Mid-America DEC volunteer members
Drew Felling
Joshua Kaplan
Drew Felling
Chair
Vice President
International Trade for Commerce Bank
Expertise: International Development, Export Manufacturing Sales, Global Logistics, and Trade Finance
Susan Ballew
Joshua Kaplan
Drew Felling
Vice Chair
Contract Manager
SOR, Inc.
Expertise: Commercial and Government Contract Management, Trade Compliance, International Payment Methods, Export Controls, Business Development
Joshua Kaplan
Joshua Kaplan
Joshua Kaplan
Executive Secretary
Director, U.S. Commercial Service Export Assistance
Expertise: offer a portfolio of U.S. government-supported programs designed to help U.S. companies increase exports to new markets around the world.
David Clark
Joshua Kaplan
Joshua Kaplan
Treasurer
Vice President
ARI Global, Inc.
Expertise: Trade Credit Insurance, Risk Mitigation, Commercial Collections, Alternative Financing, and Commercial Lending Industries
Rayan F. Azab
Juan M Escalante
Rayan F. Azab
Chairman/Founder
Azab Advisory LLC
Expertise: collaborating with American enterprises, facilitating their global expansion endeavors, strong understanding of the culture in the Middle East and Africa.
A.J. Anderson
Juan M Escalante
Rayan F. Azab
US Department of Commerce
International Trade Specialist
Expertise: Lead the U.S. Export Assistance Center for Kansas, helping local businesses expand globally. Manage export promotion programs, including Gold Key Services, market research, and export financing.
Juan M Escalante
Juan M Escalante
Juan M Escalante
VP of SkyCourier Sales
Textron Aviation
Expertise: International business development and strategy; Opening new markets; Setting up sales/support/distribution networks; Structuring cross border transactions/financing.
Jay Devers
Juan M Escalante
Juan M Escalante
Managing Partner
Bestway International
Expertise: Global supply chain management, international trading and payment terms.
Laura Lombard
Laura Lombard
Laura Lombard
Director
International Division
Kansas Department of Commerce
Expertise: International Business Development, Export Assistance, and Foreign Direct Investment Recruitment
Ike Nwabuonwu
Laura Lombard
Laura Lombard
Chairman & CEO
Alpha Energy and Electric, Inc., DBA Alpha General Contracting
Expertise: Green Energy, Innovative Construction, African Business and Affairs
Tina Roth
Laura Lombard
Fred Baehner
Senior Associate Director, Distribution and Inventory Control
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health
Expertise: Certified US Export Compliance Officer, International Logistics and Trade Compliance
Fred Baehner
Laura Lombard
Fred Baehner
President & IBNewsmag, Publisher
InterMark3, Inc.
Expertise: International Business Development and Intelligence for SMEs; International Marketing & Promotion
Fang Shen
Dimitriy Vakulenko
Dimitriy Vakulenko
Partner & Asia Service Leader
Husch Blackwell
Expertise: Transactional Law, Domestic and International Mergers and Acquisitions, Loans and Financing, Corporate Structure and Joint Ventures, Global Manufacturing and Distribution, and Trade Compliance.
Dimitriy Vakulenko
Dimitriy Vakulenko
Dimitriy Vakulenko
International Sales Manager
Dragon-Line,LLC
Expertise: International trade expertise, including sales, marketing, and establishing export accounts focusing on Eastern Europe, CIS and African Countries.
Daniel Rauchholz
Dimitriy Vakulenko
Daniel Rauchholz
President
Farmada
Expertise: Manufacturing, Distribution, international development, Agriculture, Wholly Owned Subsidiaries, and Doing Business in Eastern Europe.
Jeff Willis
Dimitriy Vakulenko
Daniel Rauchholz
President
Eastern Strategies LLC
Expertise: Exporting to and manufacturing in East and Southeast Asia with particular focus on small and medium-size businesses.
Robert Rebori
Saskia Lehnert
Saskia Lehnert
President
BioMicrobics, Inc.
Expertise: Strategic Marketing
Saskia Lehnert
Saskia Lehnert
Saskia Lehnert
Export Director
Great Plains International
Expertise: international market analysis, international distributor identification and relationship development.
Jenny Wilson
Saskia Lehnert
Jenny Wilson
VP Tourism Development
VisitKC
Expertise: International tourism development, primarily focused on Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
Phil Hull
Courtney Brooks
Lesa Brownell
Director
Graduate & International Student Services at University of Central Missouri
Expertise: Education , International Recruitment, Study Abroad Programs, and Trans-Atlantic Studies and Scholarship
Lesa Brownell
Courtney Brooks
Lesa Brownell
Director, Trade Compliance
Schenck Process, LLC
Expertise: International Trade, Compliance, Supply Chain Management, Nonprofit Organizations and Risk Management
Courtney Brooks
Courtney Brooks
Courtney Brooks
President/CEO
Global Ties KC
Expertise: International Professional Exchange, Diplomacy, Youth Education and Development.