Industry Briefs 2-12-24

Industry Briefs are provided as a free service to our readers. Company news information may be sent to brice.w@thecityjournals.com. The submission deadline is one week before publication.

BANKING

• Bank of Utah, based in Ogden, has announced several corporate leadership changes. Cherie Hanson, a 10-year veteran with the bank, has taken on the role of senior vice president of marketing and communications. Hanson has over three decades of marketing and communications experience and earned a communications degree at the University of Utah. Hanson succeeds Roger Christensen, who has retired after a 43-year career in banking, including the past 15 years at Bank of Utah, who served as senior vice president of marketing, communications and business development. Michael Asay is assuming responsibility for syndications and business development. Asay has 34 years of experience. He joined Bank of Utah in March 2023 as senior vice president and commercial lender. Prior to joining Bank of Utah, Asay worked for regional, national and international banks. His background includes commercial and industrial lending to businesses, as well as commercial real estate lending to developers and investors. Asay graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in finance, and is also a United States Air Force Reserves veteran. In the military, he served as an egress technician, maintaining and servicing the seat and canopy ejection system of fighter aircraft.
• Mountain America Credit Union, based in Sandy, has appointed Jennifer Tarazon as director of multicultural engagement. Tarazon will represent the credit union with consulates, media outlets, associations, chambers, underserved and underbanked demographics, and other multicultural bodies and entities. She also will act as lead for a team of professionals from various departments, ensuring seamless collaboration across the organization. Her experience includes professional and volunteer roles at AARP Utah, the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services, Salt Lake County’s Office of Regional Economic Development, PBS Utah, the Suazo Business Center, TELACU Education Foundation and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Tarazon’s education includes graduating from law school at Brigham Young University.

COMMUNICATIONS

• More than 73,530 Utah households could lose access to affordable, reliable high-speed Internet access unless Congress renews funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program, according to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Throughout the U.S., the figure is nearly 23 million. The ACP is the helps pay for households to pay for the high-speed Internet service they need for school, work, health care, and more. The ACP supports eligible low-income households struggling to afford monthly broadband service. As announced in January, ACP funding is currently expected to last through April with only partial support available in May.

CONTESTS

• Applications are being accepted through March 1 for Gov. Spencer Cox’s Startup State Entrepreneur Challenge. All 2023 Utah pitch competition winners, top three finalists, and people’s choice awardees may apply. Companies must be Utah-based and have won or placed in a 2023 pitch competition in Utah. The Utah Innovation Center will convene a panel to score entrepreneur challenge applications and select semifinalists, who then undergo a selection process to identify the top candidates. The top finalists will present at the Startup State Entrepreneur Challenge at the One Utah Summit on April 11. Judges will rank the finalists, and summit attendees will choose a people’s choice winner. In 2023, 10 entrepreneur challenge finalists and semi-finalists received $80,000 in cash prizes. Details are at innovationutah@utah.gov.
• The Utah Office of Tourism has launched the “In Love. In Utah” campaign and contest. It is inviting anyone who has visited, or those aspiring to experience, the Beehive State, to share their stories through the Visit Utah website at visitutah.com/love. The contest, open from Feb. 14-April 15, will have four national winners, each to be awarded a trip to Utah based on their narrative of being "In Love. In Utah."

DIVIDENDS

• The board of directors of Zions Bancorporation, based in Salt Lake City, has declared a regular quarterly dividend of 41 cents per common share. The dividend 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: series A, G, I and J. They are payable March 15 to shareholders March 1. The board also has authorized a share repurchase for fiscal year 2024 of up to $35 million. Zions operates banks in 11 western states.
• The board of directors of LifeVantage Corp., based in Lehi, has approved a quarterly cash dividend of 3.5 cents per share of common stock. The dividend will be paid March 15 to stockholders of record March 1. LifeVantage is a health and wellness company offering nutrigenomic activators, dietary supplements, nootropics, pre- and pro-biotics, weight management, skin and hair care, bath and body, and targeted relief products.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

