This week on the Utah Business Report

Friday, May 3rd, 2013

In case you missed one or more of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Utah Business Reports on KSL News Radio, here is a recap of what we talked about this week.

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Thanks to a bill passed during the recently concluded legislative session, workplace safety will have an entire week dedicated to its awareness in June.

SCR 9, the Concurrent Resolution Designating a Week to Recognize Workplace Safety, designates June 23 through 29, as Workplace Safety Week in the State of Utah.

During Workplace Safety Week, safety campaigns, media events and outreach programs are being planned to inform the public and raise awareness.

Workplace safety is a crucial piece of keeping our communities and economy healthy and strong. The cost of an accident, whether it’s financial, emotional or physical, affects us all and can have long-term effects.

The slogan and goal for Workplace Safety Week is to have No Workplace Accidents June 23 to 29.

Working together to make a safe environment is the ultimate goal so let’s embrace the Culture of Safety and see if we can make that goal a possibility.

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For over 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America have created a strong foundation of leadership, service and community for millions of America’s young people.

Thanks to the support of more than 94,000 adult volunteers in Utah, the Boy Scouts of America provide educational programs for young people across the state in building character, developing leadership capabilities, training in the responsibilities of active citizenship and developing personal fitness.

In 2012, more than 1.5 million service hours were donated by Boy Scouts participants. According to the Utah Scouting in 2012 report, those service hours saved the State of Utah $22.5 million. Utah Boy Scouts also collected more than 1.7 million pounds of food to help those less fortunate.

190,000 young people were registered in the Boy Scouts membership in Utah this past year, while adults made up nearly 95,000. More than 220,000 merit badges were earned by Boy Scouts, and more than 6,000 Boy Scouts were honored as Eagle Scouts.

More than 80,000 scouts attended summer camp in 2012, as well.

The Scouting report also indicated that more than $7 million were donated by Friends of Scouting. Contributors to the Friends of Scouting totaled more than 235,000 people.

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The Sixth Annual Utah Golf Marathon presented by Alexander’s recently announced the benefactors for this year’s event.

For 2013, Utah’s Golf Marathon will benefit the Utah Valley University men’s basketball team, which made large strides as the season ended in March.

Unfortunately, more funds are needed to allow the UVU men’s basketball team to focus on academics in their off-season. If players can’t afford to study during off-season, they are forced to juggle all of their course work on top of their athletic training and season.

Alexander’s and Utah’s Golf Marathon aim to provide needed help for UVU’s men basketball team players to continue forwarding their academic and athletic performance. This year, they hope to raise $20,000 for the UVU Wolverines.

The Golf Marathon will take place on Wednesday, June 19. There will be 54 holes of golf, prizes, contests and food provided.

To register and to help UVU’s men’s basketball team, visit UtahGolfMarathon.com.

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Utah’s heritage and pioneer legacy has been celebrated since 1849 – just two years after the first pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. For nearly 100 years, a rodeo has been part of the celebration.

Miller Sports Properties and The Days of ’47 Incorporated recently announced EnergySolutions Arena as home for the Days of ’47 Rodeo this summer.

Miller Sports Properties’ chief operating officer Steve Miller says holding one of the country’s top-ranked rodeos in EnergySolutions further solidifies the company’s commitment to the city and proves the importance of sport as quality entertainment in our community.

Kem Gardner, chairman of The Days of ’47 Rodeo, says this will make the rodeo one of the “must stop” locations on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit and a must-see event for Utah residents who want avenue suitable for everyone.

The Days of ’47 Rodeo will be at EnergySolutions on July 19, 20, 22 to the 24 at 6:30 p.m. each night.

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We live in an ever-changing world and the concept of the traditional 9-to-5 work day is changing, as well.

Studies show flexible workplaces have a higher rate of employee loyalty thanks to a better work/life balance. Many businesses see workplace flexibility as an essential piece of creating a productive environment, proving that it’s good for business and good for employee morale.

And that’s where the Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility comes in. The Alfred P. Sloan award is a national award for businesses that exemplify the best flexibility practices.

In partnership with the Utah Department of Workforce Services, the Salt Lake Chamber Women’s Business Center will present the national Sloan Awards in Utah for 2013–and now is the time to apply. The applications are due on Friday, May 10.

The application process is a simple, there are just two-steps including an Employer Application followed by an employee survey if your business is selected to move onto the next round. You can learn more about applying here. 

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For the full reports from this week and weeks past, visit KSL Radio online. Remember to tune in between 12:30 and 1 p.m. to KSL NewsRadio every week day on 102.7 FM or 1160 AM. If your business is doing something great, let us know and we may just feature it on the Utah Business Report. 

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This week on the Utah Business Report

Friday, April 26th, 2013

In case you missed one or more of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Utah Business Reports on KSL News Radio, here is a recap of what we talked about this week.

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Are you the most veteran friendly small business in America? The search is on!

On March 28, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes program and Spike TV’s “Hire A Veteran” Campaign launched the Small Business Tournament of Veteran Champions to find the most veteran friendly small business in America.

To be eligible, businesses must have 500 or fewer employees and annual revenue of less than 20 million dollars. They also must commit to hire as part of the National Chamber Foundation and Capital One’s Hiring 500,000 Heroes campaign, which has a goal of engaging the business community to hire half a million veterans and military spouses by the end of 2014. The team at Hiring Our Heroes will work with you to help you fulfill your commitment.

The winning business will receive a 30 second Public Service Announcement produced by and aired on Spike TV to highlight its commitment to veteran-friendly practices. The winner will also receive two tickets, roundtrip airfare, and hotel accommodations to attend the Spike TV Guys’ Choice Awards in June where their business will be recognized.

