CHAMBER LUNCHEON

Please join the Chamber at our weekly luncheon on Wednesday, January 24th from noon to 1:00 p.m. This week’s presenter features the St. George Roadrunners Baseball team. The luncheon will be held at the Gardner Center at Dixie State College. Cost is $12.00/person.

ANB Financial is our luncheon sponsor this week. In January 2005, ANB (formerly Arkansas National Bank) opened a bank in Utah, the first location outside of Arkansas for the organization. With the home office in Bentonville, Arkansas, the move to St. George was an aggressive one and was intended to take advantage of the growth of the area. ANB had experience dealing with real estate development in Arkansas and thus they were able to move quickly to address the needs in St. George and the surrounding area. The volume of loans that they have been able to achieve has far exceeded expectations. One year ago ANB announced loans booked in 2005 were $229 million. Another year has passed and the volume has continued to grow. They are pleased and proud to announce over $700 million of loans booked in 2006. ANB opened a second location outside of Arkansas last year in Jackson, Wyoming and in the spring of this year another location will open in Idaho. With the opening of their new bank building on 1624 South Convention Center Drive in St. George, they are now able to provide a full range of banking services. Tom Cover, Senior Vice President, would like to invite you to please stop by and let them show you their new home.

CHAMBER BRIEFS

Register today for the The St. George Area Chamber Annual Awards and Installation Banquet, Reel Business Stars, "Lights, Camera, Action" on Saturday, Feb. 3rd at Dixie State College, Gardner Center. Mr. Phil Tuckett, Emmy Award Winning NFL Films Cinematographer, will be our featured speaker. The cost is $35 a ticket. Please call Trudy at 628-1650 ext. 3 to reserve ...more Click Here

The St. George Area Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the following businesses who are graciously sponsoring our award winners and also businesses sponsoring additional events for the Annual 2007 Awards & Installation Banquet. Major Sponsor – Well’s Fargo Bank Reception Sponsor – Canyon Media - Southern Utah’s BEST Country 99.9 KONY Country Invitation Sponsor – Oh, My Heck Marketing – Nina Heck Program Sponsors - Oh, My Heck Marketing and Action Zone Centerpiece Sponsor – Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield Entertainment Sponsor – Design to Print Tabloid Sponsor – The Spectrum Executive of the Year – Kim, Tracy & Troy Ence – Ence Homes Sponsor, Southern Utah Home Builders Association Entrepreneur of the Year – Kelly Nyberg and Randy Cosby– Infowest Sponsor, LearnKey Community Business Partnership – June & Brooks Pace - The Dammeron Corp. Sponsor, SelectHealth Community Service Volunteer – Paula Bell – Individual Sponsor, Zions Bank Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year – Steve Kemp & Graig Griffin - Kemp Griffin, Inc. Sponsor, Durham, Jones & Pinegar Lifetime Achievement – Mayor Daniel McArthur Sponsor, City of St. George Business Integrity Award – Scott, Randy, Troy and Travis Wilkinson – Wilkinson Electric Inc. Sponsor, Soltis Investment Advisors Please join with other businesses on February 3 to honor these recipients and enjoy a delightful evening.

Capture Today Photography will be available at the Annual Awards & Installation Banquet. For more information Click Here

The Southern Utah Networkers is a business-to-business referral/networking group sponsored by the St. George Chamber. S.U.N. meets at 7:30 a.m. every Friday at Courtyard By Marriott. Their next meeting will be Friday, 1/26/07. The featured speaker is Roger Tully of Pre-Paid Legal Service. S.U.N. is currently looking for members in the following categories: physician, nursing facility, assisted living, home care agency, chiropractor, personal/life coaching, and others. Call the club president Chris Bengtzen at 435-229-4007 or Orville Lucus at 435-688-8182 for more information.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

