2022 Fab40: Game On
BY JEANETTE BENNETT, HAILEY BENNETT SUNDWALL & CHELSEA KERN PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE BLACKHURST For the 15th year, Utah Valley Magazine has scoured the board and identified 40 of the most fabulous folks in the valley. You’ll want to double down on this annual section of non-profit founders, beauty queens, CEOs and American Idol contestants.
Fab40: Elora D. Murray
Co-host of KUTV Fresh Living, Elora interviews performers, entrepreneurs and creatives. Before becoming a local TV personality, Elora worked for Radio Disney, hosted a lifestyle show in Massachusetts, covered the Tony Awards in NYC and Wimbledon in London, and has had speaking and hosting engagements in Canada, Spain, London, Texas, Orlando and Louisiana. This BYU […]
Fab40: Megan Ann Rasmussen
The show must go on for Megan Ann, who is co-producer of a new Broadway musical called “Joy on Broadway.” She’s also the lead producer on three new musicals — Heaven Come Home, Spells of the Sea, and The Rocking Boy. She has taught theater at three Utah universities (including 9 years at BYU), and […]
Fab40: Tommaso Cardullo
One of Utah’s top fashion designers came from Italy to the United States with only $300. Now Tommaso creates products for major retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Kenneth Cole, Costco, Target and more. The most recent feather in his custom cap is having his designs made in the same factories as luxury brands such […]
Fab40: Matthew Mason
Matthew wore a Utah T-shirt to the Utah Valley Magazine photo shoot, but he’s also a history professor at BYU, an author, founding member and co-director of Historians Against Slavery, and UPEP volunteer. Heady stuff? Let’s break it down. Matthew earned his PhD in history from the University of Maryland in 2002 and started teaching […]
Fab40: Zach Sundwall
Zach’s native language is symphony. A graduate of BYU’s Commercial Music program, Zach pays homage to his alma mater by composing music for the Young Ambassadors. On a larger scale (pun intended!) Zach has written theme songs for NBC News in Los Angeles and New York City, CBS, and has for TV/radio networks worldwide as […]
Fab40: Kent Loosle
Kent has never seen an emergency he didn’t have a calm approach for. His current life prescription includes being CEO at Mountain Point Medical Center in Lehi. He has built two hospitals and employs a grassroots approach in his leadership style and community involvement. Kent is also known for his volunteer service as director of […]
Fab40: Gene Nelson
Gene was a J.C. All American in track and field before switching to the sport of books, where he has been “at this library stuff” for 44 years. The Provo City Library Director has served on the John Newbery Award selection committee and twice on the Randolph Caldecott Award committee (think metallic foil circle). He’s […]
Fab40: Tia Bee Stokes
A cancer thriver, Tia dances to her own beat as she beats her illness. She has danced with Beyoncé in the Billboard Music Awards Show, and has performed for many NBA and NFL halftime shows. Tia started a non profit called Kalamity Inc, which focuses on dancing for a cause. Kalamity has raised more than […]
Fab40: Lt. Tom Hodgson
Lieutenant Tom Hodgson has been serving in the Utah County Sheriff’s Office for more than 35 years. When he walked into the Utah Valley Magazine offices for his photo shoot, two staff members recognized him and shared stories of his heroic acts they had witnessed first hand. Although others call him a hero, he says […]
Fab40: Jenney Rees
As Executive Director of the Department of Government Operations in Gov. Cox’s Cabinet, Jenney oversees 1,300 employees in nine divisions. Prior to being appointed to her downtown SLC gig in January 2021, Jenney was mayor of Cedar Hills — in fact, she won Best of State for her role as mayor in 2020. But Jenney […]
Fab40: Norm Wright
Hawaii, Dubai, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia — Norm has “been there, done that.” After many years working abroad, Norm settled in Utah as the dean of UVU’s Woodbury School of Business for 12 years. (Fun fact! Thanks to Norm, UVU will soon offer free feminine hygiene products throughout the campus!) In 2022, Norm’s career added […]
Fab40: Summerisa Bell Stevens
After graduating from BYU and the Young Ambassadors program, Summerisa and her husband moved to New York where they performed on Broadway for seven years- — she was named “Best Actress in a Musical” for her portrayal of Doralee in “9 to 5.” The couple felt compelled to move back to Utah and start Harrington […]
Fab40: Spencer Fluhman
Spencer says everything in his life is a footnote to meeting and falling in love with his wife, Hollie (who was in our Fab 40 two years ago). Together, the duo-author couple spreads love, acceptance and research. Spencer’s “footnotes” include a PhD in history from the University of Wisconsin (#GoBadgers), and publishing a history book […]
Fab40: Chase Ramsey
Chase has been around the world in 32 years. As a full-time actor, Chase wears many hats — and wigs, costumes and microphones. Chase graduated from UVU in theater and has graced Broadway stages and TV/movie sets. Chase recently filmed the Netflix movie “Christmas in Wonderland,” where he plays Lindsay Lohan’s assistant. (“Get in loser, […]
