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ACCOUNTING
• Tanner LLC, Salt Lake City, has appointed Shawn Marchant to lead the firm’s expanding research and development (R&D) practice. For over 20 years, Marchant has been advising clients regarding federal and state tax credits and incentives. His experience ranges from initial scoping through project implementation and delivery, project management, IRS and state audit support, and evaluation of benefits for financial statement presentation. His education includes a J.D. from J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University.
ASSOCIATIONS
• Troy S. Thompson has been elected vice chairman of the board of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah. Thompson is chief operations officer at Big-D Construction, Salt Lake City. The company has been a member of AGC of Utah since the early 1990s and Thompson has been active with the organization for more than 10 years. Prior to his position as vice chair, Thompson served as chair of the builders board and held a two-year term on the organization’s board of directors. Thompson will chair the AGC of Utah in 2022. Thompson began his career in the construction industry in Utah more than 40 years ago. In his current role as COO at Big-D, Thompson oversees day-to-day business operations and manages the self-performed work group, as well as the Big-D offices in Minneapolis, Phoenix and Lindon. The AGC of Utah is a professional association for the commercial construction industry, representing more than 550 member firms throughout the state.
BANKING
• EnerBank USA, Salt Lake City, has hired Allyson Torsak as senior vice president and chief strategy officer. She will identify, evaluate and execute on strategic initiatives to support the bank’s mission. Torsak was previously chief operating officer at APiO. She also co-founded ROOT Credit. Her prior experience includes strategic partnership and business development for WebBank, credit risk reviews and analysis of European Mutual Funds for Goldman Sachs, and credit review analysis of the global market and investment loan portfolios at various business units of Merrill Lynch & Co. Torsak’s education includes earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of Utah.
CONSTRUCTION
• Burns & McDonald has hired Patrick Delano as a senior construction project manager specializing in design-build delivery. Delano has more than 30 years of experience and an in-depth understanding of commercial construction, electrical design, research and development, and stadium construction.
• Outside the Lines (OTL), a design-build construction company that specializes in creating one-of-a-kind water features, fountains, rockwork and themed environments, and CenterCal Properties LLC, a private retail development company, have announced the construction of a revolutionary new show fountain at the second phase of Mountain View Village, an 85-acre lifestyle development at 4500 W. 13400 S., Riverton. The fountain, designed and constructed by OTL, will use a new approach with state-of-the-art technology to produce a choreographic water and light show. The fountain will also feature energy-efficient LED color-changing lighting and musical shows to entertain and attract visitors to the center. Completion of the second phase is slated for May 2022.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
• The most common and competitive job position in Utah is customer service representative, according to a study by CareerCloud. It accounts for 1,662 jobs per 100,000 people in the state. CareerCloud used the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau. Nationally, the two most competitive jobs are retail and the food service, both of which have been greatly impacted by COVID-19, followed by cashier, office clerk and registered nurse. Details are at https://www.careercloud.com/news/most-competitive-jobs-by-state.
• Salt Lake City is ranked No. 79 in a list of “2021 Best Cities for Outdoor Jobs,” compiled by LawnStarter. It compared the 200 largest employment markets in the U.S. across 26 key factors, from outdoor job opportunities to cost of living to average daily temperature. The top-ranked city is Frisco, Texas. The bottom-ranked city is Fresno, California. Details are at https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/best-cities-for-outdoor-jobs/.
• Utah residents’ 401(k) balances rose 47.6 percent in 2020, according to a new report by LT Trust. Utah’s increase led the nation. That compares with a 30.8 percent increase nationwide. Utah’s average balance was $33,984, compared with $23,022 in 2019. Nationally, employees age 21030 had the largest average balance increase, 77 percent. The 401(k) contributions of men grew 3 percent more than their female counterparts. North Dakota residents saw their balances increase only 11.5 percent, the lowest in the U.S. The full report is at https://www.lttrust.com/blog/covid-19-impact-retirement-savings.
• Utah is ranked No. 36 for gun sales in 2020, according to a study of gun sales from 2000 through October 2020, compiled by SafeHome.org. It used data from the FBI, U.S. Census Bureau and the CDC, among others. Utah sales in 2020 totaled 172,131. Per capita sales were 0.079, also 36th. Since 2000, total sales rose 141 percent, or 32nd among states, while the per capita sales change was 54 percent, or 42nd among states. Nationally, gun sales grew 158 percent since 2000. Since 2000, gun sales have risen in every state, the majority increasing by triple digits. Details are at https://www.safehome.org/data/firearms-guns-statistics/.
