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Eric Ness

District Director @ Small Business Administration

Eric Ness is the District Director for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Wisconsin District with locations in Madison and in Milwaukee. As District Director, Eric is responsible for the delivery of SBA programs throughout Wisconsin. Eric joined the SBA in 1990 as a Commercial Loan Officer where he had the opportunity to work in both processing and liquidation of loans. He has served as Finance Chief and Assistant District Director for Economic Development. In December of 2001, Eric assumed the position of Wisconsin District Director. Prior to coming to SBA, Eric worked for Impact Seven as a Business Analyst and was General Manager of Western Wisconsin Development Corporation in Northwestern Wisconsin.Eric graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Degree in Agricultural Engineering and later obtained a Masters in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

Wisconsin State Representative Tony Kurtz

50th Assembly District @ Wisconsin State Assembly

Representative Tony Kurtz currently serves as the Wisconsin Assemblyman for the 50th Assembly District. Prior to his election in 2018, Representative Kurtz had both military and farming experience. Joining the Army after high school and serving for over 20 years, Representative Kurtz is a veteran of both the Persian Gulf and Iraq Wars and had roles as a U.S. Army attack helicopter pilot and crash scene investigator. Following his military career to the present, Representative Kurtz owns a 230-acre farm in Wonewoc where he lives with his wife and children.

Tondra Davis

WI State Director, Supplier Diversity Program @ State of Wisconsin Department of Administration

Tondra Davis began serving as Director for the WI Supplier Program in October 2019. In this role she seeks to help diverse businesses become certified, so they have better opportunity to do business with the state of Wisconsin. Being a diverse business owner for over 13 years, Tondra recognizes the important role the WI Supplier Diversity Program has for diverse businesses and Wisconsin’s economy. Tondra’s background includes a degree in Industrial Engineering from UW-Madison and over 25 years of experience in the public sector as a grants manager, educator, supervisor and IT project manager. If you wish to become certified as a MBE, DVB or WBE, please contact Tondra or the Supplier Diversity Program.

Wisconsin Procurement Institute

Visit www.wispro.org to learn more about the Wisconsin Procurement Institute's services to current and potential government contractors.

Shari Stout

Regional Manager for Middle East-Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Asia-Japan, Philippines @ U.S Department of Commerce | International Trade Administration (ITA)

Shari Stout is the Regional Manager for Middle East-Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Asia-Japan, Philippines. Previously, Shari was Senior Commercial Officer assigned to Kuwait City, Kuwait. She also completed a three-year tour in Ankara, Turkey as a Commercial Officer. Prior to joining the international field, she was the Director of the U.S. Commercial Service office in Chicago, Illinois and also served as the Office Director and International Trade Specialist at the U.S. Commercial Service office in Peoria, Illinois for over 10 years. While working as Director in both Chicago and Peoria, she supported companies located in Illinois by provided customized solutions to foster their international expansion efforts. Stout’s private sector experience includes International Product Manager at the Mark Travel Corporation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She built vacation products and marketed U.S. and foreign destinations to international travel agencies and tour operators. Stout holds a B.S. in International Business, minor in Spanish, and concentration in Marketing from Bradley University. She is a Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP), an accreditation by the North American Small Business International Trade Educators (NASBITE).

Col. Matt Eakins

Commander @ Volk Field Air National Guard Base

Prior to assuming command at Volk Field Air National Guard Base, Colonel Matthew E. Eakins was the Commander of the 115th Mission Support Group, assigned to the 115th Fighter Wing, located at Dane County Regional Airport, Truax Field, Madison, Wisconsin. He commanded over 420 Airmen and civilians managing and directing base support, security, logistics, communications, emergency management, personnel and services activities for 1,200 people, supporting F-16 operations. His organization is also charged with providing these services to state and local communities during domestic operations as directed by the Governor of Wisconsin. Col Eakins also served as Chairman of the Mission Support Group Advisory Council, representing 90 mission support groups to the Director of the Air National Guard. Col Eakins is a 1996 graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison where he received his commission in the United States Air Force. On active duty, Col Eakins served as a Transportation Officer and Logistics Readiness Officer and his assignments included Aerial Port Operations, Vehicle Operations, Logistics Plans, and Command Post. He held these positions in multiple commands to include Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command, and United States Strategic Command. Col Eakins joined the Wisconsin Air National Guard in 2007, where he transitioned into aircraft maintenance. For 9 years he served as the Commander of the 115th Maintenance Operations Flight and the 115th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron where he was responsible for 230 military members and 23 F-16 aircraft. Col Eakins has deployed to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Japan in support of the US Pacific Command Theater Security Package and to Qatar as the Senior Air Reserve Component (ARC) Advisor to the Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) Commander. Col Eakins’ military awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Force Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device, the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with two 2 Bonze Service Stars, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, the Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal, the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border, and the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon.

