45 Ideas From Local Top Dogs to Help You Do More Than Just ‘Manage’

By Ansalee Morrison and Briana Stewart From hiring the right talent to taking charge without being a jerk, business leadership is a 40+ hour balancing act every week. For some insight on how to find that sweet spot, we surveyed leaders who manage everywhere in Utah Valley from a law firm to a cookie shop. […]

40 Under 40: Alexis Lopez

Company: Qualtrics Title: Mangaer, People Analytics Age: 30 City: Provo CAREER ANTHEM “The Long Way Around” by the Dixie Chicks LINER NOTES Survey says: Alexis Lopez is a force. After earning a bachelor’s in psychology from USU and a master’s in HR management from OSU, Lopez worked at L Brands (parent company of Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body […]

40 Under 40: Cameron Tanner

Company: SageCreek Partners Title: Principal Age: 33 City: Lehi CAREER ANTHEM “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC LINER NOTES Nothing ventured, nothing gained. After studying Economics at BYU, Cameron Tanner has made a name for himself both inside the venture capital world (SageCreek Partners, Clarke Capital Partners, Crewe Capital) and outside of it (former Chief of Staff at Vivint Solar). He has worked […]

40 Under 40: Hina Garg

Company: Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions Title: Assistant Professor + M.S. Program Director Age: 32 City: Provo CAREER ANTHEM “Humko Man Ki Shakti Dena” by Gulzar. (Translation: The Power of our Heart.) LINER NOTES Dr. Hina Garg is a researcher, educator and healthcare trailblazer. She completed her bachelor’s in physical therapy from G.G.S. Indraprastha University, India. She received her […]

40 Under 40: Evan Teshima

Company: foreUP Title: CEO Age: 33 City: Lindon CAREER ANTHEM “I Lived” by One Republic LINER NOTES For Evan Teshima, entrepreneurism is par for the course. He started foreUp, a cloud-based golf management software solution, with co-founders Joel Ragar and Joel Hopkins out of BYU. The trio was rejected by every BYU business competition they entered. After refining their idea, they […]

40 Under 40: Aaron Wilkinson

Company: Wilkinsons Trophy Title: Owner Age: 36 City: Provo CAREER ANTHEM “James Bond 007 Theme Song” LINER NOTES Aaron Wilkinson has some serious name recognition. After graduating from BYU in accounting and receiving a master’s in accounting from SUU, he spent the next several years working as an auditor for Deloitte & Touche. But with a hope to see his […]

40 Under 40: Cass Tenney

Company: Four Foods Group Title: Brand Controller Age: 33 City: Pleasant Grove CAREER ANTHEM “Hall of Fame” by The Script LINER NOTES Cass Tenney rises and dominates wherever she goes. After graduating from Boise State University during the 2008 recession, she landed a job as an assistant getting coffee. Five years later, she left that company as an accounting manager. […]

40 Under 40: Michael Sean Covey

Company: Bridal Up Hope Title: Executive Director Age: 29 City: Alpine CAREER ANTHEM “Seize the Day” from “Newsies” LINER NOTES You know his last name. Now you need to know his foundation. Michael Sean Covey co-founded Bridle Up Hope, a non-profit organization with the mission to inspire hope, confidence, and resilience in young women through equestrian training. It began in memory […]

40 Under 40: Amanda Price

Company: Boostability Title: VP of Marketing Age: 38 City: Lehi CAREER ANTHEM “Balance” by Future Islands LINER NOTES Amanda Price is a marketing maven. She was the co-founder and CMO of PromoJam, a social marketing platform acquired by Deluxe Corp in 2014. Post acquisition, she joined Deluxe in an executive leadership role — VP of marketing — and worked with annual […]

40 Under 40: Kylie Chenn

Company: Acanela Expeditions Title: CEO Age: 26 City: Lehi CAREER ANTHEM “How Far I’ll Go” from “Moana” LINER NOTES The world is Kylie Chenn’s oyster. Her business, Acanela Expeditions, is a fast-flying company that organizes immersive and impactful travel experiences to more than 100 countries around the globe. Chenn studied business strategy and international development at BYU (while also playing […]

