Small Business

Wildcat MicroFund expands with $1.2 million gift from America First Credit Union

OGDEN, Utah – Weber State University’s Wildcat MicroFund has received a $1.2 million gift from America First Credit Union to expand its services throughout Utah.

The Wildcat MicroFund focuses on serving socially and economically disadvantaged communities throughout northern Utah, offering cash grants of up to $3,000 and additional networking opportunities to Weber State students and area entrepreneurs.

The $1.2 million gift will allow the fund to expand its services to Utah communities beyond Weber, Davis, Morgan and Box Elder counties.

“We serve the next generation of entrepreneurs by giving them a platform to test their ideas in a real-world setting and bring brand awareness to their local communities,” said Catherine Holbrook Clark, manager of the Wildcat MicroFund. “The opportunities that this funding provides not only make a profound impact on the entrepreneurs themselves, but on their families and the community as well.”

Since 2018, the microfund has awarded over 300 grants to businesses in a variety of industries, including construction, education, outdoor recreation and tourism.

Ogden resident Tania Rodriguez is a recent recipient of a microfund grant. Rodriguez operates Los Churros del Norte, a traveling food stand that serves up churros, buñuelos and other Mexican food. SHe worked several different jobs before she decided to pursue her true passion – cooking. Learn more about her in the video below.

“My churros are made from scratch, by hand, and they taste just like a small piece of my beautiful country of Mexico,” she said. “Making churros gives me the opportunity to share something special.”

When the truck that transports her churro cart broke down, Rodriguez couldn’t afford to fix or replace it. A friend told her to apply to the microfund, and she received enough money to buy a new truck to keep working at local events.

America First Credit Union “could not be happier to partner with the Wildcat MicroFund,” said Tammy Gallegos, AFCU’s chief strategic engagement officer.

“The Wildcat MicroFund is an incredible opportunity for entrepreneurs to launch, build and grow their venture,” she said. “We’re thrilled that through this program we get to be part of the journey for individuals furthering innovation here in Utah.”

“The most fulfilling part of being a small business owner is that I’m a step closer to making my American dream a reality,” she said.

For more information, visit the Wildcat MicroFund website.

Bryan Magaña

Publice Relations Director, bryanmagana@weber.edu

D.L. Evans Bank Announces Taylorsville High School Wellness Center as 2022 Donation Initiative Recipient

BURLEY, ID, January 23 – D.L. Evans Bank is pleased to announce Taylorsville High School Wellness Center as one of the donation initiative recipients of 2022. This donation initiative gives D.L. Evans Bank employees an opportunity to nominate their favorite non-profit organizations in Idaho and Utah to receive a donation from D.L. Evans Bank. D.L. Evans Bank also added an additional 5% to each total in the employee’s name.

A donation in the amount of $2,625 was made to the Taylorsville High School Wellness Center and was nominated by Julie Taylor, Vice President Branch Manager of the Murray branch. This donation will help the wellness center purchase school supplies, hygiene items and food. Meal bags are also available for students near a long weekend and holidays to ensure they will have something to eat while away from school.

Pictured: Sam Taylor (D.L. Evans Bank Commercial Loan Officer), Brian Murray (Assistant Principle Taylorsville High School), Afton Lambson (Assistant Principal Taylorsville High School), and Julie Taylor (D.L. Evans Bank Vice President Branch Manager of Murray).

About D.L. Evans Bank
Established in 1904, D.L. Evans Bank is a community bank focused on serving the local communities and providing the best banking solutions to the community members. D.L. Evans Bank has 38 branches in Idaho and Utah, with more than $3 billion in assets.

More information can be found at https://www.dlevans.com/

Utah Department of Veterans & Military Affairs and Veteran Business Resource Center launch Utah Veteran-Owned Business Registry

SALT LAKE CITY, January 9 – The Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs (UDVMA) and the Veterans Business Resource Center (VBRC) at Salt Lake Community College have launched a Veteran-owned business registry. This registry will help promote Veteran-owned businesses in Utah by allowing the public to search for and find Veteran businesses to support.

