16th Annual U.S. China Trade Conference
Dealing with China's New Economic, Political, and Social Order
November 5 & 6, 2015
Swissotel Chicago
323 E. Upper Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois, 60601
New Speakers and New Sessions added to Program
Please see below for updated Conference program. We have added the following distinguished speakers to our Conference program:
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Ray Young, Executive Vice President and CFO, Archer Daniels Midland Company and a Director of International Paper
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Craig Heetland, President/Managing Director Asia-Pacific, Marmion Cornelius, a Division of Berkshire Hathaway
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Eric Lo, Deputy General Manager, Enterprise Business, China Telecom Americas, Inc.
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Wang Yongzheng, Yongzheng Tailor Shop Group Co Ltd., the largest high-end custom clothier in China
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William Chen, General Manager of Shanghai MOONS’ Industries U.S., one of the largest integrated manufacturers of motion control products
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Stone Wang, Managing Director, China Prosperity Real Estate Fund
New sessions include:
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Executives of Chinese Companies in the U.S. Forum
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A U.S. Multinational’s Current Views on the China Opportunity
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The Roles of eCommerce, Cloud Computing, and Mobile Devices in U.S.-China Business
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Future Outlook: New Bilateral and Multilateral Agreements and Opportunities in China’s Transition
A lot has changed since we organized our first Annual Trade Conference 16 years ago. Since the financial crisis in 2008, the global economy has been dominated by instability, uncertainty, and rapid changes. After years of tremendous growth, China’s economy is now settling around 6-7% growth. Even though such a growth rate would be envied by a lot of countries, it sent a shocking wave to global commodity prices and the financial markets. As China is experiencing a rapid rise in manufacturing cost, it is transitioning itself to a consumer-driven, service, and higher-value-added manufacturing economy. China is now one of the major sources of capital, and in certain sectors, it outsources its manufacturing. The transition may be necessary for China to become a more stable, transparent, and open society; however, it poses challenges for both U.S. and Chinese businesses. Many questions deserve discussion. What caused the slowdown in China's economy? Who will be affected in this uncertainty? Will China continue to be the destination for outsourcing? How can U.S. companies participate in China’s transition to a consumer-driven economy? Why are the Chinese investing in the U.S.? How will Immigration policy impact on human and financial capital? What are the opportunities for U.S. companies and professionals?
The 16th Annual U.S.-China Trade Conference will bring together 20 executives to share their experiences and insights on many of these topics. They are all practitioners with hands-on experience. In addition, many of the anticipated 150 participants have been involved in cross-border business for many years. This event is a unique opportunity to gather up-to-date information and network with a select group of executives and professionals. The event will be held on Thursday and Friday, November 5 and 6 at the Swissotel in Chicago. An agenda and registration for the event are available below.
SIXTEENTH ANNUAL U.S.-CHINA TRADE CONFERENCE
“Dealing with China’s New Economic, Political, and Social Order”
11
5
Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
Welcome Remarks
The Hon. Edward Burke, Dean and Chairman of Finance Committee, Chicago City Council
9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Messages from the Co-Chairs
Lou Longo, Partner, Global Services, Plante Moran, PLLC; Feng Xue, Partner/Chair, China Practice, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
The New China and Its Statistics: What Has Changed?
Siva Yam, CPA, CFA, U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce
9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
What will the Congress Do in Addressing U.S.-China Trade Issues and Devaluation of RMB?
Wayne Morrison, Specialist in Asian Trade and Finance, Congressional Research Service
Coffee Break and Networking
10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Manufacturing Forum: Is China’s Manufacturing Still Competitive?
Forum Moderator: Howard Dubin, Chairman, Manufacturers News; Mark Jaeger, Sr. VP, Human Resources, General Counsel & Secretary, Jockey International, Inc. ; Bo Yang, General Manager, Global Business – China, Navistar, Inc. (Invited); TBA
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Immigration and Investment: How U.S. Companies Could Benefit?
