Deseret News best of 2012: Care for the poor

A career salesman, Bill Sohan has lost track of the number of incentive trips his employers have sent him on. Sunshine, margaritas by the pool, relaxation — "I'm not going to tell you it's not a good time," he says with a laugh. But, in his mind, all those cruises and Hawaiian getaways were just perks that came with the job; he never altered his work habits to earn a spot.

This year, though, his company planned a different kind of vacation for the most elite performers. Instead of beaches and luxury hotels, Academy Mortgage proposed a trip to Guatemala, sleeping on the ground and spending a week building a water system for the poor. When the memo hit his email box, Sohan informed his coworkers, "I am going on this trip if it's the last thing I do with this company." And then he started burning the midnight oil.

Read the full report here: Redefining rewards: Businesses honor top performers with a chance to serve the poor