DEC Members

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

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Each name below connects to a Linked-In biography.

CHAIR
Dan Usher
Managing Director
One Pacific Link, LLC
danusher@onepacificlink.com
www.onepacificlink.com

Industries:  Specialty Chemicals, Specialty Materials, Food, Beverage, Health/Nutrition, Natural Additives and Ingredients, Minerals, Construction Products, Paper, Industrial Manufacturing, Consulting

Functional:  Strategic Planning, International Market Assessment, Market Entry Strategy & Execution, Business Development, Project Management, Partner Identification & Access, Global Sourcing

Regional:  Asia Pacific, including Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, and North America.

VICE-CHAIR
Robert Erwin
Executive Director
Export-U, LLC
berwin@export-u.com
https://export-u.com/

Industries:  construction products and services, engineering and architectural services, franchising, carpeting, wood products.

Functional:  global market research and selection, opportunity and risk assessment, educational services, internet marketing strategies.

Regional:  EU, UK, Russia, China

BOARD MEMBER
Hoshi Daruwalla
Vice President and General Manager
Phirozsil Ventures
hd@phirozsil.com
https://phirozsil.com/

Industries:  Energy, Environmental Technologies, Engineering & Manufacturing, Healthcare & Pharma, Infrastructure, Microelectronics & Semiconductor, National Security & Defense Strengthening (Power, Safety Nuclear, Biological & Chemical), Public Works and Specialty Chemical Industries.  

Functional:   Board Memberships, Game-Changing Technology Investments – Owner & Operator, Strategic Business Services, Growth Strategy & Execution, Business Expansions and Optimizations, Business Balancing and Reinforcements, Cross-Border M&A and VC, Strategic Alliances, Product & Technology Development, Commercialization and Execution Management, Business Builds and Exits including US Presidential E- & E-Star Export Award winning organization.

Regional:  Americas, Asia, Africa, Europe, Middle East, and Oceania.

TREASURER
Daraka Satcher
Chief Operating Officer
Ohio River South
dsatcher13@gmail.com
https://ohioriversouth.com/

Industries:  Government Affairs, Export Policy

Functional:  Operations, Advocacy (Domestic/International), Intergovernmental Engagement

Regional:  East Asia (Japan), Caribbean, Africa

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
George Tracy
Director
U. S. Commercial Service Export Assistance Center
George.Tracy@trade.gov
https://www.export.gov

Industries:  SaaS, PaaS, General IT/Software, Blockchain, Industrial Manufacturing, Consulting

Functional:  Agile/Waterfall/Hybrid Project Management, Website Globalization, International Financial Strategies/Tactics, Business Process Improvement

Regional:  Latin America, Caribbean, Europe

Jacobus Boers
Assistant Dean for International Engagement
J. Mack Robinson College of Business
Georgia State University
jboers@gsu.edu
https://www.gsu.edu/

Industries:  Technology Innovation, Information Technology, International Trade, Global Supply Chains, Multilateral Institutions, Business Intelligence, Industrial Manufacturing, Management Consulting, International Higher Education

Functional:  Cross-Border Strategies, Internationalization, Cross-cultural Business Development, Partnership Development, Team Development, Project Management, Trade Show Communications Strategies, Instructional Design

Regional:  Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East/North Africa, Latin America, EU, Central Europe, Southeast Asia, South Asia

Zaheer Farugi
CEO
Aventure Aviation
zaheer@aventureaviation.com
www.aventureaviation.com

Industries:  Aviation, Aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO), Aircraft Engineering

Functional:  Marketing and International Business, Domestic and International Sales, Speaker, Mentor, Consultant related to Exports and International Business, Community Involvement, Board Member of Organizations.

Regional:  Doing business all over the world with over 55 countries

Sheriah Johnson
Senior Compliance Manager
NCR Corporation
sheriah.richardson@ncr.com
https://www.ncr.com/

Industries:  IT/Software, Healthcare, Medical Equipment, Analytical Instruments

Functional:   Process Improvement, Policy Development, Compliance Training, Project Management

Regional:  Global

Laurent Kahl
International Business Consultant
University of Georgia Small Business Development Center
lkahl@georgiasbdc.org
https://www.georgiasbdc.org/ international-trade/


Industries:  Industrial Manufacturing, Commodities (Paper/Wood/Chemicals/Fertilizers) Consulting, Automotive, International Logistics.

Functional: International Marketing and Sales Strategies, Export/Import Operations Improvement, Export/Import Market strategy

Regional:  Americas ( Canada/C.America/S.America/Caribbean Basin) , European Union, Middle East , Near East ( India/Pakistan)

Jeff Lamb
Business Development Manager CHEP
CHEP
jefflamb@unitloadsystems.com
https://www.chep.com/us/en/services-solutions

Industries:  Airfreight, Customs Brokerage, Supply Chain

Functional:  International negotiation, supply chain optimization, change management, small business management and finance

Regional:  Canada, China, Europe

Thomas Matthias
Vice President – Global Trade Business Development Officer
Regions Bank
thomas.matthias@regions.com
www.regions.com

Industries: Suppliers, Manufacturers, Traders, Importers, Exporters, Government Agencies

Functional: Marketing, Sales, Business Development, Underwriting, Analysis, Investments, Business Valuations, Management

Regional: Global

Ken Spett
President & CEO
GF Health Products, Inc.
kspett@grahamfield.com
www.grahamfield.com

Industries:  Medical equipment manufacturer

Functional: 300+ employees, four domestic manufacturing facilities

Regional:  Latin America, Caribbean, Europe, Middle East, Australia, Singapore

Felipe Arroyave
President
Spectrum International Group
farroyave@spctinternational.com
www.spctinternational.com

Industries:  Specialty contact lens manufacturer

Functional: North American company located in Atlanta, Georgia with more than 22 years experience in the optical industry

Regional:  Latin America, Caribbean, Asia, Middle East, Europe

Richard Cavagnaro
Chief Executive Officer
AdEdge Water Technologies, LLC
rich@adedgetechnologies.com
https://adedgetech.com/

Trevor Williams
Managing Editor and Publisher
Global Atlanta
twilliams@globalatlanta.com
https://www.globalatlanta.com

Ani Agnihotri
Co-Founder and CEO
Marshall Automation America, Inc.
Ani@usaindiabusinesssummit.com
http://usaindiabusinesssummit.com/

Tony Harper
President
One-World, Inc.
Th@one-world-inc.com
https://one-world-inc.com/

Monica Barber
Associate General Counsel
CARE
monicabarberesq@gmail.com
www.CAREPackage.org

Siraj Kazani
General Manager
Global Impex, Inc.
siraj@globalimpex.net
https://www.globalimpex.net

John Woodward
Vice President, Global Commerce
Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
jwoodward@macoc.com
https://www.metroatlantachamber.com

Scott Hudson
President/CFO
Hudson Pecan Company
scott@hudsonpecan.com
https://www.hudsonpecan.com

Gary Majestic
General Manager
Commercial Fluid Power
gmajestic@commercialfluidpower.com
https://www.commercialfluidpower.com/index.php

Rhett Willis
President
D. J. Powers Company
rhett.willis@djpowers.com
https://djpowers.com/