32nd Annual St. George Art Festival

St. George, UT April 13, 2011 — The 32nd Annual St. George Art Festival will be held Easter weekend, April 22-23 at the Town Square in St. George, Utah.  According to Kent Perkins, Leisure Services Director, “The St. George Art Festival is celebrating 32 years of incredible art, music, dance, food and fun, and is recognized as one of the finest festivals in the west.”  One hundred and ten nationally known painters, potters, jewelers, photographers, and sculptors in glass, bronze, steel, and fabric have been selected to exhibit.  There will be food for all tastes, three performing stages, and a children's art creation area to round out the festival. This truly great St. George tradition returns to the beautiful town square in historic downtown St. George.

THE INFO

Easter Weekend – Friday April 22 and Saturday April 23, 2011

THE FESTIVAL

The St. George Art Festival began 32 years ago showcasing the many artists who call St. George their home. Over the years it has expanded to include over 110 artists juried from hundreds of entries from throughout the United States. This festival has regional appeal for both artists and festival goers. Displaying thousands of original works of art, the festival is punctuated with pageantry, music and food. Townsfolk and visitors from around the West converge in the beautiful town of St. George on Easter weekend, one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. The festival takes place in the beautiful Town Square, the centerpiece of the Historic District. The Art Festival is known for consistently outstanding artwork, and does all it can to send the message to artists that they are appreciated and valued guests.

THE SHOW

The mild, sunny climate of St. George is particularly suited for this outdoor event. Artwork is displayed in booths designed individually by each artist. The many categories of art accepted include watercolor, oils, pottery, sculpture, photography, woodwork, and other creations. The show offers cash awards for Best of Show, Best 2D and 3D and ribbons for all categories. In addition, an artist’s work is selected each year to grace the following year’s poster. This Featured Artist receives a complementary entry into the festival.

ENTERTAINMENT

The festival also celebrates the performing arts with continuous entertainment performed on three separate stages. In addition a children’s area provides hands on creative opportunities for budding artists.

FOOD

The aroma and distinctive flavors of ethnic food can be found throughout the show (including Native American, Greek, Mexican, Italian, Polynesian, American, BBQ and many others).

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITY AREA

A platform of craft projects, homemade musical instruments, games, puppetry, wild hair dos, face painting and entertainment will tackle the creative fancy of the younger attendees.

HISTORY

The St. George Art Festival started 32 years ago to showcase the many artists who call St. George their home. Over the years it has expanded to include over 110 artists selected from hundreds of entries from throughout the western United States. The Festival weekend has also become the biggest travel weekend of the year. Participants have commented on the festive atmosphere and the sense of excitement which the festival generates.

 LODGING

Artists and visitors are urged to make reservations well in advance. The accommodations throughout the county fill quickly. The local Chamber of Commerce provides a motel hotline number to assist visitors in locating rooms. The number is (800) 765-7710.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The St. George Art Festival is produced by the City of St. George Leisure Services Department. Contact them at (435) 627-4500 or email leisure@sgcity.org.  For detailed information, maps, and  2009 artist lineup go to www.sgcity.org/artfestival.

YAMAHA Piano Dealer “The Piano Guys” in St. George, Utah Outscores The Harlem Globetrotters to Take Top Spot in YouTube Contest

Musical Artists Jon Schmidt, Jarrod Radnich, and Steven Sharp Nelson Lead the Team to Victory

As sales and marketing gurus continue to explore ways to utilize the new media, it appears that The Piano Guys have struck just the right chord.  Up against big names like The Harlem Globetrotters, The Piano Guys took home well over half the votes to determine that it was the most deserving of the “Most Up-And-Coming” You-Tube Channel among the top four chosen by YouTube to compete in its June contest.  The world-wide contest took place over the course of a week-long voting period, ending just last Wednesday, with the winner’s channel being posted on You-Tube’s home page today and expected to be seen by over 40 million viewers.

“We were extremely excited to even be chosen by YouTube to be part of this contest, and to win the entire thing is hard to grasp,” explains Paul Anderson, the owner of The Piano Guys.  “We started producing our videos as a way to market our Yamaha piano business and show the public and our potential customers how special these instruments are and how fun music-making can and should be. What ended up happening was that people from around the world were drawn to our channel’s music videos where we bring to light the amazing talent of the artists we work with – Jon Schmidt, Steven Sharp Nelson, Spencer Schmidt, and Jarrod Radnich -- and these artists’ work also highlights the fun and entertainment value people can have playing and listening to live music,” continued Anderson.

