Meet the 2026 e-Fest Judges
One of the honors of being an e-Fest finalist is the opportunity to get your ideas in front of some big names in the business world. Each year, e-Fest judges generously donate their time and expertise to the event, helping young entrepreneurs gain the confidence they need to pursue their dreams. Get to know this year’s judges by reading a little about them below.
Richard M. Schulze
Owner, Aurora Anguilla Resort & Golf Club
Founder, The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation
Founder and Executive Chairman, Best Buy
2026 Keynote Speaker
In years to come, Richard Schulze hopes that his legacy will be his major contributions to three important areas: business, education and entrepreneurship.
Richard M. “Dick” Schulze, the founder of The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, is also founder and chairman emeritus of Best Buy Co., Inc., the world’s largest multi-channel, consumer-electronic retailer.
RYAN KRUIZENGA, Partner | Arthur Ventures
Ryan Kruizenga has been a Partner at Arthur Ventures since joining the firm in 2016. He joined Arthur Ventures from Mainsail Partners where he focused on growth-stage B2B software investments. Prior to Mainsail, Mr. Kruizenga was the founder of a software startup, an investor with Summit Partners, and a member of the Technology Investment Banking team at Piper Jaffray. He graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a degree in entrepreneurship.
JUSTIN HALL, CEO | Augment
Justin Hall is a seasoned entrepreneur in the logistics technology sector and co-founder of Augment Technologies, where he leads strategic growth initiatives and customer experience. In 2025, Augment raised over $110 million in Series A financing, accelerating expansion of its AI productivity platform.
Previously, Hall served as Executive in Residence at 8VC, a $6B venture fund, focusing on supply chain technology investments. His executive experience includes roles as CEO of PRIMO Logistics and Chief Commercial Officer at YRC Worldwide, where he led commercial strategy for a $5B publicly traded logistics organization. He also led the 2017 sale of LPS and LPS Projects International to GlobalTranz, serving as President through the transaction.
Hall is deeply committed to community service. He runs Change Starts with Me, a nonprofit supporting underserved communities in the Twin Cities, and serves on the philanthropic board of M Health Fairview. He holds a degree in Entrepreneurship from the University of St. Thomas, where he was a student-athlete in football and track & field, and later served on the School of Entrepreneurship board.
NIK LARSEN—C.E.O. | Oxbow Industries
Nik Larsen is an entrepreneur and investor, and a graduate of the University of St. Thomas with a degree in Entrepreneurship. He founded and scaled The Stable, a commerce and technology agency, which was acquired by Accenture in 2022. In addition, Nik has founded and operated multiple businesses across a range of industries. He is currently CEO of a private investment firm focused on building and backing differentiated businesses across public and private markets, and enjoys supporting early-stage founders and giving back to the St. Thomas entrepreneurship community.
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TAMI RELLER, executive Chair | Duly Health and Care
Tami Reller currently serves as a board director for companies, both public and private, across technology and health care. Reller spent three decades in technology, including Great Plains Software and Microsoft before moving to Minnesota and joining United Health Group. Her roles throughout her career included both Chief Financial Officer and Chief Marketing Officer roles. In her most recent operating role, she served as the CEO of the largest independent physician group in the country.
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VIK UPPAL, Founder, CEO and CIO | Mavik
Prior to founding Mavik, Vik was a Partner and Head of Real Estate at Axar Capital Management and Managing Director at Fortress Investment Group. He joined Fortress from Mount Kellett Capital Management, where he was co-head of North American real estate investments. Vik began his career as a real estate operator and developer focused on acquiring distressed and underperforming assets.
Vik holds a BS from the University of St. Thomas and an MS in Real Estate from Columbia University.
DR. SANJAY PRATAP SINGH, MD, Chief Clinical Executive & Executive Vice President | Allina Health
Dr. Sanjay Singh serves as Chief Clinical Executive at Allina Health, where he leads the provider enterprise of over 3,000 physicians and advanced practice providers, along with clinical, research, and educational programs. He also oversees patient quality, safety, and experience initiatives across the organization.
Prior to this role, Dr. Singh was President of the Allina Health Institute of Neurosciences, Spine & Pain. He previously served as Chairman and Professor of Neurology and Director of the Neurological Institute at Creighton University School of Medicine and CHI Health.
Dr. Singh earned his medical degree in India as valedictorian of his class and completed his neurology residency at George Washington University, where he served as Chief Resident. He went on to complete a fellowship in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology at Yale University. He is board certified in Neurology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.
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