Your business can apply online. The deadline is this Friday, April 26th.

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The Salt Lake Chamber, Utah’s largest and longest-serving business association, applauds Rio Tinto and Kennecott Utah Copper for their dedication to safety. By all accounts, the damage from the landslide that recently occurred at the Bingham Canyon Mine was greatly minimized by their commitment to protect their employees, contractors and the public.

On the evening of April 10, Kennecott Utah Copper’s Bingham Canyon Mine experienced a slide along a geotechnical fault line of its north eastern wall. Thanks to monitoring ground movement for several months, Kennecott was able to relocate buildings, roads and heavy machinery before the slide happened. All of the employees were safe and accounted for.

It is well known in the business community that all Rio Tinto meetings begin with a safety message. Many Utah businesses, including the Salt Lake Chamber, have followed this example, no doubt increasing the overall level of workplace safety in our state.

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When it comes to small business friendliness, Utah trumps all other states, according to the Thumbtack.com Small Business Friendliness Survey. The newest results were released recently and Utah jumped from the fourth spot in 2012 to number one.

Utah got an A-plus in overall friendliness and ease of starting a business. Our state garnered high scores. In fact, our lowest score was a B in ease of hiring. The Beehive State also received high marks for the training and networking programs available to small businesses.

Salt Lake City, in particular, earned an A grade for its overall small business friendliness and is ranked as the seventh easiest city to start a business.

There were a few key findings that Thumbtack took from the survey. Two of the most important factors for starting a small business were the professional licensing requirements and the ease of obtaining health insurance. One-third of small business owners cited that it was very difficult to get and retain health insurance.

The Thumbtack.com survey revealed that for most businesses, simple licensing regulations and helpful training programs are even more important to success than tax rates.

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If you’ve ever waited for a bus or train and wished you could know where it was, how long you were going to wait or if you had missed it, Google Maps has launched the solution and Utah is one of the first places to experience it.

Now Utahns can get live updates about when a bus or train will arrive at any stop with Google Maps. To go a step further, the service will identify delays and give live information about upcoming buses and trains. Google hopes to expand this service worldwide.

Utah and the Utah Transit Authority was chosen for this venture because UTA already had the information ready and wanted to make it available. UTA has GPS devices on many of its trains and buses so their location can be instantly pinpointed. Thanks to algorithms and history, they can tell how long it takes for transit to get from stop to stop. This kind of information is what Google Maps hopes to use to make their maps as useful as possible.

Google Maps has also implemented this service in New York City and Washington, D.C.

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We live in an ever-changing world and the concept of the traditional 9-to-5 workday is changing, as well.

Studies show flexible workplaces have a higher rate of employee loyalty thanks to a better work/life balance. Many businesses see workplace flexibility as an essential piece of creating a productive environment, proving that it’s good for business and good for employee morale.

And that’s where the Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility comes in. The Alfred P. Sloan award is a national award for businesses that exemplify the best flexibility practices.

In partnership with the Utah Department of Workforce Services, the Salt Lake Chamber Women’s Business Center will present the national Sloan Awards in Utah for 2013–and now is the time to apply. The applications are due on Friday, May 10.

The application process is a simple, there are just two-steps including an Employer Application followed by an employee survey if your business is selected to move onto the next round. Learn more here.

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For the full reports from this week and weeks past, visit KSL Radio online. Remember to tune in between 12:30 and 1 p.m. to KSL NewsRadio every week day on 102.7 FM or 1160 AM. If your business is doing something great, let us know and we may just feature it on the Utah Business Report. 

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This week on the Utah Business Report

Saturday, April 20th, 2013

In case you missed one or more of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Utah Business Reports on KSL News Radio, here is a recap of what we talked about this week.

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Tomorrow (Tuesday, April 16), the Governor’s State of Sport Awards will honor Utah banking mogul, philanthropist and sports enthusiast, Spencer F. Eccles, for his contribution to sport in the state of Utah by presenting him with the event’s 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award.

A native of Ogden, Utah, Spence began skiing in 1943 at Snowbasin Ski Resort. For more than 50 years, he has carved an indelible ski swath that reaches from waxing rooms to corporate boardrooms and beyond.

Eccles has contributed his time, leadership and resources generously to sports-related organizations and programs throughout Utah. He has been a major supporter of University of Utah Athletics teams from skiing and tennis to football and basketball, and was a founding contributor to the Romark Ski Academy. He has served as a board member the of the U.S. Ski Team Foundation, Women’s Ski Jumping USA, Alta Ski Lifts, Sun Valley Corporations and Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation.

Eccles played a vital role in the highly successful 2002 Olympic Winter Games, directing more than $30 million in support of facilities and programs to ensure their success. His vital contributions and involvement were recognized by the International Olympic Committee with its highest honor and the first Gold Medal of the Games.

Eccles’ generosity has provided sport and Olympic legacy infrastructure for the visitors to Utah and its citizens — most particularly Utah’s youth — to utilize and enjoy for decades to come.

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Tomorrow, the state’s largest earthquake drill will shake Utah once again. The Great Utah ShakeOut will begin at 10:15 a.m. – so prepare your business or your home now! We want to encourage you and your business to participate so you know what to do in case of an earthquake.

Local businesses have an important role to play in helping to prepare themselves and their employees for disaster.

When it comes to preparing for a disaster, the sooner, the better. The Wasatch Front, which is based right along a fault line, has been due for an earthquake for over a decade. What that means is that the next earth shaking event may be disastrous. The problem with that is, unless you and your business are prepared, it may be hard to continue business if an earthquake rattles your business.

