2023 SGACC Foundation Gala Program

S T. G E O R G E A R E A C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E

6:00 pm

Red Carpet, Hors D'oeuvres, & Cash Bar

7:00 pm

Dinner Served

7:30 pm

Board of Directors Recognition

7:45 pm

Areté Awards Doug Watts Kelle Stephens Kent Perkins

8:15 pm

Dueling Pianos with 2 Grand Entertainment

9:00 pm

Event Concludes

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CHAMBER P L AT I N U M I N V E S T O R S

GOLD INVESTORS

S I LV E R I N V E S T O R S

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SPECIAL ST. GEORGE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVENTS COMMITTEE

ST. GEORGE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF GOVERNORS

ASHLEY DOVE

STEVEN BROUGH

The Advenire, Autograph Collection & wood. ash.rye (Committee Chair)

SHONIE CHRISTENSEN

The Shonie Insurance Group - Allstate

LAURA HIRSCHI InfoWest

NICOLE BRIGGS

Team Surge KW Realty

ANNIE SIMKINS

St. George Area Chamber of Commerce

SHAWN CHRISTENSEN

St. George Area Chamber of Commerce

ST. GEORGE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STAFF

Zions Bank (Chair)

BRAD STUCKI

Bank of Utah

BRETT BROWN

Dominion Energy

BRITTANY MCMICHAEL Greater Zion

BEN LINDQUIST

Canyon Media

BRIAN GILES

Jones Paint & Glass

CAROL HOLLOWELL

Switchpoint Community Resource Center

CHIP CHILDS SkyWest

ISAAC BARLOW Tech Ridge

SHAWN CHRISTENSEN

JOHN CANNON

ANNIE SIMKINS

JORDAN RUSHTON

NATE MARTINEZ

KRISTY PIKE

RIC LUPIANO

LORI WRIGHT

President & CEO

Director of Member Services Director of Operations & Policy Engagement Administrative Assistant

ST. GEORGE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SHONIE CHRISTENSEN

The Shonie Insurance Group - Allstate (Chair)

KYLE CASE

Huntsman World Senior Games (Past Chair)

BRAD HARKER

bradharker.com (Vice Chair)

ANNIE HOWELL

Watts Construction (Treasurer)

ASHLEY DOVE

The Advenire, Autograph Collection & wood.ash.rye

BRAD PLOTHOW Intergalactic

BROCK RASMUSSEN Stele

KURT IVIE

Mountain America Credit Union Dixie Tech

Washington County Children's Justice Center Family Healthcare

MARK PETERSON Altabank

MICHELE RANDALL St. George City

MILES HANSEN

World Trade Center Utah

MITCHELL CLOWARD

Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital

PATRICK MANNING

Black Desert Resort

RICHARD WILLIAMS

Utah Tech University

SHAUN SAMPSON

State Bank of Southern Utah

SHELLY HARRIS

Cache Valley Bank

SUZANNE OLIVER

Mountain America Credit Union

TIMOTHY ANDERSON Kirton McConkie

Washington City Council

MACRAE HEPPLER Eagle Gate Title

TASHA TOY

Utah Tech University

DANIELLE EDGREN

Cheesecake Culture

MATT HEATON

Elevated Networks

MATT RILEY Nomad

JOSHUA LITTLE

BEN BRATON

Photographer

LANGENHEIM CREATIVE GROUP Videographer

ADRIANA HOWARD, ADRIMADE Printed Marketing

PATCHES OF IRIS & VIOLETS Flowers

Dentons Durham Jones & Pinegar

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Congratulations

DOUG WATTS

For your many years of vision and leadership that has built a foundation that will continue to have a significant impact on the entire community.

At Watts Construction, we are proud of the mark Doug has made on this community in both building it and giving back. We are grateful for his leadership, commitment, and the impact he has made. He is the prime example that Experience Builds Excellence.

Kelle Stephens Former Dixie Technical College President

WATTSCONST.COM 6

2023 Areté Award Recipient

Congratulations

TO OUR NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEMBERS

DANIELLE EDGREN Cheesecake Culture

MATT HEATON

Elevated Networks

MATT RILEY Nomad

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The St. George Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the third annual Areté Awards.

Rooted deep in Greek history, Areté means excellence in all things. The notion of excellence was ultimately bound to the idea of complete fulfillment – the act of living up to one’s full potential.

The Areté Award recognizes business or community leaders of the highest caliber.

These leaders excel in their profession while dedicating their time and resources to the betterment of the St. George Area. They are leaders in the workplace, innovators in their industry, and assets to our community. We congratulate our 2023 Areté Awardees.

