Megan Schildgen

Commercial Officer

U.S. Department of Commerce - Commercial Service

Chicago, IL

Ms. Megan Schildgen is a Commercial Officer serving at the U.S. Commercial Service in Chicago for a two-year domestic tour, which started in January 2012. She is responsible for Asia (excluding China) and for the following industry sectors: Pollution Control Equipment, Water Resources Equipment/Services, Environmental Industries, and Consumer Goods. She is also the CS Chicago lead on the Select USA program, which focuses on attracting foreign investment into the United States.

Prior to her arrival in Chicago, Ms. Schildgen served as the Commercial Officer for the Caribbean Region at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from 2009-2012. In this position, she led a group eight local staff responsible for all industry sectors in the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean Region. While in Santo Domingo, Ms. Schildgen played a critical leadership role in the 5th Americas Competitiveness Forum (ACF), held in Santo Domingo in October 2011. Her very close coordination with Market Access and Compliance and effective relationship building with key Dominican Government organizers resulted in a highly successful ACF. Ms. Schildgen was also the Embassy’s lead on Secretary of State Clinton’s successful participation in the ACF Opening Ceremony with Dominican President Fernandez and OAS Secretary General Insulza. She successfully led coordination and organization of numerous high-level events and visitors, including Pathways to Prosperity in October 2011, Caribbean Clean Energy Forum in February 2011, Puerto Rico Governor Fortuño’s Trade Mission to Santo Domingo in November 2010, and the Building a New Haiti event in June 2010 among many others. Prior to joining CS, Ms. Schildgen worked for seven years with the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in Washington, D.C. The goal of her work was to minimize trade restrictions on U.S. agricultural products. At FAS, Ms. Schildgen carried out dozens of TDY assignments; the most noteworthy include Palestine, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Mozambique, Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil.

Ms. Schildgen is a native of Southwest Wisconsin; she graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2002 with a Bachelor's Degree of Business Administration in Marketing and Spanish, and a certificate in International Business. In 2006, she earned a Master's Degree in International Development Studies at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs in Washington, D.C.

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Richard Schell

Wagner and Schell, L.L.P.

Des Plaines, IL

Rich Schell is a past President of The Chicago Farmers—a 501c organization dedicated to education and outreach on issues related to land ownership and agriculture. He is an author, attorney, and frequent speaker and writer on topics related to food and agriculture. An active speaker, he has presented at Yale University, Organic Trade Association, Illinois Organic Production Conference, Chicago Farmers Farmland Investment Fair, Illinois Specialty Growers Conference, Agricultural Tourism Partners, and World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology.

Rich has an Of Counsel relationship with Wagner & Schell LLP —an international law firm with offices in Illinois and Central Europe. Rich grew up in Polo, Illinois as part of a farm family. He focuses his practice in the areas of intellectual property, business transactions and risk management for farm, food and publishing concerns. His involvement in food and Ag has led to 6 presentations to groups as diverse as the Chinese SFDA at Yale University and Illinois Institute of Technology and several return engagements at the National Small Farm Trade Show.

He has taught Food Law & Regulation at IIT/ FDA National Food Safety Center and Law for Illinois Agricultural Entrepreneurs and Green Law at Joliet Junior and Oakton Community. He has, also, consulted on issues related to international trade and risk management. Rich is a co-author of two books on U.S. Immigration Law: U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Q&A and Become a U.S. Citizen published by Sourcebooks. He is also the author of A Guide to Illinois Laws Governing Direct Marketing for Food and Farm Entrepreneurs and Quick Cash: A Guide to Raising Money.He lives with his wife and two children in Des Plaines. Rich holds Bachelors Degrees in English and History from Illinois Wesleyan and a law degree from Southern Illinois University and has studied international law in London at the University of Notre Dame’s London Law Campus. He has an extensive background in legal publishing including positions at Thomson West Group.

