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Ron Gibson becomes 17th president of Utah Farm Bureau

Weber County dairy farmer Ron Gibson is the 17th president of the Utah Farm Bureau, replacing the retiring Leland Hogan of Tooele County.

Gibson is the fifth generation of his family to run Gibson's Green Acres dairy farm in West Weber and expects his children to be the sixth. The farm, started in 1869, includes 1,500 Holstein and jersey cattle, plus alfalfa, corn and barley.

The Weber County Farm Bureau president, Gibson has been representing that county along with Morgan and Summit on the Utah Farm Bureau board. His regional seat on the board will be filled by Jim Payment, a farmer from Ogden.

Artist Roger Whiting's mural encourages shopping locally

Artist Roger Whiting and his kid artists will unveil a mural encouraging the community to shop small at 10 a.m. Saturday at 18 E. 800 South in Salt Lake City.

Whiting is teaming with Local First Utah, which promotes shopping locally, and independent businesses Tanner Frames and Mini's Cupcakes in the Small Business Saturday event.

Besides a ribbon cutting for the mural painted by the young artists and their mentor, the event features a free breakfast hosted by local business owners, who will open their shops for Local First Utah tours. ArtFirst/ArtePrimero will offer art activities.

Fit4Mom in Murray will hold classes at Fashion Place Mall

Nicole Bennion is the owner of a new Fit4Mom franchise in Murray.

She will conduct classes to help improve the physical fitness of new moms, building cardiovascular endurance, strength and flexibility, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays this winter between 9 a.m. and 10 am. at Fashion Place Mall. The classes will move to Murray Park in the spring, Bennion said.

"We provide the outlet moms need to enjoy time with other moms, while also focusing on the exercise needed in their demanding lives," she said.

There are 1,300 Fit4Mom locations nationwide.

Utahns' economic confidence still above the national average

Utahns' confidence in current and future economic conditions slid in November, but still remains substantially above the national average.

The Zions Bank Utah Consumer Attitude Index registered 114.0 this month, a drop of 1.6 points since October. The index is now 2.8 points below its level a year ago, said Zions Bank President and CEO Scott Anderson.

But it is still running high, topping 110 for four months in a row and surpassing the national confidence number, which fell 8.7 points to 90.4.

"The intersection of low interest rates and improving general business conditions signals an opportune moment for entrepreneurialism," Anderson said. "Small business owners have taken note, seeking to build and grow businesses."

Arctic Circle, Bank of Utah join forces for winter-clothes drive

Bank of Utah and Arctic Circle fast food restaurants are teaming on a campaign Dec. 1-24 to collect new and gently-used coats, hats, scarves, gloves and blankets for the needy.

Donations may be made at any of Bank of Utah's 19 branches and mortgage-loan offices along the Wasatch Front and in St. George, Price, Logan and Tooele.

Collection boxes also will be in place at Arctic Circle's 39 Utah locations. Cashiers there and bank tellers will give donators a voucher good for a free Black Angus Ranch Burger at any Arctic Circle.

Recipients include The Lantern House, Joyce Hansen Hall Food Bank in Ogden, Cache Community Food Pantry in Logan, Tremonton Community Pantry, The Family Support Center in Brigham City and Community Action Services/Food Bank in Orem.

Also, Crossroads Urban Center in Salt Lake City, The Road Home in Salt Lake City, Happy Kids Day Care Center, Bountiful Community Food Pantry and The Hope Pregnancy Center in St. George.

America First awards $10,000 apiece to 8 charity-based groups

Eight organizations that "work tirelessly year-round to improve the lives of others" have been awarded $10,000 apiece by the America First Charitable Foundation.

Founded in 1989, America First Credit Union's charitable arm provided the grants to Christmas Box International, The Road Home, SafeNest, Lantern House and YCC of Northern Utah.

Other recipients include Cathedral of the Madeline Good Shepherd program, SHARE, Inc. and Catholic Community Services and the Joyce Hansen Hall Food Bank in Ogden.

Funds were raised from member donation, said America First spokeswoman Melanie Devries.

Partnership with Stio puts new fleeces on indoor staff at Alta

Inside staff at Alta Ski Area will wear half-zip fleeces provided through a new partnership with Stio, a mountain-apparel company based in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Besides outfitting the staff, Stio's apparel will be displayed in Alta stores at discount prices. Alta customers also can participate in Stio's Alta First Tracks Experience sweepstakes — early lift access, a guided tour by an Alta insider and on-mountain breakfast for four — along with other prizes.

Bountiful gets funds from Utah Jazz for a basketball court

The Utah Jazz and Larry H. Miller Charities gave West Bountiful City $25,000 to build a community basketball court at the city park at 550 W. Pages Lane (1600 North).

This is the 16th court — but not the last — that the Jazz have built in the community since 2001. Another court will be donated in the spring when Salt Lake County completes construction of Lodestone Regional Park on the Kearns/West Valley City border.

In August, grants built courts in Farmington, Midvale and South Salt Lake.

Miller Charities President Jay Francis called the courts "an investment in the community that will last for years."

Destination Hotels will manage Newpark Resort near Park City

Newpark Resort, which has 124 guest rooms and 20 two-bedroom townhouse on the edge of Swaner Nature Preserve outside of Park City will be managed by Denver-based Destination Hotels.

Destination owns and operates a number of independent hotels, resorts and residences at resorts such as Lake Tahoe, Aspen, Vail and Santa Fe.

Calling Park City a "world class destination," Destination Resort Management executive Steve Santomo said Newpark Resort has 7,000 square feet of meeting space, including a conference center capable of holding 370 people. It also has the Skybridge Lounge.

SLC's KOA recognized with two awards at convention in Florida

The Salt Lake City KOA received president's and founder's awards from Kampgrounds of America, Inc. at its annual international convention in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The campground at 1400 W. North Temple, managed for the owning Menlove family by Victoria Orme and Stacey Ashwood, received high scores from customers and a good rating in KOA's annual campground quality review.

Now numbering 490 campgrounds in the United States and Canada, KOA was started in 1962 by Dave Drum on the banks of the Yellowstone River in Billings, Mont.

Utah business people on the move

• Gary Peterson, executive vice president of supply chain and production at O.C. Tanner, has been inducted into the Association for Manufacturing Excellence Hall of Fame. Peterson has worked last the company for 28 years, primarily in manufacturing and supply chain, and is an executive advisory board member for the Shingo Institute.