Building Bridges to Global Markets - Louisville

Arun Venkataraman is the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service. He was appointed by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 7, 2022, to lead the federal government’s efforts to promote exports abroad and attract inward investment. He was officially sworn in on April 25, 2022.

Venkataraman has over 20 years of experience advising companies, international organizations and the U.S. government on international trade issues. Most recently, he served as Counselor to the Secretary of Commerce, advising the Department of Commerce on trade and other international economic matters. Before joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Arun was a Senior Director at Visa, leading global government engagement strategy on a range of international policy issues including digital economy, trade, tax and sanctions. He also served as Trade & Investment Policy Advisor at Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where he counseled multinational firms and other organizations on e-commerce, intellectual property rights and U.S. and foreign trade policies.

During the Obama Administration, Venkataraman served as ITA’s first-ever Director of Policy, where he helped shape the U.S. government’s responses to critical challenges faced by firms in the U.S. and in markets around the world, including China and India. He also served in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) where he led the development and implementation of U.S.-India trade policy, for which he received the agency’s Kelly Award for outstanding performance and extraordinary leadership. He also served as USTR’s Associate General Counsel, representing the United States in litigation before the World Trade Organization and in negotiations on international trade agreements. Prior to USTR, Arun was a Legal Officer at the World Trade Organization, and served as Law Clerk for Judge Jane A. Restani at the U.S. Court of International Trade.

Born in Coimbatore, India, and raised in Houston, Venkataraman holds a juris doctorate from Columbia Law School, a Master of Arts in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University.

Jeff O'Brien joined Louisville Metro Government in 2014 as an Urban Planner. He was appointed Director of Develop Louisville in 2018; in that role, he led several major strategic and long-range initiatives for Louisville including Vision Louisville, Move Louisville and Plan 2040. O’Brien has helped lead Louisville’s community and economic development efforts since December 2020 and currently serves as Executive Director for Economic Development under Deputy Mayor Pat Mulloy in the Louisville Metro Cabinet for Economic Development. O’Brien holds a Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning and a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography, both from the University of Iowa. He is a member of the American Planning Association, the American Institute of Certified Planners and the Urban Land Institute.

Morgan McGarvey is proud to represent the people of Kentucky’s Third Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is a lifelong Louisvillian who, before being elected to Congress, served for a decade in the Kentucky State Senate, including four years as the Minority Leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

As a state Senator and Minority Leader, Morgan fought back against conservative attacks on public education, organized labor, reproductive rights, and Kentucky’s working families. But he did so while building relationships with his colleagues in both parties to pass legislation that helps and protects Kentuckians every day. Across 10 years in Frankfort, Morgan wrote and passed 18 bills into law. Those include passing the first insurance mandate in Kentucky history to make sure that low-birthweight babies get the nutrients they need to survive, laws that protects victims of human trafficking and domestic violence, and a law that allowed Simmons College – Louisville’s only HBCU – to lower tuition costs for its students and re-start its teacher training program, putting more Black teachers into classrooms across Louisville and Kentucky.

Morgan graduated from Manual High School in Louisville. He earned a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Missouri, where he met his wife Chris, and a J.D. from the University of Kentucky School of Law. Morgan, Chris, and their three children – Clara, Wilson, and Greta – live in the Highlands of Louisville.

Amy Washburn serves as District Director for Congressman Morgan McGarvey in Kentucky’s third district. In her role, she works to build relationships with constituents and community leaders and to ensure district strategies align with Congressman McGarvey’s vision for a Louisville where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Previously, she served for over a decade as a public affairs manager at the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, building outreach campaigns designed to educate elected officials and the public about key fiscal challenges facing the United States. A Louisville native, Amy is a proud graduate of duPont Manual High School and the Youth Performing Arts School. She received her B.S. in Political Science from The State University of New York at Albany and her M.S. in Urban Policy from the New School.

David Dafoe is the Founder & CEO of Flavorman and Moonshine University which includes The Stave & Thief Society.  He graduated with a degree in Zoology from Miami University of Ohio, where he continues to serve on the Miami University Foundation and other advisory boards.  He has an MBA degree from Bellarmine University.  David started his career as a Lab Assistant at Fries & Fries (now Givauden) after discovering in the interview that he had an acute tasting ability.  Using his skills to create the Original California Cooler brand, he was quickly recruited by Brown-Forman where he created iconic products like Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails and Lynchburg Lemonade.  In 1992, David started his own custom beverage development company called Pro-Liquitech (now known as Flavorman) with Chiquita Brands as his first client.  Flavorman has grown this Beverage Campus into an $60+ million-dollar enterprise.