Fab40: Rachelle Rutherford
Rachelle is the CEO of Kids on the Move, owner of Elevated 1031, and was crowned Mrs. Utah United States in 2016. She’s also the mother of six and has three degrees. (She took a limo to the airport immediately following her MBA graduation to celebrate at Disneyland.) But Rachelle’s life didn’t start with crowns […]
Fab40: Greg Wrubell
As BYU’s “Voice of the Cougars,” Greg has been announcing play-by-plays for the university’s sports teams since 1996. Greg began his journey in radio when he stepped into the role of an unpaid, night-shift intern at KSL. That gig led to being the most famous voice for BYU. When not on the sidelines of a […]
Fab40: Krista Andersen
Krista has taken almost 30k instagram followers on her journey fighting breast cancer by dressing up in a new costume for every treatment. From superheroes to boxing, Krista brings laughter and surprise to somber settings. By trade, she is a master mediator in high conflict, health care and domestic disputes. She is working on her […]
Fab40: Karen McCandless
As CEO of Community Action Services and Food Bank in Provo, Karen fosters self-reliance. She served on the Orem City Council for 13 years and was given the Walter C. Orem Award for outstanding service. She is the mother of two daughters and the proud grandma of “the world’s cutest grandchild.” When Karen is not […]
Fab40: Carmen Rasmussen Herbert
Carmen became a household name when she was Top 6 in Season 2 of American Idol. This led to signing a record deal, getting over 1 million downloads on her music video, “Nothin’ Like the Summer,” winning a New Music Weekly award for “Best New Artist” and writing a column for the Deseret News. Today, […]
Fab40: Daniel Spencer
As a white student from South Africa who moved to the states, Daniel is our own version of Cady in Mean Girls — IYKYK. You might have seen @danbanbam on TikTok or instagram (along with millions of other viewers) where Daniel shares inner monologue while wearing a sticky rubber ball as a wig. Daniel was […]
Fab40: Pyper America
Pyper shot her first magazine cover for Harper’s Bazaar in New York City on her 18th birthday. Her life has continued to be a mix of personal milestones and “pinch me” modeling opportunities. In 2015, she traveled to Iceland with her dad and brother (Lucky Blue Smith) to be in the Moncler Fall Campaign, photographed […]
Fab40: Tristen Ikaika
Tristen’s fame skyrocketed when he signed a deal with “Mr. Wonderful” on Shark Tank earlier this year, but his story began when he stole a spoon from his parents’ kitchen and made a ring out of it. Later, he used the proceeds of his successful ring company to pay off his parents house where the […]
Fab40: Leonard Bagalwa
As a child in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Leonard was kidnapped and used as a child soldier. Leonard escaped and found himself in a refugee camp in Malawi. After seven years, Leonard resettled to the United States in 2004. Leonard took the lessons he learned and became the founder and director of Utah Valley […]
Fab40: Michael Carter
In 2007, Michael and his partners at Vital Smarts won Ernst & Young Entrepreneurs of the Year. Life was busy and accolades were accruing. A few years later, Michael was moved by a familiar Bible passage about feeding the poor. Soon, Michael had a picture come in his mind of a sign in Pleasant Grove […]
Fab40: Julie Fullmer
At age 32, Julie was appointed as the first female mayor in the fastest growing city in the nation — Vineyard! She was nine months pregnant during her first mayoral debates and has continued to break stereotypes. Julie was re-elected to her post with the highest percentage in Utah County, capturing 86.8 percent of the […]
Fab40: Michelle Moore
Local film is synonymous with Michelle Moore. As a film publicist, she’s worked on 30+ film releases with local and nationwide distribution, including “Saturday’s Warrior” and “Lamb of God.” She and her husband, Marshall, became the owners and co-directors of the LDS Film Festival in 2021 and have renamed it to the Zion International Film […]
Fab40: Jojea Kwizera
Jojea’s UVU highlight reel led to him being selected 15th overall in the MLS draft by CF Montreal. Score! A native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jojea played high school soccer at West Jordan High School and then two seasons of college soccer at USU Eastern in Price. Jojea started all seven games […]
Fab40: Natasha Thomas
While raising four children, Natasha is building Ivy City Co., a Utah dress company that has girls and women twirling worldwide — matching “mini” dresses are popular for wedding parties and family photos. Natasha and her team design original dresses, manufacture, sell and mail tens of thousands of dresses a month. Ivy City has been […]
Fab40: Illens Dort
Illens Dort was the first Haitian to attend BYU and graduate in electronic engineering technology. Now he’s a certified trainer and coach, adjunct BYU faculty, has worked for three tech companies in Utah, is the founder of three organizations and author of two books: “The Five Secret Fears of Failing in Business” and “Thinking and […]