Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
Financing Your Software Business
12:00pm-2:00pm@ the vtSDA Colchester Offices
For our September Lunch & Learn we will be turning our focus onto how to finance our software and technology businesses. We've pulled together a diverse panel of local financial specialists who will share in the changes and how they can benefit our companies moving forward.
Panel Speakers
Bernie Villemaire
Business Development Specialist
SBA Vermont District Office
Leo Cruickshank
Small Business Lending Officer
Merchants Bank
Jo Bradley
Chief Executive Officer
Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA)
Greg Brand
President
The Bluehouse Group
Meeting Agenda
- Bernie will be discussing SBA's latest programs as they relate to the software industry.
- Leo will be outlining what a banker is looking for when they review a loan application from a software company.
- Jo will be discussing the scope of their new seed capital fund and how it will benefit software companies.
- Greg will be walking us through the process of applying for a loan from a software business owner's point of view.
- Interactive Q & A
This will be a very valuable session for everyone, especially small businesses looking for funding sources. Not to mention, it is as always a great opportunity to network with your peers. Mark your calendars and plan to attend ... we'll be here!
Panelist Bios
Bernie Villemaire
Bernie has been with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) since 1975 as Business Development Specialist. His primary work is with the lending community. He previously was a National Bank Examiner with the U.S. Treasury Department from 1970 to 1975 when he transferred to SBA.
Bernie grew up in the Burlington area and now lives in Moretown.
Leo Cruickshank
Leo is the Assistant Vice President at Merchants Bank in Burlington and beginning in 2008, Leo became a Small Business Loan Officer. He also has experience as a corporate banking administrator, personal banker/lender and a consumer loan clerk. Leo started his career with the Merchants Bank in March 1994.
Jo Bradley
Jo, a resident of Stowe, Vermont became Chief Executive Officer of the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) in February 1997. VEDA is Vermont's economic development finance lending authority with assets of approximately $140 million.
Ms. Bradley's previous professional experience includes Deputy Secretary of the State of Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development; Commercial Loan Officer for Vermont Economic Development Authority and Vice President, Solomon Brothers, Inc. in Boston.
Ms. Bradley received a B.A. (Honors) in History from Johnson State College; M.B.A. in Finance from the Boston University School of Management in 1981. Ms. Bradley also completed the Program for Senior Executives in State Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
She has served on numerous State and local boards and currently serves on the Board of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Vermont Telecommunications Authority, Vermont's Clean Energy Development Fund and Vermont Rural Ventures.
Greg Brand
Greg is President of Bluehouse Group, an interactive agency specializing in Web design, Internet marketing, and custom software applications. Based in Richmond, Vermont, the company provides strategy and implementation to a wide spectrum of clients in commercial and non-profit sectors.