In 2010, David recognized that there was no single location where someone could receive formalized training in distilling, so he launched Moonshine University in 2012 to provide hands-on, standardized education for the industry.  In 2014, Moonshine University founded the Stave & Thief Society upon request of the Mayor of Louisville, where the promotion and preservation of bourbon knowledge and culture remains a key initiative.  The program is the first Bourbon Certification to be recognized by the industry and only to be named “The Kentucky Distillers’ Association’s Official Bourbon Education Course”. Moonshine University has had over 14,000 attendees from all 50 US states, 3 US Territories and 54 countries.

Mary is the Program Manager/Director of Kentucky’s State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant which has helped many Kentucky companies overcome obstacles to exporting by providing assistance to cover costs associated with entering and expanding into international markets. Mary helps clients in Kentucky navigate the STEP application and reimbursement process and introduces them to partner agencies for additional resources through the Kentucky Export Initiative thus enabling them to grow, innovate, and add new jobs. Mary continuously strives to bring new partners into the fold who can assist entrepreneurs in the ecosystem by meeting them where they are in their stage of development. She runs the STEP program and is responsible for quarterly reporting to the SBA on the outcomes of export development activities performed by participating companies. Currently serving in the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (KY Innovation), Mary has over 22 years of experience at the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. Her institutional knowledge comes from previous roles in the Office of Research & Public Affairs, Bluegrass State Skills Corporation (BSSC), and the Office of Small & Minority Business.

Omar N. Ayyash is a seasoned executive at the nexus of research excellence and innovation management. He has worked at the local level, national level, and internationally. Most recently he oversaw many of the innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives for a United Arab Emirates (UAE) based educational institution. He is the former Director of the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs for Louisville Metro Government. He was appointed by Mayor Jerry Abramson in February 2003 to be part of a historic team to help merge city and county government. Omar brings an extensive international background with him. Born in Amman, Jordan, and raised in Vienna, Austria, Omar is fluent in Arabic and proficient in German. Omar holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in Marketing from the University of Kentucky. He also earned a master’s in business administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from the University of Louisville. In 2020, he earned a Doctor of Business Administration focused on how technology entrepreneurs successfully manage working capital.

World Trade Center Kentucky

The World Trade Center Kentucky (WTC-KY) is the leading provider of trade education, trade advisory, and trade missions across the state. Each year, the WTC-KY responds to trade service requests, on-site trade support, and organizes international trade education programs covering topics ranging from international sales contracts to market entry strategies. In addition, the WTC-KY conducts trade missions, which allow Kentucky businesses to explore a market through site visits, business matchmaking and introductions to government officials. Moreover, the WTC-KY delivers tailored advisory services to small, medium, and large businesses. Our team can provide services including, but not limited to, Export Readiness Assessment, Global Market Research, Import/Export Operations Review, and Global Supplier Onboarding. We also maintain an extensive network of service providers which supplements the WTC-KY advisory services.

Toni Sears is passionate about helping entrepreneurs build, grow and maintain profitable

businesses. She possesses extensive experience in business assessment, business plan

development, financial modeling, loan packaging, strategic planning, and cash flow

management.

Currently, she is a Business Coach with the Kentucky Small Business Development Center

in Louisville (KSBDC). As a KSBDC Business Coach, Toni has helped to start more than

70 businesses and create more than 300 jobs.

Toni is a NASBITE Certified Global Business Professional and received her MBA from the

University of Louisville’s College of Business.

Formerly an aspiring singer and song writer, Debra Dudley was climbing the country music charts with a series of top 40s hits, dreaming about performing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. During one of her performances, Reg Dudley, her late husband, was in the audience. Instantly smitten, he became her partner in life and ultimately in business. Together they invented a collection of disposable and porcelain coated steel grilling accessories manufactured in Bonnieville, Kentucky, called Oscarwareâ grill toppers.  As co-founder and president of Oscarware, Inc., Debra has now achieved stardom as an outdoor grilling guru.

Reg was a pioneer in the satellite dish industry until it imploded due to competition from cable.  The first house they lived in did not have a kitchen stove. The outdoor gas grill was a great solution but made it difficult to grill certain foods so Reg placed a rectangle sheet of the expanded metal fashioned from the same material as their satellite dish on top of the grill grates.  This made it possible to grill delicate fish, pizza, fresh vegetables. Little did they know this ingenious product would change outdoor grilling forever.

