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ACCOUNTING
- Eide Bailly, a national certified public accounting and business advisory firm, has announced that Bessolo Haworth, a full-service accounting and financial services firm with offices in the Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle areas, will become part of Eide Bailly on Oct. 23. The union will bring five partners and 20 staff into Eide Bailly and extend the firm’s footprint in California and the Greater Seattle area. Eide Bailly has over 3,300 employees, including CPAs and business advisors.
AGRICULTURE
- The Utah Farm Bureau has named Jaron Hansen of Emery County as Eastern Regional manager. Hansen will cover Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery, Grand, Sanpete, San Juan, Sevier and Uintah counties. Hansen grew up in Elmo and worked on his family’s sheep and cattle ranch in Cleveland, in Emery County. Hansen also has been involved in local political affairs. He has been studying psychology at Salt Lake Community College and is finishing his program remotely.
ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT
- SAG-AFTRA has announced the results of its Arizona-Utah local elections. Billy Holden is vice president of Utah. Chad Wright is a local board member from Utah. The newly elected leaders will be installed in office Sept. 8. SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 people in the entertainment and media industries.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
- The number of gig workers in Utah increased 137 percent from 2019 to 2021, according to a study by Agents Only. It analyzed income claimed on 1099 tax forms. The nation growth was 168 percent. All states experienced an increase. The largest growth was in Mississippi, at 445 percent.
- Salt Lake City is ranked No. 46 and Provo is No. 53 on a list of cities where it is the most expensive to buy a house, compiled by Scholaroo It analyzed housing affordability of 152 cities.
- The median rent in Utah in August was $1,631, down about 5 percent from a year earlier, according to national resource Rent. That was the fourth-highest decrease in the U.S. For comparison, South Dakota rents were down 22.61 percent. The median rent in Salt Lake City was $1,890, down 3.51 percent from a year earlier. Details are at https://www.rent.com/research/average-rent-price-report/.
- Utahns feel “chronically stressed” when they have debts of more than $22,500, according to a study by personal finance website Well Kept Wallet. It studied the amounts in each state in which debt becomes so significant that it starts to induce anxiety. The highest figure is in Delaware, at $41,667. The lowest is in South Dakota, at $4,000. Details are at https://wellkeptwallet.com/debt-anxiety-index/.
- Salt Lake City International Airport had the fifth-most-expensive domestic flights in the U.S. earlier this year, according to a report by SmartAsset. Airfare averaged $449 in January. SmartAsset analyzed Bureau of Transportation data for 72 of America’s largest airports, comparing prices between January 2022 and January 2023. The price of Salt Lake City flights increased 18 percent during that time, among the top 25 highest airfare increases in the U.S. Airfare costs increased by 16 percent on average across the U.S. Domestic airfare in this year’s first quarter averaged $382, up from $328 a year before. The only airport with 100,000 or more passengers in 2022 that saw a price decrease was Kahului Airport in Hawaii. Miami International Airport flight prices increased by 31 percent year over year, from $281 to $368. Flights from Anchorage, Alaska, were most expensive at an average of $508. Washington Dulles International’s average was $487. Details are at https://smartasset.com/data-studies/airfare-cost-increases-q1-2023.
- The most popular family destination in Utah this summer was Washington, according to Airbnb. Overall, family trips booked on Airbnb in the first half of 2023 increased nearly 10 percent compared to the same period last year. Details are at https://news.airbnb.com/how-and-where-families-are-traveling-on-airbnb-this-summer/.
- Five Utah cities are on a list of “Best Cities for Rooftop Dining,” compiled by Roof Gnome. They are No. 71 Salt Lake City, No. 192 Orem, No. 214 St. George, No. 231 Provo and No. 306 Sandy. Roof Gnome compared over 360 of the biggest U.S. cities based on three categories, including number of rooftop restaurants, consumer ratings, and climate for outdoor dining. The top-ranked city is New York City. The No. 362 city is Auburn, Alabama. Details are at https://roofgnome.com/blog/studies/best-cities-rooftop-restaurants/#rankings.
