Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Allstate Foundation funds economic empowerment program for victims of domestic violence

Economic empowerment is a concern for many families in southwestern Utah.  It is especially critical to those who are survivors of domestic violence.  “If I can’t take care of us financially, I will never be free to choose a relationship that is healthy,” explained  J. Z., a 22 year old mother of two currently participating in the Erin Kimball Memorial Foundation’s H.O.M.E. program.   The Allstate Foundation in a national alliance with the Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women and the National Network to End Domestic Violence is addressing economic empowerment for survivors through curriculum and training researched and funded by Allstate.   Locally that training is being funded through a $20,000 grant from the Allstate Foundation to the Erin Kimball Memorial Foundation.

J.Z. like other survivors of family violence served by the H.O.M.E. (Housing, Options, Mentoring and Empowerment) program is working to gain economic independence and it hasn’t been easy.  “The women coming into our program have been forced into homelessness because of the violence they have experienced in their homes,” explained Sue Kimball, founder and Executive Director of the organization.  “They arrive literally destitute, cut off from resources, and often without the education and skills to survive.”  Education, job training and employment opportunities are keys to success for participants, but increasing income is not enough without an understanding of finances and wise asset management.

Richard Harris, Erin Kimball Board Trustee and Allstate agent will be assisting with the implementation of the program. “Allstate’s focus has always been to create a safer and healthier community,” commented Harris.  “It feels good to invest in programs that help families succeed and provide long-term benefits for the community.”

Survivors of domestic violence who would like more information about the economic empowerment program can contact Michele@erinkimball.org, or call the Foundation’s office at 673-1659.

HintonBurdick Names New Hurricane Branch Manager

St. George, UT, October 13, 2010 – Morris Peacock, managing partner of HintonBurdick CPAs & Advisors, announced today that Jeff Hunt, a graduate of Hurricane High School has been appointed manager of the firm’s Hurricane office.

Hunt joined HintonBurdick in 2007 upon earning an MBA degree from Southern Utah University with an emphasis in accounting.  He had previously received a bachelor of business administration degree from Dixie State College, graduating cum laude.  While there, he consistently earned a place on the Dean’s List and placed second in an international business competition.  He passed the CPA exam in November 2009.  Hunt is a 2001 graduate of Hurricane High School.

Speaking of the appointment, Peacock said, “We are pleased to be able to appoint someone of Jeff Hunt’s caliber to manage our Hurricane branch and especially pleased that he has a longstanding connection to the community.  With HintonBurdick partner Philip Peine having partner oversight of the office and Jeff Hunt managing day-to-day operations, we feel that we have the best possible team in place to provide our Hurricane area clients with the first-rate customer service that has become our hallmark.”

“Jeff has specialized in individual, non-profit and business tax and brings a substantial experience to the office.  He has also been active in providing businesses with accounting and consulting services” said Peacock.  “In addition to managing the office, Jeff will coordinate with the over 40 HintonBurdick CPAs to provide a broad range of specialized services to the residents and businesses of the Hurricane Valley.  The size of our firm has allowed our professional staff to specialize and as a result the firm is truly a full service CPA firm.”

Hunt’s is married to the former Becky Mitchell.  They have a one-year-old son.

One of the largest accounting firms in the state of Utah, HintonBurdick provides accounting and audit services, litigation support, computer training and systems management, payroll services, tax planning and consulting services to clients in 47 states and some foreign countries.  Offices are located in St. George, Cedar City, Hurricane, and Richfield, Utah, and in Mesquite, Nevada.

Attorney Ronald W. Truman Settles Utah Truck Accident Case for $2 Million

St. George, UT, October 12, 2010 — Ronald Truman, a partner in the St. George law firm Dixon, Truman, Fisher, and Clifford, recently served as principal counsel for the plaintiff in a personal injury case that resulted in a $2 million settlement in favor of his client.