The Southern Utah Market Mirrors the National and Global Trend. The Southern Utah market mirrors the national and global trend as commercial property markets across the globe continued their steady climb in 2006, with 2007 promising continued growth, according to the 21st annual Global Market Report issued by NAI Global, the world’s largest network of independently owned commercial real estate brokerage firms. However, the 2007 Global Market Report concludes growth could be hurt by increased geo-political concerns in major markets worldwide....more Click Here

Dixie State College’s business department will resume hosting its bi-monthly noontime Business and Ethics Forum this Thursday, featuring DSC alum Jay Michael Irvin, manager of the St. George Target store. The forum will be held in the Boeing Auditorium (Room 121) of the DSC Udvar-Hazy Business Building. DSC students, the entire Washington County business community, and the general public are all invited to attend. Admission is free. ...more

Boulevard West Mall Welcomes Candy Bouquet. The Boulevard West Mall welcomes Candy Bouquet as their newest tenant. Candy Bouquet specializes in floral-like arrangements made from various chocolates and sweets. The global chain has over 550 franchises in 35 countries. Candy Bouquet can be found at 358 W St George, Boulevard. The Walter Group at NAI represented both parties in this transaction.

Executive Car Sales Expands. With the recent purchase of the old St George Service Station on N Bluff, Executive Car Sales plans to continue the expansion of their existing automotive dealership. The Walter Group at NAI worked with Executive Car Sales and Petroleum Wholesale in the acquisition.

“Help You Sell” Moves. Help You Sell Real Estate has sold their 160 N 200 W location and moving into higher class office space. The new owners of the building are going through extensive renovation before offering the building to Business prospects in the St George area. The Walter Group at NAI assisted the buyer in this transaction.

The Dixie Book Celebrating 35 Years in Dixie. Be apart of our 2007 anniversary edition. Call us NOW to place your ad where Washington County has been finding their information for 35 years! Our Sales Canvas is Coming to a Close. We look forward to serving you and helping your business. Call 656-8110 to be where Washington County goes for answers.

Dixie State College will host an Employment Fair on Thursday, February 22 in the Gardner Center Ballroom from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Employers wishing to participate may register on-line at www.dixie.edu/career. Last year they had over 100 employers at the Employment Fair and had to create a waiting list for others who waited too long to register. Employers seeking to hire students graduating with 4-year degrees, associate degrees or certificates, summer/seasonal or part-time positions are invited to register. The Employment Fair is well-attended by Dixie State College students looking for jobs and careers. Don’t wait! Register today. For additional information call the DSC Career Center at (435) 652-7737. Click Here

Resource Management Inc, (“RMI”), and the Utah Division of Homeland Security, are sponsoring a “Ready Your Business - 12 Point Business Continuity Planning Session”, on January 24th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, at 243 E. St. George Blvd. This training will provide clients and other business owners with insight on how to develop a plan to deal with a major disaster. Anyone desiring to attend this informative seminar may reserve a spot by calling RMI at 435-652-0200. Every business should have a plan…It just makes sense!

The Getaway Spa & Salon held their ribbon cutting which included the Chamber Sunshiners on Thursday, January 18th. They offer a signature menu of sought-after services, featuring three treatment rooms, experienced hairstylists, manicure & pedicure stations and a wonderful relaxing water fountain. They are located in the new Tonaquint Retail Center at 1506 South Silicon Way, Suite #2A in St. George. For more information or to make an appointment call (435) 688-7070 or you can make an online booking. Just Click Here

SPECIAL EVENTS

The 4th Annual St. George Winter Bird Festival is on January 26th-28th. You don't want to miss this exciting event presented by the Red Cliffs Audubon Society of St. George. The festival has expanded to 3 days of activities centered at the Tonaquint Park & Nature Center-1851 S. Dixie Drive. Exhibits, Sales, Presentations, and Kid's Workshops. Outstanding and unique presentations include: Birds of Washington County; Extinction; Introduction to Bird Watching; Watchable Wildlife Program; Bird Photography; SW Utah's Wintering Hawks & Eagles; California Condors; Utah Raptors; Binoculars & Scopes; Feeders & Seeds; and the Origin of Birds....more

Parade of Homes One Month Away! Countdown to the 17th annual St. George Area Parade of Homes - ONLY 4 WEEKS TO GO!! Mark your calendars for February 16-25, 2007. The Parade of Homes is presented by SUHBA and Far West Bank. Discount tickets will be available to SUHBA members beginning February 1st for $8 each (minimum purchase of 10) at the SUHBA office. We extend a special thank you to our sponsors - Far West Bank, Boulevard Home Furnishings, Questar Gas, Stock Building Supply, The Spectrum, Start 98 FM, and KSL Television.

