Tom Macdonald is an Assistant Dean of the Woodbury School of Business. Mr. Macdonald has over 25 years’ experience in senior management including international, CEO and Board positions. He received the 2007 Businessman of the Year Award from the Provo/Orem Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Macdonald has served as a member of the Orem City Council since 2014 for the 2014-2018 term. He is a partner in several real estate projects; a former President / CEO of two Utah businesses; former VP International operations for a technology company and a personal care company; and a former Manager / CPA of Grant Thornton, an international CPA firm.
Mr. Macdonald is married to the former Kaye Mangum of Orem with 4 married children and 16 grand children.
Following a rich and storied career in business, philanthropy, and academia, Dr. Astrid S. Tuminez became the seventh president of Utah Valley University in 2018. She is the first woman to serve full-time as UVU president. Raised in the slums of the Philippines, Tuminez rose to become a world leader in the fields of technology and political science, most recently serving as an executive at Microsoft. She is also the former vice dean of Research and assistant dean of Executive Education at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.
SydneJacques (pronounced Jakes)is CEO of Next Level Leadership. She is an engineer turned professional speaker and consultant; often referred to as the “the engineer with a personality.” Sydne has built an award-winning company with clients as far away as Brazil and Japan, has trained over 20,000 individuals and has worked with more than 600 different teams.
Sydne is passionate about helping individuals and teams get to the next level by improving communication and building stronger trust. Sydne is currently writing a book that will be published in October.
Sydne currently serves on board of directors for the Utah Chapter of Women in Transportation and is the chair of the National Advisory Committee for the College of Civil Engineering at BYU. Sydne was recently selected as one of the 10 Coolest Entreprenuers by UV Biz Mag, as one of “30 Women to Watch” by Utah Business Magazine. She is proud to be the mother of 4 awesome kids, has a very patient husband and is a terrible golfer.
Ben Browning is the Vice Chairman and CEO at Bank of Utah. There, he has worked in several different roles in commercial lending, business optimization, retail, and leading the bank’s culture committee.
Ben received a BS degree in Business Management with an emphasis in Corporate Finance from BYU, an MBA from Utah State University, and graduated from the Pacific Coast Banking School.
He is a certified facilitator with Partners in Leadership, Get a Coach Be a Coach, and the Working Genius. Ben is also active in the community and industry serving on boards with Hale Centre Theatre, the Pacific Coast Banking School, and the Society of Bank Executives.
He and his wife, Katie, have three children.
Chris Washburn is the CEO and Owner of Ari Bikes Company. Born in Orem, UT, Chris graduated from BYU in Japanese and English, then earned his Juris Doctor and MBA degrees (summa cum laude) from BYU. He practiced corporate law and worked in the finance and planning divisions at Nissan Motor Corporation. He later joined EV Global Motors, a company started by Lee Iacocca (CEO of Ford and Chrysler corporations). He rose to president of the company and later helped Iacocca sell it. He joined Wavecrest Laboratories (Washington DC), led by 4-Star General Wesley Clark as VP/GM, focused on advanced mobility technologies for commercial and military markets.
Alex Dunn serves as Managing Partner for the Larry H. Miller Company (LHMCO). As part of the executive management team, Alex provides leadership throughout LHMCO’s portfolio of businesses and helps lead the organization’s growth and investment strategy.
Dunn most recently formed and served as the CEO of Executive Network Partnering Corporation (NYSE: ENPC), a special purpose acquisition entity, which led to the acquisition of Granite Ridge (NYSE: GRNT), a $1.2 billion non-operating oil and gas platform in October 2022. Dunn has also held key roles as the president of Vivint SmartHome (NYSE: VVNT), co-founder of Vivint Solar, deputy chief of staff to Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, entrepreneur in residence at General Catalyst Partners, and co-founder and CEO for Lavastorm.
Dunn earned his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. He and his wife, Debbie, reside in Provo, Utah, and have six children and two grandchildren.
Founder and Executive Chair of Mōdal Group.
Kreg is a serial founder of AI/software/hardware tech companies with multiple exits.
He currently serves as Executive Chair of Mōdal Group and EVject. Previously he founded SpinGo, an event management and promotion platform, and sold it to Events.com. He then founded Aktify, a conversational AI business that drove over $100 million in net new revenue for Vivint Smart Home and American Addiction Centers. He holds 12 awarded patents on 10 products, including RocketSocket, the autonomous EV charger, OneHitch, the autonomous trucking coupler, and EVject, the only safety EV connector for Tesla, Rivian, Ford, VW, and Hyundai.
Bud Scruggs is a co-founder of The Cynosure Group, a Salt Lake City based alternatives asset manager and advisor that makes long-term investments on behalf of families, foundations, and institutions. Bud spends most of his time investing in and working with profitable small to mid-sized companies.
Prior to founding Cynosure, Mr. Scruggs played a key leadership role as a senior executive at Leucadia National Corporation for over a decade.
Currently a director of Lendio, Fresh, Build Group, and Snowbird Ski Resort as well as several other boards, Bud has had an extensive career advising high-net-worth families and their respective companies. His wide-ranging background includes teaching political science at BYU, serving as Chief of Staff to Utah Governor Bangerter, and co-founding the Public Affairs Advisory Group. He earned a degree in Political Science and a JD from Brigham Young University.