The Piano Guys videography team includes Paul Anderson, Tel Stewart, and Shaye Scott, who were joined by Devin Graham for the Michael Meets Mozart video featuring Jon Schmidt on piano and Steven Sharp Nelson on cello that is one of two videos headed toward one-million views on The Piano Guys channel. The other video headed for the million-view mark is Jarrod Radnich performing his copyrighted arrangement of a piano medley from Pirates of the Caribbean, which is the same arrangement he “virtually” performs “live” on a Yamaha Disklavier each day at Disneyland’s Tomorrowland.

The Piano Guys team has a goal of introducing one amazing music video each week.  “We are producing ‘cool’ music videos of talented musicians performing their best work, and it takes a lot of work and creativity to be true to the artist’s music and performance while keeping the YouTube audience’s eyes glued to the video,” explained Tel Stewart.   Anderson added, “But it’s well worth it.  We’ve had many people tell us that they are returning to their piano lessons or have decided to start playing – all because of seeing performances of our artists and the kind of music that they make and share.  It’s a good feeling and good for business at the same time.”

For more information on the artists or The Piano Guys visit www.ThePianoGuys.com; www.JonSchmidt.com; www.JarrodRadnich.com; and www.StevenSharpNelson.com.

Holiday Resort Realty Makes Leadership Transition Easy

St. George, UT, August 17, 2011 — Holiday Resort Realty & Development announced that real estate veteran and Principal Broker for the past 27 years, C. Jeffery Morby has taken a leave of absence from the business of real estate and development beginning June 10th to serve a mission for his church.  According to Morby, “When I arrived some 39 years ago, St. George was small town living at its best, with 7500 people and one stop light at Main Street and St. George Boulevard.

Morby has been instrumental in many developments in the St. George area including Bloomington Lane, Country Lane in Santa Clara, Sienna Canyon and The Reserve at Webb Hill, the Silverstone communities in Green Springs, and Desert Canyons, a brand new master planned community south of the new St. George Airport. Holiday Resort Realty & Development has also managed local water companies for the past 30 years.

Morby’s son, Yale Morby, will be taking over as Principal Broker of the company during Jeff’s absence.  Morby said of the transition, “Yale has been an agent with Holiday Resort Realty for the past 13 years and has served as the President of the Washington County Board of Realtors. He will do an excellent job.”

Holiday Resort Realty is looking to continue its tradition of assisting buyers and sellers in all of their real estate needs.”  Jeff is confident that “under the direction of Yale’s leadership, Holiday Resort Realty will continue to be a leader in St. George real estate transactions.”

Holiday Resort Realty is a general real estate company with 20 licensed agents.  It is independently owned and operated and is located in the Bloomington Courtyard at 144 West Brigham Road.  Holiday Resort Realty has a property management division that manages and rents single family homes, townhomes, and condominiums in the greater St. George area.  They also manage several commercial buildings.  

InfoWest Brings National Recognition to Orem Student Housing Complex

St. George, UT, August 19, 2011 — Village on the Parkway, a student-housing community in Orem, Utah, was wallowing in the cyberspace doldrums until St. George-based InfoWest stepped in and engineered a turnaround that led to national recognition.  As a result, Village on the Parkway was selected as July’s Broadband Community of the Month by Broadband Communities, a journal for professionals involved with technologies in multifamily residential units throughout the country.

Owned and managed by Edge Creek LLC, Village on the Parkway provides off-campus housing for students at Brigham Young and Utah Valley Universities.  According to Edge Creek partner, David Pestana, the company inherited an internet provider that simply wasn’t delivering the quality of service needed to support the community’s student residents.

Although the community is linked to UTOPIA, a 16-city municipal fiber optic network, connections speeds were so slow that students were complaining—vocally.   As Pestana points out, “If you don’t give them good, fast wireless, they’ll let you know about it right away.  It’s something that is extremely important to our students.”

Enter InfoWest, a provider of internet and other communications services headquartered in St. George.

Working closely with UTOPIA, InfoWest technicians homed in on the problem--the single, congested wireless access point that served the property. Because students used wireless access much of the time, the dedicated 10 Mbps wired connections to their individual units were largely unused. “We weren’t utilizing more than 80 percent of our bandwidth,” Pestana says. “UTOPIA and InfoWest helped us understand that.”

After InfoWest installed a dedicated wireless access point for each of the property’s 72 six-bed suites in a single day, Pestana stopped getting 3 a.m. calls whenever his residents pulled all-nighters. As a bonus for his predominantly Latter-day Saints residents, InfoWest provided a safe-surfing filter to weed out malware and adult-content sites, an extra much appreciated by his residents’ parents.

