Salt Lake Business Journal | July 13, 2026

WASATCH COUNTY

Jordanelle Ridge cafe opens doors

SUMMIT COUNTY

‘Marshals’ leads new state film projects

UTAH COUNTY

Breeze Airways adds new flights to/from Provo

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Page 11

INDUSTRY BRIEFS Page 12

BUSINESS CALENDAR

Pages 14 - 15

ON TOP OF THE LEAGUE

The Utah Talons women’s softball team finished their home season with a walkoff home run on July 4, and sit atop the AUSL (Athletes Unlimited Softball League) standings with seven road games remaining before league playoffs. The Talons played games this year at Dumke Family Softball Stadium at the University of Utah. (Tom Haraldsen/Salt Lake Business Journal)

Utah Transit Authority begins new governance model

according to the new law. Executive Director Jay Fox will continue leading UTA’s daily operations, staff and strategic direction.

The way the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) runs its business at the top has changed. Effective July 1, the UTA began operating under a new governance structure established by the Utah Legislature during its 2026 general session. Under the new model, oversight for the Wasatch Front’s major transportation system shifted to a seven-member Transit Commission and a full-time executive director.

The legislation, Senate Bill 197, replaces UTA’s previous governance model of a full-time board of trustees and part-time local advisory council. Proponents of the change said during the legislative session that the new structure is intended to strengthen accountability, better coordinate transportation investments, increase ridership and support the agency’s long-term growth.

The Transit Commission will serve as UTA’s governing body, overseeing responsibilities including approval of the agency’s annual budget, adoption of its Long-Range Transit Plan and fiduciary oversight of regional transit investments,

SB197 sponsors, Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville, and Rep. Kay Christofferson, R-Lehi, said the legislation was formulated by research into governance models at other major transit agencies and by stakeholder input. According to the sponsors, the changes are designed to improve how local governments and riders engage with UTA and to increase organizational efficiency.

“This will position UTA to move forward and better serve growing Wasatch Front communities,” Harper said at the time the bill was passed. “Utah cannot build enough roads to meet its transportation needs. Transit must be reliable, timely and responsive to every area UTA serves.”

The commission’s seven members are Mike Caldwell, Jeff Silvestrini and Muriel Xochimitl, nominated by local government councils and appointed by Gov. Spencer Cox; Chris Gambroulas and Sheldon Killpack, appointed by the Senate president; and Beth Holbrook and Jeff Acerson, appointed by the speaker of the House.

The legislation also establishes a dedicated state funding mechanism for transit. Beginning in fiscal year 2029, 5 percent of incremental state sales tax growth above a fiscal year 2028 baseline will be directed to the Transit Transportation Investment Fund (TTIF), which is dedicated exclusively to transit. State projections estimate TTIF revenues will grow from $109.2 million in 2028 to nearly $200 million by 2035 without increasing taxes or redirecting existing funding.

“I’m grateful to the state for its vote of confidence in UTA’s continued success and its commitment to a dedicated funding vision,” Fox said. “This begins an era of greater coordination and unity between transportation agencies and communities to prepare for Utah’s future growth, founded on the daily commitment of our employees to continuously improving our service.”

The new governance model is based on the framework used by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and is intended to better align UTA with the state’s long-term transportation priorities, including planning for the 2034

see UTA page 2

Osborne leaving legislative job for Olympics effort

After seven years of service as chief of staff for the Utah House of Representatives, Abby Osborne will step down from her position, effective July 31.

Osborne has been named vice president of impact, engagement and enterprise operations for the Utah 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Organizing Committee.

Osborne has served as chief of staff since 2019, acting as the principal advisor to House leadership and overseeing the institution’s strategic and operational functions. During her tenure, she helped guide the House through significant policy initiatives, organizational modernization efforts, and some of Utah’s most consequential legislative sessions, including the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, major transportation and infrastructure investments, higher education reforms, and Utah’s successful effort to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games back to the state.

“Abby has been far more than a chief of staff — she has been one of my closest and most trusted friends, advisors and partners in public service,” House Speaker Mike Schultz said in a release. “Our history goes back many years, and throughout that time we have found ourselves on the same side of issues, on opposite sides of issues, and everywhere in-between. Through it all, my respect for Abby has only grown. She has an extraordinary ability to bring people together, build consensus, and unite teams around a shared vision. Her drive, foresight, and commitment to doing what is best for Utah are unmatched. Abby has helped shape some of the most important successes of the House, and her leadership has strengthened both our institution and the lives of countless Utahns. While her absence will be deeply felt, I cannot think of anyone better suited to help lead Utah’s

UTA from page 1

Winter Olympics. During the commission’s first year, UDOT’s executive director will serve as a nonvoting, ex officio member to help coordinate statewide transportation planning during the transition.

Fox also recognized the contributions of UTA’s outgoing board of trustees.

“The trustees’ efforts have prepared UTA well to meet Utah’s growth,” Fox said. “Over their tenure, the board also

preparations for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Utah is fortunate to her, and I am grateful for her friendship, her counsel, and her years of dedicated service.”

“Serving the Utah House of Representatives has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” Osborne said. “Together, we have navigated historic challenges, advanced meaningful policy, and strengthened an institution that serves the people of Utah. One of the lessons I’ve learned during my time at the House is that great institutions endure because each generation accepts the responsibility to leave them stronger than they found them. I believe the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are a gift we have the opportunity to give future generations of Utahns — a legacy of sport, opportunity, community and global connection that will outlast the event itself.”

Schultz has appointed Jake Glenn to serve as chief of staff, effective Aug. 1.

Glenn joined the Utah House of Representatives in 2022 and currently serves as senior policy advisor to the House Majority Caucus. In that role, he has helped advance major legislative priorities, managed complex policy initiatives, and supported the day-to-day operations of the institution. Prior to his service in the House, he worked at World Trade Center Utah and served as a U.S. diplomat with the U.S. Department of State in India; Cyprus; and Washington, D.C. He holds degrees from Brigham Young University and Georgetown.

“Jake has become an indispensable member of our team,” Schultz said. “His policy expertise, strategic thinking and commitment to this institution have earned the respect of members and staff alike. I am confident he will provide exceptional leadership and continue the culture of service that makes the House successful.”

navigated the agency through COVID-19 ridership recovery, the opening of new bus rapid transit lines and sustained gains in public trust.”

In a statement, UTA noted its recognition as the American Public Transportation Association’s 2025 Outstanding Public Transportation System as evidence of the agency’s recent performance. The agency said day-to-day operations, including bus, TRAX, Streetcar, FrontRunner, Paratransit, UTA On Demand and Vanpool services, will continue without interruption under the new governance structure.

Jordanelle Ridge Barn opens near Heber City

The Jordanelle Ridge master-planned community has opened a new deli and cafe near Heber City. It’s adjacent to the development and located at 2013 Coyote Canyon Parkway.

Designed to be a central gathering place for dining, recreation and community connection, the new space offers a menu of casual cafe favorites, including artisanal sandwiches, fresh salads and specialty coffee beverages. The Jordanelle Ridge Barn & Cafe is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Tuesdays.

“We’re excited to officially open the Barn & Cafe and create a welcoming space where residents and guests can gather, connect and enjoy the Jordanelle

Ridge lifestyle,” Cody Winterton, division president of Raintree Investment Corp. and master developer for Jordanelle Ridge, said in a release. “As the community’s first cafe, the Barn was designed to bring people together through great food, recreation and community experiences.”

Jordanelle Ridge is Heber City’s newest 10,000-acre master plan community, located adjacent to the Jordanelle Reservoir. The development offers a variety of home options for every lifestyle, including custom home sites, single-family homes and townhomes. A number of recreational amenities are available or in the planning stages at the development.

SLCC NexStep workshops set for July, August

Salt Lake Community College’s NexStep Leader Workshops have two sessions left. “Time Management” will be discussed July 15, with “Leading With a Coach Approach” being the topic of the Aug. 19 workshop.

All SLCC NexStep Leader on-campus workshops are full-day trainings that begin at 8 a.m., lunch included, and end at 4 p.m. The location is the SLCC Westpointe Training & Education Center, 1060 N. Flyer Way,

near Salt Lake City International Airport. “If you have 10 or more participants, we can conduct any workshop as an onsite training at your location and convenience. Most of our on-site workshops are half-day sessions that do not require lunch,” said Paul L. Glanton, workforce manager.

You can register at https://www. slcc.edu/corporate/workshops/frontline-leader.aspx.

Brice Wallace Salt Lake Business Journal

Busy spring for state film incentives

The state of Utah has greenlit — in its own way — a slew of TV and film productions over the past few months.

The Utah Board of Tourism Development in June approved nearly $2.3 million in incentives for five productions to shoot in Utah, with in-state spending expected to reach over $9.2 million.

The June approvals came on the heels of seven productions awarded incentives in March — with in-state spending totaling $12.6 million in Utah and incentives reaching nearly $3.2 million — and April’s six productions approved for nearly $17.7 million, based on Utah spending of about $69.5 million. April was highlighted by the second season of “Marshals,” which airs on CBS and will spend about $60 million in Utah.

The productions approved for incentives in June are expected to shoot in five counties and create over 400 jobs. Most of the entirely Utah-shot productions will be shown on the festival circuit.

“Utah has always been a welcoming landscape for independent voices,” said Virginia Pearce, director of the Utah Film Commission. “The state remains a place where stories from both established and emerging talent can thrive and new careers can launch.”

“Quitters,” a 2019 short film now becoming an episodic production, was approved in June for an incentive of up to $1.1 million, based on Utah spending of about $4.47 million. Shooting will take place in Summit and Wasatch counties and involve 133 cast and crew and 900 extras. Post-production continues through November.

“One of Us,” an independent feature film, was awarded a cash incentive of up to $627,250, based on in-state spending of about $2.5 million in Utah. Shooting will take place in Salt Lake, Utah and Wasatch counties and involve 90 cast and crew and 300 extras. Post-production takes place through November.

The independent feature film “Runner’s High” will shoot in Salt Lake and Summit counties and highlight the world of distance running. The production will include 93 cast and crew and 200 extras and spend about $2 million. Its incentive is for up to $501,268. Post-production continues through September.

The independent short film “Abide with Me” was approved for a cash incentive of up to $26,033, based on Utah spending of $130,166. Shooting locations include Juab and Salt Lake counties, with 24 cast and crew and two extras. Post-production takes place through July.

The independent short film “A New Address,” will shoot in Salt Lake and Utah counties and will be used by nonprofits to educate new NICU families. The production will employ 70 cast and crew and 10 extras and spend $100,000 in the state. Its cash incentive is for up to $20,000. Post-production continues through September.

Productions awarded incentives in April are expected to create 1,000 jobs and film in six counties. The second season of “Marshals” will shoot in Salt Lake, Summit and Wasatch counties and involve 717 cast and crew and 2,200 extras. Shooting entirely in Utah, the production was approved for a tax credit incentive of up to $15 million spread over multiple fiscal years. Post-production takes place through June of next year.

“Utah has provided an incredible back-

drop for ‘Marshals’ and we’re happy to be back in the state for Season 2,” said Drew Brown, executive vice president of production for Paramount Television Studios. “The support of the Utah Film Commission, through the incentive program, access to their vast local knowledge, and experienced crews, paired with the stunning and diverse landscapes the state has to offer, made it an easy choice to return to Utah for production.”

Other productions receiving incentives in April are “Brotherhood: A Cinematic Musical,” shooting in Salt Lake and Tooele counties; “Las Vegas Therapy,” in Salt Lake, Tooele and Washington counties; “No Screens Christmas,” a Hallmark Channel production filming in Salt Lake and Utah counties; and an untitled barbecue competition show, shooting in Washington County and airing on the Food Network.

