2023 CXO of the Year
As team leaders, C-suite executives make the hard decisions that impact their companies’ daily operations and long-term vision. Developing the strategies behind company success in an ever-changing world is no small task, but these dedicated executives are shaping Utah’s business future with reliability and ingenuity.
This year’s honorees were chosen by a panel of judges comprising Jason Sabin, CTO of DigiCert; Nathan Anderson, EVP & COO of Mountain America Credit Union; Conley Hamilton, board member at Ivy City Co and Ryan King, CFO of Thread Wallets. Join us in celebrating the 2023 CXO of the Year honorees.
Cara Allred
Chief Financial Officer | ATS
Have you always seen yourself doing what you’re doing now?
Not at all. But when our company experienced significant challenges, a place opened up for me. I was looking at a rare opportunity to make a difference. So, I ignored my fears and “imposter syndrome” and got to work. I am grateful I didn’t give in to those fears because I’ve learned and grown in ways I couldn’t have if I had given up.
What does success look like to you?
True joy and peace despite the storm I may be in.
Judah Battista
Co-Founder & Chief Sanctuary Officer | Best Friends Animal Society
What is the most rewarding thing about your job?
I have been working on behalf of animals my entire career. Two things have been incredibly rewarding. The first is we are ending the killing of adoptable pets in shelters; Utah is on the verge of being no-kill. The second is engaging people to be the lifesaving solution.
Who inspires you most?
People from recent history, like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., inspire me. They are examples of people who worked for causes they believed in and did not let obstacles and frustrations compromise their personal integrity and commitment to achieving their goals.
Jennifer Christopulos
EVP & Director, Corporate Banking | Zions Bank
Have you always seen yourself doing what you’re doing now?
I never planned to be a banker, but I’m fortunate to have an enriching career focused on developing relationships and helping people achieve their goals. I have learned and grown so much through the leadership opportunities I have had.
Who inspires you most?
My mother inspires me. She was married at a young age and had two children very quickly. With a young family, she finished nursing school and worked as the chief nursing officer for a local hospital. She is an excellent example of love, responsibility, hard work, success and perseverance.
Sean Dunroe
Chief Strategy Officer & President, ACA Markets | SelectHealth
Have you always seen yourself doing what you’re doing now?
I never pictured myself doing what I am doing now. Growing up, I loved science and health and always imagined becoming a doctor. In college, however, I was drawn to business and pursued that path instead of medicine. Working in the health insurance field has proved to be a great fit, not to mention a formidable challenge.
What advice do you have for your younger self?
Embrace change. Use your mistakes to shape you into the person you want to become.
Cara Frisbie
General Counsel & Corporate Secretary | Lucid Software
What is your life motto?
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing,” wrote Helen Keller. My life has been fueled by curiosity, a love of unique experiences and a wandering spirit. I have never regretted taking risks or pursuing change—it’s what keeps life interesting.
What does success look like to you?
Success is overcoming challenges and doing the hard stuff together. I often reflect on John F. Kennedy’s moon speech because his message that doing hard things brings out the best in people resonates with me. While the things I work on are nowhere near the difficulty of getting to the moon, I feel the most fulfillment and success when I have achieved or worked through something difficult with a team of people.
G. Douglas Hekking
Chief Financial Officer | USANA Health Sciences
What does success look like to you?
Stealing from John Wooden, I define success as knowing I made an effort to give everything I could to achieve objectives in my personal and professional life.
What challenges have you overcome to get here?
I have always known how to work hard; it was demanded of me growing up. Transitioning from self-doubt, defensiveness and other limiting or false narratives to embrace a growth mindset has been the biggest challenge I have faced.
Caroline Klein
Chief Communications Officer | Utah Jazz
What is your life motto?
You only have one life to live. Don’t let anyone else tell you how to live it, and never apologize for changing directions when a path no longer suits you.
What challenges have you overcome to get here?
