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August 17, 2026 | Volume 4, Issue 31
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INSIDE EMERY COUNTY Solar top Utah power source Page 3 UTAH COUNTY Special Olympics gets huge gift Page 4 SALT LAKE COUNTY Affordable housing project in Kearns Page 7 EARNINGS REPORT Pages 6 INNOVATE UTAH Page 10 PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Page 11 INDUSTRY BRIEFS Pages 12-13 BUSINESS CALENDAR Page 14
Downtown Salt Lake City is shown in this photo from earlier this year. The Utah Rising economic initiative is looking for businesses across the state to take practical steps to help advance the plan. (Brice Wallace/Salt Lake Business Journal)
Businesses urged to take up ‘Utah Rising’ goals Brice Wallace Salt Lake Business Journal
Our inaugural issue of Wasatch Living is enclosed, the first of two new magazines coming to subscribers of the Salt Lake Business Journal.
Two years ago, Utah business leaders and the Utah Chamber unveiled an economic vision called ‘Utah Rising.’ Now, they’re looking for companies across the state to help implement it. The chamber is encouraging every Utah business, however large or small, to review the initiative’s six focus areas and choose at least one action item to advance over the next two years. The goal is to keep Utah one of the best places in the country to live, work and build a future. “Utah’s success has never been an accident. In Utah, we build the future we want, we don’t wait for it to happen, and that is exactly what Utah Rising is about,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Utah Chamber. “As part of this update, we took a hard look at the plan and asked a simple question: How can every business get involved? Adding action items that present practical steps for businesses to take will make a far greater and longer-lasting impact.” Utah Rising’s six focus areas that together define Utah’s economic strength are workforce and education, transpor-
tation, business environment, housing, livability and natural resources. Each focus area carries a strategic goal, measurable indicators tracked on a public dashboard, and a signature project. “Practical” is a key word in the updated Utah Rising plan as it seeks to convert long-term goals into concrete steps. For example, in the workforce and education focus area, the plan includes the goal of raising third-grade reading proficiency to 100 percent by 2030. Examples of action items to reach that goal include encouraging businesses to offer employees paid time to mentor young readers, sponsor local literacy initiatives and partner directly with schools. “Planning, coordinating, collaborating and working together have always been the key ingredients in Utah’s ‘secret sauce,’” said Spencer P. Eccles, chair of the Utah Rising Steering Committee. “Utah Rising builds on that tradition by providing our business community with the framework and tools needed to address today’s challenges while strengthening our economy and expanding opportunity for all Utahns today and for generations to come. “Now is the time to act. If every Utah business commits to just one meaningful action, our collective efforts will
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have an extraordinary impact for generations to come.” The newly added action items are at utahrising.com. Utah Rising is guided by a steering committee of Utah business and community leaders and spearheaded by the Salt Lake Chamber and Utah Chamber. Leaders unveiled Utah Rising in April 2024, envisioning it as a broadening of the “Downtown Rising” initiative two decades earlier to include the entire state. At the time, Eccles said Utah Rising would not replace visionary efforts of the past but instead would expand upon them. The Utah Rising vision and plan were released that fall, with a plan to update it every two years over the next decade. The initiative has played a role in the Utah Chamber’s advocacy and longterm economic priorities. During the 2026 legislative general session, the Utah Chamber achieved a 100 percent success rate on its priority legislation, including policies that advanced the goals outlined in Utah Rising. “The addition of business action plans marks the next phase of the initiative by inviting every Utah business to help turn that vision into measurable progress,” the chamber said.
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Knoops Drinking Chocolate Cafe to open Aug. 21 Tom Haraldsen Salt Lake Business Journal Jens Knoop will tell you that his love of chocolate began as a child with his grandmother. He said she “always made eating chocolate ceremonial and special.” Now, he’s bringing that same experience to the U.S. for the first time with the opening on Aug. 21 of his Knoops Drinking Chocolate Cafe in Salt Lake City. The new cafe at 907 E. 900 S. joins his family of Knoops stores in 29 different locations in the United Kingdom and Middle East. “It all kind of started in London when we heard a lot of people talking about our first shop,” Knoop said. “As we grew, our cafes became very popular with American expats and tourists who told me we needed to come to America. I did some research and felt we’d be a perfect fit for the country, and then a voice from Utah reached out to us, so we began making a plan.” That voice belonged to Utah resident Mike Jensen, who will oversee the Knoops expansion in the U.S. — plans for up to 160 stores by 2032. “To Jens’ point, there were a lot of Utahns that I’d heard talk about Knoops,” Jensen said. “I had a neighbor who told me I just had to try it when I was in London. I walked by a store and
The first Knoops Drinking Chocolate Cafe is set for its opening in the 9th and 9th district of Salt Lake City on Aug. 21. (Courtesy Knoops) saw a line out the door, stuck my head in, then found another Knoops elsewhere in town and gave it a try. I had such a fabulous experience that I knew it needed to come to Utah, so I reached out to Knoop via LinkedIn, we connected and had a great conversation. So now we’re working together.”
Jensen said Knoops is about making happiness and bringing it to customers. He feels the market here in Utah is ready for the way Knoop has come to curate chocolate in his cafes. Knoops holds the world’s largest drinking chocolate library, with 21 chocolates ranging in percentages from 28 percent white to
100 percent extra dark. Knoop, a trained chocolate sommelier, built that library by hand through traveling to cacao festivals and plantations in nine countries. Cafe patrons can select dairy or non-dairy milks, then choose the chocolate percentage for drinks that can be hot, iced, frozen, or served as a milkshake. Addins include house-made marshmallows, orange zest, sea salt, chili and more. “It’s a process, just like dirty sodas,” Knoop said with a smile, having learned about the Utah-based craze during his recent visit to Salt Lake City. “You can create your perfect chocolate drink using our different flavor profiles. And we just added a frozen hot chocolate, like a slushy of sorts, because people want hot chocolate drinks in the summer as well as the winter.” Snoops will also offer local bakery items, working with a core local bakery, and coffee will be available as well. The location on 9th and 9th was deliberate, as Knoop felt a real sense of community and a great diverse mix of people. “Chocolate brings people together,” he said. “This is a great place that embodies portions of what the brand stands for.” He said his surname translates to “button” in Dutch, a fitting name for chocolate drinks made from real chocolate buttons — and soon to be served in Salt Lake City.
Court says Utah can enforce its gambling laws against Kalshi John Rogers Salt Lake Business Journal A U.S. District Court has handed Utah a major victory in its battle to enforce its constitutional ban on gambling. When the Utah Legislature passed HB243 during its 2026 general session, it sought to clarify the definition of gambling — specifically whether “proposition” betting as facilitated by Internet prediction platforms like Kalshi violates Utah law. The law, signed by Gov. Spencer Cox and taking effect May 6, aligned proposition betting directly with Utah’s constitutional ban on gambling, classifying online betting operations as a felony under state code. Kalshi didn’t like the state’s interpretation of what it does and sued to be able to operate in Utah. The online operator claimed its activities fell under federal statutes and Utah shouldn’t be
allowed to ban its operation in the state. U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby rejected Kalshi’s request to block the Utah restrictions on Aug. 4, saying the federal law that Kalshi cited in its argument does not prevent the state from enforcing its laws, including the newly interpreted ban on “prop” bets via the Internet. Proposition betting, as conducted by prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket, involves trading financial event contracts on specific, narrow outcomes — such as whether a player will hit a statistical milestone; an FDA drug approval will pass; or an economic metric, such as unemployment, will rise or fall. Instead of betting against a casino “house,” users buy and sell yes/no contracts peer-to-peer where prices reflect real-time collective probabilities. The practice is regulated federally by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as a designated contract market rather than state-governed gam-
ing commissions, an interpretation that the court ruling overturns. Utah has been in the forefront of the argument between states and the federal government over who regulates the markets and whether they should be considered financial transactions or gambling. The legal landscape is divided, with state and federal courts blocking restrictions in several states and allowing them in others. Kalshi is still available for placing bets in Utah, but in a statement, Attorney General Derek Brown said he intends to enforce the law on Kalshi but is exploring the state’s options. “Gambling is gambling, no matter what any company calls it,” Brown said. Kalshi also issued a statement, saying it disagrees with the court ruling and is preparing an appeal. The company maintains that prediction markets fall exclusively under federal jurisdiction and are not governed by the current hodge-podge of state gambling laws. The feds, through
the CFTC, have generally agreed and defended prediction markets in court. Courts in Maryland, Nevada, Ohio, New York and Wisconsin have ruled against Kalshi in similar lawsuits, while judges in New Jersey, Tennessee, Arizona and Minnesota have taken Kalshi’s side in court. Other states have been allowed to prohibit certain aspects of Kalshi’s operations without banning them entirely. According to the Associated Press, the Trump administration has been supportive of prediction markets. The president’s eldest son is an advisor for both Kalshi and Polymarket, and his venture capital firm is an investor in Polymarket. The president’s social media platform, Truth Social, has announced plans to launch a cryptocurrency-based prediction market called Truth Predict. Gov. Spencer Cox has opposed prop betting, saying that prediction markets are “causing tremendous harm to countless American families.”
