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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT
• The Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (Go Utah) board, at its July meeting, approved a cash rebate incentive of up to $73,000 for Mine Miracle LLC for its production of “Miracle at the Mine,” a family feature. The production is expected to spend $491,737 in Utah and employ 25 cast, 47 crew and 60 extras. Principal photography is scheduled for Oct. 11-25 in Utah County. The faith-promoting film will tell the story of the search for a 10-year-old boy. Garrett Batty is director and producer.
ASSOCIATIONS
• Robert Schmidt, president of PEG Development, recently became chair for the Utah District Council of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Utah. As chair, Schmidt will guide the efforts of a 20-person Advisory Board and a 15-person Management Committee that runs 20-plus events a year, including the Trends Conference. Schmidt has served on the organization’s board, has served as the Trends chair and most recently as the chair of mission advancement. He joined PEG Development in 2005 and has worked in many different capacities over the years, including project management, overseeing development, financing, equity raise, and real estate operations. Schmidt earned a B.S. in civil engineering from Utah State. Schmidt succeeds Ibi Guevara, vice president of business development and marketing of Hunt Electric, who served in that role since July 1, 2019. Guevara will continue to serve as the governance chair for the next two years on ULI’s Management Committee.
• ChamberWest has named Monica Gayden-Sadr as director of business development and events. She has a background in sales, being employed in the hotel industry for much of her professional career, most recently as the dual director of sales at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott and Hampton Inn by Hilton in West Valley City. She has been a ChamberWest member since 2015, serving as chair of the Women in Business Committee and as a committee member on both the golf committee and the gala committee.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
• Utah is ranked No. 8 on a list of “America’s Top States for Business,” compiled by CNBC. It scored all 50 states on 88 metrics across 10 categories of competitiveness. Utah was ranked No. 8 for workforce; No. 32 for infrastructure; No. 17 for cost of doing business; No. 6 for economy; No. 29 for life, health and inclusion; and No. 26 for tech and innovation. The top-ranked state is North Carolina. The bottom-ranked state is Mississippi. Details are at topstates.cnbc.com.
• Utah is ranked No. 8 on a list of top states to own an electric car, a list compiled by SmartAsset. It analyzed data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia to uncover the best places to own an electric vehicle. The data included the estimated annual fuel savings (the difference between gas for a fuel car and the electricity cost of charging an electric car at home, the number of EV charging stations per 1,000 road miles, the number of charging ports per 100 EVs, the number of EV incentives, Minimum annual fees on owning EVs, and the percentage of cars that are EVs. Utah has roughly 11,200 EVs, or 1.26 percent of all car registrations. Owners have an average estimated annual savings of $2,104, 16.81 charging ports per 100 EVs, roughly eight charging stations for every 1,000 road miles, and nearly 17 charging ports for every 100 electric vehicles. Utah also has seven state incentives for owning electric vehicles. The top-ranked state is California. The bottom-ranked state is Alabama. Details are at https://smartasset.com/data-studies/best-states-to-own-an-electric-vehicle-2022.
• Salt Lake City is ranked No. 22 on a list of “2022’s Best Cities for Hipsters,” compiled by LawnStarter. It ranked the 200 largest U.S. cities on 30 metrics, including access to thrift stores, farmers markets, and vinyl to unicycle- and morning rave-friendliness. On a breakout list, Salt Lake City is No. 5 for being urban gardening-friendly. The top-ranked city overall is New York City. The No. 200 city is Sunrise Manor, Nevada. Details are at https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/most-hipster-cities/.
• The average Utahn would sell their personal data for $919.75, according to a survey by CouponBirds. It assessed the exact amount at which they would be willing to sell their online shopping data if it were hypothetically possible. The U.S. average is $1,452.25. Colorado led the list, at $2,820.67. Tennessee was at the bottom of the list, at $623.04. Details are at https://www.couponbirds.com/research-center/data/how-much-are-shoppers-willing-to-sell-their-personal-data.
• Utah is ranked last on a list of how consumer-friendly their sports betting markets are, a list compiled by the Consumer Choice Center. Sports betting is illegal in Utah and 14 other states. The center said New Jersey has generated $229.1 million in state tax revenue and $1.8 billion in sportsbook revenue since its legal market was launched. Details are at https://consumerchoicecenter.org/united-states-sports-betting-index/.