Michael F. Turansick, Esq., Partner, Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen and Loewy, LLP
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Executive Lunch and Speech
Special Remarks: Ambassador Zhao Weiping, Consul General of PRC in Chicago (Invited); TBA
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Chinese Companies in the U.S. CEO Forum
Forum Moderator: Feng Xue, Partner/Chair, China Practice, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP; Wang Yongzheng, Yongzheng Tailor Shop Group Co Ltd.; William Chen, General Manager, U.S., Shanghai Moons' Industries; Stone Wang, Managing Director, China Prosperity Real Estate Fund
2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
New Accounting and Tax Law that Impacts Cross Border Investments
Lou Longo, Partner; Stella Su, Prinicpal, Global Services, Plante Moran, PLLC
3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Coffee Break and Networking Session
3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Health and Safety Compliance: Meeting International Standards
Weifang Zhou, President, UL Ventures
3:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Protecting Trademarks and Patents in China: What You Need to Know
Bryan Wahl, Partner; Thomas Yee, Partner; Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear, LLP
4:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
What are the Roles of eCommerce, Cloud Computing and Mobile Devices in U.S.-China Business
Eric Lo, Deputy General Manager, Enterprise Business, China Telecoms Americas, Inc.
Cocktail Reception / Networking
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
6:15 p.m.
Networking Dinner
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
11
6
Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Morning Keynote: A U.S. Multinational's Current Views on the China Opportunity
Ray Young, Executive Vice President and CFO, Archer Daniels Midland Company
9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Marketing Professional Forum: Selling to Chinese Consumer – Pricing, Branding, and Distribution
Craig Heetland, President/Managing Director Asia-Pacific, Marmon-Cornelius – a division of Berkshire Hathaway; Leon Bian, V.P. Business Development, Graphite Software; Ross Anderson, Director of Global Operations, Midwest Rubber Service & Supply Company; TBA
10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Coffee Break and Networking Session
11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Sourcing Manager Forum: Nuts and Bolts in Dealing with Rising Manufacturing Cost in China
Thomas Fu, Vice President, Global Innovation, LBP Manufacturing, LLC.; Richard Chen, Executive Vice President of Sales, Vaxcel International Co., Ltd.; TBA
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Future Outlook: Opportunities in China’s Transition
Panel Discussion: Siva Yam, President, U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce; Jonathan Garrison, Managing Director-China, FDI Strategies, LLC
12:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks and Adjournment
Speakers
The Honorable Edward M. Burke
Dean and Chairman of Finance Committee
City Council of Chicago
Alderman Edward M. Burke, the Dean of the Chicago City Council, has served as Alderman of Chicago's 14th Ward for more than three-and-a-half decades. A recognized expert on city budget matters, Alderman Burke is the Chairman of the City Council Committee on Finance.
A master parliamentarian, Alderman Burke entered politics by following in the footsteps of his father, Joseph P., and became Democratic Committeeman of the 14th Ward in 1968 and Alderman in 1969. Alderman Burke was a Chicago Police Officer, serving from 1965 to 1968.
As Chairman of the City Council's powerful Committee on Finance, Alderman Burke holds the city's purse strings and is responsible for all legislative matters pertaining to the city's finances, including municipal bonds, taxes and revenue matters. Alderman Burke became Chairman for the second time in 1989. He previously served from 1983 to1987. He also serves as a member of the Chicago Plan Commission.
Throughout his career in public life, Alderman Burke has been an avid student of Chicago history and is the coauthor of two books, Inside the Wigwam: Chicago Presidential Conventions, 1860-1996; and End of Watch. Alderman Burke is a partner in the law firm of Klafter & Burke and is involved in many civic and charitable organizations, including the One Hundred Club of Cook County, the Knights of Columbus and the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago.
A lifelong resident of the Southwest Side, Alderman Burke graduated from Quigley Preparatory Seminary in 1961 and earned his Bachelor's Degree from DePaul University in 1965. He received his Juris Doctor Degree from DePaul University College of Law in 1968 and was admitted to the Illinois Bar that same year.
Alderman Burke and his wife, Anne, a Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, are the parents of four children: Jennifer, Edward, Sarah and the late Emmett. The Burkes are also the permanent guardians of Travis.
The Honorable Zhao Weiping
Consul General
Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Chicago
Consul General Zhao Weiping was born in Zhejiang Province, China in July 1967 and graduated from China Foreign Affairs University. He has extensive experience in diplomacy and foreign affairs. Prior to his current appointment as Consul General of the Chinese Consulate in Chicago in 2013, he has hosted the following positions:
1991-1994 Attache, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
1994-1997 Attache, Third Secretary, Chinese Embassy in Australia
1997-2002 Third Secretary, Deputy Director, then Director, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2002-2003 Counsellor, Head of Political office, Chinese Embassy in Canada
2003-2006 Counsellor, Head of Congressional Affairs, Chinese Embassy in the United States of America
2006-2010 Counsellor, then Deputy Director-General, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2010-2012 Chinese Ambassador to the Independent State of Samoa
2013- Chinese Consul General to Chicago
The Consul General is married.