Incentives approved in March are expected to employ over 600 people in 11 counties. They are led by an asyet-unnamed Warner Bros. production that will debut in spring of 2027. It will spend $4.6 million in Utah — despite Utah being only 10 percent of its filming — and employ more than 175 jobs. Its incentive is for about $1.15 million. Other productions getting incentives in March are “Creation: Rita Deanin Abbey,” shooting in Emery, Grand, Kane and Washington counties; “Miracles in Motion,” in Davis, Salt Lake, Utah and Wasatch counties; “Noah’s Big Adventure,” in Summit County; the second season of “Lulubug’s Garden,” in Utah County; “Salt & Honey,” in Carbon and Sevier counties; and “One Beautiful Life,” in Davis, Salt Lake, Summit and Wasatch counties.

The Point of the Mountain State Land Authority has released a Request for Statements of Qualifications (RFSQ) seeking one or more private-sector developer/builders to deliver approximately 50 acres of for-sale housing within the River District at The Point on the former Utah State Prison site.

The multi-stage procurement invites qualified developers and homebuilders to help create a vibrant, residential neighborhood featuring a mix of single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums designed for owner-occupants. The River District is anticipated to accommodate approximately 800-900 units and will be developed concurrently with the first phase of The Point’s mixed-use district, which is already under construction.

Located immediately west of Porter Rockwell Boulevard and adjacent to the

planned FrontRunner station, the River District will expand homeownership opportunities within the rapidly growing region while complementing the retail, entertainment, innovation and multifamily development already underway at The Point.

“As Phase I vertical construction begins, this solicitation represents another major step in delivering on the Legislature’s vision for The Point,” Jordan Teuscher, co-chair of The Point board and a state representative, said in a release.

“The state continues to be a responsible steward of this once-in-a-generation public asset while empowering the private sector to do what it does best: invest, innovate, build and respond to the market. This creates new opportunities for Utah families to achieve homeownership in a high-quality, innovative community with

access to jobs, transportation, recreation, and other amenities, creating lasting value for generations of Utahns.”

He said the Point’s River District is envisioned as a model for architectural excellence, housing attainability and seamless connections to parks, trails and transit. The Point is encouraging creative proposals that embrace these principles while delivering market-responsive housing options.

Backbone infrastructure supporting the River District is already underway.

Porter Rockwell Boulevard is expected to be completed by late 2026, while the adjacent roads are anticipated to be finished in summer 2027. Vertical construction within the River District is expected to begin in spring 2028.

“Draper City is pleased to see The Point creating a community that embraces the quality of life that we enjoy in Utah,” Drap-

Business Loans

er City Mayor Troy Walker said in a release.

“The River District represents a significant opportunity to add much-needed housing to the region and welcome hundreds of new homeowners into Draper while creating neighborhoods that are walkable, connected and integrated throughout The Point. The addition of the River District will only strengthen Draper’s future.”

The procurement process will begin with a Request for Statements of Qualifications, followed by a Request for Proposals for shortlisted teams. Statements of Qualifications are due Aug. 14, with finalist teams expected to be announced by the end of August. The Point anticipates selecting one or more developer/builders by the end of 2026.

Additional information and procurement documents are available through the Utah Public Procurement Place (U3P).

Rocky Mountain Power offers proposal to settle ongoing rate hike conflict

John Rogers Salt Lake Business Journal

Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) has filed a stipulated settlement with the Utah Public Service Commission that may resolve issues in a general rate case that has been brewing since 2024. The commission has yet to rule on the proposal.

According to a press release from RMP, the proposal “delivers cost stability, nearterm customer benefits and a clear path for future investment in Utah.”

Under RMP’s proposal, users would see a 4.2 percent rate hike added to a 4.7 percent increase commissioners approved in 2025. According to the utility, the new hike would add $3.44 to the average residential customer’s monthly bill.

But the hike also comes coincidental with a market adjustment decrease of 10.6 percent which RMP math said will reduce a typical residential customer’s monthly bill by about $11 per month, making the overall impact of the two adjustments a net decrease in power bills for RMP customers.

In the proposal, Rocky Mountain also commits to not file another rate increase application until 2028. The utility also said the offer “advances a framework to bring forward approximately $2 billion in investments to support reliability, resilience and continued economic growth across the state.”

“This is a strong and balanced outcome for Utah. It delivers what our customers consistently tell us they want most — sta-

Rocky Mountain Power workers cover transmission line transformers in wildfire mitigation efforts. The utility has filed a proposal with the Utah Public Service Commission that would end a two-year battle over rate hikes. (Courtesy Rocky Mountain Power)

ble and predictable costs, reliable service and continued investment in the communities we serve,” Dick Garlish, president of Rocky Mountain Power, said in the release. In 2024, RMP filed a 30.5 percent rate hike application with the commission. After considerable backlash from Utah political leaders, including a social media vow from Gov. Spencer Cox that such a hike “never sees the light of day,” the request was lowered to 18.1 percent. Bills were even proposed in the Utah Legislature aimed at the rate hike.

The utility brought action in the Utah Supreme Court when the commission rejected its appeal of the rate hike refusal. That case has been put on hold by the new proposal.

The Public Service Commission eventually allowed a 4.7 percent power rate increase — almost a 75 percent reduction in RMP’s reduced request.

Cox voiced support for the recent offer from RMP in a social media post.

“Utah has some of the lowest electricity rates in the nation, and keeping them that

way matters,” Cox wrote on X. “This proposed settlement helps preserve that advantage by providing rate certainty for families and businesses, strengthening accountability and supporting the investments needed to keep our electric grid reliable.”

Rocky Mountain Power also committed to be subjected to “earnings test to ensure appropriate financial performance.” The utility said the test would ensure that the company does not over-earn. It also touted the avoidance of prolonged litigation as an incentive to settle the dispute with its new proposal.

“The agreement reflects a shared commitment to balancing affordability, reliability and long-term investment while maintaining a financially healthy utility that serves as the backbone of Utah’s economy,” RMP’s statement said.

The utility also said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Utah Chamber, was behind the settlement.

“Sound energy policy is key to Utah’s continued prosperity and competitiveness,” RMP quoted Miller as saying. “We believe Utah’s energy future depends on affordability, reliability and sustainability. We commend all the parties who negotiated this settlement in good faith. Their willingness to work together reflects the kind of thoughtful, balanced approach Utah needs to meet its growing energy demands.”

No date has been set for a ruling from the Public Service Commission, although the board said it is actively considering the proposal.

OnDeck study finds top Utah ZIP codes for business startup success

If you have an idea for a startup business, online lender OnDeck has found the right place for your new venture. The study reveals the 10 most promising ZIP codes in Utah for new businesses, based on 13 variables.

Sugar House (84105), Logan (84341) and American Fork (84003) top OnDeck’s list, giving them the best chance to be one of the 82 percent of U.S. startups to survive their first year.

OnDeck created a new small-business index scoring system based on 13 local statistical data points, including local small-business wages and wage growth, tax rates, cost of living, density of working-age population and business broadband Internet speed, to give each area a score out of 100 potential points. The business lender then used this score to analyze and rate the conditions of

nearly 10,000 large U.S. ZIP code areas as they relate to small businesses in the area.

After the top three, the other Utah areas making the top 10 were, in order, the west side of Salt Lake City, including the Rose Park and Glendale neighborhoods (84105); the rapidly growing city of Vineyard and parts of western Orem in Utah County (84059); Moab (84532); the Utah State University neighborhood in Logan (84321); Layton (84041); Washington, just east of St. George in Washington County (84780); and Cedar City.

The 07650 ZIP code in Palisades Park, New Jersey, ranks as the premier U.S location to start a small business, while the Brooklyn neighborhood of New York City has that state’s best chance of success. The Castro District

and Eureka Valley in the Bay Area of San Francisco are the best places in California for a startup.

The 13 metrics that made up the OnDeck survey were recorded as of February and the study released last month.

FanX Salt Lake City prepares for its 2026 show at the Salt Palace

Tom Haraldsen Salt Lake Business Journal

This year’s FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention may be the last time guests see it in the form they’ve come to expect the past few years. After all, the impending closure and redesign of the Salt Palace Convention Center in the fall of 2027 will force FanX to reconfigure itself and eventually move for three years.

Founder Dan Farr has concerns, of course, but they are mostly logistical. As he has found since the annual convention began in 2013, “we have a very passionate fan base here in Utah. They do a great job of taking care of celebrities when they come here, and that’s why so many of them — both fans and celebrities — want to come back.”

This year’s show runs Sept 24-26, with ticket sales brisk. Already booked for this year (as of June 15) are stars Helen Hunt, Alan Tudyk, Giancarlo Esposito, Manny Jacinto, Nia Verdalos, Amy Smart, Rainn Wilson, Angela Kingsley, Jane Seymour and Eva LaRue, to name a few. Local author Brandon Mull is coming, along with dozens of other authors, illustrators and creators of all things pop culture. Literally hundreds of booths will spread across the entirety of convention space at the Salt Palace.

Farr and his former business partner Bryan Brandenburg started the confab in 2013, originally planned for the South

Valley Exposition Center (now the Mountain America Expo Center) in Sandy. Farr knew that the “biggest get” he could book as a guest for that first show was legendary comic book writer, editor and publisher Stan Lee, who didn’t do conventions. But as planning was underway for that first show, “we thought we could sell maybe 10,000 to 15,000 tickets, which would be great. We’d already reached an agreement with actor Lou Ferrigno to be at our show, and when he was presenting Lee with a Lifetime Achievement Award

Consumer sentiment index inches upward in June

Utah’s consumer sentiment index was up 1.6 percent in June — not much, but after a couple of months on the downside, economists will take it.

The Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Survey, conducted by the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, rose from 70.3 in May to 71.5 last month following a sharp decline in April and a modest decrease in May. The change falls within the survey’s margin of error but combined with the decrease in the decline from April to May, analysts feel it signals an uptick in the way Utahns are feeling about the economy.

Survey authors said the increase is likely correlated with the ongoing decline in gas prices. The average price in Utah decreased to $3.91 from $4.57 in June.

“I hope we’ll see consumer sentiment continue to rise as gas prices fall. Con-

sumers should stay informed about the ongoing Iran conflict and stick with a conservative budget to help weather ongoing uncertainty,” said Zions Bank senior economist Robert Spendlove.

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/.

at another event, he pitched our convention to Stan.” Lee agreed to come, about the same time that actor Willian Shatner announced he was coming, and ticket sales exploded. Farr said the show sold 25,000 to 30,000 tickets the following Monday, and he knew the convention would have to move to the larger Salt Palace, where it’s been ever since. He said when Lee flew into town that year, Gov. Gary Herbert met him on the tarmac at Salt Lake International Airport and escorted him into the city.

Farr and his team begin working on a future show as soon as the current one closes. It takes many weeks and oftentimes months to get celebrity commitments, largely due to schedule conflicts. Two guests who had initially agreed to come for 2026 — actresses Juliette Lewis and Elizabeth Mitchell — had to postpone their appearances this year.

FanX Salt Lake has become one of the largest shows of its type in the country, annually drawing at least 100,000 people over three days. It takes an army of 500-600 volunteers to help with setup and takedown, marshaling, transportation and managing the floor. The lists of celebrities who’ve attended over the past 13 years is endless, and has included Carrie Fisher, Micky Dolenz, Patrick Stewart, Dick Van Dyke, Ernie Campbell, Shantel VanSanten, Jon Heder, Ron Perlman, Hulk Hogan, Cary Elwes, Barbara Eden, Lindsay Wagner, Lee Majors, Adam West, Burt Ward, Dirk Benedict, Henry Winkler, Peter Mayhew, Karen Gillan, Karl Urben, Kelly Hu, Laurie Holden and many more.

