The 17th Annual Global Business Conference: Proving Greater Philadelphia is Positioned for Success in the International Business Landscape

​On the morning of March 25th, our virtual “Green Room” was packed with stellar speakers ready to go LIVE for the 17th Annual Global Business Conference presented in partnership with the Temple University Fox School of Business and its Center for International Business Education and Research. Over the next 3 hours, participants listened, learned, and asked important questions.

Robin van Puyenbroeck, Executive Director of Business Development, World Trade Centers Association, kicked off the conference as emcee. Robin effortlessly moved the conference along on point and on time. Next, our President, Linda Conlin, Ronald C. Anderson, Dean, Fox School of Business, Temple University, and Michael Rashid, Director of Commerce, City of Philadelphia, delivered welcoming remarks to more than 150 attendees.

Our first speaker of the day, Derek Burleton, Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist, TD Bank Group, took on the task of giving a global economic outlook for 2021. The detailed presentation showed a promising future for American companies, especially those located in the Greater Philadelphia Region.

Next came the first Keynote of the conference, "Exporting Fearlessly – Reducing Risk and Expanding Sales" with Judith D. Pryor, Member Board of Directors, Export-Import Bank of the United States and Linda Conlin. The pair reminded the audience of how EX-IM, through local banks and the WTCGP, offers export finance products to increase sales and minimize the risk of buyer non-payment.

Our second Keynote saw Osagie Imasogie, Co-Founder and Senior Managing Partner, PIPV Capital, and Stephen S. Tang, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, OraSure Technologies, sitting down for a free-flowing fireside chat. The two spoke candidly on the lasting global impact of COVID-19 and strengthening the contribution of the region’s life sciences sector and entrepreneurial class.

Following a short intermission, Gary P. Biehn, Board Chairman, WTCGP, welcomed the audience back and introduced our newest panelists. Moderator Richard Deeg, Dean, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, led the "Markets in Transition" panel featuring nationally recognized experts Craig Allen, President, US-China Business Council, Marc Mealy, Senior Vice President - Policy, US-ASEAN Business Council, and David Hamod, President and CEO, National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce. Regardless of the challenges faced in these markets – the countries in these regions are open for business.

Closing the conference with a bang, our member companies shared why exporting is good for the bottom line and the lessons learned - the “good, the bad and the not so ugly“ side of exporting, led by moderator Tifphani White-King, JD, EA, Principal, National Tax Practice Leader, Mazars USA. Panelists John M. Curley III, Vice President of International Sales and Global Marketing, Sandmeyer Steel Company, Barrett Fisher, President, Van Horn, Metz & Co., Inc, and David Whitman, CEO, Sunhillo Corporation, all agreed that resiliency pays off.

We take this time to reflect on another successful Global Business Conference and to offer our sincere thanks to our speakers for taking time to share their expertise and up-to-the minute intelligence on what’s happening in international business today, the sponsors who supported us financially, and the professional and student attendees who tuned in.

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Thank you to our Sponsors