March/ April 2023
In this edition:
  • 2023 Conference Agenda
  • May 10 Hill Day
  • NADEC Priorities
  • Access your legislator

  • Conference Sponsors
  • Local DEC Events
  • Women's Forum 3.15.2023
  • To help you export: Website design
Join us! Annual Conference in DC, May 9-10!
Please note! The Early Bird discount has been extended
to April 7
How Can You Maintain Profitability?
 
PROGRAM AGENDA

The Global Trading System: 
Understanding Its Realignment

Recent developments together with emerging trends have dramatically altered the global trading system as we know it. These developments have been a combination of factors. The result is a shift in the risk factors that exporters must now consider, the closure of certain markets, and the emergence of new opportunities and new trading partners. This plenary program is designed to set the stage for the programs that follow.
 
Conducted as a conversation, the discussants include: 
David F. Day, NADEC Trade Policy Committee
Chairman, Global Risk Mitigation Foundation & Hawaii DEC
 
Luke J. Lindberg, NADEC Trade Policy Committee
President, South Dakota Trade & SD DEC
Former Chief of Staff, U.S. Export Import Bank

Vice President for International Programs, Northrop Grumman
Former Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs
9:30 am – 10:30 am
SME Trade Agenda Updates
 
Dr. Christina Sevilla, USTR Deputy Assistant US Trade Representative, Small Business, Market Access, Industrial Competitiveness

Joseph Hanley, National Director for the U.S. Field, U.S. Commercial Service

Christine P. Brown, SBA Director of Trade

Moderator: Richard Grana, SME Impex & Kentucky DEC

Danica R. Starks, Senior U.S. Commercial Liaison to the World Bank & Head of DOC Multilateral Dev. Bank
Zaheer Faruqi, CEO, Aventure Aviation
& Georgia DEC
Peter Clement, SVP of International Factoring, Rosenthal & Rosenthal, Inc.
 
Moderator: Tom Dustman, International Sales Director, SUNNEN & Missouri DEC
10:45 am – 11:45 am
U.S. – Africa Trade Policy Update

Scott Blacklin, Principal & CEO, Blacklin Associates, LLC & VA-DC DEC

William Fanjoy, Senior Advisor for Private Sector Engagement, Prosper Africa

Toyin Umersiri, Founder & CEO, Nazaru LLC & IL DEC

Dr. Thierry Wandji, CEO, Cybastion Tech

Dr. Guevera Yao, Africa Business Center

Moderator: W.E. Da’Cruz, Cofounder & COO, The VGC Group, E MI DEC
Indigenous Communities and Global Trade: Exploring best practices for engagement, capacity-building and opportunity 
 
Myron Lizer, former VP of the Navajo Nation

Derrick Watchman, Board Chairman-National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development

Chairman Darrell Mike, Twentynine Palms Band Mission Indians (tbc)

Moderator: Fred Latuperissa, President, ExIm 20/20 Group and Inland Empire CA DEC
 Lunch Keynote: Conversation on Trade with Commerce & SBA

Gabriel Esparza, Associate Administrator, SBA Office of Int'l Trade
1:50 pm – 2:50 pm
 Agriculture, National Security, and Global Food Security U.S. agri-business, agriculture-related trade and industry associations, and governmental agencies involved in agricultural trade policy and trade promotion, both domestic and international, are all critical to U.S. national security and global food security, as is biotechnology and ag technology.

Michael Brooks, Senior Agriculture Advisor to Senator Mike Rounds, South Dakota

Timothy Hughes, Senior Trade Advisor, Office of the Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Agriculture

Angela Guerra, Global Trade Compliance Manager, Aviagen, Inc., Alabama

Moderator: Brad McKinney, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy, Purdue University
 
Tom Cook, Managing Director
Blue Tiger International & NY DEC (Consultant)
 
Joe Mantello, Director of Logistics, Qosina Corporation (principal Importer/Exporter)
 
Jason Cook, Managing Director, Ardent Global Logistics (Forwarder)

Kelly Raia, COO, National Institute for World Trade (Training/Education)

Moderator: Jim Haynes, Director-Business Development, Rohlig USA, LLC & Northern Ohio DEC
2:50 pm - 3:50 pm
Strategic Exporting/Investment to Enhance Global Competitiveness & Security
 
Lt. Gen. Wallace C. Gregson, USMC (Ret), former Assistant Secretary of Defense (Asia)

Col. Arthur M. Romanillos, Jr., Philippine Army, Army Attaché to the USA

Anthony J. Scotti, Chief Operations Officer, Gyrene

Moderator: Dr. Elizabeth G. Chan, Global Risk Mitigation Foundation
DECs and Universities: A Partnership to Help Firms Boost Exports
 
Rebecca Bellinger, University of Maryland, Maryland-DC DEC
 
TBD, Maryland-DC DEC
 
Christine Everett, Indiana University, Indiana DEC
 
TBD, Indiana DEC
 
Moderator: Mark J. Ballam, San Diego State University, San Diego & Imperial DEC
4:10 pm – 4:30 pm                               
Presentation of DEC of the Year & Executive Secretary of the Year 
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm                               
  • Scott Tatlock, Deputy Assistant Secretary for China;
  • Diane Jones, Executive Director, Office of Western Hemisphere
  • Pamela Phan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia (invited)
  • Kendee Yamaguchi, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Field (invited)
  • David DeFalco, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe (invited)
  • Camille Richardson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Africa (invited) 

Networking reception to follow
May 10 is NADEC Capitol Hill Day!