Utah is home to over 140,000 Veterans and according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 18,000 Utah businesses are Veteran-owned. The state continues to be recognized as one of the best performing economies in the nation and a business-friendly state. UDVMA and VBRC are dedicated to ensuring Veterans can take advantage of this success and grow their businesses.

“It is an honor to serve our Veterans and their families and we are excited to launch this new registry as another way to give back,” said Gary Harter, executive director of UDVMA. “Utah is a highly patriotic and military friendly state and many Utahns want to show their gratitude to those who have served. Now they have more ways to do so by supporting their local Veteran-owned businesses.”

“Veterans have a wealth of experience and skills that lend very well to starting and running successful businesses,” said Rick Brown, VBRC Director. “As we continue our work here at the VBRC helping Veterans and their families start and run businesses, we are pleased to offer this registry to further boost the great work of our Veterans.”

The Utah Veteran-Owned Business Registry can be found at https://vbr.veterans.utah.gov. Utahns can search by keywords or the name of the business. Businesses with any level of Veteran ownership can register at vbr.veterans.utah.gov/s/register-business. Veteran status and business license will be verified by UDVMA and being listed on the registry does not represent an endorsement of the business or its services.

The Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs (UDVMA) is the state agency that assists Veterans, service members and their families to access their benefits and strives to ensure that Utah remains a military and veteran friendly state. UDVMA also advises the Governor and state legislature on matters pertaining to military affairs throughout Utah and serves as a liaison to the leadership of Utah’s military installations, defense industry, and economic development organizations.

The Veterans Business Resource Center (VBRC) was created by the State of Utah and Salt Lake Community College to directly support Veterans, service members and their families in starting and growing their businesses. VBRC offers support and resources to assist in testing your business idea, developing a business plan, forming a company, analyzing financial needs, and creating an effective marketing strategy.

For more information, please contact:
Taylor Ricks, UDVMA, (801) 900-1906, tricks@utah.gov
Rick Brown, VBRC, (801) 957-5288, richard.brown2@slcc.edu

Lon Hudman, Five Star Hospitality Performance

Lon Hudman is a managing partner of Five Star Hospitality Performance, the single source partner for corporate events, experiences, team building activities, and incentive travel for over 18 years. The Worldwide Event Producers have worked with many renowned brands including Microsoft, Eddie Bauer, Outdoor Retailers, and 3M to provide unforgettable experiences.

With offices in Orlando, FL and Salt Lake City, UT, the organization provides both national and global services. Lon Hudman describes what drew him to Ogden explaining, “I recognized a need for a quality event production company in Ogden and Northern Utah.” Hudman spent 25 years in the event production industry prior to stepping away for several years to help establish a start-up nutritional supplement company. Now Hudman has returned to the event production industry to pursue the career that he has always loved.

After telling a former client of his plans to dive back into the event production industry, the client replied excitedly, “Thank goodness! No one ever matched your creativity or the quality of the events that you produced.” Another client endorsement states, “The Five Star Hospitality team are all so great to work with! The location and resort they helped us find was perfect for our company trip. They made the process very easy with constant communication and suggestions that all were on point. Five Star lives up to the name 100%!!”

Specializing in large events, Five Star Hospitality Performance’s corporate structure allows them to assemble the ideal-sized team to fit your needs and optimize the amount spent on any event. Their list of trusted and experienced partners in all areas of event production is second to none, resulting in an event that is of the highest quality and yet budget friendly.

“You rarely remember how something looks, but you will always remember how it made you feel. That’s why we work with our clients to combine creative storytelling, experiential design, and a focus on natural touch points to curate spaces that create lasting memories, not fleeting impressions.”