40 Under 40: Kasper Lennox Valgern

Company: Station 22 Title: Head Chef Age: 28 City: Provo CAREER ANTHEM “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie LINER NOTES Kasper Valgren started sharpening his culinary chops at 16 when he enrolled at the Copenhagen Hospitality College. He went on to create edible works of art at several successful restaurants in Copenhagen and serve in the Royal Danish […]

40 Under 40: Ken Frei

Company: Pluralsight + Convoi + Sego Awards Title: Director of Content Acquisition + Co-founder Age: 32 City: Lehi CAREER ANTHEM “Go The Distance” by Michael Bolton LINER NOTES Ken Frei is one adventurous entrepreneur. He took his first business, XoomPark, through the International Business Model Competition and won against businesses from Stanford, Harvard and MIT. For his second business, Screenie, he […]

40 Under 40: Jonathan Oliver

Company: SmartyStreets Title: CEO + Founder Age: 39 City: Provo CAREER ANTHEM “Hotel California” by The Eagles LINER NOTES Jonathan Oliver has always been a smarty pants. At 8 years old he was coding on an IBM PC. When he was 10, he got a C compiler for his birthday. At 12, he was writing “shareware” software and getting paid for various […]

40 Under 40: Scott Paul

Company: Wooly Title: CEO + Aspiring Alpaca Farmer Age: 38 City: Lehi CAREER ANTHEM “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus. “I got off the plane in LAX when Disney bought our company and it was very intimidating. Miley is also kind of a crazy and I can relate.” LINER NOTES For the past 10 years, Scott Paul has been […]

40 Under 40: Scott Schwab

Company: Bottega Title: Co-founder Age: 38 City: Lehi CAREER ANTHEM “Keep On Dreaming Even If It Breaks Your Heart” by Eli Young Band LINER NOTES Scott Schwab is a dreamer and a doer. He learned work ethic as a young Idaho lad moving pipe and doing farm work. He then left the land and did door-to-door sales for seven years. “I […]

40 Under 40: Tanei Atagi Henry

Company: Provo Girls Summit + Introducing Tomorrow Title: Founder Age: 37 City: Provo CAREER ANTHEM “Greatest Love of All” by Whitney Houston LINER NOTES “If she can see it, she can be it!” That motto inspires Tanei Atagi Henry daily as the founder of Provo Girls Summit. Henry is a former child educator (she taught English at Timpview High School […]

40 Under 40: Seth Ollerton

Company: Central Bank + Ollerton Marketing Title: Director of Marketing Age: 39 City: Provo CAREER ANTHEM “All You Need is Love” by The Beatles LINER NOTES Creativity and determination have been central to Seth Ollerton’s career. After graduating from BYU in advertising/marketing communications, Ollerton has spent the last 14 years of his career specializing in content marketing, SEO, social media advertising […]

40 Under 40: Davis Warnock

Company: Lumen Group Title: Managing Director Age: 30 City: Lehi CAREER ANTHEM “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey LINER NOTES Davis Warnock is illuminating (i-lumen-ating?) the venture capital world. The Lumen Group has invested nearly $25 million in 26 companies, and it was the first (and is currently the only) direct secondary fund in the state of Utah. What’s more, Warnock […]

40 Under 40: Aaron Dalley

Company: Enso Rings Title: Co-founder Age: 36 City: Lehi CAREER ANTHEM “Ramble On” by Led Zeppelin LINER NOTES Aaron Dalley is a man of all trades (web design/development/sales/marketing/operations) and an entrepreneur by heart. He and his best friend from high school founded Enso Rings, a silicone ring company that is a force for fashion and good. Since then, the […]

40 Under 40: Stephen Thayer, Ph.D.

Company: Utah Valley Psychology Title: Clinical Psychologist Age: 36 City: Orem CAREER ANTHEM “People Watching” by Jack Johnson LINER NOTES Dr. Stephen Thayer is a professional people watcher — and a source of safety, knowledge and comfort. After earning his bachelor’s and doctorate degrees from BYU, he completed his clinical residency at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center in San […]

