Business Council welcomes four new staff members

Bert Adam, Entrepreneurial Services Manager

Where did you grow up? Spearfish, South Dakota

What has been your path to the WBC? I spent one year in college in Rapid City studying chemical engineering, and it was insanely boring. So, my buddies and I moved to Bozeman to ski. All six of us lived in a three-bedroom apartment, and I earned my degree in computer engineering. I helped my buddy start a business and learned networking and website design while working as a bartender. My wife and I got married, bought a house and moved to Cheyenne (where my wife got a job) all in the same month.

I worked for the company that became Warehouse Twenty One, and then moved on to the marketing team at Sierra Trading Post for 10 years, followed by 2 years at Vail Resorts, and then worked with the startup Nymbl.

What are you most looking forward to in your new role? I’m excited to help create jobs in Wyoming and help entrepreneurs succeed. My interest in doing so stems from my time at Sierra when most of my staff was laid off. I spent three months contacting everybody I could think of to try to get jobs for everybody I was managing. It was hard to see that many people and that many jobs leave Wyoming. Since then, I’ve wanted to see what I could do to create jobs in Wyoming.

How do you spend your weekends? I have 5- and 8-year-old sons who love mountain biking, so we spend a lot of time on our bikes. Before I was a parent, I was a rock climber. One of my proudest accomplishments is climbing Devils Tower.

Beach or mountain vacation? If we get a chance to vacation at all, it’s usually kid-focused, like Disneyworld or Lego Land.

Any pets? A cat. My wife named her Cupcake. The kids added “Von Yum Yum Adam.” So, Cupcake Von Yum Yum Adam. Yep.

Jill Tregemba, Agribusiness Manager

Any hidden talents? I relax by woodworking and doing home renovations. I spent a couple of years in Alaska framing houses and fishing all the time.

Where did you grow up? I grew up on the family cattle ranch near Huntley, where the deer and the antelope play — literally. My husband, Adam, and I even got married on the ranch.

Fun fact: Governor Stan Hathaway was also from Huntley. He graduated from Huntley High School, which is where both of my parents graduated and where I attended school through fourth grade. At that time, the school consolidated into a “larger” district school; I still only had 19 in my graduating class.

What has been your path to the WBC? I graduated from UW with a degree in International Agriculture. I worked for the Colorado Livestock Association and then on to a corporate job, all the while starting a family, raising cattle and cutting horses. Most recently, Adam and I sold our ag business and ranch in Kansas and moved back home to Wyoming.

What are you most looking forward to in your new role? I look forward to helping the agriculture industry in Wyoming find ways to grow in strength, opportunity and prosperity. I cherish the opportunity to serve my state and the industry that molded me into the entrepreneurial person that I am.

What do you do in your free time? In my free time, I enjoy the great outdoors. Time spent on horseback with family is my favorite.

Family nearby? My husband and I run the ranch together, but he does most of the work day-to-day. He trains a few horses to sell and occasionally gets away to go to a cutting horse competition, ranch rodeo or roping. We have three kids: Taylor, Cole, and Camryn. Aside from the cattle and horses, we have dogs and cats, and the kids have market goats for 4-H. My two brothers and parents also have ranches down the road from our place. My sister and her family live in Saratoga.

Any hidden talents? I can “harvest” Rocky Mountain Oysters. Yes, I can do it myself. But, no, I’m not a fan of eating them!

Justin Mabie, Business Finance Analyst

Where did you grow up? Here in Cheyenne.

What has been your path toward the WBC? I went to the University of Wyoming and received my degree in Business Administration. Shortly after, I started as a State Bank Examiner and was tasked with ensuring all the state chartered banks/trust companies were operating in a safe and sound manner. When my wife and I became parents, I needed to find something with less travel. Luckily, the Business Council was hiring, and I thought I would be a good fit.

What are you most looking forward to in your new role? I am most excited to be a part of a team that helps so many individuals, businesses and communities. It will be exciting to see projects that I am a part of making a positive impact on our state.

Favorite movies? My favorite movies are 1. Miracle 2. Fast and Furious 3. Greatest Game Ever Played.

Family nearby? Kids? Pets? I married my high-school sweetheart, Taylor. We have an almost-11-month-old son, Teigan. We also have two dogs, Gordie and Oshie, who were named after hockey players.

Favorite vacation of all time? I would have to say my honeymoon. My wife and I took a Royal Caribbean cruise that stopped at Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas and Haiti.

Favorite way to spend a weekend? I enjoy spending time with family and playing virtually all sports. I am getting excited for the weather to warm up to get out and play some golf!

John Wendling, Grants Project Manager

Where did you grow up? Rock Springs.

What has been your path toward the WBC? I received my Business Administration and Finance degree at the University of Wyoming while playing football. I played NFL football for seven years, then I ran my own organic wheat farm in Chugwater for five years, and then decided to apply with the Business Council.

What are you most looking forward to in your new role? I take great pride in being born and raised in Wyoming, and I look forward to the opportunity to help Wyoming communities and Wyoming people.

What do you do for fun? I love to golf, fish, work outside and hang with my family.

What is your favorite memory from the NFL? My first start at safety for Detroit on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears.

How many interceptions would you have snagged off Josh Allen? Lucky for him, I was a Special Teams Ace.

Do you get tired of being asked about football? Never. I love to talk about football and share some of my stories.

Family nearby? Kids? Pets? I have three kids Gage (7), Allie (5), and Reed (3) with my wife, Angie, who was a volleyball player for the University of Wyoming. Both our families live in Wyoming.

Any other little tidbits you care to share? I’d rather be driving a tractor than checking my e-mail!