Utah Ethical Leadership Awards

2017 Utah Ethical Leadership Awards

The David Eccles School of Business Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative, the Daniels Fund and the Community Foundation of Utah honored ten companies, nonprofits and government agencies at the fourth annual Utah Ethical Leadership Awards on Sept. 8, 2017.

The awards recognize organizations that embody the spirit of ethical leadership exhibited by Bill Daniels, a founder of the modern cable industry and former owner of the Utah Stars. Daniels believed deeply in ethics and integrity, and the importance of absolute ethical principles. An exceptionally honest businessman, Daniels always based his decisions on what he believed was right — not just what he thought was best for himself or his company. This attitude earned him respect and loyalty throughout the business world.

“The Utah Ethical Leadership Awards recognize Utah businesses, nonprofit organizations and government entities that embody best practices in ethical behaviors,” said Governor Gary Herbert. “The finalists and awardees are a great representation of Utah’s principle-based ethical leadership.”

This year’s awards honor 10 organizations — three winners and seven finalists — who embody that spirit. This year’s winners are Tink’s Superior Auto Parts (Business), The Lowell Bennion Community Service Center (Government) and Big Brothers, Big Sisters (Nonprofit). The winners were announced at a breakfast celebration on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. in the Bill and Pat Child Family Community Hall at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business. All finalists were invited to attend the breakfast.

The awards program is sponsored by the Daniels Fund, the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative at the David Eccles School of Business, the Community Foundation of Utah, Utah Business Magazine and the Center for Public Policy and Administration at the University of Utah. Winners exhibit exemplary demonstration of the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Principles:

• Integrity – Act with honesty in all situations
• Trust – Build trust in all stakeholder relationships
• Accountability – Accept responsibility for all decisions
• Transparency – Maintain open and truthful communications
• Fairness – Engage in fair competition and create equitable and just relationships
• Respect – Honor the rights, freedoms, views and property of others
• Rule of Law – Comply with the spirit and intent of laws and regulations
• Viability – Create long-term value for all relevant stakeholders

About the Winners

Tink’s Superior Auto Parts is a family-owned business whose business is customer service; it just happens to be in the auto parts industry. President and owner Gary B. Holyoak is known in Southern Utah as “Honest Gary” because of years of transparent and open transactions with customers at the company’s five stores throughout Red Rock Country. Recently, a NAPA store in a nearby community was going under, and Gary learned that the owner had quite serious cancer. Though Tink’s could have financially benefited to let the competitor go out of business, Gary bought the store for much more than it was worth. I’ve been told that he would not want this to be public knowledge, but this is even more of a reason we are excited to announce Tink’s Superior Auto Parts, this year’s winners of the Bill Daniels Ethical Leadership Award in Business.

For 30 years, The Lowell Bennion Community Service Center has fostered lifelong service and civic participation by engaging students at the University of Utah with the greater community through action, change and learning. The Bennion Center builds learning communities by creating a safe space for diverse perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. It works to communicate honestly and with integrity, and to treat others with compassion and understanding. The Bennion Center has sponsored thousands of community service projects over the years and its impact on the people of Utah cannot be overstated. Congratulations to the Lowell Bennion Center, winners of the Bill Daniels Ethical Leadership Award in the government category.

Big Brothers, Big Sisters has an ambitious mission: to provide Utah children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported, one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. This mission is not taken lightly. To accomplish this, the nonprofit facilitates and supports one-to-one mentoring for children facing multiple risk factors and few protection factors through recruiting and training mentors — a Big Brother or Big Sister. These mentoring matches are actively supported for the life of the match, with the goal to have the match last for at least 12 months. The organization also believes in transparency at every level from its youths, parents, mentors and staff. Recently Big Brothers, Big Sisters instituted a system of two-way reviews, monthly check-in meetings and semi-annual reviews. This structure promotes ongoing open and honest communications so staff members feel supported and invested in. Congratulations to Big Brothers, Big Sisters, winners of the Bill Daniels Ethical Leadership Award in the nonprofit category.