of Zions Bancorporation, Salt Lake City, has declared a regular quarterly dividend of 20 cents per common share. It is payable Feb. 22 to shareholders of record Feb. 15. The board also declared regular quarterly cash dividends on the company’s various perpetual preferred shares. The cash dividend on the series A, G, H and J shares are payable March 15 to shareholders of record March 1, while the cash dividend on the Series I shares is payable June 15 to shareholders of record June 1.
• The board of directors of People’s Utah Bancorp has declared a quarterly dividend of 9 cents per common share. The dividend will be payable Feb. 12 to shareholders of record Feb. 5. People’s Utah Bancorp is the holding company for People’s Intermountain Bank, which has 25 locations in three banking divisions, Bank of American Fork, Lewiston State Bank and People’s Town & Country Bank; a leasing division, GrowthFunding Equipment Finance; and a mortgage division, People’s Intermountain Bank Mortgage.
• The board of directors of Holly Energy Partners LP has declared a cash distribution of 65 cents per unit for the fourth quarter of 2017. That compares with a 60.75-cent-per-unit distribution declared for the fourth quarter of 2016. The distribution will be paid Feb. 15 to unitholders of record Feb. 5. Holly Energy has increased its distribution to unitholders every quarter since becoming a publicly traded partnership in July 2004, with this distribution marking the 53rd consecutive quarterly distribution increase. Holly Energy Partners, based in Dallas, provides petroleum product and crude oil transportation, terminalling, storage and throughput services to the petroleum industry, including HollyFrontier Corp. subsidiaries. Its operations include a refinery in Utah.
EXPANSIONS
• RC Willey has opened a full-service retail store at the new Delta Shores development in Sacramento, California. Located on 9.75 acres, the new store is over 170,000 square feet and will employ 150 people. It was designed by Babcock Design Group and Rick Smith, vice president of visual presentation for RC Willey. It is the company’s 12th full-service store, with another slated to begin construction soon in Layton.
EDUCATION/TRAINING
• Utah Educational Savings Plan (UESP) has changed its name to my529. The state’s official nonprofit 529 plan features tax advantages to make it easy to save for education. It operated under the UESP name for 22 years. The organization said the new name “is designed to alleviate any confusion about where my529 account owners may use their funds for education expenses” and clarifies that an account owner and/or beneficiary is not required to be a Utah resident.
HEALTHCARE
• Health Catalyst, Salt Lake City, has announced that Dr. Timothy G. Ferris has joined the company’s board of directors. He replaces Dr. Penny Wheeler, chief executive of Allina Health, whose board term was completed. Ferris is chairman and chief executive officer of Massachusetts General Physicians Organization (MGPO), a multi-specialty medical group of nearly 2,500 physicians affiliated with 999-bed Massachusetts General hospital in Boston. Ferris previously was the medical director of the MGPO, and the senior vice president for population health at both Massachusetts General and its Boston-based parent organization, Partners HealthCare.
INSURANCE
• Beehive Insurance has announced it has promoted Rand Austin, Jim Dickson and Mark Austin. Rand Austin was promoted to senior vice president. Dickson and Mark Austin were promoted to vice president. Doug Snow, president and chief executive officer, said the promotions were recognition of each producer’s superior revenue production and their diligent years of service and hard work. The three people came to Beehive in 2003.
INTERNATIONAL
• JPMorgan Chase & Co. has announced it will renew funding for the Utah Export Acceleration Grant program through 2018. The grand is managed by World Trade Center Utah. Funds from the Utah Export Acceleration Grant must be used to pay for services or resources that help the awardee’s company grow globally, such as consulting work, market research, translation services or attendance at a trade mission or trade show. Applications for the 2018 Export Acceleration Grant will open Jan. 29. Details are at www.wtcutah.com.
INVESTMENT
• PrinterLogic, a St. George-based enterprise print management software company, has announced a $15 million Series A financing round, led by growth capital firm Mercato Partners. PrinterLogic said it will use the financing to accelerate product development and fuel market expansion. Mercato Partners’ managing director, Greg Warnock, will join PrinterLogic’s board of directors.
MANUFACTURING
• Oemeta, a manufacturer of environmentally friendly industrial lubricants and coolants, has announced a move of its headquarters from West Valley City to 5655 W. 610 S., Salt Lake City. The $4 million expansion is expected to result in 20 new positions. It is expected to open in late summer. The 27,000-square-foot warehouse includes office space, production areas, full laboratory for material quality assurance, customer support and room for expansion. Oemeta has subsidiaries in the U.S., Canada, China, United Kingdom, India, Poland and Czech Republic, plus sales partners in more than 30 countries.
MEDIA/MARKETING
• The Pacific Printing Industries Association (PPI) board of directors and staff have announced that it has added the Printing Industries of Utah (PIU) into its organization. PPI now serves a seven-state area. PPI is integrating the day-to-day business operations of PIU and has begun to offer expanded programming, partners and resources.
PHILANTHROPY
• The USANA True Health Foundation has announced that it donated more than $1.9 million during 2017 to those less fortunate or in need. Its mission is to provide food and nutrition to impoverished children and families. Among its contributions were Food Pak projects assembling boxes of staple foods with The Children's Hunger Fund and disaster relief, donating $220,000 toward disaster relief in Houston, Puerto Rico and Mexico; donating more than $400,000 in Usanimals children’s multivitamins to orphanages, clinics and mercy networks throughout the world; and delivering over 3,500 hours of volunteer service. Since its founding in 2012, the foundation has donated over $7 million, including $2 million in aid, over $6.5 million in Usanimals and over 8.5 million meals worldwide.
