The Midwest International Trade Association (MITA) will host its annual World Trade Conference on May 18, with an in-person event at the Embassy Suites conference facility in La Vista.

The conference features expert speakers and panelists addressing themes of importance to our regional economy: a panel discussion about the agricultural sector, and Nebraska’s leading role in ag production and trade; presentations on overcoming the supply chain backlog after COVID-19; economic projections for the region; and views from the Department of Commerce on how to compete and win in global procurement opportunities. Governor Pete Ricketts has been invited to offer concluding remarks regarding Nebraska and its trade exports.

With the return to an in-person format, this year’s World Trade Conference offers many networking opportunities: over breakfast and lunch, during breaks, and at the concluding reception hosted by First National Bank of Omaha.

Chris Adderton, Vice President, Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP)

To register for this event, click HERE or contact Gloria Penas at 402.596.1210, mita@mitaonline.org.

Registration Deadline: Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Late Registration Fee: $10/person

Shari Stout is the Advocacy Center’s Regional Manager for the Middle East (Israel, Jordan, Lebanon) and Asia (Japan and Philippines), managing approximately 60 advocacy cases. Additionally, she is a member of the U.S. Field Outreach Team coordinating strategic initiatives with the Great Lakes and Midwest Networks with the U.S. business community in the regions. Prior to joining the Advocacy Center, Shari Stout served as the Senior Commercial Officer in Kuwait City, Kuwait managing the six member LE Staff team, resolving complex commercial diplomacy challenges, and advancing progress on a robust advocacy portfolio. Previously, she completed a three-year assignment in Ankara, Turkey as a Commercial Officer and remotely managed the two member LE Staff team. Before joining the international field, she was the Director of the U.S. Commercial Service office in Chicago, Illinois and she also served as the Office Director and International Trade Specialist at the U.S. Commercial Service office in Peoria, Illinois for over 10 years. While working as Director in both Chicago and Peoria, she supported companies located in Illinois by provided customized solutions to foster their international expansion efforts. The U.S. Commercial Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce and has over 100 offices located in the United States and more than 70 throughout the world in the Embassies and Consulates. The mission of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service is to increase the number of successful U.S. exporters and their entries into new markets; to promote job creation; and to increase the international competitiveness of U.S. industry by providing a single point of contact for export marketing and trade finance for small and medium sized businesses.

Shari Stout’s private sector experience includes International Product Manager at the Mark Travel Corporation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ms. Stout built vacation products and marketed U.S. and foreign destinations to international travel agencies and tour operators.

She holds a B.S. in International Business, minor in Spanish, and concentration in Marketing from Bradley University. Shari Stout is a Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP), an accreditation by the North American Small Business International Trade Educators (NASBITE).

Professor Decker received his Ph.D. in Business Economics from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in 2000 and teaches courses in Microeconomics, Business Economics, Economic Forecasting, and Natural Resource Economics at UNO.

His academic work has been published in a verity of academic journals including Economic Inquiry, Journal of Law and Economics, Environmental and Resource Economics, Annals of Regional Science, Review of Regional Studies, Applied Economics, Ecological Economics, and Contemporary Economic Policy.

Professor Decker has also partnered with several organizations to conduct economic assessments and forecasts of city and regional economies, Studies include: The Economic and Fiscal Impacts of Immigrant Populations on Nebraska and Omaha: Evidence from the 2015-2019 American Community Survey, The Economic Impact of OPPD’s Economic Development Business Attraction and Retention Projects on Nebraska and the Omaha MSA, The Five-Year Expected Economic Impact of the Recipe Box Inc. on the Eastern Nebraska Economy, 2020, The Economic Impact the Aviation Industry on the State of Nebraska, and The Economic Impact of the Nebraska Business Development Center on Nebraska.

Before joining UNO, Professor Decker worked in the private sector for DRI/McGraw-Hill (now IHS Global Insight) from 1990 to 1993, and FW Dodge/McGraw-Hill from 1993 to 1995, producing forecasts for regional economies, of energy prices and demand, long-range macroeconomic and demographic indicators, as well as construction prices, and commercial and institutional construction activity.

Mr. Jung is Chief Executive Officer and President of Burlington Capital International. Since joining Burlington Capital, Mike has played an integral role in leading the expansion of Burlington International’s global footprint, expanding the focus from Russia and the Former Soviet Union into North America, Africa, Central America, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. Mr. Jung has vast experience in international trade, finance and agriculture/agribusiness related initiatives.

Recently Mr. Jung has lead Burlington Capital efforts in exploring the opportunities in the AgTech sector and launching the Burlington Capital AG-VENTURE Fund.

Burlington Capital AG-VENTURE (AG-VENTURE) is a Midwest-based investment fund that invests in seed stage AgTech start-ups that are looking to Solve Midwest Producers Problems. We partner with the teams who are developing the newest and most innovative technology-driven solutions to innovate, improve, and redefine the current agriculture ecosystem. AG-VENTURE is taking advantage of the region’s strong agriculture history and industry partners to exponentially advance AgTech in the Midwest. The Fund utilizes its access, network, and experience to find and foster exceptional Midwest entrepreneurs, with the goal of making the Midwest the Global AgTech Hub.

