Building Utah

This is Derek Miller, Speaking on Business. Having high-speed, reliable internet is a requirement for nearly every business and makes life better at home, especially for students. UTOPIA Fiber’s Chief Marketing Officer Kim McKinley has more. KIM McKINLEY: UTOPIA Fiber is the nation’s largest Open Access fiberoptic broadband network, originally founded by 11 cities in Utah. UTOPIA Fiber builds the infrastructure that brings your favorite Internet Service Providers to your home and business. Our customers get the best service and products, along with fastest Internet speeds in the U.S. -- 10 Gigs to every home and up to 100 Gigs to every business. We now have residential services in 20 Utah cities and business class services in over 50 Utah communities. We recently surveyed 2,500 customers and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Many said with UTOPIA Fiber, they save more money and now have plenty of bandwidth for all of their family’s needs. And 4 out of 5 would recommend us to a friend or a col

This is Derek Miller, Speaking on Business. Last year Deseret Book announced that a new president would lead the company – the second woman to direct the firm since its founding more the 150 years ago. Here’s Laurel Day, the president of Deseret Book. LAUREL DAY: Since 1866, Deseret Book Company has been the market leader in providing content and lifestyle products for Latter-day Saints and other people of faith. Based in Salt Lake City, our family of brands reaches millions of customers every year through our retail stores, publishing imprints, digital content, events and ecommerce platforms. Deseret Book is grateful for our partnerships with hundreds of content creators, from New York Times best-selling authors and billboard charting artists to craftsman who help us provide faith-based fine art and home décor, including one of the largest nativity collections in the country. We have more than 1000 employees are committed to our mission of cultivating stories, writings, art and other forms of media t

This is Derek Miller, Speaking on Business. Utah’s aerospace sector began in the 1950s and today, one of the companies at the center of Utah’s aerospace industry is Northrop Grumman. Tamara Humphrey is vice president for the company’s Aerostructures business and is here to tell us more. Tamara Humphrey: Utah is quickly becoming one of the nation’s leading states in aerospace design and manufacturing. From developing large-scale space systems that will take us to Mars, to providing highly-advanced composite structures for future aircraft, we foresee exponential business growth here over the next decade. Within our Aerostructures business, Northrop Grumman engineers and technicians are defining new possibilities for commercial and military aircraft, including space and missile systems. As experts in their field, our employees are truly improving how our nation’s most advanced technologies are brought to life while helping make them more cost efficient over the long term. With the growth we’re experiencing

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. Utah is blessed with many great universities, colleges, and technical schools. One of those is Ogden Weber Technical College led today by President & CEO James Taggart, who tells us more. JAMES TAGGART: Ogden-Weber Technical College has provided hands-on training since 1971. We call our school OTECH for short and our mission is to build a prosperous community by creating a technically skilled workforce, one student at a time. We have 30 certificate programs in Weber County and our instructors provide training in high wage, high demand fields like manufacturing, healthcare, business, computer technology, construction, and more. We serve over 6,000 students annually and their successes have been noticed -- our enrollment increased by 11% last year. A recent study by Washington DC-based Georgetown University found that OTECH ranks in the top 1% of colleges and universities in the nation since our graduates show a nearly 1300% return on investment in their educ

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. Staker Parson Materials & Construction has built numerous projects throughout Utah. Now they are adding their support to strengthen the foundations of some of the most vulnerable among us. CEO Scott Parson has more. SCOTT PARSON: The construction industry and its workforce is comprised primarily of middle-aged men, people who face a heightened risk of mental health challenges and suicide. In light of the stigma that often surrounds these issues, we are pleased to lend our support to Utah’s LIVE ON suicide prevention campaign and promoting the new national “Dial 988” suicide and crisis lifeline. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. During this month, we are adding important reminders to the barrels of our concrete mixers encouraging check-ins and direct conversations that can help reduce stigma and help prevent suicide. Messages like… “Help a friend pour their heart out.” “It’s ok if your words get mixed up.” “If you notice a friend spiraling

