United States
The Executive Committee
Stanley B. Parrish
As president of the Utah Friends of AMAR Board, Stan Parrish brings a wealth of expertise and experience including former President/CEO Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce; CEO of the Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce; Chief of Staff for U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch; Deputy Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration; and Exec. Director of the Dept. Of Community and Economic Development for Governor Norm Bangerter. He’s served on numerous boards and positions in government, collegiate, and church settings. Stan has owned or been involved with seven businesses, attended the University of Utah, earned an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Salt Lake Community College, and received the Emeritus Award of Honor from the University of Utah Alumni Board.
Sharlene W. Hawkes
Sharlene is the President/Founder of Remember My Service Military Productions working with the Department of Defense to publish and distribute major commemorative publications and documentaries. Previously, she was Chief Marketing Officer for the parent company StoryRock, VP of Communications for MonaVie, COO Best of State Awards, President of Hawkes Communications, and one of the first award-winning female sportscasters for ESPN. She graduated magna cum laude from BYU and earned her Master’s degree in Organizational Communication from the University of Utah. She was appointed by the Secretary of Defense to the Defense Advisory Committee for Women in the Services, and is the only foreign-born Miss America. She has 4 children, and 2 grandchildren.
Kent M. Bowman
Kent, a former audit partner at Tanner LLC, has 34 years of audit, M&A, and business experience. He served numerous public and private companies in the software, real estate, distribution, manufacturing, retail, technology, hospitality, and transportation industries. His skills include SEC financial reporting, mergers and acquisitions, multi-location engagements, corporate finance transactions, litigation support services, and providing expert testimony in accounting and financial reporting areas. Kent earned his MPA at the University of Utah, magna cum laude. Kent’s professional associations include the Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants, U of U School of Accountancy advisory board, Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, the Guadalupe Schools board of directors, a Utah Technology Council trustee, and the Utah Parent Center.
D. Louise Brown
Louise is a veteran journalist with 40 years experience in government reporting, feature and research articles, magazine and online content, public relations, outreach campaigns and events, philanthropy relations, editing, and video production. She’s an award-winning columnist who also interviews, writes, and publishes people’s life histories. Louise served two terms on Logan City Council, on the Utah League of Cities and Town board of directors, and on the Utah Local Governments Trust board of directors. After 14 years as Public Relations Director at LDS Business College, Louise focused her cumulative skills to work as a volunteer communications liaison between AMAR’s London and Utah groups. She and her husband, John, have 4 children and 9 grandchildren.
Leon P. Hammond
Leon’s eclectic history includes positions in multiple industries and sectors. He has worked in a small, privately held company and the corporate headquarters of General Motors. He consulted on business ethics and the development of a global code of corporate social responsibility. He worked in the advancement office of Drew University in New Jersey, was a research associate at the University of Utah, and the executive director of a startup health promotion nonprofit. For nearly 25 years he has served on the Clinical Ethics Committee of the oldest hospital in Utah, St. Mark’s in Salt Lake City. Leon has also been a stay-at-home father. An Episcopalian for more than 40 years, he is an advisor to the Department of Public Health of Brigham Young University and a member of its MPH Curriculum Committee. Leon holds three degrees: an MPhil in Religious Ethics from Yale University, an MBA from Harvard University, and a BA in English from Princeton University.
The Board
Amy Rees Anderson
Amy has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes magazine, Inc. magazine, USA Today, Bloomberg Businessweek and others for her entrepreneurial success as founder and CEO of MediConnect Global, a software company acquired in 2012 for $377 million. She is Managing Partner and Founder of Rees Capital, focusing on angel investing with young, start-up businesses. She is the author of “What Awesome Looks Like,” and is in demand as a speaker, respected mentor, and lecturer at universities and various organizations.
Jesselie B. Anderson
Well known for her lifetime of community service, Jesselie served on the Salt Lake Community College Board of Trustees, Utah System of Higher Education Board of Regents, Utah Valley University National Advisory Board, and is Co-chair of Utah First and the Governor’s Mansion Foundation. She received her Bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Utah in 1968 before beginning a 12-year career with Utah’s congressional delegation in Washington, D.C. After marrying Scott Anderson, they lived in Tokyo for seven years, and later moved to Utah with Zion’s Bank. Jesselie joined the Utah Symphony/Utah Opera Board of Trustees in September 2013, and was elected to serve as one of three Vice Chairs beginning September 2019.
