The Global Innovation Forum of the National Foreign Trade Council is organizing a one-day meeting and workshop in partnership with the Research Triangle Foundation, the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions of Duke University, CED, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association. The event will focus on the importance of international markets to the success of local innovators and the role of regional, state and federal policies in helping innovators succeed abroad. Sessions will draw on expertise from innovators in cutting-edge North Carolina industries, including clean technologies, advanced gaming, and life sciences.
The conference will engage business leaders and senior government officials from the Research Triangle area with select corporate executives, experts and government officials from Washington, DC in a dialogue about the importance of public policy to innovation. It is meant to elicit advice and input from senior business leaders to help guide state and federal innovation policy priorities. It is also an opportunity for corporate leaders in the Research Triangle to develop links with the National Foreign Trade Council’s global policy network and member companies as well as experts and government officials who are focused on innovation and exports.
Meeting agenda
8:30am Registration and continental breakfast
9:00am Helping innovators through public policy
Goals for the meeting: William A. Reinsch, President, National Foreign Trade Council
Welcome & Introduction: Rick Weddle, President & CEO, Research Triangle Foundation
Remarks by Janet Cowell, North Carolina State Treasurer
9:30am Challenges for State Policy
Panelists will provide a landscape of the North Carolina innovation economy and will identify common goals, challenges and needs.
Curtis Clark, Global Director, Regional and Local Government, IBM
Jennie Hunter-Cevera, Executive Vice President, RTI International
Clay Thorp, General Partner, Hatteras Venture Partners
Alexander Macris, President & CEO, Themis Group, Inc.
Tim Toben, Chair, NC Energy Policy Council
Led by Al Delia, Senior Advisor to Governor Perdue & Co-Chair, NC Innovation Council
11:00am How Washington Can Support North Carolina Innovation
Panelists will discuss initiatives by the Obama Administration and Congress to create jobs and foster U.S. innovation, including the President’s export promotion initiative and strategy for American innovation.
Heather Osborne Clark, Director, Trade and Policy, Merck & Co.
Stephen Ezell, Senior Advisor, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
Sandy Merber, Counsel, International Trade Regulation and Sourcing, General Electric
Ed Paisley, Vice President for Editorial, Center for American Progress
Led by Travis Sullivan, Policy Director, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce
12:30pm Luncheon Keynote by Senator Kay Hagan
Introductory remarks by Tim Profeta, Executive Director, Nicholas Institute at Duke University
2:00pm Workshop: Challenges in the Global Marketplace
Corporate leaders will describe the challenges that small and large businesses face establishing and growing their international presence, network and sales. This session is designed to elicit advice from panelists and participants about how public policy can help address these challenges and help U.S. businesses succeed abroad.
Michael Capps, President, Epic Games
Bob Conner, Vice President, Semprius Inc.
Adam Hemphill, Federal Government Affairs, Wal-Mart Stores
Adam Monroe, President, Novozymes North America
James Mundell, Chief Operating Officer, Nextreme
Led by Grant Aldonas, Managing Director of Splitrock International