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Jose Ignacio Sordo Galarza

Managing Director, Chief Information Officer

Eureka!

Chicago, IL

Co-chair, Chicago Chapter

International Executive Resource Group

Jose Ignacio Sordo Galarza is a managing Director and CIO of Eureka. He is an entrepreneurial, highly accomplished, award winning Global CPG Executive and CIO from Top 30 Fortune Company with over two decades of successful track record in directing global driven business solutions.

He specializes in Customer Business Development, Strategy and Management, IT Innovation and Running IT like a business.Frequently recognized within industry for blending Business and IT strategy together. Managed organizations up to ~2,200 associates and budgets ~$600MM achieving business success. Named to HITEC 100 America’s Most Influential Hispanics in Information Technology in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Over the years Mr. Sordo Galarza has held positions as Industry co-chairman of CECRAL (LatAm ECR Association),Advisory Board Member for Transora in South America, Mentorship chair at HITEC’s Board of Directors and Member of i.c.Stars* (Chicago) Program Committee. José Ignacio is a graduate of ITESM, Mexico, with a B.Sc. in Computer Science. He also earned his Master’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence from the Rosenblueth Institute in Mexico City. He currently resides in Chicago, IL with his wife and three children.

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Omar A. Duque

President and CEO

Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Chicago, IL

Secretary

NEIU Board of Trustees

Mr. Duque is a Chicago native whose parents immigrated from Guatemala to the United States. He is a a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and has studied strategic leadership and management at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business and the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. Currently Mr. Duque is the President & CEO of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC), the leading Hispanic business, networking, advocacy and development organization in Illinois. In addition he is a member of the Board of Trustees of Northeastern Illinois University where Omar serves as the Secretary of the Board as well as Chairman of the University’s Finance Committee. Duque is a member of the state of Illinois’ Business Enterprise Council as well as a Mayoral appointee to the City of Chicago’s Community Development Commission. He is also a member of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation. He previously served on the state of Illinois Economic Recovery Commission and the City of Chicago’s Affirmative Action Advisory Board.

In the past Mr. Duque has served as an advisor on major economic development projects in the Chicago area, including the re-development of Soldier Field and the expansion and redevelopment of Chicago’s Midway Airport. Duque has also served as a communications and public relations advisor. Omar has extensive experience in government and assisted to numerous elected leaders as an advisor. In addition to his extensive experience in 2011 Omar was recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency as the 2011 Minority Business Advocate of the Year. The same year Mr. Duque became a fellow 2011 fellow with Leadership Greater Chicago, an organization which brings together leaders from a variety of fields to study and understand some of the city’s most urgent challenges in education, race relations, health care, crime and economic development. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife Clarisol and two young children.

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Rudy Pamintuan

International Innovation Executive

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Rudy Pamintuan is an International Innovation Executive. Currently Mr. Pamintuan is a Managing Director at Sherman Worldwide. As the managing director at Sherman Worldwide, Rudy offers unique advice and counsel to those seeking clarity in any challenging situation and environment. With his extensive knowledge of international business and global politics, Rudy advises and consults his clients – which include governments, Fortune 1000 companies and high profile individuals – on a variety of issues. In addition to that he’s also holding position of a President at Sherman Consulting, Inc. which provides cyber security, information technology and professional services to its clients. He is also a Managing Partner at Heartland Technology Group.

Mr. Pamintuan is a Member of Board of Directors at Project Outpost which is an all-volunteer organization which serves communities by assisting programs in need of expertise, resources and volunteers. He is also holding a position of a Senior Advisor to the National Director of U.S. Cyber Challenge, an organization that is trying to reduce the shortage in the cyber workforce by serving as the premier program to identify, attract, recruit and place the next generation of cyber security professionals. In addition to that Rudy is actively involved in numerous organizations such as International Leadership Foundation and US Asia Center and others that promote dynamic and positive relationships between the United States and Asia.

