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MONTHLY CHANCE MEETINGS
December 6, 2021, 5 - 6 pm via Zoom
Please register below for Zoom link
Sometimes all you need is the right connection and a little inspiration. Well, what are you waiting for? Find both at our free monthly virtual networking event. You never know...
Theme: Making Mental Health a Workplace Priority
The first collaborative assessment of mental health and substance use in Jackson Hole revealed a community struggling with a myriad of challenges. The report, drafted by FSG consultants, comprises a year of research and includes interviews with community leaders, workshops with a 19-organization steering committee, and a survey of more than 1,000 residents.
The pandemic has exacerbated the difficulties of living in our isolated mountain towns. COVID has, for many, rapidly changed the nature of work requiring constant adaptation and added stress. Trends that made the Teton region a difficult place to call home have accelerated. The survey revealed that nearly half of those surveyed considered leaving the area in the past year due to housing instability, lack of stable employment, or insufficient income.
Please join us on Monday, December 6th from 5-6 p.m. for a discussion on making mental health a priority in the workplace. We will look at creative tools and benefits available to support entrepreneurs and staff, suggestions for self-care, and the various resources available in our area.
Our expert panelists include Matt Murphy, CEO of Marvell Technology, a leader in innovative programs to promote employee wellness and work-life balance, Abigail Ridgway, Managing Director of FSG, and Deidre Ashley, Executive Director of Jackson Hole Community Counseling Center. Don't miss this important and timely conversation.
NEWS AND NOTES
ANNIE MORITA JOINS THE SILICON COULOIR BOARD
We are pleased to announce the addition of Annie Morita to the Silicon Couloir board. Annie has a wealth of executive leadership from across the globe. Currently, Annie is the Chief Operating Officer at Koji.
Annie was an executive with Apple, Inc., as the business lead for the Internet Software & Services Division in Greater China, focusing on the App Store, and Apple Media Products (Apple Music, TV, iTunes, and Podcasts). She joined Apple in January 2017 and was based in Shanghai through July 2019. She finished her assignment with Apple in late 2019.
Prior to Apple, Annie served as the head of global interactive for DreamWorks Animation. She led the company’s efforts for gaming across all platforms, as well as new business development and production for virtual reality and augmented reality.
Prior to this role, Annie served as the lead business executive for Oriental DreamWorks, DreamWorks Animation's first-ever joint venture in China with the goal of creating the leading family entertainment company in China. Annie worked on the creation of the joint venture and eventually moved to Shanghai to set up operations and launch the new company. She joined DreamWorks Animation in 2009 as part of the online team, with responsibilities for the company’s worldwide production and management of interactive virtual worlds for kids and companion online and social products.
NOVEMBER VISIONARY VENTURES:
NAUGHTY FRUIT GROWS FROM LOCAL ROOTS
This month's News and Guide column features Teton Valley entrepreneur Juan Morales, Founder and CEO of Naughty Fruit. Juan is committed to family, community, sustainability, and growing his company. “People can taste the love,“ explains Juan. “No matter what their culture, language, or background is, people want to be part of something local.”
Juan envisions a larger facility in Teton Valley and a team of full-time employees. It’s a big step with the need for considerable planning and investment. To get there, Juan is returning to his Silicon Couloir roots. He has applied to TEAMS, Silicon Couloir’s free business mentoring program, and has his eye on Pitch Day 2022.
FRANCO SNOWSHAPES EXPANDS TO SKIS
Franco Snowshapes is proud to present Tailored Skis to our line-up of one of a kind shapes. Collin Schauerman, formerly of Parlor Skis in Boston, brings with him a background in Architecture Design/Build and a lengthy history of ski making. Matching the Franco aesthetic with cutting edge technology like Carbon Fiber/Kevlar blends, poured urethane sidewalls, Titanal and other aerospace-grade composites, Collin’s aim is to take custom skis from merely pieces of functional art to performance-focused tools befitting of a ski born in the Tetons.