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. When buying a home or property, its vital that you have a great title company protecting you. Rod Newman is the President of Metro National Title and shares the advantages his firm offers. ROD NEWMAN: Metro National Title is a technology driven title insurance company and I’m excited to report that we just released “Alfred the Virtual Closing Assistant” which can help you via text or web chat 24/7. Alfred knows about your file by phone number or email address, and we make it enjoyable -- he will even tell you a joke. Another new Metro streamlining innovation in the buying process is our new EMD module that allows clients to transfer the earnest money payments electronically. This new feature saves time and provides security from wire fraud. To make the process even safer, we recently integrated the leading wire fraud prevention software into our systems. It’s called Closing Lock and is designed to protect our clients from email spoofing, clone phishing, emai

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. An astounding twenty-two point three million passengers flew through Salt Lake last year. Bill Wyatt is the executive director at the airport and shares a bit of its history and vision for the future. BILL WYATT: Utah is fortunate that in 1996, visionary leaders laid out plans for a new airport for Salt Lake City. It’s been nearly two years since we opened Phase 1 and construction continues at a fast pace. Phase 2 is scheduled to open next year, which will bring more gates to more destinations and feature 19 new restaurants and shops. And when the Central Tunnel opens in 2024, the walk to Concourse B will be shorter, which should bring smiles to many weary travelers. Speaking of smiles, about 15,000 airport employees provide our passengers with a variety of terrific amenities daily, while others keep the runways clear during snowstorms and ensure safe travel for everyone. Salt Lake City International Airport is a critical component of the nation’s trans

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. Today nearly 3 out of every 4 Americans taking some type of daily nutritional supplement. Lora Forbush, of Nature’s Sunshine, explains their firm’s contributions to American health. LORA FORBUSH: In 1972, Nature's Sunshine became the first company to encapsulate herbs. Fifty years later Nature’s Sunshine continues to sell high-quality supplements in more than 40 countries around the world. We manufacture our products right here in Utah – at our facility in Spanish Fork. Throughout the past five decades our mission has been to share the healing power of nature. We further our mission through the Impact Foundation which we founded to provide the healing power of nature to underserved communities throughout the world. Giving back is in our nature. We are committed to protecting this planet’s natural resources. That’s why we recently converted our manufacturing facility in Spanish Fork to 100% solar energy. This is one of many steps we are taking to reduce our imp

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. Over 200 years ago John Swire & Sons began a global trading company in England that today includes Swire Coca-Cola in Utah. Here’s Chief Financial Officer James Sloan with more. JAMES SLOAN: Swire Coca-Cola has been a part of Utah since 1978. Headquartered in Draper, we employ roughly 1,300 people here in Utah and our entire territory covers 13 western states. Swire’s purpose is simple: To deliver refreshment to the communities we call home. We manufacture, bottle, and deliver Coca-Cola and more than 50 other beverage brands, to your favorite stores, arenas and community events, striving to be the best community partner wherever we do business. As residents of Utah, we know the importance of protecting the environment, so we partner with organizations throughout our territory to conserve water, reduce carbon emissions and increase recycling. We are a strong, stable company that believes in putting its people first – our associates, our business partners an

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. dōTERRA is a Utah-based company that employs over 3,000 people in Utah and is a global leader in the aromatherapy and essential oils market. Missy Larsen, the Vice President of Philanthropy, has more. MISSY LARSEN: Many know that dōTERRA takes over downtown Salt Lake City in September, but they may not know why we have so many enthusiasts. The reason is simple – we make great products that over 10 million customers enthusiastically enjoy. dōTERRA is an integrative health and wellness company. We focus on purity and prioritize people before profits as we source, test, manufacturer, and distribute Certified Pure Tested Grade® essential oils and related essential oil products. Our growth has enabled us to be a force for good around the world. Last year alone dōTERRA supported over 400,000 sourcing jobs in 45 nations. In addition, nearly three million people were impacted globally through our programs which include community development initiatives through the