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Utah renewable milestone: Solar tops all other power generation sources in May John Rogers Salt Lake Business Journal Utah’s sunny climate has begun to pay off in the renewable energy sector. In May — for the first time ever — solar generation topped any other single source of power in the Beehive State. Utah’s 4,500 megawatts (MW) of installed solar capacity generated nearly a full terawatt-hour of electricity in May, accounting for 33 percent of the power generated in the state, according to data compiled by Ember Energy, a global energy think tank based in London. A terawatt-hour of solar generation is enough electricity to power approximately 1.1 million average U.S. homes for one month — slightly fewer than the number of residences in Utah. That means that solar power alone could come close to lighting the state’s homes if all the power stayed in Utah. The combination of two separate fuels — natural gas at 32 percent of generated power and coal (28 percent) — still gives fossil fuels the edge in total electrical output. Wind power now produces about 2 percent of the state’s output. As recently as 2017, coal accounted for between 64 percent and 78 percent of Utah power generation, depending on the time of the year. In 2023, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) reported the share dropped to less than 50 percent and the May report found it fell below one-third. Solar accounts for three-fourths of the
Nearly 1 million solar panels at the Green River Energy Center in Emery County began sending electricity to the grid earlier this year. In May, Utah generated more power from solar than from any other source — a first for the state. (Courtesy rPlus Energies) new power generation capacity added in Utah since 2015, according to the SEIA. The state, which averages 238 sunny days annually, beating the national average of 205, now has more than 50 large utility-scale solar installations. Utah’s ability to store power for as-needed distribution is also growing, now nearing 800 megawatt-hours. The battery storage capacity ranks the state 16th in the nation. Most of the newer solar farms now include storage battery facilities. The significant growth in Utah solar power generation can be attributed to
the recent commissioning and commercial startup of a bevy of major plants. The Green River Energy Center in Emery County became operational in early spring of this year with 400 MW of solar generation paired with 400 MW of battery storage. The Faraday Solar installation in Utah County started providing power in fall 2025. It generates up to 685 MW to support the local data center owned by Meta, operator of Facebook and Instagram. The Hornshadow Solar II farm, with a capacity of 200 MW, began sending power to the grid a year ago and the 80 MW
Elektron Solar Project in Tooele County came online just prior to that. It should be noted that power generation does not necessarily equal power usage by homes and businesses. A share of Utah-generated electricity is exported to other states, while some of the solar plants serve a single customer, such as Meta’s Utah County plant. A SEIA fact sheet said that solar energy supports nearly 8,000 jobs in Utah. The state is home to 132 solar companies, including 54 solar developers and 23 solar manufacturers. In 2025, investors pledged $1.5 billion to Utah’s solar industry, the fact sheet said. Although May’s milestone may not be repeated every month, planned and under-construction solar power plants assure Utahns that renewable energy is here to stay. More than half of the new utility-scale electricity generation added to the nation’s grid this year is expected to come from solar, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The country is projected to add another 43.4 gigawatts of solar, 24.3 gigawatts of battery storage, and 11.8 gigawatts of new wind power in 2026, the administration said. Natural gas generation is expected to grow just 6.3 gigawatts, while coal generation will decrease. “We’re going to see milestones like this increasingly happen,” Logan Mitchell, a climate scientist and energy analyst with Utah Clean Energy, told climate-change news website Grist. “Wind plus solar is on a tear right now. We may have achieved liftoff.”
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Quantum tech focus of executive order
An executive order from Gov. Spencer Cox seeks to put Utah at the forefront of quantum technology. The order, in effect through 2028, establishes the Utah Quantum Initiative, a statewide effort to accelerate research, commercialization, workforce development and advanced manufacturing in quantum technology. It follows a federal executive order in June pushing for the U.S. to be a leader in the industry. The governor’s action makes quantum technology a priority in Utah’s economic strategy and establishes a Quantum Coordination Council led by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. The council will involve leaders from state government, higher education and industry to coordinate the state’s quantum strategy and better position the state for private investment and federal opportunities. Quantum technology uses the rules of physics at an atomic level. It harnesses subatomic phenomena to perform tasks in computing, sensing and communication that regular machines cannot do. A news release from the governor notes that many of these technologies are still developing but they have the potential to solve certain problems beyond the practical reach of today’s computers; create extraordinarily precise sensors; and enable advances across national security, medicine, en-
ergy, manufacturing and other industries. “Quantum technology is going to change how we compute, communicate, manufacture, discover new medicines and defend our country, and Utah has the people and infrastructure to help lead that transformation,” Cox said. “We already have worldclass researchers, a strong semiconductor and advanced manufacturing base, a growing technology sector and important defense assets. This initiative is about connecting those strengths; building a workforce ready for what comes next; and making sure the technologies of the future are invented, built and put to work here in Utah.” Utah already has a leg up in field, with an established semiconductor, electronics and advanced manufacturing sector that could play a key role in producing and integrating the specialized hardware quantum systems require. The state’s universities have research strengths in quantum sensing, photonics and quantum materials, supported by high-performance computing infrastructure that can be used for quantum simulation and hybrid classical-quantum computing. The initiative also will connect quantum research with industries where Utah already has significant expertise, including aerospace and defense, life sciences and biotechnology. Hill Air Force Base, Dugway Proving Ground and Utah’s broader defense ecosystem provide potential pathways
for testing and deploying quantum sensing, timing and communications technologies. Utah’s life-sciences sector could also benefit from advances in quantum computing for applications such as molecular simulation and drug discovery. GOED will lead the initiative, with the Nucleus Institute as co-lead. The Quantum Coordination Council will include representatives from state government and higher education, with additional university, industry, government and legislative partners invited to participate. By March 30, 2027, the council will deliver a report mapping Utah’s research infrastructure, manufacturing capacity and workforce assets. The report will help identify gaps and opportunities as Utah works to attract investment, support commercialization and compete for federal quantum programs. “Utah doesn’t need to build a quantum ecosystem from scratch — many of the pieces are already here,” said Jefferson Moss, GOED’s commissioner and executive director of the Nucleus Institute. “Our job is to connect our researchers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, investors and workforce around a common strategy. If we do that well, Utah can become a place where quantum discoveries move from the laboratory into companies, products and real-world applications.”
Miller Family Foundation donates gift to Special Olympics Utah
From left: Bumble; Scott Weaver, president and CEO of Special Olympics Utah; Amanda Covington, executive director of the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation and chief corporate affairs officer of the Larry H. Miller Co.; Ty Wardle, chief revenue officer and executive vice president of Miller Sports & Entertainment; Devin Dehlin, executive director of Utah PGA; and Daisy gather for a $100,000 check presentation to Special Olympics Utah. (Courtesy Larry H. Miller Co.) To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Larry H. Miller Utah Open, the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation on Aug. 10 announced a $100,000 gift to Special Olympics Utah. The announcement took place during the Short Game Challenge, a beloved Utah Open tradition that has brought Special Olympics athletes together with Utah celebrities and community leaders for more than 20 years. The Utah Open was played last week at Riverside Country Club in Provo. “The Short Game Challenge is a special tradition that brings athletes, community members and friends together to celebrate what is possible when ev-
eryone has the opportunity to participate, compete and belong,” said Scott Weaver, president and CEO of Special Olympics Utah, in a release. “We are incredibly grateful to the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation for its continued partnership and generous support. This gift will help us continue our mission of creating meaningful opportunities for athletes to build confidence, develop skills and experience the power of inclusion.” “Special Olympics Utah holds a special place in our family’s heart,” said Steve Miller, chairman of the board of the Larry H. Miller Co., in a release. “For many years, these incredible ath-
letes have been an important part of the Utah Open, and this gift is one way we can celebrate their achievements while supporting the life-changing work Special Olympics Utah does for athletes and families across our state.” Special Olympics Utah provides yearround sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Through sports, athletes build confidence, develop new skills and form lasting friendships while becoming active members of their communities. The Miller Family Foundation’s gift will help expand those opportunities and programming for athletes throughout Utah.
Cox’s action follows a federal push in quantum information science and technology (QIST). President Donald Trump issued an executive order June 22 calling for continuing trailblazing quantum research and solidifying the nation’s position “as the world’s QIST superpower and deliver the commercial and research benefits of quantum innovation to the American people.” It also calls for a “whole-of-government approach to accelerate deployment and commercialization of quantum computing, sensing and networking.” Among the state executive order’s priorities are to build on Utah’s strengths in quantum sensing, photonics, semiconductor manufacturing and high-performance computing; develop a quantum-ready workforce through career pathways, education and apprenticeship opportunities; accelerate commercialization of quantum technologies and support quantum-enabled companies and pilot projects; coordinate Utah’s pursuit of federal quantum funding and strengthen domestic supply chains; develop a defense-sector strategy focused on quantum sensing and communications; build greater public understanding of quantum technology and Utah’s role in the industry; and identify policy and funding recommendations to advance the initiative in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget and legislative leaders.
Utah consumer sentiment up slightly again in July
Although within the margin of error, Utah’s consumer sentiment was up again in July for the second straight month. The 1.8 percent increase of the Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Survey in July followed a 1.6 percent hike in June, after down months in April and May. The July index came in at 72.7. Despite recent gains in overall consumer sentiment, Utah sentiment remains 7.2 percent below the level from one year ago. However, the future oneyear financial outlook index increased from 102 in June to 111 in July, reflecting increased optimism among Utahns about their future personal financial position. The other four Utah index components moved little in July. “It’s encouraging to see data that indicate a near-return to past confidence levels,” said Zions Bank senior economist Robert Spendlove. “People have more optimism about the future as they adjust to the current economic situation and as the negative impacts of economic shocks start to wane. The consumer and the economy remain resilient.” The Utah consumer confidence survey uses key questions from the University of Michigan’s Survey of Consumers. These questions measure residents’ views of the present economic situation and their expectations for the economy in the future. Data gathered from the key questions are used to create the consumer confidence index for Utah. Demographic questions are included in the questionnaire to allow for additional analysis of the data and to assess the representativeness of the sample. The full results of the monthly Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Survey can be accessed at https://gardner.utah.edu/zions-bank-consumer-sentiment-survey/.