• Ogden, Salt Lake City and Provo are tied for No. 3 nationally on a list of the least amount of gasoline that could be purchased with an hour of minimum-wage work, a ranking by MRO. Using data from the U.S. Department of Labor and GasBuddy, MRO divided the minimum wage in each state by the mean gas price in 100 cities in April to determine how much gas a minimum wage worker could buy with one hour of work. Residents of those three Utah cities could purchase 1.62 gallons. The report indicated that minimum-wage workers in those cities cannot afford to purchase even two gallons of gas with the money they make in an hour and that purchasing a full, 12-gallon tank of gas would require 85 percent or more of a minimum wage worker’s daily pay. The smallest amount is in Atlanta, at 1.36 gallons. The highest amount is in Springfield, Massachusetts, at 3.54 gallons. Details are at https://www.mroelectric.com/blog/comparing-gas-prices-to-minimum-wage-across-america/.
• Morgan County leads Utah counties with the most generous residents, according to a study by SmartAsset. It measured how much money people donate as a percentage of their net income, as well as the proportion of people in each county who make charitable donations. Morgan County was followed, in order, by Utah, Wasatch, Davis, Summit, Washington, Cache, Salt Lake, Rich and Juab counties. Details are at https://smartasset.com/retirement/financial-advisor#Utah/mostGenerousPlaces-2.
• Utahns were among the most-guilty of panic buying during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study by Cherry Digital, a public relations and content marketing agency. It based its rankings on the number of Google searches for “toilet paper” in March 2020, compared to March 2019. Utah had the eighth-highest increase, at 6,054 percent. The largest increase was in Arizona, at 1,115 percent. The smallest was in Alaska, at 1,234 percent. Details are at https://www.cherrydigital.co/roll-of-shame-usa/.
EVENTS
• Impartner, a South Jordan-based company focused on channel management technologies, has announced the return of ImpartnerCon, the company’s annual customer summit. For the past two years, the company has hosted virtual events for channel chiefs and the channel industry. ImpartnerCon will take place Oct. 19-21 in Salt Lake City.
GOVERNMENT
• Katelin Roberts has been appointed to the board of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (Go Utah). The board consists of 15 members appointed to four-year terms by Gov. Spencer J. Cox with the advice and consent of the Utah Senate. The board helps promote and encourage the state’s economic, commercial, financial, industrial, agricultural and civic welfare. Roberts is the executive director of BioHive, a public-private nonprofit tasked with growing Utah’s life sciences and healthcare innovation industry. Before BioHive, Roberts was CEO of a venture-backed Utah medical device startup. She has also worked in various manufacturing and operations roles in aerospace and the consumer packaged goods industries. Roberts is currently an investment partner at MedMountain Ventures, a seed-stage healthcare venture capital fund based in Salt Lake City. Roberts is replacing Andrea Moss on the Go Utah Board.
HEALTHCARE
• Eliksa Therapeutics, a regenerative medicine company with locations in Pennsylvania and Salt Lake City, has launched with investments from the University of Utah and Militia Hill Ventures to develop and commercialize multiple clinical programs using the regenerative medicine technology developed at the UofU. Dr. Armen Karamanian is co-founder, president and CEO of Eliksa Therapeutics. Eliksa builds on the legacy of the UofU’s CellReGen, a facility established in 2005 as a center for clinical and research applications. Many of those on the CellReGen team will assume roles with Eliksa or engage with the company as scientific advisors, including John Phillips, director of cell therapy and regenerative medicine. The Eliksa spin-out was facilitated by the UofU’s Partners for Innovation, Ventures, Outreach & Technology Center.
• Ward MD, Salt Lake City, has announced that Dr. Caitlin Iorio of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, will be its second fellow since launching the Intermountain West’s first facility plastic surgery fellowship program. Iorio will train under Dr. P. Daniel Ward as this year’s fellow in the program, which is sponsored by the Educational and Research Foundation for the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Post-Residency Specialty Education. It provides training in facial plastic surgery to surgeons who have completed their residencies and are seeking further subspecialty expertise in rhinoplasty, aging face surgery, hair transplantation and injectables.
• Nomi Health, an Orem-based direct healthcare company, has opened its first location for infant and pediatric COVID vaccine services at West Valley City Centennial Park, 5405 W. 3100 S., West Valley City. COVID testing is also available at this location, free of cost, although Nomi’s staff is requesting insurance card information, when available.
