OREM (April 24, 2006) ? In what is probably the single largest donation to a sportsmen-based wildlife conservation group in the history of North America, Utah County Businessman Tom Mower made a historic $2 million donation to Sportsmen for Habitat (SFH) at the group’s recent annual fundraiser held at the UVSC McKay Events Center in Orem.

That single donation lit a fire among more than 1,200 sportsmen attending the record-breaking event and was the catalyst for additional cash donations—some individuals contributing more than $70,000—in what will go down as Utah’s largest-ever single fundraising night.

“In all SFH raised over $3.5 million for wildlife conservation projects in a single night,” said SFH President Byron Bateman, who puts the accomplishment into perspective. “It is very unlikely that any politician or special interest group in the state could even come close to raising half that amount in an entire year, let alone in a single night.”

“Likewise, similar wildlife fundraising events are held nearly every month by a variety of conservation groups all across the country. But nothing has ever come close to the results SFH had in Utah County. It surprised all of us.”

The flood of donations at the SFH Orem banquet began as the group honored individual sportsmen conservation efforts, provided two handicapped youth hunters Utah turkey hunts, raised over $10,000 to assist handicapped hunters with guided trophy hunts, and provided one of Utah’s deceased Iraq veteran’s children with a $42,500 scholarship fund. Then Mr. Mower set the stage for the historical fundraising event.

Mower, together with his two sons Tom Jr. and Darick, first presented a $1 million check to SFH with a challenge to sportsmen to match the donation. Over the next hour, $925,000 was raised through live and silent auctions to match the Mower’s gift.

Mr. Mower then challenged the audience to meet the $1 match that night, and added that he would donate an additional $1 million if that mark was hit. Within seconds, John Jacobs doubled his pledge to $50,0000, Trent Wall and Ron Raddon each made a $25,000 pledge, and the $3 million level was reached.

SFH has established a new Wildlife Endowment Fund and will use the annual investment income gains to acquire critical winter range habitats, fund wildlife habitat restoration projects on state and federal lands, assist the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) in purchasing and transplanting herds of bighorn sheep, elk, wild turkey, moose and other species, and to fund other critical wildlife management projects in Utah and other parts of the west.

An SFH Investment Advisory Board will be established to mange the investment of the Endowment funds. The new board includes Ron Mika, Harvard MBA and Managing Director of Sorenson Capital, Matt Garff, Wharton MBA and VP of Garff Automotive Group, Jeff Jenson, President of Tryant Capital, Darick Mower, Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Neways, Byron Bateman, President of Sportsmen for Habitat, Trent Wall, President of Wall Machinery, Greg King, VP at Merrill Lynch and Ron Raddon, President of Ron Raddon Construction and Development. All members of the Advisory Board are avid sportsmen.

Mr. Mower grew up in Sanpete County, and loved to hunt and fish as a boy. As Utah’s deer herds declined in the late 1980s, Mr. Mower’s international business took him out of the country for the next two decades. After seeing new herds of bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer herds, and flocks of wild turkey on his Hobble Creek Ranch, he made the decision to make this historic contribution to SFH with hopes that the fund will grow into tens of millions of dollars over time so that those who visit Utah will always be able to enjoy abundant herds and flocks of wildlife.

SFH’s wildlife conservation banquets attract average and elite hunters from across Utah and elsewhere, all eager to contribute to protect and enhance Utah’s wildlife. Already in 2006 nearly two dozen SFH banquets have been held in Utah, Idaho, New Mexico and Wyoming.

Most banquet attendees come to the events for the possibility of having his or her name drawn to win a once-in-a-lifetime trophy hunt. Others may bid on one of dozens of premium limited entry deer, elk or other big game tags up for live auction during the event. The Utah San Juan/Elk Ridge elk permit was auctioned for $70,000, most of which goes to the UDWR to fund wildlife projects in the same region.

“Our success is in the appeal we have with sportsmen who are genuinely interested in improving wildlife populations and increasing hunting opportunity for everyone,” admits Bateman. “Creating and maintaining local control of wildlife management, our grassroots involvement, and keeping the money and power in the state where it is generated are the key.”

“Without showing measurable progress and on-the-ground results for Utah wildlife, we would be nothing,” said Bateman. “These funds are used to protect habitat, fund the transplants of bighorn sheep and wild turkey, and finance critical mule deer and elk projects throughout Utah.”

SFH’s effectiveness is spreading, and not just among Utah’s hard-core hunters. The group has tapped into every category of sportsmen, from the average to the elite, the young and the old, male and female. Membership in 2006 has grown to more than 16,000 members throughout the West.