A close friend and member of the Grand Ole Opry, Oscar Sullivan, asked the couple to make these to sell at his Singing Hills campground located only two miles from Mammoth Cave National Park. The eponymous Oscarware â grill toppers were born. Among the early enthusiasts were the famous backstage family Debra adopted at the Opry – singers Roy Acuff, Porter Wagoner and Jack Greene. Owing to their endorsement visibility exploded. Made in the USA Oscarware products are currently available across the US -- at Walmart, Kroger, HEB, Wegmans, Publix and Albertsons – and 14 other countries through ASDA and AAFES.

Debra has received national recognition from the U.S. Small Business Administration, was honored as Kentucky’s Small Businessperson of the Year, and received numerous tributes including the Kentucky SBDC Pacesetter Award. As a successful woman-owned business, she was recognized as the WBENC Southeast Woman Owned Business of the Year.

Skip McCall is a 33°, Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite, Prince Hall Affiliated, Southern Jurisdiction, USA Freemason and is CEO/Owner of SKIPS DEFENSE SOLUTIONS LLC. which was established in 2018. He is a Government Defense Contractor supplying whatever the government requests. He has over 50 Years of Work Experience. He will work with you to supply whatever needs your Agency requires. SKIPS DEFENSE SOLUTIONS LLC is a Full Line Dealer. They are a verified KENTUCKY business establishment in possession of a FFL Type 11 IMPORTER OF DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES, Federal Firearms License with Class I, Type 71 SOT/NFA FIREARMS IMPORTER designation & a FEL Type 26 Federal Explosives License. They are in compliance with all International, Federal, State and Local laws governing firearms/ordnance. They are here to assist you in promoting your Firearms/Ordnance, Chemical Munitions, Explosives & Accessory Needs. They work closely with SIG SAUER as a Defense Strategies Distributor, and many other companies. They sell & install Large Generator Gensets internationally. They listen and assist, with your supply needs in a timely and efficient manner. They will help you meet and exceed, your SDVOSB, HUBZone, DBE, SBE, MBE, Set Aside, SBA, DOD, DIA, DLA & other Agency and Department Award Goals. 

Raised on a large Ranching, Farming operation on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation by Solen, N. Dakota in the early 50’s Buck was exposed to the many nuances of everyday life on a large Ranch.

He was taught at an early age to always respect nature, your elders and learn how to fix something if it broke, and if you couldn’t fix it you made a new one.

He learned many things from his Uncle Joe who was a master carpenter, Grandfather, Dad and the many Native Americans that his parents always hired to work on the Farm.( Thru his mother, Buck is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Nation.) Many things good and some not so good. In those days the Indian men that worked with the horses, weren’t called Trainers, they were just guy’s that worked and broke our horses.  Little did Wheeler know that in those formative years of watching and working with the Native’s that he would one day Patent and invent a product called The Stableizer.   Patterned after the old “Indian War Bridle” which now has been used on two Kentucky Derby Winners...  His dad Ray would always get upset with him for taking everything apart to see what make it work, of course Buck always had a few parts left over!!  Buck always had big dreams of becoming a horse trainer and they couldn’t keep him off the horses on the Ranch.

After graduating from high school in 1958 Buck started College and then enlisted in the US Army Paratroopers as a Combat Medic for 6 years and served 2 tours overseas.

Upon being separated with two Honorable Discharges he did a short stint as an Orthopedic Technician in Portland, Oregon and then the call of the Horses called him back.

Buck received his first Owner/Trainer License in 1966 and the rest they say is History.  In the early 70”s Wheeler traveled all over the country, 18 States and Canada plying his trade but finally in 2014 he was inducted into the Appaloosa Racing Trainers Hall of Fame. (as were many of the Owners and the horses that he had trained previously) In Ft. Worth, Tx. “It was 40 years late but I accepted it anyway!”

In the early 90’s Wheeler started his company and Registered Wheeler Enterprises Inc. with the state of Minnesota.  As an Owner, Breeder and Trainer of Race Horses over the years, he realized that there had to be a better way to extract the Colostrum from the Thoroughbred Mares he Owned and Stabled for Clients.

Colostrum is Mother’s Milk and the needed Antibodies for the newborn foal, calf, kit, lamb, and even human babies is critically essential and life altering. Enter The Udderly Ez Mare Milker  After an occasion on his farm in Mn. He had a mare die after giving birth and he sent his hired man to buy some Goat milk for the orphan foal and he came back with a Nanny and her baby, he said it was cheaper to buy the Goat than the milk!  Thru a year of R & D Wheeler improved upon what he started with up to what he has today. He has given Clinics all over the World, in Europe, Canada, the big Equine Expo’s and instructed in many of the Leading Large Animal Veterinary Hospitals and Universities, Trainer to HMQ in the Uk and Instructed all 9 of the US Army detachments with Horses and Mules, and Arlington, National Cemetery at the Cassion Platoon in Wash. D.C. As a disabled vet, it was a most humbling to have that opportunity, says Wheeler.  In 2021 his Udderly Ez Mare Milker was added in the Second Edition of the Equine Reproductive Procedures Textbook for all Veterinary Students, Veterinarians and Professionals on page 400.

