Karen Appelgren is Director of Zions Bank’s Business Resource Center at Eighth & Main in downtown
Boise. She provides one-on-one business consulting, workshops and referrals to help aspiring or
established small business owners and nonprofits start, grow and finance their ventures while
navigating the regulatory environment and an ever-changing marketplace.
Appelgren brings to the role an extensive background in small business consulting, SBA loan packaging,
marketing and public relations, sales, organizational leadership, teaching and career services.
She is an advisory board member and mentor for Boise State University’s Venture College and was
selected as a 2016 Idaho Business Review Excellence in Finance Honoree as well as an Idaho Business
Review Women of the Year Honoree. She serves as Co-Chair for the Grow Track at Boise Startup Week.
Karen enjoys volunteering with Dress for Success Boise Valley and spending time with her family. She
graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Northern Arizona
University in Flagstaff.