People on the Move.

Career Moves of Utah's Decision Makers

SHELLEY THOMAS was recently named senior director of communications and public affairs for the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Previously, Thomas was senior vice president of communications for the Salt Lake Olympics 2002 Organizing Committee. Prior to that, she was vice president of public affairs for Smith's Food and Drug Centers Inc., and before that, a KSL-TV newscaster for 13 years. Thomas serves on the board of directors of Zionsbancorporation, and the corporate boards of the Regents Group of Portland, Ore. She is a member of the International Women's Forum and a former trustee at the University of Utah.

Mapleton resident MERRILL GAPPMAYAR has been elected to the American Hospital Association's Board of Trustees for a four-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2001. Gappmayer is a member of the executive committee of the IHC Board of Trustees and chairs the 23-member Regional Governing Board for IHC's Utah County hospitals -- Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, Orem Community Hospital and American Fork Hospital. Gappmayar's involvement as a healthcare volunteer spans more than two decades and includes service on the Utah Hospital Association Board and chairmanship of the AHA's committee on governance and leadership development.

CHRISTOPHER NELSON was named public relations officer for the University of Utah's John A. Moran Eye Center. He previously served as a public relations specialist for the U of U's Health Sciences Center. Nelson will coordinate the eye center's communication and marketing operations.

JAMES A. VALED was named vice president of strategic operations and general counsel of Gentner Communications Corp. Valeo will be responsible for directing Gentner's merger and acquisition efforts and will be responsible for developing relationships with original equipment manufacturers and other strategic partners. He will serve as the company's general counsel and corporate secretary.

The law firm of Jones Waldo Holbrook & McDonough PC is pleased to announce that D. JAMES MORGAN has recently been named chairman of the Utah State Bar's Labor and Employment Section. Morgan graduated in 1988 from the University of Utah with a bachelor's degree in history. In 1991, he received his juris doctorate from the University of Utah College of Law, where he was a William H. Leary Scholar. He focuses his practice in the areas of employment/labor relations and commercial litigation.

JOHN RUCH, president and chief...