InfoWest’s service has been smooth, reliable and--most important-- fast since it started serving Village on the Parkway late last year. “Even when we compare it with our other properties throughout the state, InfoWest and the UTOPIA network are delivering the goods more reliably, more quickly, and more efficiently,” Pestana says. “There’s just no comparison.”

Kelly Nyberg, president of Infowest, commented that working with UTOPIA and Edge Creek to provide students with cutting-edge fiber optic services was a rewarding experience and an example of what InfoWest can do for homes, offices, apartment complexes, and other facilities.  He added that “although UTOPIA isn’t available everywhere, we can get high speed internet service into places where you might not expect it to be possible.”

InfoWest’s offices are located at 148 East Tabernacle St. in St. George, Utah.  Website:  www.infowest.com.

Richens Eye Center Celebrates 10 Years in St. George

St. George, UT, August 22, 2011 — Richens Eye Center is celebrating their 10th Anniversary in St. George by holding an Open House, Saturday, September 10 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.  The Open House will offer a Health Fair with refreshments and entertainment at the Richens Eye Center located at 161 West 200 North.

Richens commented about her past 10 years in St. George saying, “I’m happy and proud to call St. George home.  The floor plan for my first office was drawn on the back of a napkin; on September 10, 2001 the office opened its doors.  On my first day, I had 3 employees and I treated 4 patients.  Now with over 20 employees and many wonderful patients, we’ve moved to a new beautiful office. It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years. I love my profession. Thank you to all the patients who have trusted me with their sight, and to the community that has made me feel so welcome.”

Dr. Sharon Richens, FACS, FAAO, who recently relocated her ophthalmology practice to a new “green” facility in the historic downtown area of St. George commented that 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.

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 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.

HintonBurdick Scores High in Peer Ratings

St. George, UT, September 9, 2011 — 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 fifth place ranking put it directly behind four national firms and in first place when compared to other Utah firms. 

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

Commenting on the survey, HintonBurdick tax partner Dean Burdick 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.” Burdick said.  “This has allowed us to expand to Mesquite, Nevada, Cedar City, Hurricane and Richfield, Utah, merge with a firm in Flagstaff Arizona, 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, Flagstaff, Arizona and Mesquite, Nevada.

Huntsman World Senior Games Offers Variety of Events to Locals

Shannon Miller, Olympic Gold Medalist

The Huntsman World Senior Games is celebrating 25 years of fostering worldwide peace, health and friendship.  In October, more than 10,000 athletes will converge on St. George, filling up hotels, restaurants and main thoroughfares throughout the city as they enjoy the competition and camaraderie of what has become an annual tradition for many.  All 50 of the United States will be represented as well as athletes from a variety of countries.

Part of the success of the Games is attributed to the philosophy founded in the early years of providing much more than just a sporting event.

“The Games is a total experience for the athletes,” says Case.  “And many of the social and entertainment events the athletes love are open to the public.”

Case encourages the community to come out and celebrate the 25th year of the Games at any or all of these various events.

Following the pattern of the Olympics, the Games kicks off with a grand Opening Ceremonies, produced by Diamond Talent, where admission is free and the public is invited.  The Ceremonies include a parade of athletes, entertainment, fireworks and the traditional lighting of the Huntsman World Senior Games Cauldron.  The Opening Ceremonies takes place on Tuesday, October 4 at 7:00 p.m. at Hansen Stadium on the campus of Dixie State College.  Attendees should bring blankets and lawn chairs.

“The Opening Ceremonies is a chance for the athletes and the local residents to come together and celebrate,” Case says.  The show will feature professional entertainers, special guests and local school children presenting a Flag Extravaganza, highlighting each of the 63 countries that have participated in the Games.

Shannon Miller, the Most Decorated American Gymnast, male or female, in history will be on hand to inspire and encourage the community and the athletes to be the best they can be.  Miller is the only American to rank among the Top 10 All-Time gymnasts and is the only female athlete to be inducted into the US Olympics Hall of Fame – Twice! (Individual in 2006 and Team in 2008).  Over her career she has won an astounding 59 International and 49 National competition medals.  Over half of these have been gold. She is the only US gymnast to win 2 World All-Around Titles. Her tally of five medals (2 silver, 3 bronze) at the 1992 Olympics was the most medals won by a US athlete. At the ’96 Games, she led the “Magnificent Seven” to the US Women’s first ever Team Gold and for the first time for any American gymnast, she captured Gold on the Balance Beam.