A simple earthquake drill, like tomorrow’s ShakeOut, can help our local businesses start thinking about preparedness and business continuity. Last year, 945-thousand people were registered to participate in the state’s largest earthquake drill. This year, we are asking Utahns to drop, cover and hold on yet again.

You can learn more about the Great Utah ShakeOut here.

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We live in an ever-changing world and the concept of the traditional 9-to-5 workday is changing, as well.

Studies show flexible workplaces have a higher rate of employee loyalty thanks to a better work/life balance. Many businesses see workplace flexibility as an essential piece of creating a productive environment, proving that it’s good for business and good for employee morale.

And that’s where the Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility comes in. The Alfred P. Sloan award is a national award for businesses that exemplify the best flexibility practices.

In partnership with the Utah Department of Workforce Services, the Salt Lake Chamber Women’s Business Center will present the national Sloan Awards in Utah for 2013–and now is the time to apply. The applications are due Friday, May 10.

The application process is a simple, two-step process with an Employer Application followed by an employee survey if a business is selected to move onto the next round.

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It’s no secret that Utah is a great place to live. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index for 2012 ranks Utah fourth overall. Our state has also been named one of the Elite Five states for well-being along with Hawaii, Minnesota, Colorado and Montana. The Elite Five have shown a sustained level of excellence over five years.

Residents of elite well-being states rate their lives as better today and expect them to be even better in the future. They have better emotional health, much lower obesity rates, carry reduced disease burden, enjoy their jobs more, and smoke less while exercising more.

Utah’s largest metropolitan areas also garnered acclaim for their well-being scores. Salt Lake City earned the seventh spot in the Top Large Communities category; and the Provo-Orem region ranked third in the Top Mid-Size Communities. Metropolitan areas in the top quintile included Provo-Orem as the fourth best.

The Well-Being Index is based off of the World Health Organization definition of health, which is “not only the absence of infirmity and disease, but also a state of physical, mental and social well-being.” More than 1.7 million people participated in the survey nationwide.

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Bestselling author and international trust expert Stephen M.R. Covey will give a special presentation next Tuesday, April 23rd, at the Salt Lake City Marriott City Center. He is currently on tour for his new book, “The Speed of Trust.”

Covey’s presentation will advocate the return of trust in American and Canadian organizations in both the profit and not-for-profit sectors, extending beyond the dialogue on trust as a soft, social virtue. He will give attendees a greater vision of trust as a measurable, strategic advantage as well as share the behaviors and tools common to all high-trust leaders around the world. He will also teach how to extend “Smart Trust,” even in environments where risk exists.

The presentation will take place starting at 8:30 in the morning, running until noon. It costs $49 dollars per person ($39 for Chamber members). There is a special discounted group rate available.

Covey is a sought-after advisor and keynote speaker on trust, leadership, ethics and high performance. He is the former CEO of Covey Leadership Center, which, under his stewardship, became the largest leadership-development company in the world.

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For the full reports from this week and weeks past, visit KSL Radio online. Remember to tune in between 12:30 and 1 p.m. to KSL NewsRadio every week day on 102.7 FM or 1160 AM. If your business is doing something great, let us know and we may just feature it on the Utah Business Report. 

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This week on the Utah Business Report

Friday, April 12th, 2013

In case you missed one or more of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Utah Business Reports on KSL News Radio, here is a recap of what we talked about this week.

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Bestselling author and international trust expert Stephen M.R. Covey will give a special presentation next Tuesday, April 23rd, at the Salt Lake City Marriott City Center. He is currently on tour for his new book, The Speed of Trust.

Covey’s presentation will advocate the return of trust in American and Canadian organizations in both the profit and not-for-profit sectors, extending beyond the dialogue on trust as a soft, social virtue. He will give attendees a greater vision of trust as a measurable, strategic advantage as well as share the behaviors and tools common to all high-trust leaders around the world. He will also teach how to extend “Smart Trust,” even in environments where risk exists.

The presentation will take place starting at 8:30 in the morning, running until noon. It costs $39 per person for Chamber members or $49 for non-members. There is a special discounted group rate available.

Covey is a sought-after advisor and keynote speaker on trust, leadership, ethics and high performance. He is the former CEO of Covey Leadership Center, which, under his stewardship, became the largest leadership-development company in the world.

Again, Covey’s presentation will be this coming Tuesday, April 23rd, at the Salt Lake City Marriott Center at 8:30 a.m. Learn more here.

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Mayor Ralph Becker and the Public Services Department are pleased to announce the Salt Lake City and County Building and Plaza 349 office building have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR certification. The certification signifies the buildings perform in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency and meet strict energy efficiency performance levels set by the EPA.

Public Services Director Rick Graham says this effort is a win-win for our community as it reduces both our carbon footprint and the costs of operating these City facilities. Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s buildings is critical for protecting our environment.

Buildings that earn the EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification use an average of 35 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Salt Lake City improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically across the entire organization and by making cost-effective improvements to its buildings.

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One week from today, Hiring Our Heroes will be back in Utah. In March 2011, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched Hiring Our Heroes, a nationwide grassroots campaign to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment in hundreds of communities across America. In 21 months, this vision has become a reality.

Through the end of 2012, 388 hiring fairs were hosted in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Through these fairs, 18,400 veterans and military spouses landed jobs through more than 1,050 different businesses. Nearly half of those companies are small businesses and more than 300 new companies joined that list this quarter alone.