The plaintiff, a resident of Iowa, suffered a leg injury in a vehicle-pedestrian accident on February 13, 2010, while visiting Utah.  He turned to Dixon, Truman, Fisher, and Clifford after searching for a Utah law firm with a reputation for serving its clients best interests and fighting for a fair settlement.

“Mr. Ron Truman was in charge of my case,” the plaintiff said.  “Throughout the entire process, we experienced the most polite, courteous, professional service we could ever have asked for.  Mr. Truman kept us informed of every change of status as it occurred.  When we worked with other members of the staff on paperwork or regarding telephone calls, we found them to be just as pleasant and professional as Mr Truman. The case ended in my favor, and I strongly believe that outcome was due to the experienced and professional people in this law firm.”

Mr. Truman is presently a Life Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.  Both are among the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States. Members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum must have acted as principal counsel in at least one case in which their client received a verdict, award or settlement of one million dollars or more while membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum is awarded to attorneys who have acted as principal counsel in at least one case resulting in a multi-million dollar verdict, award or settlement.  Fewer than 1% of all U.S. lawyers are members of these two organizations.

Ronald W. Truman is a graduate of J. Reuben Clark School of Law and specializes in catastrophic personal injury litigation including trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, automobile accidents, products liability and wrongful death. The firm Dixon, Truman, Fisher & Clifford, P.C. has offices in St. George, Utah, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Its practice includes complex civil litigation in addition to personal injury cases.

Students of the Month Honored by St. George Exchange Club

St. George, UT, October 6, 2010 — All the students that are honored throughout the year are seniors and are recognized for their scholastic achievements, community involvement, and leadership at their respective school. One student from the eight students honored from each high school throughout the school year as a Student of the Month will have the opportunity to become Student of the Year from their school and receive a college scholarship to the college of their choice from the St. George Exchange Club.


The following students were recognized for their outstanding contributions to their schools and selected as the September 2010
Student of the Month by the St. George Exchange Club.  Left to right -

Peter Fuller, Snow Canyon High School, son of Marybeth & Clayton Fuller;
Taylor Fox, Desert Hills High School, son of Kelly & Dave McDonald;
Kasen Wright, Pine View High School, son of Shawn & Gina Wright; Bill
Hudson, President of St. George Exchange Club;  Brianna McFadden, Dixie
High School, daughter of Rick & Mary Lynn McFadden; Natalie Spangler,
Tuacahn High School, daughter of Frank & Jennifer Spangler; and Karla
Castro, Millcreek High School, daughter of Jorge & Paola Castro.

HintonBurdick Scores High in Peer Ratings

St. George, UT, October 4, 2010 — A poll of full-time CPAs conducted by Utah Business magazine placed the southern Utah accounting firm of HintonBurdick CPAs and Advisors near the top of all accounting firms in Utah.  HintonBurdick’s seventh place ranking put it slightly behind four national firms but in third place when compared to other Utah firms. 

Results of the poll were recently posted on utahbusiness.com.

Commenting on the survey, HintonBurdick managing partner Morris Peacock noted that the company has been moving up in the annual poll over the past several years.  “We’re pleased with our growth.  Our size allows us to specialize in niche markets and provide expanded services to our clients.  For example, we are one of the few firms in the state with an audit department staffed with employees solely dedicated to auditing.  Our quality and broad scope of services has been the catalyst to attract other firms wanting to merge their practices with us.” Peacock said.  “This has allowed us to expand in Cedar City, open an office in Richfield and increase the size of our St. George office.  We are a full service firm and will continue to focus on our mission to proactively provide our community with the highest quality service at reasonable rates and in a timely manner.  We believe this is the basis for our success.”

Established in 1975, HintonBurdick has grown to become one of the largest accounting firms in the state of Utah.  The company provides accounting and audit services, litigation support, computer training and systems management, payroll services, tax planning and consulting services to clients in 47 states and some foreign countries.  Offices are located in St. George, Cedar City, Hurricane, and Richfield, Utah, and in Mesquite, Nevada.