Finding the freedom to take risks and see mistakes as opportunities to grow has been a major professional win and has helped me overcome my most recent career challenge of pivoting from 17 years in the travel industry to start a new path in sports.
Nadia Letey
SVP | CBRE
Have you always seen yourself doing what you’re doing now?
I went to college for marketing and spent the first 10 years of my career there. It required a lot of travel that became difficult to juggle with a growing family. Commercial real estate interested me, and when the opportunity came to work with one of the best in the industry, Scott Wilmarth, I could not pass it up. I decided to switch my career and work at CBRE. I can not imagine working anywhere else.
What lessons have you learned from being in a leadership position?
Early in my career, I had a boss who would only answer a question once I had tried to find the answer on my own. To this day, I won’t ask or answer anything until that is done. The biggest lesson in leadership is leading by example. You cannot expect others to do things you don’t do yourself.
Brandon Madsen
Chief Revenue Officer | VLCM
What is the most rewarding thing about your job?
The most rewarding aspect of this position is seeing others take a challenging role or opportunity and thrive. There is nothing better than seeing someone grow and progress simply because they were given an opportunity and had the support of the entire organization along the way.
What are you looking forward to accomplishing most in 2023?
I look forward to proving growth is possible even in the face of economic headwinds.
Dustin Olson
President | W.W. Clyde & Co.
Who inspires you most?
I grew up in Boise, Idaho, close to my dad’s parents. My grandfather, Merlin Olson, was an electrician for Idaho Power and was always one of the most patient, kindest, hardest-working people I have ever been around. I have always looked up to him for the person he was and how he treated everyone around him.
What lessons have you learned from being in a leadership position?
I have learned to look at people differently, not to see their weaknesses but their strengths and potential, and to ensure everyone has a chance to perform and succeed regardless of their background or situation.
Raul Parra
Chief Financial Officer | Merit Medical Systems
What is the most rewarding thing about your industry?
Working in the medical device industry gives you a strong sense of purpose. It’s about understanding physician needs and innovating to address those needs so we deliver new medical devices to improve the quality of patients’ lives.
Who inspires you most?
Three people stand out. Merit’s founder and CEO, Fred Lampropoulos. His energy and passion for the business are huge motivators. My wife, Jenna, for allowing me to focus on work and being my rock when things get crazy. She’s supportive, understanding and flexible when our personal plans collide with my work responsibilities. Lastly, watching my father fight cancer will always inspire me. When things get tough, I think of his fight and dedication, and it always puts things into perspective.
Brian Prutch
Chief Marketing Officer | Maverik Center, Utah Grizzlies
What is the most rewarding thing about your job?
When people come to the Maverik Center for a hockey game, I want them to leave happy, having had the best time possible! I love putting smiles on visitors’ faces, and I try to leave people with positive impressions.
What lessons have you learned from being in a leadership position?
You can’t please everyone. There are always people that want to see you fail. All you can do is your best. Try to be kind and help and teach others along the way. I pride myself on living those words every day!
Jeremy Smith
Chief Technology Officer | Suralink
What is the most rewarding thing about your industry?
The most rewarding thing about being involved in technology is the opportunity to build things. When solving problems for a client or market by creating a product or solution, building a company or helping those you work with build their careers and unleash their potential, it’s all about building.
What advice do you have for your younger self?
Be the mentor you’re looking for. Take what you’ve learned and the scars you’ve earned and help those around you; there is immense satisfaction in helping others succeed.
Cathy Smoyer
EVP, Technology and Risk & Chief Revenue Officer | Mountain America Credit Union
What is the most rewarding thing about your industry?
I have worked in the financial institution industry my entire career. Knowing the difference we make in our members’ lives is so fulfilling. I have the privilege of coming to work each day knowing that what I do and what the credit union does matters.
Have you always seen yourself doing what you’re doing now?
I have been continually surprised by the twists and turns of my career over the years. Being open, curious and willing to take career risks has allowed me to take on new and different roles.