Siva Yam, CPA, CFA
President
U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce
Mr. Siva Yam, CPA, CFA, an investment banker with over 20 years of experience in mergers, acquisitions, public offerings and private placements of securities, venture financing, and privatization, is Managing Director of Siva Yam & Associates, LLC, a private consulting and investment banking boutique, which specializes in cross border business and trade activities between the U.S. and Asia, and in particular, The Greater China Region. He is a Partner and CFO of Amicus Capital Partners, a startup private equity fund that specializes in the healthcare industry.
Mr. Yam is the current President of the United States-China Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit organization founded by Prescott S. Bush, Jr. that is dedicated to promoting trade and investment activities between US and China. He has served on the Advisory Board of the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago and is an advisor to the North America Representative Office of Shenzhen. Prior to his current engagements, he was Co-Founder, Senior Managing Director, and Director of Investment Banking of Chicago Capital, Inc., an investment banking boutique. Prior to founding Chicago Capital, he worked in the Corporate Finance Department at Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, in various capacities, including as Co-Founder and a Managing Director of Stifel International Capital Markets, Inc. Mr. Yam has also authored and co-authored investment research reports including one recommendation that was featured in “Institutional Investor” as “Home-Run Hitter of 1993 #5 up 296.0%”, one of the best five stock picks in that year.
Mr. Yam is internationally recognized as an expert in US-China business. China Daily featured him on the front page of Business Weekly in August 2002 describing him as "Bridge US-China Business: USCCC tries to strengthen nations' trade, cultural relations". In March 2005, Investor's Business Daily stated "... American companies seeking advice on operating there often seek out Chicago investment banker Siva Yam, president of the U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce ..." In January 2006, Mr. Yam appeared on the cover of World Trade magazine with the cover story "Trading with China: A Guide for Newcomers - Siva Yam, U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce.” Again in March 2009, China Daily described “Siva Yam knows business - especially when it comes to US and Chinese relationships.”
A Certified Public Accountant and a Chartered Financial Analyst, Mr. Yam speaks frequently at various conferences, seminars, and television interviews in both the U.S. and Asia on a variety of subjects. Some of his interviews have appeared in English, Chinese, German, Russian, French, Vietnamese, Thai, Italian, Spanish, and Hindu. In addition, he writes articles regularly for USCCC’s newsletters and international newspapers. Mr. Yam received his MBA from Duke University on a Fuqua Fellowship and his Bachelor of Business Administration, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Wisconsin. Previously, he graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic with honors and is fluent in both English and Chinese.
Ross Anderson
Director of Global Operations
Midwest Rubber Service & Supply Company
Mr. Ross Anderson is currently co-owner and Global Director of Operations & Innovation for Midwest Rubber Service & Supply Co. in Minneapolis. Midwest Rubber has been manufacturing, fabricating, and distributing high quality rubber products since 1976. Midwest Rubber is globally known for its innovative products and premium services. The company is committed to partner with customers and suppliers to solve the most challenging rubber and plastic applications.
In 2007, Mr. Anderson moved to Shanghai to establish a WOFE to manufacture and distribute their high-performance products through OEM customers (international and domestic), in the Chinese market. Consequently, four years later, the company further committed to global growth by establishing Midwest Rubber B.V. in the Netherlands. As Midwest Rubber has evolved from a small local Midwestern company with a regional presence, into one with global reach and brand-named products, Mr. Anderson has been part of the journey as an entrepreneur, manager, and family business co-owner. He has a passion for developing long-term, trusted business relationships and helping others achieve their full potential. Prior to joining the family business, Mr. Anderson held sales & marketing positions at Hormel Foods Corporation, Careerbuilder.com, and Totino-Grace Private High-school and holds a B.A. in Business Management from St. Johns University.
Leon Bian
Vice President Business Development
Graphite Software
Mr. Leon Bian is VP of Business Development at Graphite Software and Managing Director of Graphite China. In this role, Mr. Bian is focused on developing the greater China market while expanding Graphite’s presence in Silicon Valley.
Named by TodaysWirelessWorld.com as one of the Top 100 Wireless Technology Experts for 2014, Mr. Bian has more than 15 years of global high-tech experience in product management, business development, and strategic planning with both Fortune 500 companies and start-ups.
