Industry Briefs - 8-26-24

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ASSOCIATIONS

• BioHive, a nonprofit public-private partnership working to brand, build and bring together Utah’s life science and healthcare innovation ecosystem, has launched the BioHive Life Sciences Returnship Initiative. It aims to expand workforce opportunities for those re-entering the workforce after an absence to build their resume and gain current and relevant experience. Additionally, the LSRI will help industry tap into a valuable talent pool. The initiative is funded in part by the Talent Ready Utah Return-to-Work Work Grant. BioHive will focus on support for returnships in research-based roles such as scientists, researchers, engineers and technologists, with plans to expand the offerings to non-research-based roles within the industry in following years. The initiative will kick off with a three-part workshop series to prepare returners to apply for returnship opportunities at four host life sciences companies: ARUP Laboratories, Denali Therapeutics, Recursion and Seek Labs. Details are at https://www.biohive.com/returnships/.

BANKING

• Bank of Utah, based in Ogden, has hired Matt Gollihur as a mortgage loan officer at its Orem branch and has opened a mortgage loan production office at 1056 W. Highway 40, Vernal. Gollihur also works with customers in the Heber, Lindon and Provo offices. His experience includes serving as a mortgage loan officer, a mortgage lending manager, wholesale account executive, regional sales manager, asset manager and real estate agent. The Vernal office will offer a range of mortgage services, including construction lending, Jumbo financing, Utah Housing loans, USDA Rural Housing loans, and FHA/VA loans, among others. The office leader is Kimberly Rojas, who has over a decade of mortgage experience in the Uintah Basin market and many more years in California. Betty Saarloos, as a loan officer assistant, brings extensive experience, having worked closely with Rojas for almost 20 years. Manuel Rojas has been in the real estate industry for several years and will focus on the Spanish-speaking community.
• TAB Bank, based in Ogden, has provided a $27.8 million credit facility for a leading manufacturer of aluminum extrusions based in Southern California. The facility includes a $20 million revolver and a $7.8 million term loan. The bank did not identify the manufacturer but said it was founded in 1991; offers cutting, fabrication, drilling and computer numerical control work; and has in-house powder coating and anodizing solutions and an in-house foundry that melts and recycles billet scrap.

CONSTRUCTION

• MVE+Partners, a Salt Lake City-based architectural firm, has appointed David Arnold as director of finance and business operations. Arnold has more than 40 years of financial management and operations oversight experience, including serving as founder of Hillcrest Homes, chief financial officer at Brookfield Homes Southland, and as director of land acquisition at Lewis Group of Companies.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

• Three Utah cities are on list of “Cities with the Most Active Retirees,” compiled by MarketBeat.com. They are No. 60 Sandy, No. 68 Cedar City and No. 140 Moab. MarketBeat.com surveyed people to identify where in the U.S. the most active retirees reside. The No. 1 city overall is Lihue, Hawaii. Details are at https://www.marketbeat.com/originals/top-175-fittest-retirement-locations-in-america/.
• Lehi, at No. 34, is the top-ranked Utah city on a list of “Most Relaxed Cities in the U.S.,” compiled by LawnStarter. It compared the 500 biggest U.S. cities on factors including housing affordability, the average length of a workday, depression rates, and access to mental health providers. Salt Lake City is ranked No. 184. West Valley City is the lowest-ranked Utah city, at No. 385. The top-ranked city overall is Newton, Massachusetts. The bottom-ranked city is Flint, Michigan. Details are at https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/most-relaxed-cities/.

EDUCATION

• The U.S. Small Business Administration Utah District Office has been selected to pilot a national Borrower Education SBA initiative, the “Are You Lender Ready?” multi-day training. It will empower small businesses with the knowledge, connections and confidence needed to access capital and foster growth. The virtual workshop will focus on topics including the differences between business and personal credit, preparing accurate financial statements, understanding the lender’s perspective, and crafting an effective business pitch. The in-person lender forum will feature panel sessions providing insight into the various financing options available to small businesses. Following the panels, participants will have the opportunity to pitch their businesses directly to lenders during a matchmaking session. Participants also will have access to two virtual office hour sessions to further refine their business pitches and explore additional SBA financial resources, including the SBA’s Lender Match tool. The training will be offered in two Utah locations. The virtual workshop takes place Aug. 28, 9 a.m.-noon, with the in-person lender forum Sept. 5, 10 a.m.-noon, at the Small Business Development Center at Salt Lake Community College. Registration is available at https://bit.ly/LenderReady_Aug28. The virtual workshop takes place Sept. 11, 9 a.m.-noon, with the in-person lender forum Sept. 18, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., during the Small Business Resource Roadshow at Atwood Innovation Plaza in St. George. Registration is available at https://bit.ly/LenderReady_Sept11.
• Western Governors University, a Salt Lake City-based online, nonprofit university, has announced it conferred a record 50,168 degrees to 49,564 people in fiscal year 2024. The university said 67 percent of the graduates were from one or more underserved populations — students of color, first-generation, rural or low income. WGU offers more than 80 certificate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in business, education, health and technology fields in all 50 states.

