Jānis Bergs is one of best know technology entrepreneurs in Latvia with more than 20 years experience in IT industry. From 2000 until 2006 he served as board member and later as CEO of the largest Baltic’s IT company Microlink. Microlink has started such successful companies as Delfi newsportals, SAF Tehnika and Doclogix. In 2006 Microlink was sold to TeliaSonera group for over 40 million Euros.

After an exit from Microlink, he with other partners started company FMS that became leader in Latvian ERP market with own ERP software package “Horizon”. FMS provides accounting, payroll and HRM software to largest public and private sector organizations of Latvia. In 2014 FMS was sold to largest ERP software company in Nordic VISMA (www.visma.com). After acquisition FMS was renamed to Visma Enterprise where Janis worked as Managing Director until January 2015.

In March 2016 Janis started to work as Member of Board and Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at SAF Tehnika (www.saftehnika.com) publicly traded technology company based in Riga, Latvia. SAF Tehnika is among world leaders in design and manufacturing of point to point Mircowave Backhaul radios and Wireless IoT sensor platform Aranet. Company sells its equipment in 130 countries. In August 2016 Janis moved to Denver, Colorado where he works as President of SAF North America, wholly owned subsidiary of SAF Tehnika.

He also continues as investor and advisor to privately held companies Mobilly, BKA, FITA and several other technology and Internet related start-ups that operate in USA and Baltic market.

Janis Bergs serves as Board Member of Latvian Exporters association “The Red Jackets” and as Director of Colorado Chapter of Latvian – American Chamber of Commerce.

Janis has been teaching Entrepreneurship at MBA program of Riga Business school, he is actively supporting start up movement by mentoring young entrepreneurs. Also Janis Bergs teaches “Digital Transformation” at courses organized by “First IT Academy”: www.fita.lv

Jānis Bergs has born in 1970, graduated from Riga Technical University as radio engineer and holds MBA degree from Riga Business School. He is married and has two daughters and son.

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Lauris is Co-founder and Chief Investment Officer of Renaissance Wealth Advisors, LLC, an independent advisory firm based in Boston. Lauris has 25+ years of global professional experience in institutional investing, business management and family facilitation. By recognizing that each client has a unique family logic in considering and making complex financial decisions, Lauris is better able to partner with families to create and sustain long-term financial well-being. Lauris has developed particular expertise working with Cross-Border Families, clients with financial roots in both the US and elsewhere across the globe, and is proud to have many clients with financial ties to Latvia.

Lauris is also Co-Founder of SIA Renaissance Wealth Advisors Global, a Rīga-based wealth management firm. RWA Global will be the first firm to provide holistic financial planning and wealth advisory services in the Baltics.

Based in Boston and Rīga, Lauris has been fortunate to travel extensively, having so far visited 49 US states and 36 countries across 6 continents. This extensive time spent abroad – living, working and studying – has built upon a deep-seeded passion to learn and experience new languages and cultures through travel, reading and study.

When outside the office, Lauris is privileged to serve on the board of a number of non-profit organizations including Americas Latviešu Tautiskā Apvienība (ALTS), the Boston Baltic Film Festival, the Investments & Wealth Institute, and the Wellan Montessori School.

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Baiba has over 20 years of experience in the Hospitality industry. She gained experience in the luxurious Forbes Five-Star hotel Elounda Bay in Greece, Crete island and the legendary The Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Enjoyment of the hospitality industry and experience, opened doors to the opportunity to co-own a successful French cuisine restaurant La Merise in the Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver. After ten years, Baiba decided to leave the restaurant to find more stability, growth and a work-life balance. New and exciting challenge has arisen as Baiba has begun a new path to return to school part time, build her technical skills, and learn the growing field of Cybersecurity.

Born in Sigulda, Latvia, Baiba moved to the US after graduating from the Business School of Turiba in Riga, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management.

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Martin Andersons is President of the American Latvian Association (ALA), the main representative body for the nearly 100,000 people of Latvian descent living in the United States. In this role he frequently engages with business leaders, government representatives and NGOs working in the areas of education and culture.

Mr. Andersons has extensive experience in the fields of business strategy and finance. Currently he is focused on sales strategy and operations as an advisor in the Silicon Valley and San Francisco areas. He has worked on both the East and West coasts of the United States as a banker for several well-known Wall Street investment banks, providing working capital and acquisition finance to clients across multiple industries.  Martin holds an MBA from Columbia University as well as a BA with distinction in economics and international relations from Northwestern University.

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Liene is the Director and owner of SILMOR, the leading industrial marking company in the Baltics. SILMOR specializes in manufacturing high-quality industrial products, including front panels, industrial decals, brand labels, ID marking, foam packaging, box building components, and more. Before joining SILMOR, Liene spent almost a decade as the owner of the design studio TEIKA, gaining valuable expertise in marketing, exports, and international markets in both industries.

Liene actively engages in various professional organizations like LETERA, MASOC, and DAIF. Additionally, her role as the Vice President of Growth at BNI Kettler highlights her commitment to community growth and collaboration. Educationally, Liene holds an MBA from Riga Business School (2008–2012) and has earned additional certifications over the years.

Known for her networking skills, Liene excels at connecting people. In her role at LACC, Liene aims to strengthen the Riga Chapter by building a vibrant community. Her specific focus is on helping companies establish valuable connections to facilitate entry into the USA market.