Green Valley Spa Offers Candle Light Dinner $80/couple. 7:30 pm Friday February 9, Saturday, February 10, Sunday, February 11, Monday, February 12, Tuesday, February 13 and Wednesday, February 14. Enjoy a romantic evening of live music and gourmet dining presented by Chef Fio Antognini, who has earned an enviable reputation for innovative and imaginative dishes that combine the best of traditional classic European cuisine with his own personal creations. His cooking utilizes only the freshest natural ingredients to create memorable culinary experiences. Dinners include Appetizer, Salad, Entrée, and Dessert. Reservations are required. Please call Green Valley Spa at 628-8060 x170 for more details.

Dixie State to Host St. George Winter Bird Festival Presentation Friday Evening. Dixie State College will host a special presentation featuring Bobby Harrison, a professor of art and photography at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Ala., this Friday as part of the annual St. George Winter Bird Festival. The presentation will begin at 7:00 p.m., at the DSC Dunford Auditorium and admission is free to the public....more

Xetava Desert Arboretum’s Art In Kayenta Festival, February 17 & 18. The “Art in Kayenta” Festival is considered the first major spring event in the St. George region and draws crowds of more than 5,000. ...more

All You Can Eat Spaghetti Supper. Mark your calendars for this special night out, Saturday, 27 January, 6 p.m. ...no cooking...just enjoying. ...more Click Here

The Ledges Chef's Tasting Dinner, Feb. 16th, 17 and 24th from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Join The Ledges for a dining experience unmatched in St. George. Developed around a progression of tasting courses, giving their guests the opportunity to sample a wide range of flavors. ...more Click Here

The Ledges Champagne Brunch, February 18th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Join The Ledges for Champagne Brunch - Omelet Bar, Fresh Baked Breads, Composed Salads, Prime Rib Carving Station, Dessert Station. ...more Click Here

Tuacahn Amphitheater Announces Concert Schedule For Year. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Tuacahn box office at 652-3300....more

“Beau Jest” is a hilarious romantic comedy. SGMT offers “Beau Jest” from January 11, 2007, through February 3, 2007, at its Woodward Gymnasium theater (37 S. 100 W., St. George). Shows run Thursday through Saturday and Monday nights at 7:30 p.m. and a Saturday matinee will be offered on February 3 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $15/adults, $13/seniors and students, $10/children and can be purchased by calling 435-628-8755, online at www.sgmt.org, or at the theater box office. Click Here

SEMINARS, EDUCATION, & WORKSHOPS

Utah State Attorney General Mark Shurtleff to Highlight Dixie State College-Hosted Women’s Conference. “The Song Within You” is the theme for the 21st-Annual Women’s Conference in Dixie, which returns to the Dixie State College campus Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Eccles Fine Arts Building....more Click Here

The Massage Therapy Academy is offering free massage clinics every month. You can learn new massage skills to offer comfort and relief to your loved ones. Thursday night, February 1, learn how to give great foot massages. This free clinic starts at 7:30 pm and runs for an hour. The Massage Therapy Academy is located at 368 East St. George Boulevard. Space is limited – please call to register: 673-4101.

