Past Dinner Speakers

2010

International Trade, Economic Reflections & Preparing for 2010 and Beyond
     Moderator: Michael Hampton, VP - Investments of Raymond James and Associates
     Panelist: Mark Mensonides, Director of Purchasing of Magna Mirrors of America
     Panelist: Doug Buma, President of Integrated Fabric Resources
     Panelist: Mark Litke President & CEO of SoundOff Signal

2009

Bissell International Business - Challenges, Opportunities and Initiatives
Manoj Chadha, Vice President-International, of BISSELL Homcare, Inc

Wolverine World Wide's International Growth
Don Grimes, Chief Financial Officer at Wolverine World Wide

Amway and the Global Economic Crisis
Jon Voskuil, Director Regional Planning and Management

Getting Started and Growing International Sales
Tom DeVoursney, President, Shape Corporation

Trends of Low Cost Country Sourcing
Evan Harter, Executive Chairman, Advanced Global Sourcing

Why Haworth, Inc. was voted World Trader of the Year
Kevin M. Bailey, Haworth, Inc.

2007 - 2008

Are You Ready for 10 + 2
Pete Mento, Expeditors Tradewin, LLC

Knowing Your Trading Partners
Sarah Galer, Coface North America

Global Trade Services
Sonya Johnson, Associate Director, Van Andel Global Trade Center

Greening the Supply Chain
Thomas McCall, Vice President of Logistics, Meijer Inc.

2006 - 2007

International Trade Compliance
Paul Vroman (LCB, CCS), Customs Compliance Consultant, DHL Global Forwarding

Think Big! Think CANADA!
Madellon Lopes, Senior Commercial Specialist, U.S. Commercial Service and Bill Gibson, U.S. Trade Commissioner, Govt. of Canada

Know Your Logistics Risk Services
Barbara Spain, Senior Vice President of Logistics for Aon Risk Services

Overview of RoMan Manufacturing's Strategic Partnerships
Bob Roth, President/CEO of RoMan Manufacturing provides an overview of their organization's strategic partnerships with Shanghai and Taiwan

The Virginia Port Authority
Greg Edwards, Managing Director of Marketing for the Virginia Port Authority

International Travel Craftiness
Robert DuHadway, DuHadway, Kendall & Associates, Inc.

2005 - 2006

Doing Business in the Middle East
Kam Shah, Project Manager for the Middle East and North Africa Business Information Center with the U.S. Department of Commerce

Port Development and Infrastructure
Petter Keller, NYK Logistics

Foreign Operations Create Michigan Employment; Fact or Fiction
Paul Timmer, Senior Consultant, Varnum Consulting will present

C-TPat and Border Security
Michael Ford, V.P. of Customs and Compliance, BDP International

WMWTA Cocktails and Conversation
Members and guests enjoy an opportunity to meet in a casual atmosphere and share in some holiday networking.

Developing An Export Strategy
Kendra Kuo, International Trade Specialist, U.S. Department of Commerce
Jeff McIlroy, International Business Manager, Stahlin Enclosure Division

2004-2005

The Islamic Perception of Global Trade: Past & Present
Dr. Hisham Nashabe, Fulbright Scholar from American University of Beirut (ABU)

Demystifying India and its Transforming Business Climate
Rick Rossow, U.S. - India Business Council

Managing Human Capital in a Global Marketplace
Tom Boehr, Alticor, Inc.,

Guest Speaker
Ambassador Peter Secchia

Securing Your Intellectual Property in a Global Community
J. Ray Wood, Warner, Norcross & Judd, LLP

Homeland Security Trade Management Initiatives and You
Ken Hughes, North America Manager Export Compliance, TSA Security, Dangerous Goods, DHL Danzas Air & Ocean
Jeffrey McCauley, National Director of US Import Operations, Eagle Global Logistics

2003-2004

Global Auto Trends: Is Your Job Next
Jim Gillette, CSM Worldwide

South America's Southern Cone
Thomas O'Keefe, Mercosur Consulting Group, Ltd.,

Grand Rapids - Growth of a World-Class City
Jay Fowler, Downtown Development Authority

Lessons Learned: The Realities of Establishing Operations in Mainland China
Phil Roy, Wolverine World Wide, Inc.

Information Security Concerns in International Trade
Keith Brophy, Sagestone Consulting, Inc.

Global Strategy and Business Operations in a Changing Economy
Robert Frey, Visiting Professor of Global Management and Marketing and former president of Herman Miller Inc.

2002-2003

Property Rights, and Other Contemporary Issues
C. Peter Theut, Butzel Long, LLC, The New China: WTO

Global Trends and Expansion into the European Marketplace
Bill McKibben, Pridgeon and Clay, Inc.

The Netherlands: A Trade and Investment Portal into the Euro Zone
Yvonne Herkemij, Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency

Irwin Seating Company: Growth in a Global Economy
John Eichinger, Irwin Seating

C-TPAT Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism
Steve Rubin, "K" Line America Inc.

Asian-American Business Relations - An American's Cultural Experience
David W. Everhart, Ionis International