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Ģirts Graudiņš is a Latvian-American technology entrepreneur. He has been building and running engineering teams at Silicon Valley startups for 15+ years, with two successful exits – most recently from Twilio, where he built and scaled the video platform.

Ģirts is the founder of Baltic Way LLC, a consultancy advising ambitious Baltic startups scaling in the US. He is an active investor in the Baltic early stage startup ecosystem as a Venture Partner at Change Ventures, and as an Investment Committee member at BADideas.fund.

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Matiss Kukainis is a founding partner of SPIGULIS & KUKAINIS Law Firm in Riga, Latvia ( www.ska.lv ) . He was born and educated in Michigan (USA), and has been living and working in Latvia full-time since 2006. He is a dual US and Latvian citizen. He is a licensed attorney both in Latvia and the State of Illinois, USA. Matiss specializes in all aspects of real estate law, consulting on the sale, lease, inheritance and management of property, including farmland and forest, and has vast experience with inheritance and property disputes.

Outside of the office, Matiss is the current (2022-2023) President of the Norwegian Chamber of Commerce in Latvia (re-elected for third term), and  has served as the NCCL Vice President and on the Board since 2017. He has also served as the President, Vice President, and Board Member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Latvia (2008-2015), and as a Board Member of the British Chamber of Commerce in Latvia (2007-2009).

Matiss also has taught Business and International Law at various institutions in Latvia, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, amassing more than 1,300 direct classroom teaching hours. Matiss holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering (B.S.M.E.) and a Juris Doctor Degree in Law (J.D.) from Michigan State University. He also holds a Master of Law Degree (LL.M.). in International and EU Law from the Riga Graduate School of Law.

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My connection to Latvia isn’t one of heritage, but of genuine passion and a deep admiration that began when I was just 16. When I first visited Latvia, I was immediately captivated by the country’s culture, its people, and the beautiful nature that is such a deeply-ingrained part of life here. This initial visit sparked a long-term commitment, leading to longer stays throughout high school and my time at Arizona State University, where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. I officially made Latvia my home in 2018, and the past seven years have been full of language learning, building connections, and truly understanding what it means to live in the “in between”.

Being from the United States and having a great love for Latvia has allowed me to build my professional life dedicated to serving as a bridge between the two. I’ve had the privilege of working in a non-profit organization where I managed projects, mentored youth, and taught English, music, and sports. Most recently, at Riga Business School, I had the honor of leading a large-scale, EU-funded project focused on enhancing innovation and collaboration among Latvian government officials, industry leaders, and academics.

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Dean Ramos has three decades of experience in capital markets and finance, first at investment banks, initially as head of financial planning and analysis for one of the largest US regional broker dealers and thereafter as a managing director, providing research and recommendations on companies in the technology and consumer industries. He joined American Express Asset Management in 2000 as a professional investor and subsequently became head of technology and telecom investments on a platform that peaked AUM at $21B and won 9 Lipper Awards. His last role was at Columbia Threadneedle Investments as a Senior Portfolio Manager, managing multiple equity strategies that directly invested in both domestic and international markets. He retired from global asset management in 2018.

Currently, he researches and writes on markets and helps organizations allocate resources successfully through Arka Kapital, LLC, a firm he formed in 2019. Mr. Ramos is also an Adjunct Professor in Finance at the Graduate School at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation, has studied at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico and the Universidad de Salamanca in Spain, and holds BSc. and MBA degrees from the University of Minnesota.

His philanthropic efforts include as an advisor to the Center for Retail Design and Innovation at the College of Design-University of Minnesota, a regional director for the Latvian American Chamber of Commerce and previously as a board member at the Masonic Children’s Hospital at the University of Minnesota.

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Mr. Slokenbergs is a business lawyer, licensed in New York, and the founder of Slokenbergs PLLC – a legal consultancy serving Baltic businesses operating in the United States.

After practicing commercial litigation at a large New York law firm, he moved to Riga in 2006 and for more than 10 years practiced at Ellex, one of the leading law firms in the Baltic States, where he advised foreign investors on M&A transactions, other corporate matters and aircraft leasing/finance transactions. During his time in Latvia, he served on the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce in Latvia, including four years as President. Later he served as Vice-Chairman of the Foreign Investors’ Council in Latvia. He started his career in the Latvian foreign service, as Counselor, at the Permanent Mission of Latvia to the United Nations. He is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School.

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Kristīne brings over a decade of experience across higher education, direct-service nonprofits, membership associations, and international business development. She has a proven track record of building capacity, streamlining operations, and re-energizing programs, processes, and teams. Her career has included managing relationships with federal, corporate, and private partners, administering grants, and overseeing annual budgets exceeding $1 million.

Today, Kristīne serves as the Executive Director of the Latvian American Chamber of Commerce, strengthening the bridge between Latvia and the United States through business and collaboration.

Originally from Latvia, Kristīne earned her Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership and Business from Rockhurst University, Nonprofit Management Certificate from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and an Associate in Arts from Metropolitan Community College.

She lives in Independence, Missouri—the hometown of former U.S. President Harry Truman—with her husband Michael and their Swedish Vallhund dog, Hodor. Fueled by strong coffee and curiosity, she’s happiest exploring new places or spending time with the people (and pup) she loves most.

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