Prior to joining Graphite Software, Mr. Bian served as VP of Business Development at IDEX ASA (OSE:IDEX), a publicly traded company that specializes in fingerprint imaging and recognition technology for mobile devices, and as Senior Director of Global Enterprise Mobile Solutions at LG Electronics, where he developed and marketed multi-generational enterprise solutions for companies of all sizes, and managed strategic partnerships and channels worldwide.
Before LG, Mr. Bian was head of product management at Motorola, leading development and marketing of a multimillion-dollar next-generation mobile content and services software platform for smartphones. He also held engineering management positions at EMC Corporation, a leader in networked data storage technology.
Mr. Bian earned his joint master's degree in management and engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he studied and analyzed the emergence of China's high-tech businesses. He also completed coursework in strategy and general management at Harvard Business School.
A Shanghai native and bilingual China business expert, Mr. Bian has written articles and spoken publicly about China market strategy.
Richard Chen
Executive Vice President of Sales
Vaxcel International Co., Ltd
Mr. Richard Chen was born in Taipei, China. In 1982, his family immigrated to the US. Mr. Chen finished in the top 1% of his class at Maine Township High School East (the alma mater of Hillary Clinton). Mr. Chen received his bachelor’s in English Literature from Northwestern, his mathematics degree at the University of Cambridge, and his master’s in History from Brown University.
Mr. Chen is EVP of Sales at Vaxcel International: a designer, innovator, importer and distributor of residential lighting and fans. The company has over 200 employees and has offices in the US and China. Company clients include Menards, Home Depot, Lowes, and numerous distributors throughout the world. The company holds several patents in motion lighting technologies and is well-known for its Dualux brand of security lighting fixtures.
Mr. Chen is a unit owner at Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago, where he served on the charter Board of Directors from 2011-2014. He is friends with the Trump family.
Mr. Chen lives in Batavia with his wife, an urgent care physician, his son Augustus, 3, and his daughter Aurelia, 1.
William Chen
Gerneral Manager
U.S. Shanghai Moons' Industries
Mr. William Chen is a proven international business leader with over 20 years’ experience developing and managing both existing and new business opportunities for continuous profitable growth in international organizations.
Mr. Chen planned and orchestrated the establishment of the North American Headquarters for the Shanghai Moons’ Group in 2002.
Using Western business practices, Mr. Chen has been able to establish, build and maintain profitable business-to-business relationships. This model has led to several joint-venture programs and international business relationships with Fortune 500 Companies including; Xerox, Electrolux, GE, Parker, Whirlpool and General Electric.
Mr. Chen is truly international manager focusing on long-term business growth, the development of new markets and innovative products.
Prior to becoming the General Manager for North America for Moons’ Industries, (America), Inc., Mr. Chen served as Director of Sales & Marketing for Shanghai Moons’ Group, a $240 million USD diversified manufacturing company with over 2,200 associates in Shanghai, China. In that capacity, he was successful in developing, identifying and securing new business opportunities and building international business relationships with major European customers.
Before joining Moons’, Mr. Chen rose rapidly in the ranks at China National Electronics Import & Export Corporation, the largest electronics import & export corporation in China with annual revenues in excess of $2 billion USD, serving as General Director for several divisions. In this capacity, he had complete responsibility, including P&L, for 3 business divisions with over 78 sales managers achieving increases in revenues by over 25%.
Mr. Chen has an Executive MBA from Loyola University in Chicago along with a Bachelor of Science degree from Xian Electronic, Science & Technology University in Xian, China. In addition, he has been awarded numerous certificates; Manager for Enterprise Certificate, Ministry of Electronics Industry; International Business Certificate, Ministry of Foreign Trade; International Business Certificate, Electronics Industry Management College; Certificate of International Trade, USA Educational Service Exchange; and Manager of Overseas’ Enterprises, Ministry of Electronics.
Thomas Fu, Ph.D.
Vice President, Global Innovation
LBP Manufacturing, Inc.
Dr. Thomas Fu has more than 20 years’ experience of research, innovation, new business development, general operation and business management in the fields of materials, packaging, printing and converting to serve the global marketplace. He achieved his PhD degree in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University and EMBA from Xavier University, and have held various progressive positions from scientist to R&PD manager to Vice President of Global Innovation in a couple of companies. Dr. Fu has also been a company representative at United States-China Chamber of Commerce, Sustainable Packaging Coalition, and Global Green USA Coalition for Resource Recovery, and is strongly interested in sustainable development and business growth through innovation, as well as global collaboration for the betterment of the world.
Jonathan Garrison
Managing Director - China
Strategies, LLC
Mr. Jonathan Garrison joins FDI Strategies as the Managing Director of China. Mr. Garrison works with both Chinese and foreign entities in helping them establish a market presence as well as grow their business abroad.