Join the Green Valley Spa for a Decadent Chocolate Workshop, Saturday, February 3, 2207 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Learn to create seductive Valentine’s Day Chocolate confections from Chef Fio Antognini. The class will feature an education in chocolate, with unique assorted chocolate tasting and a presentation of Chocolate dipped strawberries, Chocolate truffles and Flaky raspberry “Heart” puffs. The workshop also includes instructions on how to create sugar-free & diabetic friendly confections. Chocolate making supplies are included and a gift box filled with your own confections. $49 per person/$89 for two. For more information and to make reservations please call 628-8060 x170.

“Building Effective Teams” a Parade of Homes Seminar. Tony Brigmon will present a seminar on Wednesday, February 14th from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Dixie State College sponsored by First Horizon Home Loans....more Click Here

The City of St. George and the Southern Utah Home Builders Association (SUBHA) are teaming up to offer a series of seminars to inform and educate those interested in green building. The first in the series will be held at the Water and Energy Administration Building, 811 E Red Hills Parkway, St. George, UT 84770 on February 27, 2007 at noon. It is free to homeowners, building contractors, and anyone else interested in learning about creating more energy efficient and environmentally responsible homes....more

Portrait Kitchens is having a workshop on Saturday, January 27th, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The cost is $39 for one person or $49 for two if you register by the 19th. Lunch is included. Attendee's will receive $625.00 worth of design assistance. To register call their office at(435) 986-9566 or Click Here

“Crucial Confrontations” two-day Mastery Seminar – February 1-2, 2007 from 8:00 am-4:30 pm at the Dixie Applied Technology College on 55 South 900 East in St. George. Kelle Stephens, 652-7741 or stephenk@dixie.edu.

WHATS HAPPENING

Dixie State College to Break Ground For New Richards Sculpture Garden on Campus Friday. Dixie State College will officially break ground at the new Kathryn Lloyd Richards Sculpture Garden in a ceremony slated for this Friday at 12:30 p.m., at the north end of the DSC Dolores Dore Eccles Arts Center. All DSC students, faculty and staff and the public are invited to the ceremony....more

Royden Card Fine Art Presents “Little Stories, Inner Landscapes,” New Paintings by Fae Ellsworth. Utah artist, Fae Ellsworth, will be the featured visiting artist beginning February 17, 2007 at Royden Card Fine Art in the Coyote Gulch Art Village at Kayenta. Her exhibit, “Little Stories, Inner Landscapes,” will open with a reception on Friday, February 17 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ...more

Xetava Desert Arboretum’s Art in Kayenta Festival, February 17th & 18th. The “Art in Kayenta” Festival is considered the first major Spring event in the St. George region and draws crowds of more than 5,000. ...more

COMMUNITY/POLITICAL

The St. George Area Chamber of Commerce is tracking legislative actions of general business interest to its members and the communities in Washington County. If there’s a bill you’d like us to track, e-mail us with the bill number, and we will add it to our weekly newsletter updates. If you need more frequent updates, go to: http://www.le.state.ut.us/  and on the right side of the screen under “quick links” click on RSS Feeds. Once on that page, look under “Feeds/Channels provided on our web site” and click on bill tracking and follow instructions to set-up your own bill tracking system. The St. George Area Chamber of Commerce Community Action Committee is actively watching out for your interests at the Utah State Legislature. ...more Click Here

SB 52 Will require that people using tanning beds be 18 years old, or have in person parental consent

HB 224 Will repeal the law allowing undocumented students to pay college tuition at Utah’s in-state rates

HB 269 Would add a rural representative to the Utah Committee of Consumer Services

HB 123 is the first tax cutting bill of the 2007 legislative session to be introduced. The bill will reduce income tax, give a new flat-rate income credit for single and married people, and eliminate the state’s sales tax on unprepared food. ...more

Washington County Republican Party Lincoln Day Breakfast will be Saturday, February 17, 2007 at the Dixie College Gardner Center beginning at 8:00 a.m. You can purchase tickets at the Zion Bank Main Branch. Cost $20.00. Ask for David Turner or Penny Shelley or call 435-628-2308.

