Articles
8 February 2012

Players

by Utah Business Staff

08 February 2012—

 FRED P. LAMPROPOULOS, chairman and CEO of Merit Medical Systems Inc, was invited by President Barack Obama to attend the Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth at the White House. Lampropoulos will participate in a breakout session entitled “Encouraging Business Competitiveness and Job Creation.” During 2009, Merit Medical hired more than 225 new employees.

 

Aquila Investment Management LLC appointed JAMES (JT) THOMPSON co-portfolio manager and vice president of Tax-Free Fund for Utah, a municipal bond fund that invests in bonds that are exempt from Utah state and regular federal income taxes. Thompson has more than 24 years of experience in municipal bond underwriting and trading. Prior to joining the Aquila Group of Funds, Thompson was a senior vice president, underwriter and municipal bond trader with Wells Fargo Brokerage Services and First Security Bank in Salt Lake City. 

 

The American Woman’s Society of Certified Public Accountants presented JOHANNA NIELSEN, CPA with the society’s Woman CPA of the Year award. Nielsen is currently assurance senior manager with Grant Thornton. During her tenure at the firm, Nielsen has provided top technical insight to audit clients regarding U.S. financial reporting issues and SEC technical reporting issues.

Envision Engineering continues to expand its Salt Lake City office operation with the addition of KIT FARLEY, who was appointed project manager. Farley brings a wealth of experience gained during 29 years of electrical design and management of projects such as public works, health care, retail, parks and recreation, military, and educational facilities. 

 

The Salt Lake City Chapter of Executive Women International announced its new officers and directors for 2009-10. The new board members include the following: ALYSON WILLERTON of the Ogden Eccles Conference Center as president; MECHELLE MELLOR of Zions Bank as vice president; LYNN BEACH of Mona Vie as secretary; and Cari Leavitt of Wells Fargo Bank as treasurer. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, EWI has more than 75 chapters located across the United States, Canada and Europe. 

 

NICHOLAS U. FRANDSEN and SANNA-RAE TAYLOR joined Parsons Behle & Latimer’s Salt Lake City office. A recent edition of Best Lawyers in America ranked Parsons Behle & Latimer attorneys W. MARK GAVRE (labor and employment), DAVID G. MANGUM (intellectual property) and MICHAEL A. ZODY (labor and employment) among the lawyers selected. Parsons Behle & Latimer attorney SEAN D. REYES has been named as one of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association’s 2009 Best Lawyers Under 40 for his accomplishments in the legal and Asian-Pacific American communities. 

STEPHANIE DEGRAW was selected as marketing director for the 2010 Orion Independent Music Festival. The festival will be held in Park City at various restaurants and nightclubs on Main Street, as well as at venues in Salt Lake City and Ogden. DeGraw currently owns Power Media Entertainment & Public Relations.

 

The National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) honored 16 commercial real estate industry professionals across the country, including SCOTT SCHWENDIMAN of Kennecott Land, Rio Tinto. He was chosen by a selection committee comprised of NAIOP members and industry leaders to receive the 2009 Developing Leaders award.

 

Realtor CHRIS SLOAN, a branch broker with Group 1 Real Estate in Tooele, received the 2009 Realtor of the Year award from the Utah Association of Realtors. Sloan, who specializes in residential real estate, has been in the real estate business for 14 years. He is currently UAR president and has served as president-elect, vice president and chair of several of the association’s committees, including the legislative committee.

 

Stoel Rives LLP, a full-service U.S. business law firm, added five new attorneys to its Salt Lake City office. MATTHEW S. GORDON, Ph.D. and RACHEL M. SLADE, Ph.D. joined the technology and intellectual property practice group. LANDON A. ALLRED, JASON W. CROWELL and CAMERON L. WARD joined the litigation practice group.

 

Tour of Utah President STEVE MILLER announced the promotion of KAREN WEISS to executive director. Weiss previously served as chief operating officer and then deputy director from 2006 to 2009. Weiss has more than 15 years of experience in sponsorship and special events. She has served as a senior vice president of corporate event management for Bank of America in San Francisco, as well as the event director for the Primal Quest Expedition Adventure Race in Moab. 

 

NowPlayingUtah.com named LEE ADAMSON director. Adamson has worked with the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau (SLCVB) since 2006 as the executive meetings manager and as tourism sales manager.  

 

Ogden Golf and Country Club (OGCC) appointed ALEX POCKRUS general manager and COO of the club. Pockrus will be responsible for the facility’s overall operations. Prior to joining the club, Pockrus worked as the general manager of various clubs in Florida. Ogden Golf and Country Club also announced that GREG GILMORE, the club’s superintendent, was recently selected by the Utah Section PGA awards committee as the superintendent, private facility category award winner for 2009-10.  

 

Move Networks, a global provider of comprehensive “television over the Internet” and IPTV solutions, announced STEVEN COX as the company’s executive vice president of strategy and business affairs. Cox has more than 10 years of executive management experience with DIRECTV. He also previously served as executive vice president and director of HD Partners Acquisition Corporation.

The Utah Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau (UVCVB) promoted JULIA CURREY to senior sales manager for corporate, association and group-tour business. In this position, Currey will develop and implement business strategies to increase tourism in Utah Valley and will actively supervise sales activity and reporting. Before joining the UVCVB, Currey served as events director for the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce where she increased revenue for all events. 

 

Strong & Hanni announced CATHERINE M. LARSON has been inducted as a fellow into the Litigation Council of America. Larson is a shareholder and board member at Strong & Hanni. She has 16 years of experience representing physicians, nurses and other health care professionals in a variety of medical malpractice litigation matters. She currently serves on the Defense Research Institute Medical Liability Committee and is a past president of the Utah Chapter of The American Association of Nurse Attorneys. 

 

 

“Steve is a proven leader in the media and telecommunications space, and we are delighted that he is joining our executive team. His in-depth understanding of Move’s direction and relevant experience in multichannel video distribution will ensure that Move Networks maintains its successful momentum and reaches the goal of delivering the best-in-class live, multichannel television over the Internet.”

– Roxanne Austin, CEO, Move Networks

“I am very passionate about the Tour of Utah and look forward to taking it to the next level and continuing its reputation as one the most well respected cycling events in the world.”

– Karen Weiss, Executive Director, Tour of Utah

 


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