International Business & Trade
Team Leaders:
Randy Avon, CEO Asian Pacific Development Corp., Trustee FTAA, # 954.563.5201; Vice Chairman, Senator George Firestone, Executive Committee Chairman Trade Center Development Corp.; Co-Chair- Hon. Diana Wasserman Rubin, Broward County Commission.
Team Members:
Hon. Diana Wasserman Rubin, Broward County Commission; Sen. George Firestone, Special Envoy to the Consular Corps; Ambassador Donna Hrinak, Kraft Foods; Ambassador Chuck Cobb; Mitch Hammer, CEO Gateway Capital Corporation; Philip Allen,Port Director, Port Everglades; Eduardo Cardounel, CEO/ Caribbean Land Development Group LTD; Rene Quinn, Mellon United National Bank; Larry Behar Esq./Immigration Florida.Com; Brian Dean, Executive Director Gateway Florida, Inc.; Jorge Arrizurieta, Akerman Senterfitt; Tim Leixner, Holland and Knight; Hon. Ed Oppel/ Port Commissioner, Port of Palm Beach; John Bauer, Honorary Consul General for Guatemala/Basic Food International; Ruchel Louis, Fort Lauderdale Economic Development Advisory Board; Dr. Mike Mullen, Florida Atlantic University; Peter Quinter, Becker & Poliakoff; Robert O. Cash, Asian Pacific Development Corp.; Tamara Peacock, the Tamara Peacock Company; John McCartney, U.S. Department of Commerce; Floyd Johnson, former City Manager of the City of Fort Lauderdale; Frank Rosso, Caribbean International Airlines; Angelo Macatangay, M.D., Consul General for the Philippines; Carlos Buqueras, Port Everglades; Bill Crouch, formerly of Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport; Gerry Cooper, Cooper Properties; Hon. Jeff Atwater, Florida Senate; Marty Kurtz CPA, London Witte & Co; Deborah Wilkinson, Broward County Office of Economic & Small Business Development; Jair Almeida, Keynoox; Ambassador Simon Ferro; Al Zucaro, World Trade Center of the Palm Beaches and the Treasure Coast; Ken Most, Sister Cities International, Lauderdale-by-the Sea; Jon Gunlach, Global Business Resources; Tiffany Delit-Garcia, A Child is Missing; Alejandra Collarte, Alejandra Collarte & Associates; Richard Rendina, Mizner Grande; Art Bond, CEO-Bond Building Systems; Ambassador Max Kampelman, Joel Gordon, V.P. Gateway International Cement Group; Denny Moody, COO, Gateway International Cement Group LLC.
Mission:
It is the mission of the International Business and Trade Committee to raise the awareness of Broward business and community leaders of the importance and impact that international business has in our lives. To accomplish this, the team has completed key meetings with state, national, and international leaders who deal with international policy, state grants, and the Department of Commerce assistance programs. The team will work to promote international programs and trade missions. The team will assist Broward companies who have a technology that they wish to export with OPIC WWW.OPIC.GOV and other funding vehicles available.
Issues:
- Work with our Legislative delegation, the Broward County Commission, south Florida Ports, and other governmental entities to grow international imports and exports for south Florida.
- Work with Florida-based Consul Generals to coordinate trade programs between Broward and South Florida businesses and the 64 nations that they represent.
- Work with County and State leaders to gain support from the Florida Legislature for incentives for Port Everglades.
Date Submitted: 02/15/10