Jolisa Fagen
The Power of Capital
About Jolisa
Jolisa Fagen is a Business Relationship Manager for Chase in Des Moines, IA. With over two years at Chase and 18 years of experience in the financial services industry, she brings a deep understanding of banking solutions to her clients.
Jolisa is dedicated to getting to know each business she serves, enabling her to deliver tailored insights and value in every interaction. She connects clients with a broader team of experts in areas such as cash management, credit solutions, and a wide range of other business services.
In addition, she helps businesses take advantage of Chase’s advanced online capabilities, mobile tools, and telephone banking options—making it easier and more convenient to manage business finances from virtually anywhere.
Johnny Cintron
The Power of Capital
About Johnny
Johnny Cintron is a Business Relationship Manager for Chase in Ankeny, IA. He brings over seven years of experience at Chase and 18 years in the financial services industry.
Johnny is committed to understanding each client’s business in a way that enables Chase to deliver meaningful insights and value with every interaction. He connects business owners with a team of professionals who can support growth through solutions in cash management, credit, and other essential business services.
He also helps clients take advantage of Chase’s advanced online and mobile banking tools, providing convenient access to business accounts from virtually any device.
Kaitlin Byers
Teresa Jensen
Panelist: Funding Your Business With Bank Loans or Micro-loans
In this breakout, attendees will learn about different funding sources, requirements, and best practices to secure funding thought these popular lending programs.
About Teresa
With nearly 3 decades of experience in the financial industry, Teresa Jensen is a dedicated Business Banking Officer at CRBT, where she has been serving for almost 3 years. Prior to this role, she spent 25 years as a mortgage lender at various financial institutions helping individuals and families achieve their home ownership dreams.
Passionate about supporting small businesses, Teresa focuses on empowering women and minority owned businesses by providing tailored financial solutions that foster growth and success. Her deep understanding of lending, coupled with a commitment to community development, makes her a trusted resource for entrepreneurs navigating the financial landscape.
Beyond banking, Teresa enjoys her family including 2 adult children and 2 cherished grand kids. She finds balance through yoga, travel and her pets. Whether assisting business owners or exploring new destinations, Teresa is committed to making a positive impact both professionally and personally.
Anthony Betters
Panel Moderator: Funding Your Business With Bank Loans or Micro-loans
In this breakout, attendees will learn about different funding sources, requirements, and best practices to secure funding thought these popular lending programs.
About Anthony
Anthony is a Sales Specialist at American Family Insurance, aspiring to own his own agency one day. A proud Baylor University alum, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Corporate Communications, achieving this while balancing the demands of being a student-athlete football walk-on. Originally from Waco, Texas, Anthony made the move to Cedar Rapids to start a senior in-home healthcare franchise. His dedication and impact in the community
have been recognized with the Corridor Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 accolade. He is also a part of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., that is focused on developing leaders, promoting brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities. Beyond his professional role, Anthony actively engages with the community. He serves as the PTA Vice President at Washington High School, Vice President of the African American Museum of Iowa (AAMI) Board of Directors, and Treasurer and Chaplin of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He has also created a community initiative called GoodFellas, that helps bring black men together to network, and collaborate in a safe space environment.
Becca Heissel
From Vision to Impact
Success isn’t just about the numbers in your bank account—it’s about clarity, daily actions, and the mindset that turns vision into reality. In this powerful session, I’ll share the Five Financial Success Principles that helped me achieve the impossible and show you how to use them to bring your goals to life. You’ll learn how to define what you truly want, understand the real cost of your dreams, and take strategic action to move from where you are to where you want to be. Whether you’re launching a startup or scaling your business, this session will help you break through fear, align your habits with your vision, and create real, lasting success.
About Becca
Becca Heissel is a best-selling author, inspiring keynote speaker, business strategist, and financial clarity advocate who helps entrepreneurs conquer fear, master their finances, and achieve holistic success. Drawing from her own journey of resilience and transformation, Becca has made it her mission to empower others to create lasting impact in their lives and businesses. She is building a uniquely powerful community of accountability, helping entrepreneurs gain confidence, achieve financial clarity, break free from money shame and fear, and embrace self-acceptance. In her talk, From Vision to Impact, Becca teaches her Five Financial Success Principles, empowering entrepreneurs to take their vision and, through sound financial practices, build stable and sustainable success. A passionate advocate for financial literacy and personal growth, Becca inspires business owners to build purpose-driven, thriving lives.
Eric Tubbs
Navigating Commercial and Government Contracts
Description: Understanding the basics of commercial and government contracts is crucial for emerging start-ups in order to build capabilities and avoid costly missteps. This knowledge can provide clarity by ensuring contracts are clear, expectations are defined, and business’s interests are protected, all while helping to prevent disputes and potential liabilities. With the dynamic and fast-paced nature of start-ups, knowing potential pitfalls ensures that agreements are compliant with relevant laws and enforceable, giving businesses the peace of mind to focus on growth and innovation. Investing in this knowledge early on can save significant time, money, and stress in the long run.
Skills gained: Risk management: identifying potential risks and incorporating practices to mitigate them to protect the business
Compliance awareness: knowledge of the legal guardrails and how to build a legally sound culture and company
Negotiation skills: improved understanding of legal parameters equips businesses to negotiate more favorable contract terms
Strategic planning: avoiding legal issues to help align contracts with long-term objectives
About Eric
Eric Tubbs in an attorney in Nyemaster’s Des Moines office. Eric specializes in a broad range of corporate transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, securities issuances, high-growth/startup company matters, commercial contracts, corporate governance matters, and general representation of business organizations.
Brian Shust
Navigating Commercial and Government Contracts
Description: Understanding the basics of commercial and government contracts is crucial for emerging start-ups in order to build capabilities and avoid costly missteps. This knowledge can provide clarity by ensuring contracts are clear, expectations are defined, and business’s interests are protected, all while helping to prevent disputes and potential liabilities. With the dynamic and fast-paced nature of start-ups, knowing potential pitfalls ensures that agreements are compliant with relevant laws and enforceable, giving businesses the peace of mind to focus on growth and innovation. Investing in this knowledge early on can save significant time, money, and stress in the long run.
Skills gained: Risk management: identifying potential risks and incorporating practices to mitigate them to protect the business
Compliance awareness: knowledge of the legal guardrails and how to build a legally sound culture and company
Negotiation skills: improved understanding of legal parameters equips businesses to negotiate more favorable contract terms
Strategic planning: avoiding legal issues to help align contracts with long-term objectives
About Brian
Brian Shust is an attorney Nyemaster Goode and works out of their Cedar Rapids office. His practice focuses on business formation, government contracts, and commercial litigation. Prior to Nyemaster, Brian was an active duty Air Force Judge Advocate (military attorney) for 10 years. In that role, he advised contracting officers on developing, awarding, and administering contracts, and gained an understanding of how contractors of all sizes can best demonstrate capabilities to win contract awards.
Adrienne Greenwald
Panel: Navigating State and Federal Grants
About Adrienne
Adrienne Greenwald is the Managing Principal at VentureNet Iowa where she guides tech entrepreneurs applying for Iowa’s public innovation funding. Her responsibilities at VentureNet include market opportunity evaluation, strategic planning, capitalization strategies, management recruitment, business evaluation, and organizational and structural logistics. She’s involved directly in event and project planning and execution. And she manages marketing, communications, and talent recruitment. She earned a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State University and an MA in Strategic Communication from the University of Iowa. Her checkered past includes a variety of campaigns, freelance writing, health and arts non-profits, international hospitality, and teaching English abroad. She’s also an amateur gardener, avid traveler, cyclist, yogi, and animal lover.