However, with national rates of unemployment above 10 percent for post-9/11 veterans, nearly 30 percent for veterans under 25, and 26 percent for military spouses, more needs to be done. To help, Hiring Our Heroes has launched multiple initiatives. We’ll have more on that tomorrow.

Hiring Our Heroes Job Fair and the Military Family Summit will take place at the Salt Palace Convention Center Wednesday, April 17, starting at 8 a.m.

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Yesterday I told you about the successful Hiring Our Heroes program and how businesses are hiring our veterans. Today, I want to tell you how Hiring Our Heroes is addressing the issue of the still-too-high national unemployment rates for veterans, the military and their spouses.

Hiring 500,000 Heroes is a three-year commitment of $4.5 million dollars from Capital One that kicked off in March 2012. Its goal is to engage the business community to hire half a million veterans and military spouses by the end of 2014.

Starting this month, Hiring Our Heroes will host employment workshops at every hiring fair. These workshops will help with resume building, interview techniques and career transition skills.

Hiring Our Heroes also wants to help veterans in branding and marketing themselves to potential employers through an online tool at ResumeEngine.org. VetNet was also recently launched as an online career resource for veterans and military spouses.

Hiring Our Heroes Job Fair and the Military Family Summit will take place at the Salt Palace Convention Center on Wednesday, April 17, starting at 8 a.m.

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Next Wednesday, the state’s largest earthquake drill will shake Utah once again. The Great Utah ShakeOut will begin at 10:15 a.m. – so prepare your business or your home now!

An earthquake can disrupt utilities, damage buildings and bring everything to a standstill—even your business. So what happens if there’s an emergency at work like an earthquake? Here are some pointers.

• Prepare an emergency kit that can sustain you for at least three days. Think non-perishable food, water, and underwear.
• Have a plan to communicate with loved ones and co-workers that are in and out of the office.
• Be familiar with evacuation routes in your office and meeting areas.
• Be aware of furniture or office supplies that could fall on you or hurt you in the event of an earthquake.

So get ready to stop, drop and cover for the second annual Great Utah ShakeOut on Wednesday! You can learn more here.

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For the full reports from this week and weeks past, visit KSL Radio online. Remember to tune in between 12:30 and 1 p.m. to KSL NewsRadio every week day on 102.7 FM or 1160 AM. If your business is doing something great, let us know and we may just feature it on the Utah Business Report. 

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This week on the Utah Business Report

Friday, April 5th, 2013

In case you missed one or more of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Utah Business Reports on KSL News Radio, here is a recap of what we talked about this week.

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Joseph Carbone’s dream is that every child, regardless of ability to pay, should have access to professional eye care. He is doing it through the non-profit organization Eye Care 4 Kids.

Since its inception in 2001, Eye Care 4 Kids has helped over 50,000 at-risk, low income children and adults receive vision screenings, eye examinations and eye-glasses. The organization has also provided approximately $14.5 million in professional eye care. $2.5 million of that was in 2012 alone!

Eye Care 4 Kids has vision clinics in Midvale, Park City and Las Vegas. It also makes annual trips to Native American Reservations with SEE –MORE the Mobile Eyecare Unit.

Joseph believes that everyone has the responsibility to take what they have learned in their careers or from their hobbies, and bless the lives of those in their community.

Everything that we have, our food, our clothing, our shelter, our homes and our opportunities are all gifts, given to us freely. When we give a gift let us remember to give it as though it already belongs to the receiver.

If you want to help, log onto eyecare4kids.org and make a contribution.

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Utah recognizes the importance of diverse financing options to encourage small business growth. A top priority for the state is to continue to find new ways to assist promising new Utah business ventures and the jobs they create.

A collaboration among the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development, the Governor’s Economic Council and the Utah Small Business Growth Initiative recently announced the allocation of $4 million in State Small Business Credit Initiative stimulus funds. This money will be placed in seed or early-stage venture funds that invest in Utah companies.

In recognizing the need to expand financing options available to Utah small businesses, the Utah Small Business Growth Initiative has been selected to administer these funds on behalf of the State.

Utah economic development officials believe in empowering businesses with tools to succeed. Executive Director of GOED Spencer Eccles says equity investment through managed fund partners provides a new option where Utah’s robust entrepreneurial ecosystem can be further supported.

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On March 19th, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker and Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams signed a landmark inter-local agreement detailing the City and County’s partnership for the New Performing Arts Center in downtown Salt Lake City.

The Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance have been long-time supporters of the downtown theater project as part of the Downtown Rising movement.

The new, 2,500 seat state-of-the-art facility will be operated by the County’s Center for the Arts, which also owns and operates Abravanel Hall, Capitol Theatre and Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center.

The New Performing Arts Center will be located on the 100 block of Main Street. It will play host to touring Broadway productions, nationally prominent family programming, music and comedy as well as a rich schedule of local arts presentations.

The new design will be unveiled on April 17. Construction is slated to begin in 2014 and completed in 2016.

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As the global economy is improving, so too is public trust in business. According to the 2013 Edelman Trust Barometer, trust in the private sector rose globally, up five points from last year. After an overall drop in public trust following the economic downturn, trust in business has steadily rebounded.

Americans are increasingly taking proactive steps to investigate how businesses operate. Trust was formerly linked primarily to commercial success, whereas today, trust is drawn more from how a company achieves its goals. The Edelman survey shows that the public trusts businesses that focus on employee and customer satisfaction and follow transparent, ethical business practices.

Of the 11 industries covered in the survey, the technology, automotive and consumer/beverage sectors took the top spots for trustworthiness.

