2010 Installation Banquet & Annual Meeting

Last Friday January 29th members of the Chamber gathered to recognize outgoing board members, and install a list of new ones. The Chamber board is made up of 43 businessmen and businesswomen who help organize the efforts of the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Chair ellect Rona Rahlf directed the meeting.

John Balian, Kendall Wimmer, and Kelly Ward are welcomed as new board members by President Steve Densley.

New board members were presented to those in attendance. Seen here are Scott Hansen, Mayor John Curtis, Mary Crafts, Leonel Castillo, Matt Bennett, President Matthew Holland, and John Balian.

Scott Hansen raises his hand as commissioner Larry Ellertson presents the oath of office.

New Member Spotlight: Bryan Johnson with State Farm

My name is Bryan Johnson. I am a State Farm agent in Provo. I provide Insurance and Financial Services. I have been involved in this profession for going on 25 years.

I graduated from Utah State University in 1981. I worked for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals for 4 years in Spokane, WA. The better I did with sales, the more travel they added to my schedule. It was a family decision to start a business in which I could be at home most of the time. I made the commitment that if I changed professions, it would be with the best and State Farm was that for me. This is what brought me back to Utah in 1985.

I have been married for 30 years. My wife Debbie is my better half, she works with me at my business and that has been a great thing for both of us. We have 5 children. Danielle runs (well ahead of me) marathons also, she manages the Riviera Apartments in Provo. Sheldon is in 3rd year of medical school and lives in St Louis with his family. Desirae lives with her family in Foster City, CA. Taylor returns from the Brisbane Australia mission today. And Brett is a senior at Timpanogos High.

I have run marathons for the past 21 years. I have run 35 marathons total, as well as participating in other events such as Olympic and Half Ironman Triathlons. I do this for my fitness and for the great friends I have made over the years. Most of my business comes from referrals from satisfied clients. I find myself working as much now as I did as a new agent. There are many more players in the insurance and financial services markets and that is great. Hard works helps me stay young! I look forward to meeting some of you.

Membership Event

Take a look at the Utah Valley Chamber's Membership Event!
http://provout.swagit.com/play/02012010-120/5/

Turn 2009 Utah Tax Refunds into Automatic College Savings

The Utah Educational Savings Plan and the State of Utah Make it Easy to Save for College

(Salt Lake City) For the first time, Utah taxpayers can request their Utah tax refund be deposited directly into their Utah Educational Savings Plan (UESP) account. Taxpayers simply mark the UESP savings option (line 45) on their individual Utah state income tax return and their total state tax refund will be contributed to their UESP account(s).

“Educating Utah’s youth is of utmost importance to our state’s future. That’s why I’m excited to learn that the State of Utah has partnered with the UESP to allow taxpayer refunds to go directly toward funding a UESP 529 savings plan. It’s another excellent way for Utahns to save and invest in our future by simply checking a box on the income tax return,” says Carey D. Woolsey, CPA and President Elect of the Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants.

Lynne Ward, Executive Director of the Utah Educational Savings Plan said, “Many Utah families maximize the 5% UESP state tax credit each year. Applying their Utah tax refund at the beginning of the year is an easy jump start. UESP thanks the State of Utah for working with Utah taxpayers to save for future college expenses.”

If a Utah taxpayer already has a UESP account(s), the refund transfer is easy, simply mark the box. Taxpayers who haven’t yet opened a UESP account can also mark the box, and UESP will mail them an enrollment kit. Guidelines for taxpayer refunds directed to UESP are as follows:

• The refund will be allocated equally among all UESP accounts if the taxpayer has more than one UESP account.
• The entire refund will be sent to UESP even if taxpayers file a joint return, and the refund will be divided equally between all UESP accounts for both taxpayers.
• The Utah tax refund will not be deposited in the UESP account(s) until UESP receives the funds.

This easy to use check off box tax refund change is a result of a bill sponsored by Representative John Dougall and Senator Wayne L. Niederhauser in the 2009 General Session.

About the Utah Educational Savings Plan

UESP, Utah’s official 529 college savings plan, manages more than $3 billion in assets. UESP is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 529 plans by Morningstar and is highly recommended by Money Magazine and financial expert, Clark Howard. This high ranking can be attributed to UESP’s industry innovations, such as an FDIC-insured savings account and efforts to be the industry’s low-cost leader.

UESP requires no minimum deposits or balances, so families can save a little or a lot, according to their own schedules. With a user-friendly Web site, UESP makes it easy to open, manage and contribute to an account online at uesp.org. Earnings on UESP accounts grow tax deferred and are tax free when used for qualified higher education expenses such as tuition, fees, certain room and board costs and required books and supplies at any eligible educational institution that accepts federal financial aid, not just institutions in Utah. Utah taxpayers also receive a Utah state tax credit for contributions to accounts each year.

Established by the Utah State Legislature in 1996, UESP is administered and managed by the Utah State Board of Regents and the Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority. To learn more about the Utah Educational Savings Plan, call 800.418.2551 or visit uesp.org.