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. Delta Airlines is Utah’s largest domestic carrier and offers high-quality of service to those travelling to and from Utah. Adam Ryan is Delta’s Managing Director of Airport Operations and tells us more. ADAM RYAN: At Delta we say “No One Better Connects the World.” It’s a statement and mission we live by. We have over 5,000 Utah-based employees serving our customers on more than 250 flights to 100 destinations, Including 3 direct transatlantic markets. Delta’s people truly are what sets us apart as they lead the way in delivering a world-class customer experience. Their mission is to make every customer feel welcomed and respected across every point of their journey. Through meaningful partnerships with organizations like the Utah Food Bank, American Red Cross, Pride Utah, Junior Achievement and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, we find joy in serving the community at large. Finally, the Salt Lake airport is truly a destination in and of itself. From o

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. Darlene Carter is the CEO of the CW Group, a Utah-based real estate development company. She has participated in raising over a billion dollars in funding for residential and for rental projects, and now shares more about the firm she leads. DARLENE CARTER: CW Group is a Utah based real estate development group focused on developing master planned communities, residential lots, urban in-fill communities, multifamily projects, mixed-use properties and built to rent communities throughout the state of Utah. CW Group is comprised of 5 companies (CW Urban, CW Land Co, CW Design, Cole West Home, Cole West Development) that specialize in land acquisition, architecture, real estate development, general contracting, and commercial construction. CW Group is founded on the principles of creating value through thoughtful land planning, progressive architecture, and exceptional project-level execution. CW Group has over 50 active projects in the state of Utah and control

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. Salt Lake Community College now serves more than 60,000 students on 10 campuses, and online. College President Deneece Huftalin is here to share information about a recent change. Deneece Huftalin: Salt Lake Community College now has a new name for our technical education programs – it’s now the Salt Lake Technical College, which makes it clear that we are here to serve Salt Lake County. Our goal is to train students so they can immediately move into, or advance, in essential fields like healthcare, IT, truck driving, and machining. We hear from employers all the time in need of career-ready graduates. Students from all different backgrounds leave our tech programs ready to work and contribute to our local economy. This includes English-language learners and those who need basic technology skills. With small classes, affordable tuition, and accessible faculty, we eliminate barriers to higher education. We help students see themselves as college learners and te

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. The Utah Farm Bureau has more than 32,000 member families in every county in Utah and stands as an advocate for agriculture. Chief Executive Officer Spencer Gibbons is here to talk about what they do. SPENCER GIBBONS: Making sure farmers can keep doing what they love to do, so the rest of us can eat, is central to what the Utah Farm Bureau Federation has been doing for more than 100 years. But we face challenges: a fast-growing population, increasing obstacles to food production, and the ever-present challenges of Mother Nature. Lucky for us, hard work is nothing new for Farm Bureau members. For our staff, we provide a great deal of information to the State Legislature, as well as working with local and county governments, helping them understand the intricacies of farming and how to keep it economically sustainable. We also help farmers navigate current issues – like drought, advocate for property rights, and providing leadership and professional training. For

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. Google Fiber is one of the companies that offers high-speed, high-quality internet access in Utah. Ashley Church, West Region General Manager for Google Fiber, tells us about new efforts underway. ASHLEY CHURCH: Google Fiber is moving fast in Utah -- through expansion, construction and new areas of service. In just the past 12 months, we’ve been approved to start construction or begin offering service in 14 different communities around the Wasatch Front, including White City, Draper, Riverton, Springville, West Bountiful, West Jordan, Sandy and North Salt Lake. And, more are communities are on the way. Needless to say, it’s an exciting time to be part of Google Fiber. Over the last year, we’ve expanded our network almost 30 percent – Google Fiber has more than 1,000 miles of fiber network across the Wasatch Front, connecting more than 100,000 households around the Salt Lake Valley to fast, reliable internet. And all this growth means our team is growing, too.