Not to be outdone by the first week’s Opening Ceremonies, the second week of the Games kicks off with the Huntsman World Senior Games Concert & Celebration which takes place on Tuesday, October 11 at 7:00 pm at Burns Arena, Dixie State College.  Headlining act at the Concert & Celebration this year is the Bellamy Brothers.  For more than 35 years, the Bellamy Brothers have been an unassuming picture of consistency in Country music, crafting honest, heartfelt songs that connect with millions of listeners around the world including their mega-hit “Let Your Love Flow.”

Admission to the Concert & Celebration for Games’ participants and a guest is free of charge.  The community is encouraged to attend.  The ticket price for non-athletes is only $12.00 in advance and $15.00 the day of the show.  Tickets can be purchased at the Dixie State College Ticket Office or by calling 435-652-7800.

Anyone wanting to attend a World Championship event will be impressed with The Global Cup – World Senior Volleyball Championship.  The Global Cup is an invitation only tournament that features the best 50 and over players on the planet.

“The Global Cup is really unique,” says Merrill Barney, Sports Director for the Games.  “There really isn’t anything like it in the world.  Teams come and are playing for national pride.”

The teams alternate each year between men and women.  This year, women’s teams from Brazil, Canada, Germany, Russia, USA and Venezuela will take the court. International Volleyball Rules govern play throughout the tournament, which will begin on Monday, October 10 and will culminate in the medal matches being played on Thursday, October 13. Pool play is free to watch and will take place in the Dixie Center. The finals will be held at the Desert Hills High School Main Gym with the Bronze Medal games starting at 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the finals are available for just $7.00.  Huntsman World Senior Games athletes and volunteers will be able to attend the finals free of charge with their athlete identification. 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the public is invited to attend any of the regular sporting events free of charge.  Schedules are available on the Games web site at www.seniorgames.net.

“These athletes come from all over the world to participate in the sporting events they love,” said Case.  “I’ve never met anyone who attended these events who did not leave inspired.”

For additional information on the Games or any of its events, visit the web at www.seniorgames.org or call the office at 800-562-1268.

V. Lowry Snow to seek House seat vacated by Clark.

St. George, UT — Attorney V. Lowry Snow, a partner in the St. George law firm of Snow Jensen & Reece, has announced his intention to seek the Utah State House of Representatives seat recently vacated by David Clark, R-Santa Clara.  Clark’s seat in District 74 will be filled at a special meeting of the Central Committee of the Washington County Republican Party scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on January 5 in County Administration Chambers.
Snow stated that his decision to run for office is motivated, in part, by the support and encouragement of several local and state leaders. 

“I am confident that he will fulfill the duties of his office responsibly and competently and will bring to the task a keen awareness of the values and interests of the citizens he will represent,” said Washington County Commission Chairman, Dennis Drake.
Snow served one term as chairman of the Washington County Economic Development Council and has been a member of its Executive Committee for several years.  He previously served as a Trustee for the Economic Development Corporation of Utah and currently sits on the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) Board.
“Having known and worked closely with Lowry over the years as he has been involved with the Washington County Economic Development Council, I have observed him work with local government leaders, companies, and individuals to help bring jobs to this area.  Lowry will listen to the local needs of southern Utah and he has the tenacity to carry forward the voice of southern Utah to the State level,” Drake continued.

Snow graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.S. degree in 1975 and earned a Juris Doctorate from Gonzaga University Law School in 1979.  He began his law practice in St. George in 1979 and was co-founder in 1986 of the law firm Snow & Jensen, which later became Snow Jensen & Reece.  He maintains an active law practice representing a wide range of clients focusing primarily on real estate, business, municipal government and telecommunications law.  
Snow served as the Utah State Bar President from 2007-2008 and as a Bar Commissioner from 2000-2009. He currently chairs the Judicial Performance and Evaluation Commission for the State of Utah, which was established by the legislature in 2008 and charged with the responsibility of evaluating and reporting the performance of all judges in the state.

Snow and his wife Sheryl are residents of Santa Clara.  They have 6 children and 10 grandchildren.

Dixon Truman & Fisher Attorney Wins Personal Injury Case

St. George, UT, January 30, 2012 — Ronald Truman, a partner in the St. George law firm Dixon, Truman, Fisher, and Clifford, recently fought for and won compensation for David Salinas, a local welder, who was seriously injured while working on the Dixie Center.