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Doug Dougie Watts

economic prosperity and legacy value

found his

to the community.

love of the outdoors in the foothills of Mt. Logan in Cache Valley. He found his love of building in the smell of his grandfather’s lumber yard and the blue collars of his father’s construction company.

With the promise of prosperity, he packed up his wife and three children and moved to Southern

Doug lent his expertise for positive growth through his many years representing economic development and other community functions. As a professional, he was Chairman of the Utah Associated General Contractors.

The greatest reward is looking back to the buildings he made; buildings the community uses to live and work in. Doug bores his grandchildren by pointing out every one of them.

Utah in 1985. He lives here with his

Doug is honored to receive an

proud and cute sweetheart B.

award from the St. George Area

Well known as pathologically honest and disagreeable, he is an unlikely collaborator in design and construction management and loves the deep relationships he develops through the design and build cycle. Many local buildings were designed and built by his companies. Indeed, Watts is the unrivaled leader for having built the most non-residential buildings in the County. Many of these have brought

Chamber of Commerce. He dearly loves Washington County and its people—the community that helped him along the way.

Doug loves to find creative ways to give back to the community. His favorite charity is Washington County Children’s Justice Center. In his honor, he requests that you join him in donating big to their new building coming in late 2023.

Kelle Kelle

from less than 100 to 684! Perhaps

Stephens

her most notable accomplishment is

was born in

the establishment of a permanent

Price, Utah.

campus for Dixie Technical College,

She owned

located on the former home of the

and operated

regional airport. The 160,000-square-

a Baskin-

foot newly constructed facility

Robbins for

was completed in the fall of 2017.

8 years and is very good at 2.5 oz

Its modern industrial architecture

scoops and decorating cakes in a

validates the students who pursue

hurry so they don't melt!

a technical college education and validates the importance of the

Kelle moved to St. George in 1991.

careers they pursue. She added

She received a BA from BYU and a

11,000 square feet of renovated

MSS from Utah State.

space to the campus from a gift from St. George City of the old airport

Her career started at what was

terminal. President Stephens always

then Dixie College as the director

held the bar high and expected only

of Custom Fit Training, a state-

the best from faculty and staff.

funded program to help businesses

They came through for her.

maintain their competitive edge through employee training and

She retired last May after a

development. After 18 years

30-year career in technical

in Custom Fit, Kelle was made

education, spending her

Vice-President of Instruction at

last 10 years as President

Dixie Tech, a position she held for

of Dixie Technical College.

2 years until 2012 when she was

Since retiring, she's

named President.

enjoying time with her husband of nearly 45 years,

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During her tenure, President

Larry, their 3 adult children

Stephens grew the college from

and spouses (Cade and

6 to 26 accredited programs,

Laurie Stephens, Leigh and

enrollment of certificate-seeking

Brecken Cox, and Amee

students grew from less than 200

and Landon Cameron) and

to over 1400, and graduates grew

11 grandchildren.

Kent Kent was born

Kent has served as member and Chair

in Ogden, Utah,

of the State Trails Advisory Board,

and was raised

adjunct member of the Virgin River

in Cheyenne,

Land Preservation Association, St.

Wyoming.

George Shade Tree and Beautification

He attended

Board, St. George Sports and Events

Brigham Young

Commission, member of NRPA and

University and

URPA, member and Chair of the BYU

earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in

Recreation Management Alumni

communications with an emphasis

Advisory Board, and member of

in broadcasting, and a Master's

the BYU Experience Management

of Recreation Education degree

Industry Advisory Board.

with an emphasis in municipal recreation administration.

Kent and his wife Lynne are the parents of six children and

Kent worked as the Assistant

grandparents to 18. He is an

Director of Parks and Recreation

avid BYU fan and enjoys golf,

for the City of Newark, Delaware,

gardening, photography,

taught Parks and Recreation courses

and hiking, church

as an adjunct at the University of

service, family

Delaware, served as Recreation

gatherings, and the

Supervisor for the Bucks County,

high quality of life

Pennsylvania, Department of Parks

in St. George.

and Recreation, and worked for Provo City Parks and Recreation, BYU Intramurals, and the U.S. Forest Service. Kent was then hired as St. George Leisure Services Director in 1982 and retired in 2017 after 35 years of service.

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E N T E R T A I N M E N T

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MICHAEL MASTROMATTEO

was

FL – Peanut Bar in Anchorage, AK - Elaine’s at

born in Grosse Pointe Michigan. He started playing

the Grove Park Inn in Ashville, NC – Wall Bangers

piano at the age of seven for family functions and

in Portland, OR - Blue Moon in Des Moines, IA -

talent shows.