• A total of 13,832 business deals take place each morning on Interstate 15 through Salt Lake City, according to a study by LawLinq. It surveyed drivers to determine how many admit to working during their commutes on some of the nation’s busiest rush hour routes. The I-15 figure ranks it No. 127 in the nation. I-215 around Salt Lake City is No. 132, with 11,856. I-80 through Salt Lake City is No. 137, with 9,880. The top business-deal highway is Interstate 10 in Los Angeles, with 111,720 people working behind the wheel. Details are at https://www.lawlinq.com/dashboard-deals-survey-reveals-extent-of-commuters-who-work-behind-the-wheel/.
• The average Utahn would surrender three years and 11 months of their life for the opportunity to have a millionaire lifestyle, according to a study by wealthofgeeks.com. The national average is four years and 11 months. The longest time is 7 years and 11 months, in New Hampshire. The lowest is in Indiana and North Dakota, at about half a year. Details are at https://wealthofgeeks.com/how-many-years-of-life-would-people-sacrifice-for-a-millionaire-lifestyle-2024-survey/.
• Utah has the third-lowest increase in the average auto loan amount from the third to fourth quarters of 2023, according to a study by personal-finance website WalletHub. The Utah average auto loan balance fell 1.11 percent during that time. The average balance was $20,179 in the fourth quarter. The average monthly payment was $485. Nationally, the total is nearly $1.6 million, or over $13,400 per households. Details are at https://wallethub.com/edu/states-where-auto-loan-debt-is-increasing-most/132953.
• Six Utah cities are ranked in a list of places with the best pizzerias in the U.S., compiled by Pizzello.com. It looked at the nation’s 500 most populous towns and cities and considered averages Google review scores. Utah cities on the list are No. 51 St. George, No. 108 Ogden, No. 148 Sandy, No. 150 Salt Lake City, No. 182 West Jordan and No. 237 Provo. The top-ranked city in the nation is New York City. Details are at https://pizzello.com/blogs/academy/the-250-best-cities-in-america-for-pizza.
• Thirty-three percent of Utahns believe it is important for the other person to pay on the first date, according to a dating and finances survey by TradersBest. The figure is highest in South Dakota and Hawaii, both at 50 percent. Wyoming’s figure is 4 percent. Details are at https://www.tradersbest.com/news/dating-and-finances/.
• Several Utah counties are on a list of the “most vulnerable counties for extreme winter weather,” compiled by HVAC Gnome. It compared over 440 U.S. counties with relatively high and very high risk of extreme winter weather according to FEMA. It also considered the average historical winter temperature and expected annual financial loss from severe winter weather, among seven total metrics. The highest-ranked Utah county is No. 133 Cache County. The top-ranked county overall is Johnson County, Kansas. Details are at https://hvacgnome.com/blog/studies/most-vulnerable-counties-extreme-winter-weather/.

GOVERNMENT

• Applications are being accepted through March 3 for Salt Lake City’s new round of food equity microgrants. The program, which began in 2023, aims to increase residents’ access to fresh, healthy, affordable and culturally relevant food. Individuals may apply for grants of $250 to grow or raise their own food. Community grants of up to $5,000 are also available to local organizations. The total budget is $50,000. The four main categories of prioritized funding for 2024 projects include growing food, inclusive outreach and communications, dignified food access, and health food environments. Projects led by and serving those who identify as members of groups most negatively impacted by the food system will be prioritized for funding. Individuals and organizations may submit applications through the online form or through a variety of other methods, including a paper form, phone call, video chat, in-person meeting, or an audio or video recording. Details are at www.slc.gov/sustainability/food-equity-grant/.

HEALTHCARE

• Myriad Genetics Inc., a Salt Lake City-based company focused on genetic testing and precision medicine, has appointed Dr. George Daneker Jr. as president and chief clinical officer of oncology, effective March 18. Daneker will be responsible for leading the commercial and clinical strategy to advance Myriad’s oncology portfolio. Daneker has more than 30 years of oncology and precision medicine experience, most recently serving as the system vice president for oncology and medical director of the Oncology Clinical Program at SSM Health. Prior to that, he was the system corporate chief medical officer at City of Hope (Formerly Cancer Treatment Centers of America).
• Halia Therapeutics Inc., based in Lehi, has hired Kevin O’Neill as vice president of product management. O’Neill has over 35 years of drug development experience in areas including hematology/oncology, transplant immunosuppression and auto-immune disorders. He has led cross-functional U.S. and global teams, both in legacy pharmaceutical companies and startups, with a focus on development for launch and life cycle clinical trials.
• Amare Global, a Lehi-based company focused on plant-based, innovative mental wellness solutions, has appointed Oliver Dibbleeas chief growth officer. Dibblee’s experience includes over 15 years in the consumer product goods industry serving in numerous roles, from district sales leader to executive vice president of global sales. Prior to joining Amare, Dibblee served as a vice president of sales. Dibblee earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Utah.