• Annual car insurance premiums in Salt Lake City average $1,328, or a rise of about 2 percent from a year ago, according to a “2021 State of Auto Insurance Report” by The Zebra, an insurance comparison site. Car insurance rates are at an all-time high in the U.S. and up 30 percent since 2011. The average premium in Utah is $1,313, below the national average of $1,483. The highest average in Utah is in the 84180 ZIP code, at $1,703. The lowest average is the 84720 ZIP code in Cedar City, at $1,181.
• Summit County leads all Utah counties where people owe the most in taxes, according to a study by SmartAsset. It analyzed IRS data to determine how much money was owed per taxpayer in each U.S. county. Summit County was followed, in order, by Wasatch, Morgan, Washington, Utah, Salt Lake, Davis, Duchesne, Uintah and Grand counties. Details are available at https://smartasset.com/taxes/tax-return-calculator#Utah/taxOwed.
• Moe’s Southwest Grill is Utah’s favorite taco restaurant, followed by Del Taco, El Pollo Loco, Chipotle and Taco Bell, according to a study by TOP Data. It tracked visits to taco chains during the pandemic. Taco Bell is the favorite in the U.S., topping the lists in 22 states. The study also revealed that overall U.S. taco consumption increased by 12.8 percent during the pandemic, although 23 percent of Americans don’t eat tacos at all. Details are at https://topagency.com/report/taco-report/.
EDUCATION/TRAINING
• Nightingale College, a Salt Lake City-based institution offering distance education for prelicensure nursing, has been accepted as a candidate for regional accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). The nonprofit membership organization granted the pre-accreditation status after considering evidence provided by the college during 2020 and a virtual site visit last October. The commission will conduct a follow-up virtual accreditation candidacy visit in early 2022 as well as an in-person site visit to the college’s operations support center when public health conditions allow.
GOVERNMENT
• The Utah Department of Veteran and Military Affairs (UDVMA), through the Utah Veteran Business Resource Center (VBRC), has launched the VBRC Outreach Program, designed to reach all veterans, active duty, reserve, National Guard and spouses (veterans and military) throughout Utah. The mission of the VBRC is to assist them in starting and building their businesses. It takes place through one-on-one meetings and group educational programs. The VBRC has transitioned to offering all these services online via video conferencing. There is no charge for the services. Scheduling a meeting can be completed at the VBRC’s appointment calendar at https://calendly.com/utah-veteran-business-support/1-on-1-business-advising. Once confirmed, the veteran and military member can then choose a phone or video conference meeting.
• The U.S. Small Business Administration is accepting applications for its SBA Emerging Leaders Initiative, an executive-level series intended to accelerate the growth of high-potential small businesses in America’s underserved cities. The training is for established business owners and is not for start-ups or people who are thinking about starting a business. It is open to small-business owners and executives that have annual revenues of at least $250,000; have been in business for at least three years; and have at least one employee, other than themselves. Classes typically begin in April and last seven months. The registration form is at https://interise.org/sbaemergingleaders/utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery. More information is available at emergingleaders@sba.gov.
HEALTHCARE
• Co-Diagnostics Inc., a Salt Lake City-based molecular diagnostics company, has hired Brian Brown as chief financial officer and promoted Jesse Montgomery to chief scientific officer. Reed Benson, former CFO, will remain with the company as general counsel, and Dr. Brent Satterfield, founder and former CSO, will continue his involvement with Co-Diagnostics as head of the Scientific Advisory Board. Brown’s previous experience includes CFO, vice president of accounting and investor relations, and director of finance roles for public and private companies. Montgomery has been the company’s senior vice president of biochemistry, following a career that has included research and bioinformatics scientist positions.
HOUSING
• Nine public housing authorities in Utah will receive more than $3.7 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to make capital investments in their public housing units. More than $34 million was awarded to more than 100 authorities in the six-state Rocky Mountain region. The funds allow the authorities to build, renovate and/or modernize the public housing in their communities. Housing authorities can use the funding to complete large-scale improvements such as replacing roofs or making energy-efficient upgrades to heating system and installing water conservation measures. Authorities receiving grants in Utah include Beaver City Housing Authority, $27,606; Davis Community Housing Authority, $370,483; Housing Authority of Carbon County, $310,971; Housing Authority of Salt Lake City, $506,933; Housing Authority of the City of Ogden, $504,502; Housing Authority of the City of Provo, $645,982; Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake, $1.19 million; St. George Housing Authority, $74,655; and Tooele County Housing Authority, $61,859.
INVESTMENT
• Tamarak Capital, Springville, has added Randy Garn as an operating partner and Aaron DeRose as a venture partner. Garn co-founded the High Performance Institute and serves as a board advisor to many high-growth companies, including Solution Stream, and is also an alumnus of both Brigham Young University and Harvard University. DeRose has been an angel investor, family office partner and fund manager for the past 15 years in Utah. He was a director at Mercato Partners for nearly nine years. As a member of Mercato’s investment committee, he became involved with the boards of Skullcandy, Stance, CradlePoint, Goal Zero and Steelhouse. Since that time, DeRose has been an entrepreneur, CEO and co-founder of Swell Capital. He is currently involved with boards of Kiln, Donde and RIVN. Prior to Mercato Partners, DeRose was a corporate finance manager at Quiksilver Inc.
