Winning in the Global Economy: Policy Solutions to Support Pittsburgh’s Leading Innovators

Friday, July 20, 2012    
8:30 am - 1:00 pm

The Global Innovation Forum of the National Foreign Trade Council Foundation is organizing a half-day workshop and conference focused on innovation policymaking and its role in supporting Pittsburgh innovators.  This event is produced in partnership with Reed Smith LLP, the Pittsburgh Technology Council, the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development.

The conference will engage business and community leaders from Pittsburgh with policymakers and trade experts from Washington, DC in a dialogue about how to create an optimal environment to enable success in the global economy for Pittsburgh’s leading innovators.  The conference is meant to elicit advice and input from senior business leaders to help guide innovation and trade policy priorities. President Obama’s Administration has announced an ambitious goal of doubling U.S. exports in a short time frame and of using global markets to support new, high-wage jobs at home: what do Pittsburgh’s innovators need to win in the global economy?

8:30am            Registration and continental breakfast

9:00am            Welcome remarks and goals for the meeting

Bill Reinsch, President, National Foreign Trade Council

9:10am            Panel: The Pittsburgh Globalization Story

Moderated by Audrey Russo, President of the Pittsburgh Technology Council

  • Henry S. Beukema, President, Guyasuta Investment Advisors
  • Tim Fletcher, Business Development Manager, Daedulus
  • Gil Taran, CEO, iCarnegie, Inc.

10:15               Break

10:30am          Panel: Creating Value in Global Supply Chains

Moderated by Bob Koopman,

  • Winter Casey, Senior Policy Analyst, Google
  • Joe Grogan, Director of Government Relations, Gilead Sciences
  • Scott Miller, former Director, Government Relations, Procter & Gamble
  • Jennifer Mulveny, Director Global Trade Policy, Hewlett-Packard

11:40pm          Break

Noon               Luncheon Discussion with Amb. Ron Kirk, United States Trade Representative

An interactive discussion led by Dr. Steven E. Sokol, President and CEO of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, on the role of foreign trade, investment flows and innovation in the success of the American economy.

1:00pm           Adjournment