GOVERNMENT

• Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson has appointed Anndrea Wild as director of the Office of Homelessness and Criminal Justice Reform and Liz Sollis as her communications director. Wild will lead the recently restructured office that will focus on criminal justice, homelessness and their intersection. She has more than two decades of experience, including serving as the programming division director for the Utah Department of Corrections and as the performance audit supervisor for the Office Legislative Auditor General. Wild holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Utah. Sollis has nearly three decades of public service in state and county government as well as local nonprofit employment and volunteer experience. Most recently, she served as the associate director of community engagement for Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation. Sollis earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a criminology certificate from the University of Utah.
• Summit County, Park City and Upwards.com have announced an expansion of the Childcare Needs-Based Scholarship Program, which now reaches all those who live and work throughout Summit County and addresses the need for accessible quality childcare in the Wasatch Back. The program offers needs-based childcare tuition scholarships for families with children up to kindergarten eligibility age, if at least one parent resides or works in Summit County and the total family income does not exceed 100 percent of the Summit County area median income. It also offers the Regulated Childcare Provider Incentive, supporting qualified caregivers who provide care for children enrolled in the DWS Childcare Assistance program in Summit County. Scholarships are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Details are at https://upwards.com/childcare-assistance/park-city.

HOSPITALITY

• Radisson Salt Lake City Downtown has appointed Kate Eckhardt as director of sales and marketing. She will lead a team of eight sales and convention services professionals at the hotel, which features 381 rooms and 15,000 square feet of versatile meeting space. Eckhardt has over 30 years of hospitality experience, beginning in college when she started as a front desk agent at Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront before working her way up the ranks of hotel operations. Most recently, Eckhardt served as the director of sales and marketing at Marriott City Center and was the regional director of operations and sales at Assurance Hospitality, where she oversaw eight hotels in Northern Utah and Las Vegas.

INVESTMENTS

• Boostly, a Lehi-based company offering a marketing platform for restaurants, has raised $5.6 million in seed funding led by Trestle Partners, with participation from Relish Works, Singularity Capital, and Y Combinator. With the new funding, Boostly plans to expand its team, enhance its platform, and increase its market presence. Boostly says it has facilitated over $50 million in restaurant sales since its inception.

LAW

• Parsons Behle & Latimer has opened its 11th regional office with its expansion into St. George. The office is at 965 E. 700 S., Suite 305, St. George. Parsons’ St. George attorneys C. Edward Cather III and Darren Neilsonare joined by five new attorneys from the St. George law firm of Gallian Welker to form its new office. Cather, a shareholder, focuses on estate and asset protection planning, probate, and estate and trust litigation, as well as tax controversy and business planning. Prior to his law career, Cather practiced for several years as a Certified Public Accountant, focusing on tax and business planning. His education includes a B.S. degree and a Masters of Accountancy, both from Brigham Young University. Neilson, shareholder, is a member of the firm’s corporate restructuring and Chapter 11 bankruptcy team as well as its litigation practice. Prior to joining Parsons Behle and Latimer, Neilson was an attorney at the bankruptcy boutique firm of Brutzkus Gubner in Los Angeles and Kirton McConkie in Salt Lake City. Immediately prior to joining Parsons Behle and Latimer, Neilson was a solo practitioner at the Neilson Law Group. His education includes a bachelor’s degree in history from Brigham Young University. Neilson is also a small-business owner and is owns an Orangetheory Fitness facility in St. George. Brian K. Eggleston, of counsel, assists clients with divorce, custody, child-support and alimony cases in Utah and Idaho. Matthew D. Ekins, office managing shareholder, focuses his practice on real estate, business and corporate, estate planning and probate. He has practiced law since 2008. Russell J. Gallian, of counsel, is an attorney and CPA with more than 50 years’ experience in estate planning and probate; municipal law and real estate development. He practiced as a CPA with Arthur Andersen and Co. He has served as city attorney for a number of Utah cities and towns. His public service includes his election as county commissioner of Washinton County. Tyson N. Raymond, of counsel, is a member of Parsons Behle & Latimer’s litigation practice. Prior to coming to Parsons, he was a partner at Gallian, Welker and Associates in St. George, where he was the lead litigator at that firm. He also worked for Judge N. Randy Smith of the Ninth Circuit as well as District Judge Gregory Moeller, now on the Idaho Supreme Court. He also spent some time at a prosecutor’s office. His education includes a B.S. degree from BYU-Idaho and J.D. from BYU. Michael I. Welker, shareholder, is a civil trial attorney who has handled cases in both state and federal courts. He began his legal career in Phoenix in 1994 and then, in late 1995, relocated to St. George. Before joining Parsons Behle & Latimer, Welker served as a partner in a St. George law firm for 28 years and also founded a Las Vegas branch office.

PARTNERSHIPS

• Davis Food & Drug, a three-store grocery chain, and Instacart, a grocery technology company, have announced a partnership to replace the majority of its traditional shopping carts with Instacart’s artificial intelligence-powered smart carts at all Davis Food & Drug locations in Utah in the coming months. The Caper Carts feature an interactive screen to engage customers, track spending, and directly access coupons and deals through Davis Food & Drug’s loyalty program. Caper Carts check off items as they are added to the cart, offer personalized recommendations, and has gamified elements that reward customers once a spending threshold is achieved. Davis is a family-owned business serving the Vernal, Roosevelt and La Verkin communities.

