Chinese Speakers

U.S. Speakers

Our Guest Speakers will consist of some of the most accomplished women executives and entrepreneurs in the United States and China. Experts on trade and the economy from both countries will share their knowledge.

MURIEL "MICKIE" SIEBERT has been called "The First Woman of Finance." Ms. Siebert is the founder and president of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) brokerage firm that bears her name, Muriel Siebert & Co., Inc. She established the firm in 1967 when she became the first woman member of the NYSE and transformed it into a discount brokerage house on May 1, 1975, the first day that NYSE members were permitted to negotiate commissions. Muriel Siebert and Co. is the only woman-owned NYSE brokerage firm with a national presence. Ms. Siebert continues to oversee the firm's day-to-day operations at its seven branches. The firm's Siebert Brandford Shank & Co. municipal affiliate is ranked in the top 20 public finance firms in the country. In 1977 Ms. Siebert took a leave of absence from her firm to serve five years as the first woman Superintendent of Banking for the State of New York under Governor Hugh Carey. As such, she was responsible for the safety and soundness of not only the banks, but also other financial institutions in New York State. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and attended what is now known as Case Western Reserve University. Although she did not graduate, she now holds 17 honorary doctoral degrees. In November 2002 Ms. Siebert's autobiography, "Changing the Rules - Adventures of a Wall Street Maverick," was published by Simon and Schuster.


ERIN ENNIS - Vice President of U.S.-China Business Council. In that position, she directs the Council's government affairs and advocacy work for member companies and oversees the Council's Business Advisory Services. Founded in 1973, the US-China Business Council provides extensive China-focused information, advisory, and advocacy services, along with comprehensive events, to nearly 250 US corporations operating within the United States and throughout Asia. Prior to joining the Council, Ms. Ennis worked at Kissinger McLarty Associates, the international consulting firm headed by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former White House Chief of Staff Thomas "Mack" McLarty. At Kissinger McLarty, Ms. Ennis was responsible for implementing strategies for international business clients on proprietary trade matters, primarily in Vietnam and Japan.


MILTON KOTLER is a marketing strategist with thirty years of professional experience. He is President of Kotler Marketing Group, headquartered in Washington DC, with an office in Shenzhen, China. KMG conducts projects in marketing strategy, place marketing, branding, partnering, distribution, price modeling, promotion, Internet Marketing and marketing training. Mr. Kotler has led strategic projects for SAS Airlines, IBM, Ford Motors, Michelin, SBC, JP Morgan, Novartis, Pfizer, IBM, and other Fortune 1000 companies. KMG Chinese clients include TCL, Skyworth, China Resources Beer, Beston, Jo Win Agricultural Company, Tsinghua Yuanxing Pharmaceuticals, Ping An Insurance, Jinchuan Beer, Hai He Riverfront Redevelopment Commission (Tianjin), Qinghuai Riverfront Development Commission (Nanjing), Xi'an Aviation Park, Xi'an Flight Test Institute, Luan Xian (Hebei) Agricultural Company and other Chinese companies and jurisdictions. Milton Kotler has been active in China for five years, assisting Chinese and Multinational companies to improve their marketing strategies and capabilities in the Chinese domestic market. He has assisted U.S. and European developers, investors and manufacturers to acquire assets and conduct business in China; as well as find cross-border M&As and strategic partnership opportunities for Chinese companies in the U.S. and Europe. He has delivered public seminars in over 25 Chinese cities and is author of A Clear-Sighted View of Chinese Business Strategies. Mr. Kotler is a frequent contributor to Chinese business newspapers and magazines. He has conducted seminars in the Executive Education Program of Tsinghua University.


CHERYL B. SILL - SVP & Global Trade Executive – Bank of America, Global Treasury Services, Working Capital Management Solutions. Cheryl B. Sill has responsibility for the Global Trade & Treasury Sales Group, overseeing 73 U.S. associates who enable Bank of America’s corporate, commercial and business banking clients to effectively manage their supply chains, unlock working capital, and compete in the global economy with international trade and treasury advisory solutions. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Bank of America ranks among the largest financial services companies in the world, and in June ‘05, announced a definitive agreement to purchase 9% of the stock of China Construction Bank for US$3B. Sill has managed various businesses for Bank of America including N. California Commercial Treasury Sales, US Correspondent Banking, Global Banknotes, and FX Payments. As Global Trade Product Head, Sill introduced Trade Direct for Bank of America, one of the industry’s first major global web-based trade systems. Sill has also managed client and credit relationships with domestic and international financial services companies, providing capital markets and credit solutions. Sill received her MBA, specializing in International Finance, from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and her BS from the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Sill currently serves on the Board of Directors for the California Council on International Trade, a non-partisan public policy organization that advocates trade.


