Dear MCBC Members:
Senior Vice President
& Manager—International Banking Group, Allfirst Bank (Retired); Director,
Maryland-China Business Council
Mr. Bell retired as Vice President
and Manager of Allfirst Bank's (formerly First National Bank of Maryland)
International Banking Group in December 2002. Allfirst, based in Baltimore,
MD, is a full-service bank, providing services international banking services
to local and multinational companies. From 1986 to 1999, he managed First National’s Trade Finance & International
Operations units; from 1980
to 1986 he managed First National's Asia-Pacific Division; and from 1976 to
1980 he served as a lending officer in the bank's National Division. Prior
to joining First National, Mr. Bell held various international lending/management
positions with European American Bank in New York and with Citibank in the
Middle East.
Mr. Bell’s active professional associations include the Maryland/Washington,
DC District Export Council; the Baltimore-Xiamen Sister City Committee; and
the Maryland-China Business Council. He graduated from Norwich University
(BA in Government) and New York University (MA in Politics and Asian Studies).
He served in Southeast Asia as a US Marine Corps infantry officer and military
advisor from 1962 through 1968. He is fluent in French and Mandarin Chinese.
President, Multimax,
Inc.; Director, Maryland-China Business Council
Dr. Chan founded Multimax, Inc. in 1988 to provide ADP system integration,
telecommunications, information systems, and research and development services
to the government and commercial communities. He pioneered the first joint
venture business in Anhui, China in 1994 by a Maryland company and has maintained
a very prosperous operation there since then. He is the Chairman and CEO of
Multimax, Inc. which was listed as an INC 500 company in 1996 and listed among
the top 50 fastest growing companies by Washington Technology in 1995 and
1996. The company was nationally ranked as top 30 among the 500 fastest growing
technology firms in 1995. He was interviewed by NBC Nightly News In-Depth
as a success story in minority contracting in 1995. The company was listed
as "Who's Who in Government Technology" by Government
Executive in 1999.
Dr. Chan obtained his bachelor degree from Columbia University and
master and doctorate degrees from Saint Louis University, all in geophysics.
As a Carnegie Fellow, Dr. Chan studied the dynamics of the interior of the
Earth at the Carnegie Institute of Washington. He received the Alumni Merit
Award from Saint Louis University in 1998.
Associate Professor,
University of Baltimore School of Law
Professor Easton joined the faculty of the University of Baltimore
School of Law in 1993 after teaching legal writing as an adjunct for two years.
During that time, he also taught journalism and communications law
at Loyola College in Baltimore. Previously,
he was a journalist for more than 20 years, serving as a reporter, editor,
and publisher and general counsel for Business Publishers, Inc., a Silver
Spring-based publisher of legal and business newsletters.
He currently serves on the company’s board of directors. Professor
Easton now co-directs the Law School’s Legal Skills Program and teaches communications
law and cyberspace law. He is also a Senior Research Associate in UB’s Center
for International and Comparative Law and director of CICL’s sister-school
relationship with Shandong University in the People’s Republic of China. Professor
Easton taught American constitutional and copyright law at Shandong University
Law School during the spring semester of 2002. He also has been a visiting
scholar at the Journalism Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
in Beijing.
Professor Easton served as President of the University Faculty Senate
in 1999-2000 and is now Chair of the University’s Information Management Advisory
Committee. He is a member of the Advisory Committee to the Circuit Court of
Baltimore City on its Business & Technology Case Management Program, as
well as the Drafting Committee of the Judicial Education Working Group of
the Conference of Circuit Judges’ Business & Technology Case Management
Program Implementation Committee. Both groups are in the process of developing
a special business and technology litigation track for the Maryland courts.
He is also a member of the Maryland State Bar Association, American Bar Association,
Association of Legal Writing Directors, Legal Writing Institute, and the Association
for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. Professor Easton chairs
the Communication Skills Committee of the ABA Section on Legal Education and
Admission to the Bar and is chair-elect of the Communications Law Section
of the Association of American Law Schools. He is also a member of the Maryland
Bar and Order of the Coif. He received his JD from the University of Maryland
School of Law and his BS in journalism from Northwestern University. He also
has a certificate in Mandarin Chinese from the Defense Language Institute.