I have always listened to what suggestions or recommendations our clients had over the years, and if feasible tried to apply it to our existing product at the time.  After 8 or 9 years in the World Market place he started to receive requests to milk more than one teat at a time, because may of his clients were reaching their twilight years and had many problems with, carpal tunnel, rheumatoid  arthritis, fibromyalgia .lymphedema and many more.  So he had to step his game again and the Ultimate Ez Electric Milker was born.

It was Invented to milk two teats at once and the milk went directly into the bottles, hence no tubing to wash.  He also had an accessory that could be purchased called the Ultimate Ez 4 that had all the parts doubled so you could milk all 4 teats on cow, or two Goats or Sheep at once.  After 4 ½ years in R & D on this Milker, with a pre-set Vacuum the Milker does not have to Pulsate and over 5 years, in again the World Market Place it has never caused any problems as in Mastitis or damaged teats.

The pulsation is accomplished by the pumping of the animals heart.

Again, Wheeler listing to his clients needing larger Silicone Inflations for bigger teats, he had been buying them over all the years from a supplier in Italy.  One company in the US had the absolute lock on the Import of the product.  Buck started looking for company that could Mfg. 3 sizes for his needs, and he found one in Weatherford, Tx.  It is a world class company with Hdq’s in the US and Uk.  He flew down and spent 2 days with the Engineers and Sales Mgr. David Wilson and the result is three color coded sizes of inflations to fit the Extractor Tubes that He invented in 2004 and there is nothing like them in the world as Buck noticed that the teat always just fit into a straight hole in the Inflations that are produced worldwide and his taper down and are especially useful on those small and hard to milk teats on the Sheep, and Mini Jerseys, Dexter’s and any animal with small teats. “I can best describe it by it’s like putting on a leather glove where your fingers fit because of the taper instead of putting on a mitten!”

This past year we have had several requests to have a container larger than our quart bottles so we are coming out with our new Ultimate Bucket Milker it holds 10Liter or 2.6 gallon SS Bucket, and a 5 Gallon / 20 liter Bucket and will milk all 4 teats on a cow or two animals at once, like Sheep and Goats.  Over the years we had so many requests for a Solar Unit or something that the off the grid people could use as some of their barns or sheds were a long way from the house and couldn’t use electric so we invented the Ez Solar Solution.  This worked out very sell but it is quite heavy and we even put it on wheels. I have given clinics at 4 of the Horse Progress Day’s and I have been working with many Amish Businesses over the years and became very good friends with the owners and together we have enjoyed a great business relationship. Levi Fisher of Fisher Mfg., Vernon Lambright, Orbs Tarps, ASI, etc.  and most importantly they are successfully using & selling my products.

Our other new product that came out shortly after that is our Ez Power Pak It is a 300-Watt inverter that attaches to our Ultimate Ez Milker pump base and is powered by a 20 volt DeWalt, or 18 volt Milwaukee or Makita Battery. Preferably 5 Ah or higher.  A 5 Ah Battery will give you about 5 milking’s before you have to recharge the battery. This operates the Ultimate Ez Milker and the new Ultimate Bucket attachment very efficiently and can be used anywhere at anytime as it is totally portable. The whole system only weighs 9 ½ Lbs including the canvas bag, and approximately 21 Lbs with the SS Bucket.

Another of his inventions is the Buck A Long, it is an adjustable rope that he has put together to start teaching young foals or calves’ to lead from day 1.  They will always get away or go forward from pressure applied on the rear but it doesn’t apply pressure to the head and neck on young horses, when adjusted properly it always keeps the head aligned straight with the body and in so doing he has topped many a Thoroughbred sale in the Midwest for years.  One of his yearling TB filly’s sold for $80,000. At the Fasig Tipton sale in the July sale in Lexington, Ky and another filly at weaning time sold for $100,000. 

Buck’s company is a private Corp. consisting of he, his wife Karen, step son John Morrison.  Everything is Mfg., and shipped from their Mfg. operation in Humboldt, Iowa and Buck does most of his R & D at his office and Facility in Lexington, Kentucky.