Business size also has an impact on trust. In the United States, 86 percent of respondents to Edelman’s survey indicated trust in small businesses, while 55 percent noted trust in larger companies.

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Hughes General Contractors was recently awarded the prestigious Build America Award for projects completed in 2012 for its work on the Ogden High School auditorium. Only one such award is granted nationwide on an annual basis to renovation projects in this price range.

It was extremely important to the Ogden School District that the historical qualities of Ogden High School be preserved. These facilities had been used continually for over seven decades and were suffering serious deterioration.

The auditorium needed to be restored and seismically renovated without damaging the artistic flourishes on both the interior and exterior of its walls. Hughes General Contractors tackled this challenge with one goal in mind: to upgrade the facility so those who saw its original grandeur would say, “It is just as I remember.”

The Associated General Contractors of America made the right choice when they selected Hughes General Contractors as the recipient of the annual Build America Award for their work on this extraordinary edifice. It truly is a testament to how a beloved piece of architecture can inspire action in a community.

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For the full reports from this week and weeks past, visit KSL Radio online. Remember to tune in between 12:30 and 1 p.m. to KSL NewsRadio every week day on 102.7 FM or 1160 AM. If your business is doing something great, let us know and we may just feature it on the Utah Business Report. 

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This week on the Utah Business Report

Friday, March 29th, 2013

In case you missed one or more of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Utah Business Reports on KSL News Radio, here is a recap of what we talked about this week.

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Taylor Capital Group LLC recently changed their business name to Taylor-Derrick Capital LLC.

With news of the name change, Taylor-Derrick Capital Group also reported fourth quarter returns of 3.75 percent for the Mountain West Debt Fund, LP. For the complete 2012 year, Mountain West Debt Fund had unaudited returns totaling 17.45 percent.

So, what does that mean? Well, it’s a reflection of the demand for new construction in the western United States—which is a very good thing for our economy. Housing and construction fell with the Great Recession, and their return signals an economy growing stronger.

The Mountain West Debt Fund consists of pooled, private capital invested in real estate-secured loans to developers in the mountain west states and California.

Taylor-Derrick Capital Group is the general partner and investment manager of the fund. They have offices right here in Salt Lake City, and Henderson, Nevada.

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The Chamber is proud to announce that A Giant in Our City, Utah’s most prestigious business award, will have two honorees this year: Harris H. Simmons, the president, chairman and chief executive officer or Zions Bancorporation, and A. Scott Anderson, president and chief executive officer of Zions First National Bank.

Simmons and Anderson will become the 33rd and 34th recipients of the award in its 43-year history. These two men have helped strengthened businesses across Utah, supported of important community programs, and made unsurpassed contributions to the quality of life of all Utahns.

A black-tie gala honoring these two men will take place tomorrow, March 27. A reception will begin at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and a program at 7 p.m. The event will be held in the Grand Ballroom at The Grand America Hotel.

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Smith’s Food and Drug Stores recently released its 2012 Report to the Community, which highlights $10 million worth of cash and products donated to more than 2,200 nonprofit organizations spanning seven western states. This total includes $4.2 million contributed to 983 schools and nonprofit charities in Utah.

Smith’s charitable giving program known as “Neighbor to Neighbor” provided an average donation of near $75,000 per store location throughout Smith’s seven western states of operation.

Smith’s assistance is primarily focused in the following areas: fighting hunger, supporting K-12 education, children’s hospitals, promoting women’s health (primarily breast cancer), the development of minorities and women, as well as support for local grassroots organizations.

Smith’s is a division of the Kroger Company, one of the nation’s largest retail grocers. From its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Smith’s manages 131 stores and 75 fuel centers throughout Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, northern Arizona and southern Idaho.

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To all of you baby boomers out there, it is not too late to reinvent yourself, rekindle old passions and start your journey to a better you. It’s officially spring now… and here’s your opportunity.

Next Saturday, April 6th, is a special seminar to help you discover new pathways leading to innovative experiences and improved lives–it’s called Enhancing Your Life After 50.

There will be panel discussions, break-out sessions on Retirement Planning and Financial Independence; Veterans Benefits; and Looking, Feeling and Being at Your Physical Best. You will also have the opportunity to sign up for volunteer projects and activities around the valley.

If you bring your old eyeglasses, sunglasses or reading glasses, you will receive a $2 discounts off the admission fee. Donated glasses will go to the “Eyeglasses for Uganda” project, which will present a special YouTube video.

Again, the Enhancing Your Life After 50 will take place on April 6th at the SLCC Sandy Campus.

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Utah’s small businesses have another opportunity to take advantage of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Salt Lake Community College. This initiative helps create jobs and economic opportunity in Utah.

Salt Lake Community College is currently seeking small business owners to participate in the second training cohort, which will begin on August 16th. Applications are being accepted now through June 3rd.

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is an education program for business owners who have survived the start-up phase and are poised for growth. Accepted participants will receive a full scholarship to the program.

Interested business owners are invited to attend an information session to learn more about the program and the application process. The sessions will take place at the Salt Lake Community College at the Miller Campus in Sandy, on April 12th and May 23rd from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

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For the full reports from this week and weeks past, visit KSL Radio online. Remember to tune in between 12:30 and 1 p.m. to KSL NewsRadio every week day on 102.7 FM or 1160 AM. If your business is doing something great, let us know and we may just feature it on the Utah Business Report. 

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This week on the Utah Business Report

Friday, March 22nd, 2013

In case you missed one or more of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Utah Business Reports on KSL News Radio, here is a recap of what we talked about this week.