President US-Pacific
Rim International, Inc.; Director, Maryland-China Business Council
Mr.
Goh has long supported positive engagement with China and promotes
solid business and cultural exchanges between the United States and China
through his company and other professional activities. US-Pacific Rim International
(USPRI), based in Baltimore, MD, pursues business opportunities in China and
provides consulting services for US companies interested in developing business
partnerships there. Mr. Goh is a co-founder of MCBC, having been a board member
since the organization’s inception, and served as the Vice President of MCBC
from 1995 to 1999.
Mr. Goh is founding president of the United States of America Wushu Kungfu
Federation (USAWKF), as well as the 10 member-nation Pan-American Wushu Federation.
As the president of USAWKF, he organized and produced the 1995 World Wushu
Championships. (IWUF). Mr. Goh is a board member of the International Wushu
Federation, which is the international federation responsible for working
with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to support Wushu, the national
sport of China, being included in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He was
named “Who’s Who in Overseas Chinese “ published by the Chinese government
and was elected to the Hall of Fame by Black Belt, Inside Kung Fu,
and Action Martial Arts magazines. He was the primary advisor
for the Discovery Channel’s “The Animal Within,” a documentary produced in
1999 about animal styles of Kung Fu and was featured in the book “Outstanding
Chinese in North America” (written in Chinese) published in 1999.
Executive Vice President
and General Counsel, US-China Industrial Exchange, Inc. (Chindex); Director
and Vice President, Maryland-China Business Council
Mr. Goodwin helps manage Chindex's sale of equipment to China and undertakes
a broad range of legal and advisory responsibilities. Chindex, based in Bethesda,
MD, provides market representation, sales and consulting services in China
to multi-national companies. Mr. Goodwin has managed the company's congressional
relations initiatives and successful efforts to obtain a "soft"
loan from the US Export-Import Bank. He served as the company's outside legal
counsel while in private law practice and also served in senior legal positions
in the US Government, handling matters ranging from the drafting of international
trade statutes to representing the US Government in international negotiations.
As Assistant General Counsel for International Trade and Emergency
Preparedness of the US Department of Energy, Mr. Goodwin accompanied the Secretary
of Energy in 1978 on a visit to China to negotiate the framework of energy
agreements between China and the United States. He is past Chairman of the
Legal Committee of the US-China Business Council, has testified before the
US Congress on Chinese legal developments and has written numerous professional
articles on the subject. He teaches a graduate course on the legal aspects
of international business. Mr. Goodwin received his JD from Georgetown University
Law Center and his BA in English from Fordham University.
President, SJH Consultants,
Inc.; Director, Past Chairman and President, Maryland-China Business
Council
Dr. Hammalian has more than 30 years of experience in consulting and
consulting management. SJH Consultants, Inc., based in Gambrills, MD,
assists private sector clients with market entry and sales in developing countries
and also provides technical consulting services to multi-national banks and
other organizations. Previously, Dr. Hammalian was President of EA Global,
Inc., where he was responsible for developing international business and served
as Executive Vice President of the parent company, EA Engineering, Science,
and Technology, Inc.
In addition to his experience as a management consultant, Dr. Hammalian
has broad publishing industry experience as editor and writer. He has
published and made many presentations on the China market. His affiliations
have included board memberships for the Greater Baltimore Technology Council
and Chinese Professional Forum. He served on the executive committees of the
World Trade Center Institute Asian Business Network and Latin American Business
Network, and he is a member of the Professional Association for China's Environment.
He has lectured at the University of Maryland, College Park and at Goucher
College. Dr. Hammalian has a BA in American Literature from Brown University
and an MA and Ph.D. in Linguistics from New York University.
Managing Director,
Rhôton Hill Group; Chairman and President, Maryland-China Business Council
Mr. Hickson is responsible for developing and managing international
consulting activities. He has more than 15 years experience in international
marketing, business development and educational activities. Rhôton Hill Group,
based in Potomac, MD, is a management-consulting firm providing international
market, corporate communications, strategic planning and public affairs services.