Vasanthi Sunkara, CEO & President at ADEM, has been leading the company’s business operations since 2010. She holds a BS in accounting and an MBA from the University of Louisville and has over 18 years of business analysis and project management experience and has extensive knowledge in R&D grant management. Vasanthi is an accomplished business executive with a proven track record for driving growth and innovation in the manufacturing sector. She has spent over 15 years in leadership roles previously at Louisville Water Company and National Processing Company. She is committed to working with strategic partners and customers, coordinating R&D projects with federal agencies and collaborations with R&D teams. Ms. Sunkara sits on the Board as Director. Under Ms. Sunkara’s leadership, the company received around $6.5M in grant funding and contracts and also made their first commercial sale to a large US conglomerate in the Middle East. Vasanthi is an advocate for STEM education and has been a board member for the Dupont Manual regional science fair and has been a judge both at the regional and state fairs for the past 9 years. Outside of her professional endeavors, Vasanthi enjoys visiting local nurseries and greenhouses and is a founding member and trustee of the community organization Telugu Association of Kentucky. Vasanthi is committed to Advanced Energy Materials’ mission of being a global leader in supplying catalyst products and processes and driving the company’s innovations to new heights.

Dana Winston has worked in the government sector for 15 years; 10 of those years at the SBA Kentucky District Office. Ms. Winston currently serves as a Lender Relations Specialist in the Finance Division, the District Office International Trade liaison and the SBDC Project Officer. Ms. Winston has a strong background in core business functions including accounting, finance, project management, international business, and marketing. She provides counseling and training to potential and/or existing small business owners, lenders and small business resource partners on SBA’s guaranteed loan programs and services in the Kentucky area. She is a veteran of the United States Air Force and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and a Master of Business Administration.

Jonathan Brady is a Business Development Specialist with the Minority and Women-Owned Business (MWOB) Outreach Group at the Export- Import Bank of the United States (EXIM). Based in Washington, DC, his business development role with the MWOB Outreach Group is to serve as the primary liaison for Hispanic business organizations and Veteran business organizations at the national, state, and local levels.

Jonathan possesses a strong background in international relations and economics from having worked for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the U.S. Treasury Department (International Banking Office), and ten years with the Ohio Department of Development’s International Trade Division.

Before joining EXIM, Jonathan worked at ExportDC, a division of the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD). Promoted to Program Manager in 2015, his primary responsibilities consisted of administering business support grants for DC-based exporters, organizing trade missions, providing export counseling services, conducting international business seminars, and coordinating special projects with the foreign embassies located in the District of Columbia.

Jonathan holds a B.A. and Master of Financial Economics (MFE) from Ohio University, and is a 2009 graduate of Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies, with a Master of International Public Policy (MIPP).

Brian Miller is a Senior International Trade Specialist with the

International Trade Administration’s, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service.  He works directly with USFCS’s worldwide team of experts to assist U.S. companies interested in selling to the international marketplace.  He provides international guidance on issues ranging from market intelligence, trade finance, regulatory requirements, US export controls, market entry strategies and locating overseas customers.

Providing customized business solutions to help companies compete in more than 80 countries, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service offers in-depth consulting to determine the best markets for U.S. products and services, assists with export strategies, evaluates international competition, and introduces firms to new customers and distributors.

He is also currently serving a one-year detail on the Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council (DIAC) for the Office of the Under Secretary for the International Trade Administration and serves as the Communications Chair.  The DIAC provides insights and strategies to help create an organization that follows the ideals of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility, through our global workforce, and therefore one better equipped to assist the incredibly diverse companies ITA works directly with to grow their sales, and support and sustain U.S. jobs through the sale of U.S. made goods & services to overseas buyers.

Before joining Commerce in 2002, Mr. Miller worked in the private sector on international projects; he holds multiple patents for products developed in several industries.  Additionally, Mr. Miller spent nine years on the national horse racing circuit, including more than five years as an active jockey.

Sara Moreno serves as Director of the U.S. Commercial Service/Lexington, where she works directly with Kentucky businesses to develop and implement their export strategies.

The U.S. Commercial Service is the trade promotion agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration.

With trade professionals in more than 100 U.S. cities and in 80+ countries around the globe, the U.S. Commercial Service help U.S. companies get started in exporting or increase sales to new global markets. Services offered include:

• Market Intelligence to help U.S. exporters target the right markets for their products and services
• Trade Counseling to provide information necessary to navigate the export process from beginning to end
• Business Matchmaking services to connect U.S. exporters with the right trade partners and prospective customers
• Trade Advocacy for U.S companies to level the international playing field for international procurement.

During her career with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Ms. Moreno has served in Washington, D.C., San Diego, California, and Kentucky.

Ms. Moreno received her BA from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia, and earned a Master’s Degree from the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky.

Ms. Moreno is a native of Middlesboro, Kentucky, and currently resides with her family in Lexington, Kentucky.