PHILANTHROPY

• Andrea Pignataro and the ION Foundation have announced a $12 million gift to fund the ION Management Science Lab within the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. Pignataro is founder and CEO of ION Group and ION Foundation. The lab is envisioned as an interdisciplinary, globally oriented institution focused on advancing fundamental research in scientific management. Its mission is to produce studies that help managers, entrepreneurs and business owners adopt a scientific approach through theory development and evidence-based experimentation. The lab will collaborate with the existing ION Management Science Lab at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy. Todd Zenger, the presidential professor of strategy and strategic leadership and the N. Eldon Tanner chair at the Eccles School, will serve as the lab director.
• Lakeshore Learning Materials, a California-based developer and retailer of educational materials, has announced its donation and installation of new learning spaces to three schools in local communities in Utah, impacting more than 3,300 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The spaces include entry space at Garland Elementary School, library space at Box Elder Middle School, and a teachers’ lounge and a classroom at Skyview High School.
• Kodiak, a Park City-based company offering protein-packed, whole-grain breakfast products, has announced the latest iteration of its “Keep It Wild” campaign. In partnership with the Vital Ground Foundation, Keep It Wild aims to inspire active outdoor love while raising awareness and educating consumers on the importance of land conservation and bear preservation. Kodiak is partnering with outdoor brands Cotopaxi and Yeti to create limited-edition, exclusive products, with all proceeds going to preserving land as the nonprofit foundation seeks to protect more land in the next two years than in the past 17 years combined.

REAL ESTATE

• Pilot Hotels has announced that Washington School House Hotel in Park City will be listed for sale at $31 million. The 12-room luxury boutique hotel is built on 0.3 acres consisting of five lots. The 11,763-square-foot property originally was a schoolhouse built in 1889. Pilot purchased the property in 2009. Windermere Real Estate is the brokerage representing the sale of the property.

RECOGNITIONS

• Mountain America Credit Union, based in Sandy, is the top-ranked depositor for business deposits among credit unions nationwide, confirmed by credit union consulting firm Callahan & Associates. Its business membership base is more than 115,000. Callahan & Associates publishes quarterly rankings of participating credit unions based on various performance metrics, including data reported in quarterly call reports to the National Credit Union Administration. Mountain America has more than 1 million members, $19 billion in assets, over 100 branches across six states, and over 50,000 ATMs.
• A team of food science students from Utah State University took first place and a team from Brigham Young University won second place in the recent 2024 Idaho Milk Processors Association new-product competition. In winning a $10,000 prize, USU won the competition for the second consecutive year. The annual contest challenges universities with strong nutrition and food science programs to create the most promising new food product containing at least 50 percent dairy ingredients. The USU team’s idea is Caches Cookies, cookies with a dairy dip combination. The Utah State team included Taelie Kennedy, Sarah Petmecky, Sam Clark, Abri Paez and Nabila Anjum, with Prateek Sharma and Annalisa Jones as co advisors. Winning $5,000, BYU submitted Kefibars, which is a frozen nutrition bar that doubles as a dessert. The team consisted of Gabby Bean, Emma Lutz, Raj Jegannathan, Cecily Thomas, Katie Lemon, AJ Burton, Savannah Bradshaw and Dawson Carrol, with Mike Dunn and Laura Jefferies as co-advisors.

RETAIL

• Walmart Supercenter stores at 34 N. Harrisville Road, Harrisville, and at 745 W. Hill Field Road, Layton, have opened after major remodels. The changes include new lighting and signage throughout the stores, expanded online grocery pickup and delivery areas, enhanced “Grab & Go” sections, broadened deli and grocery options, and additional grocery aisles.

SERVICES

• Ancestry, a Lehi-based company focused on family history and consumer genomics, has appointed Attica Alexis Jaques as senior vice president and general manager of U.S. marketing. Jaques has over 20 years of executive brand leadership experience, including at Google, Under Armour and Gap Inc. She spearheaded brand-building and integrated marketing planning for Google Search products; served as senior vice president of global brand marketing for Under Armour; served as vice president of global marketing and brand management at Gap Inc.; and Attica worked in marketing at Barney’s New York and Prada, where she was based in New York and Milan. Jaques currently serves as a board director for Brilliant Earth and is a founding member of Chief, a private network connecting and uplifting women in leadership positions.

TRANSPORTATION

• American Express will open a new Centurion Lounge next year at Salt Lake City International Airport. The nearly 16,000-square-foot lounge will give eligible cardmembers a place to relax, work and enjoy a meal before boarding their flight. It will include an outdoor terrace, a bar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, a coffee bar featuring beans from a local roaster, a wellness room, and other signature Centurion Lounge amenities. It is scheduled to open in the Concourse B in 2025 as part of Phase 4 of The New SLC Airport Redevelopment program.