Mr. Salinas suffered multiple fractures requiring multiple surgeries when he fell 30 feet from the roof of the Dixie Center and struck a concrete sidewalk. Truman argued that the general contractor knew, or should have known, that the welder was working without the benefit of a horizontal lifeline safety cable and did nothing to stop the work from proceeding.  The jury concurred and awarded the welder over 1.2 million dollars in compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering before apportioning the negligence among the Defendant, the Plaintiff, the Plaintiff's employers. The jury found damages including past medicals of $237,819.38, past wages of $24,489.00, and general damages, including pain and suffering in the amount of $1,000,000. The verdict was reduced by 96% and the court entered a final judgment of $59,218.91.

"Ron Truman couldn't have been more diligent in protecting my interests and fighting for a fair jury verdict", David Salinas said.  Not only did Mr. Truman work extremely hard to get me fair compensation, he was very compassionate and genuinely concerned about my family and me as fellow human beings.  His genuine concern for us was significant to me.”     

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, and Price, Utah, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Its practice includes complex civil litigation in addition to personal injury cases.

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.  Less than 1% of all U.S. lawyers are members of these two organizations.

HintonBurdick Aquires Gardner Tax and Accounting

St. George, UT, January 13, 2012 — Morris Peacock, managing partner of HintonBurdick CPAs & Advisors announced today the acquisition of St. George-based accounting firm Gardner Tax and Accounting.

Established in 2009, Gardner Tax and Accounting serves a broad client base of individuals and small businesses in the St. George area.  According to Mason Gardner, the decision to join HintonBurdick was motivated by a desire to provide clients with a broader range of services and the opportunity to tap into the specialized expertise of a larger staff.  “HintonBurdick is one of the top accounting firms in the state” he said.  “Merging our two firms will give my clients access to expertise across the entire spectrum of accounting practices and tax law.”

Peacock added that “Mason Gardner’s dedication to his clients mirrors our own.  He believes, as we do, that every client is unique and deserves to be treated as a valued neighbor and friend. Our shared values, as well as our shared experience serving the St. George business community, make this merger a win-win situation for our clients, as well as for our firms.”

Mason Gardner has experience in both public and managerial accounting and currently holds the Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant and Certified Financial manager designations.  He has also been selected by The Dave Ramsey Show as their Endorsed Local Provider for CPA services in southern Utah.

HintonBurdick currently serves clients in 47 states and some foreign countries with accounting and audit services, litigation support, computer training and systems management, payroll services, tax planning and consulting services.  Offices are located in St. George, Cedar City, Hurricane, and Richfield, Utah, and in Mesquite, Nevada, and Flagstaff, Arizona.

John Berger Joins Local Law Firm Dixon Truma & Fisher

St. George, UT, January 19, 2012 — John Berger, a Santa Clara native and a graduate of Dixie State College, has joined the law firm of Dixon, Truman, Fisher, and Clifford, according to an announcement by Ron Truman, a partner in the firm.

 The move represents a return home for Berger, who earned his law degree at the University of Kansas Law School where he served as associate editor of the law review.  In Kansas, he prosecuted more than 100 cases as a licensed intern for the Johnson County District Attorney’s office.  He also worked as a judicial clerk in the city of Topeka.

 “My goal has always been to return to my friends and family here in southern Utah,” Berger said, “so I naturally jumped at the chance to become part of Dixon, Truman, Fisher and Clifford, a law firm known for fighting to ensure that justice is done for the clients they serve.”  Berger, who also brings significant banking and lending experience to the firm, will focus on business and construction litigation, criminal law, and family law.

 Ron Truman commented that Berger’s breadth of experience, his accomplishments in law school, and the fact that he grew up here and knows the community, made him an obvious choice for the firm.  “We are pleased that John Berger has chosen to join us in our effort to serve the legal needs of the citizens of southern Utah,” Truman said.

 Berger and his wife, Natalie, have one daughter, Kate, and are expecting another soon.

Southern Utah Hearing Specialists Join Forces

St. George, UT, February 15, 2012 - The recently-announced merger of the two premier southern Utah audiology centers, Advanced Hearing & Balance Specialists and Intermountain Hearing Clinics, will create the largest facility in the region for the treatment of hearing and balance disorders and the area’s only fulltime, full service audiology clinic.

Dr. Eric Maxwell of Intermountain Hearing Clinics has established a solid reputation for providing quality audiology services to a patient base stretching from Cedar City to Delta and Fillmore.  With the merger, he will join the four licensed professional audiologists who make up the staff of Advanced Hearing & Balance Specialists, a long-established audiology center-serving patients in eight southern Utah locations and Mesquite, Nevada.

Doctors Lance Greer, Natalie Johnson, and Nicole Choules, along with clinical audiologist Kimball Forbes, are all highly trained, experienced clinicians with access to the latest technology for the treatment of hearing and balance disorders.  With Dr. Maxwell, the new team’s combined clinical experience totals 68 years.