Going forward, Farr is planning to change things up a bit — holding two smaller conventions in the spring and fall of 2027, then relocating back to the Mountain America Expo Center in 2028, That’s where the show will be held during the duration of the Salt Palace construction that is slated to be completed in January 2031. It will make this year’s show “a really big sendoff, a big celebration. We’re going to have another great one.”

Ken Garff acquires Volkswagen SouthTowne

Ken Garff Automotive Group of Salt Lake City has acquired Volkswagen SouthTowne in South Jordan.

Garff said the store will be renamed Ken Garff Volkswagen SouthTowne.

“Volkswagen SouthTowne has an outstanding reputation in the Salt Lake Valley for its elite performance, employee culture and prime location,” said Brett Hopkins, CEO of Ken Garff.

“When the opportunity to acquire the dealership arose, we immediately recognized the strong alignment between our organizations’ values and culture.

We are excited to build upon the foundation Tom and Susan Watkins created, while continuing our commitment to exceptional customer service, employee development and doing business the right way.”

The business was sold by Susan Wat -

kins, who purchased the dealership with her late husband, Tom Watkins, in 1989. Susan’s father, Ray Stout, managed the Ken Garff Oldsmobile dealership many years ago and worked closely with Ken and Bob Garff.

“As we considered the future of Volkswagen SouthTowne, it was important to find an organization that would care for our employees and customers,” said Watkins. “As another family-owned organization, Ken Garff demonstrated a commitment to preserving the culture of the business while creating opportunities for our team.”

Ken Garff Automotive Group is the ninth-largest dealership group in the country and the third-largest privately owned, according to Automotive News. The group owns 71 dealerships in nine states.

The following are recent financial reports as posted by selected Utah corporations:

Extra Space Storage

Extra Space Storage Inc., based in Salt Lake City, reported funds from operations attributable to common stockholders of $434.4 million, or $1.97 per share, for the first quarter ended March 31. That compares with $428.1 million, or $1.93 per share, for the same quarter a year earlier.

Net income attributable to common stockholders totaled $241 million, or $1.14 per share. That compares with $270.9 million, or $1.28 per share, for the same quarter a year earlier.

Same-store revenues totaled $678.6 million in the most recent quarter, compared with $667.5 million in the year-earlier quarter.

Extra Space Storage is a real estate investment trust that owns and/or operates 4,344 self-storage stores in 42 states and Washington, D.C. It is the largest operator of self-storage properties in the United States.

“We are off to a strong start to 2026, with core FFO of $2.04 per share in the first quarter, up 2 percent year-overyear,” Joe Margolis, CEO, said in announcing the results. “Our portfolio is experiencing broad-based improvement with positive new and existing customer rate gains and industry-leading occupancy, resulting in same-store revenue growth of 1.7 percent. Also, our external growth channels continue to perform well, with disciplined investments across acquisitions, bridge lending and third-party management driving consistent returns.”

Zions

Zions Bancorporation NA, based in Salt Lake City, reported net earnings applicable to common shareholders of $232 million, or $1.56 per share, for the first quarter. That compares with $169 million, or $1.13 per share, for the same quarter a year earlier.

“Our first-quarter results were solid, with diluted earnings per share rising 38 percent to $1.56 from $1.13 in the same quarter last year,” Harris H. Simmons, chairman and CEO, said in announcing the results.

“Adjusted pre-tax pre-provision net revenue increased 13 percent, as adjusted taxable-equivalent revenue rose 7.4 percent and adjusted operating expenses increased 4.7 percent, resulting in positive operating leverage of 2.7 percent. We were particularly pleased to achieve broad-based strong growth in customer-related noninterest income, which increased 9 percent over the same quarter last year. Credit quality was strong, with net loan losses to average loans of a mere 0.03 percent annualized, and a 19 percent decrease in classified loans over the past year.”

Total customer deposits have grown $2.2 billion over the past year and longterm debt increased $1 billion, while brokered deposits and short-term borrowings fell $3.8 billion.

At the end of last year, Zions had total assets of approximately $89 billion. It operates banks primarily in 11 western states.

SkyWest

SkyWest Inc., based in St. George, reported net income of $102 million, or $2.50 per share, for the first quarter. That compares with $101 million, or $2.42 per

Earnings Roundup EARNINGS ROUNDUP

share, for the same quarter a year earlier.

Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled $1 billion, up from $948 million in the year-earlier quarter.

SkyWest Inc. is the holding company for SkyWest Airlines, SkyWest Charter and SkyWest Leasing, an aircraft leasing company. SkyWest Airlines has a fleet of approximately 500 aircraft connecting passengers to over 240 destinations throughout North America.

“Demand for our product remains solid, and we continue to re-invest in our fleet, creating long-term value for our customers, our people and our shareholders,” Chip Childs, president and CEO, said in announcing the results.

HealthEquity

HealthEquity Inc., based in Draper, reported net income of $69.4 million, or 82 cents per share, for the first quarter ended April 30. That compares with $53.9 million, or 61 cents per share, for the same quarter a year earlier.

Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled $354.6 million, up from $330.8 million in the year-earlier quarter.

HealthEquity is the nation’s largest independent health savings account custodian by account volume and a leader in consumer-directed benefits.

“HealthEquity delivered strong first-quarter results, with adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) margin expanding to 46 percent and a raised fiscal 2027 outlook,” Scott Cutler, president and CEO, said in announcing the results. “These results demonstrate that our flywheel is compounding through account and asset growth, deeper member engagement, technology-enabled efficiency, and increasing operating leverage.”

Bed Bath & Beyond

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., based in Murray, reported a net loss of $16.4 million, or 24 cents per share, for the first quarter ended March 31. That compares with a loss of $39.9 million, or 74 cents per share, for the same quarter a year earlier.

First-quarter revenue totaled $247.8 million, up from $231.7 million in the year-earlier quarter.

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. is the owner of Bed Bath & Beyond, Overstock, Buybuy Baby, and more recently, the Kirkland’s and Kirkland’s Home brands, as well as a blockchain asset portfolio.

“Our first-quarter results show that the work we’ve been doing to stabilize and rebuild the business is taking hold,” Marcus Lemonis, executive chairman and CEO, said in announcing the results.

“We delivered real year-over-year revenue growth, something we haven’t seen meaningfully in several years, while continuing to take costs out of the business and operate more efficiently. That combination matters.”

FatPipe

FatPipe Inc., based in Salt Lake City, reported net income of $4 million, or 2 cents per share, for the fiscal fourth quarter ended March 31. That compares with a net loss of $370,000 in the same quarter a year earlier.

Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled $7.2 million, up from $3.8 million in the prior-year period.

For the full fiscal year, the company reported net income of $5 million, or 35 cents per share.

That is up 154 percent compared with

the prior fiscal year. Revenue during the year totaled $19.2 million, up 18 percent from the prior year.

FatPipe is focused on software-defined wide area networking and hybrid WANs that eliminate the need for hardware and software or cooperation from ISPs and allows companies and service providers to control multi-link network traffic.

“Our fourth-quarter results demonstrate the scalability of FatPipe’s model and the progress we have made converting pipeline into revenue, profitability, and recurring billings growth,” Dr. Ragula Bhaskar, CEO, said in announcing the results. “We believe the combination of strong quarterly revenue growth, meaningful net income generation, and continued customer adoption of our offerings reflects both the strength of our technology and the expanding market need for secure, resilient enterprise connectivity.

“As we enter fiscal 2027, our focus remains on disciplined execution, channel expansion, and increasing the contribution from recurring software and cybersecurity revenue.”

Co-Diagnostics

Co-Diagnostics Inc., based in Salt Lake City, reported a net loss of $9.1 million, or $4.06 per share, for the first quarter ended March 31. That compares with a loss of $7.5 million, or $7.05 per share, for the same quarter a year earlier.

Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled $145,954, up from $50,277 in the prior-year period.

Co-Diagnostics is a molecular diagnostics company that develops, manufactures and markets diagnostics technologies.

“The progress we’ve made across the business is translating into tangible milestones and expanded opportunities,” Dwight Egan, CEO, said in announcing the results. “During the quarter, we advanced key initiatives across our clinical pipeline, strengthened our presence in strategic global markets through CoSara and CoMira, and continued to build the foundation for a scalable, globally deployable diagnostics platform. These efforts reflect a focused strategy centered on execution, innovation, and expanding our reach into high-need markets.”

Lipocine

Lipocine Inc., based in Salt Lake City, reported a net loss of $3.7 million, or 52 cents per share, for the first quarter ended March 31. That compares with a loss of $1.9 million, or 35 cents per share, for the same quarter a year earlier.

Revenues totaled $119,000 for the most recent quarter, compared with $94,000 for the prior-year period.

Lipocine is a biopharmaceutical company focused on using its technology platform to augment therapeutics through effective oral delivery. It has drug candidates in development as well as drug candidates for which it is exploring partnerships.

Sera Prognostics

Sera Prognostics Inc., based in Salt Lake City, reported a net loss of $8.4 million, or 17 cents per share, for the first quarter ended March 31. That compares with $8.2 million, or 20 cents per share, in the year-earlier quarter.

Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled $14,000, compared with $38,000 in the year-earlier quarter.

Sera is focused on improving maternal and neonatal health by providing innova-

tive pregnancy biomarker information to doctors and patients.

“In the first quarter, our primary focus was building awareness with clinicians and the broader stakeholder community as we continue the evolution from clinical stage to a commercial-driven organization,” Zhenya Lindgardt, president and CEO, said in announcing the results.

“We made meaningful progress translating our expanding clinical foundation into commercial readiness, supported by growing peer-reviewed validation in Europe, increasing clinician engagement, expanded education and access through the launch of our third partnership program, and active discussions with 13 payers across 15 states.”

Domo

Domo Inc., based in American Fork, reported a net loss of $14.2 million, or 33 cents per share, for the first quarter ended April 30. That compares with a loss of $18 million, or 45 cents per share, for the same quarter a year earlier.

Revenue in the most recent quarter totaled $79.4 million, down from $80.1 million in the year-earlier quarter.

Domo is an AI and data products platform that helps companies of all sizes leverage data and AI.

The company said it was in advanced negotiations regarding a potential transaction.

“One thing that has become clear is that we are still in the early innings of a major shift from AI experimentation to AI embedded in everyday work,” Josh James, founder and CEO, said in announcing the results. “I believe Domo’s combination of data, applications and AI agents positions us to play an important role in that shift. The board’s responsibility was to determine the best way to build on that opportunity and maximize value for stockholders. After considering the available alternatives, the board concluded that pursuing a strategic transaction is the best path forward.”

Medallion Bank

Medallion Bank, based in Salt Lake City, reported net income of $13 million for the first quarter ended March 31. That compares with $15.6 million for the same quarter a year earlier.

Net income attributable to common shareholders totaled $10.7 million, compared with $14.1 million in the prior-year quarter.

Medallion Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Medallion Financial Corp., specializes in providing consumer loans for the purchase of recreational vehicles, boats and home improvements, along with loan origination services to fintech strategic partners.

FinWise

FinWise Bancorp, based in Murray, reported net income of $2.7 million, or 20 cents per share, for the quarter ended March 31. That compares with $3.9 million, or 27 cents per share, for the same quarter a year earlier.

FinWise Bancorp is the parent company of FinWise Bank.

“FinWise delivered $1.7 billion in loan originations during the first quarter — up 38 percent year over year — and core expenses were held flat, enabling us to grow tangible book value to $14.34 per share and maintaining a strong bank leverage ratio of 16.8 percent, nearly double the current well capitalized minimum requirement,” Jim Noone, CEO, said in announcing the results.