7:45 am – 11:30 am
Welcome to The Hill Breakfast with Jonathan Szucs, NADEC Chair. Special Remarks by the US Global Leadership Coalition and Presentation to the Congressional Trade Advocates of the Year.
 
The NADEC Capitol Hill Day will start at 7:45 am at The Capitol in the Dirksen Senate Building with a continental breakfast. 

The objective of this day is to increase awareness and understanding among members of Congress regarding the importance of exports to the U.S. economy, including significance of securing new and improved market access.  NADEC has invited key committee staff from the following committees to speak to our group:
 
  • Small Business Committee Staff (House & Senate)
  • House Ways & Means committee staff (minority and majority) 
  • Senate Finance Committee staff (minority & majority)
 
Members of Congress will periodically ‘stop by’ during the morning to make presentations focused on critical trade issues. 
 
NADEC Priorities to share on the Hill

Market Access is our #1 issue

Did you know that these firms substantially impact our economy and are dependent upon…

U.S. Global Competitiveness
·       China and the European Union each enjoy more than twice as much advantage from trade agreement tariff reductions than the U.S?[1]
·       The U.S. has 41 active Bilateral Investment Treaties while China has over 100?[2]
·       The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, signed in 2019, is our most-recent Free Trade Agreement and that China is actively negotiating eight new FTAs right now?[3]

Impact of Small Businesses
·       America’s small businesses export over $1 trillion each year?[4]
·       Two thirds of small exporters have fewer than five employees and three quarters have fewer than ten?[5]
·       42% of all small-employer businesses fit into SBA’s definition of ‘tradable industries’?[6]

Impact on Jobs
·       Over 9m jobs across the U.S. are supported by exports?[7]
·       Jobs supported by exports pay 18% more than the national average?[8]
·       6,000 new jobs are created for every $1b increase in U.S. goods exports?[9]

The Time for New Free Trade Agreements is NOW!

Potential markets include:
·       Taiwan, ·       United Kingdom, ·       European Union, ·       Kenya, ·       
Abraham Accords signatories, ·       Vietnam,·       Philippines

Check out the sources here
NADEC would like to thank our 2023 Corporate & DEC sponsors:
Global Risk Mitigation Foundation
Nebraska
Please share your local DEC events with the NADEC Network!

Send event details to Heidi Whitman, NADEC Admin Coordinator
& Urszula Wojciechowska, Chair, Communications Committee, Newsletter Editor

Recordings of previous webinars can be found here
Export Compliance Basics 
 
April 12, 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. (EST), webinar

The U.S. Commercial Service, New Jersey District Export Council (NJDEC) and the Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS) are pleased to offer an informative and timely webinar outlining the basics of what you need to know concerning export controls.

You are responsible for the items you export, who you sell them to, and where you sell them – not your freight forwarder. If you export to a restricted country or person, or for a restricted end use, you are held accountable.

Educate yourself so you are aware of the regulations concerning exporting. This seminar is for ALL EXPORTERS – Don’t think this topic doesn’t affect you because you export a non-technical product – export controls effect everyone!
Q: Susan Widmer: [email protected]

Be prepared!

Grassroots Advocacy: Gaining Access to Members of Congress 
 
April 19, 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EST), webinar

Richard Grana , John Saylor and Luke Lindberg, members of the NADEC Trade Policy Committee, will provide each registrant with proven methods to gain appointments with Senators, Members of the House and their respective staffs to educate and inform them regarding concepts to international trade, specifically issues regarding expanding exports.

This timely webinar is in advance of the NADEC Annual Export Conference held in Washington D.C. on May 9-10, 2023. You will learn from those who have been successful at gaining access to Congress as well as to those agencies that support and promote US trade. On May 10 in DC, you will have opportunity to meet Congressional representatives and staff who are involved in trade legislation, as well as time to meet your own Congressional delegations.
Q: Richard Grana, [email protected]

4-Steps Guide to website redesign to grow traffic, Engagement and Conversions

Your website is not only your digital shop-window, but if you get it right, it will become your #1 business development tool! 

IBT Online is here to help you change and update your website structure, format, content and navigation to improve your online performance, focusing on your target markets Local User eXperience (LUX) delivering best-practice, optimally localized website(s) which will grow your traffic, engagement and conversions. But what does it takes to re-design your website?

The thought of redesigning your website can be daunting. Don't worry, IBT Online has got you covered! Our Team of design experts have years of experience and will deliver you a first-class, top-ranking website.

In the blog below, we outline the technical process we follow in designing great looking functional websites to delight your end-clients and help grow your exports, sales, brand and business globally.

 
Connect with your fellow DEC Chapters!

www.usaexporter.org