- Salt Lake City is ranked No. 87 on a list of “Most Vulnerable Cities for Rat Infestation,” compiled by Pest Gnome. It compared over 150 of the biggest U.S. cities based on five categories, including residents’ dissatisfaction with their city’s garbage disposal, the number of restaurants per square mile, and access to exterminators. The top-ranked city is New York City. The No. 152 city is Virginia Beach, Virginia. Details are at https://pestgnome.com/blog/studies/most-vulnerable-cities-rat-infestation/#rankings.
- Salt Lake City is ranked No. 22 and West Valley City is No. 168 on a list of places where bicyclists feel safe, commissioned by personal injury law firm Bisnar Chase and conducted by Cherry Digital. The top-ranked city is Virginia Beach, Virginia. The No. 250 city is Columbus, Georgia. Details are at https://www.bestattorney.com/safe-cycling/.
- Salt Lake City is ranked No. 49 and West Valley City is No. 194 on a list of “Best Cities for Dog Lovers,” compiled by LawnStarter. It compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on 28 indicators of puppy love, such as access to dog-friendly housing and businesses, suitability of dog walking, and affordability of canine services. The top-ranked city is Orlando, Florida. The No. 200 city is Paterson, New Jersey. Details are at https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/best-cities-dog-lovers/#rankings.
DIVIDENDS
- The board of directors of Extra Space Storage Inc., Salt Lake City, has declared a dividend of 61 cents per share of common stock. The dividend will be paid Sept. 29 to stockholders of record Sept. 15. The company previously paid a dividend of $1.01 per share of common stock July 19, 2023, prior to its merger with Life Storage Inc. The company expects to return to its historical practice of paying a single quarterly dividend during the fourth quarter of 2023. Extra Space Storage Inc. is a real estate investment trust that owns and/or operates 2,438 self-storage properties, making it the largest operator of self-storage properties in the United States.
EDUCATION
- Salt Lake Community College has named Bob Whittaker as executive director of development and the SLCC Foundation. His more than 20 years of experience includes growing gift revenue, engaging internal and external stakeholders as partners, establishing metric-based systems and practices, and empowering staff and volunteers. Whittaker previously served as dean of institutional advancement at Lyndon State College in Lyndonville, Vermont, and vice president of institutional advancement at William James College in Newton, Massachusetts. He also served as associate director of foundation and corporate relations at Westminster College and as director of foundations and planned giving for Utah Symphony and Opera. His education includes a Master of Science degree from Utah State University.
ENVIRONMENT
- The Salt Lake City Department of Airports has published its annual Environmental, Social and Governance Report, which highlights airport efforts to minimize negative environmental impacts and adhere to the highest standards in creating a more sustainable airport. The report indicates that the airport achieved a decrease in overall energy use by converting to LED lighting, using off-site renewable energy sources and on-site solar arrays; required airlines to transition to electric belt loaders, baggage tugs and push-back tractors; reduced aircraft taxi times through The New SLC airport’s parallel concourse design; added EV charging stations for private and airport-related vehicles; installed low-flow and sensor-based water fixtures to reduce consumption by about 40 percent; recycled deicing fluids; planted drought-tolerant landscaping; reduced single-use plastics through the installation of water bottle refill stations; and diverted 90 percent of construction waste from landfills through reuse and recycling.
HEALTHCARE
- The One Utah Health Collaborative has announced a task force to set state’s first healthcare spending growth target. It consists of members from its Community Stakeholder Board. A report detailing the target and other key decisions will be delivered to Gov. Spencer Cox by year-end. The task force will meet five times between now and December to participate in the development of a healthcare spending recommendation for the state, with assistance from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. The task force is co-chaired by Commissioner Jon Pike of the Utah Department of Insurance, and Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance. Other members are Rob Allen, president and CEO, Intermountain Health; Greg Angle, president, HCA Healthcare; Scott Barlow, CEO, Revere Health; Jim Dunnigan, Utah House of Representatives; Dr. Michael L. Good, CEO, University of Utah Health; Brandon Hendrickson, president, Molina Healthcare; Rob Hitchcock, president and CEO, SelectHealth; Aadam Hussain, interim president, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah; Dr. Mike Kennedy, Utah state senator; Chet Loftis, managing director, PEHP Health and Benefits; Dr. Mary Pennington, president and CEO, Granger Medical Clinic; Alan Pruhs, executive director, Association for Utah Community Health; Jim Sheets, group president, CommonSpirit; Matt Slonaker, executive director, Utah Health Policy Project; Jen Strohecker, Medicaid director, Utah Department of Health and Human Services; and Chad Westover, CEO, University of Utah Health Plans. Cox last year launched the collaborative, a community-owned nonprofit, designed to improve the trajectory of healthcare in the state.
