Learn More About the 2024 Shark Tank Judges 

Chris Brown- Sawtooth Ventures, Lead Advisor/Partner

Chris Brown has been in the Defense industry for over 30 years spanning back to when he enlisted in the Navy in 1992 out of Frankfurt, Germany. He has spent 15 years in the Navy, 7 years in Special Operations as an EOD Officer, and Officer In Charge of EOD Detachments. He helped found and build WMDTech, which grew from the garage to over $9M in revenue before he sold his shares. He lives in Boise, Idaho with his wife and two young sons. He has an Executive MBA degree from Boise State University.

Kristal Searle - Coleman Oil Company, Director of Strategic Projects

Kristal Searle is the Director of Strategic Projects at Coleman Oil Company. In this role, she leads the development and implementation of strategic initiatives to scale processes, data, and people for planned growth. Kristal brings a wealth of professional experience, including nine years in Big Four auditing and six years as CFO of a convenience store chain with over 100 locations across multiple states. She has a strong background in financing and integrating acquisitions and excels in combining her knowledge of business operations and finance with a passion for data and technology to drive profitable change.

Bryan Burks - RecorGroup, Chief Operating Officer

Recorgroup is a national service based B2B company specializing in financial services, Category management, Analytics, Outsourced Sales, and Marketing for large consumer product companies. Recorgroup has a long history of launching and growing businesses they partner with. They have been recognized by Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest growing companies for 3 consecutive years, as well as being recognized as Idaho best places to work list for 6 years and running. Bryan manages the day-to-day operations of RecorGroup, with an additional focus on M&A activity as well as scaling the company’s operational footprint. He is a member of EO (Entrepreneurial Organization) as well as a Strategic Coach.

Matt Christensen - Johnson May, Business Attorney

Matt Christensen joined his current firm (Johnson May) in 2008 as an associate attorney. Now a partner at the firm, Matt has a civil litigation practice involving commercial law (finance & secured transactions), bankruptcy, real property, & business matters. He has a thriving bankruptcy practice advising and assisting companies and their owners to restructure their operations and debts. Matt also frequently represents bankruptcy trustees & other fiduciaries in recovering assets & administering estates. In addition to practicing law, Matt is an adjunct professor at the University of Idaho College of Law.

Ryan Benson, J.P. Morgan Chase, Executive Director innovation Economy

Ryan Benson has a 25-year banking career, with 20 years at JP Morgan Chase. In the last two years, he's been key in the Innovation Economy team, helping early-stage tech companies grow with customized solutions.

Ryan is passionate about innovation and enjoys working with forward-thinking Founders who drive a thriving ecosystem. His financial expertise and enthusiasm for meeting dynamic Founders make him a valuable asset to clients and the community.

Our First Business Pitch Incubator with Boise State University Venture College was wildly successful with 19 businesses registered across Idaho.

Thank you to our funding partners!

The Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce is partially funded by the USDA Rural Business Development Grant and RIVDA to host 4 incubators from August 1, 2024, through July 25th, 2025 focused on Business Pitches, Start Up, and Growth.

We look forward to serving all of our businesses across Idaho with our innovative approach to hosting them in person and virtually.