Ongoing Conversation on Importing and Exporting at Global Chamber

We held an hour of conversation with import and export experts whose knowledge and services are integral to successful importing and exporting. We dove into their successes, heard about their learning curves, and received great tips, techniques and advice from a variety of members from around the world, without whose services the global marketplace would not function. The program was interactive as well.

Listen to the conversation HERE.

Moderator Anita Rodal - Founder/President at SBPI Services

An Export/Import Conversation with...

• Shalom Bako - Founder / Managing Director at AFRIVANA
• Lynn James-Meyer - CEO at Biosafe Technologies & Natureza
• Karlessa Truxillo - Compliance Specialist at TSMC
• Dwight Winkler - Export and Trade Finance Expert

Subsequent sessions will include different regions and a variety of products and services.

Welcome exporters, importers, traders and investors! Let's trade more easily and effectively.

Be global and UNSTOPPABLE! Global is good!

Speakers:

Importer: Shalom Bako

Shalom Bako, aka “the Hibiscus King” is a leading expert on international trade and doing business in Africa. His experience and influence spans from the African Sahel to the United States. He is the global managing director of AFRIVANA. Born and raised in northern Nigeria, Shalom moved to the United States as teenager. A natural athlete, he played collegiate soccer, and then played professionally with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Shalom previously excelled as a banker under the US entity for Mitsubishi Bank of Tokyo (MUFG). In addition, he is a notary public, and a licensed real estate agent in California.

Exporter: Lynn James-Meyer

Lynn James-Meyer, founder and CEO of BioSafe Technologies, Inc., established the pioneering company in 2000, and since 2003 she has excelled in manufacturing and exporting a specialized non-toxic head lice shampoo. Lynn graduated from American University in Washington DC with a degree in Primary Education and a minor in Biology and Psychology. Her journey began with a humanitarian project in Brazil in 1990. There, she became a co-researcher and coordinator for groundbreaking formulations, which resulted in her obtaining 23 patents and trademarks.

Lynn's achievements include successful negotiations with a multinational chemical supplier, leading clinical trials in four countries, and obtaining marketing registration for the company’s head lice shampoo kit in Europe as a Class I Medical Device. Through strategic collaborations, Lynn facilitated international supply contracts, exporting to the Netherlands, France, and the UK. Lynn’s numerous accolades include Global Exporter of the Year and multiple Stevie Awards in 2017, including the Lifetime Achievement, Maverick of the Year, and Entrepreneur of the Year.

Import Specialist: Karlessa Truxillo

Karlessa Truxillo is a US import/export compliance specialist. Since 2017, Karlessa has applied her expertise in keeping the companies she has worked for in compliance with import and export laws and trade regulations. She has overseen their operations with regard global procedures and standards, US customs regulations, harmonized tariff schedules, documentation, ITAR compliance, and coordination with freight forwarders. In addition, Karlessa has managed compliance for business units in Canada, Singapore and Dubai and has facilitated internal training with international business units on export controls, global economic sanctions, and additional international trade regulations.

Export Specialist Dwight Winkler

Dwight Winkler is an accomplished, experienced global executive who has spent 36 years of his career living in West Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. He has a proven track record with Fortune 100 US multinational companies and has grown US export sales revenue in over 70 countries, utilizing US-funded multi-lateral sources of financing such as the US Eximbank, as well as private sector financial institutions based in the US and abroad. Dwight is also skilled in contract drafting and negotiation.

Dwight coaches sales organizations on how to successfully promote trade while minimizing risks. He has held executive board roles for a US-based NGO as well as organizations supporting US trade and foreign relations interests.

Moderator:

Anita Rodal - Founder/President at SBPI Services

Anita Rodal is the founder and president of SBPI Services, which represents two of the world’s oldest and largest non-bank currency exchange companies. Their focus is to help global companies lower the cost and rate-fluctuation risk of their cross-border payments.

Anita is also a corporate trainer and public speaker. She has spoken at conferences in the US, Mexico, and Spain. Her webinar, ‘About Your Elevator Pitch’ is designed for sales and marketing professionals who need to improve their 30-second B2B elevator pitches. Anita also offers private pronunciation coaching, via Skype, for non-native English speakers who want to reduce their accents.

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Global Chamber® is a globally-connected community of CEOs, executives, and leaders in 525 metro regions and 195 countries... every day connecting member businesses to new growth opportunities. We're the only chamber of commerce operating everywhere in hundreds of locations that proactively helps members to export, import and invest through hundreds of events and targeted warm introductions to clients, partners, projects, investors and resources. We're making doing business across regions and borders as easy as doing business across the street, while supporting leaders and member firms to be global and UNSTOPPABLE. Global Chamber® is a registered trademark of Global Chamber, LLC since 2014.