Prior to joining FDI Strategies, Mr. Garrison was a General Manager in the Investment Management Division at the Wanda Group in Beijing, responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with international strategic partners and pursuing investment opportunities such as minority positions, joint ventures and private placements. Investment and partnership emphasis included Media and Entertainment where he led negotiations on Wanda’s first international film finance and distribution deal with the Weinstein Company. Before joining the Wanda Group, Mr. Garrison was with Goldman Sachs for ten years as a Vice President in the Investment Management Division.
Mr. Garrison earned an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University and is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins-Nanjing University Center for Advanced International Studies. Mr. Garrison completed his undergrad work at the University of Utah with Bachelors in Economics.
Craig Heetland
President / Managing Director Asia-Pacific
Marmon-Cornelius – a division of Berkshire Hathaway
Mr. Craig Heetland was appointed President Asia-Pacific for Cornelius, Inc. in August 2014. Since his arrival, he has led the region to record revenue & earnings growth. Mr. Heetland joined Cornelius in July 2008 as the VP Global Coca-Cola Channel and consistently drove YOY revenue and earnings growth during his tenure.
Mr. Heetland currently leads the Marmon-Cornelius team’s Asia-Pacific growth and operations strategies with manufacturing locations in Tianjin, China, Bangalore, India and sales offices in Singapore and Sydney Australia. Mr. Heetland’s top international customers include Coca Cola, Pepsico, 7-11 and McDonald’s. Mr. Heetland’s ‘China for China’ strategy has been instrumental in attracting local beverage powers like Sun Juice and Huiyuan. His “can do” attitude is contagious and he has continued to produce game changing results for The Marmon Group and Cornelius, Inc.
Prior to joining Cornelius, Mr. Heetland spent 9 years at Georgia-Pacific in various leadership positions including Vice President Dixie Products. Additionally, Mr. Heetland worked for 16 years at Kraft Foods - from entry level into sales through leadership positions. Mr. Heetland holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Auburn University and a Masters of Business Administration in General Management from Emory University. Mr. Heetland and his wife Kathy reside in Alpharetta, Georgia & Singapore. They have two daughters; Kristen (24), an account exec at MSL global PR agency and Kelsey (21), a senior at University of Georgia.
Mark Jaeger, Sr.
Vice President, Human Resources
General Counsel & Secretary
Jockey International, Inc.
Mr. Mark Jaeger is Senior Vice President – Human Resources, General Counsel and Secretary for Jockey International, Inc. He is responsible for legal, human resources and compliance functions at Jockey. In addition he focuses on international trade and provides input to Jockey’s sourcing and operations team. Mr. Jaeger is past chair of the AAFA government relations committee, and is current vice-chair of the ITAC 13 advisory committee on textiles and apparel. He is also a board member of WRAP, a global factory compliance firm.
Mr. Jaeger has a B.B.A. degree in economics, with honors, from the University of Iowa and a law degree from Southern Illinois University. Mr. Jaeger has been employed by Jockey since 1993 and resides in the Chicago area.
Eric Lo
General Manager, Enterprise Business
China Telecom Americas, Inc.
As General Manager of China Telecom Americas, Inc., Mr. Eric Lo has the overall responsibility of managing and directing the Enterprise Sales and Support teams in North America to Fortune 500 and multi-national enterprise customers. He led the initial expansion for China Telecom into the Midwest (Chicago, IL) Region in 2006 and opened the Midwest Regional Branch in 2011.
He manages revenue targets for China Telecom in network services, cloud, internet, and professional services in U.S., China, Asia, and global markets where China Telecom continues to invest and expand into. Multinational enterprises in the technology, manufacturing, retail, pharmaceutical, and financial sectors have been key markets and revenue growth for China Telecom.
A 20-year telecom veteran, Mr. Lo has held senior positions at telecom pioneer MCI, Inc. and at Verizon and was a key contributor to one of the largest outsourcing agreements for a global entity in the financial sector.
Mr. Lo studied at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business and International Business at the University of London, England. Mr. Lo and his wife have two children and reside in the northern suburbs of Chicago, IL.
Lou Longo
Partner
Plante Moran Global Services
Mr. Lou Longo leads the Plante Moran Global Services Team. Plante Moran Global Services includes consultants, accountants and engineers experienced in strategy, finance, tax, and business operations for multinational organizations. Mr. Longo leads the firm’s Global Services’ offices in Chicago, Detroit, Shanghai, China and Monterrey, Mexico. In addition to his leadership role, Mr. Longo is an international business consultant assisting manufacturers and service organizations with global business strategies and transactions. He provides expertise to clients engaged in international business in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.
