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ECONOMIC INDICATORS
• Three Utah neighborhoods are on a list of “Best Places for Outdoor Dining,” compiled by business financing company Advance Funds Network and based on a survey. They are 9th & 9th in Salt Lake City, ranked No. 100 nationally; No. 120 Historic Downtown Moab; and No. 133 Park City Main Street. The top spot nationally is Santa Fe Plaza in New Mexico. Details are at https://advancefundsnetwork.com/top-150-neighborhoods-in-the-u-s-for-outdoor-dining-2025-survey/.
• Thirteen percent of U.S. employees say their employer offers hearing benefits, part of the findings from the fifth annual Hearing Loss in the Workplace Survey by TruHearing, a Draper-based hearing health care benefits company. Ninety-three percent of employees believe it is important for employers to offer hearing benefits. Ninety-one percent of respondents believe that hearing benefits belong in employer benefit packages. Almost half of U.S. employees (40 percent) now report experiencing at least some degree of hearing difficulty. Eighty-seven percent report that hearing loss would impact their ability to do their job in some capacity.
• Utah parents, on average, are charging their grown children 4.4 percent on loans, according to a survey by financial media company MarketBeat.com. That is below the national average of 5.1 percent. The highest average is 6.8 percent in Nebraska and Oregon. The lowest is 2 percent in Delaware and West Virginia. Details are at https://www.marketbeat.com/originals/which-states-have-the-highest-interest-rates-on-family-loans/.
• Salt Lake City, at No. 40 nationally, is the highest-ranked Utah location on a list of “Best Cities for a Meaty Cookout,” compiled by Lawn Love. It considered 15 metrics. The lowest-ranked Utah city is No. 359 West Valley City. The top-ranked city overall is Raleigh, North Carolina. Details are at https://lawnlove.com/blog/best-cities-outdoor-grilling/.
• Three Utah routes are on a list of “Best Hidden Gem Road Trips,” compiled by Gunther Kia and based on a survey. They are Great Basin Desert Circuit in Delta, ranked No. 88 nationally; No. 101 High Alpine Scenic Loop in Heber City; and No. 107 Capitol Reef and Backcountry Loop in Torrey. The top-ranked route overall is the Olympic Peninsula Rainforest Circuit in Washington. Details are at https://www.guntherkia.com/rustic-routes.html.
EVENTS
• ULI (Urban Land Institute) Utah has announced that its annual Trends Conference will take place Nov. 12, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City, 170 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City. The event gathers industry leaders, innovators and investors exploring what’s next in housing, retail, capital markets and real estate innovation. The cost until Oct. 10 ranges from $190 to $375. Thereafter, the cost ranges from $230 to $440. Details are at https://utah.uli.org/events-2.
• BioUtah has announced that its 2025 Utah Life Sciences Summit will take place Nov. 12 at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center, 255 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City. The keynote speaker is Melissa Holyoak, a commissioner of the FTC and a nationally recognized leader in consumer protection and constitutional law. The cost through Oct. 5 is $250 for BioUtah members, $350 for nonmembers and $100 for students. Registration can be completed at https://whova.com/portal/registration/fdTGHWyCpFkE0v72xlaH/.
• 47G, Utah’s aerospace and defense industry association, has announced that the Zero Gravity Summit will take place Nov. 4-5 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. The technology and national security summit is presented in partnership with Torus and Strider Technologies. Themes are defense tech, advanced air mobility, new space economy, and energy production and grid security. The event will feature more than 150 exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge technologies and solutions. The cost is $650 through Oct. 24, $750 thereafter. Details are at https://zerogravitysummit.com/.
• The One Utah Summit, presented by the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, will take place Oct. 6-8 at Southern Utah University in Cedar City. “Emergence Day” is Oct. 6 and costs $125. The main summit day is Oct. 7, 9 a.m.-4:45 p.m. “Leadership Day” is Oct. 8, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Location is Southern Utah University in Cedar City. The summit cost is $350. Details are at https://oneutahsummit.utah.gov/.
INVESTMENTS
• Saigon Hustle, a Vietnamese fast-casual concept started in Houston, has announced a partnership with Savory Fund, a Lehi-based private equity firm focused on the restaurant industry, and Virentese Partners Group to expand through a 24-unit franchise deal across Florida, Tennessee and the Carolinas. Virentes Partners Group is investing both as a franchisee and at the corporate level. Saigon Hustle joined Savory Fund’s portfolio in 2021 after winning the firm’s “Million-Dollar Restaurant Launch” and has since grown into a two-location concept. Over the next two years, Saigon Hustle plans to triple its corporate store footprint and aims to sign franchise agreements in key markets with proven multi-unit operators. Virentes was advised in the transaction by John Goldasich of The Montclair Group LLC and Marks & Klein, its legal counsel. Savory was advised in the transaction by Mayer Brown.
PARTNERSHIPS
• Neighbor, a Lehi-based marketplace for self-storage, vehicle storage and parking, has announced a partnership with Self Storage Manager, a management software platform for single- and multi-facility self-storage operators. This integration enables SSM customers to seamlessly list their available units on Neighbor’s marketplace. SSM offers software designed to streamline operations, enhance tenant engagement, and support growth. Options include property management software, online rentals, call center and call tracking tools, IVR payments, text messaging, customer portals, mobile site walk-throughs, Power BI dashboards, and API integrations.
• French in vitro diagnostics company bioMérieux, which has its North American headquarters in Salt Lake City, has announced a partnership with OhioHealth Partners and the OhioHealth Microbiology Laboratory, with the latter becoming a Global Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Center of Excellence. The bioMérieux AMS Center of Excellence aims to improve AMS and slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance, a growing global public health threat. OhioHealth is the first regional healthcare system in the AMS Center of Excellence network, covering more than 50 of the 88 counties in Ohio. Through the partnership, bioMérieux will provide its expertise in advanced diagnostic technologies, IT and lab automation, as well as training and quality management support.
PHILANTHROPY
• D.L. Evans Bank, based in Idaho, has announced the winners of the 2025 D.L. Evans Bank Education Pays Program. This year, the bank has rewarded nine students in Idaho and Northern Utah with laptops for excelling in their core classes. Taytum Olsen is a winner in Northern Utah.
• The Promontory Foundation recently hosted its annual grant reception, “The Happiest Hour,” in Park City, during which grants were awarded to nonprofit organizations serving the Wasatch Back and Front. Thirty-five organizations were granted a total of $330,000. Founded in 2006, the vision of the Promontory Foundation is to provide opportunities for everyone to give in both deeply personal and truly collaborative ways. Since its inception, its contribution has totaled more than $8.9 million for local nonprofits, with $3.2 million in grants and $5.7 million in matching requirements.