PHILANTHROPY
• “We’re ‘Hear’ for You,” a 42-day project that started at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, recently included the Ken Garff team helping to transform three spaces at the YWCA campus at 322 E. 300 S., Salt Lake City. Team members renovated an adult group room, childcare room and teen room with paint, electrical upgrades, furniture and more. Nearly 50 employees from Ken Garff Honda Downtown, Ken Garff Nissan Salt Lake City, Ken Garff Hyundai Downtown and Ken Garff Hyundai Southtowne spent over 300 hours on the project. Ken Garff also gave a 2016 Nissan Quest to the YWCA, which had a $10,000 grant for the vehicle.
• Mountain America Credit Union, Sandy, and the Utah Jazz have announced that YWCA Utah is the second recipient of its 2020-21 “Pass It Along” program. In its eighth year, the fan-nominated program awards $5,000 to five local charitable organizations each season. Since its inception in 2013, “Pass it Along” has contributed $190,000 to 38 local nonprofits.
• D.L. Evans Bank has donated $5,000 to the Ogden City Emergency Loan Fund. This fund has helped to preserve many businesses and provides other financial guidance and assistance as needed.
RECOGNITIONS
• Meghan Stettler, a director at the O.C. Tanner Institute, has been named to the Human Resources Director Global 100 list. Now in its second year, and drawing from the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Asia-Pacific and the U.K., the Global 100 recognizes HR executives based on factors such as industry visibility, thought leadership, professional accolades, national outreach, social media presence, content output and organizational initiatives. The O.C. Tanner Institute is a division within Salt Lake City-based O.C. Tanner, a workplace culture improvement company. The institute is a research and education team focused on delivering insights that help people thrive at work. Stettler’s experience includes serving as the lead energy diplomat for the state of Utah and being a journalist for several media companies. Her education includes a dual BFA from Brigham Young University and an executive certificate in global business from Salt Lake Community College.
• The top 20 teams in the 2021 Utah Entrepreneur Challenge business model competition have been announced. Teams from universities and colleges across Utah are competing for $60,000 in cash and prizes. The next step is online video voting, which is open to the public March 15-26. Winners will be announced online on March 27, following the competition final event. The competition is managed by the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the University of Utah and sponsored by Zions Bank. Finalists are BidMyCrib, UofU; Clean Seat, UofU; Denali Energy, Weber State University; Fill Drinks, Dixie State University; Gaia Technologies, UofU; Hops and Hounds, Utah State University; Judgment Day, Salt Lake Community College; Khalm Skincare, UofU; KoBuss, UofU; Komyt.io, USU; The Mobile Moon Co-op, Westminster College; Morr Décor, Southern Utah University; Powder Soles, USU; RF Rentals, Utah Valley University; Skapa, Brigham Young University; SkiSafe, UofU; Speech Cloud, UofU; StoryTeller, BYU; Tango Brush, Snow College; and uAir, UofU.
SERVICES
• Investment Property Exchange Services Inc. (IPX1031), involved in 1031 Exchange services, has expanded its Mountain Region operation to be managed by Mark Bullock. He has more than 20 years of legal professional experience, including 16 years in the 1031 Exchange industry. Prior to joining IPX1031, Bullock managed all aspects of business growth and client expectations for another national 1031 company.
SPORTS
• Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway will host an IBU Biathlon World Cup event in March 2024. The announcement was made by the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, in partnership with the United States Biathlon Association. It will be the first major senior international Biathlon World Cup competition at Soldier Hollow since February 2019 and only the second senior Biathlon World Cup event to be held at the venue since 2001. Soldier Hollow will also host the IBU Youth & Junior World Championships Biathlon in February and March 2022.
TECHNOLOGY/LIFE SCIENCES
• Domo, an American Fork-based business cloud company, has hired Vita Shannon as vice president of partnerships and ecosystem and Shelley Morrison as vice president of demand center. Shannon has years of experience in business development and partner strategy, most recently serving as the senior director of advisory services at KPMG. Prior to KPMG, she was at Oracle, where she led two of Oracle’s largest international co-sell and re-sell relationships. Morrison joins Domo from Accenture Interactive, where she established demand programs for large B2B tech companies. Beyond her proficiency in demand engines, she’s also architected growth strategies that united internal marketing and sales efforts, and created and led large, high-performing teams that generated consistent double-digit revenue growth year over year.