The Utah Jazz have extended their losing skid to three games with a loss against the Golden State Warriors. The final score was 114-123.
Utah
Powering Futures — Utah’s Manufacturing Leaders Shape Next-Gen Workforce and Innovation
Salt Lake City, Utah — October 31, 2025
On October 30, KolobX convened nearly 300 industry leaders, innovators, and educators in downtown Salt Lake City for Powering Futures — Advanced Manufacturing & Next-Gen Leadership, an event focused on empowering the next generation of builders, engineers, and manufacturers.
The event brought together key stakeholders across Utah’s manufacturing and aerospace ecosystem — including small businesses, large corporations, educators, and students — to explore workforce development, technology adoption, and collaborative innovation.
Leaders from Northstar Photonics, 47G, and Utah Manufacturers Association explored the opportunities and challenges shaping this next-generation workforce.
A Small State with Big Potential
Utah’s small size is both an advantage and a challenge. Caroline Chapdelaine, CEO of Northstar Photonics, noted that “we can reach out to just about anyone in the state very easily — get the help we need, find the suppliers we need, or recruit people for our workforce. That gets me excited as a business owner, but it also scares me because there’s not a huge workforce to tap into when I expand.”
Chapdelaine highlighted Utah’s tight-knit business culture and growing ecosystem: “We have such a wonderful culture here. As we bring outsiders in, we can show them the Utah way and integrate them into what is a very nice, tight-knit family.” She emphasized the role of local universities, such as Utah State University and the University of Utah, in supporting workforce development through specialized labs and hands-on collaboration.
Johnny Ferry, President and CEO of Utah Manufacturers Association, added perspective on scale: “Many think of manufacturing as just a building with smoke stacks, but that’s only the primary manufacturer. In Utah, there are over 5,000 registered primary manufacturing businesses. But the broader ecosystem — including supply chain, R&D, distribution, warehousing, quality, and regulatory compliance — encompasses more than 85,000 registered businesses. That’s where Utah’s GDP and economic impact really come from.”
Modern Jobs in a High-Tech Landscape
The manufacturing workforce has been transformed by technology. Kori Ann Edwards, Chief Strategy Officer of 47G, said that “AI, robotics, and automation have created entirely new roles. Instead of performing manual tasks, people are now managing machines, analyzing data, and solving complex problems. This attracts a new kind of talent, elevates wages, and makes manufacturing much more engaging than it was before.”
Ferry illustrated this with a concrete example: “A chocolate company from San Francisco needed a new technology to produce single-serve packets. By partnering with the state and securing a grant, we brought the technology to Utah and trained local staff. The machines now produce 250–300 packets per minute. Not only did we land the business, but the ripple effects benefit employees and consumers alike.”
Chapdelaine added, “If students and young professionals can see the impact of their work — that they make a difference — they’re more likely to want to enter the field.”
Connecting Students to Industry
Programs that expose students to the industry are central to workforce development. Edwards described several statewide initiatives: “Talent Ready Utah bridges industry with the Utah System of Higher Education. It ensures companies are connected to the skills students are learning. We also have Pathways programs for internships in aerospace, defense, and manufacturing, and K–12 computer science initiatives to get kids excited early.”
Events like next week’s 47G’s Zero Gravity Summit bring these initiatives to life. Edwards explained, “We’re inviting 1,000 students — 700 college students and 700 high school students — to participate. Every university can send 75 students at no cost. The goal is exposure and inspiration, showing students that manufacturing is high-tech, creative, and impactful.”
Ferry highlighted inclusivity: “We recently participated in a program for students on the autism spectrum interested in manufacturing. Many roles are repetitive and structured — ideal for a range of skills. Grants are available to support manufacturers who want to participate, giving these students meaningful pathways into the workforce.”
Chapdelaine also stressed creativity as a critical skill: “Creative people thrive in this industry. They like to see something go from nothing to something. Exposure and hands-on experience are key to attracting the next generation.”
Bridging Gaps in Collaboration
Despite its strengths, Utah’s ecosystem faces challenges connecting small businesses with large corporations. Chapdelaine observed, “As small business owners, we know how to stick together and support each other. The state does a great job with programs, and 47G has built a strong ecosystem. But bridging the gap between small businesses and companies like Boeing or Northrop is hard. They live in DC and often forget that their supply chain depends on us.”