Richens Eye Center holds Ribbon Cutting for new Clinic

St. George, UT — On September 17, 2010, Dr. Sharon Richens of Richens Eye Center, along with her associates, members of the community, and members of the Chamber Sunshiners held a ribbon cutting ceremony and tour of the new Richens Eye Center located at 161 West 200 North, St. George.


Richens Eye Center is a medical practice dedicated to diagnosing and treating all types of eye diseases and conditions ranging from routine exams for eye glasses to the need for specialized surgery. Our goal is to provide excellent ophthalmic care to every person in each family regardless of age or type of dysfunction. To that end, Richens Eye Center staff members work together to ensure that your needs are ably met. Our physicians are highly trained in their subspecialties, and they bring a wide range of medical expertise to their patients. Staying up-to-date with the latest research, they constantly strive to improve treatments and find cures for eye diseases. Richens Eye Center is committed to preserving and restoring sight by providing the most comprehensive and highest quality eye care for the people of southern Utah.

Richens Eye Center is dedicated to providing southern Utah families with complete quality eye care in a cost-effective, professional and caring manner. Friendly office staff aims to make every visit comfortable, and board-certified physicians utilize state of the art equipment and facilities to ensure expert general and specialized eye care in each evaluation, diagnosis and treatment plan.

Alumni Can Nominate a Friend, Family Member, Colleague or Community Member For a Full-tuition Scholarship

Deadline is October 31, 2010

September 20, 2010, Salt Lake City, UT –University of Phoenix alumni in Utah and across the country have until October 31, 2010 to nominate family members, friends, colleagues or community members for one of the University’s 30 Paying It Forward® Scholarships.  This program allows University graduates to “pay forward” their success to individuals whose lives could be improved by completing a college education. 

The recipients will be announced in January 2011.  The entire tuition for the scholarship recipients will be covered. Each winner will select the undergraduate degree program of their choice and choose to complete their degree online or at a local campus.

In 2006, in celebration of its 30th anniversary, University of Phoenix launched the Paying It Forward Scholarship Program and the following year, 2007, four of the 30 scholarships were earned by Utahns.  A total of 120 scholarships have been awarded.


For More Information And Applications


For more information or to download a Paying It Forward application, please visit http://phoenix.edu/payingitforward.  Additional questions regarding the scholarship program can be addressed to scholarships@phoenix.edu.

About University of Phoenix


University of Phoenix has five Utah locations: Murray, Taylorsville, North Davis, Pleasant Grove and St. George.  The University is constantly innovating to help students balance education and life in a rapidly changing world. Through flexible schedules, challenging courses and interactive learning, students achieve personal and career aspirations without putting their lives on hold. As of May 31, 2010, 476,500 students were enrolled at University of Phoenix, the largest private university in North America. University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world.

U.S. acknowledges 4 additional R.S. 2477 highway rights-of-way in Kane County lawsuit



PRESS RELEASE

Kane County Commission  
Douglas K. Heaton, Daniel W. Hulet, Mark W. Habbeshaw

                             
September 14, 2010

The United States acknowledged four more R.S. 2477 rights-of-way in a Kane County and State of Utah quiet title suit filed in U.S. District Court.  The Sand Dunes, Hancock, Mill Creek and Bald Knoll roads join the recently acknowledged Skutumpah road as public highways under County jurisdiction as they cross federally managed lands. 

These five roads, totaling approximately seventy-five (75) miles, provide public access to communities, private property, grazing allotments, mineral resources, and to numerous scenic locations including the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.  The County now has the requisite authority to repair the roads to correct public safety hazards and will maintain and sign the roads consistent with County and State highway standards.

The full scope of the rights-of-way, along with the validity of seven other roads in the lawsuit, will be determined by the U.S. District Court.  Kane County remains hopeful that with further court guidance, the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management will be able to acknowledge the public’s highway rights across federally managed lands without the tremendous cost and delay of litigation.