Mr. Hickson previously was Director International Business Services/China
Program for International Technology and Trade Associates, Director of International
Programs for the World Trade Center Boston and Account Director with Ogilvy
Worldwide (Taiwan). He also worked with the 1993 Seattle Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) summit, Burson-Marsteller, the National Crime Prevention
Council, Overseas Private Investment Corporation and US-Philippine Business
Committee.
Mr. Hickson has developed and taught training programs, seminars and
college courses that have prepared executives for doing business in international
environments. He currently teaches graduate and undergraduate economics courses
for the University of Phoenix. He was a regular contributor to China Business
& Investment (Welt Research). He also serves on the Advisory Board
of the Diversity Management Institute. His affiliations include the US Chamber
of Commerce/Asia Task Force, Asia Society, Maryland-Anhui Sister State Committee,
International Society and BYU Management Society. Mr. Hickson received his
MA in International Relations from the School of Advanced International Studies
at The Johns Hopkins University, received his BA in International Relations
from The George Washington University, and studied Chinese language at Columbia
University.
Assistant Dean, Towson
University; Director and Treasurer, Maryland-China Business Council
Born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Ms. Lambert joined Towson
University in March 2000 bringing more than 20 years of finance and cross-cultural
experience in the private sector. Her responsibilities as Assistant Dean include
directing fiscal operations and resource allocations for the department, strategic
planning, developing new programs, expanding relationships in the international
business community, and managing administrative functions. Prior to joining
Towson University, she was Director of Strategic Business Planning and Development
for McCormick & Company, Inc. – the world’s largest spice company. During her tenure, she worked on-site with small and medium
sized businesses in 17 countries. She
was key in the creation and implementation of McCormick’s first venture in
China. Ms. Lambert then worked closely with the local staff over the next
10 years, achieving profitability and rapid growth which the venture continues
to enjoy today.
Ms. Lambert began her career in banking and finance. She gained considerable
financial and general management experience in leadership positions across
retail, commercial, and trust operations, serving a diverse range of business
and individual customers. She received her MBA in Finance from the University
of Delaware and her Bachelor of Science, cum
laude, from Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania. Ms. Lambert also is
a member of the Mid-Atlantic Planning Association focused on strategy and
business development.
Market Manager, Greater
China, Baltimore Aircoil Company; Director, Maryland-China Business Council
Mr. Lau was born in Shanghai, China and came to America as a teenager.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University
of Tennessee and a Master of Business Administration from The Johns Hopkins
University. Prior to joining Baltimore Aircoil Company, Mr. Lau worked for
Westinghouse Electric Corporation as an electrical engineer and later as a
program manager where he was involved in the design, development and manufacturing
of electronics equipment for the aviation industry.
Since joining Baltimore Aircoil Company in 1995, Mr. Lau has concentrated
on market development programs for China where the company has been established
as a leader in many internal markets. Baltimore Aircoil Company currently
has a joint venture manufacturing facility in Dalian, China and representative
offices through China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. As Market Manager for Greater
China, Mr. Lau is responsible for developing and directing marketing and sales
activities for China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Mr. Lau is fluent in both Mandarin
Chinese and English. His leisure activities include playing violin with Hopkins
Symphony Orchestra and local chamber music groups.
Roger
T. Lawrence
Vice President, Quality Assurance,
McCormick & Company, Inc.
Mr. Lawrence has served since 1998 as the Vice President, Quality Assurance
and a Corporate Officer of McCormick & Company, Inc.—the world's largest
manufacturer, marketer and distributor of spices, seasonings, and flavorings. As
such, he is responsible for the Quality Assurance Systems and Programs throughout
McCormick's worldwide operations. In his current role, he and members of his
staff travel frequently to China and Asia-Pacific to provide operational guidance
and strategic direction to several subsidiaries and joint ventures in the
region, including manufacturing facilities in Guangzhou and Shanghai, China
which supply the company's rapidly growing business in the country with a
broad portfolio of quality consumer, food service and industrial dry and liquid
products. Mr. Lawrence serves on the Board of Directors of Shanghai McCormick
Food Company, Limited in China, and McCormick-Lion Limited in Japan. Mr.
