About this Event
Navigating 2027
Leadership Strategies for Demanding Times
As business leaders, we face a complex, rapidly changing, and chaotic market environment. Navigating a range of political, legal, regulatory, economic, and cultural forces requires great strategy and excellent execution. For the fifth year, hundreds of our region's top business leaders are gathering for Excellerate, Central Oregon’s premier business conference, to learn, share best practices, build valuable connections, and prepare to thrive in 2027.
The program will include presentations from local business leaders and vibrant peer-to-peer roundtable discussions and problem solving.
Speaker One: Ryan Kelly - Vice President, Beaver Coach Sales and Service
"Creating a Buying Environment"
You may have heard the phrase, "Everyone likes to buy, but no one likes to be sold."
Traditional sales training and methodologies focus on selling. There is an alternative: creating an environment where people enjoy buying. It takes intentionality and wise leadership to establish a company culture that fosters a welcoming and honoring space where people love to buy. That's what Beaver Coach has created and continually cultivates. And that's the focus of Ryan's presentation. Every attendee will leave with ideas that they can immediately implement to improve their customers' buying experience. Couple this with the dynamic roundtable discussions on the topic that follow, and this opening session will launch our morning with energy, fun, and great value.
About Beaver Coach: With roots going back to the 1970s, the Beaver Coach dealership is a staple in the RVing community and the Pacific Northwest. Locally owned by the Kelly family, the dealership experiences exponential year-over-year growth and now operates a one-stop shop RV business with more than 50 employees. Capitalizing on a successful formula, the dealership recently expanded to a second location in Idaho.
Beaver Coach is consistently ranked in the top 50 RV dealerships in the country, and regularly in the top five. It houses one of the largest indoor showrooms in Oregon and is comprised of sales, rentals, finance, parts, and service. The Sales department provides the highest quality RV brands including Entegra, Tiffin, Thor, Forest River, and Newmar. Beaver Coach is ranked as Oregon's top Newmar dealer. The Rental department gives consumers the opportunity to experience the RV lifestyle prior to investment. The Finance department almost always secures a better deal on your RV than other banks. The Parts department stocks their shelves with a variety of affordable and high-end aftermarket products. The Service department consists of 14 bays and an incomparable workforce with over 400 man-years of combined RV building experience. https://beavercoachsales.com
The company's success is not an accident, and you'll learn why in Ryan's presentation.
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Speaker Two: Dr. Ashley Torchio, DC - Co-Founder, Pangea and Genesis Clinics
"Your Health is a Business Strategy"
As a business owner, you invest in your people, your technology, your marketing, your systems, and your bottom line, but how much are you investing in the one asset that drives all of it?
Your health.
When you elevate your health, you elevate the health of your business. Your energy affects your leadership. Your sleep affects your decisions. Your fitness affects your stamina. Your stress affects your relationships. And over time, the way you take care of, or neglect, your health can influence the trajectory of both your business and your life.
But you don't have to completely overhaul your life to become healthier.
We'll uncover a handful of simple, powerful health habits that business owners can implement immediately, without needing more time, complicated routines, or a complete lifestyle makeover.
Come ready to rethink what your health is costing you, consider what it's worth to you, and explore a few simple changes that could change your trajectory for years to come.
About Pangea: When your system becomes unbalanced due to physical, chemical, or emotional stressors, symptoms eventually appear, like warning lights on your car’s dashboard. These symptoms don’t represent the problem itself but signal a deeper issue requiring attention. The Pangea approach addresses both immediate symptoms and their underlying causes, helping you achieve optimal wellness rather than merely managing pain.
The Pangea team has been rooted in the Bend community since 2012, serving thousands of patients from Bend, Redmond, Sisters, and surrounding areas. Each of our doctors is a licensed and certified physician committed to holistic healing. Named “Best Alternative Health Care Provider” for six consecutive years, the practice focuses on thorough assessment, personalized treatment plans, and ongoing support to help you reach your fullest health potential. https://pangeachiropractic.com
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Speaker Three: James Evanow - Keynote Speaker, Sea Captain, Author
"Strategic Leadership in the Storm"
Captain James Evanow is a fourth-generation sea captain who teaches leadership principles for people operating under pressure. Captain Evanow is the creator of Strategic Navigation™ and The 2 Degree Principle™, leadership frameworks designed to help organizations prevent turnover, restore meaning, and build an enduring legacy.
A commercial sea captain and business leader, James has spent decades navigating high-stakes environments where small decisions carry lasting consequences. Today, he works with organizations, equipping leaders with practical tools for emotional intelligence, cultural clarity, and accountable leadership. Blending maritime wisdom with executive insight, James challenges his audiences to examine the subtle course corrections that shape performance, culture, and long-term impact. His message leaves leaders with sober clarity about the legacy they are building, intentionally or otherwise. He is also the author of Wisdom from the Sea, a reflection on resilience forged through literal and metaphorical storms. https://jamesevanow.com
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Net event proceeds go to support local nonprofit Juniper House:
https://www.neweachmorning.org/juniper-house - Providing emergency and transitional safe, high barrier housing for Women Graduates of Drug and Alcohol Recovery Programs.
2026 Excellerate Central Oregon Business Forum Program
The Riverhouse Convention Center - Wednesday November 4, 2026
Agenda:
Gather: 6:30 am (Come on time and enjoy the leadership connections).
Breakfast catered by The Riverhouse: 6:30 - 7:15
Networking: 6:30 - 7:15
"Creating a Buying Environment"
- Roundtable Discussion
"Your Health is a Business Strategy"
- Roundtable Discussion
"Strategic Leadership in the Storm"
- Roundtable Discussion
10:00 - Event Conclusion
10:00 - 10:30 - Optional Networking
Event venue & nearby stays
Riverhouse Convention Center, U.S. 97 Business, Bend, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.