INSURANCE

• PCF Insurance Services, a Lehi-based insurance brokerage, has made several hires and promotions on its senior leadership team. Brooke DeWyzehas joined as chief development officer, with responsibility for driving the company’s M&A strategy, forging industry partnerships, enabling acquisition growth, leading due diligence, and cultivating relationships with prospective agencies and stakeholders. Prior to joining PCF Insurance, DeWyze served as chief operating officer of Moreton & Co. She also spent more than two decades at Leavitt Group. Adam Reedjoined the company as general counsel, providing legal, regulatory and compliance services for the company. He is also responsible for overseeing regulatory and compliance processes related to M&A transactions, including post-close support. Reed comes to PCF Insurance from Reed Law Offices, a law firm he founded and served as managing principal, specializing in outside general counsel and other services to insurance brokerages, including PCF Insurance. Earlier in his career, Reed served as executive vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary at Acrisure, as well as two decades as in-house counsel with increasing responsibility at AIG as general counsel of the personal insurance business. Leslie Greve has joined as vice president of marketing, leading the company’s marketing strategy in driving growth, revenue, partnerships and brand. Greve comes to PCF Insurance from BGZ brands, where she served as chief marketing officer. Jeff Hutchins has been promoted to chief people officer following his tenure as senior vice president of human resources. He continues to lead human capital development at PCF Insurance, as well as the services and programs designed to promote health and wellness, succession planning, learning and training, and more. Rocky Steele has been appointed to senior vice president of operations after leading the company’s legal and compliance function for the past year. In this role, Steele oversees PCF Insurance’s Corporate Analytics, Integrations; Agency Management System (AMS) Migrations, Carrier Relations, Carrier Operations and Compliance teams. Ryan Stradling has been named senior vice president of finance and chief of staff, having served as vice president of finance, shared services, since joining the company in 2021. In his expanded role, Stradling oversees PCF Insurance’s Finance, Accounting, Internal Audit, Payroll and Regional Finance teams, which support the company’s data-driven strategies, operational performance and financial health. Brandon Gray has been promoted to senior vice president and treasurer from vice president of treasury, continuing to lead and expand the company’s investment strategies, financing activities, management of debt compliance, arrangement of funding and driving treasury compliance throughout the organization.

INVESTMENT

• Crewe Capital, a Salt Lake City-based investment bank, has hired Brian Basil as managing director in Michigan as part of its national expansion efforts. Basil has over 25 years of experience, including providing strategic mergers and acquisition advisory services across a range of industries.
• The Utah Innovation Fund, a state-backed venture capital fund, has awarded a total of $700,000 to 3Helix, Rebel Medicine and Inherent Biosciences. 3Helix is a part of the University of Utah’s startup portfolio and aims to address issues arising from damage to collagen, the most abundant protein in the body, leading to problems like arthritis, skin aging, auto-immunity and fibrosis. Rebel Medicine was founded by a UofU graduate and developed Alevatrix as an injectable and long-lasting non-opioid anesthetic for post-operative pain. Inherent Biosciences is a joint development with Brigham Young University and the UofU and seeks to accurately diagnose men who are experiencing infertility and hopes to improve the current standard of care.
• Several Silicon Slopes executives have invested in a $34 million seed round and the acquisition of Fullcast, a company focused on the revenue operations industry. The acquisition includes moving Fullcast’s center of operations from Washington to Utah. The co-founding team featuring Ryan Westwood; Chief Operating Officer Isaac Westwood, Chief Marketing Officer Amy Cook, and Chief Commercial Officer Lance Evanson have invested $8 million in the round.
• Savory, based in Lehi, has entered into a partnership with South Block, based in Virginia, to fuel the expansion of the healthy-for-you concept. Amir Mostafavi, founder and CEO of South Block, will continue on as CEO post-acquisition. South Block specializes in made-to-order smoothies, acai bowls, toasts and cold-pressed juices. It is the first investment in Savory Fund III, which is a $200 million fund focused on the strategic growth of emerging restaurant concepts. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founders Advisors served as a financial advisor to South Block. Mayer Brown served as legal counsel for Savory Fund, and Rees Broome as legal counsel for South Block. Founded in 2011, South Block has 15 locations across Virginia; Washington, D.C.; and Maryland.
• Halia Therapeutics, a Lehi-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering a novel class of small molecule medications designed to combat inflammation, has completed a $30 million Series C financing. It was led by Todd Pedersen, with continued participation from existing investors. The company said proceeds from the financing will be used to support the advancement of Halia’s lead asset, HT-6184 and to support studies for Halia’s alternative programs that are developing Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) inhibitors to treat neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, in addition to building out clinical and regulatory teams further to support the global development of the company’s pipeline.