Tamaya Loewe

Executive Director @ Juneau County Economic Development Corporation

Tamaya is the Executive Director for the Juneau County Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC), where she has worked since 2013 in support of JCEDC’s objectives including development of industry (tourism, rail, technology), workforce attraction and retention, place-making and community development. A native of Wisconsin, Tamaya completed her undergraduate work at Boston College, and then a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) graduating at the top of her class. She embraces a lifestyle of learning and development – most recently demonstrated by four years of study specific to Economic Development. Tamaya brings to the table a variety of diverse professional experiences, an approach that encourages creativity, an inclusive and collaborative mindset, and a situational leadership style.

Benjamin Staats

Director of Operations @ Wisconsin Air National Guard

Collette Schultz

CPA & Virtual Assistant @ Virtual Team 360

I bring 30 years in accounting along with many years as a virtual assistant to the table. My job is to help relieve the administrative burden in your organization. By being a part of the team, it allows me to live my purpose.

Barbara Armstrong

Founder & Principal @ Barbara Armstrong & Associates

Barbara Armstrong is an executive leader and fundraiser with 25 years of experience serving state, national, and international nonprofit organizations in social services, health, and higher education. Respected as a change-agent with a drive to help mission-driven ideas succeed, Barbara is a passionate and engaging public speaker, writer, strategist, and relationship-builder who gets to the heart of organizational mission and inspires others to take action for good. As founder and principal of Barbara Armstrong & Associates, Barbara has special expertise in nonprofit capacity building, grant-funded program development, institutional grant strategy and grant writing, fundraising communications, and nonprofit leadership and administration. Contact Barbara Armstrong & Associates for these services and more: • Fund development coaching for development directors, executive directors, program strategy leads, and board members • Fund development planning and alignment with organizational strategic plans • Institutional Grants: foundation, corporate, and government grant writing, planning, and management • Program funding strategies: building program capacity and innovation through institutional giving strategies that maximize impact and create sustainable funding models - - - Barbara Armstrong & Associates: Helping mission-driven nonprofits build capacity for innovation and sustained financial success.

Tim Weber

Senior Economic Development Director @ Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Alyssa Hopfensperger

Small Business Liaison Officer (SBLO) @ Oshkosh Defense

Alyssa Hopfensperger is a Small Business Liaison who connects diverse businesses with the Oshkosh Defense purchasing team to form a supply chain that is representative of the customers and communities we serve. Alyssa joined industry-leading tactical vehicle manufacturer Oshkosh Defense in July 2018. Her role includes administering and expanding the Small Business subcontracting program, ensuring compliance with federal contracting regulations, and performing outreach to meet potential suppliers. Alyssa is a member of the Small Business team that won the 2019 D Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence in Manufacturing presented by the U.S. Small Business Administration. This award recognizes large prime contractors who have excelled in their utilization of small businesses as suppliers and subcontractors. She has also served as the Secretary of the Midwest SBLO (Small Business Liaison Officer) Group since 2019. Alyssa graduated from Bradley University in Peoria, IL with a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication and minors in Business Management and Health. She takes great pride in the work her company does to help soldiers perform their mission and return home safely.

Thank You For Attending

Individual Meetings

Rick Zawacki

Business Loan Officer @ First American Capital Corporation

Kristen Fish-Peterson

Rick Zawacki

Business Loan Officer @ First American Capital Corporation