Breeze Airways adds new routes to Provo airport

Low-cost airline Breeze Airways has added two new routes that serve Provo Municipal Airport. The Salt Lake Citybased carrier announced the new routes as part of a three-city and 11-route addition to its service.

Breeze will now serve Provo with nonstop flights on Mondays and Fridays to Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and one-stop, no-change-of-plane service to Vero Beach, Florida, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Service on the new routes will begin Oct. 2.

Concurrent with the Provo announcements, Breeze also began first-time service to Baltimore/Washington; Dayton, Ohio; and Trenton, New Jersey. Since it began flight operations in 2021, Breeze has flown mainly to underserved cities.

“We built Breeze to connect commu -

nities that the other airlines overlook, and today’s announcement continues to drive that purpose forward,” said David Neeleman, Breeze Airways’ founder and CEO. “Whether it’s a long weekend getaway or visiting family across the country, our guests now have more affordable, convenient options than ever.”

The airline’s different take on affordable flying was recognized by Time Magazine, naming Breeze to the Time 100 Most Influential Companies in 2026 and as one of Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies in 2025. It was also named Best Major Airline in North America by the Airline Passenger Experience Association. Breeze currently operates more than 300 yearround and seasonal routes to 91 cities in the United States, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

Company offering free evacuation software during wildfire season

As multiple Utah communities continue to face wildfire threats this summer, Utah-based RDAP Pro has announced the launch of its Community Preparedness Initiative, offering its emergency evacuation management platform free of charge to qualifying communities, emergency management agencies and churches.

The initiative is designed to help communities better prepare for and manage evacuations before, during and after disasters. For a limited time, qualifying organizations may use RDAP Pro EOC software to facilitate safe and effective emergency evacuations at no cost during an actual emergency incident or to conduct one full-scale community evacuation exercise.

“We have communities in desperate need right now,” said Steve Boyack, director of sales and marketing for RDAP Pro, in a company release. “Emergency managers are making life-and-death decisions with limited information. RDAP Pro gives them real-time visibility into who has evacuated, who still needs assistance, where vulnerable populations are located, and where resources should be deployed. Better information leads to better decisions — and better decisions will save lives.”

RDAP Pro (Rapid Disaster Assessment Program) is a cloud-based emergency management platform that provides emergency operations centers (EOCs), emergency managers, first responders and community leaders with real-time situational awareness during disasters. Residents can easily securely report their evacuation status, request assistance, identify special needs, and communicate critical information directly to emergency officials using any web browser or mobile device. The system augments and improves upon existing emergency management notification systems.

The platform helps emergency managers:

• Track evacuation progress in real time.

• Identify residents who still need assistance.

• Monitor vulnerable and special-needs populations.

• Coordinate response resources.

• Maintain a common operating picture across responding agencies.

• Improve communication between emergency officials and the public.

“We want communities to have access to this technology when they need it most,” said Aaron Gilbert, president of RDAP Pro. “Just as importantly, we want communities and churches to become familiar with the platform before disasters occur by conducting evacuation exercises that improve preparedness and coordination.”

In addition to municipal agencies, RDAP Pro is available free of charge to churches and faith-based organizations. Churches can use the platform to account for members, identify welfare and humanitarian needs, coordinate volunteers, communicate with congregations, and support local emergency management agencies during disasters.

The RDAP Pro Community Preparedness Initiative includes:

• Free use of RDAP Pro during a qualifying emergency incident, or

• Free use for a community-wide evacuation exercise/drill.

• Training for emergency management personnel.

• Technical support throughout the exercise or incident.

• After-action reporting with recommendations for future improvements.

“Every community hopes they’ll never need an evacuation,” Boyack added. “But every community should be prepared for one. If we can help even one community respond faster or protect more lives, this initiative will have been worthwhile.”

Emergency managers, city and county officials, fire departments, tribal governments and church leaders interested in participating are encouraged to contact RDAP Pro at 801-899-5260.

Lehi’s Scorpion acquires 1SEO Digital Agency in Philadelphia

Lehi-based digital marketing and technology solutions company Scorpion has acquired 1SEO Digital Agency of Philadelphia.

Founded in 2009, 1SEO serves businesses in the home services, health and legal industries.

“We considered many sophisticated acquirors out there,” said B.J. Bergey, CEO of 1SEO. “Scorpion stood out because of their intentional investment in the technology they’ve built for local businesses and in the performance and returns they’ve driven for their clients over the last 25 years. They have a vision we believe in, they’re executing against it, and that’s rare. This is the right step forward for our clients, and that’s what mattered most to us.”

Bergey will continue with Scorpion following the acquisition, helping guide client success and growth initiatives. His decision to remain was driven by his belief that Scorpion’s technology platform and long-term vision create greater opportunities for clients.

Scorpion said 1SEO clients will have access to its RevenueMAX platform, purpose-built to maximize revenue growth and return on investment for local businesses. It will also benefit from Scorpion’s exclusive technology partnerships and strategic integrations. 1SEO clients have already begun transitioning to Scorpion’s platform, with uninterrupt-

ed support throughout the process.

“The successful acquisition by Scorpion is a reflection of both the great progress by the 1SEO team and the unique capabilities that Scorpion has developed to help local service businesses win,” said John Shoaf, managing partner of Skyharbor Capital, the major investor in 1SEO. “When we acquired 1SEO in 2023, we saw an opportunity to transform a legacy marketing agency into a scalable technology platform. We’re proud of the advancements made by the 1SEO team and their ability to deliver on that vision.”

“The 1SEO team built an incredible business, rooted in long-standing relationships with their clients. We look for agencies that have earned that kind of trust and share our mission of helping local businesses succeed. Our job now is to continue building on that trust and expand the technology available to 1SEO’s clients,” said Kirby Oscar, senior vice president of corporate development at Scorpion.

This acquisition is part of Scorpion’s continued M&A strategy to expand its digital marketing and technology solutions to local businesses nationwide, Oscar said. With 1SEO now a part of Scorpion, the combined organization is positioned to provide more clients with the technology and expertise needed to drive proven revenue growth, he added.

Signals of burnout: what workplaces miss about employee mental health

Dr. Kang Hsu Jr. Chief Medical Officer, Canary Speech

The Federal Aviation Administration restricts how long commercial pilots can be in the air, mandates minimum rest between flights, and caps hours flown per month and per year. The science of fatigue played a large role in the development of these rules to protect pilots.

Fatigue isn’t the only factor in a pilot’s mental well-being. Imagine if, just before a long flight, they learned their best friend died. That kind of news could raise a person’s stress response in a measurable way. Even if they’re not tired, or experiencing clinical long-term anxiety or depression, the pilot (and their passengers) deserve some warning if and when an acute event renders them unable to fly.

Employers seem to track everything operationally except for employee emotional states, despite their bearing on safety, errors and costs. In high-stakes professions such healthcare, aviation and first responders, the margin for error is thin. Yet the systems we rely on are blind to the human state behind the decisions.

The same clinical tools being used to detect mental health conditions earlier than ever have untapped potential for promoting mental health in the workplace. The pilot, for example, might exhibit subtle changes in his voice, imperceptible to the human ear, that suggest elevated stress, decreased mood and cognitive strain. Why wait for something to go wrong when those subtle changes can be measured before the pilot boards the plane?

In some cases, the failure to detect acute psychological strain poses a major risk issue for more than just a single employee. It also creates an ethical maze for HR personnel, employers and employees to navigate together.

The 2026 American Medical Association (AMA) report confirmed that 41.9 percent of physicians experienced at least one symptom of burnout in 2025. According to the American Nurses Association, 69 percent of nurses under 25 experience burnout of some kind. A 2025 survey of pilots revealed that about a quarter experienced anxiety symptoms (25.4 percent), while 13.1 percent showed depressive symptoms.

For first responders, a 2024 policy review reported that 7 percent to 37 percent experience PTSD symptoms, and a 2025 meta-analysis estimated pooled

PTSD prevalence of 14.3 percent overall, including 13.9 percent among police, 15 percent among EMS personnel, and 12.1 percent among firefighters.

A study of more than 5,000 deceased Nepali migrant workers across the Gulf Coast over an 11-year period found suicide accounted for 11 percent of those deaths. New research is just beginning to shed light on the quality of mental healthcare in the broader Middle East region.

Not every impaired worker looks impaired. A physician can still complete rounds while emotionally depleted. A police officer can still answer a call while carrying cumulative trauma. A pilot can still pass through a checklist while privately managing shock, grief, insomnia or acute anxiety. The modern workplace remains much better at measuring physical readiness than mental readiness, even in roles where judgment, vigilance, empathy and restraint are essential to public safety.

Thousands of distinct speech features have been identified. Advances in machine learning now allow digital systems to analyze acoustic and linguistic patterns linked to behavioral and cognitive conditions in near real-time. These vocal biomarkers can reflect changes in pitch, cadence, pauses, prosody, articulation, energy variability, and other features associated with anxiety, depression, stress and related states.

could, in principle, trigger a same-day check-in or follow-up evaluation before the issue escalates.

The strongest argument for workplace screening is not that it can diagnose chronic psychiatric illness, but potentially help detect acute deterioration before harm occurs.

The pilot who loses a close friend the day before a flight, for example, might not meet the criteria for a long-term anxiety disorder. Their transient cognitive-emotional strain could still bear on their job performance. A physician coping with exhaustion after repeated overnight calls might not yield a formal diagnosis, but their judgment and empathy may still be compromised. A police officer can be legally fit for duty and psychologically overloaded at the same time.

“Not every impaired worker looks impaired. A physician can still complete rounds while emotionally depleted. A police officer can still answer a call while carrying cumulative trauma. A pilot can still pass through a checklist while privately managing shock, grief, insomnia or acute anxiety.”

This is no longer theoretical. AI-based vocal biomarker analysis is already being studied and used in clinical and digital-health settings to detect anxiety and depression from short samples of spontaneous speech.

More importantly, the process of vocal biomarker analysis is simple enough to take out of the clinic and opens a provocative possibility for the workplace. If a 40-second speech sample can help identify early signs of anxiety, depression, or cognitive-emotional strain, then screening no longer has to wait for the annual physical, the crisis event or the complaint from a colleague. A phone-based prompt, a brief spoken response and a risk score

• Consent: Employees must understand what is being measured, what is not being measured, and how the results will be used.

• Purpose limitation: A screening tool designed to flag possible anxiety risk should not become a covert productivity, discipline or surveillance tool.

• Escalation protocol: An elevated score should trigger human review and supportive follow-up, not automatic punishment.

• Role specificity: The ethical case is much stronger in safety-sensitive roles than in occupations where transient distress creates limited downstream harm.

The guiding principle behind any workplace screening should be identifying when stress crosses from private burden into operational risk. Employers already accept this principle for substance impairment, fatigue, infection control and physical fitness. Mental readiness should not remain the exception simply because it is harder to observe.

The workplace implications are especially stark in environments where employees seldom receive routine mental-health checks between formal encounters with healthcare — such as the case of migrant workers in the Middle East. Each tragedy underscores how weak health-surveillance and investigative systems can leave severe distress, dangerous conditions and preventable harms effectively invisible.

The same technology that could protect employees and the public could also be misused. No worker should reasonably fear that disclosing strain, or simply sounding distressed, will jeopardize employment without due process, context or clinical follow-up. The central question isn’t if workplace screening is possible, but whether institutions can govern it responsibly.

That governance challenge has several parts:

• Legal alignment: Policies must be built with HR, compliance and counsel before deployment, not after an incident exposes the gaps. The most important safeguard may be conceptual. Vocal biomarkers should be treated as screening signals, not verdicts. They can help raise a hand before a crisis, but they should not function as a hidden tribunal. A fair system would focus on support, confirmation and proportionate response. An irresponsible one would collapse risk detection into employment adjudication.

