Tracy Bell
Executive Director
Wallace McCain Institute
Halifax Convention Centre
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
Tracy Bell
2027 Conference Chair
Tracy Bell is the Executive Director of the Wallace McCain Institute (WMI), home to Atlantic Canada’s most trusted and influential network of entrepreneurial leaders. A former journalist turned corporate executive and founder, Tracy brings a cross-sector lens to helping business owners navigate growth, transition, and long-term value creation.
Before joining WMI, Tracy served as CEO of the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce and spent seven years building MillenniaTEA, a category-creating health innovation company carried in more than 700 Canadian grocery stores. Earlier in her career, she led communications and public affairs for New Brunswick’s provincial ambulance service, following several years as a reporter with CTV Atlantic.
At WMI, Tracy’s work centres on strengthening leadership capacity and fostering a resilient private sector across the Region. She lives in Rothesay with her husband and two teenagers and is a proud champion of Atlantic Canadian business.
April 27, 2027 • Halifax Convention Centre
Introducing our 2026 Speakers
Explore the leaders and experts sharing insights on stage this year.
Phil Jewell
Founder
Impact Leadership & The Irrelevant Leader
Dr. Lesley Steele
CEO & Founder
Steele Veterinary Group of Companies
Paul LeBlanc
Founder & CEO
7th Wave Capital
Christina Rogers-Lunn
Investor & Controller, Best Kind Edibles Inc.
Former President & Owner
Andrew Middleton
President
The Middleton Group
Steve Belyea
Co-Founder & CEO
Victory Advanced Technologies Inc.
Hear From BTF Alumni
As a first-time attendee, BTF was the perfect starting point. The forum gave me a clear understanding of the landscape and how to prepare early.
BTF connected me with the right advisor at exactly the right time. That relationship directly led to a successful sale of my business in 2025.
BTF was my first real deep dive into business transition and growth pathways. The insights helped me think differently about value creation.
I wished I had of participated in something like this before we transacted.
BTF has been amazing, and I mean that. I have met so many great people here today, and I will absolutely be back. I love what you have done here today.
It’s a very welcoming conference, and a conference that anybody can just approach anybody and strike up a conversation.
I think BTF does a great job of really setting the tone of community, connection and really making sure entrepreneurs feel supported.
What We're Talking About
The BTF Insider
Gain expert insights, success stories, and practical resources to drive business growth and navigate transitions.
Steve Belyea On Building A Business Worth Buying
Steve Belyea
Co-Founder & CEO, Victory Advanced Technologies Inc. (Sold BASE Engineering)
When Steve Belyea started BASE Engineering, he had little more than an idea and a single customer. Over the next three decades, he built the company into a global business serving customers in 28 countries, completed two successful exits, and learned some expensive lessons along the way.
Read Article
Justin John & Eric Velez-Chua On Building Businesses That Can Grow Beyond Their Founders
Justin John & Eric Velez-Chua (Sold The Woods)
Building a business often looks straightforward in hindsight. Growth milestones, new locations and successful exits tend to become the visible markers of progress. Justin John and Eric Velez-Chua know the view from the inside usually looks different.
Read Article
Building Through Cycles: Lessons From The Energy Transition Every Owner Can Use
Brenda Slauko (BDC) & Joel Vorra (Tidewater Renewables)
Some industries force clarity. Energy is one of them. Cycles move quickly, capital is unforgiving and decisions have long consequences. For entrepreneurs operating in that environment, the margin for error is smaller and the feedback is immediate.
Read Article
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