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This is Chris Redgrave for Zions Bank Speaking on Business.
Utah and Idaho are the place to be for business. Forbes Magazine has recognized Utah as the best state for business and careers for three years, and CNBC listed Idaho as one of its top states for business in 2013. It's all happening because dynamic business owners are stepping up are bringing their innovation to the business community.
Today, we would like to honor 14 companies in Utah and Idaho we featured during 2013 on "Speaking on Business." These businesses have demonstrated excellence in many areas but especially business development, innovation and community involvement.
• Kurt Larson started Salt Lake City-based Resource Management, Inc. a professional employer organization, which is now the human resources arm for multiple businesses, 24 years ago. Their staff of 60 is now handling almost 10,000 employees in 48 states. Their three main functions are handling payroll, human resources and benefits. • At Zane Prep, math is everything for this supplemental science, technology, engineering and math program... Founder Paul Zane Pilzer says Zane Prep's flagship program, Zane Math, takes around 60 concepts, based on the common core and breaks them into 12 different levels for kindergarten through eighth grade students. Each child takes an assessment to determine what they already understand and which concepts they're struggling with so the program is individualized. • Rainy Riding never guessed that when her grandfather took her fly fishing at age five, that she had found her life passion and what would become her livelihood...But Rainy has invented over 750 of her own fly-tying patterns....Today, Rainy's Flies, the only female-owned fly-tying company in the world, is selling their flies worldwide. Rainy heads the operation in Thailand while business partner Ellen Clark heads their Logan operation. • When it came time for Terry Murphy's two daughters to go to college, she learned the funding source for their education wasn't going to come through. So, in one month, she opened Bellissimo to finance her daughters' education. Over twenty years later, Bellissimo has not only put Terry's daughters through two universities each but has also become an iconic business in Ketchum with clients who come from all over the world to visit the world famous Sun Valley resort. • As a sixth-generation Idaho resident, Michael Ballantyne's commitment to the Gem State runs deep. He is also a third-generation real estate broker. Working at Thornton Oliver Keller in Boise, Idaho the primary thing he sells is dirt. He's sold land to major corporations like Micron and Costco and helps them see why Idaho might be a great fit for them.
Keep listening tomorrow to hear about more of our Top Businesses for 2013.
For Zions Bank, I'm Chris Redgrave, speaking on business.
