Born and raised in Idaho, Derik Ellis served in the U.S. Air Force before returning to Boise to work in the software industry. After helping several software companies scale, he began consultant work with manufacturers and noticed there were gaps in tools and support. He launched Vessel eight years ago to address those needs and has since rolled out software solutions across the United States.

Ellis shares that being recognized as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2025 Veteran-Owned Small Business Person of the Year for Idaho was a major milestone for him.

“I’m drawn to big, meaningful challenges with long-term impact,” Ellis said. “Vessel has directly supported many manufacturers in Idaho, helping them identify operational gaps, strengthen their supply chains, and prepare for growth. Our work strengthens local economies by helping businesses stay competitive in a global market.”

Looking ahead, Ellis anticipates scaling Vessel’s technology in new states as well as in federal agency networks.

He explained, “We’re aiming to empower thousands of manufacturers and small businesses with actionable data, stronger partnerships and streamlined access to growth opportunities.”

Faisal Shah has spent 13 years building Idaho’s technology landscape, founding four companies including Markmonitor, First to File, AppDetex (now Tracer) and Trailhead. These ventures collectively created hundreds of jobs and helped establish the Treasure Valley as a hub for online brand protection and intellectual property innovation.

Shah transitioned from partner at a major law firm to entrepreneur after recognizing opportunities in online brand protection during the early internet era. His legal background in intellectual property provided the foundation for launching Markmonitor, one of the first companies to tackle online brand abuse.

“Before entering the world of startups, I was a partner at one of the largest law firms in the country,” Shah said. “That shift ― from legal conservatism to entrepreneurial agility ― was one of the most challenging transitions of my career.”

Recently, Shah has focused on developing the next generation of entrepreneurs through programs like Blaunched and co-founding RISE, an externship program connecting high school students with local companies to combat Idaho’s “brain drain,” to keep talent in the state.

Randy Schlemmer has owned Precision Communications Holdings for six years after acquiring the data communications company from its founders in 2019. The company specializes in designing and installing fiber optic and copper wire cabling systems, along with associated electronic components for IT networks and security systems in commercial structures.

Schlemmer relocated to the Treasure Valley in 2018 and learned about the founders’ retirement plans, leading to his ownership arrangement. His recent focus has been navigating the company through the COVID-19 pandemic while maintaining service to rapidly growing public and private sector clients.

“Doing what was needed to help our technicians, our office staff and our clients stay healthy during the COVID pandemic, so that the critical infrastructure projects we were working on at the time were able to move forward and stay on schedule,” Schlemmer said, describing his biggest challenge.

PreCom has worked on critical infrastructure projects including new schools, fire stations and Boise Airport renovations. Schlemmer’s goal is expanding his technician team to deliver high-quality communications cabling services throughout Idaho and the Mountain West region.

Amy Gile has spent nearly a decade building Silverdraft Supercomputing into a leader in high-performance computing solutions for media and entertainment, automotive manufacturing, aerospace and defense, and artificial intelligence industries since co-founding the company 10 years ago.

Her diverse background as an international model, actor and producer provided collaborative skills that translate to running complex technology businesses. Recent accomplishments include shipping hardware for a new F1 simulator, developing digital workflows that helped a major automotive client launch three vehicles without physical clay models, and contributing to Super Bowl AR graphics.

“The biggest challenge we overcame to be successful in this industry was convincing clients that having the right hardware for the solution truly matters,” Gile said. “It’s not just about the software, but rather the crucial marriage of the right hardware and software working together.”

Gile entered supercomputing after experiencing production challenges in film and connecting with an industry leader to solve broader workflow problems. Her goals include scaling operations and helping clients integrate AI while maintaining data control.

Edward Vasko began his cybersecurity journey in the early 1990s and has since built a career that is shaping Idaho’s digital future. He’s the CEO of High Wire, Overwatch, and executive director of cyberIdaho and has served as a practitioner for 34 years and a C-suite executive for 16, supporting industries ranging from finance and health care to energy, defense and technology.

In the past 18 months, one of his most noteworthy accomplishments has been enabling the Idaho Cyberdome through the Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity, which has helped protect rural communities from cyber threats and provided students with hands-on learning opportunities.

Vasko looks forward to advancing fintech and cybersecurity conversations through the annual Idaho Financial Innovation Lab conference, supporting Idaho entrepreneurs in emerging sectors, and publishing his second book on business use cases for artificial intelligence.

“I am blessed and more than a bit lucky in that I found something I truly love and have had a chance be a part of this growing industry for so long,” he shared.

Brad Frazer shares that he came to his career in law with a combination of curiosity, creativity and a deep respect for innovation. His legal background gave him the analytical tools needed to succeed, but his interest in emerging technology and storytelling beckoned him to the world of intellectual property and startup law.