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FROM the THE COACH From Coach
What does it mean to be an efficacious leader? Business leaders have long been taught to pursue two worthy objectives: effectiveness and efficiency. Peter Drucker famously reminded us that effectiveness is “doing the right things,” while efficiency is “doing things right.” Both are essential. Organizations that lack effectiveness drift without purpose. Organizations that lack efficiency squander precious resources. Yet after more than 50 years in business leadership and executive coaching, I’ve become convinced that even these two important concepts do not fully answer the deeper question every leader should ask: What is my leadership ultimately for? That question points to a larger idea — one I believe deserves far more attention than it receives. I call it efficacy. Efficacy is more than effectiveness. It is more than efficiency. It is the degree to which a person, a team or an organization is truly fit for its intended purpose. Notice the distinction. A leader may be remarkably efficient, operating with lean processes, disciplined execution and excellent cost control. Another may be highly effective, consistently achieving ambitious goals and outperforming competitors. Both deserve admiration. But are they becoming what they were meant to become? That is a different question entirely. History is filled with leaders who were extraordinarily effective at accomplishing the wrong objectives. Entire organizations have operated with remarkable efficiency while pursuing strategies that ultimately damaged their customers, em-
ployees or communities. Technical excellence alone does not guarantee meaningful success. The same is true in our personal RICH lives: TYSON • A leader can build an enormously successful company while quietly destroying his or her family. • A person can accumulate extraordinary wealth while becoming spiritually bankrupt. • Someone can become famous without ever becoming fulfilled. • Another may achieve every professional milestone on a carefully crafted résumé while leaving little evidence of the character, compassion or integrity that loved ones will remember most. My examples here are not intended to diminish success. Success matters. Achievement matters. Financial stewardship matters. Building healthy, profitable organizations creates opportunity for employees, customers, investors and communities alike. But leadership becomes distorted whenever a single worthy purpose is pursued at the expense of other important purposes. True efficacy requires a broader perspective. It asks leaders to examine not only what they are accomplishing, but why they are accomplishing it and who they are becoming in the process. Viewed through this lens, effectiveness and efficiency become essential compo-
nents of efficacy rather than its definition. Effectiveness helps us accomplish meaningful objectives. Efficiency helps us steward our time, energy and resources wisely. Efficacy asks whether those objectives are aligned with the purposes that matter most. An efficacious leader therefore seeks balance across multiple dimensions of life and leadership. Business performance matters. Healthy relationships matter. Physical and emotional well-being matter. Personal integrity matters. Faith and spiritual development matter. Contribution to others matters. None of these dimensions exists independently. Weakness in one area eventually influences the others. Extraordinary business achievement rarely compensates for the loss of trust at home. Likewise, wonderful personal intentions cannot excuse chronic failure to lead an organization responsibly. Efficacy recognizes that leadership is an integrated whole rather than a collection of isolated successes. This broader perspective has become increasingly important in today’s business environment. Organizations operate in an age of relentless pressure. Quarterly expectations accelerate. Technology shortens decision cycles. Information arrives faster than wisdom can be developed. Under these conditions, leaders naturally gravitate toward the metrics that are easiest to measure — revenue growth, profitability, market share, productivity and efficiency. Those indicators are very important. But they simply are not sufficient. The most important measures of lead-
ership success are often the least visible. Trust. Judgment. Character. Wisdom. Discernment. The ability to develop other leaders. The courage to make difficult decisions without compromising deeply held values. These qualities don’t directly appear on a financial statement, yet they often determine whether financial success is sustainable. Over the coming months, I will explore the practical disciplines that help leaders increase their efficacy. We’ll examine how perceptions shape decisions; why generating better alternatives leads to better outcomes; how emotions influence judgment; why trust multiplies leadership’s influence; and how vision, people, strategy and execution must ultimately work together. These are not disconnected leadership topics. They are all parts of a larger architecture. Their common purpose is to help leaders become increasingly fit for the purposes they have been called to fulfill. Perhaps that is the most important leadership question any of us can ask. Not simply, “Am I successful?” Not even, “Am I effective?” But rather: Am I becoming the leader — and the person — I was created to be? Richard H. Tyson is the founder of CEObuilder, co-founder of PACER Leadership and author of Align & Execute: It’s All About the Money ... But It’s Not! He helps leaders align purpose, people and performance through his PACER leadership models and The Leadership Architect framework.
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EARNINGS Roundup ROUNDUP Earnings The following are recent financial reports as posted by selected Utah corporations:
PACS Group
PACS Group Inc., based in Salt Lake City, reported net income of $76.3 million, or 47 cents per share, for the second quarter ended June 30. That compares with net income of $51 million, or 31 cents per share, for the same quarter a year earlier. Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled $1.43 billion, up from $1.3 billion in the year-earlier quarter. PACS Group Inc. is a holding company investing in post-acute healthcare facilities, professionals and ancillary services. Its independent subsidiaries operate 344 post-acute care facilities across 17 states serving over 33,400 patients daily. “We delivered strong growth in revenue, net income, occupancy and skilled mix while continuing to improve quality outcomes throughout our portfolio,” Jason Murray, CEO, said in announcing the results. “Just as important, we are expanding our footprint through acquisitions, including the Eduro transaction previously announced, which will add 34 well-positioned facilities in Texas and other attractive markets. We believe these additions, combined with our proven operating model and deep bench of experienced leaders, create meaningful opportunities to enhance care, support our facility teams and drive long-term growth.”
Cricut
Cricut Inc., based in South Jordan, reported net income of $39.1 million, or 19 cents per share, for the second quarter ended June 30. That compares with $24.5 million, or 11 cents per share, for the same quarter a year earlier. Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled $156.3 million, down from $172.1 million in the year-earlier quarter. Cricut offers hardware and software that makes it easy for users to create meaningful personal items. “We were pleased with the progress we made executing against our strategic priorities in the second quarter,” Ashish Arora, CEO, said in announcing the results. “Although total company revenue declined 9 percent year over year in Q2, subscriptions exceeded 3.1 million, we saw improving engagement trends, and achieved double-digit global machine sell-out growth. These results reinforce our confidence that our
platform-first strategy is making Cricut easier to discover, easier to use and more valuable for our customers, while positioning the business for growth.”
Merit Medical
Merit Medical Systems Inc., based in South Jordan, reported net income of $38.8 million, or 65 cents per share, for the second quarter ended June 30. That compares with $32.6 million, or 54 cents per share, for the same quarter a year earlier. Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled $418.8 million, up from $382.5 million in the year-earlier quarter. Merit is a global manufacturer and marketer of healthcare technology. “Merit delivered second-quarter financial results that exceeded the high end of our expectations, driven primarily by 9 percent organic, constant currency revenue growth, excluding the impact of a strategic divestiture,” Martha G. Aronson, president and CEO, said in announcing the results. “We experienced improving revenue growth trends across our global business in Q2, as expected, with notable strength in sales to customers in the U.S., which increased 10 percent year-over-year, well ahead of our expectations. We also delivered improvement in both our non-GAAP operating margin and our non-GAAP earnings per share, which increased by 140 basis points and 18 percent, respectively, year-over-year.”
Pattern
Pattern Group Inc., based in Lehi, reported net income of $27.5 million, or 15 cents per share, for the second quarter ended June 30. That compares with $23.8 million, or 18 cents per share, for the same quarter a year earlier. Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled a company-record $876.7 million, up from $598.2 million in the year-earlier quarter. Pattern accelerates brands on global e-commerce marketplaces leveraging proprietary technology and AI. “Q2 marked our fourth consecutive quarter of 40 percent-plus revenue growth, and the fourth consecutive quarter of adjusted EBITDA growth outpacing revenue,” Dave Wright, co-founder and CEO, said in announcing the results. “NRR reached a record 129 percent and our international business crossed $100 million for the first time. Our model is working. The deeper brands engage with Pattern, the stronger our
data advantage becomes, and the faster they grow.”
FatPipe
FatPipe Inc., based in Salt Lake City, reported net income of $1.2 million, or 9 cents per share, for the quarter ended June 30. That compares with $700,000, or 5 cents per share, for the same quarter a year earlier. Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled $5 million, up from $3.9 million in the year-earlier quarter. FatPipe focuses on wide area network and single-stack cybersecurity solutions. “We continue to see opportunities as organizations place greater emphasis on network resilience, cybersecurity and simplified infrastructure management,” Ragula Bhaskar, CEO, said in announcing the results. “Our focus remains on disciplined execution, expanding our channel relationships, growing our sales team, and increasing the contribution from recurring revenue.”
Recursion
Recursion, based in Salt Lake City, reported a net loss of $131 million, or 25 cents per share, for the second quarter ended June 30. That compares with a net loss of $171.9 million, or 41 cents per share, for the same quarter a year earlier. Revenue in the most recent quarter was $7.7 million, down from $19.2 million in the year-earlier quarter. Recursion is a clinical stage company advancing investigational medicines. “Recursion has reached a pivotal point where our AI-native platform is translating unique data into potential first-in-class therapeutic opportunities,” Najat Khan, CEO, said in announcing the results. “The advancement of the first unexplored neuroscience target from our collaboration with Roche and Genentech into an early discovery program is an important proof point. Finding new targets in neuroscience has historically been challenging, and this milestone highlights our ability to uncover novel biology in areas where conventional approaches have struggled.”
Angel
Angel, based in Provo, reported a net loss of $23.8 million, or 12.9 cents per share, for the second quarter ended June 30. That compares with a loss of $15.7 million, or 10.6 cents per share, for the same quarter a year earlier.
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Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled $111.7 million, up from $87.6 million in the year-earlier quarter. Angel is a media and technology company with Angel Guild community members watching, screening and voting on which films and television series get distributed on the Angel platform. “Guild membership is up 99 percent year-over-year while we cut Guild marketing spend as a share of Guild revenue by more than 26 percent,” Neal Harmon, co-founder and CEO, said in announcing the results. “That’s the model working on Angel’s proprietary tech platform: audience-driven curation, values-based storytelling, and filmmaker rev-share are making Angel stronger, more efficient, and harder to replicate with every film release and with every new Guild member.”
Lipocine
Lipocine Inc., based in Salt Lake City, reported a net loss of $2.6 million, or 32 cents per share, for the quarter ended June 30. That compares with a loss of $2.2 million, or 41 cents per share, for the same quarter a year earlier. Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled $190,000, up from $123,000 in the year-earlier quarter. Lipocine is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel oral therapeutics.
Myriad Genetics
Myriad Genetics Inc., based in Salt Lake City, reported a net loss of $43.2 million, or 46 cents per share, for the second quarter ended June 30. That compares with a net loss of $330.5 million, or $3.57 per share, for the same quarter a year earlier. Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled $190.7 million, down from $213.1 million in the year-earlier quarter. Myriad Genetics develops and commercializes molecular tests that help patients and providers uncover genetic insights. “Myriad Genetics’ second-quarter 2026 performance fell short of our expectations, as solid demand for our hereditary cancer and mental health tests was offset by volume challenges in prenatal health and increased payer friction,” Sam Raha, president and CEO, said in announcing the results. “Mitigating average revenue per test pressure for hereditary cancer testing from this increased payer friction is a top priority, and we are executing a comprehensive action plan.”