MIA SHARE IS HIRING
Pitch Day 2020 award winner, Mia Share, is hiring for 7 new positions. Join an innovative team and develop income-based payment tech for trade & technical schools across the country and beyond. Expect exceptional co-workers and a fast-paced working environment. Strong benefits & remote flexibility. Learn more and apply by following this link.
WELCOME TO NEW TRUSTEES
We are pleased to announce the addition of four new Silicon Couloir Trustees to our remarkable and talented community. Welcome and thank you for your generous commitment to support entrepreneurship in the Teton region.
With over 30 years executive experience in finance, investments & philanthropy, George M. James is Chief Investment Officer & Principal of Glasshouse Capital, a family investment vehicle with interests across global markets. He & his wife are founders of the George & Karen James Family Foundation.
Founded with colleagues from Morgan Stanley, Mr. James was Co-CIO of Old Lane LP, a $4.5 billion multi-strategy hedge fund sold to Citigroup in 2008. He was appointed Vice Chairman, Citi Alternative Investments & member of the Citigroup Management Committee. His partner Vikram Pandit was named CEO & the senior leadership team invited to oversee Citigroup’s alternative investment platform globally.
George M. James worked with Morgan Stanley for 24 years & was Managing Director for 14 years, joining the corporation upon graduating with an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1981. While working in NYC, Tokyo & London, George facilitated Morgan Stanley’s entry into diverse Fixed Income businesses worldwide & was founding co-head of the Global Derivative Products Group.
Lauri Corliss had a long career in business – banking, real estate, and development – and entered the wine business in Washington State in 1999 with her husband Michael.
She brings skills that few people in this industry can claim, but which are essential to building a lasting legacy. Lauri acquired her wine knowledge over many years of traveling to acquire wines at auction, where she came to understand the whole spectrum of quality and attention to detail in winemaking. She and Michael now own and operate 4 wineries and 7 estate vineyards, Lauri’s focus is on the sales and marketing aspects of the business.
Michael Corliss is the founder and shareholder of Pacific Trust Company. Michael has over 40 years of experience owning and operating unique business assets and privately held operating companies. He founded Investco in 1983, which today manages over $2 billion in real estate assets on behalf of the Corliss family and its partners. In 1985, he acquired The Truss Company & Building Supply, which manufactures roof trusses in Washington, Oregon, and California. He also owns farming, winery, and vineyard operations.
Phil Hartl is a Managing Director in Private Wealth Management at Merrill within Bank of America. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch in 2000, Phil was a Vice President in the Private Client Services Group at Goldman Sachs. He is a Certified Private Wealth Advisor® professional, and has been trained at the Money, Meaning, and Choices Institute in San Francisco.
Phil earned his Ph.D. at the University of California at San Diego in Cellular and Molecular Biology. His postdoctoral work was conducted at the University of California at San Francisco, where he was a Fellow of the Cancer Research Institute. His graduate and postdoctoral works have been published in several journals including: Science, The Journal of Cellular Biology and the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Phil earned his B.S. in Biochemistry and his M.A. in Plant Biology from Binghamton University in New York.
THANK YOU TO DEPARTING BOARD MEMBER
GINNY HUTCHINSON
Following six years of dedication and service on the Silicon Couloir board of directors, Ginny Hutchinson is stepping down to focus on travel and family. Ginny has spent countless hours in support of our local entrepreneurs. Thank you, Ginny, for your vision, leadership, and unflagging positivity. Ginny and her husband, John Kanengieter, will continue serving as Trustees.
LEARN MORE ABOUT SILICON COULOIR
HAVE NEWS
TO SHARE?
As always, please feel free to send news of your company's press, events, successes, and milestones to Gary@siliconcouloir.com and we'll do our best to feature them in our newsletters!
ARE YOU A COMMUNITY CARETAKER?
Silicon Couloir strengthens our Teton regional community by empowering the entrepreneurial ecosystem. More than just business development, we believe in enriching our community character and enhancing our mountain town culture. Help us support business pioneers in the Tetons by becoming a community caretaker!
To offer your time or talent, please email us at Gary@siliconcouloir.com.