This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah is home to many great organizations that enhance the way we live, work and play. In the annual Best of State awards programs, several homegrown organizations are celebrated for just that—their commitment to enhancing our state and community. In the 2015 awards program, Springville Museum of Art and Tanner LLC were honored with the Best of State designation. Though drastically different organizations, both have an unwavering dedication to their customers, employees and Utah.
Jeff Bickel, managing partner of Tanner, says his company is honored to receive the Best of State award. "We appreciate the professionalism and visibility that the Best of State program brings to Utah," he says. "We value this recognition from this prestigious program!"
As he looks forward, Bickel says Tanner is excited to continue enhancing the lives of employees and customers. "Our culture focuses on emphasizing everyone's strengths. That is where the real ROI is! … We are committed to doing everything in our power to help our clients succeed!"
Nathan McDonald of Springville Museum of Art thanks the community for their support. "We appreciate support for our work, and hope this award expands public awareness of our commitment to building our community," he says. "From nurturing local artistic talent by offering both seasoned and emerging artists a chance to display their work, to strengthening the museum's permanent collection and offering a wide variety of programs and exhibitions, the Springville Museum of Art has always been a key promoter of the arts in Utah. We look forward to continuing our legacy as a historical, educational and cultural resource to the state."
In the following section, we hope you'll learn more about these two organizations and see how they are enhancing our community.
Tanner: A Public Accounting Firm with a Soul
It has become somewhat commonplace for Salt Lake City, Provo and Ogden to be recognized by Forbes and other leading publications as three of the fastest-growing cities in America. More leading high-growth companies than ever before now call Utah home, and it is projected that our state's population will top 3 million residents by the end of this year.
It is against this backdrop that Tanner LLC has become the largest locally owned public accounting firm in Utah, providing audit, tax, due diligence, M&A consulting, strategic planning, leadership consulting, and other services to a growing number of clients. Located in what was the former parking structure for the Beneficial Life Building, now the Key Bank Tower at City Creek, Tanner continues to build a unique service culture as they work hard to be an accounting firm with a real soul.
Jeff Bickel, Tanner's managing partner, is enthusiastic about, "building a culture where everyone's unique strengths are valued in an environment that is innovative and fun." Tanner's vision is simple: "As a professional services firm, our purpose is to serve. Tanner's vision is that each of us will make a positive impact in the lives of those with whom we work every single day."
"Our vision and values have helped fuel Tanner's growth and success", says Bickel. "We work hard every day to focus on new ways to our serve our amazing clients!" Tanner's success in serving their clients has resulted in Best of State recognition four out of the last 5 years and being named to INSIDE Public Accounting's Best of the Best Accounting Firms, an annual recognition that honors 50 CPA firms across the country for their overall superior performance.
Recognizing that many of the broader problems that their clients faced could only be addressed by new expertise, Tanner's partners took a big step two years ago by adding a nationally recognized expert on leadership, as a new partner to create what might be the only Leadership Solutions Practice in the country that is operating within a public accounting firm. The firm then hired an expert in strategic planning and transferred a senior audit partner into Tanner's Leadership Solutions Practice. They have never looked back!
For more information about Tanner, visit tannerco.com
Springville Museum of Art: Fostering Beauty and Contemplation through Life-Affirming Art and Experience
The Springville Museum of Art, voted best in state in 2015, is Utah's first museum for the visual fine arts. Dedicated in 1937 as a "Sanctuary of Beauty and a Temple of Contemplation" by David O. McKay, the Museum houses over 2,500 works of art. A key promoter and contributor of the arts in Utah, the Museum hosts over 15 exhibitions annually. Artwork is displayed throughout 29 galleries in this 45,000 square foot facility and a beautiful outdoor sculpture garden, constructed in Spanish Colonial Revival style architecture.
The Museum hosts a variety of fun and educational community events. Events in July include The Folkfest Street Dance on July 27 at 8:00pm, Chalk the Block on July 27-29, free Wednesday morning yoga sessions at 7:30am and weekly Art Buffets where the Museum will provide art making materials for free community use from 10am-6pm every Wednesday. July will also have two opening receptions for the exhibits, Taking Chances and the 42nd Annual Utah Quilt Show.
The 42nd Annual Utah Quilt Show is a juried exhibition featuring over 100 quilts created by some of the State's finest quilters. Each quilt represents countless hours of technical work combined with whimsy and creativity that seems unique to the art of quilting.
For many years quilting was excluded from museum display in favor of the more academic and traditional art forms such as drawing, painting and sculpture. But when the art of quilting is examined using the formal elements of art such as color, texture, and shape, the artistry behind each quilted composition becomes clear. Just as a painter approaches a canvas, or a sculptor chips away marble, a quilter makes hundreds of artistic decisions to create a beautiful quilt that tells a story, expresses an emotion, or reflects the time and place in which they live. The 42nd Annual Utah Quilt Show opening reception will be held on July 18 at 11:00 am.
In Taking Chances guests will have the opportunity to view the work of members of a photography cooperative called the Salt Lake Seven. Each month these photographers meet, pushing and challenging each other to embrace spontaneity, vulnerability and risk taking. Through group critiques and evaluations, their work is elevated beyond merely beautiful to provoke deeper thoughts, connections and inspirations. Each of their works and styles are unique, but together they attest to the power of collaboration and taking deeper chances. The exhibition opening for Taking Chances will be held on July 22 at 7:00pm.
A variety of other exhibitions, concerts, programs and special events are offered throughout the year. Please visit the Museum website for additional details. Hours are Tue-Sat 10-5, Wed 10-9, and Sundays 3-6; closed Mondays and Holidays. Admission is free. The Museum is located at 126 E. 400 S. Springville, Utah, directly off freeway I15. For further information, visit www.smofa.org or call (801) 489-2727.