Amanda Covington recently served as senior vice president of Communications and Government Relations for Vista Outdoor Inc. She has more than 20 years of experience leading corporate communications and government relations strategies impacting financial communications, crisis communications, domestic and international media/public relations, corporate branding and advertising, digital media, employee relations, public policy and legislation, industry associations, and community relations.

Prior to Vista Outdoor, Covington served as vice president, Corporate Communications, for ATK, an aerospace, defense, and commercial products company. Before joining ATK, she was the assistant commissioner for Public Affairs at the Utah System of Higher Education. While there, she led communications and legislative relations strategies for the State Board of Regents. She also served as the deputy for Communications and spokesperson for Utah Governor Olene S. Walker and the director of Communications for the Utah Department of Transportation. She has a background in broadcast journalism, working for Utah's NBC and ABC affiliates.

Covington chairs the Department of Interior's "Made in America" Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee, is a member of the Boy Scouts of America National Executive Board, serves as an advisory board member for the Utah Women's Leadership Institute, is a board member for the Walker Institute of Politics and Public Service and of the University of Utah College of Social and Behavioral Science Advancement Board, and is a director of the Utah chapter of National Association of Corporate Directors.

She earned an Honors bachelor's degree in Mass Communications and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Utah. Covington enjoys spending her free time wake boarding, snow skiing and traveling with her husband and two teenage boys.

Dave Thomas is the CEO and founder of ThomasArts, a multi-office marketing agency with clients coast to coast and here in the region. Dave spent the first five years of his career as an educator before entering the world of marketing as a composer/producer for radio and TV commercials. After writing over one hundred jingles, Dave began developing complete creative concepts to help drive his clients' business.

Dave founded his first advertising agency, Thomas Phillips Clawson, in 1982. In 1989, he sold the agency to EvansGroup, and served as President and CEO of their Salt Lake, Los Angeles, and Denver operations during the next several years. When EvansGroup was sold to Publicis in 1998, Dave became President of the Salt Lake office.

After a run for the U.S. Congress, he founded ThomasArts in 2003 with his three sons; Troy, Matt, and Brett. ThomasArts is a marketing agency engaged in inventing, producing and managing insight, data-driven campaigns for its clients. TA serves major national clients like Aetna, AARP and VSP as well as premier regional clients like Zions Bank. The company has grown to more than 170 employees in creative, data sciences, client service and strategic positions in offices in Utah, New York, Washington D.C. and Costa Mesa, Ca.

Marketing experience over the course of Dave’s career includes the branding of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, and advertising/marketing work for Zions Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, Iomega, First Security Bank, UnitedHealthcare, FHP Healthcare, Utah Travel Council, Coventry Health Care, SelectHealth, Insphere Insurance Solutions, Mozy, Deseret Media Companies, the Deseret News, KSL Television, Garff Automotive Group, Gus Paulos Chevrolet and dozens of other local and national brands.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Weber State University and a masters from Brigham Young University. In 2010, the Utah Advertising Federation honored Dave with the prestigious Silver Medal Award. He is also a recipient of the annual Doris S. Melich Founders' Award from the Utah/Idaho Arthritis Association and received an Honorary Doctorate from Salt Lake Community College.