The board will decide how to distribute funding to the University of Utah and Utah State University, along with other entities, to help spur economic development through creation of new technology.

Nominees include Scott Anderson, chief executive, Zions Bank; Hunter Jackson, former CEO, NPS Pharmaceuticals; Cathy A. Petti, medical director, ARUP Infectious Diseases Laboratory; Dan Olsen, professor, Brigham Young University; Dinesh Patel, partner, vSpring; Charlie Precourt, vice president, Advanced Strategic Programs ATK Launch Systems Group; Jack Sunderlage, president and CEO, Contentwatch; and Jim Dreyfous, partner, UV Partners. The legislation that created USTAR makes state Treasurer Ed Alter the ninth member of the group.

Nominations came from Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., along with Senate President John Valentine, Speaker of the House Greg Curtis and Commissioner of Higher Education Richard Kendell. The Senate .will consider confirmation.

The Legislature this year set aside $65 million for USTAR and $110 million in bonds to build facilities for new research teams recruited to the U. and USU. The USTAR governing authority, the inventor and the two research schools would split any profits. The state hopes new research groups will invent technology to be used in new Utah businesses, which in turn would create high paying jobs.

- Greg Lavine