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This Friday (now today!), a 24-hour virtual online fundraiser to help Utah’s nonprofits will be in full swing! It’s called Love Utah Give Utah. Let’s take a minute to recognize a few nonprofit organizations you could donate to.

The Salt Lake Chamber Women’s Business Center provides counseling, training, mentoring and networking services to entrepreneurs in order to increase their success and strengthen the economy. There is a focus on women, but men aren’t excluded here.

In Utah, significant data suggests we have an even bigger opportunity to improve our local economy by focusing on women. Twenty-five percent of all businesses in the state are women-owned. Utah ranks in the top 15 for the fastest growing states for women-owned businesses. And Utah ranks fourth when it comes to growth in firm revenues.

Those statistics represent an enormous opportunity. The WBC helps to empower entrepreneur’s self-sufficiency and growth, which in turn helps the organization reach its vision of increasing success and strengthening Utah’s economy.

Donate to the WBC here.

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Join Prosperity 2020, the state’s largest business-led movement, in improving innovation, investment and accountability in education. Seventeen chambers of commerce and industry organizations from throughout the state support Prosperity 2020 and more organizations sign on every year.

In a globally competitive, information-based economy, education is the path to enduring prosperity. The jobs of the 21st century will flow to centers of knowledge and innovation. Prosperity 2020 seeks to enhance Utah’s competitive advantage with a well trained and educated workforce.

Prosperity 2020 is spear-heading goals of reaching 90 percent proficiency in reading and math in elementary students, 66 percent of Utahns with postsecondary certificates or degrees, and to make Utah a top 10 center for technology jobs and businesses by the year 2020.

Donate to Prosperity 2020 here… even $20.20 can make a difference.

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SLC Bike Share, or GREENbike, is Utah’s first solar-powered bike-share program in our capital city. The program will be the first of its kind on the West Coast and is launching in a couple short weeks with 100 bikes and 10 stations around downtown Salt Lake City.

The implementation of GREENbike will meet various needs in the Salt Lake area. Air quality has been a hot topic this winter, and emissions from cars are a major contributor to poor air. By riding bikes, short-distance vehicle trips can be reduced.

Bicycling has the capacity to provide physical activity to users while also meeting their transportation needs. Users can rent bicycles for short trips around downtown for five dollars a day or a yearly subscription fee of $75.

Donate to SLC Bike Share here.

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First Night Salt Lake City does business as Downtown SLC Presents, and has organized the First Night series of events for over a decade. You probably know their big event as the New Year’s celebration, EVE.

The goal of Downtown SLC Presents is to encourage and increase appreciation for the visual and performing arts through year round events and an amazing New Year celebration.

This non-profit promotes cultural and artistic experiences in downtown Salt Lake City through promotional initiatives and programs that enliven the cultural core of the community.

To help with these goals, Downtown SLC Presents enlightens audiences through low-cost access to performances, lectures, demonstrations and participatory arts projects.

Donate to Downtown SLC Presents here.

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What if you could help change Utah in a single day? Well, today you can!

Love Utah Give Utah is a 24-hour statewide online fundraising campaign for Utah’s nonprofit organizations and schools—and it’s going on as I speak. So register today and donate to a cause you care about!

The goals of Love Utah Give Utah are simple—to grow philanthropy, revenue, capacity and community.

This kind of virtual fundraising has been successfully pioneered in other states, raising millions of dollars and bringing new donors to organizations that serve their communities.

There are a few non-profits we at the Salt Lake Chamber would like to encourage you to support in this day of giving, including: the Women’s Business Center, Prosperity 2020, SLC Bike Share and Downtown SLC Presents.

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Keep in mind, this day of giving goes until midnight tonight. So donate now! 

For the full reports from this week and weeks past, visit KSL Radio online. Remember to tune in between 12:30 and 1 p.m. to KSL News Radio every week day on 102.7 FM or 1160 AM. If your business is doing something great, let us know and we may just feature it on the Utah Business Report. 

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This week on the Utah Business Report

Friday, March 15th, 2013

In case you missed one or more of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Utah Business Reports on KSL News Radio, here is a recap of what we talked about this week.

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Being an active member of a chamber of commerce is good business strategy. That’s the consensus of a recently released national survey over 2,000 adults done by The Schapiro Group.

Why is it a good business practice? In short, it’s a matter of consumer perception. Knowing if a company is a chamber member has the biggest positive effect from consumers.

Two-thirds of consumer believes that if a company associates with a chamber of commerce, then they are more likely to be reputable, care about their customers, use good business practices and are involved in the community. Consumers were 49 percent more likely to think favorably towards businesses that are chamber members, and are 80 percent more likely to purchase goods or services from chamber members now and in the future.

At the Salt Lake Chamber, a majority of our members are small businesses. That’s a commonality around most chambers. The Schapiro survey showed that chamber membership has consistent and powerful benefits for small business members if consumers know they are involved. The benefits also extend to large businesses.

To learn more about chamber membership, visit slchamber.com/membership.

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The 2013 Utah ADDY Awards Show was held a couple of weeks ago, and it sounds like Fluid Advertising was the most awarded agency this year with 26 honors.

The Bountiful firm won eight gold, 18 silver and a Judge’s Special Award for several of its clients, including Cameron Construction, Copper Canyon restaurant, Creamies Premium Ice Cream, the Gallivan Center, the Utah Department of Natural Resources and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

Despite 15 years in business, this was the first time Fluid had entered their work into the ADDY competition.

It is part of Creative Director Ryan Anderson’s vision to remake what has been a small design studio into a full-service digital marketing and advertising agency.