Commenting on the merger, Forbes said, “We are pleased that Dr. Maxwell has agreed to join forces with us to provide services for the hearing-impaired in our area and beyond.  Dr. Maxwell has earned the respect and gratitude of his patients through the care and concern he brings to his practice, and we are looking forward to sharing our skills and our knowledge in a joint effort to provide patients with the best audiology services and products available today.”

Advanced Hearing & Balance Specialists has been the region leader in hearing and balance care and the only contracting provider of hearing services at Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George for the past 27 years.  It offers a professional approach to hearing care with solutions tailored to the individual needs of each patient.  Services include diagnostic medical hearing exams and hearing instruments, hearing aid repairs, custom Ipod and swim molds, custom hearing protection, musician plugs and monitors, and industrial testing.  Testing and treatment for balance, dizziness, and tinnitus problems are also available.

For more information, visit www.HearingAidDoctor.com.  For an appointment with any Doctor of Audiology on staff, call 435-688-8866 or 800-548-0356.

FIRE & ICE GALA FOR DSC SCHOLARSHIPS

St. George, UT, February 17, 2012 — Every year for the last eight years, the hottest ticket in town has been the Fire & Ice gala – a night of glamour, good food, and fun – 100% of proceeds going to need-based scholarships for students attending Dixie State College. Fire & Ice promises to be a special night to remember.

The night begins with delicious Hors d’oeuvres as guests participate in a silent auction. There's something for everyone to bid on including:
Vacation packages
Personal pampering items (e.g., massages and facials)
Sports
Autographed books and collectibles
And much, much more
All items are donated by local businesses, vendors and generous individuals.

As the silent auction draws to its climax, patrons gather in the ballroom for a delectable meal. The gourmet food is catered by renown chef, Martin Peterson, supervising every detail. The meal is underwritten by generous donors, ensuring that every dollar contributed goes directly to supporting need-based students.

The evening’s activities ramp up with a short program including expressions of gratitude by current scholarship recipients. An open, live auction then commences for larger items such as paintings by prominent artists, and extravagant vacation packages. The bidding is always lively and humor-filled as generous donors share a sense of excitement knowing their contributions go to support a worthy cause.

This year’s Fire & Ice Gala will be held March 2 with a Silent Auction at 5:30 pm in the Sun River Clubhouse. Dinner, program and a live auction begins at 7PM. The public is welcome. Call Marilyn Lamoreaux at 435-652-7502 to reserve the hottest ticket in town. Ticket price is $125/person. It's a Black Tie optional affair. Fire and Ice is sponsored by the Dixie State College Foundation, a 501C3 entity (all donations tax-deductible) and by generous local businesses.

Marivic Morgan opens Salon de Filipina on Bluff Street

St. George, UT, March 24, 2012 — Marivic Morgan, owner/operator announced today the opening of her new skin and nail salon, Salon de Filipina, located at 443 North Bluff Street. To celebrate their grand opening an open house will be held on Saturday, March 31 from 1:00 PM to 7:00PM. Marivic specializes in waxing, spa pedicure and manicure, and facials. She has extensive experience having done nails since she was a teenager living in the Philippines.

Marivic is a graduate of cosmetology at Realistic Institute-Philippines, certified and licensed at Hot Nails School in St. George, Utah, certified as a Basic Esthetician at The Skin Institute and certified and licensed as a Master Esthetician at Taylors Andrew Academy, both in St. George. She has attended several spa and training conventions where she has learned to apply the latest methods and treatments to satisfy her customer’s needs. 

Marivic was born in the Philippines and moved to Salt Lake City in 1992, and then to St. George in 1998. She has been working at nail salons in St. George for several years and now has opened Salon de Filipina. Marivic enjoys doing skin and nails and is looking forward to welcoming a new clientele, along with her former customers to Salon de Filipina.

Patrons will enjoy a friendly atmosphere at Salon de Filipina along with quality customer service and a nice smile.   Marivic likes to help people look their best and her goal is that every customer will be satisfied with their treatments. For appointments call 435-272-4155.

Jonathan Wentz Joins Snow Jensen & Reece

St. George, UT, November 14, 2011 — Curtis M Jensen, managing director of  Snow Jensen & Reece, one of southern Utah's leading law firms, announced that Jonathan P. Wentz, a graduate of Brigham Young University and George Mason University School of Law, has recently joined the firm as an associate attorney focusing on commercial litigation, real estate and commercial transactions.