Edwards emphasized participation: “There are many programs and opportunities, but if you’re not involved, that’s the gap. Join advisory boards at tech colleges, engage with associations like UAMMI or 47G, and make sure your voice is heard. Institutions can adapt quickly to meet industry needs, but only if businesses participate.”
Ferry also highlighted opportunity in the broader ecosystem: “The scale of Utah manufacturing is immense. You can work anywhere in the ecosystem — supply chain, R&D, operations, distribution — and you’re part of manufacturing. But the more businesses collaborate, the stronger the ecosystem becomes.”
State Support and Forward Momentum
State programs have been central to Utah’s manufacturing resurgence. Edwards and Ferry cited initiatives such as the Modern Manufacturing Nation grants, R&D tax credits, and Talent Ready Utah, which provide both financial incentives and structured pipelines to prepare the workforce.
Edwards concluded, “The state is being very intentional. With these programs, students get exposure, businesses get skilled employees, and the ecosystem grows stronger every year.”
Utah’s manufacturing sector is at a crossroads of technology, talent, and collaboration. Chapdelaine said it best: “If anyone can solve the challenge of connecting small businesses to big corporations consistently, it would be transformative for Utah’s manufacturing ecosystem.”
In response to Chapdelaine’s insight, KolobX is actively pursuing frameworks to bridge this critical gap, linking innovation to scale.
Founded by Jakob Noble in 2025 and headquartered in Lehi, Utah, KolobX is a Global Strategic Intelligence & Integration Firm. It curates tactical engagements and implements actionable solutions that advance integrated operations across industries and regions. The organization also forms working groups focused on energy & grid innovation, municipal deployment strategy, infrastructure policy & permitting, and youth & workforce engagement. Katherine Gottfredson is a key collaborator and advisor.
The organization also pilots strategic partnerships with municipalities, tech companies, and global development leaders, creating opportunities for participants to move beyond panels and shape real-world outcomes.
More information about Zero Gravity Summit:
47G | Utah Aerospace & Defense is set to host the 2025 Zero Gravity Summit, large gatherings focused on the future of national security, defense innovation, aerospace, energy resilience and advanced air mobility systems. The two-day summit will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 4 – Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. It will convene leaders at the Salt Palace in downtown Salt Lake City from the Department of Defense, major aerospace companies, startup founders, investors, energy innovators and policymakers to discuss emerging technologies that are transforming how the U.S. leads on the global stage.
Register at zerogravitysummit.com
Salt Palace Convention Center | 100 S.W. Temple St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Speakers will include:
- Spencer Cox, State of Utah Governor
- Jen Easterly, former Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- Nikki Haley, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Governor of South Carolina
- Dmytro Kushneruk, Consul General of Ukraine
- Peyton Manning, NFL Hall of Famer and entrepreneur
- Aaron Starks, 47G President and CEO
- Brad Wilson, CEO of Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Read about TechBuzz‘ coverage of last year’s inaugural 2024 Zero Gravity Summit.
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LINDON — A Ukrainian family now living in Lindon that fled the violent war in the European nation now potentially faces separation, with two family members fearing deportation.
The turn of events — not the first time the family has contended with uncertainty — represents another twist in implementation of immigration policy under President Donald Trump and his crackdown on immigrants in the country.
Indeed, the Lindon family isn’t alone — other Ukrainian immigrants are contending with similar issues, according to representatives from Utah groups that aid Ukrainians.
“We can’t understand why because we didn’t break any laws,” said Yurii Ahieiev, facing deportation along with his 7-year-old daughter, Viktoriia Ahieieva. While the man’s wife and two older sons successfully applied for permission to remain in the country, at least for now, he and his daughter, instead, face deportation, he said, “and I don’t know why we have these issues.”
Several families in Lindon joined together in sponsoring the Ukrainian family’s relocation to the Utah County city in 2023 under the Uniting for Ukraine program, launched in 2022 under President Joe Biden to aid Ukrainians fleeing the war with Russia. On starting his second term as president earlier this year, however, Trump paused the program, though his administration later launched a process allowing eligible Ukrainians to apply for “re-parole” to extend their stay in the country.
