Don Freschi
Don has been KAST’s lead business coach and Executive in Residence for our Venture Acceleration Program since its inception in 2013. As co-founder/CEO of Firebird Technologies, Don has helped bring millions of research and development dollars into the region, managed a shareholder exit, developed a new product for international markets, and increased sales from $3 million to $9 million over two years.
Don has 20-plus years of experience in high tech manufacturing, operations, P&L management, sales/marketing, technology development and strategic planning. He recently co-founded a new venture, Fenix Advanced Materials, which is an anchor tenant at the MIDAS facility in Trail. Don also owns and stars in Sport Fishing on the Fly.
Stephen Urquhart
For the past 18 years, Stephen has been working directly with multinational organizations, startups and SMEs in a variety of countries, providing unique insights to facilitate acceleration from concepts to commercial success.
He focuses on change and project management, backed by his industry leadership experience combined with his personal drive of lifelong learning. He strongly supports academic institutions, the true cornerstone of innovation.
Beyond his success as a strategic advisor, he has had extensive experience with multiple non-profit and arts community-based organizations. His experience makes for unique insights and management tools in creating impact and lasting change through collaboration with local communities and their needs and cultures.
Beth Gallup
Early experience with the Asian Institute of Technology launched Beth on a career of bringing new ideas to life. Her strengths include working effectively with clients and identifying viable markets. She excels at taking clients through the practical steps needed to connect with those markets, make sales and generate cash flow.
Her own entrepreneurial track record is long and varied, which is a product of her curiosity, interest in people, willingness to embrace new technologies, and tendency to mix business with pleasure. In between other ventures, she co-founded a mountain bike guiding service, and managed a cat-skiing operation.
Beth is based out of Fernie, B.C., has an MBA and studied at the European Summer School for Advanced Management.
Steve Fisher
Steve began his entrepreneurial career at eight years old with a kindling business, selling split wood to his neighbours. Forty years later, he is embarking on his eighth startup and, oddly enough, still likes to split wood!
Most recently, the co-founder and CEO of VEERUM, a Digital Twin platform based out of Calgary, Steve has been through a capital raise in Silicon Valley, grants galore, shareholder exits and major corporate contracts. He also spent five years working out of the startup ecosystem in Calgary being mentored by an incredible ecosystem of highly successful professionals. With an early career in the ski and bike industry, Steve understands the Kootenay lifestyle and the challenge of finding a work/life balance.
He recently moved back to the Nelson to raise his family with Kootenay values and has a goal to make Nelson a top-10 city to launch a Startup!
Clay
Over the last 25 years, Clay Braziller (B. Eng., MBA), has worked with businesses, nonprofits, associations and government to bring innovative products and services to the market in the science and technology, engineering and health sector.
In addition to consulting, Clay lectures at SFU’s Beedie School of Business on marketing and science commercialization, sits on the board of the East End Food Coop and is an executive in residence with Foresight Clean Technology Accelerator and SFU’s Venture Connection.
Clay is the past Chair of the Neil Squire Society, former president of the B.C. Medical Device Association, as well as a founding director of the Ocean Renewable Energy Group (OREG) and the Power Technology Alliance. He has also lived through three startups, two mergers, a downsizing, and hockey stick growth.