- Select Health, a Salt Lake City-based nonprofit health plan, and Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co., have announced a co-branding relationship for Medicare Advantage plan offerings, effective Jan. 1. The new co-branded plans will be offered in select counties in four states across the Mountain West, including Utah. The plan offerings are designed to increase access to options and services that promote health and wellness and provide customer savings on groceries and prescription medications.
HOUSING
- Mill Creek Residential, a developer, owner-operator and investment manager specializing in premier rental housing across the U.S., has expanded into Utah and the Greater Salt Lake City market. The regional office in Salt Lake City will mark the company’s 21st in the U.S. Tyler Greene will serve as the managing director of development for the new market, which will encompass the greater Salt Lake area, and will lead the regional office. Greene has over two decades of experience in the real estate industry as a principal, commercial broker, brokerage company owner and developer. He began his real estate career in Salt Lake City with Colliers International and consulted for a variety of Fortune 500 companies. He then served as the principal and founder of Las Vegas-based Bridge Properties Group, which serves the Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah markets. Greene also served as founding partner of multifamily and hospitality developer Surface Development and has extensive experience in the Salt Lake City and greater western-U.S. markets. His experience also includes a 12-year stint as co-founder of GreeneWaters. Greene studied accounting and entrepreneurialism at the University of Utah.
INVESTMENTS
- Nodal Power, a Salt Lake City-based company that develops and operates renewable energy power plants, has raised $13 million in funding to mitigate methane emissions at landfills. The seed round was led by Utah’s Spacestation Investments, including many Utah angels such as Clarke Miyasaki, Chris Bennett, Shaun McBridge, Sean Holladay, Kirk Ouitment, Tyler Stample, Reno Mendenhall, Davis Bess, Beau Oyler, the Tripps and Dedricksons, and Greg Woodward. Other investors and business leaders joined the funding round. The company hopes to have in early 2024 its third U.S. site to produce renewable electricity from methane gas generated by the decomposition of organic waste at landfills.
- VirnetX Holding Corp., based in Nevada, has signed an agreement for an equity investment in OmniTeq, a prominent provider of customized military and government artificial intelligence solutions. OmniTeq recently announced a headquarters move from Texas to Layton. VirnetX said it takes an equity position in OmniTeq and will become the exclusive provider of cybersecurity solutions for OmniTeq’s AI offerings. OmniTeq will sell VirnetX’s Matrix and War Room products to its customers.
LAW
- Esquire Law, an Arizona-based personal injury law firm, has expanded with an office at 310 S. Main St., Suite 300, Salt Lake City. Leading the Utah office is Alan Beal, a trial attorney with several years of experience.
OUTDOOR RECREATION
- Deer Valley Resort, Alterra Mountain Group and EXTELL Development recently announced that Deer Valley will operate the new Mayflower Mountain Resort. Once the full expansion is complete, Deer Valley will have 5,726 skiable acres, compared to its current total of 2,026 skiable acres. In addition to more than doubling the acreage, this expansion will result in 37 total lifts, including a 10-person gondola (compared to the 21 lifts currently at the resort) and over twice the number of runs, from 103 to 238. The expansion will make Deer Valley the third-largest resort in the U.S. and marks the largest expansion and new development of its kind in nearly 50 years. The ski-only expansion of Mayflower will be partially open starting winter 2024-25 and fully open by winter 2025-26.
