The innovation center is fortunate to have several entrepreneurs in the Grand Valley who are generously giving their time and expertise. Maverick Mentors are experts in their fields who work with students who desire to pursue their dream of business ownership or product development. Below, you will find information about Maverick Mentors from many facets of entrepreneurship.
Contact Tom Benton or Georgann Jouflas if interested in speaking with a Maverick Mentor.
Steve Wood
Former President and CEO of CapCo
A CMU graduate, Wood has a degree in aerospace engineering and led a high tech defense contracting firm with more than 300 employees
Doug Neam
Vice President Ball Aerospace, retired
Neam developed and maintained engineering, manufacturing and supply chain organization for Ball Aerospace, a major Aerospace & Defense Contractor with at staff of over 1500.
Adam Kinsey, PhD
CEO of Ventrix, Inc.
Kinsey has worked as a consultant in business development and intellectual property strategy at a variety of biotech startups including Ventrix a small biotech company developing regenerative medicine biomaterial to treat heart failure. Kinsey earned a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and completed his PhD in Bioengineering at UC Berkeley and UCSF. In addition, he holds a certificate in Management of Technology from the Haas School of Business.
Steve Meyer
President and CEO Shaw Construction
Meyer was instrumental in developing Shaw’s mission and values which are central to being a world-class builder. With a BS degree in Civil Engineering from Stanford University, Meyer is a third-generation native Coloradan, born and raised in Greeley. He is a pilot who enjoys traveling the world to mountain climb.
Tom Benton
Acting Director of the Maverick Innovation Center
Call or text: 970.248.2143
Andy Kelly
CEO Terra SLS Inc.
Terra SLS specializes in sophisticated logging systems used in the energy industry. Prior to his acquisition of Terra SLS, Kelly owned and operated Pason USA and Rocky Mountain Geo-Engineering Corporation. He is a graduate of Colorado Mesa University and has extensive business experience in developing instrumentation used in the energy industry. An active outdoor recreationist, Kelly oversees Mesa County’s Search & Rescue operations for snowmobile rescue efforts.
Quint Shear
President Shear Inc.
Shear is a graduate of Colorado Mesa University with a BBA in Finance and Management and attended the Western CUNA Management School. Prior to his serving as President of Shear Inc., he was Vice President of Bank of the West in Grand Junction Shear’s community service includes; President of WSCOGA, CMU University Foundation, CMU Alumni Association and Redlands Rotary Club.
Dale Reece
CEO Crossroads to Health and Fitness
Reece has more than 30 years in the health sciences industry. Crossroads Fitness purpose is to help engage it's members in a life-long healthy journey. Reece is an avid outdoor enthusiast and practices a lifestyle to be younger every year.
Angelina Salazar
VP of Western Healthcare Alliance
Salazar was formerly the vice president of business development at Family Health West. In addition, she held the position of station manager for Rocky Mountain PBS and has a history of being part of an evolving health care environment and managing solutions for companies.
Mike McCormick
President and CEO Columbine Care Givers
McCormick has owned and operated Columbine Caregivers since the spring of 2007. Michael started his career in health care in 1980, with his assignment to Ft. Carson Army Hospital in Colorado Springs. After completing his military commitment, Michael became an administrator of senior retirement communities and nursing centers
Herb Feinzig
VP of Human Resources Glaxo SmithKline, retired
Feinzig served as the head of the human resources for a division of this international pharmaceutical company managing 19,000 employees. His strengths include managing employee consolidations during large scale mergers. Feinzig has a passion for education and recently started the Feinzig/Rotary Catalyst Scholarship at CMU.
Kirk Rider
Attorney, retired
Rider practiced law for more than three decades and successfully managed a law partnership. His areas of expertise include business law, bond financing and real estate.
Carrol Multz
District Attorney, retired
His high profile cases have been reported in the New York Times, Redbook Magazine and various police magazines. He was one of the attorneys in the Columbine Copycat Case that occurred in Fort Collins, Colorado, in 2001 that was featured by Barbara Walters on ABC’s 20/20. He has authored more than a dozen technical books and novels. Multz has served as an adjunct professor at Colorado Mesa University teaching law-related courses and mass communications.
H. Merritt Kinsey
CEO and President of Western Slope Industries
WSI Global is an international manufacturing firm for equipment used to form, cut and fold paper packaging products. Kinsey is a graduate of Lafayette College and received an MBA from University of Michigan.
Frank Wilinson
President Alpha Spectra Inc.
Alpha Spectra is the only U.S.-owned supplier of high quality radiation detectors, crystal scintillators, and nuclear detection materials and is the second largest provider of these materials in the world. Wilkinson has been recognized as the Entrepreneur of the Year by the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce and for Entrepreneurial Development by CMU.
Nick Tinney
Owner iC3 Engineering and manager GJmakerspace
Prior to starting his company and getting the Makerspace off the ground, Tinney worked at Ametek ISC Vehicular Instrumentation Systems designing robotic and vision systems that aid in the manufacturing production floor for assembly plants. Tinney is a graduate of Pennsylvania College of Technology BS EET.
James Wilson
President, Pedaling Innovations
As a manufacturer of the catalyst pedals, Wilson has worked on prototyping, finding a manufacturer and bringing the design to market. In the last two years the company has sold almost 5000 pairs of pedals around the world through a D2C model that focuses on leveraging the global economy and resources to keep things as streamlined as possible.
Brook Blaney
Blaney owned and operated Impact Promotions for over three decades. He is also a real estate investment entrepreneur and serves on the board of CMU’s Foundation.
Robin Brown
Grand Junction Economic Development Director and Owner BrownHouse Public Relations
A graduate of Fordham University with a BS in Applied Science, Brown is a regular weekly contributor to the editorial section of the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel and is also the creator of the Spoke and Blossom magazine. Following her career in the US Army flying Black Hawk helicopters, she is credited with bringing the Avalon Theater to life in its new form.
Alex Chaffetz
Owner Rock Chalk Media LLC
Rock Chalk Media creates marketing for small companies that turned big.
Bryan Wachs
CEO – MySalesButler.com
Bryan Wachs has a deep history of starting, building, and consulting for a variety of businesses and companies. His approach is focused on customer experience, sales and marketing, technological advances, and providing cohesive growth strategies, and return on investment. Bryan’s early access to computers in the 1970s allowed him to be on the cutting edge of technology and focused on marketing platforms to grow businesses efficiently and profitably.
P.J. McGovern
Owner/Operator McGovern Enterprises
McGovern Enterprises is a diverse real estate holding company with office and industrial properties. In addition, McGovern has a background in investment banking and has owned and managed a number of Pizza Huts in Colorado and Utah.
Bob Reece
President Reece Investments
Reece has over 30 years of experience in the title insurance industry, along with ventures in building, construction and acquisition of commercial and residential real estate.
Kent Frieling
President Feather Petroleum Company
Feather Petroleum Company is family-owned business operating 14 Stop ‘n Save convenience stores throughout nine counties in western Colorado to the front range.
Bruce Hill
Owner Superior Alarm Company
A CMU graduate, Hill specializes in residential and commercial alarm systems using Smart Technology. Hill is also co-chair of the National Junior College Baseball Association.
Doug Nieman
Clifton Lube and Automotive President, retired
Nieman has over two decades of experience in the fast growing auto lube center experience as well as real property investment management.