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Affordable housing project will be built on landmark Camp Kearns site Tom Haraldsen Salt Lake Business Journal A new $40 million mixed-use development in Kearns will create 82 affordable homes for very low-income households. Local leaders and developers from Housing Connect and Brinshore Development gathered in late July to break ground for the Kearns Station Apartments. The project will be built at the site of a historic train station depot that served the former Kearns Army Air Base during World War II. It’s located where the Smart Kids Development Center sits, and the project will incorporate a 4,150-square-foot childcare facility operated by the Smart Kids program, providing childcare for resident families while remaining available to the broader community at affordable rates. “Today is about honoring this property and what it has meant for the Kearns com-
munity, as well as looking ahead at what it becomes,” said Janice Kimball, CEO of Housing Connect. “For more than 40 years, this site has provided affordable housing for local families. When this project is complete, we will have preserved 32 units and we will add 50 additional affordable homes on this site.” Housing Connect is the public housing authority serving Salt Lake County. Founded in 1970, its mission is to connect people and communities to quality affordable housing opportunities while promoting self-sufficiency and neighborhood revitalization. It is working on the project in partnership with Brinshore Development and with support from Utah Housing Corp., the Utah Division of Housing and Community Development, Citibank, The Richman Group, Advantage Capital, BCM Contractors and 22 Design Lab. Construction is expected to be completed in summer 2028.
The historic Camp Kearns train depot, which now houses the Smart Kids Development Center, will become part of the Kearns Station Apartment housing project that will offer affordable housing to low-income families. (Tom Haraldsen/Salt Lake Business Journal)
Utah DOT and Patriot Rail break ground on new $31M west interchange
Leaders break ground on a new interchange that will shift rail traffic out of Salt Lake City’s Poplar Grove neighborhood: (from left) Utah Inland Port Authority Executive Director Ben Hart, UDOT Executive Director Carlos Braceras, Patriot Rail CEO Brandy Christian, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Federal Railroad Administration Deputy Administrator Drew Feeley and UDOT Region 2 Project Manager Jessica Rice. (Courtesy UDOT) The Utah Department of Transportation and Patriot Rail Co. have broken ground on a long-awaited $31 million interchange that will relocate train switching from the main east yard of Patriot Rail’s Salt Lake, Garfield and Western Railway (SLGW) to a new west interchange just south of I-80 and Salt Lake City International Airport. According to UDOT, the project will substantially decrease train movements in Salt Lake City’s Poplar Grove neighborhood,
reduce crossing delays, reduce community impact and enhance safety. “When we talk with west side neighbors about better east-west connections, this project comes up as something people are genuinely looking forward to,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility. “Trains will still use this corridor, but moving the train-building operations out of Poplar Grove should mean much shorter waits
and fewer long backups on North Temple. It’s a win-win, a meaningful quality-of-life improvement for residents and smarter, more sustainable operations for freight.” “It’s truly special to break ground on a project first initiated under the first Trump administration. Support for this project and the safety enhancements it will bring for the Salt Lake City community runs deep,” said Deputy Federal Railroad Administrator Drew Feeley, on hand for the groundbreaking. “We are proud to invest more than $13 million into this public-private partnership project, strengthening Utah’s rail infrastructure and delivering safety benefits for Salt Lake City residents and shippers alike.” In addition to the federal grant, Patriot Rail is committing more than $17 million to the interchange relocation project, and the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) has approved a $500,000 contribution on behalf of the state. Patriot Rail and UDOT will jointly administer the construction. “This project will reduce train impacts in Salt Lake City neighborhoods while supporting safer, more efficient and sustainable freight rail service,” said Ben Hart, UIPA executive director. “We appreciate Patriot Rail, Salt Lake City, UDOT and federal partners for moving this long-needed west side interchange forward.” “Ending blocked rail crossings due to rail switching operations is an important safety and community priority for the Utah Department of Transportation,” said UDOT Executive Director Carlos Braceras. “We are
working closely with the Federal Railroad Administration and our grant partner Patriot Rail to deliver this vital and long-needed project.” UDOT and Patriot Rail have awarded the principal construction contract to Paragon Construction Systems, a Salt Lake region railroad and civil contractor. Track and other materials have been delivered to the site and notice to proceed to construction has been issued. Construction is estimated to be completed by the end of 2027. When complete, the project will deliver substantial safety, air quality and connectivity improvements, while enhancing competitive rail service options for Salt Lake region shippers. “We are grateful for the federal, state and local partnerships and the leaders who pushed this project forward,” said Patriot Rail CEO Brandy Christian. “Shifting SLGW switching operations out of our east yard will help us all to move together safely.” Since 2020, Patriot Rail has made significant investments in Salt Lake City, including the acquisition of the Salt Lake, Garfield and Western Railway, expansion of Hydra Logistics with a new warehouse and the addition of new freight transportation services. “In just six years, Patriot Rail has invested more than $122 million in this region,” said Christian. “That truly demonstrates how committed we are to the bright future of Salt Lake City and the supply chain that this emerging hub is delivering.”
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8 | August 17, 2026
SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL
Draper baker blends Greek tradition with Southern sweetness Peri Kinder The City Journals
Rita Magalde’s baklava at Sheer Ambrosia is a “love letter” to her family and community. The baklava was recently named Salt Lake City’s Best Dessert by Best of Salt Lake. (Tom Haraldsen/The City Journals)
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In Greek mythology, ambrosia is the food of the gods. For Rita Magalde, owner of Sheer Ambrosia bakery, the name was the perfect choice for her Greek-inspired baklava. While the pastry traces its roots to the Mediterranean, her recipes are infused with the flavors of her Southern upbringing, blending tradition with memories of her mother’s blackberry pie and peach cobbler. “Baklava is an amazingly elaborate dessert,” Magalde said. “Mine is Greek and Southern-inspired, but it is a world dessert. It is not just Greek; it is Eastern European, it is Middle Eastern, it is Northern African. There’s baklava in Egypt, in Lebanon, in Morocco, in Bosnia, in Armenia, in Turkey, in Iraq and Iran — in all of those countries.” Born in New York City, but raised in a small town in North Carolina, Magalde attended Appalachian State University near the Blue Ridge Mountains, studying history and Spanish. She moved to Spain to immerse herself in the language and culture and married a man from Santander, a city on the country’s northern coast. They moved to Utah for the skiing. Following a divorce, Magalde wanted to offer the world something no one else could. She thought back to her first job in North Carolina, where she did babysitting for a Greek family who owned a seafood restaurant. “I was in their house a lot and I learned how to make lots of Greek foods. Baklava was just one of them, but it was the one that really stood out to me because, for me, baklava is art,” she said. “It was really beautiful, and so over the years I just played around with recipes.” The Draper resident has refined her process, creating 15 varieties of baklava, from traditional honey walnut to more exotic flavors like pistachio orange cardamom, butterscotch rum walnut and caramel cashew crunch.
With 45 layers of phyllo dough in every batch, Magalde’s baklava is a rich, dense, luxurious dessert that customers order from around the world. It was recently named Salt Lake City’s Best Dessert by Best of Salt Lake. Magalde has built a strong following over the years. Following the George Floyd riots in 2020, she learned Sheer Ambrosia had been added to a list of Black-owned businesses that people could support. Orders started rolling in from all over the Salt Lake Valley. She began filling orders but didn’t want to ship them, feeling it was too impersonal. She wanted to see the people who supported her and tell them thank you. “I just couldn’t believe that all of those people wanted to support me in Utah,” she said. “So after I made all those orders, I hand-delivered every single one of them. I drove up and down the Wasatch Front and I knocked on doors and said, ‘I have your order. I’m here to look you in the eye and tell you thank you. Thank you for supporting my business.’” That extra effort created devoted customers and coverage from news sources, including National Public Radio. Magalde believes people are missing that human connection. She recently started The Hearth Letter, where subscribers receive a package in the mail with a letter, a recipe, a bookmark and inspirational thoughts. “I learned that there is a resurgence of people who like snail mail,” she said. “We grew up receiving real letters in the mail. There’s a whole connection there, with people who want to go back to that.” Magalde continues to provide exquisite baklava for weddings, corporate gifts and community events, while selling her products online and in her cozy Sheer Ambrosia storefront located at 1749 S. State St. For more information, visit sheerambrosiabakery.com. “Baklava is connection,” she said. “I have so many amazing friendships that I have built through my business, and I’ve learned so many lessons from my customers and through running this business.”
Flex files application for Utah industrial bank charter
Flexible Finance Inc. (Flex), a financial technology company that offers split payments on essential bills such as rent, has submitted applications to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Utah Department of Financial Institutions to open Flex Bank, a Utah state-chartered industrial bank. Flex doesn’t currently own a bank and offers its financing through third-party banks. The proposed bank subsidiary would give Flex its own bank, an FDIC-insured institution to support its products and services. Since 2019, Flex has processed more than $40 billion in rent for more than 3.2 million renters nationwide, helping them avoid more than $780 million in late rent fees, according to the firm. Flex for Good, an independent 501(c) (3) nonprofit funded by Flex and leveraging Flex’s technology platform, has provided more than $1 million in direct rental assistance to more than 800 households nationwide to help prevent evictions. The proposed bank would issue Flex’s core credit products, including Flex Rent, directly, helping scale its suite
of products and services and providing Flex customers with access to FDIC-insured deposit accounts. This would help Flex expand access to its flexible payment solutions for essential expenses to more customers nationwide, the company said. Jeff Berkson, Flex’s chief banking officer and former executive vice president and chief risk officer of WebBank, has been named as president and CEO of Flex Bank. “A bank charter allows us to build directly on a foundation of federal deposit insurance and full state and federal bank regulatory oversight, strengthening the products millions of renters already rely on,” said Shragie Lichtenstein, co-founder and CEO of Flex. “Rent is the single biggest bill in most people’s lives, and it’s often the one least adapted to how they’re actually paid. This charter gives us a permanent, regulated foundation to keep closing that gap.” The proposed bank would be headquartered in the Salt Lake City area and would operate nationally exclusively through digital channels.
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SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL
Students in the Department of Respiratory Therapy study in the respiratory therapy lab at Weber State University’s Davis Campus in February.
Students in Weber State University’s Department of Automotive Technology work on electric vehicle batteries.
WSU Prior Learning Assessment turns experience into college credit Becky Ginos The City Journals
Students at Weber State University saved an estimated $7 million in tuition last year by getting credit for using real-world experience — not just classroom instruction. The Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) program allows students to receive college credit for knowledge gained outside of regular coursework at the university, getting them to graduation sooner. “This is a great way to recognize the valuable professional experiences that many of our students bring to their educational journey,” said Molly Sween, Department of Criminal Justice chair. “Our department recognizes the time and money that goes into college, and we hope this leads to more efficient degree paths for students.” A few departments already have some things in place, said Lani Shepard, assistant registrar for records operations. “Computer science has challenge exams for their 1000 and 2000 level courses but more recently in some of our departments, like criminal justice, four of their 1000 level classes are available to take a challenge exam.” There are some additional eligibility requirements students have to meet with criminal justice, she said. “They have to have worked in that industry for three years before they think they have enough knowledge to pass those exams.”