While studying law at George Mason University, Wentz worked for an agency within the Department of Justice and gained first-hand experience with administrative law issues. He also served as an editor of the George Mason University Law School’s Civil Rights Law Journal, where he published an article on constitutional law as interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court.  After receiving his degree, he practiced construction and real estate law with a firm in Salt Lake City before moving to Southern Utah.

“Jonathan comes to our firm with a breadth of experience and a record of accomplishments that make him a valuable addition to our staff,” Jensen said.  “We are pleased to have him on board.”

Wentz is married to the former Mary Merrill of Lehi, Utah.  The couple has two daughters.  “We are both excited about raising our family in Southern Utah,” he said, “and contributing to the community both professionally and personally.”

About Snow Jensen & Reece

The law firm of Snow Jensen & Reece (SJ&R) has established itself as one of the most respected and renowned law firms in southern Utah over the past nineteen years. The firm is committed to offering the highest level of quality professional services with competence and integrity.  SJ&R's knowledgeable, experienced attorneys have effectively represented clients in thousands of cases and take pride in their long tradition of community involvement.

SJ&R was established in 1986, by V. Lowry Snow and Curtis M. Jensen.  Their goal was to establish a firm that would become recognized as one of the premier legal institutions in southern Utah. Over the years, SJ&R has been joined by the brightest, most capable and hard-working group of attorneys and staff who have added depth and expertise to bring about the goal of its founders. Snow Jensen & Reece has office in St. George, Cedar City and Kanab, Utah.

Snow Jensen & Reece has earned the AV Rating in Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating possible, and has therefore been recognized by its colleagues as preeminent in its field.

Senior Saver chooses TCS Advertising as Agency of Record

St. George, UT, April 23, 2012 — Kevin Fry, owner and publisher of Senior Saver Guide recently selected TCS Advertising & Public Relations as its agency of record.  According to Fry, “I needed to upgrade my publication’s look in preparation of taking Senior Saver Guide into new markets.  TCS Advertising & Public Relations, with its consulting prowess, came in with an amazing plan that will provide us the design capabilities, consulting services, and manpower to take us to the next level.”

Over the next few months Senior Saver Guide readers will notice a new look in addition to bonus features that will help engage the readers enjoyment of discounts from advertisers in print and through online web management, including social media.

For the past 20 years, TCS Advertising has helped numerous businesses create successful advertising and public relations campaigns.  Their graphic design team has won numerous awards over the years for creative and thought-provoking campaigns.

Started in 2008, Senior Saver Guide has been promoting discounts to seniors through a monthly direct mail guide, golf tournaments, other events, and contests.  For more information contact Kevin Fry at 435-313-1294.

Local Attorney to offer Expertise during Seminar

 St. George, UT, May 17, 2012 — The National Business Institute has selected local attorney Thomas J. Bayles, partner with JensenBayles, LLP in St. George, to be a presenter during an upcoming seminar discussing Trusts.  Bayles will be providing a full-spectrum of wealth preservation ideas including revocable living trusts, common mistakes to avoid with living trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts and the purposes they serve, and the role of an independent fiduciary. This intensive full-day primer will provide attendees with a comprehensive overview of the wide variety of trusts available. The seminar will be held in St. George on June 29, at the Courtyard by Marriott. Registration is being handled by calling 800-930-6182 or by going online at www.nbi-sems.com.

About Thomas J. Bayles
Thomas J. Bayles is a partner with the law firm of JensenBayles, LLP in St. George, Utah. He regularly counsels clients concerning estate taxes, income taxes, business planning, estate planning and real estate transactions. Mr. Bayles takes the time to understand each client's goals and concerns, and then structures planning opportunities or business and real estate transactions to accomplish the client’s goals. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court as well as the U.S. District Court. Mr. Bayles is a member of the Utah State Bar (Elder Law Section), the Southern Utah Bar Association (past president), the American Bar Association (Law Practice Management Section, Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section), the Southern Utah Estate Planning Council (President) and is currently serving as the president of the St. George Exchange Club. He earned his B.A. degree from Weber State University, his MBA degree from Washburn University School of Business and his J.D. degree from Washburn University School of Law.

Cache Valley Bank Acquires Three Village Bank Branches

St. George, UT, Today — The Village Bank and Cache Valley Bank, headquartered in Logan, Utah, entered into an agreement on May 24, 2012 in which Cache Valley Bank acquired the Sunset Office, the River Road Office and the Cotton Mill Office of The Village Bank.  The three branches now operate under the Cache Valley Bank name with the existing branch leadership teams.