Rudy Pamintuan has an extensive experience that includes holding a position of Transition Team Member of Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza He was also a part of The President's Advisory Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islanders, where he was promoted in 2005 to Chairman. The Commission worked directly with the President Bush and with the established IWG (Interagency Working Group), composed of representatives from the various Federal Departments and Agencies at the Undersecretary level, to offer recommendations affecting the AAPI community. Lastly, Mr. Pamintuan held position of Vice President of Marketing at Lake Shore Drive Magazine where he was responsible for the overall marketing strategy of a Chicago publication targeting the luxury/high end market.

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Laura Spingola

President and Founder

Trade Resources Ltd.

Chicago, IL

Laura M. Spingola is the founder and President of Trade Resources Ltd., a Chicago-based international market development company that provides international management, marketing, training and reporting services for business. Ms. Spingola has conducted business in Asia, Europe and the Americas for trade and investment. She integrates experience in international business and marketing, economic development, real estate, finance and consumer marketing. Ms. Spingola has provided international services to industry and trade associations (including the International Housewares Association and Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers), economic development organizations, universities and companies of all sizes for twenty-five years. She has designed and led full-scale participations in trade shows nationally and internationally. In addition Ms. Spingola is an Adjunct Professor of International Management at Loyola University Chicago and an instructor of International Trade Research in the FITT Certified International Trade Professional program. Previously she was an Adjunct Professor at National Louis University and Mundelein College in Chicago, and served as Assistant Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Economic Development.

Ms. Spingola has received numerous economic forecasting and marketing awards and training citations. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago highlighted her research on the topic: International Trade: Winners and Losers” at its Seventeenth Annual Economic Outlook Symposium. In previous assignments, she coordinated a national award-winning advertising campaign for the attraction and retention of business in the Chicago metropolitan area. A targeted industry approach was designed to complement the campaign. She also directed consumer research that focused on pricing analysis and product quality assessments of foods, energy, toys and other consumer products. Her research was widely reported and utilized by consumers, industry participants, trade organizations and economic advisers.

Ms. Spingola holds a BS degree in Marketing with a minor in Urban Studies from Indiana University where she studied under Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom, and has an MBA in International Management from Loyola University Chicago. She has completed other postgraduate work through Northwestern University (real estate), the University of Chicago, the Chicago Board of Trade and Chicago Mercantile Exchange (futures trading). She is a member of the Industrial Roundtable of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, DePaul Community Chorus and is on the Board of Directors of the Canada-U.S. Business Council Chicago, Economic Development Council), and Chicago Chamber Music Society.

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Michael Wynne

Global President

International Management Consulting Associates

Board member

Association of American Chambers of Commerce In Latin America

Renowned international consultant and speaker, Michael Wynne is Global President of International Management Consulting Associates (IMCA). For over 25 years, IMCA has helped US and international companies find innovative ways to grow their revenues profits in domestic and global markets. As an acculturation expert, he has trained and coached hundreds of US and foreign executives on how to live and work in foreign business environments.

Michael Wynne’s corporate career included working at Mobil Oil, president of Mobil Ami, a chemical specialties subsidiary with responsibility for Latin American countries. He lived and worked in Mexico, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil, and conducted business in all the countries from Argentina all the way to Mexico.Promoted to Strategic Planning Manager with Mobil Chemical Company, he developed global strategies for a $2 billion operation. This involved marketing operations in 37 countries, as well as 15 manufacturing facilities and numerous licensing agreements.Promoted again, he became General Manager of a worldwide chemical specialties group. This operation served the Automotive, Appliance, Electronics, Furniture, Metal Manufacturing, Steel, Aluminum and other industries. As a speaker Mr. Wynne has addressed thousands of business executives and professionals in English and Spanish in 21 different countries. As a professional speaker with over 30 years experience, he received the Wordsmith Award for Platform Excellence from the National Speakers Association - Illinois.

