NYIT Hosts Export Seminar to Help Businesses Go Global

Historic NYIT de Seversky Mansion set the stage for several experts from the public and private sectors to offer small businesses guidance on how to become successful exporters.

At the What You Need to Go Global seminar on October 17, NYIT President Hank Foley, Ph.D., and Nada Marie Anid, Ph.D., dean, NYIT School of Engineering and Computing Sciences, provided welcoming remarks to kick off the event, which covered topics ranging from international shipping to securing intellectual property to exporting regulations and compliance. A big draw for the attendees was the keynote address from Raja Kaul, chief operating officer and head of Emerging Markets at Sundial Brands, a Long Island-based manufacturer of skin and hair care products, who emphasized the ways in which strong support from domestic customers and a visible social media presence have helped the company expand its operations and sell its beauty products in seven countries.

The three-hour seminar was held in partnership with the Empire State Development Corp., the U.S. Small Business Administration, and New York District Export Council.

The first panel, highlighting “Federal and Private Resources,” moderated by Andrea Ratay, vice chair of the New York District Export Council, focused on tools to reach the approximately 95 percent of consumers living outside the United States. The discussion included several prominent experts:

• Marisel Trespalacios, International Trade Specialist, Commercial Service Long Island, U.S. Department of Commerce
• Elisabeth Muehlemann, Business Outreach Associate, Empire State Development
• Michael Perry, Special Agent, Bureau of Industry and Security New York Field Office, U.S. Department of Commerce
• George Likourezos, Esq., Partner, Carter, DeLuca, Farrell & Schmidt LLP
• Karen J. Wiley, International Sales Executive, U.S. Postal Service

A second panel addressing financial resources was moderated by Michael Nizich, Ph.D., director, NYIT Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation Center (ETIC), which is now home to the Long Island office of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. Featured speakers were:

• Peter Fehnel, Long Island branch manager, U.S. Small Business Administration, NY District Office
• Richard Foy, regional director, Eastern Region, Export-Import Bank 
• Brad Hemingway, executive director, Town of Islip Foreign Trade Zone Authority
• Lucy Anchondo, head of sales, Trade Finance and Working Capital Solutions, Santander Bank

Susan Sadocha, director, U.S. Commercial Service Long Island, U.S. Department of Commerce, concluded the seminar, sponsored by Santander and Carter, DeLuca, Farrell & Schmidt LLP. In speaking to its value that the two organizations can jointly provide, Anid said, “This important relationship helps businesses in our region expand into global markets by providing resources and programming, like this very seminar.”

Coverage of the event was featured in Newsday.