Mr. Longo’s wide range of experience includes purchasing, operating, and the sale of a variety of business concerns. He assists clients with globalization and off-shoring strategies, foreign investments, mergers, joint ventures, transactional due diligence, market analysis, transfer pricing studies, and export market requirements. In addition, Mr. Longo is a frequent speaker on international business considerations to various groups, including World Trade Center chapters, the Export Academy, as well as business associations and client groups. This experience led to his appointment by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce to the District Export Council. Mr. Longo is quoted frequently on international business matters, including The Wall Street Journal, Smart Money, Financial Times and other business publications.
Shawn Lu
Chief Financial Officer
Hepalink USA Inc.
Wayne Morrison
Specialist in Asian Trade and Finance
Congressional Research Service
Mr. Wayne Morrison is a Specialist in Asian Trade and Finance at the Congressional Research Service (CRS), where he has worked for over 30 years. He is the leading CRS specialist on China’s economy and U.S.-China commercial relations.
CRS works exclusively for the U.S. Congress, providing timely, authoritative, and objective analysis on major public policy issues for members of Congress and their staff. To that end, Mr. Morrison has written numerous confidential reports and memoranda on international economic and trade issues, assisted Congressional trade committees plan hearings, advised staffers on legislative proposals, provided briefings for Members and their staff, and conducted seminars on major trade issues before Congress.
Mr. Morrison began his career at CRS in 1983 as a Reference Assistant in the Taxation and Government Finance Section. In 1988, he was transferred to the International Trade and Finance Section where he began working as an Analyst on U.S. commercial ties with Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, India, and Taiwan, as well as U.S government export promotion programs, U.S. trade remedy laws, and congressional policies to respond to “unfair” trade practices. Since 1999, Mr. Morrison’s work has mainly focused on China, due to the growing congressional interest in U.S.-China economic relations and the implications of China’s emergence as a major global economy. He has written extensively on China’s economic policies and challenges and their impact on the global economy and U.S.-China trade and investment ties.
Mr. Morrison holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Maine and a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Maryland.
Selected CRS Publications:
China’s Economic Rise: History, Trends, Challenges, and Implications for the United States
China-U.S. Trade Issues
China's Currency Policy: An Analysis of the Economic Issues
China’s Holdings of U.S. Securities: Implications for the U.S. Economy
China as the World’s Largest Economy
A U.S.-China Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT): Issues and Implications
Chinese President Xi’s September 2015 State Visit
China’s Recent Stock Market Volatility: What Are the Implications?
Mr. Shawn Lu is Chief Financial Officer of Hepalink USA Inc., one of the largest suppliers of heparin sodium API worldwide, distributing its products to the global market and to internationally renowned pharmaceutical companies. Mr. Lu oversees financial accounting, reporting, budgeting, and investment projects for Hepalink USA Inc.
Mr. Lu is a strategic thinker with strong finance and business acumen and in-depth knowledge of all major areas of both corporate finance and financial markets and hands-on experience of capital market and corporate finance transactions.
Mr. Lu has previously held positions as BMO Bank of Montreal, TD Bank, and served as CFO and VP Corporate Finance of Shenzhen Hepalink Biopharmaceutical Ltd.
Mr. Lu earned a Masters of Finance Management from Queens University in Ontario, a Masters in Corporate Economics & Business Administration from Zhongnan University of Economics & Law, and a Bachelors of Engineering from Wuhan University of Transportation Technology. He has holds the following designations: Canadian Investment Manager (CIM, Canada), Certified Accountant (China), and Certified Corporate Economist (China).
Mr. Lu is fluent in English and Mandarin.
Stella Su
Principal
Plante Moran, PLLC
Ms. Stella Su has 20 years of experience in mergers & acquisitions transactions and business strategy advisory areas. She assists U.S. businesses with growth strategies including acquisitions, global expansion, joint ventures, and due diligence. Growing up in Beijing, China and educated in both the U.S. and China, Ms. Su has helped U.S. and Chinese companies with cross-border transactions. She has consulted in many industries, including manufacturing, distribution, logistics, construction, insurance, healthcare, medical device, metals, chemicals, consumer products, food, technology, retail and real estate. Ms. Su’s previous experience includes serving as an investment banker in a Big Four accounting firm, as an M&A analyst in the Capital and M&A division of CNA Financial, and a controller at a privately held company. Ms. Su earned her MBA and MA from the University of Illinois at Chicago with concentrations in Finance and Economics. Her undergraduate degree is a BS in Finance from Renmin University of China.
