Nurturing success through knowledge.
2025 Conference Seminars
BVC Conference Seminars
Seminar Session 1 | Beyond Banking, Conversations That Support Every Stage of Business
Whether you're launching a company, navigating rapid growth, planning for the future, or simply trying to make better business decisions, the most valuable conversation often begins before you know exactly what to ask. Join a panel of business banking and wealth professionals for a practical discussion about each stage of the business lifecycle and building the right advisory team to support your next milestone.
Moderator: Wendy McGrane, Vice President, Business Banking Sales Manager, U.S. Bank
Wendy McGrane is a Vice President and Business Banking Sales Manager with U.S. Bank, where she leads a team serving businesses and nonprofits across Central and Eastern Oregon. With more than two decades of banking experience, she partners with business owners through every stage of growth, helping them navigate opportunities related to financing, cash flow, risk management, and long-term planning.
A longtime Central Oregon resident, Wendy is actively involved in the region's business and economic development community. She currently serves as President of the Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) Board of Directors and as a voting member of the Oregon Growth Board. She is passionate about connecting people, ideas, and resources to help businesses thrive and strengthen Oregon's entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Bre Kailey, Vice President, Small Business Sales Manager, U.S. Bank
Bre Kailey is a Small Business Sales Manager with U.S. Bank based in Bend, Oregon. Throughout her 21-year career with the bank, she has built a diverse background across multiple areas of the business, serving as a Banker, Branch Manager, Credit Analyst, Relationship Manager, and now Small Business Sales Manager. Her broad experience has provided her with a deep understanding of both consumer and business banking, allowing her to help clients achieve their financial goals while developing high-performing teams and fostering strong community relationships. Bre is passionate about supporting small businesses and empowering her team to deliver exceptional client experiences and sustainable growth.
Outside of work, Bre enjoys exploring the outdoors through hiking and experiencing new restaurants and great food with family and friends. She is especially proud of her two children and spends much of her free time cheering them on in their athletic pursuits. Whether watching her daughter compete in volleyball at Lane Community College or supporting her son on the football field at High Desert Middle School, Bre values the opportunity to be actively involved in their lives and celebrate their accomplishments. Her commitment to family, community, and personal growth reflects the same dedication and enthusiasm she brings to her professional career.
Kyley Hjeresen, Assistant Vice President, Wealth Management Banker, U.S. Bank
Kyley Hjeresen is an Assistant Vice President and Wealth Management Banker with U.S. Bank, where he helps business owners, entrepreneurs, families, and individuals align their financial resources with their long-term goals. During his 15 years with U.S. Bank, including the past six years in Wealth Management, he has partnered with clients to navigate important financial decisions and develop strategies designed to build, preserve, and transfer wealth.
Taking a holistic approach to financial planning, Kyley works closely with clients and a team of specialists to address priorities ranging from retirement planning and investments to business succession and legacy planning. He is passionate about building trusted relationships and helping clients feel confident in the financial decisions that support their future.
Joshua Bostock, Vice President, Business Banking Relationship Manager, U.S. Bank
Joshua Bostock is a Vice President and Business Banking Relationship Manager with U.S. Bank based in Bend, Oregon. With more than 21 years of banking experience, including the past 11 years in Business Banking, he partners with business owners throughout Central Oregon to help them achieve their goals through tailored banking, credit, and treasury management solutions.
Over the course of his career, Joshua has served in a variety of roles including Teller, Licensed Banker, Assistant Manager, Payment Sales Consultant, Small Business Specialist, and Business Banking Relationship Manager. This broad experience allows him to understand the unique opportunities and challenges business owners face and connect them with the resources and expertise needed to support long-term success.
A Bend resident since 2000, Joshua is deeply committed to the Central Oregon community and values building strong relationships with local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders. He is passionate about helping businesses grow and contributing to the economic vitality of the region he calls home.
Seminar Session 2 | Betting on Oregon: A Candid Conversation
Join Lisa Mensah and Jesse Rosenzweig as they discuss what it will take to make Oregon an investment-worthy state for entrepreneurs and capital partners alike. As investors in the venture capital ecosystem and leaders in their respective fields, Lisa and Jesse will discuss solutions to today’s challenges, from capital needs to attainable housing. This candid conversation will examine the rationale and needed changes for businesses to both launch and stay rooted in Oregon.
Lisa Mensah, President and CEO of Oregon Community Foundation
Lisa Mensah is the President and CEO of Oregon Community Foundation, overseeing one of the largest community foundations in the United States and one of only a few with a statewide focus. A native of Beaverton, Oregon, she earned a Master of Arts from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University.
Prior to her leadership role at Oregon Community Foundation, Mensah served as CEO of the Opportunity Finance Network, where she worked to enhance economic security through both public and private sector financial strategies. She served as the US Department of Agriculture’s Under Secretary for Rural Development during the Obama Administration, founded the Initiative on Financial Security at The Aspen Institute, and held key leadership positions at the Ford Foundation. She began her professional career in commercial banking.
Mensah is actively engaged in various philanthropic and financial initiatives. She serves on the boards of Ecotrust, Fidelity Bank of Ghana, and the Heritage and Cultural Society of Africa (USA) and is a member of the Advisory Committees for Goldman Sachs’ One Million Black Women initiative.
Jesse Rosenzweig, Co-Founder & CTO, Elemental Technologies | Community Investor
Jesse Rosenzweig is a technology leader, entrepreneur, and community advocate based in Central Oregon. Earlier in his career, Jesse worked with Pixelworks and Qualcomm before co-founding Elemental Technologies (later AWS Elemental), a pioneer in video streaming and compression technology that was acquired by Amazon Web Services in 2015. Now mostly retired from the tech industry, Jesse focuses his time on reinvesting in local entrepreneurs and the broader community. He serves as an Instructor of Computer Science at OSU-Cascades, where he teaches Parallel Computing and Software Startups, while also volunteering as a coach and mentor for FIRST Robotics to inspire the next generation of engineers. In addition, Jesse actively supports local and national environmentally focused non-profits and community initiatives across Oregon.
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