Congress Gives Last-Minute Reprieve to Tax Breaks. Kris Braunberger, a partner with HintonBurdick CPAs & Advisors suggests that, "Although the holiday season is now well over, it's important to remember one last gift package that Congress left under the tree. Congress has renewed a number of tax breaks that had expired at the end of last year. The renewal is effective for 2006 and 2007." ...more

RIBBON CUTTINGS AND OPEN HOUSES

You are hereby invited to attend the DESIGNER FURNITURE GALLERY WAREHOUSE Grand Opening this Thursday, January 25 @ 11:00 am at 4416 S River Road (Fort Pierce) in St. George. Ence Commercial Construction, Designer Furniture Gallery and the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce staff and Sunshiners will be present.

Mark your calendar for the following ribbon cuttings and groundbreakings. Thursday, Feb. 1st 11 a.m. ribbon cutting at Arnold Machinery, 1409 East 3850 South, St. George. Friday, Feb. 2nd 11 a.m. ribbon cutting at Bella Vista, 500 East Telegraph, St. George. Tuesday, Feb. 6th 11:30 a.m. ribbon cutting at Beehive Homes, 2041 S. Mesa Palms, St. George. Tuesday, Feb. 6th 4:30 p.m. ribbon cutting at Sweet Gifts DBA Candy Bouquet, 370 W. St. George Blvd. Thursday, Feb. 8th 11 a.m. ribbon cutting at Fairfield Inn, 1660 S. Convention Center Drive. Thursday, Feb. 8th 12:30 p.m. ribbon cutting at Coldwell Banker KGA, 94 East Tabernacle. Friday, Feb. 9th 10 a.m. ribbon cutting at Desert Shadows, 1400 East 2450 South, St. George. Friday, Feb. 9th 11:00 a.m. ribbon cutting at Signature Suppers, 140 North 400 West, St. George.

CALL TO ACTION

The Woodward Gymnasium, current home of St. George Musical Theater, will be demolished on February 5, 2007. SGMT expects to complete the renovation of a new home (214 North 1000 East) in June 2007. Meanwhile, we desperately need storage units. "We have so much stuff, but it's all necessary!" says Jan Broberg, Executive Director. If you can help for these six months, PLEASE call (435)628-8755 and ask for Don Kenworthy, Deward Wilson, or Jan Broberg. You'll get credited in the playbill as a sponsor.

Dino Days is looking for sponsors to give coupons (i.e. ice cream, dessert coupons, or anything that would be a fun reward) to recognize kids, K-12, for all of their efforts during Dino Days. Recognition is available for all sponsors throughout the Dino Days week. Other sponsorship opportunities for the event are available. For more information contact Alan Crooks 435-656-1966 or by email at alan@alancrooks.com .

COMMUNITY INTEREST

The St. George Police Department is Hosting the 12th Annual Citizen's Academy. This is an in depth look at the workings of the police featuring presentations from the bomb squad, SWAT Team and the drug and gang task force....more

Phillip Peine Joins HintonBurdick CPAs & Advisors

 

SCHINDLER ELEVATOR CORPORATION,Jim Moran, Diane Rawson, 2448 South Progress Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84119, (435) 893-1091, www.us.schindler.com

 

KWIK SHRED, Emily Campbell, Jared Campbell, 1111 Chokeberry7 Drive, St. George, Utah 84791 (435) 986-0630

 

SOUTHWEST VISION, Dr. Paul Gooch, Dr. Ryan Robison, 720 South River Road, C-130, St. George, Utah 84790, (435) 673-5577, www.southwestvision.org

 

QUILTED WORKS, INC.,Barb Johnson,Sharla Johnson, 140 North 400 West #A7, St. George, Utah 84770, (435) 674-2500, www.quiltedworks.com

 

THE LEDGES OF ST. GEORGE, Colby Cowan – Director of Golf , Desiree Nerwinski – Club General Manager, Mike Visser – Director of Sales, Chris Orchard – Director of Marketing, Randy Deschamps – Ledges Partner (not pictured) , 5224 North Winchester Hills Driv