DEC Members

Illinois DEC Members
each have special expertise in international trade, and are dedicated to helping businesses in our state develop global sales.


Request DEC Engagement

DEC OFFICERS

CHAIR
Sam Odeh 
CEO, Power Energy Corporation
sodeh@pbdusa.com
www.powerenergycorp.com

VICE-CHAIR
Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart
President, KOVAL, Inc.
sonat@kovaldistillery.com
www.kovaldistillery.com

TREASURER
Steven Olson
Managing Director Middle Market Bank, CIBC
steven.d.olson@cibc.com
www.cibc.com


SECRETARY
Lisa Waller
VP, BDG International, Inc.
lisaw@bdginternational.com
www.bdginternational.com



DEC MEMBERS

Michael Acerra
President, Lux Blox
mike@luxblox.com
www.luxblox.com

Karl Buschmann
Strategic Advisor, Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals
kbuschma@chicagobooth.edu
https://cscmp.org/

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/


Frank Gogliotti
Project Manager, Weldy Lamont Associates
fgogliotti@weldy-lamont.com
www.weldy-Lamont.com

Paul Jarzombek
COO, LR International, Inc.
paulj@LRInternational.com
www.lrinternational.com

Kara Johnson
Director of International Services, Governors State University
kjohnson32@govst.edu
www.govst.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

Diane MacDonald
Corporate Counsel, NTN USA Corp.
dmacdonald@ntnusa.com
www.ntnamericas.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

Thomas Person
President, Serola Biomechanics
tom@serola.net
www.serola.net

Richard Paullin
Executive Director, International Trade Association of Greater Chicago
rpaullin@itagc.org
www.itagc.org

Bart Pieper
Director Business Development, Marquis Energy
bartpieper@marquisenergy.com
www.marquisenergy.com

Philip A. Pittsford
International Business Manager, Great Lakes Gelatin
philipp@greatlakesgelatin.com
www.GreatLakesGelatin.com

Daniel Rivers
Partnerships Director, AMOpportunities
daniel@amopportunities.org
www.amopportunities.org

Mark Staublin
SVP Business Development, Garrett Brands
mstaublin@garrettbrands.com
www,garrettpopcorn.com

Toyin Umesiri
CEO, Nazaru
toyin@nazaru.com
www.nazaru.com

Carrie Zethmayr
Director, Newmark Global Strategy
Free Trade Zone #176 Administrator
carrie.zethmayr@nmrk.com
www.ftzrockford.com