The departments have put together an exam with an assessment that allows students to demonstrate not just that they did something in the field or that they have experience in that field, but that they have university-level knowledge in both theoretical and practical frameworks where they can demonstrate that university level learning, said Shepard. That’s also a way some of their professional licensure might be applied to course work here, she said. “So automotive, nursing, radiologic sciences are all departments where your professional licensure or certifications in that field may be used here for credit.” PLA is meant to be applicable to a student’s degree pathway or program of study, sometimes called a major, Shepard said. “So they’re meant to be useful to that. We would like to see them meeting requirements for their degree. Sometimes they end up in the elective space.” Another type of PLA that Weber offers is for active and retired military, she said. “That may be based on training that they had or may be based on their time in the service. We have two options for our military members and one of those counts as general education, so that’s a great one to qualify for.” The other one is a review of the training and a lot of times that ends up being elective credits if available, said Shepard. “But if for some reason they get done all the things they need to do for their degree and they still have this space between all the things that
Department of Criminal Justice students take part in a crime scene photography lab in March. (Photos courtesy Weber State University) they did for a bachelor’s degree, it would be 120 credit hours. Then they can use those elective hours from their military training to fill out space.” PLA also includes AP, CLEP and ACT exams, she said. “So if someone finds a department where they don’t have a department challenge exam available, they might check our CLEP page. There are many CLEP tests there. We don’t accept all of them, so students would want to check Weber State’s webpage.” Weber State has also expanded the number of pathways from partner schools
such as Ogden-Weber Technical College and Davis Technical College, giving students more opportunities to earn a certificate from the partner institution and continue at Weber State without repeating coursework or losing credits, according to information provided. “These efforts contribute to retention and persistence to graduation,” Shepard said. “And it shows students that we recognize what they bring and see them as a whole person here, not just a number.” For more information visit www.weber. edu/.
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10 | August 17, 2026
SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL
INNOVATE UTAH Innovate Uta h Salt Lake Citybased Christopherson Business Travel has announced the launch of Andavo Booking, an online booking tool built natively into Andavo, the company’s cloud-based travel management platform. Travelers can book air, hotel and car in one place, while each reservation remains connected to company policy, negotiated rates, payment, risk management, reporting and Christopherson travel advisory personnel throughout the trip. “We built Andavo to make our service team stronger, not smaller,” said Josh Cameron, CEO of Christopherson. “Every design decision starts with what happens after the reservation, because that’s where software alone falls short.” Travel teams can configure Andavo Booking around their managed program, including approval flows, traveler profiles, preferred vendors, negotiated rates and travel policy. These settings bring the organization’s program requirements directly into the booking experience and establish how travelers search, select and request approval for business trip options. Shed, a telehealth and wellness company based in Lehi, has announced the launch of a comprehensive sex health collection: five prescription treatments designed to help men and women address some of the most common sexual health concerns. The new lineup includes Rise, Extend and Steady for men, along with Desire and Euphoria for women, offering personalized treatment plans that support libido, arousal, erectile function, stamina and overall sexual confidence. “Sexual wellness is an essential part of overall health, yet it’s an area where many people continue to struggle in silence,” said Morley Baker, CEO of Shed. “Patients often don’t know treatment options exist or feel uncomfortable asking for help. We’re addressing the gap by making evidence-based care more approachable, personalized and accessible from wherever people are.” The sex health collection joins Shed’s portfolio of health offerings and is available at tryshed.com. Solo, a workflow and proposal management platform for residential services contractors, has introduced Roofing Studio, an end-to-end sales execution platform built specifically for roofing contractors. The tool gives sales teams everything they need to measure, present, finance and close roofing projects during the first appointment with the homeowner. Built from sales methodology behind millions of successful in-home presentations, Solo combines AI-powered roof measurements, interactive proposals, integrated financing, good-better-best product comparisons, closing documents and e-signatures into one seamless experience, allowing contractors to move from the first inspection to a signed agreement in a single home visit. “The roofing industry doesn’t have an estimating problem; it has an execution problem,” said Tim Price, chief revenue officer at Solo. “Homeowners don’t buy because they received another quote. They buy when they clearly understand the problem, trust the contractor and feel confident making a decision.”
Diamond K Gypsum of Richfield has introduced two new water-saving products designed to help Utah homeowners keep their lawns, shrubs and trees healthy during times of extreme drought. Aqua-Drive Residential soil wetting agent and Premium Prill Residential pelletized gypsum help soils absorb moisture more quickly and hold moisture longer. Aqua-Drive Residential soil wetting agent is formulated for homes and gardens and is based on Diamond K’s Aqua-Drive agricultural soil wetting agent used throughout the West. The wetting agent enables soils to absorb precipitation and irrigation water more quickly with less runoff and drives moisture more deeply into the soil profile. It reduces surface tension of water droplets as much as 60 percent, allowing water to be more easily absorbed, and it bonds to hydrophobic (hard-to-wet) soil colloids, dispersing water more deeply and more widely throughout the soil. The product is applied with a hose-end sprayer. The new Premium Prill Residential pelletized gypsum helps increase water infiltration and deepens root structure by loosening dense and compacted soils, leaching harmful salts and reducing soil crusting. It is applied using a drop or hand spreader. “Utah homeowners are searching for ways to combat our extreme 2026 drought conditions,” said Mason Allred, Diamond K Gypsum sales and marketing director for Residential and Pro-Turf products. “Aqua-Drive Residential and Premium Prill Residential work together to address different aspects of water conservation.” According to Allred, Aqua-Drive Residential reduces water usage by 20 percent. One treatment covers 5,000 square feet and lasts 45 days. Premium Prill Residential is made of high-purity organic gypsum that enables lawns and gardens to absorb and retain more water. Both products are available at IFA Country Stores.
Attestiv, a digital media and document validation company based in Lehi, has launched of DeepScan, a platform built to help organizations automatically validate submitted files before they drive critical business decisions. DeepScan represents an architectural shift for Attestiv’s customers, moving from detecting fake or manipulated media in isolation to validating whether submitted photos, documents, audio and video can be inherently trusted within the specific context of a business workflow. “Deepfake detection has become a necessary part of validating customer-submitted files, but it is not sufficient on its own,” said Nicos Vekiarides, CEO of Attestiv. “Customers need to know whether a submitted photo, document, audio file or video can be trusted for a specific claim, application, transaction, dispute or decision. DeepScan helps organizations move from isolated forensic signals to configurable validation workflows that support faster, more consistent and more confident decision-making.” Salt Lake City payroll platform Everee has introduced Onboarding+, a new offering that streamlines worker onboarding, remote I-9 verification and document management, all inside the Everee platform. The launch comes at a moment of heightened scrutiny on I-9 compliance. On March 16, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement updated its inspection guidance, reclassifying many previously correctable errors as substantive violations subject to immediate fines, and signaling that the electronic systems used to manage I-9s are themselves now part of the audit. “Workforces today are more dynamic than ever, but onboarding systems haven’t kept up,” said Brett Barlow, CEO of Everee. “At the same time, compliance expectations are rising. Penalties for I-9 violations can reach thousands of dollars per infraction, while audits and notices of inspection continue to increase. Onboarding+ gives businesses a way to move faster without taking on additional risk.” Salt Lake City-based EKA Solutions Inc., an integrated cloud-based freight management platform, is launching four new proprietary AI-powered agents natively integrated into EKA’s base system, Omni-TMS, designed for trucking, broker, logistics and shipper businesses of all sizes. “Unlike other transportation management systems, Omni-TMS develops AI-powered solutions and services that operate natively within a single environment. This enables seamless system communication for faster, more informed decisions,” said JJ Singh, CEO and founder of EKA Solutions. The new tools include a Control Center for proactive operations, a Trip Fuel Optimizer to cut fuel costs, automated handling of PDF and spreadsheet load orders, and a Load-Asset Optimizer that reduces operational, accounting and administrative expenses. “Companies using these AI-driven solutions and services will see major gains in productivity, workflow speed, data accuracy, real-time insights and consistency,” added Singh. Omni-TMS is available at the company’s website.
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PEOPLE on ON THE People the MOVE Move “People on the Move” information should be submitted to brice.w@thecityjournals. com. Submissions are for subscribers only.
