This bi-annual honor recognizes Weber State Professional Sales alumni for exceptional achievements in sales and business. Recipients are celebrated at a semester-end event alongside faculty, graduating seniors, and the Alan Hall family.
Alan E. Hall is a sales leader, a visionary entrepreneur, an esteemed venture capitalist, a dedicated philanthropist, and a passionate advocate for education and community development. A lifelong champion of innovation and service, Alan’s legacy is defined by his commitment to building successful businesses and strengthening the institutions that shape our society.
He is the founder of MarketStar Corporation, a pioneering global outsourced marketing and sales company that has empowered brands and driven economic growth for decades. In addition, Alan co-founded Mercato Partners, one of the nation’s top-performing growth equity venture capital firms, helping high-potential companies scale and thrive.
Beyond business, Alan has left an indelible mark on public service and education. He is the former chairman of the Utah Technology Council, the Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce, the Weber State University Board of Trustees, and he served as a board member of the Utah System of Higher Education. His leadership and vision have shaped the future of countless students, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders.
Alan currently serves as chairman of Ogden Pioneer Days. A sought-after speaker and published author, Alan continues to inspire with his unwavering belief in the power of education, enterprise, and community.
The Alan E. Hall of Fame Award honors individuals who embody his values of innovation, sales leadership, and service—a testament to a life devoted to making a meaningful difference.
Hall of Fame Inductees
Justin Nielsen – '96
Onset
Spring 2025
Justin Nielsen is the Founder, Shareholder, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Onset Financial. Nielsen has become one of the most prolific and successful leaders in the United States for Independent Equipment Leasing companies. ...read more
Justin Nielsen
Justin Nielsen is the Founder, Shareholder, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Onset Financial. Nielsen has become one of the most prolific and successful leaders in the United States for Independent Equipment Leasing companies. Very few ever achieve the winning consistency he has demonstrated throughout his career. Since he founded Onset Financial in 2008, Nielsen has grown the company to become one of the largest independent equipment finance companies in America. Nielsen has created a unique and award-winning corporate culture that draws ultra-talented professionals and facilitates extraordinary production. Validating the culture Nielsen has built, Onset has been recognized with numerous local and national awards. Inc Magazine awarded Onset one of the Best Workplaces in 2021, The Salt Lake Tribune awarded Onset Financial as one of the Top Workplaces in Utah in 2019, 21, and '22 and Onset Financial was recognized six years in a row, 2018, ’19, ’20, ’21, '22, and '23 as Best of State in Equipment Finance. Onset Financial has grown from “grass roots” to become the dominant force in the leasing industry through his leadership. Nielsen is committed to a culture of training. He wrote and internally published a 230-page sales training manual from which Onset conducts bi-annual sales training seminars. Under Nielsen’s leadership and direct oversight, Onset recently constructed a fifty-five thousand square foot building in Draper, Utah, designed with the sole focus of growing Onset Financial. The Onset building has won several local and national commercial and architectural design awards. The Onset Building is a showcase structure on one of Salt Lake’s major commuter routes. “Always growing” is the epitome of Nielsen’s continuing legacy. Under his leadership, Onset has over a decade of consistent growth in almost every measurable category – the most important being annual fundings, revenue, and company size. In 2014, Nielsen negotiated the acquisition of Mazuma Capital Corp, a 10-year old company and a direct competitor, incorporating Mazuma into the Onset family of companies. This acquisition injected the Onset culture and scaled Mazuma which more than doubled production in the first year. In 2019, CapTech Financial was formed and added to the Onset family of companies. In 2021, Nielsen expanded Onset Financial into St. George, Utah, one of the nation’s fastest-growing economies. After securely establishing Onset’s culture in St. George, Nielsen further ushered Onset’s growth in 2024 91风流 by opening a magnificent 55,000-square-foot, four-story campus. This marvelous feat of architecture serves as Onset’s Red Rock Division, further integrating Onset’s culture of enthusiasm and excellence into the city of St. George and opening additional opportunities for the expansion of Onset. Nielsen has always led with a spirit of innovation. Since Onset’s inception, he has developed fintech solutions to create an enhanced customer experience. Nielsen has invested in an in-house Development Team to internally develop his vision which has been branded Onset Edge. This application adds tremendous internal efficiencies while allowing Onset to stand out from its competitors by providing clients the fastest, most flexible, and precise funding experience. Nielsen has led Onset Financial through a myriad of market challenges while achieving tremendous success and funding over $5 Billion in equipment finance transactions. Nielsen has personally closed and funded transactions that exceed $100 Million with multi-billion-dollar revenue customers. Nielsen launched Onsetgives in 2017 as the philanthropic 501(c)(3) charitable division of Onset Financial. Nielsen leads this organization with a passion for service and a dedication to giving back to the community. Onsetgives has hosted several dinner galas featuring A-List comedians such as Brian Regan, Jim Gaffigan, Jeff Foxworthy, and Jay Leno. These galas have raised hundreds of thousands for important local charities. Onsetgives also hosts annual celebrity golf tournaments dedicated to raising money and awareness for various local and national charities. Additionally, Onsetgives is a consistent donor to the Utah Food Bank and various other local charitable organizations where Onset Financial also donates employee service hours. Nielsen has been recognized twice as a Utah Business CEO of the Year, in 2020 and 2022. And, he was recently featured in the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) publication with his Executive Perspective on “Embracing Adversity.” Being recognized as one of the top leaders in leasing companies in America, Monitor Magazine recently published Nielsen’s outlook for the equipment finance industry. Glassdoor also named Nielsen as one of the top 50 CEOs in America in 2018. In 2020 Nielsen and Onset were highlighted by local news outlets for their handling and preparation for the global pandemic. Nielsen leads with vibrant enthusiasm and unwavering commitment to the personal success of each member of the team and the overall success of Onset. He is committed to maintaining a highly ethical company that leads the industry and provides an unmatched customer experience. He loves being involved in the business and enjoys all of its aspects. He leads the day-to-day operations of Onset Financial as the shareholder and CEO. He is also a regular guest lecturer for college business programs. Nielsen is a graduate of Weber State University, where he played on the men’s basketball team. He still enjoys hitting the hardwood. He played with Damian Lillard at the Weber State Men’s Basketball Alumni Classic.