Hudman believes that live events are going to make a huge comeback, “Post Covid, people are looking forward to getting together again in person and enjoying conventions, meetings, and incentive travel,” said Hudman.

To learn more about Five Star Hospitality Performance, please visit https://fivestarhospitalityevents.com/ or check out their Instagram here. You can also reach Lon Hudman at lon@fivestarperformance.co

D.L. Evans Bank announces John V. Evans, III has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer and John V. Evans, Jr. will continue to serve as President

BURLEY, Idaho, January 5 – D.L. Evans Bank announced today that John V. (J.V.) Evans, III, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and John V. Evans, Jr. will continue to serve in the role of President.

John V. Evans, Jr. joined D.L. Evans Bank in 1979 and has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Bank since 1985. His father, John V. Evans, Sr. joined the Bank as President in 1987, after serving ten years as Governor of Idaho, and he served as Bank President until 2014. John Jr. succeeded his father in the role of President. John Jr. stated: “It’s been an honor to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of D.L. Evans Bank. While I look forward to continuing my role as President of the Bank, appointing John V. Evans, III, to the Chief Executive Officer role is an exciting milestone for our company and I believe his expertise and knowledge will lead the Bank to further growth while nurturing the company culture.” John Jr. has been instrumental in the Bank’s overall success for more than 43 years. It is under his leadership that the Bank has grown from two branches and $8 million in assets to over $3 billion in assets and 38 branches throughout Southern Idaho and Northern Utah. D.L. Evans Bank is currently the largest Idaho-based community bank.

Appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of D.L. Evans Bank, John V. (J.V.) Evans, III, is a fifth-generation banker, as he is a great-great-grandson of the D.L. Evans Bank founder, David Lloyd (D.L.) Evans. He has more than 25 years of banking experience, serving as an Executive Officer and being instrumental in the success of the Bank. J.V. said: “I am excited to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of D.L. Evans Bank and for John V. Evans, Jr. to continue to serve as President. Being a family-owned and employee-owned bank, we are very proud of our company and family history. We are grateful to be able to serve our communities. We have remarkably talented leaders and employees working for our company and I am excited for the future.”

Over the years, J.V. has led D.L. Evans Bank in several different capacities, from lending and management to being appointed as a member of the Executive Management team in 2003 in the role of Executive Vice President, and in more recent years as the Chief Credit Officer. J.V. has a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Idaho and is a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School. He has been active in his community serving on many non-profit and community boards. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Idaho Elks Hospital Foundation, Idaho Bankers Association, Bankers’ Bank of the West, and the Federal Delegate Board of the Independent Community Bankers Association.

John V. (J.V.) Evans, III, Chief Executive Officer (Left) and John V. Evans, Jr., President (Right)

Tyler Nancollas, Skyline Hills Financial

Founded in 2021 by three young entrepreneurs, Skyline Hills Financial is a debt collection agency based in Ogden, Utah. The founders collectively noticed inefficient areas in the debt collection industry, and after vigorously analyzing these areas, they wanted to create a company that would provide the best experience possible for companies throughout Utah while helping and serving the people who find themselves owing money. It took months of strategic planning and preparation before they officially opened on April 4, 2021.

James Wilson, Alex Benitez, Tyler Nancollas

The debt collection agency is modernizing and improving the way debts get collected – their debt recovery experts prioritize clients’ goals by professionally collecting money that is owed on delinquent accounts while also providing a positive and beneficial experience to those who find themselves in these situations. They take away the “call center” feeling and work alongside their clients to take the best care of them. With every interaction had, Skyline Hills Financial goes above and beyond to ensure a positive experience.

“We chose to start a business in the Ogden-Weber area for many reasons, the main being that we love this community” said co-founder, Tyler Nancollas. “We were born and raised in Ogden and wanted to work in a place that we call home.”

Since the day that they opened, Skyline Hills Financial has strived to be a resource that clients and consumers can rely on. One of the focal points of the agency is to provide accurate information and articles across various subjects including debt recovery and financial literacy. In addition, their agency is one of the few collection agencies in the nation that provides free professional financial advising to their clients’ customers.