Boogie Woogies in Boise, ID - Chopstix in Seattle, Tacoma, Everett WA – Sluggers in Chicago, IL -JD”s

After moving to Paradise California in 1977 he

Key Club in Pontiac and Port Huron, MI – Johnny

went on to get his degree in music from CSUC.

Foley’s in San Francisco, CA – The Swingin’ Door

Performing in bands, piano bars and restaurants

in San Mateo, CA – That Bar in Danville, CA – Gold

helped him pay his way through college.

Country casino in Oroville, CA - Piano Piano in Claremont, CA – Sgt. Pepper’s in Long Beach, CA -

After graduating in 1992 he performed in piano

Harrah’s, Mont Blu and Bills casinos in Lake Tahoe,

bars, pubs and cruise ships as a troubadour across

NV - New York New York, Harrah’s, Rio, Encore and

Europe and Scandinavia.

the Desert Inn casinos in Las Vegas, NV

In 1993 he started his career as a Dueling Piano

He has helped open seven Dueling Piano Bars been

Entertainer at little Ditty’s in Sacramento. His love

Entertainment Director for four and has trained

of performing for live audiences has kept him

many of the successful duelers performing today.

very busy for the past 20+ years. He has since performed for many Dueling Piano Bars across the

In 2004 he opened his own Dueling Piano Bar, “2

country such as Howl at the Moon in Miami, Ft.

Grand Saloon” in Old Sacramento.

Lauderdale, Orlando, FL - Royal Caribbean Cruise lines out of Miami and Los Angeles - Rum Runners

Currently he is now married to his lovely wife, of 10

in Lansing, MI, Grand Rapids, MI and Charlotte

years, Susie and is the proud father of two beautiful

NC – Stray Cats in Huston, TX - Rosie O’ Grady’s in

little girls, Ella and Ava. He is also the CEO of, “2

Pensacola, FL – Lucille’s in Milwaukee, WI - The Reef

Grand Entertainment” a company which Produces

in Boulder, CO – The Soiled Dove in Denver, CO –

Traveling Dueling Piano shows for private parties,

88 Key’s in Seattle, WA – Ernie Biggs in Little Rock,

corporate events, weddings, fund raisers, fairs,

AR - Karma in Ferndale, MI - 88’s in Hollywood,

casinos etc…

KYRA LÉON

to create music that helps people realize their own

is an Orlando FL based singer/

songwriter who uses her classical piano training into

potential and push past their limited beliefs. KYRA

a pop/rock urban sound that reflects her multi-

has been a dueling pianist for the past couple

cultural background. She started making music after

of years and worked at Disney and Universal as

building a following of over 47k Tiktok followers

an actor/singer. Her influences include Beyonce,

through creating videos and live-streaming during

Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Aerosmith, the

the pandemic. Her new fan base has inspired her

Temptations and Stevie Wonder.

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COMING AUGUST 31,16, 2023 COMING SEPTEMBER 2022

ABOUT THE

As a hub for businesses, the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to supporting its members, elevating the local economy and championing community prosperity.

SUPPORT OUR MEMBERS RESOURCES

TRAINING

NETWORKING

GOVERNMENT ADVOCACY

We deliver meaningful

We ensure our

We offer both in-person

The chamber works

business resources

members are at the

and digital networking

to defend businesses

to our members. The

“top of their game.”

to help businesses

against burdensome

Chamber has its pulse

Business owners,

connect. Weekly

regulations. Our staff

on the needs of the

managers, and staff

lunches, after-hours

and board works

business community

are able to access

networking and other

collaboratively with

and responds with

world-class seminars

events are designed

government leaders to

valuable resources

at our weekly lunches

to build meaningful

find ways to support

internally and through

and exclusive training

relationships. Members

a thriving economic

our vast networks of

that are only available

can also network

ecosystem that promotes

strategic partners.

to chamber members.

online through their

free-market competition

Chambermaster portal.

and innovation.

ELEVATE THE LOCAL ECONOMY

CHAMPION COMMUNITY PROSPERITY

The Chamber represents interests of over

The chamber believes that a strong economic

1,000 businesses and non-profit organizations

engine is crucial to a prosperous community.

that are directly impacted by the strength of

This engine is driven by both small businesses

the local economy. We work collaboratively

and large corporations. Together, we

with our local, state, and federal economic

identify issues that are barriers to economic

partners to grow the local economy, bring

opportunity and then develop strategies to

high-paying jobs, and increase prosperity to

move our community forward.

our community.

136 N 100 E, St George, UT 84770

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s t g e o r g e c h a m b e r. c o m

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435.628.1450