LAW

• Dentons Durham Jones Pinegar, based in Salt Lake City, has elected its 2024 board of directors, to serve a one-year term: Bradley Cahoon, Elisabeth Calvert, Rick Guerisoli, Jeffrey Jones, Larry Laycock, Todd Leishman, Joshua Little, Sarah Matthews and Matthew Orme. Cahoon is a co-leader of Dentons’ USA Environmental and Mining groups. He is an environmental lawyer who represents clients throughout the United States. He has handled environmental matters affecting complex business transactions in multiple states across the country and internationally. He advises on purchasing, selling, financing and cleaning up contaminated properties, minimizing environmental liability risks, and negotiating pollution insurance. Calvert is a member of the firm’s Corporate practice. She focuses on mergers and acquisitions and acquisition financings, equity and debt offerings, corporate governance and general corporate law matters. Guerisoli is a member of the firm’s Corporate and Real Estate practices. He represents individuals and private and public entities in various business matters. Jones is a member of the firm’s Corporate, Corporate Governance, Mergers and Acquisitions and Venture Technology and Emerging Growth practices. He also serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. Jones represents both public and private companies. Laycock is a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property practice. His litigation practice encompasses patent, trademark, copyright, trade dress, trade secrets, false advertising, unfair competition and related complex litigation. He also has transactional experience. Leishman is a member of the firm’s Corporate, Corporate Governance, Mergers and Acquisitions and Venture Technology and Emerging Growth practices; is managing partner of the Dentons Salt Lake City office and serves on the firm’s Executive Committee and the U.S. Region board of directors. His practice focuses on middle market transactions representing both buyers and sellers. Little is a member of the firm’s Corporate practice and serves as the firm’s president and CEO. He also serves on the firm’s Executive Committee and as a member of Dentons’ Global Board. He advises businesses in meeting their strategic objectives. Matthews is a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property practice and serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. She focuses on patent prosecution and is experienced in intellectual property matters. Orme is a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation and Employment practices. He represents clients in disputes involving a variety of legal issues and has developed a specialty in representing employers against former employees or competitors in matters involving allegations of trade secret misappropriation, theft or infringement of intellectual property and breach of restrictive covenants.

PARTNERSHIPS

• Inherent Biosciences Inc., based in Salt Lake City, and Genomic Prediction Inc., based in New Jersey, have announced a commercial partnership agreement. This collaboration is set to advance male reproductive health by integrating Inherent Biosciences’ Epigenetic Sperm Quality Test into Genomic Prediction’s suite of clinical laboratory tests.

PHILANTHROPY

• The 38th annual “Scouting for Food” food drive is underway. Presented by Bank of Utah, Arctic Circle, Boy Scouts of America, Red Hanger Cleaners, Young Automotive, Yesco, Smith’s, Utah National Guard and Souper Bowl of Caring, it runs through Feb. 29. Utah’s food pantry shelves are in dire need of non-perishable food donations such as chili, soups, canned meats, canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter and boxed meals. Details are at www.utahscouts.org/scoutingforfood.
• The Rotary Club of Murray and the Murray Area Chamber of Commerce are conducting a community foods collection event. Drop-offs can be made Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-noon, at the Murray Children’s Food Pantry, 170 E. 5770 S., Murray. Donors may call (385) 210-1107 to schedule a drop-off of non-perishable and non-expired foods.
• Chartway and the Chartway Promise Foundation has undertaken its “Give With All Your Heart” campaign to help make wishes come true for medically fragile children and their families. The campaign runs through Feb. 29 and invites credit union members and the public to make donations. Members can make donations through their Chartway account in a branch, digital banking or an ITM, while supporters can donate on the foundation website or via Venmo @ChartwayPromise. Each donation of $5 or more delivers a Promise Heart to the children’s hospitals in Chartway’s markets, including Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital of Utah. Chartway has branches in Utah, Texas and Virginia. The foundation awarded more than $1 million in grants to partner organizations in 2023, providing 80 wishes, 30 playsets, 2,500 toy bags for medically fragile children, 400 pairs of eyeglasses, 50 fishing trips, 400 field trips for mobility-challenged children, and more.