At any rate, Ahieiev and his daughter, supported by their Lindon neighbors, are now scrambling to figure out their next steps after the apparent rejection, without explanation, of their applications to stay in the United States. Ahieiev and his wife Valentyna Ahieieva run a small accounting business while their two sons, ages 17 and 16, and daughter attend Lindon-area schools.
“We like it here, we like the U.S., like this country. But we don’t like what’s happening now in the immigration system,” Valentyna Ahieieva said. “Hopefully it changes.”
A hearing for Ahieiev is scheduled for July while his daughter is to appear before immigration authorities in February, when they and their backers fear they could be detained for deportation, said Jared Oates, one of the Lindon sponsors.
“Why would you separate a family?” he asked.
In response to a KSL.com query, a rep from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security asked for additional identifying information about Yurii Ahieiev and his daughter. Supplied the information, the department didn’t provide any comment, nor did reps from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But the transplants to Lindon apparently have plenty of company. Despite the ongoing war in the Ukraine and prior moves to welcome at least some Ukrainians fleeing the conflict into the United States, the situation for many Ukrainians here remains tenuous.
“This is absolutely a major issue right now for both Ukrainians who came here for refuge, as well as for the Americans who sponsored them and those who have become their friends, neighbors, co-workers, employers, etc. It is devastating and heartbreaking to see the decisions and challenges that are being added to these people who have already gone through so much,” said Mindie Packer.
Packer is co-founder of Hope Across Borders, a Utah-based group that offers humanitarian aid in conflict zones around the world, including Ukraine.
Packer has heard many stories of Ukrainians in uncertain migratory situations, fearful they may be targeted by immigration agents. One Ukrainian family Hope Across Borders sponsored had to move to Slovenia because their permission to remain in the United States expired.
“We know many people who came legally and applied for renewal/extension of their status, paid their fees and have not heard anything back. They were not denied or accepted, but now their status is expired and they don’t know what to do,” Packer said.
Anne Perkins of Lifting Hands International, a Utah-based nonprofit organization that provides humanitarian aid to Ukraine, knows of one Ukrainian family in Utah that moved to Spain. The work visa of the head of the family ran out and he was unable to renew it, prompting the departure. Fees to seek extensions to remain in the country have increased, adding to the difficulties.
“Still, most of the families I’ve talked to are motivated to do whatever it takes to stay,” Perkins said.
Human Rights First, an American human rights organization, says around 50 Ukrainians were deported last November from the United States.
Shining a light on the situation
Given the current climate toward immigration under Trump, it’s unclear “whether immigrants, period, are welcome in the United States right now,” Oates said. “It’s just a very difficult time.”
That said, he and the others who first sponsored the Ahieiev family say they have made strides in transitioning to life here and stand behind them. They’re self-reliant with their accounting business, and the kids, whose English has improved greatly, are thriving in school.
“They’ve been remarkable,” Oates said.
Read more:
Their Lindon backers have consulted with immigration attorneys, who haven’t been able to offer any solutions. They’ve also reached out to U.S. Rep. Mike Kennedy, their congressional representative, for help in navigating the U.S. bureaucracy for answers.
Kennedy wouldn’t comment on specifics of the Ahieiev family’s situation due to privacy considerations. But he said his office is available to help.
“My office and I are committed to helping constituents of Utah’s 3rd Congressional District resolve issues with federal agencies to the best of our ability,” he said in a statement.
At this stage, Oates thinks the main means of helping the family might be shining the light on their situation in a bid to muster public support.
“The only thing that would change the calculus, as far as we can see, would be changing the political consequences of deporting (Viktoriia) and separating a family,” he said.
As for a possible return to Ukraine, Ahieiev and his wife shudder at the possibility. They lived in the Odessa region, which has faced some of the fiercest and sustained attacks from Russian forces.
“Our parents now still live in this region, but it’s really dangerous,” Yurii Ahiehiev said. “Very often there’s no electricity, no heating.”
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the night:
Defense folds again under Curry takeover
Utah controlled the first half of this game. At one point they held a 12 point lead.
But at 37 years old, Steph Curry can still do some amazing things. Curry went for 20 points in the third-quarter, frazzled the Jazz, and they never really recovered after that. Part of this was Curry being the greatest shooter of all time, but part of it was Utah struggling to defend at the point of attack and off screens. They weren’t particularly physical, particularly attached, or particularly effective at shrinking Curry’s space. It’s same story from most night’s this season.