Lawrence is active in the IFT (Institute of Food Technologists), ASQ (American
Society for Quality) and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He
is a member of the Board of Directors and the Regulatory and Scientific Affairs
Council of the NFPA (National Food Processors
Association).
Mr. Lawrence came to McCormick and Company in 1976 following nine years
of plant and headquarters experience with Quaker Oats Company. Prior
to his current assignment, he has held positions as Vice President, Operations
and Technology for the Asia-Pacific Zone, Vice President of Technical Services
for the US Consumer Products Division, Director of Product Development and
Quality Assurance for the International Group and Director of Technical Services
for Europe located in the United Kingdom for three years. Mr. Lawrence was
involved from the beginning in the creation and development of McCormick and
Company's current business in China, including the search for a joint venture
partner, and the building and deployment of the initial manufacturing operations.
He studied Chemical Engineering at Ohio State University and received a Bachelor
of Science in Business Administration from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois.
Attorney, O'Connell
& Co.; Director, Maryland-China Business Council
Mr. O’Connell is a principal with the firm of O’Connell & Co, practicing
US and international business and corporate finance law in the Firm’s Hong
Kong and Washington, DC offices. Mr. O’Connell’s work focuses primarily
on assisting companies with regard to their direct investment activities in
the People’s Republic of China, including Hong Kong, where he has been involved
for almost two decades. In this regard, he has structured and obtained Chinese
government approvals for a number of joint venture and wholly foreign-owned
enterprises on behalf of US companies, and participated in the acquisition
of equity in and restructuring of existing Chinese companies. He is also skilled
in the area of infrastructure development and project finance, especially
with regard to PRC power projects. He is highly experienced in legal
due diligence procedures in connection with such undertakings, and is highly
skilled in the Chinese negotiation process. He has served as special counsel
to the State of Maryland in Asia.
Mr. O’Connell earned his AB, with
a concentration in Chinese history and politics, from Providence College.
He holds the JD from the Washington College of Law of The American University
and an LL.M (Securities Regulation) from Georgetown University Law Center.
In addition to his practice, Mr. O’Connell is an adjunct professor of
law at the University of Baltimore School of Law, teaching in the areas of
international law and business. He is an associate member of the Law
Society of Hong Kong and is a member of the Maryland State, American (member,
China Law Committee), Inter-Pacific and International Bar Associations; The
District of Columbia Bar, and the Virginia State Bar. He serves as the Firm’s
representative to The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, as well as on
the Board of Directors of the Asia Business Network of the Maryland World
Trade Center and the Board of Directors of the Maryland China-Business Council
and on the Advisory Board to the Center of International and Comparative Law
at the University of Baltimore School of Law.
President & CEO,
Dartrans, Inc.; Director, Maryland-China Business Council
Mr. Rice, a Licensed Customs Broker since 1987, has over 26 years experience
in the U.S. Customs clearance and international freight forwarding industry.
He founded Dartrans in 1989. Dartrans, based in Baltimore, MD, is a full
service international forwarding company. Under Mr. Rice’s direction,
the company offers licensed and bonded forwarding, customs clearance, warehouse,
insurance, trucking, consolidation and consulting services. Dartrans services
cover all the modes of transportation, including air, vessel, truck, rail
and barge. The company utilizes the latest electronic Customs Interfaces available.
Mr. Rice is continually growing Dartrans in areas of expertise and
in focused trade lane development.
Mr. Rice is a staunch supporter of and participant in various international
associations including AWMI, the local and national chapters of the Customs
Broker and Freight Forwarder associations, the local and national chapters
of the Propeller Club of the United States, international oriented committees
of the Eastern Baltimore Area Chamber of Commerce, The World Trade Center
Institute, and the Latin America and Asia Business Networks. He has sponsored
a graduate level training program with the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders
Association of America and has participated in providing attorneys with Continued
Education Credits at Georgetown University. He received his education at the
University of Maryland, College Park.