REAL ESTATE

• Mōdere, a lifestyle, health and wellness brand of household and beauty and personal care products, has moved its headquarters from Springville to downtown Provo. It secured a 12,919-square-foot lease at Zions Tower, 180 N. University Parkway. It accommodates 100 employees, with a total of 200 employees across all three Utah locations. JLL’s managing director, David Nixon, represented Mōdere. Mountain West Commercial’s Cody Black represented the landlord, PEG Development.
• Jones Lang LaSalle Securities LLC, based in Atlanta, has announced it has structured and placed a $112 million credit tenant lease and equipment financing for a newly completed industrial facility at 6320 W. 300 S., Salt Lake City. JLLS served as the placement agent for the developer, Riverbend Management Inc. The loan allowed the borrower to successfully refinance an existing construction loan in addition to funding over $80 million of equipment manufacturing improvements. Following tenant improvements, the 309,489-square-foot industrial property will be converted to a manufacturing facility. Aside from JLLS, multiple JLL business lines collaborated on the execution, including JLL’s Work Dynamics representing the tenant on the selection of a manufacturing site and JLL’s Product and Development Services serving as construction monitor.
• A newly built, 274,323-square-foot, Class A industrial building in the Mountain View Industrial Park in Salt Lake City has been sold by a joint partnership of a fund advised by Crow Holdings Capital, Gardner Batt and BCG Holdings to an undisclosed global investment manager. Financial terms were not disclosed. The announcement was made by Cushman & Wakefield, which represented the seller. Jeff Chiate, Rick Ellison, Jeffrey Cole, and Matthew Leupold of Cushman & Wakefield’s National Industrial Advisory Group represented the seller. The firm’s Tom Freeman, Travis Healey and Jeremy Terry provided local market advisory and lead leasing efforts for the project. The building is on about 32 acres. Known as Building C, it is part of Phase 2 of the Mountain View Industrial Park, a multi-building, multi-phase warehouse/distribution project totaling approximately 1.26 million square feet. Building C and a 179,400-square-foot Building B were both completed in late 2023. Phase I comprises a new large freestanding Building A totaling 833,280 square feet that was completed in 2022 and was sold to an undisclosed buyer. The partnership had acquired the 92-acre site at 300 South and 5960 West in October 2020.

RECOGNITIONS

• Entrata, a Lehi-based company offering a multifamily industry operating system, has been named a 2024 Influencer in Commercial Real Estate Technology by GlobeSt. The awards program recognizes companies and individuals who provide innovative technology applications for property owners and operators in the multifamily, retail, industrial, office, hospitality and healthcare real estate sectors.
• Vivint Smart Home, a Provo-based smart home brand, has announced that Vivint Smart Lighting has been awarded “Connected Home Product of the Year” in the eighth annual IoT Breakthrough Awards program. The program is conducted by IoT Breakthrough, a market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global IoT market. Vivint Smart Lighting is a lighting solution designed to make homes smarter and safer, and allows users to virtually “rewire” their home without touching a wire.
• The Wellness Center at Red Ledges in Heber has been named “2024 Amenity of the Year” by Golf Inc. magazine, a publication for golf course developers, owners and management company executives. Award entries were judged on efficiency, aesthetics and financial impact. The Wellness Center was designed by Z Design Group, with interior design by Clay Pryor Interiors. Red Ledges’ club operations are managed by Troon Privé, the private club operations division of Troon. In 2021, Golf Inc.named Red Ledges Village Center pool complex as the Amenity of the Year in the aquatics category.
• The top 20 teams have been announced in the High School Entrepreneur Challenge, a business idea competition managed by the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute, a division of the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah, and sponsored by Zions Bank. More than 150 applications were sent in. The challenge is open to high school students ages 14-18 across Utah. They were competing for $30,000 in cash and scholarships. The public is invited to vote online for the best idea, with voting open through March 1 at https://lassonde.utah.edu/hsuec/vote2024/. The final event is scheduled for March 2. Finalist teams are All-In-One Shoe, Hillcrest High School; ApollO2, Stansbury High School; Boxed, Timpanogos High School; GreenDream, GuardianBuddy, Handi and Non-Residual Infusion Bag, all from Skyline High School; Hash Hive Labs Inc., Park City High School; Hopewear, Academy for Math, Engineering & Science; Munk Skateboarding, WarmEars and Weber Rings, all from American Fork High School; Practically Useful, American Preparatory Academy in Draper; Rocket Tutors, West High School; Sailrugs, Herriman High School; SPIRLO and The Pee Ball, both from Weber High School; The Crepe Spot, Cyprus High School; Wasp Barrier, Pleasant Grove High School; and WhimsiSculpt Gardens, Granite Technical Institute.

