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Advanced Entrepreneurship Seminar I, January
19-21, 2007
Theme: Growing and Marketing a New Venture
NOTE: This schedule is subject to change
Friday, January 19, 2007
6:00-8:00pm Dr. Jeff Shay, Course
Introduction & Life as an Entrepreneur
Saturday, January 20, 2007
8:00-10:00 Liz Marchi, Fostering
Entrepreneurial Growth in Montana
10:00-Noon Becky Reno, The City Brew
Coffee Story
12:00-1:00 Lunch break
1:00-3:30 Bob and Francy Blumhagen,
Growth Decisions and Case Study
3:30-4:00 Students drive to Big Sky
Brewing Company
4:00-5:30 Bjorn Nabozney, Creative
Marketing and Brewery Tour
Sunday, January 21, 2007
9:00-10:30 Don Gaumer, A Business
Turnaround
10:30-12:00 Steve Anderson, Acquiring and
Growing an Existing Venture
Seminar I: Speaker Profiles
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Name:
Steve Anderson
Education:
University of Wisconsin (MBA)
Current Business:
Artisan Doors of Montana
Business Notes
A well-known consumer products executive
and global business leader, Mr. Anderson
has held key roles for $7 billion Bass and
$2 billion Bausch & Lomb during the past
twenty years. Most recently, he was CEO
(Asia Pacific) for Bass Brewers. He has
successfully developed and executed growth
strategies on a local, regional, and
global basis for leading consumer brands
such as Bass Ale, Ray Ban, and Renu.
Reflecting his entrepreneurial nature,
Steve established a private investment
group, Timeless, LLC. This company,
together with other investors, has
invested $20 million in new businesses.
Recently, Mr. Anderson took majority
ownership in a small niche high-end
specialty wood products company in
Northwest Montana and is building this
business into a global leader. He has
also invested in two other northwest
companies with high potential and in
mentoring their CEO’s as present.
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Name:
Bob Blumhagen
Education: University of Montana (MBA)
Current Business: Co-founder,
Salmonberry Studios, Inc.
Business Notes
Bob began his business career in
advertising sales at the Yakima Herald
Republic. He spent over sixteen years in
newspaper management positions including
Human Resource Director, Planning
Coordinator, Assistant Business Manager,
Director of Sales and Marketing and
Associate Publisher. He held executive
positions in Yakima, Gresham, OR., Seattle
and Port Angeles, WA. After completing his
MBA at the University of Montana in 1994,
he and his wife, Francy, started
Salmonberry Studio and have successfully
marketed Francy’s artwork throughout the
world since then. Their handmade notecards
are sold in 44 states as well as in Canada
and Europe. Her work has been featured on
the cover of the UNICEF catalog for two of
the last three years. Bob brings a special
blend of corporate experience to a
“lifestyle” company.
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Name:
Don Gaumer
Education: University of Montana
(MBA), Plymouth State University (BS)
Current Organization: Independent
Consultant
Business Notes
Donald Gaumer received his MBA from the
University of Montana in 1983. He worked
for several years in commercial banking
concentrating in problem loan and work out
situations. In 1986 he started with Sun
Mountain Sports, a small manufacturer in
the golf business. During his eighteen
years with the company worked in all
facets of management as the company has
grew to become a powerful force in its
industry. For the past two years Mr.
Gaumer has been working as a strategic
consultant and is currently leading a
startup / early stage enterprise located
in Boston. Throughout his career Mr.
Gaumer has been involved with numerous
acquisitions and divestitures. He has also
led several successful financial
restructurings using traditional bank
financing and privately placed financing.
Gaumer has been an instructor for various
professional groups since 1984. His
teaching experience includes professional
seminars, Western CPE and The University
of Montana.
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Name:
Elizabeth C. Marchi (Liz)
Education:
Hollins University (BA)
Current Business:
President/CEO, Montana West Economic
Development/Flathead County EDA Montana
Business Notes
Montana West Economic Development is a
privately funded economic development
organization in Northwest Montana focused
on fostering high value job opportunity.
Marketing and recruiting, resourcing
private capital, lending, networking and
education are part of Montana West ED’s
program of work. In addition, Montana
West supports the Glacier Technology
Roundtable and the ACME Angels of Montana.
Mrs. Marchi is a member of the Montana
Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs
(MADE), a group that teaches, supports and
recognized distinguished entrepreneurship
in association with the University Of
Montana School Of Business. Mrs. Marchi
serves on the Boards of the Glacier Region
of the Montana Community Foundation, the
Montana Women’s Fund, the PPL Community
Advisory Fund and the Montana Economic
Developers Association. She is immediate
past President of the Montana Ambassadors,
a statewide group appointed by and serving
at the pleasure of the Governor that
supports business development and
education in Montana and was appointed by
Governor Schweitzer to the Governor’s
Economic Development Advisory Board. Ms.
Marchi was the recipient of the Desiree
Taggart Workforce Development Award
presented by Governor Schweitzer in 2006
for individual achievement in workforce
development. Prior to moving to Montana,
Mrs. Marchi was the Executive Director of
Communications and Public Policy for the
Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce in North
Carolina. She is a graduate of Hollins
University in Roanoke, Virginia where she
majored in Politics and has served as a
trustee and President of the Alumnae
Association.
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Name:
Bjorn Nabozney
Education: University of Montana
(BS in Business Administration)
Current Business:
Co-founder, Big Sky Brewing Company
Business Notes
Bjorn is one of the founders of Big Sky
Brewing Company (BSBC). He wrote the
business plan for BSBC while earning his
degree at the University of Montana's
School of Business Administration. Bjorn's
responsibilities at BSBC include marketing
and new product development. However,
Bjorn has been known to wear many hats for
BSBC, having plumbed the entire facility
in which the company now resides. Bjorn
is also a frequent guest speaker at the
Business School and a generous supporter
of many campus and community activities.
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Name: Becky Reno
Current Business: President and Chief
Executive Officer, City Brew Coffee, Cool
River Coffee Roasters and City Vineyard
Business Notes
Becky's first business, Video Library
Stores, Inc., began with one retail store
front in Billings, Montana in 1980.
Twenty-three years later the company had
expanded to include 15 retail stores doing
business in Montana and a wholesale
division doing business in 14 states
including Alaska. Becky sold the business
in 2003 to Movie Gallery, the 2nd largest
video chain by store count in the United
States. In 1998 Becky started City Brew
Coffee, growing to 7 retail locations and
2 kiosk drive-thru locations. She also
founded City Vineyard Fine Wines, a fine
wine retail store with a beverage license
for hosting wine tasting. Becky was named
the Montana Business Woman of the Year in
1997 and current serves as the Vice
Chairman of the Board of Directors for
Saint Vincent Hospital and Healthcare.
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