Anderson said their goal is to do amazing work that cuts through the clutter and gets their clients noticed… and that this recognition shows that Fluid is on the right track.

The Utah ADDY awards are presented each year by the American Advertising Federation of Utah, an organization of advertising and marketing professionals working to advance the industry in Utah.

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The Chamber is proud to announce that A Giant in Our City, Utah’s most prestigious business award, will have two honorees this year: Harris H. Simmons, the president, chairman and chief executive officer or Zions Bancorporation, and A. Scott Anderson, president and chief executive officer of Zions First National Bank.

Simmons and Anderson will become the 33rd and 33th recipients of the award in its 43-year history. Chamber president and CEO Lane Beattie says these two men have helped strengthened businesses across Utah, supported of important community programs, and made incalculable contributions to the quality of life of all Utahns.

A black-tie gala honoring these two men will take place Wednesday, March 27—in two weeks. A reception will begin at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and a program at 7 p.m. The event will be held in the Grand Ballroom at The Grand America Hotel.

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For the first time in the history of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah professional cycling event, organizers will include several cities and venues in southern Utah.

Seven of the 10 host locations are first-time venues for the world-class, six-stage professional cycling race and community festival.

The 2013 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, “America’s Toughest Stage Race,” will begin Monday, August 5th with opening festivities in Cedar City, and continue across the state for six days of racing from August 6th to August 11th.

This year, the Tour will start in red rock country with a race from Brian Head to Cedar City. From there, it will head to races from Panguitch to Torrey, Richfield to Payson, Salt Lake City, Snowbasin resort to Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, and finally in Park City.

The Tour of Utah generated $14-million in direct economic impact for the state in 2012, and the expansion is expected to have an even greater impact this year.

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What if you could help change Utah in a single day? Well, on March 22nd, you can.

Love Utah Give Utah is a 24-hour statewide online fundraising campaign for Utah’s nonprofit organizations and schools. It will take place next Friday, March 22nd. Be sure to mark your calendars now for this day of giving!

The goals of Love Utah Give Utah are simple—to grow philanthropy, revenue, capacity and community.

This kind of virtual fundraising has been successfully pioneered in other states, raising millions of dollars and bringing new donors to organizations that serve their communities.

There are a few non-profits we at the Salt Lake Chamber would like to encourage you to support in this day of giving, including: the Women’s Business Center, Prosperity 2020, SLC Bike Share and Downtown SLC Presents.

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For the full reports from this week and weeks past, visit KSL Radio online. Remember to tune in between 12:30 and 1 p.m. to KSL News Radio every week day on 102.7 FM or 1160 AM. If your business is doing something great, let us know and we may just feature it on the Utah Business Report. 

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This week on the Utah Business Report

Saturday, March 9th, 2013

In case you missed one or more of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Utah Business Reports on KSL News Radio, here is a recap of what we talked about this week.

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Whether you’re saving for a rainy day, a new home or a cool experience, it never hurts to have some money saved up.

Last week was America Saves and Military Saves Week, part of an effort to further encourage healthy savings habits among consumers. Thousands of organizations participate, reaching millions of people.

America Saves and Military Saves is a nationwide initiative in which a board coalition of nonprofit, financial institutions. Corporate and government groups help individuals, service members and all families save and build wealth.

Supported by U.S. Bank, the America Saves and Military Saves campaign runs throughout the year, but February to March 2nd was designated as a special week to give the ongoing campaign an extra push.

U.S. Bank customers who are interested in participating in the campaign can visit AmericaSaves.org or MilitarySaves.org to join for free. America Saves and Military Saves members receive free valuable tools and information to develop and take action on a savings plan. The America Saves and Military Saves week may be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start saving today.

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Boosting technical education is one of the business community’s legislative priorities for 2013. One of those priorities is a $9.75 million investment in increased capacity at the Utah College of Applied Technology campuses to achieve 153,000 additional certificates by 2020.

And there’s good data to show this would be a good investment. New statistics released by the Utah College of Applied Technology show that program completion and job placement rates for students reached an all-time high for 2012.

UCAT campuses reported that 87 percent of students who completed certificate programs were hired in their field or placed in additional education during 2012. This greatly exceeds the national accreditation standard of 70 percent. Eighty-one percent of enrolled students completed their programs, a record high and a six percent bump from the year before.

Certificates awarded at UCAT campuses play an important role in helping Utah achieve its goal of having 66 percent of adults with a post-secondary degree or certificate by the year 2020—a goal that both the Governor’s Education Excellence Commission and Prosperity 2020 are aiming for.

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Hale Centre Theatre recently announced it will move from its home of 16 years in West Valley City to a new theater in Sandy.

Sandy City accepted an offer from Hale to purchase an 11.5-acre site at 9950 Monroe Street in Sandy. Terms are waiting approval from HCT’s Board of Trustees and the Sandy City Council.

The Hale board determined that to better accomplish the theatre’s mission of providing affordable world-class family theatre and to meet growing demand, it is necessary to expand. After all, Hale is the highest-attended community theatre in the country, operating at 99-plus percent capacity since 2004.

The new site will feature three performance spaces with a total of 1,800 seats—that’s triple the size of its current space. The new centre stage theatre will be slightly larger than the existing facility with one additional row and improved legroom.

It will cost 65 million to build the new state-of-the-art theatre in Sandy. Anticipated completion of the new Hale Centre Theatre will be in 2017.

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Mark your calendars for 10:15 a.m. on April 17–the next Great Utah ShakeOut is coming! We want to encourage your business to participate so you know what to do in case of an earthquake.