Bryan W. Wahl, M.D.
Partner
Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP
Michael F. Turansick
Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP
Partner
Dr. Bryan W. Wahl is a partner in Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP’s Orange County office. He specializes in intellectual property protection, infringement studies, financings, and strategic transactions especially with respect to medical devices, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals, and has counseled clients from the pre-Series A stage through exit. Dr. Wahl has represented clients in a variety of technical fields including aesthetic, bariatric, cardiovascular, gynecologic, imaging, neurologic, orthopedic, and pulmonary devices.
Prior to joining the firm, Dr. Wahl entered medical school after one undergraduate year, and received his medical degree with honors from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School Of Medicine in 1999. He completed an internal medicine residency in the UCLA-affiliated Cedars-Sinai Medical Center program in Los Angeles in 2002, and is board certified in Internal Medicine. Dr. Wahl earned his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall) in 2005. In law school, he received three American Jurisprudence Awards, two Prosser Awards, and the Barbee Fellowship, researching conflicts of interest of hospital institutional review boards, and also was a summer extern for the Honorable Ronald T.Y. Moon, Chief Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court.
Dr. Wahl joined the firm in 2005. In 2012, he was recognized by the Daily Journal as one of the top 20 under 40 attorneys in California. Dr. Wahl was also named by the Daily Journal in both 2012 and 2013 as one of the top 25 Intellectual Property Portfolio Managers in California, as well as one of the top 100 intellectual property attorneys in California. In addition, he was recognized by The Recorder in its 2012 inaugural listing of 50 Lawyers on the Fast Track, as a Rising Star by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association in 2013, and as a Southern California Rising
Star in intellectual property law in a 2013 survey of his peers, featured in an article in Los Angeles as well as Super Lawyers magazine.
In addition to his law practice at the firm, Dr. Wahl also continues to practice inpatient internal medicine as a hospitalist in both Southern California as well as the Bay Area.
Mr. Michael F. Turansick is a Partner at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy LLP and manages the Firm’s Chicago office. A graduate of Fordham Law School in New York City, Mr. Turansick has been practicing in the field of immigration and nationality law for over 25 years. He manages a diverse practice that it is comprised of individual, start-up, mid-size, and large multinational companies encompassing a broad range of industry sectors. His work on behalf of clients includes advising on PERM compliance strategies, the immigration consequences of Mergers & Acquisitions and other corporate restructurings, Form I-9 and H-1B/LCA compliance, EB-5 immigration options and strategic immigration program management. He is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Bar Association and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), where he was Chair of AILA’s New York Chapter in 1999-2000. A frequent author and speaker on immigration topics, Mr. Turansick is listed in the current edition of The International Who’s Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers.
Feng Xue
Partner/Chair, China Practice
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Feng Xue is head of Katten’s China practice and chief representative and managing partner of the firm’s Shanghai office. He applies his 20 years of experience representing Chinese and US investors and companies to cross-border transactions involving a variety of private equity, mergers and acquisitions, securities regulations and general corporate matters.
Feng negotiates and documents the establishment of joint ventures, wholly foreign owned enterprises (WFOEs) and distribution/franchise relationships. Increasingly, his practice consists of representing Chinese companies in their acquisition and expansion efforts overseas. He sits on the boards of directors of several Chinese companies and serves as general counsel to dozens of private equity funds and technology companies doing business in China.
Feng represents clients from a variety of industries, including manufacturing, venture capital, education, biotech, pharmaceuticals, hospitality and technology. He often represents US companies and investors looking to expand to China, and Chinese companies and venture capital firms looking to invest in US companies and sell to US investors.
A seasoned practitioner of corporate law in the United States, Feng focuses his corporate practice on complex merger and acquisition transactions, securities offerings, middle market buyout fund acquisitions and venture capital investments.
Feng has been quoted in Chinese and US media on issues related to doing business in China and cross-border M&A matters, including The Wall Street Journal’s TheStreet.com, The M&A Journal and China Business News. He is a frequent speaker on the legal issues affecting foreign investment in China.
He is the co-author of Laws of the People’s Republic of China, Volumes III, IV, and V, published by China Science Press, and Western Corporate Laws, published by China Law Press. Prior to attending law school, Feng worked as a senior legislative officer for the Legislative Affairs Commission and Law Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress, where he participated in the drafting of Chinese national legislation.