Jon Christensen
Jon Christensen, graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Professional Sales (’21), and also went on to receive his MBA (’23), all while playing wide receiver for the Wildcats. Following graduation, he became an Account Executive for a tech startup. Soon after, he became a Strategy/Mergers and Acquisitions Analyst on the investments team at the Larry H. Miller company with a focus on sourcing deals.
Kody Little – '15
Nucor
Fall 2024 91风流 Inductee
Kody Little was born and raised in Canby, Oregon. He graduated from the Sales Program at Weber State University in 2015. During school Kody worked for local contractors doing various trades such as tile, flooring, electrical and framing. ...read more
Kody Little
Kody Little was born and raised in Canby, Oregon. He graduated from the Sales Program at Weber State University in 2015. During school Kody worked for local contractors doing various trades such as tile, flooring, electrical and framing. He also sold products and services that were direct to consumers. Kody worked hard inside and outside of school to graduate debt free with a good GPA. After school Kody sold international freight services specializing in export containers and large equipment freight. It was here Kody began to learn and understand building relationships with large companies and negotiating large dollar amount agreements and contracts. He had a way of thinking outside the box of traditional industry practices and built a name and reputation for himself and his employer very quickly. Kody was then approached by a startup company that needed his drive to run the marketing and sales behind the company. Kody was able to successfully grow and cultivate a brand and culture for the company that still results in significant profitability year over year. In working with this start up Kody found a passion to own his own company. He leaned on his many years of construction background and started a local construction company that specialized in high end residential remodel, small commercial, and government work. The company was created and grown in an ideal time and setting. Kody enjoyed self-employment and making a positive impact on others. In 2019 Kody was approached with the opportunity to work for a Fortune 100 company as a Sales Representative. During the first year in his territory Kody again thought outside of the box and started to develop relationships with key players in his industry, which led to strong relationships on a national level. He has accomplished sales figures that were never thought possible within his organization. During his time with this company Kody has shattered sales records and become a teacher and mentor to his peers and management group. In the five years with the company Kody has received five Top Salesperson of the Year awards, five Largest Project of the Year awards, five Substantial Achievement awards and five Presidents awards. He has grown his territory revenue by over 2000% and boosted his national group’s profits to record years with the effects of giving back to employees and paying healthy dividends to shareholders. During Kody’s career he has served on many intercompany boards and counsels. In the community Kody has worked with charities for state and local outreach groups. He loves to serve and make a difference where he sees himself and others can be impactful. Kody attributes his success to his education from the Sales Program at Weber State University. It was education and life lessons that propelled him into thinking outside the box and understanding that only he could determine his own worth and destiny to those he served. Lessons learned from classes like Personalities and Profiles, Contracts and Negotiations, Team Building, and Forecasting are thought about and used on a daily basis to improve Kody’s career. Kody resides in the Ogden area with his wife Chelsea and their three children. He still says his greatest achievement in life so far is his marriage to Chelsea and relationship with his three children.
Jon Christensen
Jon Christensen, graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Professional Sales (’21), and also went on to receive his MBA (’23), all while playing wide receiver for the Wildcats. Following graduation, he became an Account Executive for a tech startup. Soon after, he became a Strategy/Mergers and Acquisitions Analyst on the investments team at the Larry H. Miller company with a focus on sourcing deals.
Derrick Porter – '10
Beauty Industry Group Spring 2024 91风流 Inductee
Derrick Porter, graduated with his bachelor's degree in Technical Sales in 2010 and went on to receive his MBA from The Ohio State University. Porter has served as CEO of Beauty Industry Group (BIG) for 18 years, overseeing its growth into a global entity managing 13 beauty brands across 165 countries.Transitioning from CEO to...read more
Derrick Porter
Derrick Porter, graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Technical Sales in 2010 and went on to receive his MBA from The Ohio State University. Porter has served as CEO of Beauty Industry Group (BIG) for 18 years, overseeing its growth into a global entity managing 13 beauty brands across 165 countries.Transitioning from CEO to a Board member, he recently accepted a significant role as Executive Producer, Principal Writer, and Presenter for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; long-standing broadcast, “The Spoken Word”; Past achievements include recognition by Goldman-Sachs as a member of the Top 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs of 2020 and as Utah’s International Business of the Year in 2023.
Jon Christensen – '21
Larry H. Miller Group Fall 2023 Inductee
Jon Christensen, graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Professional Sales (’21), and also went on to receive his MBA (’23), all while playing wide receiver for the Wildcats. Following graduation...read more