REAL ESTATE
• An office/flex building at 12984 S. Pony Express Road, Draper, has been sold by Rob Reynolds to Southgate LLC. Financial terms were not disclosed. The 42,000-square-foot building was built in 2004. Its anchor tenant is American Preparatory. Greg Pavich, executive vice president at Coldwell Banker Commercial Advisors (CBC Advisors) represented the seller. Pete Williams, vice president of investment sales and development at CBC Advisors, represented the buyer.
• Inland Real Estate Acquisitions LLC has closed the purchase of a 29,702-square-foot medical building at 755 E. 3900 S., Salt Lake City. Financial terms were not disclosed. Built in 2015, the two-story property includes the Eye Institute of Utah and an ambulatory surgical center, The SurgiCare Center of Utah. Matthew Tice, senior vice president of Inland Real Estate Acquisitions, completed the deal, with assistance from David Neboyskey, assistant vice president and associate counsel of The Inland Real Estate Group LLC Law Department, on behalf of an Inland affiliate.
• Newmark Grubb ACRES has hired Jaden Malan for the firm’s office at 376 E. 400 S., Salt Lake City. An industrial specialist, Malan has represented landlord and tenant interests in sale, lease and build-to-suit transactions involving manufacturing plants, distribution warehouses, research and development facilities and other light industrial property types. He previously was a sales and marketing professional at NEXUS Commercial Real Estate.
RECOGNITIONS
• Nominees have been announced for the Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce’s 2018 Annual Gala awards. Announcements of winners will be at the gala Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. at Peery’s Egyptian Theater in downtown Ogden. Nominees for Small Business of the Year are Platinum Payments, Valley Glass and Wasatch Pharmacy Care. Nominees for Large Business of the Year are MarketStar Corp., Orbital ATK and Wadman Corp. Inc. Nominees for Volunteer of the Year are Aura Rhoades, Even Stevens Sandwiches; Robin Wade, Newgate Mall; and Chris Zimmerman, Weber School Foundation. Nominees for Chairperson of the Year are Darrin Baker, Leadership Northern Utah 2016-2017; Darren Rogers, Workforce Development Committee; and Amber Wykstra, Women in Business. Four award categories have single nominees: Wall of Fame, George and Mary Hall; Athena Leadership Award, Emily Ballard; Chamber Impact Award, Myers Mortuaries; and Sue Westenskow Award, John E. Lindquist.
• InWhatLanguage took first place at World Trade Center Utah’s Export Acceleration Grand Pitch Competition. The competition featured eight of the top 2017 Export Acceleration Grant recipients. Each company had eight minutes to pitch their business strategy and explain how they could use additional funds to expand their international presence. Four judges evaluated the companies based on relevance, creativity, persuasiveness and potential for success. Cody Broderick, chief executive officer of inWhatLanguage, delivered the pitch for his company, a language technology company that specializes in translation services and technology solutions. A $10,000 grant and second place went to The Blueberry Hill, with Owlet Baby Care Inc. coming in third place and receiving a $5,000 grant. Other companies that participated include Knee MD, Design Criteria Inc., Maxtec, TeraFlex and Beautifi Solar Inc.
RETAIL
• U-Haul has acquired a former Sierra RV showroom at 1200 N. Main St., Sunset. The 21,980-square-foot facility on 13.22 acres will have 1,350 indoor self-storage rooms with climate-control options after it is repurposed. U-Haul Moving & Storage of Hill Field is currently operating out of a temporary showroom and offering truck and trailer sharing, moving supplies, towing equipment and more. Brad Ling, U-Haul Co. of Utah president, said he expects to hire a staff of 15 or more when the facility is fully operational. U-Haul has more than 21,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces.
SERVICES
• Industrious, a shared-office space provider, will open a location at the Clift Building, 10 W. Broadway, Salt Lake City, in mid-February. The space will occupy two floors and 22,850 square feet. It has 65 private offices and enough space for more than 200 members. The New York-based company, founded in 2013, has more than 30 shared workspaces in 24 cities.
SPORTS
• The PGA of America has renamed its Employment Department to PGA Career Services and increased the number of PGA career consultants from 10 to 18, with individual territories being more focused. PGA member Keith Soriano will serve as the PGA career consultant for the Colorado and Utah PGA sections. Soriano started his career in the golf industry in 2000 after graduating from the University of Colorado. He was elected to membership in the PGA of America in 2008, and has served in a number of capacities, including tournament director, marketing and sales director, PGA head golf professional and assistant professional at multiple clubs in the Denver area. Prior to joining the PGA Career Services team, Soriano served as the assistant executive director for the Colorado PGA section since the fall of 2012. PGA Career Services also has added resources and job-finding tools designed both for individuals seeking employment in the golf industry and for employers looking to find the most qualified candidates. The move includes the launch of an enhanced job board on PGA.org.
TECHNOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCES
• Impartner, a South Jordan-based partner relationship management company, has appointed John McCurdy as chief revenue officer. With the appointment, current CRO and former channel chief of Akamai, Mark Rogers, shifts focus to strategic customer relationships and building the company’s strategic alliances and global network of channel partners. McCurdy has more than 25 years of experience in the tech industry, including previously was vice president of sales at Cisco Security and vice president of western North America sales for Sourcefire Inc.
• Code, a Salt Lake City-based image-based barcode reader company, has appointed Joseph “Joe” Croce as director of sales for North America. Croce has more than 20 years of experience in sales, most recently as vice president of sales for Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia. Before that, he worked for Comcast Spectacor when the Core States Center first opened, and as vice president of sales and marketing at NovaCare Rehabilitation.