Over the course of nearly four decades in law, Frazer is currently a partner for Hawley Troxell and in the next year, he is looking forward to expanding his work with startups in the AI and emerging tech space. He is also looking at developing educational resources to help individuals both in and out of the legal field to understand the role of copyrights, intellectual property and more.

Frazer said, “My work has helped Idaho-based startups, creatives and business owners protect their intellectual assets and bring their innovations to market responsibly. I also aim to serve as a legal bridge between Idaho entrepreneurs and national opportunities, helping to elevate the region’s presence in the broader tech and business landscape.”

Jennie DeBusk has owned Idaho Websites for six years after 15 years in the web design industry, serving clients locally and across multiple states including Washington, Utah and California. Her career began organically when she repeatedly encountered businesses needing website help while working in various creative industries.

Recently, DeBusk expanded her team to include front-end and back-end developers, enabling the company to tackle more complex custom web applications. She also implemented new internal systems to streamline workflows and improve efficiency.

“My path to this career was a natural evolution. While working in various creative industries during and after college, I kept running into the same challenge ― everyone needed help with their website,” DeBusk said.

Her biggest challenge involved navigating evolving website security and hosting landscapes, leading her to migrate all client websites to more secure platforms. Looking ahead, she plans to introduce fractional CMO and CTO services to provide strategic marketing and technology leadership.

Before web design, DeBusk pursued visual arts, painting murals in Boise’s Freak Alley and working as a lighting designer.

A businessman with an entrepreneurial drive and a uniquely technical mind, Jason Crawforth has more than 25 years of leadership expertise and has established himself as a leading authority in digital content authenticity and security.

He founded SWEAR nearly nine years ago and has grown the company to become a leader in digital content protection with blockchain technology.

Before launching SWEAR, Crawforth worked as a mentor, advisor and investor for almost 18 years, was the founder and CEO of TreeTop Technologies, and the founder of Groupware Technologies. Over the course of his career, he’s helped manage more than 100 global systems and mobile solutions that have resulted in more than 35 million downloads around the world.

Crawforth holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Idaho and an MBA from Boise State University.

“In the disinformation age, where truth is constantly under assault, SWEAR’s technology offers an unbreakable defense, ensuring the integrity of digital content from the moment of creation,” he said of his invention.

John Wagner has worked the past nine years for Idaho National Laboratory, working his way up from chief scientist to now the laboratory director of the organization.

With a distinguished career dedicated to advancing clean energy and national security, Wagner has become a respected leader in the scientific community and now oversees more than 5,200 employees engaged in groundbreaking work. An advocate for collaboration, he emphasizes partnerships with government, industry and academia to accelerate innovation and under his direction, INL remains at the forefront of shaping America’s energy future.

Wagner’s robust work history has primed him for his current role. Holding multiple degrees, including a Ph.D., he has prior experience working in engineering, research and leadership for Holtec International and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He’s also authored or co-authored more than 170 refereed journal and conference articles, technical reports and conference summaries.

John Yaros has spent two and a half years leading Idaho’s Securities Bureau after building expertise in finance, technology and national security through roles at Morgan Stanley, Government Accountability Office, U.S. Treasury Department, U.S. Senate Homeland Security Committee and his own financial technology consulting company.

His recent accomplishments include creating the department’s Financial Crimes and Intelligence Unit, Financial Innovation Lab and Senior Fraud and Financial Exploitation Prevention Working Group. These initiatives protect Idahoans from financial crimes while positioning Idaho as a leader in emerging financial technology.

“After battling cancer in my early 20s, my main priority in life is to make the largest positive impact possible for the people around me in a community I love for as long as I can,” Yaros said.

His team’s work has led to successful legal actions against financial criminals and educational outreach through prevention roadshows. The new oversight frameworks make it easier for businesses and consumers to conduct safe financial activity in Idaho, while the Emerging Technology Advisory Committee establishes Idaho as a national thought leader on financial innovation.

Jay Larsen’s entrance into the world of technology began in 1990 when he began as an account executive for US West Cellular. He then started advancing into various leadership roles, working for companies like Verizon and Qwest Communications before he stepped into the role of director of economic development for the First Congressional District of Idaho.

In 2009, Larsen launched the Idaho Technology Council (ITC), where he served for nearly 15 years. Under his direction, ITC became the driving force of innovation and technology in Idaho, representing 120,000 employees who work for employers across the Gem State. Most recently, Larsen worked for Meta as the community development regional manager, where he cultivated and maintained relationships with key stakeholders.

Larsen is a graduate of Brigham Young University, where he earned an undergraduate degree in organizational development. He also holds an MBA in marketing from Boise State University.