Ben Williamson has lead the investment team for Invest Nebraska Corporation for the last four and a half years and also serves as the company’s General Counsel. Additionally, Ben was critical to the creation of and serves as a Managing Director for the Burlington Capital Ag-Venture Fund. Prior to both endeavors, Ben spent several years as an in-house corporate attorney in the financial services space and also has experience as a small business owner. Ben has led over 75 early-stage venture deals in his career and has worked with hundreds of companies and founders to help them get their companies off the ground and begin to scale.

Greg Ibach is the Under Secretary in Residence at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. In his role with IANR, Mr. Ibach works to connect UNL Research, Teaching and Extension expertise to current policy initiatives and opportunities at the state and federal government level. He will also engage UNL learners interested in public service, the importance of public and private partnerships, and science-informed policy.

Mr. Ibach spent the past three years as USDA’s Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. In his role as the Under Secretary, Mr. Ibach carried out the MRP mission area’s broad task of facilitating domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and ensuring the health and care of animals and plants.

Prior to his USDA appointment, Mr. Ibach served as Nebraska’s Director of Agriculture for over 12 years, making him the longest-serving director in the organization’s history. He has been inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement. Mr. Ibach was a 2018 Block and Bridle Honoree and the recipient of the Department of Agricultural Economics 2020 Outstanding Alumni Award.

Mr. Ibach holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Nebraska with majors in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics. He and his wife, Teresa, have three grown children and two granddaughters. They continue to maintain a cow/calf and grain operation in Sumner, NE.

Brad Lubben is an Extension Associate Professor, Policy Specialist, and Director of the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has nearly 30 years of experience in teaching, research, and extension, focusing on agricultural policy and agricultural economics and working in Illinois, Kansas, and Nebraska. Brad's expertise includes federal farm policy, agricultural policy development, and agricultural risk management education. Brad grew up on a grain and livestock farm near Burr, southeast of Lincoln and holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Ph.D. from Kansas State University.

Dr. Mitchel Herian serves as a Project Director through the Bureau of Business Research and an instructor in the Political Science department at UNL. Dr. Herian has conducted research for a wide range of federal, state, and local agencies, and his research has received support from agencies including the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Justice, and the Bureau of Justice Assistance. At the Bureau his work includes economic impact studies, workforce analyses, as well as more basic research. His work has been published in academic journals across disciplines.

Mr. Adderton has extensive experience in consumer goods, supply chain and consumer insights with accomplishments in organizational development, change management, technology implementation, sales and operations planning and trade promotions management. Mr. Adderton led a successful sales and marketing agency, held sales and operational leadership positions with ConAgra Brands, led the US Client Service organization for the Nielsen Co and ran several early-stage startups. Since 2013, Mr. Adderton has served as Vice President of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, the leading global supply chain professional association.

Throughout his career, Mr. Adderton has engaged in developing organizational capability, efficiency and effectiveness.  He has developed and implemented programs that improved productivity and resulted in improved financial performance. Mr. Adderton has led several leading companies through effective and affordable transformation with a focus on improved customer satisfaction and profitability. He has managed a multimillion-dollar project transforming a customer service organization and implementing the SAP order to cash process. His expertise in organizational development, process improvement and the application of technical systems has provided organizations with solutions for their business that the dynamic market requires. Mr. Adderton’s expertise in evaluating organizational capability and processes and implementing large scale operational and technology projects provides significant performance improvement for organizations. Mr. Adderton holds a BA in Economics from the University of Missouri.

Dennis recently joined Ascent as Vice President, Ocean Product. Dennis was introduced to the logistics industry by his father, which has become his passion over the last 40 years. He brings vast experience to the organization, with expertise in global ocean strategy from his prior positions with direct ocean carriers as well as forwarders. Before joining Ascent, Dennis held positions with various companies, including FedEx Trade Networks. Born in New York and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago, Dennis has resided in Atlanta for over 30 years with his wife, Maria. In their spare time, they enjoy traveling, entertaining and spending time with their 3 children and 7 grandchildren, who live in Atlanta and Maria's home country of Ecuador.

As President and CEO of the Nebraska Trucking Association (NTA) and Truck Services, Inc. (TSI), Kent Grisham brings nearly 30 years’ experience in public relations, marketing, public affairs, and organizational development in Nebraska. Aside from public affairs and media work for Fortune 100 companies, Kent has also led several congressional, gubernatorial and local political campaigns.

Kent holds a bachelor’s degree in management and a master’s degree in organizational leadership. He also holds certifications in crisis management and communications from FEMA and the NTSB. He is also a graduate of the Disney Institute for Business Excellence. Kent has also served more than 22 years as a Reserve Police Officer for one of the police agencies in Nebraska.

Kent recently served as a regional chairman for the ATA’s Trucking Association Executives Council. He is Vice Chairman of the Board of GROW Nebraska, Inc. and serves on the Douglas County Fair Advisory Board. He also serves on the Nebraska Department of Transportation Innovation Task Force, on the Board of the Nebraska Transportation Center at the University of Nebraska, the Metro Community College Diesel Advisory Council, and is a Nebraska Diplomat through the Department of Economic Development.

Kent lives in Omaha with his wife Tracey. Kent, a licensed Pastor, and Tracey lead a citywide ministry called “Blended & Blessed Omaha,” which is targeted to couples in blended families. They have three children and eight grandchildren.

ABOUT US · EVENTS · RESOURCES · WTC · MEMBERSHIP · CONTACT

www.mitaonline.org