Illinois DEC Members
each have special expertise in international trade, and are dedicated to helping businesses in our state develop global sales.
–
DEC OFFICERS
CHAIR
Sam Odeh
CEO, Power Energy Corporation
sodeh@illinoisdec.com
www.powerenergycorp.com
—
VICE-CHAIR
Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart
President, KOVAL, Inc.
sonat@kovaldistillery.com
www.kovaldistillery.com
—
TREASURER
Steven Olson
SVP Relationship Manager, Old National Bank
steve.olson@oldnational.com
https://www.oldnational.com/
—
SECRETARY
Lisa Waller
VP, BDG International, Inc.
lisaw@bdginternational.com
www.bdginternational.com
—
VOTING DIRECTOR
Paul Jarzombek
President & CEO, LR International, Inc.
paulj@LRInternational.com
www.lrinternational.com
—
VOTING DIRECTOR
Toyin Umesiri
CEO, Nazaru
toyin@nazaru.com
www.nazaru.com
—
NON-VOTING DIRECTOR
Soraya Hernandez
Director, Illinois SBDC International Trade Center (ITC) at WBDC
shernandez@wbdc.org
wbdc.org
DEC MEMBERS
Michael Acerra
President, Lux Blox
mike@luxblox.com
www.luxblox.com
Karl Buschmann
Strategic Advisor, Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals
kbuschma@alumni.chicagobooth.edu
https://cscmp.org/
Kristen Duckmann
Regional Sales Manager, FedEx Services
kristen.reeves@fedex.com
Demitrus Evans
Principal/CEO, The Evans International Law Firms
devans@teilfirms.com
https://www.teilfirms.com/
Eric Fleming
Senior Director, International Trade, AAR Corp
eric.fleming@aarcorp.com
https://www.aarcorp.com/
Jim Foley
Director, Turner Center for Entrepreneurship,
Foster College of Business, Bradley University
jff@bradley.edu
www.bradley.edu/academic/colleges/fcba/centers/turner/sbdc/
Jacqueline Grahn
Principal, Trade Acceptance Group, Ltd.
jackie@tradeacceptance.com
https://tradeacceptance.com/
Craig Hall
International Sales & Procurement, WaterSurplus
chall@watersurplus.com
https://watersurplus.com/
Kara Johnson
Director of International Admission, Elmhurst University
kara.johnson@elmhurst.edu
https://www.elmhurst.edu/
Angie Kappel
VP Foreign Exchange, Associated Bank
angie.kappel@associatedbank.com
www.associatedbank.com
Scott Kotvis
VP Global Business Development, Daubert Cromwell
skotvis@daubertcromwell.com
https://daubertcromwell.com
Lou Longo
Partner, Plante Moran
lou.longo@plantemoran.com
www.plantemoran.com
Margo Markopoulos
Director, Office of Trade and Investment,
Illinois Department of Commerce
margo.markopoulos@illinois.gov
www.illinois.gov/dceo
Chantal Meier
VP, Wintrust Financial Corporation
cwittman@wintrust.com
www.wintrust.com
Pamela Moses
President, Trans Coastal Supply Company
pam@transcoastalsupply.com
www.transcoastalsupply.com
Jeremy Page
Partner, Page Fura
jeremy.page@pagefura.com
www.pagefura.com
David Pasco
VP of Sales, Roanoke Insurance Group
david.pasco@roanokegroup.com
https://www.roanokegroup.com/
Richard Paullin
Executive Director, International Trade Association of Greater Chicago
rpaullin@itagc.org
https://www.itagc.org/
Bart Pieper
SVP Global Strategy, Marquis Energy
bartpieper@marquisenergy.com
www.marquisenergy.com
John Robak
Founder, Chairman & CEO, Greeley and Hansen LLC
jrobak@att.net
Kyle Schulz
EVP of Business & Workforce Development, World Business Chicago
kschulz@worldbusinesschicago.com
https://worldbusinesschicago.com/
Mark Staublin
SVP Business Development, Garrett Brands
mstaublin@garrettbrands.com
www,garrettpopcorn.com
Carrie Zethmayr
Director, Newmark Global Strategy
Free Trade Zone #176 Administrator
carrie.zethmayr@nmrk.com
www.ftzrockford.com