REDEVELOPMENT

• The Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation has committed to contribute $22 million to Salt Lake City’s Ballpark Next fund, a $100 million community-wide initiative designed to invest into the Ballpark neighborhood. Early last year, the Larry H. Miller Co. announced a new, privately funded baseball stadium for the Salt Lake Bees in South Jordan.

RESTAURANTS

• Goldener Hirsch, Deer Valley, has appointed Senthil Krishnamurthy as executive chef. Krishnamurthy has over two decades of fine-dining experience, including working at the High West Distillery and Saloon in Park City; serving at various positions at Salt Lake City restaurants including One-O-Eight Bistro, The Front Climbing Club and Ashoka Cuisines; and ultimately Goldener Hirsch Restaurant and greater Goldener Hirsch culinary program. He also works as an adjunct professor at Salt Lake Community College.

RETAIL

• Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings Inc., a West Jordan-based outdoor specialty retainer, has appointed Steven R. Becker as an independent member of its board of directors. He will serve as a member of the board’s Nominating and Governance Committee. Becker most recently served in various roles with Tuesday Morning Corp., including as CEO and a member of the board of directors from December 2015 until May 2021, as chairman of the board from July 2012 until September 2015, and as executive chairman and head of the office of the chairman from September 2015 until December 2015. Becker previously spent 20 years in the investment management industry with a focus on investing in middle market public companies. He has extensive public company board experience, having served as a director of a variety of public companies including Hot Topic Inc., PLATO Learning Inc. and Emcore, among others. He was also co-managing partner at Becker Drapkin Management LP, whose predecessor, Greenway Capital, he founded in 2005. With Becker’s addition, more than half of the members of the Sportsman’s Warehouse board have joined since the beginning of 2022, and seven of the company’s nine directors have been appointed within the past five years.
• Pet Wants, a company focused on pet health and wellness, has opened in Layton under Preston and Kassitty Knight, along with children Garrett and Brooklyn. The couple also are franchisees of MaidPro. Founded in 2010, Pet Wants has more than 140 locations across the U.S.

SPORTS

• The Picklr, a Kaysville-based indoor pickleball company, has announced that Drew Brees has joined the company as an ambassador, investor and franchise owner. Brees is a 20-year veteran of the NFL and played quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. He will work to promote the brand and its mission and will become an owner of several facilities and act as the area developer of 30 Picklr franchises throughout Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. He will open his first flagship Picklr location in Indianapolis this year.
• St. George City recently unveiled an upgrade at Little Valley Pickleball Complex that adds nine courts. Located at 2330 Horseman Park Drive, the complex now has 33 courts, making it the largest public pickleball facility in Utah. The expansion includes a championship court with permanent bleacher seating.

TECHNOLOGY

• TruGolf Inc., a Salt Lake City-based developer of golf simulator software and hardware, has become a publicly traded company, with shares trading on Nasdaq. TruGolf and Deep Medicine Acquisition Corp., a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, recently completed their previously announced business combination. The combined public company was renamed TruGolf Holdings Inc. TruGolf’s management team will continue to lead the combined company.