Vice
President, International Trade, Allfirst Bank
Mr.
Senica has been an international banker since 1979 when he began his career
in Germany at the Stadtsparkasse Recklinghausen. He joined Maryland National
Bank in 1981 as a member of their international team in Baltimore, Maryland.
His responsibilities included the handling of the bank’s international correspondent
banks in Europe, Middle East and Africa. In 1984 he joined Signet Bank, Maryland
managing the international loan administration area and restructuring the
bank’s loan portfolio in Latin America. In 1986 he began working with local
international companies assisting in their efforts to export and import products
and services. Since then he has established trade finance and trade services
presences and groups for several financial institutions in Maryland, Washington
DC, Virginia, Tennessee and Pennsylvania.
Currently, the scope of Mr.
Senica’s international activities for Allfirst Bank includes the procurement
of international banking services in Maryland and Pennsylvania with focus
on the area’s exporters and importers. In his function as a trade specialist
over the years he has established valuable ties both, in the private and public
sector. He actively emphasizes the educational aspect of international banking.
Until 1998 he was a member of the faculty at the American Institute of Banking/American
Bankers’ Association, on whose behalf he taught International Banking to fellow
bankers in the Mid-Atlantic region. He presently is active as a board member
on the World Trade Center, Harrisburg, PA, and as a member on the Export MD
Committee. He was a past board member of the Maryland-China Business Council.
Mr. Senica received his education in Germany.
Director, Sister State
Program, State of Maryland (Retired); Director, Maryland-China Business Council
Mrs. Van Buskirk of Baltimore, MD, served as Director of the Maryland
Sister States Program from 1989 until retirement in October 1996, developing
many exchange programs in education, business, technology, medicine, sports,
culture, and other areas of mutual interest between Maryland and its Sister
States in China, Japan, Belgium, Korea, Russia and Poland. The Maryland-China
Business Council traces its roots to a business and Friendship Mission to
China in November 1994 organized by this program. Many Maryland businesses
have been introduced to foreign counterparts through the Sister States Program.
The Maryland program was designated by Sister Cities International as the
Best Overall Program in the United States in three different years.
Mrs. Van Buskirk also previously served as the Director of the Sister
Cities Program for the City of Baltimore, during which time many programs
were set up between the sister cities in nine countries. She also has held
different leadership roles in the community, including member of the Mayor's
Professional Women's Advisory Group, Chairman of the formation committee for
the Voluntary Action Center of Central Maryland as well as a center officer
and president. She served as a board member of the Maryland Conference of
Social Concern, CIVICS (Citizens in Voluntarism in City Schools), Direct Search
for Talent, Planned Parenthood Association of Maryland, and the Junior League
of Baltimore. Mrs. Van Buskirk is a graduate of Denison University.
President and CEO,
ChemPacific Corporation; Director, Maryland-China Business Council
Dr. Wei, who has more than 15 years experience in the pharmaceutical
industry, co-founded ChemPacific in 1997.
ChemPacific, based in Baltimore, MD, is a producer of fine and custom
chemicals for the pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing industries.
Research and development and small scale manufacturing are carried
out in Baltimore, and in China through its fully-owned subsidiary, ChemPacific-Hangzhou,
and a partnering agreement with Zhejiang Lanxi ChemPacific Chemical Company,
the company has large-scale production capabilities. Prior to founding ChemPacific, Dr. Wei spent five years with
Novartis Pharmaceuticals as a research scientist where he investigated potential
"Metalloprotease" inhibitors and designed, synthesized, and studied
potential therapeutic agents. He
also was involved in research and instruction at New Mexico State University,
the University of Houston and the Zhejiang Institute of Technology.
Dr. Wei obtained his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from New Mexico State
University and his BS degree in Chemical Engineering from the Zhejiang Institute
of Technology. With degrees and
experience from China and the United States, he is well grounded in both the
US and Chinese approaches. Dr.
Wei has published his research findings in peer-reviewed publications and
has made many presentations at industry forums.