By the time employee burnout is visible, it’s already costly. Can an employer build a credible system to identify risk early, without turning vulnerability into grounds for punishment? Will employers, clinicians, regulators and workers act on the silent signals of burnout before they turn into harmful behaviors? The technological standard needed to address these issues is easier to clear than the ethical bar. It demands technical accuracy, clinical humility, legal discipline and moral discipline at the same time. The uncomfortable truth is that society already entrusts millions of high-consequence decisions to people whose mental state may be changing faster than existing oversight can detect.

Dr. Kang Hsu Jr. is the chief medical officer of Canary Speech. He oversees Canary Speech’s clinical direction; supports product development; and works closely with strategic partners, including Hackensack Meridian Health, Microsoft, Samsung, LG NOVA and major health systems. He also contributes to the company’s research efforts, collaborating with academic and industry partners to help advance the scientific development and clinical validation of voice biomarkers.

Public relations, well done, is an art

— an important and necessary evil — but nonetheless, an art.

In my 50-plus years in media, I have dealt with thousands of public relations professionals and read tens of thousands of their press releases. Most of those folks were superb artists, some were merely turd polishers.

As a young publisher, before the days of the Internet and social media, I tried to teach PR people — and my own reporters and editors — what it took to get a release published. For any of you in the profession, these rules still apply, regardless of how your work may be published — traditionally or “cyberly.”

1. Lead with actual news. Three or four paragraphs about the wonders of your company’s recent success shouldn’t come before you break the news that you just bought out Amazon.

2. It’s hackneyed, but don’t forget the basics: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How.

3. This is a news story, not an ad. Avoid superlatives like “worldclass” or “industry-leading” unless you can prove it. More on this later.

4. Make it easy to use. An editor loves nothing more than a release well-written enough to simply be forwarded to the design folks for posting on a page. I can’t tell you how many releases languish in a folder — maybe never to see the light of day — because the effort to retool them into useful copy just isn’t worth it.

In addition to these basics, there are

Down to Business DOWN TO BUSINESS

many other obvious must-dos. Among them: Use salient quotes. Keep it short but complete — editors don’t want to call you for a fact you should have included. And above all, proofread, proofread, proofread.

Now consider this recent press release. I’ve changed the names — company, people, places and products — and only exaggerated it a wee bit (see Rule 3 above).

Strategic Wellness Titan Ushers in Bold New Era of Transformative Nutritional Excellence

SALT LAKE CITY — ColonyOne Health Supplements, the world’s premier, category-defining architect of synergistic wellness optimization solutions, proudly announced today the revolutionary appointment of globally respected and renowned nutraceutical pioneer Thad J. Pemberton as CEO.

Pemberton joins ColonyOne Health Supplements after an illustrious tenure at competitor Better Diets 4 You, where his unparalleled leadership and relentless passion for holistic vitality disrupted paradigms, shattered expectations and reportedly caused three standing ovations during quarterly earnings calls.

“We are absolutely electrified to welcome Thad to the Colony family,’ said interim executive chairman Blaine Butterworth. “ His once-in-a-generation blend

of visionary stewardship, operational dynamism and thought-leadership excellence makes him uniquely positioned to accelerate our mission of empowering humanity through next-generation digestive wellness ecosystems.”

Under Pemberton’s leadership, Colony plans to expand its award-eligible portfolio of probiotic capsules, adaptogenic beverage crystals and clinically inspired gut-harmony experiences into more than 17 emerging lifestyle verticals by Q3.

“I am humbled, energized and profoundly aligned with Colony’s transformational purpose-journey, ” said Pemberton. ‘Together, we will redefine what’s possible at the intersection of microbiome innovation, consumer-centric vitality solutions and premium capsule-based empowerment. ”

Industry analysts have already described the appointment as historic, “ bold, ” and “surprisingly aggressive for the powdered supplements sector. ”

About Colony Health Supplements:

Colony Health Supplements is a globally admired leader in science-forward wellness amplification technologies dedicated to helping consumers unlock their fullest probiotic potential.

Ludicrous, maybe even silly?

Not really. Every descriptor — adjective or adverb — in the foregoing has appeared in a press release that has crossed my desk (actually, my email) in recent years.

And it’s a lead-pipe cinch (look it up, youngsters) that journalists, overwhelmed with overstuffed inboxes and

juggling multiple beats under tight deadlines, will want little to do with such pap (look it up, youngsters).

One more sin of modern purveyors of PR: excessive “technobabble”:

“At Quantum Synergenetics, we’re proud to unveil the HyperFuzion Nexus X9, the industry’s first AI-enabled, blockchain-secured, cloud-native, quantum-optimized, edge-computing platform, featuring proprietary neuron-adaptive machine-learning orchestration and a zero-latency, API-first microservices architecture. Powered by a next-generation, multi-threaded, predictive analytics engine with autonomous decision matrices and dynamic scalability, the X9 seamlessly leverages digital-twin synchronization, hyperspectral data fusion, decentralized consensus protocols and containerized Kubernetes deployment to maximize cross-platform interoperability.”

OK, that wasn’t real. AI and I made it up. But you get the point. And believe me when I tell you that not a single editor I know will take the time to translate it into understandable prose. Gotta dumb it down before you send it out. In a day when garbage news stories outnumber real ones by a factor of 10, good public relations operations are still a noble quest. C’mon, you flacks, do it right.

John Rogers is a 50-year veteran of Utah Media. He retired as managing editor of the Salt Lake Business Journal in 2025 and is now a part-time contributor to the paper. He can be reached at john.r@thecityjournals.com.

News Roundup NEWS ROUNDUP

Park City company earns Green Business award

Alpine Distilling has been recognized as the first-ever recipient of the Gold Medal distinction through the Park City Green Business Program, honoring the company’s measurable commitment to sustainability, environmental responsibility and community impact.

Founded in Park City, Alpine Distilling has integrated sustainability into all aspects of its operations, from energy-efficient production systems and water conservation efforts to waste-reduction initiatives and responsible hospitality operations. The recognition honors years of deliberate investment in systems engineered to reduce environmental impact while preserving the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship.

The distillery’s production facility was designed around efficient low-pressure steam systems, heat recovery technology, LED lighting, and natural barrel-aging methods that reduce energy consumption and eliminate the need for climate-controlled warehouse storage.

“At Alpine, sustainability has never been a marketing exercise,” said Sara Sergent, CEO and master botanical distiller of Alpine Distilling, in a release. “It’s about stewardship, accountability, and operating in a way that respects the mountains, water and community that make Park City so extraordinary. Every

operational decision we make considers the long-term impact on the people and place around us.”

Beyond production, Alpine Distilling has incorporated sustainability practices throughout the Park City Social Aid & Pleasure Club, including comprehensive recycling programs, food-waste management initiatives, material reuse efforts and operational systems that allow the lounge to regularly operate with less than one bag of trash per shift.

The company’s environmental leadership has been recognized with multiple honors, including Utah Business Green Business of the Year in 2021 and 2024, Recycle Utah Business of the Year in 2022, and now the first-ever Gold Medal distinction awarded by the Park City Green Business Program in 2026.

Sergent recently shared Alpine Distilling’s sustainability initiatives and operational transparency during her presentation at Ginposium 2026 in London on June 12, joining global spirits leaders to discuss sustainability, the future of gin, production innovation, and responsible industry practices.

“Our goal is continuous improvement — to keep measuring, innovating, and demonstrating that exceptional spirits and responsible environmental practices can coexist,” Sergent said.

FFKR Architects merges with Boise-based Erstad

Salt Lake City-based FFKR Architects is merging with Erstad Architects of Boise, Idaho.

“Built on a foundation of strong client relationships and community-focused work, Erstad … has served the Boise and Treasure Valley region for 28 years and is excited to announce it is joining forces with FFKR Architects, a multi-disciplined architecture and design firm known for its commitment to community-focused projects,” the announcement of the merger said. “This merger brings together the strengths of both teams, expanding their ability to serve clients and communities. By working as one, Erstad and FFKR are positioned to take on more complex proj-

ects, offer broader services, and make a greater impact across the region.

“‘Different is good’ isn’t just a slogan; it reflects the way Erstad works through meaningful community involvement, lasting relationships and creative, tailored solutions that reflect the uniqueness of every client and every project,” the firm said in response to the merger.

“Founded 50 years ago, FFKR Architects believes the most impactful spaces come from deep collaboration — between perspectives, between people, between disciplines. Like many beams supporting a single structure, our niche studios, each with their own focused expertise, all move as one team,” FFKR said in a statement.

Orem’s W.W. Clyde buys southeast Arizona contractor Chamber dashboard:

W.W. Clyde & Co., a subsidiary of Orem-based Clyde Cos. Inc., has acquired CKC Construction & Materials of Safford, Arizona

In announcing the buyout, Clyde said the integration with CKC expands its portfolio of operations, introducing new expertise and extending reach to communities throughout southeast Arizona.

“CKC is a legacy family company, similar to W.W. Clyde, and we are proud to add their legacy of building better communities to ours in southeast Arizona,” said Dustin Olson, president of W.W. Clyde.

CKC provides services in asphalt paving, earthwork and grading, concrete, drainage and materials supply. Significant projects it has completed include the

Freeport-McMoRan Safford and Morenci Mines, the Thatcher 8th Street Project and the Safford Mine Reclamation Plan. The company regularly works with the Arizona Department of Transportation, providing cold mix products and delivery services.

“We are proud to join W.W. Clyde, a company that has been providing construction services throughout the Intermountain West for 100 years,” said David Cluff, president of CKC Construction. “Our employees and customers are in good hands as this transition moves forward.”

CKC Construction will transition to the W.W. Clyde brand and continue to provide materials and construction services throughout Arizona, Clyde said.

The cost of driving your car is going up and these hikes in energy costs are driving consumer sentiment down in Utah.

That’s one of the conclusions reported by the Utah Chamber on its May Roadmap to Prosperity Economic Dashboard, now available to business leaders through the organization’s website at utchamber.com.

Rising oil and gasoline prices increased energy costs and pushed inflation to its highest level in three years, according to the dashboard. From April to May, headline inflation rose from 3.8 percent to 4.2 percent year-over-year. Core inflation, excluding food and energy, increased from 2.8 percent to 2.9 percent as price pressures broadened beyond energy.

As a result, Utah consumer sentiment fell 0.2 points in May, while U.S. consumer sentiment dropped a full 10 points, reaching an all-time low. The Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Index fell from 70.5 in April to 70.3 in May, as reported by the chamber.

“Inflation reached a three-year high in May, and Utahns are feeling that pressure,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Utah Chamber. “But as consumer sentiment fell to a record low across the country, Utah’s was nearly unchanged. That tells us our economy is

holding its strength under real national pressure. And we will continue watching these indicators closely to help guide Utah’s long-term economic success.”

The Utah labor market also remains subdued, the chamber said. While the Utah unemployment rate remained low at 3.7 percent in May, job growth remained slow at 0.6 percent year-over-year, just above the national rate of 0.2 percent.

The Roadmap to Prosperity Economic Dashboard is updated monthly, providing essential insights, tracking timely and leading measures and sharing pertinent indicators. This provides leaders with critical and timely information to make informed decisions, the chamber said.

“Utah’s economic outlook remains increasingly subdued, hindered by persistent sluggish job growth and lower consumer confidence amid international unrest,” said Natalie Gochnour, director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, which does the research for the chamber’s dashboard. “Mounting energy costs have driven inflation to its highest level in several years, exacerbating financial strains for Utahns. While our state continues to outperform other parts of the country, ongoing challenges mirror a broader national trend of economic deceleration.”