The Village Bank determined that the best way to meet the changing regulatory requirements was to reduce the size of the bank, while maintaining a significant presence in St. George.  Cache Valley Bank was selected as a partner because they share the same vision of community banking built on the tradition of customer relationships and quality service.

“We believe this transaction is in the best interest of our shareholders, customers and the communities we serve,” said Douglas Bringhurst, The Village Bank’s President.  “The Village Bank will continue to offer a full service menu and maintain the same values that have made the bank the community bank leader in our market."

The Village Bank will remain a full service community bank operating from the main office location at 294 E. Tabernacle.  President Bringhurst pledges to continue to offer the same quality service that has been a trademark for the community bank leader in St. George.

Cache Valley Bank is a highly rated bank that has been built on loyal employees that take pride in providing personal service to each of its customers.  “We welcome the opportunity to work with the employees and to serve the customers that have come to us with this transaction,” said Gregg Miller, President of the Cache Valley Bank.

BYU Management Society Provide Local Seniors with Scholarships

From Left – Elwin Prince - BYU Management Society Scholarship Director, Whitney Witttwer, Abby Ekins, Kaden Ashcraft, Emily Brown, Nelson Hafen - BYU Management Society St. George Chapter President, and Katelyn Clove.

 

St. George, UT, June 22, 2012 — Nelson Hafen, St. George Chapter president for the BYU Management Society, announced that five local high schools students and two current Washington County area BYU students have been given scholarships totaling $5,750. The St. George Chapter of the BYU Management Society awards nearly $6,000 per year in scholarships to local high school graduates.

According to Hafen, “This years recipients of a $750 scholarship include Whitney Witttwer from Snow Canyon High School, Abby Ekins and Emily Brown from Desert Hills High School, Kaden Ashcraft from Hurricane High School, and Katelyn Clove from Dixie High School. The St. George Chapter also gave two $1000 scholarships to local students, James Deibert and Tanner Holt, who are currently enrolled at BYU-Provo.

Each of these recent graduates are planning to attend various regional universities in the Fall including Dixie State College, Brigham Young University - Provo, and Brigham Young University - Idaho.

For more information about the BYU Management Society scholarship program please contact Elwin Prince at 435-652-4804 or go to http://ms.byu.edu/stgeorge.

The BYU Management Society is a premier organization for business professionals to network, develop careers, serve communities, and support BYU and the Marriott School. It is a unique, global organization committed to growing moral and ethical leadership throughout the world. Members meet regularly to interact, attend seminars, and hold gala events such as charity golf tournaments and awards banquets. Speakers provide exposure to current events and topics in business and the community. BYU Management Society is open to all individuals, and not just BYU graduates, who are interested in developing and strengthening ethics in business.

HintonBurdick Aquires Accounting Firm

St. George, UT, July 18, 2012 — Morris Peacock, managing partner of HintonBurdick CPAs & Advisors announced today the acquisition of St. George-based accounting firm Nick Lang & Associates.

Established in 1982, Nick Lang & Associates served an expansive client base of individuals and small businesses in the St. George area.  According to Lang, the decision to join HintonBurdick was motivated by a desire to provide clients with a broader range of services and the opportunity to tap into the specialized expertise of a larger staff.  “HintonBurdick is one of the top accounting firms in the state” he said.  “Merging our two firms will give my clients access to expertise across the entire spectrum of accounting practices and tax law.”

Peacock added that, “Nick Lang’s dedication to his clients mirrors our own.  He believes, as we do, that every client is unique and deserves to be treated as a valued neighbor and friend. Our shared values, as well as our shared experience serving the St. George business community, make this merger a win-win situation for our clients, as well as for our firms.”

Lang received an MBA from Utah State University and has practiced as a CPA in public accounting for over 30 years. Lang has been teaching accounting courses as an adjunct professor at Dixie State College for the past 17 years, teaching business, marketing, personal finance, and entrepreneurship classes. His leadership and community service includes serving on the Governing Board of Directors for Dixie Regional Medical Center and Ensign Credit Union. Lang has served as the Rotary Club President and is the incorporating member and president for the Heritage Choir.


HintonBurdick currently serves clients in 47 states and some foreign countries with accounting and audit services, litigation support, computer training and systems management, payroll services, tax planning and consulting services.  Offices are located in St. George, Cedar City, Hurricane, and Richfield, Utah, and in Mesquite, Nevada, and Flagstaff, Arizona.

Billards

Sold the pool table today. It has been a great conference table, but a lousy distraction. I was hoping to learn some trick shots, but never had time to play.  It has a new home now and will be loved and used.  Now to move desks into the conference room to make it feel more at home - an office.