The Jazz are a solid offensive team – 16th best in offensive rating to be exact. They continue to lead the league in sharing the ball with a 72% assist rate and have weapons at every level, especially when Walker Kessler returns. But they are still the worst defensive team in the league at 30th in defensive rating. This is good news for pro-tank fans, but bad for the Jazz becoming a competitive team under this core.
Who is Utah’s third piece
Keyonte George is clearly playing at an All-Star and Most Improved Player of the Year level. He finished tonight with 22 points and nine assists. His third-year jump is real and he’s solidified himself as a core of the franchise moving forward.
Lauri Markkanen is still playing at an All-NBA level. He finished tonight with 35 points and five rebounds. He’s one of the best scorers in the league this season and a great companion next to George.
When both of Utah’s stars are playing, it’s easy to convince yourself that the Jazz just need one more core player to pop to enter win-now mode. But it isn’t very clear who that player is. Is it Ace Bailey? Maybe, but that will take another two-three seasons to find out. It’s clear it’s not Cody Williams, Taylor Hendricks, or any other role player on the roster. It’s a shame that Walker Kessler is out for the season, because if the shooting was real, he might be a suitable answer.
The truth is that the next core piece is probably not on the roster right now. Let’s hope that comes from the draft if the Jazz keep their pick.
A note on tonight’s whistle
Praising the referees is usually not something people like to read about, especially when the Jazz lose. I’m doing it anyway, apologies.
Tonight’s crew chief was the fan-favorite Bill Kennedy. He was joined by 16-year veteran Kevin Cutler and 6-year veteran Simone Jelks. The crew did two things that I haven’t seen much of this season:
(1) The crew did not penalize defenders for simply existing while offensive players generated contract. Keyonte George, for one, was someone who struggled with this. George (smartly) has learned that the NBA has decided that offensive players can initiate contact at will, enter the established space of the defender, and be rewarded with free throws. It’s partly why he’s shooting 7.4 free throws a game. In my opinion, this is bad for basketball.
To be clear, I don’t blame George for doing this. The most talented players at manipulating this part of the game are elite scorers in the league (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Austin Reaves, for example). But tonight, the crew didn’t reward George, Curry, Butler, or Markkanen with any of these types of plays and I think it led to a more competitive, faster, and more enjoyable watching experience.
(2) The crew treated Draymond Green like every other player when it comes to technical fouls. It’s no secret that Green gets a much longer leash than most when it comes to berating the officials. Watching him get two technicals after complaining on a meaningless play was nice to see, for once.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Lani White scored 25 points to lead Utah past No. 8 TCU 87-77 in overtime Saturday night.
Reese Ross added 15 points and Maty Wilke had 12 for the Utes. Evelina Otto finished with 10 points and eight rebounds. Utah (11-4, 2-1 Big 12) made 13 3-pointers and shot 56.5% from long distance.
Olivia Miles had 31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to pace the Horned Frogs (14-1, 2-1). Marta Suarez added 23 points and 11 rebounds. TCU shot just 37% from the field, including 9 of 39 from 3-point range.
White forced overtime by making a 3-pointer that tied it 67-all with 12 seconds left in regulation. Utah never trailed in OT and went up 76-69 with 2:47 left after White capped a 9-2 run with her fourth outside basket.
TCU used a 7-0 spurt to erase a four-point deficit in the final minute of the fourth quarter. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Suarez and Donovyn Hunter put TCU up 66-64 with 49 seconds remaining.
Ross had a chance to tie it on two free throws with 33.3 seconds left, but missed both. Miles made one of two foul shots with 22 seconds to go before White tied it.
Utah took advantage of cold shooting by the Horned Frogs to pull ahead in the third quarter. Back-to-back baskets from Suarez were TCU’s only field goals over an eight-minute stretch. The Utes scored on three straight possessions, culminating in a layup from Wilke, to take a 52-48 lead.
Miles made back-to-back baskets to put the Horned Frogs back up 58-56. Utah used a 7-0 run, punctuated by a 3-pointer from Ross, to go ahead 63-58 with 4:32 left in regulation.
Up next
TCU hosts Oklahoma State on Wednesday.
Utah plays at Kansas on Wednesday.
___
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