Company news information may be sent to brice.w@thecityjournals.com.

ADVISORY

• Squire, an Orem-based audit, tax, and business advisory firm serving the Intermountain West, has named Daniel Hooven as chief revenue officer. Hooven will oversee Squire’s revenue strategy and align revenue teams to drive sustainable growth, strengthen client relationships and build a scalable go-tomarket engine. He has nearly two decades of experience leading marketing, business development and strategic initiatives within professional services organizations and technology companies. His experience spans marketing strategy, business development, client experience and go-tomarket execution across a variety of professional services organizations. Hooven joins Squire from one of the nation’s largest independent accounting and advisory firms, where he most recently served as vice president of marketing.

BANKING

• Zions Bank, based in Salt Lake City, has named Don Stafford as executive vice president and director of commercial and corporate banking. Stafford has more than 20 years of commercial banking experience and previously led Wells Fargo’s commercial banking division for the Pacific Northwest. Zions also announced that Brad Herbert and Audra Achiu will serve as business development officers. Herbert has been with the bank for 18 years in a variety of roles, most recently as a senior vice president in international banking. Achiu has 10 years of executive communication experience, including several years on Wells Fargo’s commercial banking team. Specialty banking executive director Peter Morgan is retiring in July after a 43-year career with Zions Bank. Morgan has held various positions in commercial lending and served on multiple boards, including the Utah Shakespeare Festival and the Salt Lake City Housing Trust Fund.

GOVERNMENT

People on the Move PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

work has included strategic planning, performance metrics, budget and resource management, legislative coordination and leadership support across the department. Potter has more than 25 years of experience in management and consulting roles with cultural, nonprofit, education and government organizations. Before joining CCE, she worked as a nonprofit management consultant and served as associate director of admission at Rowland Hall. She also played a key role in the development, fundraising, marketing and opening of the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater in 2016. Earlier in her career, Potter held leadership and management roles with arts organizations in New York City and Chicago.

HEALTHCARE

• CommonSpirit Health has added three surgeons at Holy Cross Hospital –Davis: Drs. Scott Baker, Kirstie Jarrett and Wade Larsen. They joined CommonSpirit Colorectal & General Surgery Davis in Layton after working at nearby Tanner Clinic. Baker is a specialist in both colorectal and general surgery and has over two decades of experience treating complex colorectal issues, including cancer. He is also a highly proficient user of the da Vinci robot, using its advanced capabilities for most of his surgeries, leading to smaller incisions, less bleeding, and quicker patient recovery. Jarrett is a specialist in breast and general surgery. Her practice is largely defined by her extensive use of robotic-assisted surgery, employing the da Vinci robot for nearly all of the procedures she performs. Larsen has more than 20 years of surgical experience in breast and general surgery. The three surgeons offer surgery services that include abdominal surgery, anorectal disease treatment, appendectomies, breast surgery including mastectomy and lumpectomy, colon and rectal cancer surgery, gallbladder procedures, hernia repair, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care, robotic-assisted surgery, soft tissue and skin lesion removal, and many other general and specialized colorectal surgical solutions. 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.

roles at Myriad during his 17-year tenure, including president and chief operating officer. Earlier in his career, Capone held leadership positions at Eli Lilly and other healthcare organizations.

LOGISTICS

• The Utah Inland Port Authority has hired Lori Haslem as associate vice president of business development and Alicia Eggleston as community engagement manager for the grant-funded Clean Ports Program. At UIPA, Haslem supports business development efforts across the state and will oversee the Pony Express, Verk and Black Gold project areas. Haslem has experience in rural economic development, entrepreneurship, infrastructure planning and community partnerships. Haslem has spent much of her career helping strengthen rural communities and expand economic opportunities. She helped develop and launch the Vernal Innovation Hub, one of Utah’s first innovation hubs, where she served as a startup specialist, advising entrepreneurs and creating programs to help new businesses succeed. She also served as an ambassador and business advisor with the Women’s Business Center of Utah and later worked with the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development’s Center for Rural Development and Community Outreach as a rural economic development manager serving six counties in northeast Utah. Eggleston will help ensure residents living near the Salt Lake City Intermodal Terminal are informed, engaged and empowered to help guide Clean Ports initiatives. She will also facilitate the program’s steering committee and work with stakeholders to advance community-centered environmental goals. Eggleston previously worked as a policy advocate focused on water, climate resilience, flood mitigation, green space expansion and air quality concerns related to industrial growth.

MANUFACTURING

• Gov. Spencer Cox has named Katherine Potter to serve as commissioner of the Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement. Potter has served as the department’s deputy commissioner for the past six years. As deputy commissioner, Potter has helped lead nine divisions within CCE. Her

• Sera Prognostics Inc., a Salt Lake City-based company focused on improving maternal and neonatal health, has named Mark Capone to its board of directors. Capone is a healthcare executive with more than 40 years of leadership experience across the diagnostics and life sciences sectors, including extensive service on private and public company boards and committees. In his most recent operating role, he served as CEO of Myriad Genetics. Prior to serving as CEO, he held several senior leadership

• Listen Technologies, a Bluffdale-based provider of advanced wireless listening solutions, and Ampetronic, a United Kingdom-based company producing hearing loop systems, have promoted Kevin Jewkes to senior vice president of global revenue and named Alan Kennedy as vice president of operations. Jewkes and Kennedy will lead the assistive listening and inclusive audio solutions providers’ sales and operations teams, respectively. In his new role, Jewkes is responsible for Ampetronic/Listen Technologies’ overall sales strategy, sales operations, team leadership, and global go-to-market execution across North America and international markets. He strengthens and grows channel and partnership programs and works with the chief marketing officer to align

campaigns and brand investment with sales execution. He also collaborates with product management to ensure that customer and market insights inform product strategy. Jewkes joined Listen Technologies in 2013 and has held sales roles with increasing leadership responsibility. Prior to this promotion, Jewkes was chief of staff. As vice president of operations, Kennedy is responsible for the strategy, performance and scalability of the organization’s operational engine. Before joining Ampetronic/Listen Technologies, Kennedy led strategy and business development initiatives in the real estate and energy sectors. He also served in the Army National Guard as a commissioned officer, where he held key leadership roles, including company commander and battalion executive officer.

TECHNOLOGY

• Nexus IT, a Salt Lake City-based provider of managed IT, cybersecurity, cloud and advisory services, has appointed Ben Trowbridge and Ashley Dreier to its board of directors as independent directors. Trowbridge has more than three decades of leadership across cybersecurity, managed services, outsourcing, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity-backed growth. He most recently served as global cybersecurity managed services leader at EY, where he built and scaled the firm’s global cybersecurity managed services business, delivering managed detection and response (MDR), threat exposure management, data protection, identity and access management, and 24/7 operational security services to enterprise organizations worldwide. Earlier in his career, Trowbridge founded Alsbridge, a managed services and outsourcing advisory firm. Dreier has extensive executive leadership experience across healthcare and financial services technology, enterprise software development, digital transformation, governance and technology strategy. Throughout her career, Dreier has led large-scale software engineering, product development, infrastructure and technology operations teams across healthcare, financial services and other regulated industries. She also has served on multiple corporate and advisory boards. She previously served as executive vice president and chief information technology officer at HealthEquity. Her experience also includes serving on the board of directors of Extra Space Storage.

Company news information may be sent to brice.w@thecityjournals.com.

ASSOCIATIONS

• Six people will be incoming board members of the Park City Chamber & Visitors Bureau, to be seated for fouryear terms July 21: Jeff Brower, Deer Valley Resort; Adam Cole, Cole Sport; Casey Metzger, Top Shelf Services; Sara Sergent, Alpine Distilling; Allison Williams, Lucky Ones Coffee; and Emerson Oliviera, The Bridge Café and Grill. The new board chairperson is Deirdra Walsh of Park City Mountain, who succeeds Aldy Milliken of Kimball Art Center. Rotating off the board are Revice Jordan, Posh Management Group; Rosa Salguero, Top Shelf Services; Rob Sergent, Alpine Distilling; and Lora Anthony, Mountain Trails Foundation. All incoming and outgoing members will be formally recognized at the chamber/bureau’s annual meeting Sept. 3.

CORPORATE

• FireFly Automatix, a Salt Lake Citybased company focused on autonomous robotic systems for turf management, has rebranded as FireFly Robotics Inc. The company said the change is to “better reflect its identity as a full-spectrum robotics technology company and its vision for a future of intelligent, autonomous systems and AI-supported robotic solutions. What began 15 years ago with the industry’s first manned robotic harvester utilizing electric technology has grown into a portfolio centered on automated robotic solutions — robotics that perceive, decide, and act with minimal human intervention. The rebranding is a change in name only. All existing contracts, warranties, service agreements and customer relationships remain fully in effect.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

• Brigham City is Utah’s top community with a “handshake economy,” according to a survey by Advanced Funds Network. It surveyed small-business owners to uncover the communities where verbal agreements, personal reputation, and even a handshake still carry real weight in 2026. Brigham City is ranked No. 86 nationally. Also on the list are No. 108 Cedar City and No. 137 Heber City. The top-ranked location nationally is Greeneville, Tennessee. Details are at https://advancefundsnetwork.com/how-many-small-businessowners-still-rely-on-handshake-deals2026-survey/.

• Moab is the top-ranked location in Utah with the strongest “longevity mindset, ” a list compiled by Cherry Data Signals and commissioned by A Mission for Michael. It asked people to think about their own longevity and about communities where people feel most positive, proactive and in control of their long-term health. Moab is ranked No. 24 overall. Other Utah locations on the list are No. 25 Sugar House in Salt Lake City and No. 41 Springdale. The top-ranked location nationally is St. Augustine, Florida. Details are at https://amfmtreatment.com/blog/lifelongevity-in-the-us-where-americansfeel-positive-about-long-term-health/.

• Utah is ranked No. 20 on a list of

Industry Briefs INDUSTRY BRIEFS

“best states for an affordable summer road trip,” compiled by Dunhill Travel. It analyzed gasoline prices, hotel costs, everyday expenses, road quality, and access to National Park Service attractions across the lower 48 states. Arkansas, Oklahoma and Iowa rank as the most affordable states overall. Details are at https://www.dunhilltraveldeals. com/blog/best-states-affordable-summer-road-trip.

• Dark Sky RV Park & Campground in Utah is ranked No. 1 on a list of “2026 Best Places to RV,” compiled by The Dyrt, an app to get the best campsites. Locations in the rankings “stand out from the crowd, with locations and services that go above and beyond,” The Dyrt said, and are based on ratings and reviews from RVers among its community of campers. Details are at https://thedyrt.com/press/the-dyrt-announces-the-best-places-to-rv-presented-by-grand-design-rv/. Meadow Hot Springs in Utah is ranked No. 4 on a list of best places to camp for free, also compiled by The Dyrt. The list includes campsites on property that campers own, the private property of friends or family, or public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management that involve no overnight fees. The No. 1 site is Dragoon Mountains in Arizona. Details are at https://thedyrt. com/magazine/press/camping-report/.

• The Salt Lake City Airport River Tunnel is the “most unlikely romantic spot” in Utah, according to a survey by ACE.com. It asked singles to reveal everyday locations where people are most likely to “roll the dice and hit it off with someone new.” Also on the list are No. 2 Harmons Cheese Island, No. 3 The Crumbl Cookies Pickup Counter and No. 4 Temple Square Photo Spot in Salt Lake City.

• Colorado Riverway Bridge in Moab is the scariest for bicyclists to cross in Utah, according to a survey by Bisnar Chase via Cherry Data Signals, a California-based injury law firm. It is ranked No. 34 nationally. The top-ranked bridge overall is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Details are at https://www. bestattorney.com/most-feared-bridges/.

