You're invited to join VWEC's long-standing Breakfast with a Banker in New Mexico:
Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at 9:00 A.M.
Corporate Office, 100 Sun Ave NE, Suite 500, Albuquerque, NM 87109.
As the new South Central Region Chair for the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), VWEC CEO VR Small is supporting ecosystem collaboration across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico.
Through this leadership role, VWEC has launched the AEO South Central Region Tour powered by BOK Financial, convening entrepreneurs, financial institutions, and ecosystem partners to advance our theme and shared mission of Empowering Entrepreneurial Capital Readiness. A collaboration designed to allow entrepreneurs to effectively engage capital providers while expanding access to financial education and credit development.
MEET OUR SPEAKERS:
KEYNOTE:
AEO South Central Region Tours brings together mission-driven financial institutions across the region committed to empowering entrepreneurial capital readiness. We are excited to kick off the tour's featuring a Fireside Chat, with DreamSpring's Chief Credit Officer, Metta Smith.
Metta Smith, Chief Credit Officer is a member of DreamSpring’s executive team, overseeing the organization’s lending program performance while spearheading the development of DreamSpring’s credit culture as the organization has expanded its portfolio. She was selected in 2013 as an Emerging Leaders in Microfinance Fellow by the Aspen Institute’s FIELD program. She joined the DreamSpring team in 2008 as an underwriter after serving as a member of the Take DreamSpring Task Force, an innovative volunteer group of bankers and business development specialists who helped DreamSpring expand lending capabilities into larger loan products.
Since taking over leadership of the lending team in 2012, Metta has supported the team’s efforts to grow the loan portfolio from $8 million to $130 million. Prior to DreamSpring, Metta was a banker, specializing in commercial credit analysis at Bank of Albuquerque. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
PANELISTS
BUILDING BANKING RELATIONSHIPS
Rick McElhaney
VP, Sr Business Banker
Rick McElhaney is the Senior Business Banker for New Mexico at Bank of Albuquerque, with over 20 years of experience in financial services and 13 years with BOK Financial (Bank of Texas, Bank of Oklahoma, and Bank of Albuquerque). In addition to his banking career, Rick has firsthand experience as a business owner—giving him a practical, real‑world understanding of what it takes to build, sustain, and grow a company.
Rick partners closely with business owners and entrepreneurs to help them prepare for growth through capital readiness, strategic lending, and sound financial planning. He understands that access to capital is not just about financing—it’s about preparation, structure, cash flow awareness, and aligning financial decisions with long‑term business goals.
Known for his consultative and relationship‑driven approach, Rick helps business owners navigate key financial milestones, mitigate risk, and position their companies for opportunities when they arise. He is passionate about supporting local businesses and strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem across New Mexico.
DeeAnn Orio
VP, Sr Financial Leader
DeeAnn Orio is a Vice President and Senior Financial Center Leader with Bank of Albuquerque, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has over 30 years of experience in banking, spanning retail and business banking, with a strong foundation in relationship-based growth, client experience, and operational excellence.
In addition to her banking career, DeeAnn spent five years working directly for a local small business owner, giving her firsthand insight into the realities, challenges, and decision-making pressures faced by entrepreneurs. This experience fuels her passion for business banking and strengthens her ability to partner with small business clients in practical, meaningful ways.
DeeAnn is deeply committed to helping business owners grow, protect, and manage their businesses through tailored financial solutions, particularly in deposits, cash management, and long-term financial planning. Known for her energetic, people-first leadership style, she focuses on coaching high-performing teams, driving sustainable growth, and delivering consistent, client-centered experiences.
Her combination of financial center leadership and real-world small business experience makes DeeAnn a trusted voice in conversations around business banking growth, employee engagement, and client-focused execution.
EVENT EMCEE
VR Small
Founder & CEO,
Veteran Women’s Enterprise
Center (VWEC)
VR is the visionary Founder and CEO of the Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center (VWEC), a groundbreaking national initiative that empowers women entrepreneurs associated with the military to successfully scale sustainable businesses.
A dynamic Navy Veteran, and highly regarded motivational speaker, skilled moderator, and respected educator with a proven track record of driving impactful social and economic innovation nationwide.
Her leadership has earned VR national recognition, including being honored by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Center for Women Veterans, a Trailblazer “Women Veterans Leading the Way,” and appointed the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) South Central Regional Council Chair, promoting enterprise opportunities across New Mexico, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas. She also serves on the Arlington Mayor’s Black Advisory Council.
A fearless advocate of Women Helping Women W.I.N. and Sisterhood in Action, VR champions the Power of Empowerment. As the Substack author of “Smashing Survival Statistics: Building Businesses that Last,” VR shares insights on strengthening entrepreneurial infrastructure by exploring how intentional technical assistance, financial frameworks, and ecosystem alignment empower businesses to smash survival statistics and forge their own paths to sustainable success.
With unwavering commitment and passion, VR continues to inspire and lead, breaking barriers and setting the standard for excellence in entrepreneurial success.
“Empowering entrepreneurs requires more than inspiration and information. says VR Small. They require and deserve intentional technical assistance, capital infrastructure, financial frameworks, and ecosystem alignment designed to build sustainable businesses that smash survival statistics.”
Join us as we connect entrepreneurs and ecosystem leaders to build businesses that last.