Ed GRESSER - Director of PPI's Project on Trade and Global Markets since February, 2001. In this capacity, he writes and speaks on the value of open markets, internationalism and social responsibility in the global economy. Mr. Gresser's major focuses have included Trade Promotion Authority and the future U.S. trade negotiating agenda, economic relations with China in the wake of WTO membership and Asian affairs, as well as international finance and labor issues. by the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, the IMF and other institutions. As Legislative Assistant and then Policy Director for Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), he played a central role in developing and building broad consensus for a policy of engagement in China which keeps the peace and advances U.S. interests and values by balancing security concerns, open trade, human rights and environmental protection in the volatile U.S. relationship with the world's largest nation. Mr. Gresser graduated from Stanford University He earned a Master's Degree from Columbia University and a Certificate from the Averell Harriman Institute for Advanced Study of the Soviet Union.


The Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer China group - The company is respected as one of the largest and most experienced China teams of any international law firm. All firm's lawyers have extensive experience in PRC-related transactions and in handling transactional work and documentation in Chinese. Main areas of activity in China include foreign investment projects, financings and security, dispute resolution, information technology, intellectual property protection, technology licensing, turnkey projects, international financings and natural resources projects. Members of the China business group write and speak extensively on the subject of doing business with China.


SHERI L. ORLOWITZ, Chairman and CEO of Shan Industries, LLC, is the founder and principal owner of Shan Industries, LLC, a holding company that currently operates two manufacturing companies. Accurate Forming, a metal stamping company located in New Jersey and Thermodynamics, a rotational molding company operating in Oklahoma, were acquired from Tyco International in January 2000. In her role as Chairman and CEO, Sheri has expanded the product lines and capabilities of Shan’s operating divisions and is working toward additional acquisitions. Sheri is a former owner, CFO, and COO, of Magnetic Data Technologies/DBI, Inc., a $60 million manufacturing group with domestic and international holdings. During her tenure at DBI she engineered the company's acquisition of several other business lines and companies including Kodak’s Datatape, a $55+ million company which made high speed tape recording devices for, among other things, the Space Shuttle. In August 2001 Sheri was invited to the President’s Economic Summit in Waco, Texas, during which time she had a lively and widely quoted discussion with the President on, among other things, Sarbanes-Oxley. Sheri continues her public service today as a Presidential appointee to the National Women’s Business Council, a non-partisan commission which advises the President, Congress and the SBA on matters affecting small business. Her board positions include Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government Women’s Leadership Board, the Center for Women’s Business Research, the Women’s Advisory Board at The Washington Group of MassMutual, Women Impacting Public Policy, and Boardroom Bound, the last an organization dedicated to promoting diversity in the corporate boardroom. She is a frequent speaker on all aspects of entrepreneurialism, mergers and acquisitions and accessing capital and spends a significant amount of time supporting and mentoring other women business owners.


ELIZABETH TODD LAMBERT, Director of International Tax & Financial Services Towson University – Maryland’s Metropolitan University has spent most of her 30-year career working in the international arena. She has traveled extensively and resided overseas while working on market development projects in Asia/Pacific, Europe, and Latin America. In her current role at Towson University, Elizabeth interacts with hundreds of foreign national students, scholars, and other professionals throughout the year on matters ranging from tax to exchange visits to new program development. She also manages programs that provide opportunities for faculty and staff to teach, conduct research or work abroad. Prior to joining Towson University, Liz was Director of Strategic Business Planning and Development for the International Group of McCormick & Company, Inc. – the world’s largest spice company. During her tenure, she worked on-site with McCormick’s operations around the world. Elizabeth’s connections with China are strong and numerous. She first traveled to China in 1982. By 1985, she was playing an instrumental role in the planning, creation and implementation of McCormick’s first venture in China, which started up in Shanghai in 1990. A second enterprise located in Guangzhou took shape a few years later. She worked closely with the local staff for many years to build a dynamic business, which continues to grow and enjoy success today. Upon joining Towson University, Elizabeth worked with her academic colleagues to develop a study abroad program in China for business majors and co-taught the first session. This was the first such program in Maryland. Elizabeth currently serves as vice president of the Maryland-China Business Council and has been a member of the Board of Directors for 10 years. Elizabeth received her MBA in Finance from the University of Delaware and her Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania.