EDUCATION

• Utah State University recently marked the grand opening of its Monument Valley education building with a ribbon-cutting event. The building will expand educational options for the Navajo Nation and surrounding communities. The education center is the result of a collaboration among the Navajo Nation, private donors and the state of Utah. It is believed to be the first higher education building within Utah tribal lands.

• The Jed Foundation, in partnership with Lumina Foundation and Trellis Foundation, on June 16-17 convened nearly 100 leaders from across higher education, public health, philanthropy and student advocacy for a twoday policy gathering about behavioral health challenges for postsecondary students. Titled “A Conversation with the Compacts: Next Steps for States to Advance Behavioral Health in Postsecondary Education,” the event in Salt Lake City marked a first-of-its-kind behavioral health nonprofit lead meeting, bringing together all four of the nation’s regional education compacts: the Midwestern Higher Education Com-

pact, New England Board of Higher Education, Southern Regional Education Board and Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. The nonpartisan consortiums represent 47 states and territories and six affiliate partners. Participants left aligned on three main priorities to advance student behavioral health at the state and institutional levels: suicide prevention demands a comprehensive, upstream approach with sustained investment in evidence-based programs and cross-sector collaboration that strengthens partnerships among K-12 schools, higher education institutions, healthcare systems, community organizations, philanthropy and state agencies; student voices are essential at every stage and must be included in both policy design and the implementation of programs that affect them; and workforce development is a prerequisite for progress.

FRANCHISING

• Scorpion, a Salt Lake City-based provider of digital marketing and technology solutions for franchise organizations, has released the Franchise Marketing Playbook. It is tailored to members of the International Franchise Association, the world’s oldest and largest trade association representing franchising. Scorpion has been an IFA supplier member since 2015. The playbook is available to IFA members and gives franchise brands the standards, KPIs and strategies they need to align corporate marketing with local franchise execution. It draws on survey data collected from more than 100 franchise brand leaders, along with consumer research that Scorpion conducted with more than 2,000 homeowners and 1,000 business owners. The Franchise Marketing Playbook covers how to structure local versus national strategy and how to build reporting that gives corporate teams and franchisees visibility into what’s working. It also covers the consumer side, noting that 83 percent start their search for a service provider online, and 65 percent are open to AI-assisted intake experiences.

PHILANTHROPY

• Swig, a Sandy-based company offering beverages, recently launched the Good Neighbors Club, a community-focused campaign to support local nonprofit organizations in Swig communities. From May 18-30, customers supported the club in three ways: Good Neighbors Club merchandise, available online and in stores; ordering the Dew Gooder dirty soda; and rounding up any in-store purchase total at checkout. Through the Good Neighbors Club, Swig locations will support local nonprofit organizations focused on community needs, including education, food insecurity, animal services, support for firefighters and their families and more. Swig’s employees chose the organizations they wanted to support in their own communities. Through the Good Neighbors Club, Swig is supporting the causes its team cares about most and helping employees give back in meaningful ways close to home. All 158 Swig locations in 16 states participated in the campaign.

• As America celebrated the 250th anniversary of its founding, Intermountain Health helped new parents and

their babies mark America’s 250th anniversary by supplying America 250 onesies and a certificate to babies born at Intermountain Health hospitals July 1-7. Intermountain hospitals across Utah distributed 1,000 of the custom-made onesies to newborns. Babies in the NICU who spent the Fourth of July holiday in the hospital will also receive the celebratory gift.

REAL ESTATE

• Birkhill Lofts LLC has announced the grand opening of Birkhill Lofts , a new affordable senior housing community serving adults age 62 and older at 4277 S. Main St., Murray. Birkhill Lofts offers 67 apartment homes in a six-story community for income-qualified seniors. It includes studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments and participates in the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. Birkhill Lofts was developed by Birkhill Lofts and is managed by Evergreene Management Group . Project partners include RVC Construction , Think Architecture , The Richman Group , Ally Bank , Rocky Mountain Community Reinvestment Corp. , Utah Housing Corp. , the Olene Walker Housing Loan Fund , the Utah Office of Homeless Services and the Murray City RDA

RECOGNITIONS

• GBS Retire of South Salt Lake was recently honored with the Agency Excellence Award and, among award recipients, was further distinguished as a Top Performer in its size category at the Leavitt Group Partners Conference in Salt Lake City. The honor reflects strong performance, long-term growth, and a commitment to delivering value through its insurance services. The Agency Excellence Award is presented to a select group of agencies that demonstrate excellence in sales, service and overall performance. The Top Performer recognition highlights agencies that ranked among the top performers within their revenue category. The annual conference brings together Leavitt Group’s network of agencies from more than 290 locations nationwide and provides an opportunity for insurance industry leaders to connect, share insights, and celebrate excellence. Leavitt Group has a network of more than 80 agencies across 30 states.

SERVICES

• Registered nurse and healthcare entrepreneur Bret Lyman is expanding his Always Best Care Senior Services operations in Utah after acquiring the company’s West Jordan territory, adding to the Utah County and St. George locations he already owns and operates. Always Best Care of West Jordan provides non-medical in-home care and senior living referral services to families throughout the area. Lyman has more than 25 years of healthcare experience, including work in home health, assisted living, skilled nursing, pediatrics, orthopedics, surgical care and intensive care. In addition to owning and operating an assisted living facility, Lyman spent over two decades as a university educator, helping train healthcare professionals.

PACS Group acquires 34 skilled nursing facilities across the West

PACS Group Inc. has announced the acquisition of a major skilled nursing facilities operator, acquiring 34 facilities across six western states. PACS Group, based in Farmington, with its main corporate office in Salt Lake City, is buying Eduro Healthcare, a family-owned company with a nearly 20-year history of caring for seniors. Eduro is also based in Salt Lake City. The acquisition is being made through several PACS Group subsidiaries.

The acquired operations are in Texas (22 facilities), Montana (six facilities), South Dakota (three facilities), with one facility in each of New Mexico, North Dakota and Utah. Collectively, the facilities have 3,633 skilled nursing beds.

“We’re thrilled to welcome these 34 facilities, as well as their staff and residents, to the PACS family,” said Jason Murray, PACS chairman and CEO. “The Eduro leadership team have a remarkable reputation for excellence and have built a solid foundation of clinical care and operational performance that we’ll continue to add value to. We look forward to building on their culture, their great success, support-

ing these new facilities and furthering our mission of providing exceptional nursing care to everyone in these communities.”

“As PACS continues to grow, it’s with an eye on doing so strategically, ensuring continued focus on exceptional outcomes and helping residents at vulnerable times in their lives,” PACS Group said in its announcement. “PACS’s experience with large portfolio acquisitions illustrates the ability to successfully bring their operational model into new markets.

“We’re excited to enter four new states and welcome Eduro’s teams into PACS. What stood out to us right away is how closely our operating models align — both organizations empower local leadership and support them with the resources they need to deliver strong clinical and operational outcomes,” said Josh Jergensen, PACS president and COO. “Just as importantly, our mission and approach to patient care are very similar. Mike and the Eduro team have done a great job building a consistent, high-performing organization and we’re proud to carry that forward and continue investing in those

Utah Chamber honors legislators with Champions award

The Utah Chamber has recognized members of the 2026 general legislative session that it found to have advanced principles of free enterprise at a recent Free Enterprise Champion Awards Ceremony.

The chamber said the four honorees partnered with the chamber in supporting policies that strengthen Utah’s economy and communities.

The 2026 session was historic, the chamber said in its announcement. Lawmakers introduced more than 1,000 bills, passed over 540 pieces of legislation and appropriated a $31.63 billion budget. The Utah Chamber tracked and monitored 260 business-related bills and secured a 100 percent success rate on its 17 priority bills. Priorities advanced new tools to expand Utah’s housing supply, strengthened the workforce talent pipeline, accelerated responsible critical mineral development and supported long-term efforts to protect the Great Salt Lake, among others, the chamber reported.

“Utah’s continued prosperity depends on leaders who show up, engage on the hard issues and stand for policies that strengthen our economy,” said Derek

Miller, president and CEO of the Utah Chamber. “This year’s Free Enterprise Champions did exactly that. We are grateful for their leadership and for the partnership that makes Utah the best place in the nation to live, work and do business.”

Honored with the award were Sen. Scott Sandall, D-Tremonton, vice chair of the Executive Appropriations Committee; Sen. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, chair of the Senate Business and Labor Committee; Rep. Doug Owens, D-Millcreek, House minority caucus manager; and Rep. Karen Peterson, R-Clinton.

The awards were presented at the Utah State Capitol. The event brought together Utah Chamber board members and stakeholders, Salt Lake Chamber Circle-level members and policymakers for a focused opportunity to recognize leadership, express appreciation and strengthen the relationships that shape Utah’s economic future.

The ceremony also featured special recognition of Dick Garlish, president of Rocky Mountain Power, a chamber member whose leadership exemplifies these same values, the chamber release said.

teams and communities.”

“PACS is a respected, mission-driven post-acute operator with a proven record of excellence. As we considered the right partner, what mattered most to us was finding an organization that would genuinely embrace our culture and core values, provide continuity for our employees, and build on the foundation we’ve worked so hard to create,” said Mike Bewsey, Eduro’s managing director. “We’ve reached a stage in our professional lives where a transition is the logical next step, following two years of significant financial and clinical achievements. From our very first conver-

sations, PACS has shown exactly that kind of commitment. I couldn’t be more excited for the future of the Eduro family under PACS’s stewardship.”

The transaction is expected to close in multiple tranches, with the majority of the facilities currently anticipated to close in the third quarter of this year, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary contingencies. A purchase price was not released.

PACS Group was founded in 2013 and operates more than 320 post-acute care and senior living facilities across 17 states, serving more than 31,700 patients daily.

Planning Commission nixes Vesper arena plan for Provo Canyon

The Provo City Planning Commission has voted against recommending the landuse changes necessary to build a 20,000seat entertainment venue in Provo Canyon. The board voted 5-2 to recommend denial of general plan and zone map changes that are needed for the Vesper Amphitheater project to proceed.

The vote does not necessarily kill the project. The Planning Commission recommendation now goes to the Provo City Council, which will make the final decision on the requested general plan and zoning amendments. The project will come before the council on July 14.

The Vesper Amphitheater was unveiled in May by a group of developers that included members of entertainment’s Osmond family. The year-round venue would have outdoor seating for 20,000 in the summer and 8,000 in the winter when portions would be enclosed. Spencer Shumway, who leads the effort, said the facility would be built on the site of a former gravel mining operation at the base of Mount Timpanogos.

Las Vegas headliner Donny Osmond and his nephew David Osmond, son of Donny’s late brother Alan, who died on April 20,

helped announce plans for the complex.

The cultural development would sit on more than 100 acres near U.S. 189 — 34.23 acres owned by Provo Canyon Mining Co. and 66.47 acres owned by Provo City. The proposal also includes a hotel, restaurant and associated retail outlets.

Supporters have characterized the project as a chance to transform a long-disturbed industrial site into a major cultural and economic destination. Project spokesman Brian Bayles told residents at a neighborhood meeting that “the heart of Vesper is the natural setting, the canyon, the river, the trails, the views and the outdoor experience.” Bayles said the venue, hospitality, parking, restaurants, trails, open space, and public areas were intended to support the canyon setting, “not overwhelm” it.

But opponents have raised concerns about traffic, parking, public safety, water use, noise, and the historic character of Provo Canyon, which is widely used for hiking, biking, fishing, climbing and other recreation. Traffic and parking emerged as the major concern of the full-chamber crowd on June 24 when the commission took up the proposal.

A new feature in the Salt Lake Business Journal is this list of new businesses that have opened or plan to open shortly in our area.

Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream has opened its newest location in Pleasant Grove at 148 S. Pleasant Grove Blvd., Suite 120. Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream was founded in 2004 and has grown to locations across the United States, earning a devoted following for its customizable menu, theatrical preparation, and commitment to quality ingredients.

iSmash , an interactive entertain ment center known for its Rage Rooms and Splatter Paint experienc es, has opened at 5348 S. 1900 W. in Roy. It is locally owned by Dan Ol sen, a BYU graduate in accounting who is introducing the iSmash con cept to Northern Utah. The franchise operates 21 iSmash sites in the U.S.

Want to see your business reported here? Send news or a release to nowopen@ slbusinessjournal.com.

Information about upcoming events may be sent to brice.w@thecityjournals.com.

July 13, 10-11:30 a.m.

“Coffee Conversations with the Prez,” a West Jordan Chamber of Commerce event offering an opportunity to chat with Myhriah Young, chamber president. Location is High Point Coffee, 1735 W. 7800 S., West Jordan. Details are at westjordanchamber.com.

July 14, 7:10-9 a.m.

Sandy emPower Breakfast , featuring its one-year anniversary. Speaker Michelle Archibald will discuss “Command the Room: The Silent Language of Leadership & Visual Authority.” Location is Legends Pub & Grill - Southtown, 10631 S. Holiday Park Drive, Sandy. Cost is $34. Details are at southvalleychamber.com.

July 14, 9-10:30 a.m.

“Better Your Business” Breakfast Seminar , with the theme “Performance Management that Works,” presented by the Utah Department of Workforce Services. Location is Mountainland Technical College Payson Campus, 993 S. 1950 W., Payson. Details are at thepointchamber.com.

July 14, 10-11:30 a.m.

Member Appreciation Month Event, a Point of the Mountain Chamber of Commerce event. Location is Tommy’s Golf Lounge, 19 N. 900 W., American Fork. Details are at thepointchamber.com.

July 15, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Builders and Contractors Networking Event, a Point of the Mountain “Member 2 Member” event featuring a pickleball tournament, live music, a bounce house and more, and designed for builders, contractors, developers, architects, suppliers, Realtors and industry leaders. Location is Wardle Fields Regional Park, Bluffdale. Pickleball team entry fee is $60 per team (two players per team). Free to attend. Breakfast and lunch provided. Details are at Eventbrite.com.

July 15, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

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.

July 15, noon-1 p.m.

“Walkable Wednesday,” a ULI (Urban Land Institute) Utah event. Location is Salt Lake Crossing, 470 W. 200 N., Salt Lake City. Details are at https://utah.uli. org/events-2.

July 15, noon

Calendar CALENDAR

“Game Day,” a West Jordan Chamber of Commerce event celebrating America’s 250th birthday and offering an opportunity to meet Utah game inventor Mike Agrelius, creator of “Made in the USA: The Game.” Location is Galaxy of Games, 1735 W. 7800 S., West Jordan. Light lunch will be provided; attendees may bring their own lunch or purchase food and snacks from the snack bar. No registration required. Details are at westjordanchamber.com.

July 16, 9-11 a.m.

“The Canvas of Becoming,” an Ember Women event. Location is Kiln, 1895 E. Rodeo Walk Drive, Suite B200, Holladay. Cost is $35. Details are at southvalleychamber.com.

July 16, 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.

July 16, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Member Appreciation Month Event, a Point of the Mountain Chamber of Commerce event. Location is Kiln, 2701 N. Thanksgiving Way, Suite 100, Lehi. Details are at thepointchamber.com.

July 17, 8:30-10 a.m.

“Friday Connections Speed Networking,” a multi-chamber event. Location is Utah Trucking Association, 4181 W. 2100 S., West Valley City. Details are at chamberwest.com.

July 20, 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Golf Tournament, a Davis Chamber of Commerce event. Registration begins at 6:30 a.m., followed by tee time of 7:30 a.m. Location is Valley View Golf Course, 2501 E. Gentile St., Layton. Details are at davischamberofcommerce.com.

July 21, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

National Institutes of Health SBIR/ STTR Hybrid Workshop, presented by Nucleus Events and focused on navigating the NIH funding process and preparing a competitive Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) proposal. Location is Kiln, 2701 N. Thanksgiving Way, Suite 100, Lehi. Virtual option also available. Details are at https://luma. com/8y7jtnbo.

July 22, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

“Chamber Connections,” a Davis Chamber of Commerce event. Location is Davis Chamber of Commerce, 450 S. Simmons Way, Suite 220, Kaysville. Free. No

RSVP required. Chamber membership required for continued attendance. Details are at davischamberofcommerce.com.

July 22, 11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

“Strictly Networking Lunch,” a West Jordan Chamber of Commerce event. Location is Mama Bird Southern Kitchen, 7273 S. Plaza Center Drive, West Jordan. Free (cover the cost of your own lunch). Details are at westjordanchamber.com.

July 27, 12:30 p.m.

“Lunch Mobs: Let’s Do Lunch,” a West Jordan Chamber of Commerce event. Location is Spud Toddos, 7251 S. Plaza Center Drive, Suite 120, West Jordan. No registration required. Details are at westjordanchamber.com.

July 28, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Business Women’s Forum 2026, with the theme “Leading Through the Storm: How Women Leaders Navigate Challenge and Change.” Location is Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek, 75 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City. Cost is $40 for members and $60 for nonmembers through July 21, $50 for members and $70 for nonmembers after July 21. Details are at slchamber.com.

July 28, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Women in Business, an Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce event. Speaker Christina Myers of Myers Mortuary will discuss “Turning ‘What If’ Into ‘Why Not?’” Location is Jeremiah’s Lodge & Garden, 1329 W. 12th St., Marriott-Slaterville. Cost is $25 for members and firsttime guests, $35 for nonmembers. Registration deadline is July 21 at noon. Details are at ogdenweberchamber.com.

July 28, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Professional Development Series/Patriotic Luncheon, a ChamberWest event. Location is Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, 8215 S. 1300 W., West Jordan. Details to be announced at chamberwest.com.

July 30, 9-10 a.m.

“Global Business Briefing,” hosted by the Salt Lake Chamber and World Trade Center Utah and focusing on Australia, with insights into current market dynamics, emerging opportunities, and how Utah companies can engage. Event takes place online. Free (registration is required). Details are at slchamber.com.

Aug. 4-6

One Utah Summit, presented by Southern Utah University, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, the Utah Inland Port Authority and the Utah Department of Natural Resources. Loca-

tion is Southern Utah University’s America First Event Center in Cedar City. Cost is $250. Details are at https://oneutahsummit.utah.gov/.

Aug. 4, 9-10 a.m.

“Bites & Insights Breakfast,” a ULI (Urban Land Institute) Utah event. Location is Hunt Electric Technology Building, 1811 Alexander St., Salt Lake City. Details are at https://utah.uli.org/events-2.

Aug. 4, 10-11:30 a.m.

“Business 101: Essential Steps for New Entrepreneurs,” a Women’s Business Center of Utah event that takes place online. Free. Details are at wbcutah.org.

Aug. 4, noon-1:30 p.m.

“Starting Your Business 101,” a Small Business Development Center event that takes place online via Zoom. Details are at https://clients.utahsbdc.org/events.aspx.

Aug. 5, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

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.

Aug. 6, 9-10:30 a.m.

“Sweets & Strategies,” a Women’s Business Center of Utah event. Location is Roots Coffee, 774 S. 300 W., Salt Lake City. Free. Details are at wbcutah.org.

Aug. 6, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Business Women’s Forum featuring its inaugural service project in partnership with The Road Home. Location is Connie Crosby Family Resource Center, 529 W. 9th Ave., Midvale. Details are at slchamber.com.

Aug. 11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Professional Growth Series Luncheon, a ChamberWest event. Details to be announced at chamberwest.com.

Aug. 12, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Women in Leadership, presented by the Mountain West, South Jordan and West Jordan chambers of commerce. Theme is “Brand Camp: Build a Brand People Remember.” Location is Utah Disaster Kleenup, 13081 S. Minuteman Drive, Draper. Details are at https://sj-chamber.org/.

Aug. 12, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

“Chamber Connections,” a Davis Chamber of Commerce event. Location is Davis Chamber of Commerce, 450 S. Simmons Way, Suite 220, Kaysville. Free. No RSVP required. Chamber membership required for continued attendance. Details are at davischamberofcommerce.com.

Calendar CALENDAR

Aug. 12, 5-7 p.m.

“Business After Hours,” an Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce event. Location is Stewart Stadium at Weber State University, 3870 Stadium Way, Ogden. Details are at ogdenweberchamber.com.

Aug. 13, 7:30 a.m.-noon

Housing Summit 2026, a ULI (Urban Land Institute) Utah event where public and private sector leaders come together to tackle housing issues. Keynote speaker is Jay Parsons, rental housing economist, advisor and speaker. Location is Little America Hotel, 500 S. Main St., Salt Lake City. Cost ranges from $125 to $155 for members and $170 to $275 for nonmembers. Details are at https://utah.uli.org/events-2.

Aug. 13, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Women in Business Lunch, a Davis Chamber of Commerce event. Location to be announced. Cost is $25 for members, $35 for nonmembers. Details are at davischamberofcommerce.com.

Aug. 18

Professional Development Series, a ChamberWest event. Details to be announced at chamberwest.com.

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. Location is Salt Mine Productive Workspace, 7984 S. 1300 E., Sandy. Cost is $35 for members, $55 for nonmembers. Details are at southvalleychamber.com.

Aug. 19, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

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.

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

CAREERS

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. 20, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Chamber Luncheon, a Davis Chamber of Commerce event. Details to be announced at davischamberofcommerce.com.

Aug. 21, 7:15 a.m.

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 check-in 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. Location is Utah Trucking Association, 4181 W. 2100 S., West Valley City. Details are at chamberwest.com.

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. 25, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Annual Meeting, a Salt Lake Chamber event. Theme is “A Beacon of Opportunity.” Event will celebrate the power of leadership, partnership and vision in shaping Utah’s future. Location is Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, 12033 S. Lone Peak Parkway, Draper. Cost is $95 for members and $125 for nonmembers by Aug. 14, $125 for members and $150 for nonmembers thereafter. Details are at slchamber.com.

SOFTWARE ENGINEER II

Software Engineer II @ Finicity Corporation (Holladay, UT) F/T Prvds supprt of applctns sftwre thrgh prgrammng, anlyss, dsgn, dvlpmnt & dlvry of sftwre sltns. Rspnsble for prgramming, tstng, implmnttion, dcmntation, maintnnce & supprt of systms applcatn sftwre in adhrnce wth MasterCard stndrds, procsss & bst prctcs. Reqs a Master’s deg, or frgn equiv, in Cmptr Science, Eng or rltd, & 2 yrs of prgrssvly rspnsbl exp in job offrd, or as a Sftwr Dvlpr, Sftwr Eng or rltd. Altrntivly, emplyr will accpt a Bachelor’s deg, or frgn equiv, & 5 yrs of prgrssvly rspnsbl exp. Qualfyng Exp must inclde 2 yrs w/each: Java; Web Services; Relational database (Oracle) modeling and design; Agile development practices/SAFE; Spring Boot; Testing (Junit, Mockito); Hibernate, JPA; Angular; Spring MVC; RabbitMQ; Kafka; Kubernetes; Docker; Amazon Web Services. Emplyr will accept any suitbl combo of edu, training, or exprnc. Optn to WFH basd office exsts. May rside anywhere wthn the United States. Send resume to Daniel Jacobs, Daniel.Jacobs@mastercard.com 225 Franklin St, 9th FL, Boston MA 02110. Reference MC13-2026.