• Carterra Inc., a Salt Lake City-based company focused on label-free, high-throughput antibody screening and characterization, has joined the Tetra Partner Network. The action is designed to provide scientists to achieve greater velocity and scientific insights when analyzing the potential of antibodies as drug candidates. TetraScience is a Boston-based research and development data cloud company.
INVESTMENTS
• Continuum, a Salt Lake City-based company, has raised $12 million in a Series A round, led by Pelion Venture Partners, with participation from Uncork Capital, Day One Ventures and angel investors. Founded in 2020, Continuum connects VC-backed and high-growth startups with VC-experienced executives and leaders. It also offers a backend operation system to deal with payment, compensations strategy and talent acquisitions for executives.
LAW
• Erik A. Christiansen has been sworn-in as president-elect of the Utah State Bar. He will serve as president-elect from July 2022 through July 2023, after which he will serve as president of the Utah State Bar from July 2023 through July 2024. Christiansen is a shareholder and bet-the-company litigator at Salt Lake City-based Parsons Behle & Latimer, with more than 30 years’ experience in high-stakes litigation. Christensen also has served as an adjunct professor of law at his alma mater, the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah.
MANUFACTURING
• Fabral Metal Wall and Roof Systems has opened a nearly 60,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Salt Lake City. It replaces an existing plant in Cedar City. The company said it will provide more space, enhanced features, easier access to its core customer base and a deeper labor pool. The company has eight plants in the U.S. The Salt Lake City plant will primarily manufacture Fabral’s post-frame product lines, including Grandrib panels, 7/8-inch and 2 ½-inch corrugated panels, Mighti-Rib panels, and accessories such as flashing and trim. In addition to the employees relocating from Cedar City, Fabral’s Salt Lake City plant will include 15 new positions.
MILESTONES
• Onset Financial, Draper, said it had $235 million in fundings in the first half of 2022. A $20 million transaction near the end of the second quarter helped propel the company to over $2 billion in all-time fundings.
NONPROFITS
• The HealthTree Foundation, a Lehi-based nonprofit organization helping patients at each step of their disease journey, has changed the name of its myeloma division from Myeloma Crowd to HealthTree Foundation for Multiple Myeloma. Myeloma Crowd launched in 2012 and in 2018 developed a remarkable patient data portal tool called HealthTree Cure Hub, which now has more than 10,000 members. The same founders, staff and programs will continue the HealthTree Foundation’s work. Existing programs with the HealthTree name will continue.
• Warrior Rising, a South Jordan-based veteran entrepreneur nonprofit, has merged with VetToCEO, a Georgia-based veteran nonprofit providing coaching, mentorship and funding to transitioning veterans.
RECREATION
• Snowbasin Resort, Huntsville, has promoted Ryan Woolsey to mountain operations director. He will oversee all aspects of the Snowbasin’s Mountain Operations Department, including lift operations, lift maintenance, ski patrol, snowmaking, grooming, terrain parks, vehicle maintenance and the trail crew. Woolsey has worked at Snowbasin for 20 years, serving in nine positions, including slopes and trails manager, ski patrol director and most recently as health and safety director.
REAL ESTATE
• The Western Distribution Center, 4000 E. Highway 6, Spanish Fork, has been sold by a pair of Tennessee investors to Vesta Realty Partners, Salt Lake City. Financial terms were not disclosed. The center was initially built by the Fingerhut corporation and has 1.1 million square feet. Additional warehouse and distribution space are planned. Colliers announced the sale. Jarrod Hunt, executive vice president of industrial services, represented the seller and buyer and will continue to represent ownership as the exclusive leasing agent.
• The Calida Group, a Nevada-based multifamily real estate developer, is expanding its Elysian Living brand in the western U.S. with five new luxury living communities opening over the next three months. The list includes Ely at American Fork, marking the company’s first property to open outside of Nevada. It is a 320-unit luxury community designed by The Calida Group in partnership with Castlewood Development. The principals of The Calida Group have developed or acquired more than 20,000 multifamily units.
• The Outpost at Conestoga Ranch, a community of 35 luxury alpine lake cabins, has been introduced at Bear Lake by the founders of the Conestoga Ranch glamping resort. Homesites are available, starting this month. The Outpost at Conestoga Ranch will feature a clubhouse, fitness center and restaurant. Construction will begin in the spring. Cabin completion is scheduled for mid-summer 2023. The Outpost’s on-site team will manage the cabins, and owners will be able to generate nightly rental income when not visiting their cabins.
