The 1999 Sixth Annual

CIS and Eastern Europe

Business Forum

focusing on

Success in the CIS

and

Eastern Europe

Saturday, November 13, 1999

8:30 am to 6:00 pm

with

Discussion & Networking Sessions

Sunday, November 14, 1999

9:00 am to 12:00 noon

and

Pre-conference Reception

Friday, November 12, 1999

7:30 pm

University of Arizona McClelland Hall

1130 E. Helen Street, Room 208

Tucson, Arizona

Organized by The University of Arizona

Department of Russian and Slavic Languages

SUCCESS IN THE CIS & EASTERN EUROPE

This symposium is designed to assist those who are planning to do business in countries of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe or who are currently doing business there. The program includes case studies of successful businesses, presentations on support programs available, and analyses of current legal, political, cultural, and economic issues.

Session 1. The political and economic scene. Linda Wetzel, partner in the consulting firm Kinsinger, Wetzel & Associates and adjunct professor at the American Graduate School of International Management–Thunderbird, will present a survey of the current business environment in Belarus, Moldova, and the Caucasus. Ms Wetzel will address such issues as the economic impact of Russia’s financial crisis on those countries, the status and long-term implications of the international Caspian oil rush, and the political-psychological effects of NATO expansion, the Kosovo war, and other recent events.

Session 2. US Government support. A panel of US government representatives will provide information about the following programs: BISNIS (Business Information Service for the CIS), which provides an assessment of business opportunities as well as information on the latest regulations and legislation in the CIS; SABIT (Special American Business Internship Training Program), the internship program for CIS managers whom you can train here in the US to work for your business in the CIS; CEEBIC (Central and Eastern Europe Information Center), which provides such services as economic, commercial, and financial information, trade leads, individualized business counseling, overseas networking, and reconstruction opportunities in Bosnia and the Balkans.

Session 3. Poland, Ukraine, Hungary. Presentations by Boleslaw Meluch, Consul for Commercial Affairs, Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles, in charge of economic relations, exports and investment promotion and an expert in investment, privatization and finance; Dr Yaroslav Voitko, Chief of Trade and Economic Mission of Ukraine in the US Embassy of Ukraine, who will discuss business opportunities in Ukraine in the current political and economic climate; and Tibor Zselinszky, Trade Commissioner, Hungarian Trade Commission, which promotes trade and investment relations between the US and Hungary.

Session 4. Investment and privatization. Presentation by Thomas J Volgy, PhD, U of Arizona, who specializes in international politics, democratic processes, and domestic public policy. Dr Volgy has been actively involved in the training of government officials in the areas of democratic political developments in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Estonia, Hungary, Romania, and Kyrgystan. He will provide an overview of the political and democratic process in Central Asia and Eastern Europe; and Steve Bataldin, PhD, Arizona State U, co-director of Russian and East European Studies Consortium (REESC) which administers research, training, and outreach programs involving the lands and people of Eastern Europe and Eurasia. Dr. Bataldin will focus on investment and construction opportunities in the context of restructuring and privatization in the Balkans.

Session 5. Case Studies. Presentations by Michael A Nardi, PhD, president of Nardi Group, an international management consulting group specializing in strategic planning, business development and government relations with extensive experience in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union; M W Washburn, president of Foodpro International, Inc, an engineering consulting firm to the food industry that established a food processing plant in Moldova. He is currently involved in several technology transfer projects in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan; Bogdan Caceu, managing partner of Caal Brothers, an investigative consulting firm based in San Francisco with international experience, who will offer advice on preparing for international business transactions in the CIS and Eastern Europe, avoiding the corruption so endemic in emerging markets and protecting assets and intellectual property; John L McKenzie, vice president of McKenzie & Rains, an international business and trade development firm specializing in Central Europe and member of TEC USA, a consortium of small firms. TEC USA has developed and implemented a number of projects in Czech Republic and Romania; and Lawrence Linson, director of business development for the CIS and Eastern Europe for the Modular Mining division of Komatsu Mining Systems, who will focus on doing business in CIS in 1999 in the context of continuing political instability in Russia and upcoming elections.

Session 6. Finance and technology transfer. Presentations by Tim Bruinsma, an international business attorney and head of the International Practice Group in the Los Angeles office of Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP, and founder and chairman of the California-Russia Trade Association. He has represented numerous clients, such as Kellogg, Walt Disney, and the American Honda Motor Co., in CIS matters. His discussion will focus on international project finance in Russian (CIS)-American transactions; Steve Packer, vice president of sales and marketing, Comtech Communication Corporation, a firm dealing with dataprocessing, data-, tele-, and satellite communications. His extensive international business experience includes work for such companies as IBM, Honeywell, Storage Technology Corporation, and others; Ursula McLoughlin, president of Corona Hospitality, and Emett McLoughlin, president of Fair Winds Trading Co, with successful joint ventures in Kazakhstan and Georgia, will discuss plans to develop new markets encompassing 22 countries and 450 million people in Eastern Europe through the International Business Club–Gaussig in East Germany; and Susan Weidner, consultant, former executive director of the Enterprise Initiatives group at Thunderbird in charge of American Business Centers in Russia and senior commercial officer at the US Embassy in Kazakhstan and Bulgaria.

The 1999 Sixth Annual

CIS & Eastern Europe Business Forum

General Information

The symposium will take place on the premises of the University of Arizona McClelland Hall in Room 208, 1130 E. Helen Street, Tucson, Arizona. It will open with a reception on Friday, November 12, at 7:30 pm. The schedule for Saturday, November 13, is as follows:

8:30 Session 1

9:00 Session 2

10:30 Session 3

12:00 Lunch Break

1:00 Session 4

2:00 Session 5

4:00 Session 6

Discussions and Networking Sessions on Sunday, November 14, will be held as follows:

9:00 Session 1

10:30-12:00 Session 2

The registration fee of $115 is to be paid by October 15, 1999. Full-time student registration fee is $25. You are encouraged to register early as space is limited. Reservations for accommodations at the Marriott University Park hotel may be made nationwide by calling 1-800-228-9200 by October 11. The Marriott, a Four-Diamond “Jewel in the Desert” hotel with 250 beautifully appointed guest rooms, is located near the University at 880 E. Second Street, Tucson, Arizona.

Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, by calling 520-626-4007. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.

For further information, please call 520-626-4007 at The University of Arizona Department of Russian and Slavic Languages and ask for senior lecturer Roza Simkhovich or department head Dr. George Gutsche. Last minute program changes can be found on the conference Web site: go to and follow the link to Business Forum 99.

Partial support for this symposium has been graciously provided by:

Nancy and Bill Edwards

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort

and Marriott University Park

Registration Form

CIS & Eastern Europe Business Forum

November 12-14, 1999

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