Dr. Richard Wobbekind
Associate Dean, University of Colorado Boulder Leeds School of Business
Rich develops an annual consensus forecast of the Colorado economy, performs economic impact assessments of the Colorado economy, and produces the quarterly Leeds Business Confidence Index for Colorado. Rich is the president of the National Association for Business Economics, participates annually in the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank Regional Economic Roundtable, and is a contributor to the Western Blue Chip Economic Forecast newsletter. He is a member of the Governor’s Revenue Estimating Advisory Committee.
John Reeves
Partner, CPA, Plante Moran
As a partner in the firm’s upstream oil and gas energy practice, I focus on tax advisory and compliance services, particularly how to optimize tax strategies and outcomes. Nearly all my clients are domestic upstream oil and gas companies, with a few midstream and service companies, including private equity-backed, closely held, and public entities.
I’ve been with the firm for over 15 years, starting as an intern. Since then, my greatest accomplishment has been helping to develop the team in the Rocky Mountain region. Our clients know that we care about them and will provide high-quality, value-add professional services.
I belong to the AICPA, the Colorado Society of CPAs, and COPAS-Colorado, a not-for-profit comprising accountants who work in petroleum-related industries. I received my master’s degree in accountancy from University of Denver.
Outside of work and my family, I spend as much time as I can playing golf. I also enjoy travel, cooking, and the arts.
Steven Elias
Dean, Monfort College of Business, University of Northern Colorado
Steven Elias serves as the Dean of the Monfort College of Business at the University of Northern Colorado, where he leads a wonderful business school dedicated to preparing career-ready graduates and contributing to the economic vitality of Northern Colorado. His leadership supports placing an emphasis on students first, innovation, and strong partnerships across the region. Before joining UNC in 2025, Steve served as the Katz Endowed Dean of the Katz School of Business at Fort Lewis College, where he strengthened community engagement and helped grow experiential learning opportunities that connected students directly with local businesses and nonprofits. His background is in organizational behavior and leadership, and he is passionate about how higher education can serve communities, support local industry, and develop the next generation of leaders. Steve and his wife, Emile, are proud parents of twin boys, both of whom will be college freshman next year.
Shawn Osthoff
President, Bank of Colorado
Shawn Osthoff is the President of Bank of Colorado, a community bank that is community focused with local decision making. Osthoff, a native of Colorado, attended the University of Northern Colorado where he earned a bachelors degree in finance. He went on to earn an MBA with an emphasis in finance from Colorado State University.
Since joining Bank of Colorado in 1995, he has overseen its growth from a humble 8 locations to more than 50, with over $7.5 Billion in assets, spread across communities in Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. Osthoff has extensive experience in banking, including lending, loan operations, commercial and agricultural loan portfolio management, and corporate management. Shawn serves on the Monfort College of Business – Deans Leadership Council, Chairman of the board of the Colorado Bankers Association, and on the Governors,Revenue Estimating Committee. He lives in Fort Collins with his wife, Crystal, with whom he has two children.
Ryan Schaefer
Chief Executive Officer, NAI Affinity
Ryan is the Chief Executive Officer of NAI Affinity (formerly known as Chrisland, Inc.) and
Manager of Affinity Partners, LLC. The Affinity Real Estate Partners family of companies
includes NAI Affinity, a Northern Colorado based commercial real estate brokerage that is
part of the NAI global network, and Affinity Partners, LLC, a real estate investment and
development company with assets in multi-states, ranging from California to Kansas.
Kevin Unger
President & CEO, Poudre Valley Hospital and Medical Center of the Rockies
Kevin L. Unger serves as president and CEO of Poudre Valley Hospital and Medical Center of the Rockies, two of 12 hospitals within UCHealth, a nationally recognized health-care system with operating revenue of $4.5 billion and a workforce of more than 23,500 people. Unger also oversees other UCHealth locations in Northern Colorado, including Yampa Valley Medical Center, Greeley Hospital, Longs Peak Hospital and numerous ambulatory medical centers.