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A new Utah award is honoring nonprofits, government agencies and businesses that exemplify ethical standards and practices.

The Bill Daniels Ethical Leadership Awards is co-sponsored by the Community Foundation of Utah, the Daniels Fund and the Daniel's Fund Ethics Initiative at the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah.

"With what's happening in Utah politics right now, and with some of the business practices that happen in the state, Utah doesn't have the best reputation for ethics," said Fraser Nelson, executive director of the Community Foundation of Utah. "But there are many businesses, nonprofits and government agencies that hold a high set of ethical standards."

The award is named after Bill Daniels, who made his fortune in cable television and set up one of the largest charitable endowments in the West. He believed in following a strong set of ethical principles. Daniels owned the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association. When the franchise folded, he eventually paid back all the season ticket holders who lost money with interest, Nelson said.

The application was created by students in an MBA class called Integrative Experience at the U.'s School of Business. Dave Harris, director of the U.'s full-time MBA program, said his students learned "the importance of time management and also learned the importance area organizations placed on ethical behavior."

Students conducted a client needs assessment, worked on deadline as a team and presented a client report to executives. In addition to working on the Daniels Fund project, the class worked with these six nonprofits: Arches Health Plan, Mali Rising Foundation, Junior League of Salt Lake City, Christian Center of Park City, Wasatch Cooperative Market, Medical Graphics and Photography for the U.'s School of Medicine.

Involving students in creating the questionnaire allowed them to think about ethics in a way they could apply it to their lives, Harris said.

The application deadline for the awards is Aug. 4. Visit www.utahcf.org">http://www.utahcf.org to apply.

Organizers will award three finalists and one winner the award at a Zions Bank-sponsored breakfast on Aug. 18 at the Eccles School of Business. All finalists will be invited to attend the breakfast. —

The nominees for the award must meet all of the following ethical principles:

• Integrity

• Trust

• Accountability

• Transparency

• Fairness

• Respect

• Rule of Law

• Viability