UVU Awards Alumni - Travis Hansen

The UVU Distinguished Alumni Award is given to a Utah Valley University alum in recognition of personal or professional accomplishments that have bettered their chosen field, industry, or community and enhanced the reputation of UVU.

Travis founded Tesani Companies in 2013, which has founded Lift Credit, Tech9, and EddyHR and acquired multiple businesses. He co-founded a nonprofit, Sunshine Heroes Foundation, with his wife, LaRee, in 2007. He played collegiate basketball for two schools: Utah Valley State College and Brigham Young University, where he earned the Defensive Player of the Year, All-District and All-Conference honors in basketball while at BYU.

Travis was drafted in 2003 with the 37th pick and played in the NBA for the Atlanta Hawks in 2003-2004. He later played eight seasons in the Euroleague for Tau Ceramica (Victoria, Spain), Dynamo, Khimki (Moscow, Russia), and Real Madrid (Madrid, Spain). His career achievements in basketball are many and include All-Euro Team & All-Euro Defensive Team honors, 2006 Copa Del Rey Champion, four-time All-Russian Super League Team honors, and VTB United Champion in 2011. In September 2011, Travis retired from professional basketball. He is author of The Next Few Years Will Change Your Life, a book published by Deseret Book released in December of 2012.

Hansen’s business and civic achievements include recognition as BYU’s 2015 Young Alumni Distinguished Service Award, named one of the coolest entrepreneurs by Utah Valley Magazine, and Utah Business named Tesani Companies one of the best companies to work for in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Travis received an associate degree from UVU, then Utah Valley State College, in 2000, a B.S. in Health Science from Brigham Young University, and a certificate in nonprofit management from Duke University. 

After serving a mission in Chile, he married his wife LaRee (née Merrell). He is the father of five children. Travis and his family are active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in which he has served as a full-time missionary, high councilor, elders quorum president, and bishop.