Bruce B. Bingham
Bruce is a founding partner of Hamilton Partners and heads the Salt Lake City office as Managing Partner, directing all aspects of development including industrial, retail and multi-family. Prior to joining Hamilton Partners, Bruce was a partner with Trammell Crow Company, one of the nation’s preeminent real estate development firms, based in Chicago. He was responsible for development, leasing, and management of suburban industrial properties. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University, followed by an MBA from Northwestern University. He has serves on the board of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, as Chair of the Downtown Alliance, President of the Days of ’47 Pioneer Celebration, and in many other state and civic capacities.
Lew W. Cramer
As Utah CEO for Colliers International, Lew is part of the fastest-growing publicly listed commercial real estate company in the world. Lew serves on various private and public boards. In 2016, Governor Gary R. Herbert appointed Lew to the Utah Transportation Commission where he currently serves as a Commissioner-at-Large. Previously Lew served as the founding CEO of the World Trade Center Utah. In this capacity, Lew helped grow international trade and investment in America’s fastest-growing state economy. He also served as the Director General of the U.S. Commercial Service and Assistant U.S. Commerce Secretary of International Trade, leading the U.S.’s global team of 1,400 commercial officers at embassies worldwide. He is a graduate of the BYU Law School.
Adrienne Jack
Adrienne Jack is an attorney at Kirton McConkie where she practices estate planning, tax, and charitable giving. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Business Management and Northwestern Law. She worked at a law firm in Washington, D.C. for five years before moving back home to Utah. She likes hiking and playing board games with her husband and four kids.
Scott and Karen Keller
Scott and Karen own and manage Keller Investment Properties, LLC, one of the largest single-private apartment owners in the western United States. Scott’s personal portfolio includes hotels, retail centers, student housing, senior housing, assisted living, and private equity. He is widely sought as a real estate consultant to other businesses. The Kellers are active in community service, including serving on the Hale Center Theatre Board, and have been active political supporters ever since serving on the “Romney for President” finance committee. They have hosted the vice president of the United States, several United States senators, and several governors in their home as part of their influential contribution.
Derek B. Miller
Derek is President and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Alliance. He leads the business community in advocating Utah’s economic growth. He serves as Chairman of the Inland Port Authority, and previously as President and CEO of the World Trade Center Utah. He served as Chief of Staff to Governor Gary Herbert and as Managing Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Derek started his career in Washington, D.C. as a management consultant with Arthur Andersen and as legal counsel in the U.S. House of Representatives. He’s a graduate of the BYU Law School and holds a Master of Public Administration from the Romney Institute of Public Management at BYU.
C. James Olson
A retired Colonel, Jim was the Executive Officer to the Principle Assistant for Research and Technology at the U.S. Army Medical and Materiel Command. He promoted the advancement of medical technology research and Army medical materiel readiness worldwide. He served as a Battalion Commander in Korea, Chief of Staff at the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center and the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency, and COO at the Telemedicine Research Laboratory. A member of the Order of Military Medical Merit, Jim received the Legion of Merit Award. Currently the Director of Business Development of the Center for Rehabilitation Sciences Research at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Jim is active on multiple boards.
Joyce M. Parrish
Joyce has been a valuable resource to the state and community, serving in numerous roles. She served in the Jr. League of Salt Lake City, as a member of the Board of Directors of the Utah Children’s Museum, Sundance Film Festival Board of Directors, and on the UVU Woodbury School of Business National Advisory Board. She and Stan are the proud parents of 6 children and 18 grandchildren.
James D. Thayer
James Thayer is a Managing Director and Chief Legal Officer at Clarke Capital Partners, LLC. James has a unique background and skill set that include both entrepreneurship and technical deal execution. He is the founder of Unifylegal, the principal of a software company PigeonShip. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from BYU, and graduated from Duke University School of Law with a Juris Doctor and a Master’s Degree in International and Comparative Law. He spent many years working internationally, including as an Executive Director and a Senior Counsel for Goldman Sachs in their London office.