MARY LoVERDE believes life is a balancing act. Her passion is finding creative ways to live a joyful and successful life. She has delighted audiences from Bangkok to Biloxi with her step-by-step strategies for a more balanced life. Embraced by both men and women alike, her diverse client list spans from the Mayo Clinic to the American Trucking Association. She is the author of three best selling books: Touching Tomorrow, I Used to Have a Handle on Life but It Broke and Stop Screaming at the Microwave. She has appeared on ABC World News Tonight, a 20/20 special on women and stress and four times on the Oprah Winfrey Show. She is a contributor to the best selling books Chocolate for a Woman's Soul, Chocolate for a Woman's Heart and Young for Your Life: The Best Anti-aging Secrets for Women. Mary has touched millions through her articles in prominent magazines from the Wall Street Journal to Family Circle. Mary served on the faculty of the University of Colorado School of Medicine for fifteen years as the director of the Hypertension Research Center. She proudly serves as the national spokesperson for Camp to Belong, which reunites brothers and sisters placed in different foster homes for events of fun and empowerment. Mary is the mother of three children. She happily resides with her family in their living laboratory in Aurora, Colorado.


BEVERLY J. INMAN - EBEL, CEO of TLC. In October 2004, Beverly Inman-Ebel was awarded, "International Woman Entrepreneur of 2004-2006" in Glasgow, Scotland, by FCEM, an international organization with 61 countries as members. Beverly is the CEO of TLC, Talk Listen Communicate, LLC, which was recognized locally as Small Business of the Year 2000 by the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce. Beverly and her staff provide customized seminars, executive coaching, meeting facilitation, keynote speaking, and licenses for TLC training to be provided in-house by Fortune 500 companies, and materials including books, workbooks, videos, DVD, and on-line courses to help people become more dynamic leaders through effective communication. Beverly served as the 2004-2005 National President for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). She serves on national advisory boards including Office Depot, Wells Fargo, and The Center for Women Business Research in NYC. Beverly won International Woman Entrepreneur of the Year (2004-2006) by FCEM, an international organization with members from 61 countries.


JUANITA ECKER - President of Professional Image Management, is a certified expert in business etiquette, corporate protocol and image consulting. An international speaker and corporate trainer, Juanita leads dynamic, informative meetings and training conferences throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. A practicing authority on today's business etiquette and image consulting issues, Juanita is frequently quoted in local and national publications. She often appears on radio and television interviews. Her column, "Image Matters" is a regular feature in the Business Review. Her book, Image Management: Image & Etiquette Tips for the Business Professional is in its second edition. Juanita Ecker is trained and certified by the Global Protocol Academy as a business etiquette and corporate protocol expert. She has trained with the Lett Group on business decorum and business etiquette. Juanita is accredited as a Certified Image Professional (CIP) from the Association of Image Consultants International. The CIP designation is one of the most advanced levels of certification within the industry. She is certified as a corporate image consultant by The Academy of Fashion and Image. She has trained with the London Image Institute and The Conselle Institute of Image Management.


JENNY HOU - Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, is an economic and financial advisor with extensive experience in commodity trading and financial risk management, restructuring electricity wholesale market of the US, Ontario Canada and Singapore, formation of independent electrical transmission company, financial analysis of structured finance and business strategy in energy industry M&A activities. Currently, she is serving as a financial advisor to multiple clients including private equities to develop enterprise-wide risk management solutions and manage economic capital to ensure sound corporate governance practice and improve market liquidity within the commodity business community. Before joining Financial Risk Management group of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Jenny worked for Energy and Network Industry Practice of PHB Hagler Bailly, Inc. The projects included the litigation support of transfer pricing dispute between merchant energy companies and regulated utility entities, the independent fair-value review of energy assets for Rating Agencies, the design of algorithms to estimate cash flows for power plant bidding projects, and the creation of a retail market strategic decision model. She evaluated the financial risk of future asset trading options to support clients operation in the deregulated electricity market. She also helped one major market participant to examine the pros and cons of California sequential power market structure in depth, inform potential financial risk, and present option analysis to minimize revenue loss in the rapid changing California market. In addition to providing financial advice to industry clients, she also has provided consultation to the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), International Energy Agency (OECD/IEA) and the World Bank Trust Fund. Ms. Hou holds a B.S. from Peking University with honors, a MS in Regional Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a MS in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University.