- The first phase of trail building is currently underway at Solitude Mountain Resort’s Bike Park. The four new trails, designed by Gravity Logic, are scheduled to be ready to ride on Sept. 8. They range from “green circle” (easier) to “black diamond” (most difficult). The trails will be accessed via Moonbeam Express.
- Powder Mountain has hired Katie Van Riper as director of marketing and Justin Soine as director of sports and recreation. Van Riper has more than 15 years of experience related to ski resorts, snowsports brands, and real estate/hospitality, including five years at Visit Salt Lake, where she oversaw the development of the Ski City brand. Soine will oversee Powder Mountain’s ski school, training programs, adventure center and the recreational activities offered on the mountain. He joins Powder Mountain from Park City Mountain Resort, where he served as the ski school general manager overseeing Canyons Village. His nearly 20-year career in ski school management also includes a number of years as ski school director at Afton Alps and as the training manager at Breckenridge Ski Resort.
- Promontory Club, Park City, recently celebrated the unveiling of The Hills, the community’s third golf course, which will be complemented by a new clubhouse and Sage, a modern Italian restaurant. The Hills is an 18-hole course with all par-3 holes. Along with the new course, clubhouse and Sage, there will be four indoor golf simulator bays with Trackman technology. It also includes an 18-hole putting course, a full practice facility and on-range golf academy complete with multiple hitting bays and a TaylorMade Fitting Center. Promontory is a 7,200-acre recreational, private mountain community that consists of 1,924 total homesites, with 850 homes built.
PARTNERSHIPS
- PEG Property Group, the multifamily and commercial property management arm of PEG Companies, is partnering with Lavanda, a leading short-stay platform, to offer short-stay visits at two new multifamily properties, Paperbox Lofts and Seven O2 Main Apartments. Using Lavanda’s platform, PEG will launch short-stay services for the first time at those Salt Lake City apartment communities. PEG also will expand its reach by using online platforms such as booking.com and Airbnb as additional distribution channels for its short-stay inventory.
PHILANTHROPY
- Supplemental Health Care, a Salt Lake City-based healthcare staffing company, has announced its continued philanthropic partnership with Hope Builders for the third consecutive year. By partnering, SHC is supporting Hope Builders’ programs to help trainees as they transition into entry-level healthcare jobs. This year, Supplemental Health Care will sponsor of Hope Builders’ “10 Days for Launching Careers” fundraiser and support the organization’s mission to help young adults find meaningful careers. The SHC team has also volunteered for mock interviews throughout the year to help program graduates practice interviewing skills and build confidence in their job search.
RECOGNITIONS
- Three Utah companies are on a list of “Companies That Care,” compiled by People magazine. They are No. 62 Lucid Software Inc., South Jordan; No. 77 Ultradent Products Inc., South Jordan; and No. 91 Teleperformance, Salt Lake City. The list is of 100 companies that “go above and beyond for their employees, their communities, and the world around them.”
TECHNOLOGY
- Pluralsight, a Draper-based technology workforce development company, has appointed Greg Ceccarelli as chief product officer and Robert Petrocelli as chief technology officer. Ceccarelli most recently served two years as executive vice president and general manager of Pluralsight Flow, Pluralsight’s software delivery intelligence tool that enables software teams to get unmatched visibility into workflows in order to accelerate product development. He has more than a decade of technology, strategic and operational leadership experience at Google, Dropbox and GitHub. Petrocelli has more than 30 years of experience, most recently serving as CTO of Intelerad. Before that, he served as CTO of Datto. His experience also extends to founding both cardiac PACS pioneer Heartlab, which he successfully ran for over 10 years, and GreenBytes, a storage optimization company focused on hyper efficient data reduction using novel data deduplication technology.
- Waystar Technologies Inc., a Louisville-based provider of leading healthcare payment technology and with an office in Lehi, has announced that its parent company, Waystar Holding Corp., has submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the proposed initial public offering of the parent company’s common stock. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined. Waystar expects to use the proceeds of the offering for general corporate purposes, which may include the repayment of indebtedness.