Jonathan K. Tanner
Chief Marketing Officer | Nightingale Education Group
What are you looking forward to accomplishing most in 2023?
This year I helped form the Nightingale Foundation, which aims to provide financial resources to students traditionally underserved and underrepresented in nursing. I’m looking forward to partnering with businesses and facilities that share our vision and choose to contribute financial resources that will drive better health outcomes for our communities and families.
What does success look like to you?
If we are unsatisfied with the outcomes of our laws and systems, we must change the laws and improve the systems. I don’t believe we are succeeding in nursing education and healthcare in this country. Success begins when each community member has what is needed to live a healthy life regardless of who they are, where they live or how much money they make.
Daren Thayne
Chief Technology Officer & EVP, Product | Domo
What is your life motto?
“We win together” is a motto that grounds my work and personal life. At work, it’s about banding together within our team to champion wins for the bigger company team. In life, it’s about strengthening relationships through shared experiences.
What does success look like to you?
The most successful moments are when I see the impact of my incredible team. Customers frequently come to us to solve complex challenges they have struggled with for months or years. When we leverage our data experience platform to delight our customers, that is success. It’s all thanks to a team and culture that personifies curiosity and innovation, and I see it pay off every day.
Drew Yergensen
Utah Market President | KeyBank
What does success look like to you?
Success can be measured by how much you help others; your resiliency and ability to work through challenges and identify solutions; and your willingness to keep learning, unlearning and relearning throughout your life. I am inspired by those who put others first, won’t quit and never stop learning.
What lessons have your learned from being in a leadership position?
Leadership starts with attracting, retaining, developing, motivating and engaging the right people around you, then designing a culture where the team can be safe to take risks and be authentic. Leaders need to recognize that their biggest contribution is not their skills but their ability to engage people around them to reach their peak potential.
Dr. Lindsey Zuloaga
Chief Data Scientist | HireVue
Have you always seen yourself doing what you’re doing now?
Tying yourself too strongly to a specific outcome can be limiting, so I have always had an open mind about where my life might go. I spent years in academia, so transitioning to industry was a significant change. I didn’t know what to expect, but I continue to be amazed at the great people and opportunities that have come my way.
What lessons have you learned from being in a leadership position?
Leading has made me realize the importance of relationships on a different level. I’m fortunate to have great leaders. I do my best work when I feel mutual respect with a leader and feel supported and cared for as a person. On my teams, we take the time to learn about each other’s lives and aspirations. Working remotely, this is something we carve out time for each week. Feeling connected and respected is something that makes HireVue’s culture great.
Melissa Loble
Chief Customer Experience Officer | Instructure
Have you always seen yourself doing what you’re doing now?
I always thought my path would lead me to education administration. I never expected educational technology to grow so rapidly or have such an impact on the delivery of education, nor did I expect I would find my way into that space. That said, I had an opportunity to shift into the intersection of teaching and technology about 20 years ago and was hooked. I cannot imagine working in any other industry.
What are you looking forward to accomplishing most in 2023?
In my professional work, I am excited about bringing highly impactful tools to teachers. Personally, my latest obsession is scuba diving, and I look forward to exploring more of what the world’s oceans have to offer.
Emily Wright
President & Founding Executive | doTERRA
What advice do you have for your younger self?
We all experience some form of loss, heartbreak or discomfort. It’s what we make of it that determines who we are. I would tell my younger self never to lose hope and always to know your worth. You are more than capable of doing anything you set your mind to.
Do you have any big plans for the future?
doTERRA’s dedication to our mission has grown. We aim to help the world heal by tripling our impact by 2030. This means tripling the total number of lives improved through our Co-Impact Sourcing and Healing Hands initiatives, tripling our progress toward ensuring each partner supply chain is audited through our internal Co-Impact Sourcing scorecard, and becoming carbon neutral. These are big goals, and we will continue to make bold moves that set us apart.