“By guiding people through this process, we hope to have an impact that will help provide the knowledge to achieve financial freedom and avoid these situations in the future,” said Tyler. “We host webinars to enhance our customers understanding of finances as well as collections.” The care and respect that Skyline Hills Financial has for their clients and their clients’ customers is something that you won’t find in any other agency.

The assistance that Skyline Hills Financial provides helps to resolve difficult client-customer situations. One customer said in regard to her experience with Skyline Hills Financial, “I’ve never dealt with such a respectful and knowledgeable team when it comes to my debt.” This wasn’t the first time she was sent to collections due to outstanding balances. “Once I began to work with their specialists, my entire mentality changed.” Skyline Hills Financial left such a positive impact on this customer, that she went back to the company she had a balance with to let them know how great the service was.

Tyler, Alex, and James are excited to be more involved in the community and are looking forward to opportunities to help local companies and people.

To contact Skyline Hills Financial, please visit their website here or contact Tyler at tylern@skylinehf.com

Bill Willahan, NOW CFO

Bill Willahan is a Business and Accounting Consultant at NOW CFO, a full-service consulting firm founded in 2005. Bill was invited to join the NOW CFO team in 2017 and continues to experience the thrill of working with clients to over come obstacles and improve operations.

NOW CFO is a “roll up our sleeves” full-service consulting firm with a singular focus on outsourced CFO, controller, accounting, and financial service needs. Their reputation as talented management consultants and financial analysts with an entrepreneurial spirit has helped them grow to over 31 markets in 13 different states with hundreds of employees – all of them providing financial services that improve the success of their clients.

With most NOW CFO Utah Operations along the Wasatch Front in Salt Lake and Utah counties, it was time to break ground in the Ogden-Weber area. “I have been involved in these northern counties over the last few years, and I’ve observed an innovative entrepreneurial focus which I both respect and wanted to be part of,” said Bill. In 2019, Bill moved his family to Layton to represent NOW CFO in both Davis and Weber counties.

When asked what the defining moments of his career at NOW CFO is, Bill said, “There have been several defining moments with difficult and complex projects; from cryptocurrency accounting to implementing new systems that have helped me understand how important our clients are.” Bill explains that the accounting for a cryptocurrency company is extremely complicated.

NOW CFO fits a unique spot in the accounting world. They do not do audits or taxes, but rather they work with their clients in offering business and accounting services focused on the operations of the clients. NOW CFO advisors are partnered with a client to help create success and continue growth. This team mentality has created bonds with their clients, who are widely valued throughout the business world.

Bill is excited to see NOW CFO continue to grow and expand into markets that need their services. With the increasing complexities of business, NOW CFO is well-positioned to assist clients in achieving success.

Financial Visibility Means Smarter Business Decisions

To learn more about Bill or inquire about his services please visit NOW CFO’s website here or email Bill at bwillahan@nowcfo.com

Since 2010, there had been discussions of designating a space for the Arts community – a place to highlight the talent and creativity of the community in downtown Ogden. Local artists needed an affordable space in a convenient location, and East Central Ogden could provide exactly that.

Thaine Fischer started researching Arts and Creative districts in 2012 when he found an interesting statistic… Arts and Creative districts don’t fail, ever! The only recognized failure is that they become so successful, the community who started them can no longer afford to live there. In addition, they are typically founded in the less desirable or neglected parts of a community. Thaine felt Ogden’s creative and artistic community was underrepresented and needed a place to call home.

Years later in November of 2019, Thaine founded The Monarch – a collaborative environment where artists, creative businesses, and makers of all types can connect, inspire, and create together in the heart of Ogden’s Nine Rails Creative District.

“We believe that creativity drives communities,” says Thaine. “We strive to provide the region with unique experiences through artist engagement, a creative environment as a pallet for private event space, and superior management hosting memorable events.”