40 Under 40: Tennli Nelson

Company: Dental Intelligence Title: Executive VP of Corporate Development Age: 38 City: Pleasant Grove CAREER ANTHEM “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus LINER NOTES It’s all smarts and smiles for Tennli Nelson. For the past 14 years, she’s gained extensive experience in customer service, sales, and training and business development in the healthcare industry. She’s worked with industry leaders and key influencers […]

40 Under 40: Tanner D. Ainge

Company: Utah County Commissioner Title: Commissioner Vice Chair Age: 35 City: Provo CAREER ANTHEM “But For The Grace of God” by Keith Urban LINER NOTES Tanner Ainge knows all the letters of the law. He currently serves on the three-member Board of Utah County Commissioners, which is a legislative, executive and quasi-judicial body of the county. In the private […]

40 Under 40: Zoi Karagouni

Company: Vivint Smart Home Title: Director of Design Age: 36 City: Provo CAREER ANTHEM “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga LINER NOTES Zoi Karagouni’s mind is where beauty meets function. Born and raised in Thessaloniki, Greece, she grew up drawing, sketching and dreaming. At 18 she moved to England to study architecture — earning degrees, honors and accolades along the […]

40 Under 40: McKenzie King Bauer

Company: Thread Wallets Title: CMO + Co-Founder Age: 27 City: Provo CAREER ANTHEM “Running Down a Dream” by Tom Petty LINER NOTES McKenzie Bauer’s got some serious street thread. She founded Thread Wallets in 2015 with her husband, Colby. After raising $35k on Kickstarter, the company put its money where its wallets were and worked hard to bring in […]

40 Under 40: Marco Niccoli

Company: a m niccoli + Voro Café Title: Chef + Owner Age: 32 City: Lehi + SLC CAREER ANTHEM “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled LINER NOTES Chef Marco Niccoli is the taste of our town. For the past 10-plus years he has perfected his craft at world-class companies: Culinary Crafts, Harley-Davidson and Traeger Grills. He’s competed on the […]

40 Under 40: Jordan Wade

Company: CircusTrix Title: VP of Operations Support Age: 31 City: Provo CAREER ANTHEM “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen LINER NOTES After graduating from BYU in 2011 with a degree in international relations and dominating in the retail and software worlds, Jordan Wade ran off and joined the circus(trix) — and now he helps run a multimillion-dollar company that […]

40 Under 40: Meagan Crafts Price

Company: Culinary Crafts Title: Marketing Manager Age: 28 City: Pleasant Grove CAREER ANTHEM “What Baking Can Do” from “Waitress” musical LINER NOTES Meagan Crafts Price knows her craft. Culinary Crafts was founded by her mother, Mary Crafts, and Meagan has done every job in the books — from dishwashing at age 12 to accounting to planning to marketing. Mary retired […]

40 Under 40: Emily Smith

Company: Kiln + Modest Goddess Title: General Manager + Founder Age: 29 City: Lehi CAREER ANTHEM “Wow” by Zara Larsen and Marshmello LINER NOTES Emily Smith likes to be modest — so we’ll have to do the bragging for her. After graduating from BYU’s advertising program, Emily worked at a naming firm in San Francisco where she named startups and products. […]

40 Under 40: JJ Haering

Company: Shops at Riverwoods Title: General Manager Age: 34 City: Provo CAREER ANTHEM “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie LINER NOTES JJ Haering started his first business at 16, and it paid for his LDS mission and college degree. He graduated from UVU in three years while working full-time at Nu Skin. There, he increased sales in his […]

40 Under 40: Ashley Smith

Company: SMASH Dance Academy Title: Studio owner + Director Age: 37 City: Orem CAREER ANTHEM “Girl On Fire” by Alicia Keys LINER NOTES Ashley Smith was born to move. She grew up in Las Vegas and began dancing at age 7. Her credentials are on point: Royal Academy of Dancing Ballet Curriculum; International Society of Tap Dancing Curriculum; a dancer […]