HEALTHCARE
• Fluidx Medical Technology Inc., a Salt Lake City-based company focused on embolization with an ionic gel embolization platform to treat conditions including tumors, hemorrhage and targeted neurovascular bleeds, has added Lawrence Kronick to its board of directors. KroLawrence nik has been involved Kronick with Fluidx since its founding and has extensive operational and commercial experience in the interventional space. He has over 35 years of operational and commercial experience in cardiovascular, interventional radiology, electrophysiology and imaging. Lawrence is the founder of Business Asia Consultants Inc., helping medical device and equipment companies to expand and develop global sales distribution channels. • Canyon Labs, a Bluffdale-based partner for medical device testing, validation and regulatory consulting, has hired Ben Trombold as executive vice president of commercial and Dan Floyd as senior director of commercial science. Trombold will Ben Trombold lead Canyon Labs’ commercial organization, helping create greater consistency across business units while strengthening customer engagement and aligning customer needs with operational execution. Floyd has more than 33 years of experience Dan Floyd in sterilization science, validation and regulatory strategy. His expertise spans ethylene oxide (EO), radiation, vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP), steam, dry heat and emerging sterilization modalities. Canyon Labs also has introduced its Science First Leadership Model, a company-wide initiative designed to unify scientific expertise across its national laboratory network. As part of the initiative, the company has appointed Wendy Mach four scientific leaders to oversee its core technical disciplines. Wendy Mach has been promoted to vice president of packaging and consulting. She has more than 30 years of experience in sterilization, packaging validation, miTom McElroy crobiology and quality assurance. Tom McElroy has been promoted to senior director of microbiology. He has more than 25 years of experience in medical device and pharmaceutical microbiology. Chris Dietz has been promoted to vice president of anChris Dietz alytical chemistry. He
will oversee Canyon’s analytical chemistry capabilities, supporting the continued growth of the company’s chemical characterization, materials analysis, and regulatory testing services. Working alongside the broader scientific leadership team, he will help ensure consistent methodologies, technical excellence, and scientific innovation across Canyon’s laboratory network. Donna Ventura has been promoted to vice president of bioDonna Ventura compatibility and toxicology. She has more than 40 years of experience supporting the medical device and pharmaceutical industries in biological safety and biocompatibility. • Light-Hope Diagnostics Inc., a Salt Lake City-based biotech startup developing blood tests for early cancer detection, has added Varun Shankar as AI/ML advisor. He will provide strategic guidance on the development of advanced artificial intelligence and Varun Shankar machine learning models. Shankar is an assistant professor in the Kahlert School of Computing at the University of Utah and an expert in scientific machine learning, scientific computing and high-performance computing. His research focuses on developing efficient, scalable and mathematically rigorous machine learning methods for scientific, engineering and medical applications. Shankar also serves as associate director of the Master of Software Development program, associate chair at the UofU Fintech Center, and director of the Scientific Computing Track at the Kahlert School. His education includes a Ph.D. in scientific computing from the University of Utah. • Lipocine Inc., a Salt Lake Citybased biopharmaceutical company, has appointed Michael J. Grissinger to its board of directors. Grissinger spent more than two decades at Johnson & Johnson, where he served in senior level management roles, including vice president and head of worldwide pharmaceutical licensing and vice president and head of worldwide pharmaceutical corporate development and M&A. At Johnson & Johnson, Mr. Grissinger led the Immunology Therapeutic Area Business Development and Licensing Group and was also a member of the Immunology R&D/ Commercial leadership team for Johnson & Johnson’s Worldwide Immunology Franchise. Prior to Johnson & Johnson, he spent 12 years at Ciba-Geigy in finance, marketing and business development roles. Grissinger also has served on the boards of public and private companies, including board chair roles. He currently serves on the board of directors at Aprea Therapeutics and Adicet Bio. He also advises several privately held biotech companies.
MANUFACTURING
Janine Weber
• Nature’s Sunshine Products Inc., a Lehi-based manufacturer and marketer of herbal and nutritional supplements, has appointed Janine Weber as executive vice president and president of North America. Weber
will lead the company’s North America business, with responsibility for driving growth, strengthening consultant engagement, enhancing customer experience and advancing the company’s commercial strategy across the United States and Canada. Weber has more than 25 years of leadership experience across direct selling, sales enablement, customer experience, business development and organizational leadership. Weber joins Nature’s Sunshine from LifeWave, where she served as regional president of North America. Previously, she spent more than a decade in senior leadership roles at Rodan & Fields, including senior vice president of sales enablement and senior vice president of North America Sales.
MEDIA
• Utah Public Radio has named Frank Mueller its new station manager. Mueller will lead UPR’s efforts to provide news, public affairs, cultural programming and community-focused content to listeners across Utah. He succeeds longtime leaders Kerry BringFrank Mueller hurst and Tom Williams, who retired this summer from the Logan-based station. Mueller will also serve as professional practice faculty in Utah State University’s College of Arts and Sciences. Mueller has decades of experience in public and commercial broadcasting, radio management and higher education. Mueller joins UPR following senior management roles at Penn State University’s news/ talk WPSU-FM State College, PA (91.5). Throughout his career, he has overseen broadcast operations, programming, audience development and student engagement initiatives at university-affiliated media organizations. His public media career began at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he managed station operations before becoming general manager. Mueller later owned and operated a small radio group in Utah Valley and taught at Utah Valley University before returning to public broadcasting at Penn State.
SERVICES
• 401GO, a Sandy-based 401(k) retirement plan provider, has appointed Brad Sawaya as chief financial officer and Marc Jacobs as chief revenue officer. A Certified Public Accountant with expertise in capital raising and strategic finance, Sawaya will help 401GO invest responBrad Sawaya sibly in the technology, service and partner support that financial advisors, plan sponsors and HR teams rely on to deliver effective retirement plans. Sawaya has more than 15 years of finance leadership across fintech and SaaS companies. Marc Jacobs Most recently, he served as CFO of BillingPlatform. He previously held finance roles at General Electric, VMware and EMC and began his career at Ernst & Young. Jacobs will focus on expanding the company’s reach among financial advisors, plan sponsors, payroll providers and HR
teams, while strengthening the sales and service model needed to support longterm partner and client relationships. Jacobs has over 20 years of experience building go-to-market organizations at fast-growing companies in technology. Most recently, he served as chief revenue officer at Freshpaint and CHEQ. His experience also includes serving as vice president of sales at Greenhouse, leading sales and customer success at CB Insights, and serving as the chief revenue officer at Spring Health.
TECHNOLOGY
• Open Payment Network, a Salt Lake City-based company focused on modernizing payment infrastructure and expanding access to instant payment solutions, has appointed Bob Steen as an advisor to the company. Steen will work closely with the company’s leadership team Bob Steen on market strategy, ecosystem development and growth initiatives. Steen has decades of leadership experience in banking, payments and financial technology, with a track record of helping organizations navigate industry transformation, build strategic partnerships and scale operations. Steen is a former chairman and CEO of Bridge Community Bank in Iowa. His experience also includes serving on the Federal Reserve’s Faster Payments Task Force steering committee and testifying before both the U.S. Senate Banking Committee and the House Financial Services Task Force on financial technology representing the Independent Community Bankers of America. • Netcraft, a Salt Lake City-based company focused on brand protection and threat disruption, have announced that Susan Koski and Kelly Bissell have joined the company as strategic advisors. The two will provide industry insight and product guidSusan Koski ance. Koski is a security executive with more than 25 years of experience in IT, cybersecurity, business continuity, fraud, third-party risk management and IT risk management. She has led enterprise information security and technology risk at sevKelly Bissell eral of the largest U.S. banks, most recently serving as chief information security officer at PNC Bank. Her responsibilities have spanned security strategy, digital identity, data protection, cyber fraud fusion centers, threat intelligence, incident management, application and cloud security, and governance across the financial services and insurance industries. Bissell is a security and fraud executive with more than 25 years in the industry. Most recently, he led fraud and product abuse prevention at Microsoft, building detection and protection capabilities across cloud, productivity, professional networking and gaming platforms, along with the vetting systems that verify customers and partners at scale. Earlier in his career, he built and ran global security practices at Accenture and Deloitte & Touche.
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INDUSTRY BRIEFS Industry Briefs Company news information may be sent to brice.w@thecityjournals.com.
BANKING
• Sunwest Bank, based in Sandy, has completed its acquisition of the former MidWestOne and Bank of Denver Colorado branches from Nicolet National Bank. The acquisition expands Sunwest’s presence across the Rocky Mountain region. Founded in 1969, Sunwest Bank has over $4 billion in assets and offices across California, Arizona, Idaho, Colorado, Utah and Florida.
DIVIDENDS
• The board of directors of Zions Bancorporation NA, based in Salt Lake City, has declared a regular quarterly dividend of 48 cents per common share. The dividend is payable Aug. 20 to shareholders of record Aug. 13. The dividend represents a 3-cent, or 6.7 percent, increase from the prior quarter. The regular quarterly cash dividend on the company’s Series A perpetual preferred shares are payable Sept. 15 to shareholders of record Sept. 1. The board also has authorized share repurchases of up to $75 million of the company’s common stock for the third quarter of 2026 as part of the company’s previously authorized share repurchase target for 2026 of $300 million. The timing and amounts will depend on market conditions, regulatory requirements, and other factors or uncertainties and may be updated at the discretion of the board. Zions operates banks in 11 western states.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
• The Salt Lake City/Murray metro area is ranked No. 14 nationally for food manufacturing employment concentration, with 4.4 food manufacturing workers per 1,000 total Salt Lake City metro employees, according to a study of 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics data by Trace One, which specializes in regulatory compliance and PLM solutions for the food and beverage industry. The local metro has 7,326 food manufacturing workers at 278 establishments. Among large metropolitan areas, Fresno, California, has the highest concentration of food manufacturing employment, with 13.9 workers per 1,000 employees. Dodge City, Kansas, has the nation’s highest concentration of food manufacturing employment, with 170.3 workers per 1,000 total employees. Nebraska leads the nation with 41 food manufacturing workers per 1,000 total employees. California employs the most food manufacturing workers (166,772). Food manufacturing employment in the U.S. reached a record high in 2025 despite becoming a smaller share of the workforce. Nationally, the industry employed 1.77 million workers in 2025, up 11 percent from 2020, while its employment concentration declined from 14 workers
per 1,000 U.S. employees in 1990 to just 11.4 in 2025. Bakeries and tortilla manufacturing accounted for the largest number of food manufacturing establishments in 2025, with 16,081 facilities nationwide — more than the next two categories combined. Measured by employment, animal slaughtering and processing led with 556,070 workers. Details are at https:// www.traceone.com/resources/plm-compliance-blog/cities-states-most-food-manufacturing-jobs. • Salt Lake City’s coworking market continued to expand in the second quarter, with solid gains in inventory and square footage pointing to steady demand for flexible workspace and continued room for growth, according to a quarterly report by CoworkingCafe. In the second quarter, the Salt Lake City market added five more coworking spaces, reaching 99, representing a 5.3 percent increase quarter-over-quarter. Salt Lake City reached close to 1.92 million square feet, up 3 percent during the quarter. The number represents 2.7 percent of Salt Lake City’s total office space. The average coworking square footage dropped 2.2 percent, from 19,860 square feet in the first quarter to 19,416 square feet in the second quarter. The national average is 17,728 square feet. Virtual offices remained at a median of $159 per month; meeting rooms dropped $3 to $30 per hour; day passes remained $30 per day and memberships kept a median of $169 per month. The top operators in the Salt Lake City market are Regus (20 spaces); Kiln and PowerBx with six spaces each; Apt CoWork (four spaces); and HQ, Spaces and Work Hive with three spaces each. Nationally, the total inventory is 9,384 coworking spaces spread across 166.36 million square feet. The top five operators nationwide are Regus (1,285 spaces), HQ (388 spaces), Industrious (191 spaces), Spaces (171 spaces) and WeWork (149 spaces). Details are at https://www.coworkingcafe.com/blog/ national-coworking-report/. • Twenty-one percent of low-income Utah households regularly switch off their air conditioning at night to save money, according to a study by Advance America and based on a survey of adults in households with annual incomes below $49,999. That equates to 64,598 households. Those households go without cooling for an average of 11 nights per month, while more than two-thirds of respondents said limiting their AC negatively affects their sleep. The survey also found that 27 percent have delayed paying another household bill to afford cooling, and 22 percent have endured a home they felt was dangerously hot rather than turn on the air conditioning. The study combined survey data with the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 local air conditioning estimates to project the scale of the issue nationally and by state. Nationally, Connecticut topped the
ranking, with 61 percent of low-income households saying they regularly turn off their air conditioning to reduce bills. That’s an estimated 251,575 households across the state. At the other end of the ranking, at 9 percent, households in Alaska were the least likely to cut back. Details are at https://www.advanceamerica.net/money-saving-tips/money-management/survey-air-conditioning-costs-cutbacks. • Ruth’s Diner in Salt Lake City is the top business or attraction “that evokes the strongest childhood summer memories among Utahns,” according to a survey by Advance Funds Network. It is followed by No. 2 Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington and No. 3 LaBeau’s DriveIn in Garden City. Advance Funds Network surveyed people ages 45 and older to identify the local businesses and attractions most closely associated with nostalgic summer memories. The survey also found that nearly 78 percent of Utahns have felt genuinely sad when a nostalgic local summer business closed, while respondents said they would spend an average of $41 more at a long-running local favorite than at a national chain. Details are at https:// advancefundsnetwork.com/poll-revealsthe-most-nostalgic-summer-spots-in-theu-s-and-canada-2026/.
