EDCO Welcomes Deanne Buck as New Venture Catalyst Director

BEND, Ore. (February 24, 2022) – Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) is pleased to announce Deanne Buck has joined its dedicated team in the position of Venture Catalyst Director, effective February 28^th.

In this role, Deanne will be responsible for helping entrepreneurship drive future job growth in Central Oregon by executing the plans and programs of EDCO’s “Start” initiative, which aims to mentor and advise scalable young companies from concept to exit on issues such as access to capital, critical expertise, and strategy.

Deanne brings with her tenure in supporting entrepreneurs and a history of success in creating sustainable ecosystems for start-ups to grow and thrive in. She has an entrepreneurial mindset herself, the formal education to add value to the role, and the track record of fundraising, stakeholder outreach, and community engagement that is vital to being successful in the position.

“The position of Venture Catalyst Director requires a very unique set of skills. We consider ourselves fortunate to have found someone with Deanne’s background and passion to both continue the success of the position and take it to the next level,” stated Jon Stark, EDCO’s Interim CEO. “Deanne’s experience with mentoring and coaching founders, fundraising and revenue diversification strategy, and execution and project-based consultation will be assets to the organization.”

Deanne holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska, Omaha, and a Juris Doctor, with a focus on Business Entrepreneurship from the University of Colorado-Boulder, School of Law. When not working with entrepreneurs, she enjoys trail running, skiing, climbing, yoga, and painting. “The opportunity to continue combining my passions, experiences, and skills in a geographic area near to my heart is what drew me to this position,” said Deanne.

“EDCO continues to be supported by numerous partners throughout the region. I’d like to personally thank Karen Turner, of Specialized Recruiting Group, an Express Employment Professionals Company, for conducting the search for the Venture Catalyst Director. Her tireless, professional dedication to fill this position was greatly appreciated”, remarked Jon.

About Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO)EDCO is a non-profit corporation supported by private and public members and stakeholders, whose mission is to create middle-class jobs in Central Oregon by: recruiting new employers to move to the region; helping entrepreneurs start new, scalable businesses; and working with businesses already located here to grow their operations. For more information, visit www.edcoinfo.com.

About Express Employment Professionals, Specialized Recruiting Group

Express Employment Professionals is an international franchise organization that is locally operated by Chris Petty. Named by Forbes as one of America’s Best Professional Recruiting Firms in 2021 and recognized as one of the nation's Top 10 and fastest-growing professional staffing firms, their team of professional recruiters is more than equipped to help local businesses discover and hire the highly skilled talent they need. Executive Recruiters in Bend, OR | Specialized Recruiting Group (expresspros.com).

For Press Inquiries:Erin ChaietChief Operating Officer, EDCO541.388.3236 x2erin@edcoinfo.com