Lorraine McCord is the Creative Director and Founder of Xworks Project an online international business blog, training and consulting platform. Prior to starting Xworks Project, she served for 10 years as the Director of the North Texas International Trade Center SBDC where she was responsible for providing training, counseling and market research services to businesses in the North Texas areas as well as managing a team of advisors who helped hundreds of companies achieve export sales totaling $50 million. She has more than 10 years experience working for Fortune 500 companies such as EDS and Regions Bank in strategy and planning, international finance and internal audit. Lorraine has worked and traveled extensively in the Asia Pacific region and has spoken extensively at national and international conferences on the topics of small business and international trade. She currently serves on the faculty of Richland College’s International Business and Trade division. Lorraine previously served on the board of governors of the North American Small Business and International Trade Educators (NASBITE) and the Dallas Furniture Bank. She holds a MBA in International Management from Thunderbird in Glendale, AZ and is both a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and a Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP).
Lorraine McCord
Fabrizio Nava
Counselor Fabrizio Nava was born 1969. He graduated from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” in 1993 with a degree in Political Science. He joined the Italian Foreign Service in 1995. His first assignment was at the Directorate General for Political Affairs. He began serving on foreign postings at the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi, India, from 1998 to 2002, as First Secretary for Consular and Press Affairs. While in India he obtained a post-graduate degree in Human Rights & International Humanitarian Law & Refugee Law from the “Indian Academy of International Law and Diplomacy” of New Delhi. From 2002 to 2006 he was First Secretary for Commercial Affairs at the Embassy of Italy in Ottawa, Canada. Then he returned to Rome at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate General for Development Aid, where he held the positions of Chief of Staff, Head of Unit for scolarships then Head of Unit for bilateral Aid to Sub Saharan Africa. He was appointed Consul General of Italy in Houston on July 15, 2010. Fabrizio Nava is fluent in English, French and Spanish, and has a good knowledge of German.
Ben Ramirez
International Economic Development Manager
City of Austin
Ben Ramirez is responsible for the City of Austin’s governmental initiatives for projects involving international economic development and foreign direct investment. His duties include creating, coordinating and managing the City of Austin’s global economic development strategic plan with division staff and partner organizations. This strategic plan received a Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award in the category of Responding to Globalization from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in 2013. Drawing from professional experience earned in the public and private sectors, Ben has assisted international business expansion efforts in the North American Free Trade Agreement region and around the world. Ben has a BA in Philosophy and Political Science from the University of Michigan, and a JD from the University of Toledo. He is an associate member of the Texas Camino Real District Export Council; a board member of CleanTX and the Austin Latino Music Association; Secretary of the Board for Central Texas Foreign Trade Zone #183; external advisory board member of the Center for European Studies; and Vice President of the World Affairs Council of Austin.
Registration
Registration for the 2013 Texas-EU Summit is now open.
Cost: $50.00 for Members*; $75 for non-Members; $35 for students**. The fee included coffee, lunch, and conference-related materials.
*Members include: Employees, Faculty, Staff and Educators of the following Organizations: EU Center of Excellence at the University of Texas at Austin, the International Business Institute at Austin Community College, Austin U.S. Export Assistance Center of U.S Dept. of Commerce, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, City of Austin International Programs, and the World Affairs Council of Austin (membership will be verified).
**Students (ACC or UT., must show ID at event)
To register, please click here.