Richens Eye Center Schedules Grand Opening

St. George, UT, September 8, 2010 - Dr. Sharon Richens announced the relocation of her ophthalmology practice, Richens Eye Center, to a new “green” facility in the historic downtown area of St. George and invited the public to stop by on Saturday, October 9, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to tour the facility and help celebrate the Grand Opening.

Located at 161 West 200 North, the new building was designed to harmonize with the classic architecture of the historic district while, at the same time, incorporating state-of-the-art technology to enhance patient care. The building also reflects Dr. Richens’ passion for a healthy environment by being designed to meet the high standards necessary for a near to a LEEDS (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified rating, a certification granted to high performance green buildings.

Building a green facility makes sense not only from an environmental perspective but from a fiscal perspective as well, Dr. Richens points out.  “The new building will be less expensive to maintain, healthier to work in, and more comfortable overall.  This will be a net gain for our patients, as well as for our staff,” she noted.

Green features include water conservation, interior features, and site selection.  Tapping into the city’s recycled water system results in a 100% reduction in landscape water usage while the interior design yields a 50% reduction in potable water usage.  Even the parking lot design contributes to the environmentally-friendly character of the building with a high solar index reflective rating gained through the use of concrete instead of asphalt and covered parking with a white reflective roof.

As for site selection, Dr. Richens commented that “St. George has such a sense of character and I wanted our new building to have a sense of place, to be within walking distance of the downtown.”
Dr. Richens, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and her associates treat all types of eye diseases and conditions ranging from routine exams for eyeglasses to the need for specialized surgery.   Reed Gibb, OD, Joshua Terry, OD, and Kristin Tarbet, MD, FACS, FAAO join her in the practice.  For further information, visit the Richens Eye Center website:  www.richenseyecenter.com.

After 34 Years, What Everybody Ought to Know About Gwen Iverson

St. George, UT, September 2, 2010 — Morris Peacock, managing partner with HintonBurdick CPAs & Advisors announced the retirement of Gwen Iverson, the longest employed associate with their firm.

Iverson joined HintonBurdick, then known as Carter Kemp & Associates, in 1976 as a bookkeeper, and over the years has performed innumerable assignments for the firm including bookkeeping, payroll, and the firm’s internal accounting. At the time of her retirement, Iverson was working as the Senior Para-professional.

Prior to joining Carter Kemp, Iverson worked for Fox and Company where in 1971, she became acquainted with Greg Kemp and Lloyd Carter. When Kemp and Carter left Fox & Company to start their own venture, Iverson was asked to join them, however, Gwen felt a loyalty to Fox & Company and Dexter Snow.  When Elmer Fox moved from St. George, Iverson joined Carter Kemp, which later became Kemp Burdick Hinton Hall, now HintonBurdick CPAs & Advisors.

According to Peacock, “Gwen has been the ideal employee. She is loyal, honest, and supportive.  She has been our best vault and secret keeper.  If we ever needed anything, Gwen had the answers.  We have termed her the Mother of the firm and she became the conscience of our firm.  Her integrity is unwavering and that flows through our offices today.”

According to Van Kleinman, Firm Administrator, “Gwen is honest to a fault.  If she paid a bill late and the firm was charged a late fee, she would cover the late fee amount by having it taken out of her own check, if we didn’t catch it.  Gwen would frequently enter less time on her time sheet if she didn’t feel that she had given her best.  Recently I knew that Gwen had been putting in more hours than normal, but when I reviewed her time card for payroll, it showed a lot less hours.  When I approached her about it she told me she only put hours down when she accomplished something. Her integrity is immutable.”

Iverson will now spend her days enjoying her family, her Pine Valley home and doing a bit of traveling.

“Gwen is irreplaceable.  They just don’t make them like her much anymore.  We will miss her motherly approach to life and work,” stated Peacock.