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. Nexus IT Consultants provide complete computer IT support for small and medium-sized businesses in Utah. Here to give more insight is founder and CEO Earl Foote. EARL FOOTE: Nexus IT has been serving the Salt Lake City business community for 24 years. We are always looking for ways to uplevel our services. As a result, we have developed a 5-year growth strategy which will focus on expanding our capabilities for our current clientele and provide more world-class customer experience for our customers. We recently merged with Salt Lake City IT services provider, Intelitechs. The people at that firm, including founders Jake Hiller and Eric Sessions, are a great fit and share our our client-first approach. We’re excited to incorporate their talents and culture of integrity as part of our expanded team. It’s an exciting time at Nexus IT. We’ve just added three key people to our leadership staff, including a director of culture and leadership development, a direct

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. Pepsi has been bringing joy and growing since 1896. The company is hiring and Fabian Serrato, Merchandising Manager for Pepsi, shares what they are doing to attract new talent. FABIAN SERRATO: At Pepsi we are continually reinventing ourselves, but our commitment to providing the best products and hiring the best people never changes. Our customers, as well as our employees, are our top priority. Pepsi products always bring a smile, and because we’re in the happiness business, we recently expanded the options for our CDL drivers to have a 4-day work week. We know that worker-friendly policies help us attract and retain the best in the business. We’re always looking to hire great people because Pepsi employees are expected to act as owners, listening closely to our customers, always seeking for ways to meet their needs. We envision our customers being with us in every meeting and we evaluate each decision on whether it will positively impact those who rely

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. For more than 100 years people across America have experienced the gracious hospitality of Hilton hotels. Marion Neversummer, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center, provides a local perspective. MARION NEVERSUMMER: Hilton Salt Lake City Center is in the heart of the convention district, just steps from the dining, nightlife, and cultural attractions that bring visitors downtown. Our full-service hotel offers nearly 500 guest rooms with 19 suites, perfect for business travelers or families looking for a quick staycation. The flexible 24,000 square feet of meeting space can host a board meeting for 15 or a conference for 500. Catering is provided by our diverse and award-winning culinary team. Guests can enjoy prime cuts, innovative cocktails, and local, seasonal specials at our restaurant, Spencer’s for Steaks & Chops. Come for a hard-to-find wine and stay for huckleberry cobbler. We also maintain four beehives on our rooftop and

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. For over 100 years the Utah Hospital Association has been the trusted voice of healthcare policy in Utah. Dave Gessel serves as the executive vice president and shares more about their efforts DAVE GESSEL: The Utah State Hospital Association was founded in 1920 at meeting in the Hospital of the Sisters of Holy Cross in Salt Lake City. Today every hospital in the state is a member of our association and we all work together to make life better for everyone. Our efforts appear to be working. According to numerous studies and reports, Utah has some of the lowest health care premiums in the country and the highest percent of employer coverage. Perhaps even better, people in Utah tend to live longer, healthier lives due to wise choices and high-quality care, including over $350 million in charity care provided each year by the state’s numerous hospitals. The Utah Hospital Association is more than just an association – its composed of doctors, leaders, nurses

This is Derek Miller Speaking on Business. Ivanti is an exciting, Utah-based technology company that produces world-class software used by the largest companies in America. Company Vice President Brooke Johnson shares more. BROOKE JOHNSON: Advances in software, satellites and computer connectivity have enabled millions of Americans to work from nearly anywhere. We call it the “Everywhere Workplace” where employees use a myriad of devices to access IT applications and data over various networks. But greater access means greater risk, which is why 97 percent of the Fortune 100 companies have chosen Ivanti to discover, manage, secure, and service their IT assets, from the cloud to the edge. Our breakthrough technology is called the Ivanti Neurons automation platform. It enables connected devices to self-heal and self-secure and empowers users to self-service. Companies return to us because we deliver excellent end-user experiences for employees. In a world of cyber threats, our goal is cyber safety