Join us for one or all three free events to become more financially fit for the remainder of 2023!

Tuesday, May 2 – 12:00 – 1:00 PM PT

Economic Update for Small Business Owners

Kick off National Small Business Week with an Economic Update focused on small business owners. Bank of the West Chief Economist Scott Anderson, Ph.D. will share his thoughts on what you can expect in the second half of 2023 and moves you can make to stay ahead of the new economic reality. Afterwards, you will have a rare opportunity to ask Dr. Anderson live questions.

With Special Guests Scott Anderson, Ph.D. Chief Economist at Bank of the West and Rita Dailey Head of Product, Segments, and Client Delivery for Small & Medium Enterprise Banking at Bank of the West, additional information below.

Wednesday, May 3 – 12:00 – 1:00 PM PT

Recession Resiliency – How to Survive and Thrive

Join a group of experienced women entrepreneurs whose businesses have weathered the ups and downs of economic cycles. In this conversation on Recession Resiliency, you’ll hear their best practices on how to survive and thrive.

With Special Guests Gloria Hale, CEO, President and Co-Founder at Hale Glass, Melinda Guzman, CEO, Corporate Director, Financial Services Leader; Human Resource, Turnaround Management, Audit and Governance Leader at Melinda Guzman: California Attorney & Mediator, and Paloma Vidgen, Women Entrepreneur Segment Leader, VP at Bank of the West, additional information below.

Thursday, May 4 – 12:00 – 1:00 PM PT

SBA 101

Roxann Burns, Head of SBA Lending at Bank of the West, will demystify SBA solutions and explain how they work, what you need to apply, and what to expect in the overall process.

With Special Guests Roxann Burns, Head of SBA Lending at Bank of the West and Paloma Vidgen, Women Entrepreneur Segment Leader, VP at Bank of the West, additional information below.

Special Guests:

Rita Dailey

SVP from Bank of the West’s Small & Medium Enterprise Banking group

Rita Dailey runs Bank of the West’s Products, Specialty Segments, and Client Delivery for its Small & Medium Enterprise Banking group. Rita has over 25 years of experience in the banking industry and is passionate about helping businesses grow and realize their full potential. Rita has worked directly with hundreds of businesses over the years from start ups, early stage companies, all the way to large public companies.

Gloria Hale

CEO, President and Co-Founder at Hale Glass

Gloria Hale is CEO, president and co‐founder of Hale Glass, a commercial glass contractor from Orange County, California. Hale Glass was founded in 1978, specializing in the fabrication and installation of architectural aluminum and glass for new construction in commercial buildings. Gloria focuses on the business and finance side of the business, overseeing accounting, human resources, finance and insurance activities for the company. Gloria serves on the national board of directors of the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) and previously served as president of the California Glass Association. As an active member of the Women Presidents Organization (WPO), an international group of women executives, she focuses on achieving professional growth in her own businesses and collaborating to support others. In 2018, Gloria founded Glorious Motor Cars, a concierge auto buying service for women executives. While most women dislike buying cars, Gloria loves the process. She is an active contributor to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the American Red Cross, holding an annual blood drive. She and her companies live and breathe by their core values: integrity, quality, accountability, safety and community.

Melinda Guzman

CEO, Corporate Director, Financial Services Leader; Human Resource, Turnaround Management, Audit and Governance Leader at Melinda Guzman: California Attorney & Mediator

Experienced CEO, General Counsel, public and private board member, and value creation expert who has over 35 years’ experience serving on publicly traded, public, private and non-profit boards. Ms. Guzman is highly regarded for her expertise in governance, legal and fiduciary matters. Ms. Guzman is a Latina, with expertise in finance, legal, human resources construction and real estate development and higher education matters. She has been responsible for P&L, operations management, strategic direction, financial oversight, and organizational leadership. She has extensive experience with banking, credit facilities and venture backed financing and the human resources function.

Melinda Guzman is CEO of Melinda Guzman Professional Corporation, a law firm focused on representing public, private and nonprofit corporations, venture / equity firms, insurance carriers, and other business interests. She is highly sought as a “turnaround management” director and attorney. Highly regarded in her industry and as a public servant for over three decades, she is a proven litigator, an effective business negotiator and work-out counsel, and as a mediator with expertise in finance, governance, employment, higher education, and business. She is highly regarded for her work on governance issues, and she is a noted speaker and trainer on the fiduciary duties of officers and directors of boards of directors. She is a proven leader with a confirmed track record.

Ms. Guzman was born and raised in Fairfield, California and is the daughter of the late Amado Guzman and Anita Guzman of Fairfield. She is a first-generation college graduate of the University of California at Davis (B.A., 1985; J.D., 1988) and is a proud wife, mother and grandmother.

Roxann Burns

Senior Vice President, Small & Medium Enterprise Business at Bank of the West

Roxanne Burns is a senior vice president with expertise in commercial, community development, and SBA lending management. In addition to her responsibilities within Small and Medium Enterprise Business, Roxann is part of Bank of the West’s Leadership Team for the SBA PPP Loan Initiative. Most recently, she and her team processed and funded more than $3 billion in PPP loans that supported payroll for more than 300,000 small business employees in California and across the country.

Roxann brings 30 years of banking experience from start-up finance companies to large complex banking organizations. She is also deeply committed to economic development issues focused on small businesses growth and sustainability.

Paloma Vidgen

SME Segment Strategy – Women Entrepreneurs

As the daughter and granddaughter of entrepreneurs, she is passionate about helping business owners and entrepreneurs meet their professional and personal goals. With 13 years in banking, spent developing strategy and building partnerships across wealth management and business banking, she creates programs and solutions that help our entrepreneurial community succeed.