Shawn D. Nelson founded Lovesac in 1998 and currently serves as the CEO of the company and as a member of the Board of Directors. Mr. Nelson is the lead designer of the company's patented products and oversees sourcing, creative design, public relations, investor relations, and company culture. In 2005, he won Richard Branson's "The Rebel Billionaire" on Fox and continues to make regular TV appearances. Mr. Nelson holds a Master's Degree in Strategic Design and Management and teaches at the graduate level at Parsons, The New School for Design in New York City. Additionally, he is fluent in Mandarin.
Tyler Howells is the founder and CEO of home luxury brand Cozy Earth, specializing in luxury bed linens, loungewear, sleepwear, bath linens, and more.
Tyler is originally from Orange County, California and served a two-year service mission in Melbourne, Australia where he became fluent in Mandarin Chinese. He currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah with his wife and 3 children. His family is a driving inspiration behind Cozy Earth’s mission to create the ultimate home sanctuary.
He founded Cozy Earth in 2010 and has spent the past 13 years working on the research and development of fine linens from all over the world. Tyler has spent years personally scouring the globe, working with each factory along the supply chain, from original fiber to finished product. This unique access has enabled Tyler to create one-of-a-kind products and institute positive change in the manufacturing of products for the home.
Cozy Earth has been named one of the fastest growing companies in the US by Inc 5000, and one of top 3 fastest growing consumer goods companies in Utah. The brand has been named one of "Oprah’s Favorite Things" 5 times in 5 different product categories. Their products are a favorite of celebrities, interior designers, and billionaires worldwide.
The brand boasts over 2 million customers and continues to grow. Their aim is to deliver for their customers ultimate sanctuary through life-changing luxury.
James Edwards is a dynamic leader and visionary, known for his unwavering commitment to faith, family, and business excellence. A god-fearing man with deep-rooted values, James is a devoted husband and father who believes in leading by example, both at home and in his professional life.
As the President of Sales at Alder Security—the world’s largest privately-owned security company—James has redefined success through a combination of innovation, integrity, and relentless drive. His leadership has not only fueled record-breaking growth but also cultivated a culture of high performance and accountability.
Beyond his executive role, James is a thriving entrepreneur and real estate investor, known for his strategic acumen and ability to spot untapped opportunities. His passions for ranching, gun training, jujitsu, running, and exercising underscore his disciplined approach to life, where personal mastery and physical fitness go hand in hand with professional achievement.
James Edwards' success makes him a respected figure in both business and personal circles.
SydneJacques (pronounced Jakes)is CEO of Next Level Leadership. She is an engineer turned professional speaker and consultant; often referred to as the “the engineer with a personality.” Sydne has built an award-winning company with clients as far away as Brazil and Japan, has trained over 20,000 individuals and has worked with more than 600 different teams.
Sydne is passionate about helping individuals and teams get to the next level by improving communication and building stronger trust. Sydne is currently writing a book that will be published in October.
Sydne currently serves on board of directors for the Utah Chapter of Women in Transportation and is the chair of the National Advisory Committee for the College of Civil Engineering at BYU. Sydne was recently selected as one of the 10 Coolest Entreprenuers by UV Biz Mag, as one of “30 Women to Watch” by Utah Business Magazine. She is proud to be the mother of 4 awesome kids, has a very patient husband and is a terrible golfer.
More info to come!
Alex Dunn serves as Managing Partner for the Larry H. Miller Company (LHMCO). As part of the executive management team, Alex provides leadership throughout LHMCO’s portfolio of businesses and helps lead the organization’s growth and investment strategy.
Dunn most recently formed and served as the CEO of Executive Network Partnering Corporation (NYSE: ENPC), a special purpose acquisition entity, which led to the acquisition of Granite Ridge (NYSE: GRNT), a $1.2 billion non-operating oil and gas platform in October 2022. Dunn has also held key roles as the president of Vivint SmartHome (NYSE: VVNT), co-founder of Vivint Solar, deputy chief of staff to Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, entrepreneur in residence at General Catalyst Partners, and co-founder and CEO for Lavastorm.
Dunn earned his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. He and his wife, Debbie, reside in Provo, Utah, and have six children and two grandchildren.
Bud Scruggs is a co-founder of The Cynosure Group, a Salt Lake City based alternatives asset manager and advisor that makes long-term investments on behalf of families, foundations, and institutions. Bud spends most of his time investing in and working with profitable small to mid-sized companies.
Prior to founding Cynosure, Mr. Scruggs played a key leadership role as a senior executive at Leucadia National Corporation for over a decade.
Currently a director of Lendio, Fresh, Build Group, and Snowbird Ski Resort as well as several other boards, Bud has had an extensive career advising high-net-worth families and their respective companies. His wide-ranging background includes teaching political science at BYU, serving as Chief of Staff to Utah Governor Bangerter, and co-founding the Public Affairs Advisory Group. He earned a degree in Political Science and a JD from Brigham Young University.
