Iomega Shocks Utah, Will Move to West Coast

Disk drive maker Iomega shocked its employees and the Northern Utah community of Roy that has been its home by announcing that it will move its headquarters to an undisclosed location on the West Coast. The announcement came last Thursday amid announcements of the company's performance during the last quarter and just one month after it hired a new President and CEO Werner Heid. News reports indicate that the company's Chairman, LDS Church member David Dunn, and Heid both live in San Diego, California.

Marriott Tells New York Times Faith and Family Most Important

In a telling essay in the New York Times' "The Boss" column, Marriott International CEO and LDS Church member J. W. "Bill" Marriott Jr. credits his faith in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the hard work that his father taught him for helping him reach his success. The Times' "The Boss" column gives CEOs a chance to tell about the biggest influences and accomplishments of their lives.

Pageant Vendors Cry Fowl at Quickly-Passed Nauvoo Regulations

The Nauvoo City Council rushed a new ordinance into law July 10th, requiring street vendors to have a city license and $300,000 in insurance. But at least one local businessman is crying fowl, saying that the regulation, whose requirements are still not clear, was passed before objections could be considered and without enough lead time for the vendors to make arrangements to comply.

MSI: Subscriber Adds Oil States to MSI

While the MSI managed a small loss for the week, Mormon News subscriber Jonathan Felt pointed out that Oil States International should be included in the index because its chairman, L.E. Simmons is Mormon. In spite of adding Oil States to the index, the MSI fell 0.86 (0.7%) for the week, less than the NASDAQ, but not as good as the Dow Jones and New York Stock Exchange, both of which eeked out small gains.

The Church Flag(TM) Flies Again

Now members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints have a flag of their own to raise high and rally around thanks to a new flag souvenir business. John T. Wardle, owner of The Church Flag(TM), has created a new business using an historical Mormon flag design. "Flags have always been a part of the church's history, however, they've never been widely discussed or acknowledged," states Mr. Wardle.

Business News Briefs

EarthShell's Big Mac Container in More McDonalds Restaurants

EarthShell Corp. announced last week that McDonalds had given it the go-ahead to supply all 465 Chicago-area McDonald's restaurants with its new Big Mac containers. The environmentally-friendly containers have been used in more than 10 million sandwiches served in more than 100 McDonalds so far. EarthShell expects that McDonalds will ask for the containers to be used in restaurants on the West Coast this fall, increasing the total number of restaurants using the container to over 1,000.

Jet Blue Founder Neeleman Launching Southern Utah Resort

David Neeleman, founder of New York-based Jet Blue Airways, has joined with his brother and real estate firm Claudia Klawe & Associates to expand Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort with a second home community. The 32-home development includes paved access, water, sewer, electricity, and fiber-optic telephone hook-ups and borders Zion National Park. The resort is built from a 10,000-acre ranch purchased by Neeleman's grandparents, Ray and Ruth Lewis.

Var Reeve New CEO and President of EmergeCore

BYU graduate Var Reeve has been appointed the new CEO and president of EmergeCore Networks, a next-generation networking firm located in Salt Lake City Utah. Reeve replaces Steven G. Clegg, one of the company's founders, who resigned last week. Reeve was president and CEO of Western Electronics, which he brought out of bankruptcy to earning $80 million in sales in 18 months. Before working for Western Electronics, Reeve successfully managed and strategically led two start-up manufacturing companies. He has a B.A. in international relations and an M.B.A. from Brigham Young University.

Ayer Chosen as Planning Director in Gilford, New Hampshire

John Ayer, a New Hampshire native educated at BYU, was selected Thursday, July 26th as the new planning director for Gilford. Ayer has been community development director for the city of Pleasant Grove, Utah, and will begin working in Gilford sometime in mid August. He fills a three-month-long vacancy. Ayer has both a bachelors degree in community and regional planning and a masters degree in public administration from Brigham Young University. Fr the past 10 years, Ayer has worked in Utah in both public and private planning positions.

LDS-owned Farm in Water Dispute

Officials of Saginaw County, Michigan gave the managers of an LDS Church-owned farm until Monday to come up with proposals for cutting their water use. The county is reacting to complaints from local homeowners whose wells are going dry as an underground aquifer is being drained. Affected homes are in Fremont, Lakefield and Richland townships, while the LDS Church-owned farm is in Lakefield Township. An attorney representing the Church-owned farm said that he will submit a plan by the deadline, "We've tried to be very responsive to the request and the demands of the county," said Brent W. Schindler, an Auburn lawyer representing the church.The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting a $100,000 hydrogeologic review, due in September, to monitor water levels and find out what's causing property owners' problems. In the meantime, officials from both farms have said they are also conducting their own studies. Schindler said his client's study shows a "minimal" impact on the aquifer. In some cases, neighbors need to drill deeper wells; in others "we have a number of wells there that are older," he said. Schindler said the church has taken water tanks around to some neighbors and dropped the water-hungry sugar beet crop it grew last year. Now, it grows beans and corn.

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