|
Speakers' Biographies:
James E. Dezell
Sr. Vice President, U.S. Practice Growth Leader Trade Credit, Marsh, U.S.A.
Jim has over 20 years of experience in the trade credit insurance industry. In his current role he is responsible for growing and maintaining Credit Insurance business in North America. Companies with (or seeking) Domestic and International credit insurance, global programs and political risk are all part of the practice. Jim has produced and structured some of the largest trade credit programs in the U.S. He holds a BS from Boston University and an MBA from Boston College. Jim is a member of NACM, Bankers Association of Foreign Trade and FCIB.
Richard M. Gref, CICE
Richard M. (Dick) Gref is the Managing Director of Export Credit Consulting LLC, a firm specializing in solving credit and risk management problems in the export industry.
Dick has over 35 years of commercial and industrial, domestic and international credit and risk management experience, with extensive offshore travel.
Dick is a Board member with (MVITA) Miami Valley International Trade Association, (NACM-OHIO) National Association of Credit Management and on the Advisory Board of (FCIB) Finance, Credit and International Business Association. In January 2006, he was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve on (SODEC) the Southern Ohio District Export Council.
For the past 20 years Dick has been involved with lecturing, consulting, workshops and training seminars in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East as well as many local colleges and universities.
Chris Kuehl, Ph.D.
Managing Director, Armada Corporate Intelligence, USA
Chris Kuehl, PhD., is the co-founder (with Keith Prather) and Managing Director of Armada Corporate Intelligence, a company created in 1999 to provide strategy foundation, competitive intelligence, business analysis and economic forecasting for corporate clients. Chris is the Chief Economist for Fabricators and Manufacturers Association. This includes writing Fabrinomics and serving as a keynote speaker for their conferences and meetings through the year. Chris is a frequent commentator for the media—locally and nationally. He is a regular economic/business analyst for KMBZ radio, KSHB-TV (local NBC affiliate) and has been extensively quoted in national newspapers, magazines and trade publications. He holds a Masters Degree in Soviet and East European Studies, a Masters in East Asian Studies and a Ph.D. in Political Economics from the University of Kansas. He has been on the faculty of universities in the US, Hungary, Estonia, Russia, Singapore and Taiwan. He has been on the local steering committee for the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals and has been active with a number of business and finance organizations.
Edward Retta
Managing Partner, Cross Culture Communications
Edward Retta has lived, worked and traveled in 40 countries. Educated in the USA and in the UK, he holds an MA in Cross-Cultural Ministry and a BS in Psychology and Management. Retta spent his early career in corporate America in engineering and manufacturing. During eight years with a British NGO, he designed and implemented cross-cultural training for staff members from over 60 countries. He speaks fluent Portuguese and Spanish and has studied Arabic, Japanese and German. Retta has published numerous articles on cross cultural business practices. He has provided acclaimed training and consulting to companies in Europe, Africa and the Americas.
Bob Schmitt
CRIBIS Corporation
With over 30 years of experience in the information industry, Bob Schmitt currently leads the development of SkyMinder in the United States, Canada, Central and South America for the CRIBIS Corporation.
A Cincinnati native and graduate of Marshall University, Bob spent 21 years with Dun & Bradstreet. He served in increasingly responsible roles from sales and sales management to general management positions at headquarters in New Jersey.
He was recruited to LEXIS-NEXIS in Ohio to manage the marketing efforts in the government markets as well as the Public Record content segment
He served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Peter Martin Associates in Chicago, IL. PMA is the premier provider of software designed to support public and private social service agencies, focusing on family centered case management, information and referral and eligibility screening.
Tim Thomann
Tim Thomann is the founder of Silverback Associates, which specializes in global credit management solutions for major corporations. This includes establishing global credit organizations, developing corporate policies and procedures, trade finance solutions to reduce credit risk or provide financing, due diligence activities, SOX compliance and working capital management. Tim has expertise of credit management in all regions of the world, specializing in the developing economies of Asia and Latin America. Tim's most recent position was directing the credit and accounts receivable global operations for Celanese Corporation, formerly Hoechst Celanese. He has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility in the Credit, Finance, Treasury and Accounting functions over his 30 year tenure with Celanese. Over his career he worked in the chemical, specialty chemical, pharmaceutical, plastics and fiber businesses. His most recent responsibilities included managing a USD 1.5 Billion receivable portfolio and 55 employees located in 5 regional centers around the world. He has held the positions of Executive Chairman, International Chairman and Vice Chairman of the National Chemical Credit Association (NCCA). He also has been a long standing member of the Finance Credit and International Business (FCIB) and the National Association of Credit Management (NACM). Tim is also a founding member of FCIB China and currently a member of FCIB China's Advisory Board. He has participated as a speaker and panel member at numerous conferences and credit forums.
|