Bo Yang
General Manager, Global Business- China
Navistar, Inc.
At Navistar Inc., a Chicago-based US Fortune 500 manufacturing company, Mr. Bo Yang recently completed an 8-year expatriate assignment in China. As founding general manager of Navistar China, he trail blazed the company’s China business from the scratch. He managed from strategic initiatives to full operations with total US$300 million investment in the region. Mr. Yang held leadership position as Deputy General Manager at Navistar’s 50:50% joint venture with Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co. (JAC) in China. Across US and China, Mr. Yang has wide range of general management capacity in business development, product development, manufacturing operations, dealership management, and human resources.
Mr. Bo Yang received his MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2005.
Ray Young
Executive Vice President and CFO
Archer Daniels Midland Company
Thomas Y. Yee
Partner
Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP
Mr. Ray G. Young is executive vice president and chief financial officer of Archer Daniels Midland Company, and an officer of the corporation. In his role, he oversees the company’s treasury, tax, accounting, investor relations, financial planning, business development and information technology functions as well as the captive insurance and ADM Investor Services organizations. Mr. Young is also responsible for oversight of ADM’s business in Asia.
Mr. Young joined ADM in 2010 following a 24-year tenure with General Motors Co., during which he held executive leadership positions in finance, general management, planning and operations on four continents. Mr. Young served in Shanghai as vice president of GM International Operations, which is responsible for GM’s emerging-market operations. Earlier, he was the CFO of General Motors during 2008 and 2009, when the company went through a significant operational and financial restructuring. Between 2004 and 2007, Mr. Young was the president and managing director of GM do Brazil and Mercosur Operations, based in São Paulo.
His tenure with GM also included serving as the company’s North America vice president of finance; executive-in-charge of Suzuki global alliance in Hamamatsu, Japan; regional European treasurer in Brussels; and director of capital markets and foreign exchange in New York.
Mr. Young graduated in 1984 from The Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, in London, Ontario, Canada, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Mr. Young serves on the boards of directors of International Paper Company and the U.S.-China Business Council. He is a member of the CFO Advisory Board of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and actively participates in various CFO groups around the country.
Weifang Zhou
President, Business Ventures
UL LLC
Mr. Thomas Y. Yee, a partner in our Orange County office, focuses on optimizing the commercial value of the intellectual property of our clients. Leveraging his diverse business experiences, Mr. Yee counsels clients on strategic actions for patent portfolio development, intellectual property transactions and licensing, and trademark portfolio procurement.
The clients that Mr. Yee serves vary from sole inventors and medium-size companies to large multi-national corporations, all in a diverse set of industries, including medical devices, financial services, internet startups, automotive, electronics, software, medical informatics, biotech, warehousing logistics and components, religious institutions, sporting goods, and baby products. Mr. Yee advises business leaders across the U.S. and around the world, such as in Honolulu and Hong Kong, as well as other parts of China and Europe.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Yee was one of the youngest managers in the Internet division of the American Express Company, where he was responsible for a re-engineering initiative of the worldwide website for the company. Mr. Yee also conducted due diligence for the founders of a New York City based venture capital firm, Silicon Alley Seed Investors, specifically evaluating $1-2 million investments in early stage startups.
Additionally, Mr. Yee served as a business development manager at a Silicon Alley financial services software company, TradingNews. At Walker Digital, the Internet incubator that created Priceline.com, Mr. Yee worked on the creation of two startup companies, where he was responsible for managing business development work with the company’s development partner, Bain Consulting in Boston, and for overseeing the technical development work with the company’s software development teams in New York and Atlanta.
Mr. Weifang Zhou, President of UL Ventures, which encompasses three distinct businesses: UL Life & Health Science, Supply Chain & Sustainability, and Workplace Health & Safety. In this capacity, he oversees the development of strategy to drive business growth for UL Ventures through expansion of new services and deepen customer relationships.
Formerly, Mr. Zhou served as UL’s Senior Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer where he led UL’s Global Accounts team and was responsible for UL’s enterprise strategy, corporate branding and marketing. Mr. Zhou joined UL in September 2009 as Vice-President and General Manager of UL Greater China, leading UL’s operation in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. During his term, UL served as a model in developing the local ecosystem and assisting Chinese manufacturers’ growth in both overseas and the domestic market.
Prior to joining UL, Mr. Zhou served as President and CEO of GE’s water and process technologies division in Greater China, and worked in other various GE departments for 10 years.
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