RECOGNITIONS
• MX Technologies Inc., Lehi, and Wisconsin-based Fiserve Inc. are joint recipients of the Tearsheet Data Innovation Award, recognizing the companies as leaders in open finance. MX and Fiserv were recognized for enabling consumers to securely and reliably share financial data with their favorite apps or services through direct connections, eliminating the need to share personal credentials such as usernames and passwords with third parties. The award was presented as part of Tearsheet’s DataDay Awards 2022, which recognize and celebrate the best data products, services and brands powering the modern financial system.
• USANA, a Salt Lake City-based health and wellness products company, was recognized twice recently at the Direct Selling Association Canada conference. Gina Bresciani, director of operations and customer service, received the Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her many years of service, including her leadership as chair of the DSA board for the past two years. USANA was also acknowledged for its achievement in the Code Promotion Initiative as a member company that goes above and beyond to promote DSA’s Code of Ethics. Bresciani began her USANA career in 2005 and currently oversees several different departments in the market, including distribution, warehousing, logistics, purchasing, customer service and human resources. She has also been the chair of the board of directors for DSA Canada since January 2020.
• Instructure, a Salt Lake City-based educational technology company, has announced the winners of its 2022 Educator of the Year Awards in connection with its InstructureCon 2022 edtech conference. The list includes Ronald Miller of Utah Valley University in the professor category. The program recognizes outstanding educators in North America working to embrace remote learning, prepare students for the workforce and support student success and achievement in an evolving education landscape. Miller is a professor in the Strategic Management and Operations Department of the Woodbury School of Business at UVU. Other award winners are (elementary school) Nicole Morton, third-grade teacher, Lake Ridge Elementary School, Woodbridge, Virginia; (middle school) Isidro Legara Jr., eighth-grade teacher, Westridge Middle School, Orange County, Florida; (high school) Ashley Jackson, ninth-grade teacher, Garland ISD, Garland, Texas; (adjunct instructor) Chrystal Trapani, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia; and (assistant/associate professor) Yunlong Shao, New York Institute of Technology, New York City.
RESTAURANTS
• Zulu Piri Piri Chicken Grille, an innovative African-fusion, social impact restaurant, will celebrate the grand opening of its second Utah location to the public at 10709 S. Redwood Road, South Jordan on July 29, with a ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m. Its other restaurant location is in Lehi. A portion of the proceeds from every meal purchased at Zulu Piri Piri Chicken Grille goes toward its Meal-for-a-Meal program, providing a meal for a vulnerable child in Africa through a partnership with Home of Hope for Girls, a South African nonprofit that offers a safe residence to children and teens who have survived abusive situations, predominantly linked to child sex trafficking.
• Samuel Larkpor, principal and manager of SRJ Capital LLC, has signed a three-store development agreement with Wingers Franchising Inc. to bring Wingers Restaurant & Alehouse locations to Oklahoma. A location in Oklahoma City is expected to open in 2023.
SERVICES
• Utah state government has announced a one-time $2,000 bonus for eligible childcare employees across the state. More than 12,000 people, including child care workers, employees, staff, directors and owners, are expected to be eligible for the bonus. Individuals must have a registered account at CareAboutChildCare.utah.gov. Starting July 19, anyone with an account would automatically be sent the bonus application to complete and submit. Applications are due Aug. 31. The state of Utah and the Office of Child Care received over $108 million in Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations. The money went to child care providers for operation grants during the pandemic. The operation grants were replaced last January with stabilization grants for child care providers through September 2023. The state has $20 million left in CRRSA funds to be spent toward childcare worker bonuses.
TECHNOLOGY
• BambooHR, a Lehi-based provider of cloud-based software for human resources, has appointed Brian Crofts as its new chief product officer. He succeeds co-founder and outgoing CPO Ryan Sanders, who will take a step back from daily operations after 14 years to focus his time and attention as co-chair of the company’s board of directors. Crofts has deep experience in bringing B2B products to market, with a focus on growing teams and businesses. He served in CPO roles at both Auditboard and Pendo. Prior to Pendo, he spent 11 years at Intuit.
• RainFocus, a Lehi-based enterprise event marketing platform company, has hired Susan Hanson as chief people officer. A resident of Minneapolis, Hanson has over 20 years of people-leading experience, most recently serving as vice president of human resources for five years for Provation, a provider of clinical documentation healthcare software and SaaS solutions.