EVENTS
• The Salt Lake Chamber has announced that the 50th Annual Women & Business Conference and Athena Awards Luncheon will take place Nov. 11 at the Grand America Hotel, 555 S. Main St., Salt Lake City. The event theme is “Momentum.” Keynote speaker Nicole Robison, founder of Swig, will discuss “The Swig Effect: Creating a Culture the World Cannot Resist.” Details will be announced at slchamber.com.
FRANCHISING
• Image Studios, a Salt Lake City-based franchisor of salon suites, has launched Gorgeous Collective, a multi-brand franchise platform to acquire, support and scale leading concepts across beauty, wellness and personal care. The platform partners with concepts to deliver operating support, shared services, and growth capital while preserving each brand’s identity and customer experience. Gorgeous Collective is evaluating acquisitions across complementary beauty, skincare, wellness and personal care categories. Founded in 2009 and franchised since 2015, Image Studios has 139 stores open across 30 states and more than 200 stores in development.
INVESTMENTS
• Cynosure Partners, the direct investments business of Salt Lake City-based Cynosure Group, and Hamilton Lane, a Pennsylvania-based global private markets firm, have announced the closing of a sin-
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gle-asset continuation vehicle for Savant Capital Holdings LLC. Ten years after Cynosure’s initial investment in Savant, the continuation vehicle secured approximately $270 million in total commitments, providing a liquidity option to Cynosure’s original limited partners. Funds managed by Hamilton Lane served as the sole lead investor and only source of new outside capital. With over $57 billion in assets under management, Savant is an independent, fee-only registered investment advisor. The transaction represents Hamilton Lane’s latest investment in the RIA space. Cynosure remains an active minority investor and board member alongside Kelso & Co., a North American-focused middle market private equity firm. Savant employees continue to represent the largest shareholder group. Campbell Lutyens served as exclusive financial advisor to Cynosure. Ropes & Gray served as legal advisor to Hamilton Lane, and Debevoise served as legal advisor to Cynosure. • Tower Arch Capital, based in Draper, has partnered with Brendan Heegan and the Boxzooka executive team and recapitalized Boxzooka eFulfillment LLC, a New Jersey-based third-party logistics (3PL) and fulfillment partner for e-commerce brands. Boxzooka was founded in 2014. Tower Arch Capital will provide strategic guidance, governance, mergers and acquisition support, and capital investment to support Boxzooka’s long-term growth. Brendan Heegan will remain as an owner and transition to an advisory role as chairman of the board. Nick Pellegrino, president and chief operating officer of Boxzooka, will become CEO as part of the transaction, and Boxzooka’s existing leadership team will continue to lead the business day-to-day. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Financing for the transaction was provided by First Financial Bank. Tower Arch Capital was advised by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP; Grant Thornton; West Monroe; and Lockton. Boxzooka was advised by SDR Ventures, Taft Law and Curran & Co. LLP.
LITIGATION
• The Utah Attorney General’s Office and the Utah Department of Commerce’s Division of Consumer Protection, alongside a coalition of more than 40 states, has announced an $18 million settlement arising from the bankruptcy proceedings of genetic information company 23andMe. The company, once a leader in consumer genetic analysis and ancestry testing, allowed users to submit DNA samples for analysis of their genetic profile. In 2023, the company suffered a significant data breach affecting approximately 6.9 million users. The compromised information included sensitive details regarding users’ identities, ancestry and genetic profiles. After the breach, hackers posted lists
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INDUSTRY BRIEFS Industry Briefs for sale on the dark web, reportedly targeting users of Ashkenazi Jewish and Chinese descent. This exposure of ethnically targeted lists prompted a bipartisan investigation into whether 23andMe violated state data privacy, consumer protection and genetic information privacy laws. Utah will receive $461,688 as its share of the $18 million settlement. Utahns affected by the breach will be compensated separately through a $46.75 million class-action settlement in the bankruptcy. In early 2025, 23andMe declared bankruptcy. During the proceedings, coalition states successfully secured restrictions on the future use of genetic information previously collected by the company, ensuring enhanced protections going forward. • The Utah Department of Commerce’s Division of Consumer Protection and the Office of the Utah Attorney General have joined the Federal Trade Commission and the state of California in a federal lawsuit against telehealth company Hims & Hers Health Inc. The complaint, filed in the Northern District of California, alleges Hims violated the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act by improperly charging consumers for subscriptions they never authorized and mishandling their private health data that was shared with advertisers without consent. The complaint alleges that Hims promoted a “free consult” that ultimately led consumers to be enrolled in recurring prescription subscriptions based solely on an online intake form, without proper consent or prior consultation with a healthcare provider. When consumers attempted to cancel their subscriptions, Hims forced them through a convoluted process that obscured the cancellation option, forcing them through multiple survey screens and making it difficult to exit the service. In addition to these deceptive practices, Hims is accused of breaching its promises concerning privacy. The company assured consumers that their health information would remain “private and secure,” yet it subsequently shared sensitive data with third-party advertisers, including Meta and Snap. With the FTC and California, Utah’s legal action seeks not only a permanent injunction against Hims but also restitution for affect-
ed consumers, civil penalties, and the disgorgement of profits obtained through the unlawful practices. Affected consumers are encouraged to file complaints at consumerprotection.utah.gov.
NONPROFITS
• The Mountain Region of CommonSpirit Health is inviting local nonprofit organizations to apply for grants that support the delivery of services vital to improving health and well-being, and improving health equity. The application period runs through Sept. 18. The CommonSpirit Health Community Health Improvement Grants program funds community-based organizations working to address the priority health needs identified through each hospital’s Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). Conducted every three years, the CHNA helps hospitals and community partners identify the most pressing health and social needs within the communities they serve. Applications for grants of greater than $20,000 must include collaborating partner organizations helping to deliver services. Partners are encouraged, but not required, for smaller grants. Details are at https:// www.mountain.commonspirit.org/community-impact/social-justice/health-equity-advancement-fund. Successful applicants will be notified in January 2027 for projects funded for the period April 2027 through March 2028. CommonSpirit Health has more than 2,300 clinics, care sites and 137 hospital-based locations, in addition to its home-based services and virtual care offerings.
PARTNERSHIPS
• Strider Technologies Inc., a South Jordan-based provider of strategic intelligence, has announced a partnership with Ionic Mineral Technologies, a Provo-based critical minerals and advanced materials company focused on energy, national defense and industrial resilience. Under the partnership, Strider becomes Ionic MT’s official strategic intelligence partner, helping the company protect its technology, its people and its supply chain as it builds out one of America’s first sovereign supply chains for critical minerals and rare
earths. Strider’s strategic intelligence will help Ionic MT identify risks early so the company can grow its operations, supply chain and partnerships with confidence. Ionic MT is advancing Silicon Ridge in Utah, a halloysite-hosted critical minerals system, while building an integrated platform spanning resource development, processing and commercialization.
PHILANTHROPY
• PMI Foods, based in Salt Lake City, recently donated 1,738 fully cooked frozen protein products to Utah Food Bank to feed families facing food insecurity across the state. The donation includes protein items such as buffalo chicken, garlic beef, brisket and steak. The food is being distributed through Utah Food Bank’s statewide network of 309 partner agencies, including food pantries, shelters and senior centers.
REAL ESTATE
• Lincoln Avenue Communities, an acquirer and developer of affordable housing, and the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City, the largest affordable housing provider in the Salt Lake Valley, recently broke ground on Erma’s at Fairmont, a 110-unit affordable senior housing development rising on the edge of Fairmont Park in Salt Lake City’s Sugar House neighborhood. Erma’s at Fairmont will feature a mix of one and twobedroom apartments, which will be leased to seniors earning between 20 percent to 80 percent of the area median income. Communal amenities include a fitness center, community room, bicycle park, elevator service and structured parking. A second phase of housing is planned on the southern portion of the site, which will add a second tower with additional affordable units. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2027. LAC has a presence in 33 states and a portfolio of more than 200 properties comprising more than 30,500 units that house more than 100,000 residents. HASLC owns 35 rental communities in the city; oversees 3,000 units of other rental households; has four projects under construction and four more coming soon; and is entering
the field of first-time homeownership development at several sites.
RETAIL
• QuikTrip Corp., based in Oklahoma, has opened its first Utah store at 1675 W. 12th St., Marriott-Slaterville. It will be open 24/7 and have about 24 employees. It includes QT Kitchens, the company’s made-to-order foodservice program, along with 16 gas pumps and six high-flow diesel bays for tractor-trailers. A grand opening celebration is scheduled for Aug. 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. QuikTrip plans to open its next Utah store in Springville in December. Founded in 1958, QT has more than 34,000 employees and more than 1,250 stores in 23 states.