Thaine and his staff connected a community of artists, makers, and creatives in a redeveloped historic parking structure. In essence, The Monarch put a flag in the ground for the Nine Rails Creative District, a statement that it believes in the power of ART. The organization takes pride in their community impact and feel that their biggest win has been seeing all the support from Ogden City and the entire Wasatch Front.

“At our grand opening, we had many individuals become emotional while telling us stories of how they have interacted with this historic building,” says Thaine in regards to the overwhelming support. “They love how it has become a creative space that welcomes everyone. Now, they get to create even more memories here.”

Thaine and his team at The Monarch are excited to continue expanding the creative spirit and keep the Arts in Ogden Growing.

To learn more about Thaine, his staff, or The Monarch please visit their website here, call or email: (602) 999 1855 or thaine@themonarchogden.com

In 2021, China started Good As Gold Insurance as a one-woman business writing all different types of insurance policies customized to the lifestyle of her clients. As a mother of two girls, it was important for China to have a job where she was able to stay home with them as much as possible before the school year started – Good As Gold Insurance allowed her to do just that.

“You’ve got it gal!” is China’s motto – she never gives up on a challenge and she never wants her clients to give up either. “No” is not an option for her and she will go to any lengths to make things work. Many clients have said that China always gets back to them with not only a solution, but several options when they felt stuck. Everyone knows they can count on China!

One customer testimonial from her client, Debbie Williams, reads, “China is so bright and really knows about insurance. She is friendly and very conscientious, making sure you get the right insurance for your personal needs.”

China loves and values Ogden’s rich culture, history, and growing community. She has always been connected to this community and proud of its accomplishments and growth. Ogden was the ideal place for her to start her business and she knew that her business would prosper here. When asked what the biggest win for her business has been, China said, “Good As Gold Insurance has experienced financial every month since it opened in 2021.” China is excited for the future and looks forward to seeing the growth of a business that is her completely her own, not attached to another person!

So, what if, instead of thinking about solving your whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.
– Rainbow Rowell

To learn more about China please call or email her at: (801) 940 2693 or goodasgoldinsurance@gmail.com

Rick and Jay, being lifelong friends and both with backgrounds in IT systematics and Coding, decided they wanted to take their passion and turn it into a business – the founding of Code Ninjas. Code Ninjas opened its doors specifically for the youth in the Ogden area in February of 2021. Since its startup less than a year ago, they have already enrolled over 120 future ninjas!

Balancing technology, video games, and making it a place where kids feel they belong, Code Ninjas has become a place where kids can be creative, have flexibility in how they learn, and flex their technology muscles. At Code Ninjas, kids learn to code while making their own video games.

Rick and Jay love the Ogden area and feel that the community comes together to help kids grow within their passions. Code Ninjas provides a safe place for children of all ages to learn and become who they want to be. Coding students progress through the program at their own pace, but always have a watchful coding coach nearby to help. Parents also have added confidence in knowing that they can conveniently drop off their children in a professional and safe environment after school, in the evenings, and even on weekends.

If you’re interested in helping get your children involved in an environment where they’ll make friends, build confidence, and master new skills, reach out to Code Ninjas in South Ogden.

Wildcat MicroFund expands with $1.2 million gift from America First Credit Union

Bryan Magaña

D.L. Evans Bank Announces Taylorsville High School Wellness Center as 2022 Donation Initiative Recipient

Utah Department of Veterans & Military Affairs and Veteran Business Resource Center launch Utah Veteran-Owned Business Registry

Lon Hudman, Five Star Hospitality Performance

D.L. Evans Bank announces John V. Evans, III has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer and John V. Evans, Jr. will continue to serve as President

Tyler Nancollas, Skyline Hills Financial

Bill Willahan, NOW CFO

Financial Visibility Means Smarter Business Decisions

Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce

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