Carolynn Duncan, Founder & CEO

Carolynn Duncan is the CEO and founder of Portland Ten, an entrepreneur education company which licenses financial literacy programs for startups to cities and economic development organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Prior to Portland Ten, Carolynn sourced deals for EPIC Ventures, a Salt Lake City-based venture capital firm, developed an entrepreneurial fundraising program and ran LivePitch events for FundingUniverse (now Lendio), assisted in launching the Eastern Idaho Entrepreneurial Center in partnership with BYU-Idaho and EPIC Ventures, founded the Hundred Dollar Business experiment, was a founding employee of TagJungle, and worked for $3MM seed fund Provo Labs.

Prior to working in entrepreneurial finance, Carolynn worked as a marketing & communications specialist for DeseretBook, Granite Publishing & Distribution, Cedar Fort, Schooled Magazine, and Nomen Global Language Center.

She has worked with at-risk youth through Utah Youth Village and the Casey Life Skills Program, currently volunteers as a "Big Sister" with Big Brothers, Big Sisters, is an advocate of Pathway, a remote peer-learning program developed by BYU-Idaho, and teaches financial & employment literacy for young adults in the LDS Church. 

Carolynn is currently working on graduate studies in Business Administration at Brigham Young University, and has a Bachelor’s in Modern Dance, Music, and English from Brigham Young University-Idaho.

Bill Horton, Sprint Program Manager

Bill Horton is the Sprint Program Manager in Portland, OR, in addition to being the owner of BizFix. Bill began BizFix inspired by his dedication for helping the small business owner.  Moving from a career in corporate Sales Training to owning a successful Italian market for over 12 years, Bill realized his true passion while offering business advice to neighboring retailers and consultations with clients ready to start their own ventures.  These were the conversations that drove him to sell his shop and start BizFix.

Bill runs BizFix with the firm belief that every business owner has the opportunity to improve their process.  To grow their capacity.  To reignite the passion that drove them to start their business in the first place, and using it to improve their bottom-line and ultimately their lives.

Bill is ever honing his craft while helping as many business owners as he can. He develops curriculum and teaches at Mercy Corps NW, preparing entrepreneurs to operate their own businesses. He provides advising and training for Portland Ten, a company that runs and licenses capacity-building business programs, and he volunteers with community outreach programs at the University of Portland’s Center of Entrepreneurship.

Mark Grimes, Advisor

Mark Grimes is a serial entrepreneur, social entrepreneur, and angel investor who has started each of his businesses with cash on hand, no business plan and all have been profitable within 90 days.  Past founder of eyescream interactive, an advertising agency with clients such as P&G, Nextel,Disney, and Outpost.com.  eyescream was one of the top 20 interactive advertising agencies according to Adweek magazine, 40 staff members and annual billings over 7.2 million dollars.  Currently focusing on developing social purpose enterprises and helping other social entrepreneurs develop their business models.

As an angel with a somewhat iffy track record, angel investments include; TechTracker (ACQUIRED), SnapNames (ACQUIRED), Measurecast (ACQUIRED), Printbind (ACQUIRED), CashPile/Merchandising Avenue (DOA), Online Response (DOA), Seminar Source (DOA), helped these companies launch Dogpile(ACQUIRED), MP3.com (PUBLIC).

Current investments & businesses include Better World Media Network, a socially responsible online advertising network; NedSpace, co-working for startups, innovative tech companies, nonprofits and social entrepreneurs.  Ned.com, a member-governed network taking action locally, nationally & globally, in order to make the world a better place.

Rob Wiltbank, Advisor

Rob Wiltbank is assistant professor of strategic management for the Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University. His research focuses on strategy making under uncertainty, particularly as it relates to venture development. His study of angel investing performance is the first empirical examination of the outcomes achieved by angel investors in the U.S. At Willamette University he teaches courses on New Venture Creation, Strategic Management, and Industry Analysis.

He has published research on top management teams in Organization Science, on non-predictive control strategy in the Strategic Management Journal, and on formal venture capital practices among angel investors in Venture Capital. He is a Batten Institute Research Fellow with the Darden School at theUniversity of Virginia, conducting an in depth study on organic growth in existing corporations, and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Business Venturing. He is also conducting a national study of angel investor performance with the Kauffman Foundation. He holds a Ph.D. in Strategic Management from the University of Washington, and a degree in Finance and Accounting from Oregon State University.

Professor Wiltbank is a partner with Buerk Dale Victor, a Seattle based venture capital firm, and has worked professionally in finance and sales for a major electronics manufacturer, strategic marketing for two startup firms, and consulting and performing due diligence for dozens of private equity investments.

Kristin Wolff, Advisor

Kristin Wolff spends her days finding ways for public, private and third-sector organizations to inspire innovation, realize economic opportunity and build great communities. A native Chicagoan, her insatiable curiosity has taken her to both coasts, to thesouthwest—and even overseas from time to time. She is currently senior partner with CSW—a Michigan-based public policy firm, where she works with states, cities and organizations across the US on economic, education and workforce issues.

As the owner of Thinkers + Doers—her own Portland-based small business—she helps organizations doing specialized work tell their stories. Wolff participates in numerous local and professional networks, and serves on the boards of Wired Women Web—a network of womentechnologyprofessionals. She holds an interdisciplinary BA from Miami University of Ohio and an MA in Political Science from the University of Arizona.

Gerald Baugh, Advisor

Gerald is the Business & Industry Manager for Portland Development Commission, an agency created by Portland voters in 1958, which has played a major role in keeping Portland one of America’s most livable cities, by completing projects in waterfront redevelopment, small business loans, affordable housing, new retail opportunities, transit-oriented development, business recruitment and retention.

Previously, Gerald was the Manager of Business Development at City of Vancouver, Regional Coordinator at State of Oregon – Economic & Community Development Dept, Regional Coordinator at State of Oregon, and Commercial Property Casualty Broker at Wausau Insurance.

Diane Fraiman, Advisor

Diane serves as a Venture Partner with Voyager Capital and focuses on software and digital media investments in the Pacific Northwest, particularly Oregon. With over 30 years of technology company experience in leading marketing, strategy and business development, Diane works with startups in the enterprise software, Internet/Web 2.0, and security software industries throughout the West Coast.

Diane was previously Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Sanctum, a VC-backed startup providing Web application security software (acquired by Watchfire) and Vice President of Worldwide Marketing for the database company Informix Software (acquired by IBM), both based in Silicon Valley. Prior to her move to Silicon Valley, Diane was Vice President of Marketing for Tektronix (acquired by Danaher) in their Video and Networking Division and a marketing executive with Sequent Computer (acquired by IBM), both based in Oregon. She previously spent 16 years in sales and marketing roles at Digital Equipment Corporation in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Diane graduated with a Bachelors degree from Vanderbilt University in Biomedical Engineering, and received an Executive MBA from Insead in Fountainebleau, France. Diane lives in Portland, Oregon.