Forty under 40: rising stars.

AuthorOstling, Erik
PositionCover Story

What distinguishes an outstanding leader? If our second annual "40 Under 40" feature is any indication, then vision, grit and the drive to make a difference are essential qualities. In our quest to identify 40 of Utah's best and brightest business leaders under the age of 40, we were again overwhelmed by the quality of nominees we received. The result is an outstanding group of leaders in diverse fields of contribution. We hope you enjoy these brief glimpses into this galaxy of Utah's young "rising stars."

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* Rick Bartholomew (34)

John Bartholomew (33)

A-PLUS BENEFITS, CEO & CEO/Controller

Four years ago, Rick and John catalyzed a major revision in their company's business plan. The new vision led to the largest increase in revenue in the 14-year history of the company. A-Plus has been recognized as one of Utah's top 25 revenue-growth companies for the past five years. FAVORITE RESTAURANT: P.F. Chang's; Joe's Crab Shack FIRST JOB: Paper route; Bagger at Smith Food King LAST BOOK READ: Lord of the Rings; Cabela's Limited Edition Catalog

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* Scott Beck (36)

COMPHEALTH, president, Physician Staffing Division

Beck runs the largest operating division at CompHealth, one of the nation's largest healthcare staffing companies. The youngest president in the company, Beck leads a team of 175 employees. In his spare time, he is a heliskier, marathon runner, soccer coach and active Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer. FIRST JOB: Running a lawnmowing business he started with his brother FAVORITE RESTAURANT: Fresco LAST BOOK READ: The Agony and the Ecstasy, by Irving Stone

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* Barbara Bagnasacco (33)

BALLARD SPAHR ANDREWS & INGERSOLL, LLP, attorney

Bagnasacco holds two law degrees, one from Europe (with highest honors from the University of Turin) and one from the U.S. She has developed a significant M & A and corporate finance practice and handles sophisticated international and domestic transactions. She chaired the Utah State Bar International Law section for 2001-02, and as part of her M & A practice, assists the Wayne Brown Institute in mentoring U.S. and international companies seeking venture capital. FIRST JOB: As an instructor of memory-improving techniques FAVORITE RESTAURANT: Fresco LAST BOOK READ: Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture, by Ross King

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* Lauren Barros (36)

LAUREN R. BARROS, P.C., president/owner

Barros has worked with agencies including the Disability Law Center, the Anti-Discrimination and Labor Division of the Utah Labor Commission, and Utah Legal Services. She has also been an Adjunct Instructor for the U of U Graduate School of Social Work and Women's Studies department, and presents several lectures a year, in Utah and nationally. She volunteers as a Small Claims Court judge in the Third District Court, Salt Lake County, and is a volunteer rescue member with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Team. FIRST JOB: Read books out loud at a day care center for low-income kids LAST BOOK READ: The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown ("good book, bad ending")

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* Shauna Bona (38)

MCKINNON-MULHERIN, INC., co-president

Since its inception in 1997, McKinnon-Mulherin has grown steadily, and most recently ranked number 39 on the MountainWest Venture Group's Utah 100. Company co-founders credit Bona with helping their company fill an important niche in information design consulting. Bona's volunteer activities include work with the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault and as a mentor for the University of Utah Honors Department. FIRST JOB: Babysitter FAVORITE RESTAURANT: Bombay House LAST BOOK READ: The Question of Bruno, by Aleksandar Hemon

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* Michelle DeCol (34)

Chris Eaves (35)

COGBOX, partners

In 1997, Michelle and Chris started their advertising agency out of a storage closet in a warehouse with no electricity. Seven years later, they've turned Cogbox into an award-winning agency emphasizing a "hands-on," personal approach to logo design, web development and online marketing. Michelle is on the board of the Salt Lake chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts. Chris contributes to the OldTimers, a think tank of longtime members of the interactive marketing community. FIRST JOB: Meyer's Chicken; dishwasher at Po' Folks, FAVORITE RESTAURANT: El Farol; Lemongrass LAST BOOK READ: Desert Queen, by Janet Wallach; Hobo, by Eddy Joe Cotton

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* Dan Cookson (36)

IASSESSMENT, co-founder/COO

One in five U.S. K-12 teachers and administrators now use the award-winning Web-based education technologies from iAssessment. Cookson has taught as an adjunct faculty member in the University of Utah MBA program, and a nominator cites his abilities as an excellent problem-solver, listener and communicator. FIRST JOB: Dishwasher and bus boy at Gray Cliff Lodge in Ogden Canyon FAVORITE RESTAURANT: Suehiro Sushi LAST BOOK READ: Who Moved My Cheese?, by Spencer Johnson

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* Carrie Dunn (34)

STRATEGEX INTEGRATED MARKETING, president

Since taking over the former Holt & Dunn Communications in 2000 and renaming the entity Strategex, Dunn has grown the company to over $2 million in billings. A former president of the Utah chapters of the Public Relations Society of America and the National Association of Women Business Owners, Dunn's volunteer service includes work with People Helping People and Junior Achievement. FIRST JOB: Attendant at a hydrotube water slide FAVORITE RESTAURANT: Tuscany LAST BOOK READ: The Five Temptations of a CEO, by Patrick M. Lencioni

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* Chris Dallin (33)

DAVIS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, president/CEO

President of the Davis Chamber since 1997, Dallin has increased membership from 600 to more than 1,000. Currently pursuing his MBA at Weber State, Dallin is also an executive producer of cable television, including the 2000 documentary "The Bear River Massacre." His community involvement includes service on the board of the Davis Arts and Humanities Council; he is also a certified Scuba diver. FIRST JOB: Changing sprinkler pipes FAVORITE RESTAURANT: Christopher's in Bountiful LAST BOOK READ: High in Utah: A Hiking Guide to the Tallest Peak in Each of the State's Twenty-Nine Counties, by Michael R. Weibel and Dan Miller

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* James Detjen (27)

SCENEMAKERS...

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