Used textbook retailer to open in Provo -- Bucks4Books, a Buffalo, N.Y.-based used textbook retailer, is opening its first Utah store at 1774 N. University Parkway at Brigham's Landing Plaza in Provo. A grand opening at the Provo store, which specializes in buying back textbooks from students, began on Wednesday and will run through April 26.

Founded in 2002, the company, initially known as Valore Books, was started by a group of State University of New York students. The company now has four sell-back textbook stores in New York and plans to open two more in Utah.

"We were all students not very long ago, and we know what they want -- a fair sell-back experience that puts cash in their hands at the point of transaction," said Gareth Leonard, Bucks4Books marketing director. "So we built our business on some simple principles: We try to match or beat any competitor's prices; we don't care where the students bought their books."

"Text books range greatly in price from $50 to $350. The sell-back price is based on what it is going for across the country, not just at that particular school's bookstore. A lot goes into pricing of the books -- current market price, demand," he said.

Bucks4Books also will donate a percentage of all its book sell-backs during the grand opening to local literacy programs.

MountainWest Capital names Entrepreneur of the Year -- Amy Rees Anderson, chief executive of MediConnect Global Inc., was named the 2008 Entrepreneur of the Year by MountainWest Capital Network. She is also the first female entrepreneur in Utah to receive this award.

Under her stewardship, MediConnect expanded locally and globally, posting three consecutive years of sales growth and doubling revenues year over year. Anderson has raised more than $50 million in capital, is a well respected public speaker and teaches courses on entrepreneurship at several universities. In 2007, Anderson was awarded the Ernst &Young Entrepreneur of the Year award and currently serves on Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s Board of Economic Development; the Salt Lake City Chamber Board; the Utah Valley University Business Board; and the University of Utah's Institute for South Asian Studies Board, College of Humanities Board and Technology Commercialization Advisory Board.

Employer Solutions names new exec -- Employer Solutions Group, a Salt Lake City-based payroll services company, promoted Clark Merkley to chief legal and human resource officer. Merkley was most recently senior human resources consultant and has¬ more than 19¬ years of experience practicing law and managing corporate, health care, insurance¬ and employment law matters.¬ 

In his new position, he will be responsible for legal matters and¬ internal human resources and will continue developing nationwide benefits strategies for Fortune Industries, Employer Solutions' parent company.