Michael Wynne Graduate of Sacramento State University (Business), Fairleigh Dickinson University (Marketing) and North Dakota State University (Chemistry). In addition to that Michael is an author of 11 books on business and other topics, his articles have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Sales & Marketing Executives, Personal Selling Power, Global Cosmetics Industry magazine, Marketing Interamericano, Sharing Ideas, Successful Meetings, the American Society of Association Executives magazine, and his electronic newsletter Global Profit Builders.

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Ralph Biedermann

President

The MRB Group

Lake Bluff, IL

Partner

Mexico Consulting Group

Dr. Biedermann is a President of The MRB group, an international market development firm, located in Lake Bluff, Illinois. The MRB group works with U.S and Canadian companies to develop and implement strategies in manufacturing, marketing and distribution for Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean Basin and China. In addition, it represents various private sector interests from those regions in the U.S.

Dr. Biederman has an extensive experience (over 40 years) in the industrial, consumer, defense and aerospace fields.He has represented the Mexican States of Tamaulipas and Yucatan in the U.S. and works on an on-going basis with major industrial parks, construction companies, contract manufacturers, shelter operators and professional service providers in Mexico. He is a partner of Mexico Consulting Group and ChinaLine, a member of the American Chamber of Commerce of China, and former President of the Mid America Chapter of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce. Before establishing The MRB Group in 1987, Dr. Biedermann was President of Brunswick International, Ltd., and Director of Corporate Relations for the Brunswick Corporation. Prior to that he worked for Northrop, General Electric and Grumman Aerospace. Over the years Dr. Biedermann has served as Chairman of the Washington-based Committee for Production Sharing and Vice Chairman of the U.S. Government's Industry Sector Advisory Committee for Consumer Goods and a member of the Professional Services Group of the Fritz Companies, formerly the largest customhouse brokerage and marine insurance firm in the world (now part of UPS). In addition Dr. Biedermann also has been a Board member and former Vice President - Development for the Cove School in Northbrook, Illinois and a former Board member of the International Trade Association of Greater Chicago.

Dr. Biedermann has a BAE degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, an MBA from St. John's University, and a DBA from The George Washington University. He has been a member of the Board of Advisors of Georgetown University's Landegger Program in International Business Diplomacy and an Adjunct Professor of Economics at DePaul University where he taught a course on NAFTA.

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Dr. Joseph Flies

Executive Vice President, Operations

Summit Industries LLC

Chicago, IL

Mr. Files is an experienced Senior Executive with proven and demonstrated General Management, Sales & Marketing, Operations and Technical skills and abilities in managing all functions within complex organizations. Over the years he he provided Executive Developmental Training to Fortune 500 companies in the manufacturing, health care, insurance, defense, and food and hospitality industries. Dr.Files holds an Undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from Wisconsin State University in Platteville. His Master’s degree in Industrial Administration was earned from Union College, Schenectady, NY. Joseph F. Files also obtained a Doctorate in Business Organization (DBA) from Cal Coast University.

His extensive experience includes being an Executive Vice President-Operations and VP Medical Marketing-Amrad Medical at Summit Industries where he fulfilled numerous functions such as being responsible for all Operational, Sales and Marketing functions of his OEM serving medical markets, chiropractic and veterinary x-ray equipment markets. While working at Del Medical Systems group he, as a VP of operations and General manager was responsible for all General Management and Manufacturing operations of this OEM serving the medical, chiropractic, and veterinarian x-ray equipment markets. Dr. Files provided overall business leadership to all functions within the organization including Sales and Marketing, manufacturing, engineering, customer service, technical service and quality control.

In addition to that Mr. Files held various positions on General Electric Company. He is also a licensed facilitator “Leading Bold Change” Workshop by Dr. John Kotter and certified AhieveGlobal Trainer in Leadership, Supervisory Skills, Customer Service, and Teambuilding. In addition, Dr. Files holds senior memberships in Society of Manufacturing Engineers and The American Institute of Industrial Engineers.

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