Local businesses have a tremendous role to play in helping to prepare themselves and employees for disaster. Around 40 percent of businesses that have to shut down in a disaster never reopen their doors.

A simple earthquake drill, like the April 17 ShakeOut, can help our local businesses start thinking about preparedness and business continuity. Last year, 945,000 people were registered to participate in the state’s largest earthquake drill. This year, we are asking Utahns to drop, cover and hold on yet again.

The goal this year is to have over one million people participating in the Great ShakeOut. Already more than 600,000 people, including more than 100 Utah businesses, are registered to participate in the Great Utah ShakeOut.

You can sign up for the ShakeOut individually or as an organization at ShakeOut.org/Utah.

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One month from today is the launch of the Salt Lake City Bike Share program. Salt Lake City and the Downtown Alliance have been working together to create Utah’s first solar-powered bike share program. It’s the first of its kind in the West.

On April 8th, we’ll open 10 stations and make 100 bicycles available in our capital city. The launch will take place at Gallivan Plaza in downtown Salt Lake.

Salt Lake City’s Bike Share program is a network of Bike Share stations where members can take any bike from any station, as many times as they like, for a small membership fee of five dollars a day or 75 dollars per year. The stations are located to transit stops, popular destinations for food, entertainment and other hot spots in Salt Lake City.

Bike Share bikes are designed for one job: short trips in the city by people wearing regular clothes and carrying ordinary belongings. The bikes are one-size-fits-all and the only thing you may need to adjust is the seat.

So join us for the launch on April 8 and for a special fundraiser at Squatters downtown on April 9.

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For the full reports from this week and weeks past, visit KSL Radio online. Remember to tune in between 12:30 and 1 p.m. to KSL News Radio every week day on 102.7 FM or 1160 AM. If your business is doing something great, let us know and we may just feature it on the Utah Business Report. 

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This week on the Utah Business Report

Friday, February 22nd, 2013

In case you missed one or more of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Utah Business Reports on KSL News Radio, here is a recap of what we talked about this week.

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Happy 60th anniversary to Layton Construction Company this month!

Alan W. Layton started Layton Construction with his retirement savings from his government job. Since then, the company has grown to be a national leader in commercial construction. To read more history and Layton’s contributions to our communities, CLICK HERE.

In the late 80s, Layton expanded its footprint nationally when it opened a regional office in Phoenix, as well as operations centers located from Hawai’i to Florida.

Company horizons have expanded in recent decades to include high profile projects recognized by all Utahns. Rice-Eccles Stadium, LaVell Edwards Stadium and Rio Tinto Stadium were all built by Layton. But Layton does more than sports venues. Primary Children’s Medical Center, University of Utah Hospital and other medical centers have been constructed, expanded or renovated by Layton. Buildings built by Layton dot the landscape throughout Utah and much of the country.

So, happy anniversary, Layton Construction! It’s good to see your dedicated work around our community.

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Junior Achievement of Utah and its staff have been honored with the 2012 Peak Performance Team Award from Junior Achievement USA. It is one of only 12 Junior Achievement national offices to be recognized.

The Peak Performance Team Award was created to recognize outstanding performance by a local Junior Achievement office team. To qualify for the Peak Performance Team Award, a Junior Achievement office must demonstrate a strong financial position and experience positive student growth during the school year. Recipients recognized achieved the highest combined level of student growth, increase contact hours and total revenue growth.

President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Utah Phil Cofield says staff members are proud to be recognized for working towards a cause they are passionate about—educating young people to succeed in the global economy.

Junior Achievement of Utah gives young people the knowledge and skills needed to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices.

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What if you could help change Utah in a single day? On March 22, 2013, you can.

Love Utah Give Utah is a 24-hour statewide online fundraising campaign for Utah’s nonprofit organizations and schools. It will take place on Friday, March 22nd. Be sure to mark your calendars now for this day of giving!

For more information, CLICK HERE.

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Ready to shift careers? With six-figure average salaries, sustained job growth, millions of openings across dozens of industries and no prerequisite graduate degree, it may be the perfect time to become a project manager.

This month, the University of Utah is rolling out one of the nation’s most comprehensive project management training programs. This new program targets both seasoned managers and those looking to shift careers.

From construction to software development, marketing to green energy and health care, project managers are needed across numerous fields. They also pull in an average base salary of $105,000 a year. How’s that for a salary?

Project management is one of the fastest growing professions in the world. The demand has increased by 51 percent over the past two years. The Anderson Economic Group estimates that an average of over one million project management positions will need to be filled each of the next four years.

The new U program will include six certificates including an all-online option.

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The Salt Lake City Main Library is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month.

Designed by Moshe Safdie, the library is said to have started a new architectural era in Salt Lake City. The library now sets a precedent for new buildings coming downtown. It’s pretty common to hear residents tell visitors that they must check out our downtown library.

Library officials estimate that one million people pass through its doors ever year. However, the Main Library has become more than its moniker suggests. For example, Library Square has become a community gathering space, hosting events like the Utah Arts Festival and more.

The Main Library is a great escape from the downtown hustle, with its atrium, conference rooms, a theatre, coffee shop and other small businesses. Plus, it has one of the best views of the valley from the rooftop garden.

As the building enters its second decade, the Salt Lake City Public Library System is evaluating new service models, embracing digital and virtual resources, and adapting to the changing needs of the community.

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For the full reports from this week and weeks past, visit KSL Radio online. Remember to tune in between 12:30 and 1 p.m. to KSL News Radio every week day on 102.7 FM or 1160 AM. If your business is doing something great, let us know and we may just feature it on the Utah Business Report. 

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