SERVICES
• Entrepreneur Chris Weaver is bringing Spray-Net’s technology and finishes to homeowners across Salt Lake City, Davis County and surrounding communities. Weaver is a University of Utah graduate with a background in finance and software product management. Spray-Net combines industrial-grade coatings with on-site application. The product aims to deliver durable, weather-adjustable, eco-friendly finishes, often completed in one day, to siding, doors, brick and stucco and kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Since its founding in 2010, Spray-Net has revamped more than 30,000 homes and sprayed over 21 million square feet of siding across its franchise network.
SPORTS
• USA Judo, a Colorado-based nonprofit, has announced the return of its Youth National Championships to Salt Lake City for 2027. The event will be held March 20-21 at the Salt Palace Convention Center. The event was last held in Salt Lake City in 2025 and annually draws more than 600 of the nation’s best athletes, ages 5-20, to vie for national championship gold and the opportunity to represent Team USA in international competition. USA Judo serves more than 13,000 members annually, including athletes, coaches, referees, volunteers and supporters.
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CALENDAR Calendar Information about upcoming events may be sent to brice.w@thecityjournals.com.
Aug. 17, 9-10 a.m.
“Coffee & Conversation with the Chamber,” a Park City Chamber/Bureau event featuring Park City Manager Adam Lenhard and County Manager Shayne Scott. Location is the chamber/ bureau, 1850 Sidewinder Drive, Suite 200, Park City. Free. Details are at parkcitychamber.com.
Aug. 18, 9-11 a.m.
Investor Workshop, a 47G event. Theme is “Own Your Brand: LinkedIn Strategies & Executive Presence.” Presenter John Moore, vice president of marketing and brand at 47G, will share practical LinkedIn strategies to increase visibility, strengthen a personal and company brand, and grow meaningful professional connections. Representatives of Silvester & Co. will discuss how executive presence can build credibility, inspire confidence, and elevate their professional impact. Location is Cottonwood Heights (register to see the address). Event is exclusive to 47G investors (formerly known as members). Details are at https://luma. com/0d7v0gvb.
Aug. 18, 11:30 a.m.
“AI: 1 Technology, 3 Perspectives,” a ChamberWest Professional Development Series event. Speakers are Stephenie Lyon, business development representative, Stratus HR; Hassan Ali, CEO, Datasan Labs; and Jason Kidman, CEO and president, Vigilant IT. Location is TownePlace Suites Salt Lake CityWest Valley, 5473 High Market Drive, West Valley City. Cost is $40 for members and $50 for nonmembers. Details are at chamberwest.com.
Aug. 18, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
“Vibe Code Club for Entrepreneurs,” a Small Business Development Center event. Location is Salt Lake SBDC at Salt Lake Community College. Details are at https://clients.utahsbdc. org/events.aspx.
Aug. 19, 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Chamber Golf Classic, an Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce event. Check-in and breakfast begin at 7:30 a.m., followed by an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start and 1 p.m. lunch and awards presentation. Location is Mount Ogden Golf Course, 1787 Constitution Way, Ogden. Cost is $250 for individuals, $1,000 per foursome. Details are at ogdenweberchamber.com.
Aug. 19, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Business Boot Camp, a South Valley Chamber of Commerce event. Instruc-
tor Brandon Allen, founder of New Work Revolution and facilitator at University of Utah Professional Education, will discuss “Beyond Conflict Management: Creating a Culture of Trust Through Integrity and Self-Awareness.” Location is Salt Mine Productive Workspace, 7984 S. 1300 E., Sandy. Cost is $35 for members, $55 for nonmembers. Details are at southvalleychamber.com. Business Alliance, a Davis Chamber of Commerce event. Location is Boondocks Fun Center, 525 Deseret Drive, Kaysville. No RSVP needed. Free. Lunch available for purchase. Details are at davischamberofcommerce.com.
entertainment careers. Presenters include writer, producer and director Dean Devlin (“Independence Day,” “Leverage: Redemption,” “The Ark”), screenwriter Nancy Schilbe (“The Pitt”) and actor and producer Glenn Morshower (“The Resident,” “Bloodline”). Event includes panels and seminars, hands-on workshops, educational sessions, networking opportunities with leading industry professionals, and interactive sessions with guest speakers. Location is DoubleTree by Hilton at the Salt Lake City Airport, 5151 Wiley Post Way, Salt Lake City. Cost is $650 for a VIP concierge pass, $399 for a three-day pass, $299 for a student discount pass. Details and tickets are available at www.storyforge3000.com.
Aug. 19, 11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Aug. 20, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Aug. 19, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
“Strictly Networking Lunch,” a West Jordan Chamber of Commerce event. Location is Archibald’s Restaurant at Gardner Village, 1100 W. 7800 S., West Jordan. Free (pay for your own lunch). Details are at westjordanchamber.com.
Aug. 19, noon-1 p.m.
“Grant Hunting for Small-Business Owners,” a Women’s Business Center of Utah “Solve the Business Puzzle” event. Speaker Sara Day, program manager of training and outreach for the Utah Microloan Fund, will discuss where to look for grants, how to filter out the noise, and what makes an opportunity worth your time. Event takes place online. Details are at wbcutah.org.
Aug. 19, 4-6 p.m.
Annual Summer Mixer, a South Salt Lake Women in Business event. Location is Salt Lake Culinary Education, 2233 S. 300 E., Salt Lake City. Cost is $20 for members, $25 for nonmembers. Everyone is welcome. Details are at sslchamber.com.
Aug. 19, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
“Culture & Recognition,” an Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce workshop. Presenter is Greg Sanders, CEO, SymbolArts. Location is Ogden-Weber Chamber, 2380 Washington Blvd., Ogden. Details are at ogdenweberchamber.com.
Aug. 20, 9-10:30 a.m.
“Buzz, Build & Brew,” a Women’s Business Center of Utah event. Location is The Neighborhood Hive, 2065 E. 2100 S., Salt Lake City. Free. Details are at wbcutah.org.
Aug. 20, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Chamber Luncheon, a Davis Chamber of Commerce event celebrating America 250. Speakers are Thomas Knighton, Davis High School history teacher, and Lawrence Lopez, Army veteran and workforce development specialist. Location is Davis Technical College, Allied Health Building, 435 S. Simmons Way, Kaysville. Details are at davischamberofcommerce.com.
Aug. 20, 6:30-8 p.m.
Tax Planning Clinic, a Small Business Development Center event that takes place online. Details are at https://clients. utahsbdc.org/events.aspx.
“How to Start a Business 101,” a Small Business Development Center event. Location is Orem/Provo SBDC at Utah Valley University. Details are at https://clients.utahsbdc.org/events.aspx.
Aug. 19, 6-8 p.m.
Aug. 21, 7:15 a.m.
Marketing Clinic, a Small Business Development Center event that takes place online. Details are at https://clients. utahsbdc.org/events.aspx.
Aug. 20-22
“The Story Forge,” presented by Cinema & Television Workshops & Seminars and Elite Global Management. Event is a first-of-its-kind immersive summit designed to help aspiring writers, actors, filmmakers and storytellers take the next step in their
Golf Tournament, a South Valley Chamber of Commerce event. Activities include 7:15 a.m. sponsor check-in and breakfast, 7:30 a.m. player checkin and breakfast, 8:30 a.m. shotgun star, and 1:30 p.m. lunch program. Location is River Oaks Golf Course, 9300 Riverside Drive, Sandy. Details are at southvalleychamber.com.
Aug. 21, 8:30-10 a.m.
“Friday Connections Speed Networking,” a multi-chamber event. Loca-
tion is Utah Trucking Association, 4181 W. 2100 S., West Valley City. Details are at chamberwest.com.
Aug. 21, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
“Brand Camp: Build a Brand People Remember,” a Women in Leadership event designed for women in business. Location is Utah Disaster Kleenup, 13081 S. Minuteman Drive, Draper. Details are at westjordanchamber.com.
Aug. 23-26
Small Satellite Conference, a Space Dynamics Laboratory event. Theme is “The Clouds Above the Clouds: 40 Years of Collaboration.” Event will spotlight the technologies driving constellation success and celebrate the thousands of people whose vision and collaboration have propelled the industry forward over the past four decades. Keynote speaker Aug. 24 is Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo, director of the Space Development Agency and Space Force portfolio acquisition executive for missile warning and tracking. Location is Salt Palace Convention Center, 100 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City. Costs vary, with the standard rate ending Aug. 22. Details are at https://smallsat.org/.
Aug. 24-25
“Ecom Elevated,” a Commerce Catalyst event focused on connection, learning and growth across influencer marketing, email marketing, paid media, creative strategy, retention and the channels driving revenue. Theme is “All Things Digital Marketing.” Event includes keynote presentations, creator matchmaking, workshops and breakout sessions. Location is Hilton Salt Lake City Center. Cost is $80 for e-commerce brand attendees, $25 for creator attendees, $150 for SaaS or service provider attendees, $349 for sponsor attendees. Details are at https:// www.ccatalyst.co/events/ecom-elevated-fall-2026/?utm_source=luma.
Aug. 24, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
2026 The Point Challenge Golf Tournament, a Point of the Mountain Chamber of Commerce event. Location is Fox Hollow Golf Club, 400 N. 200 E., American Fork. Cost is $800 per member foursome, $1,000 for nonmember foursome. Details are at thepoint chamber.com.
Aug. 24, 10-11:15 a.m.
“What Future Do Utahns Want?” a Silicon Slopes town hall. Clint Betts of Silicon Slopes will open with a presentation on the state of Utah and its tech community, followed by audience discussion. Location is Silicon Slopes, 2600 W. Executive Parkway, Lehi. Details are at siliconslopes.com.
SALT LAKE BUSINESS JOURNAL
August 17, 2026 | 15
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Wasatch Living magazine makes debut A new magazine from the team at the Salt Lake Business Journal makes its debut in this week’s edition. Wasatch Living helps homeowners create more distinctive homes by curating inspiration from Utah’s most expressive, eclectic and forward-thinking spaces and designers. We seek out the emerging designers, bold renovations and local makers other publications overlook — -so your customers find ideas they can actually bring to life. Wasatch Living will be published four times a year and is included in your annual print subscription to the Salt Lake Business Journal.
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