Bram Strain
President & CEO
Business Council of Manitoba
DELTA HOTEL WINNIPEG
Discover Actionable Growth & Transition Strategies from Top Entrepreneurs
Since 2015, the Business Transitions Forum has been guiding entrepreneurs through comprehensive growth strategies and ownership transitions, including opportunities for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to enhance shareholder value.
Join top entrepreneurs and North America’s leading experts to:
- Increase market share and shareholder value
- Identify growth and scaling opportunities
- Understand the acquisition and sale process
- Assess if M&A is the right growth path for your business
- Implement actionable strategies to elevate your business’s value at any stage in your transition journey
Bram Strain
2026 Conference Chair
Bram Strain leads the Business Council of Manitoba, working alongside CEOs and business leaders focused on the province’s long-term competitiveness.
His career spans all three levels of government, including senior roles as Deputy Minister in Manitoba and Assistant Deputy Minister with Western Economic Diversification. He understands how policy, infrastructure, and capital shape real business outcomes.
As Chair of BTF Winnipeg, Bram brings a systems-level perspective to the room, grounded in the realities Manitoba business owners are navigating as growth and transition decisions become increasingly intertwined.
2026 Advisory Board
Guided by leaders working directly with Manitoba business owners navigating growth, succession, and what comes next.
Polly Craik
Corporate Director
(Sold FineLine Solutions)
Chad Friesen
CEO, Friesens Corporation
President, Tallgrass Employee Owner Equity Fund
Joanne MacKean
Managing Director, Growth & Transition Capital
BDC
Mackenzie Regent
Managing Partner
Kalos
Joanne Sigurdson
TEC Canada Master Chair
Executive Coach & Former Business Owner
Jack Dallaire
Principal
SeaFort Capital
Aurèle Courcelles
Vice President, Tax & Estate Planning
IG Wealth Management
Hear From BTF Alumni
I wished I had of participated in something like this before we transacted.
The Business Transitions Forum have really fostered that sense of let’s share, let’s learn, let’s grow together and let’s help each other.
It’s a very welcoming conference, and a conference that anybody can just approach anybody and strike up a conversation.
The earlier you can come to a conference like this in your entrepreneurial journey the better.
October 21, 2026 • Delta Hotel Winnipeg
Early Bird Sale!
SAVE UP TO $400!*
*With 2+ Entrepreneurs
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Gain expert insights, success stories, and practical resources to drive business growth and navigate transitions.
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