In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Global Lite Refinery CEO Sahr Lebbie discusses how he launched a palm oil refinery in Sierra Leone from his corporate base in Milwaukee. He shares details on the history of the business, as well as challenges he overcame on that journey. “One of the reasons why myself, as many other students that came to th…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Port of Green Bay Director Dean Haen discusses the business climate in northeastern Wisconsin and an ongoing expansion project. “We’re serving the industries of agriculture, construction and manufacturing, so as they need raw materials, the port serves as the conduit for those commodities,” he said, noting …

In the latest edition of “Talking Trade,” Michael Best Strategies Partner Sarah Helton weighs in on recently announced extensions to tariffs on Chinese imports, arguing the move is motivated by “both politics and strategy.” “This was the first concrete action that the Biden Administration has taken related to the 301 tariffs, outside of calling for…

In the latest edition of “Talking Trade,” Wisconsin District Export Council Acting Chair Chris Wojtowicz discusses the latest developments in the global export landscape and how it connects to the state. Wojtowicz, who’s also an international trade consultant with the Small Business Development Center, said he’s seeing “a lot of continued opportuni…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” UK Consul General in Chicago, Alan Gogbashian, shares insights on the post-Brexit global trade landscape and other trends. Trade between the United States and the UK is on the rise, he notes, as “the economic relationship is thriving” between the two nations. “Sitting here in the Midwest, we obviously play …

In the latest edition of “Talking Trade,” City of Superior Planning, Economic Development & Port Director Jason Serck discusses upcoming projects at the port and broader economic trends. Serck, who is also president of the Wisconsin Commercial Ports Association, shares insights on commodities moving through the port, ranging from stone, coal and cl…

In this week’s episode of “Talking Trade,” Michael Sekula of InPro Corporation discusses global supply chain challenges and how companies are navigating them. Sekula is vice president of global supply chain management and safety for the Muskego-based company, which provides architectural products for commercial buildings. “There are a couple wars g…

In the latest edition of “Talking Trade,” Matt Umhoefer of the state Department of Transportation discusses Wisconsin’s freight plan and federal infrastructure funding. Umhoefer, the economic development section chief for the agency, notes the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law added new items for states to add to their existing freight plans. He discus…

In the latest edition of “Talking Trade,” Jackie Bojor of the FRD Center in Bucharest, Romania, discusses opportunities in the region for Midwest companies. Bojor is the director of business development for the Factor Regional Development Center’s Bucharest location. The advisory firm offers consulting, market research and other services focused on…

In the latest edition of “Talking Trade,” Mark Rhoda-Reis of DATCP shares insights on the latest agricultural export trends and more. Rhoda-Reis, director of the agency’s International Agribusiness Center, says Wisconsin ag export activity in 2023 was down from the prior standout year. “2022 was a record year for the U.S. and for Wisconsin,” he sai…

In the latest edition of “Talking Trade,” former U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic Rick Graber discusses the political landscape around the Russia-Ukraine war and how the conflict is affecting European economies. Graber, the former state Republican Party chair and current leader of the Bradley Foundation, says he differs from other Republicans …

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Director General Dennis Yen-Feng Lei of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago discusses U.S.-Taiwan trade relations. Lei focuses on trade relationships between Taiwan and Midwest states in particular, noting the country recently signed economic agreements with leaders in Michigan and Indiana, a…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” outgoing MMAC President Tim Sheehy discusses his 31-year tenure with the Milwaukee chamber and the importance of business exports. The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce in October announced former Republican state Sen. Dale Kooyenga of Brookfield will take over as the group’s president early ne…

In the latest edition of “Talking Trade,” Djaagou-A Export founder and CEO Ognadon “Eddy” Djagou discusses his food and beverage business and U.S.-Africa trade. Djagou launched the company in 2017, and since then has been exporting agricultural products from the United States to African countries, with a focus on West Africa. “Right now, we are jus…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Midwest Food Products Association President Jason Culotta discusses supply chain challenges, impacts on pricing and more. Certain metals used in can manufacturing have been in short supply in the United States, he said, which impacts the Midwest canned food industry. The region supplies most of the U.S. can…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Asian Insiders Partner Primadi Soerjosoemanto shares insights on business opportunities in Indonesia. As the world’s fourth most populous country, Indonesia has a growing economy that’s attracting investment from many global companies, Soerjosoemanto explained. He said policies advanced by the country’s gov…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Rapport International owner Wendy Pease shares insights on the translation and interpretation industry. The business offers written translation, spoken interpretations and other communications services for businesses, helping its customers to reach international markets. Pease discusses how technologies suc…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” co-hosts Sandi Siegel and Ken Wasylik interview Ian Coxhead, senior research fellow for the Institute of Developing Economies in Tokyo, Japan, about trade policy and Asian economics. Coxhead, a former host of the show, shares his perspective on China’s economy, noting its central economic role for other nat…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Canadian Consul General Aaron Annable shares the latest figures illustrating Canada’s trade relationship with Wisconsin. According to Annable, 174 Canadian companies currently operate in the state, employing more than 22,000 Wisconsin workers. Annual trade between Canada and the state reached $14.7 billion …

In the latest edition of “Talking Trade,” Croix Valley Foods owner Damon Holter discusses the company’s history, successes and plans for future expansion. The Hudson-based business operates out of a 20,000-square-foot facility where it makes barbecue sauces, steak sauces, marinades, dry rubs and bloody mary seasonings. “It’s been very successful, a…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” international trade consultant Chris Wojtowicz of the Small Business Development Center highlights resources available to companies in the state. “Wisconsin has a wonderful, really dynamic ecosystem of help for exporters,” he said. He touches on support offered by local chambers of commerce, economic develo…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Port of Milwaukee Director Jackie Carter discusses plans to develop a new cruise ship dock, commodity shipping and more. “We are the northernmost point that can access the Mississippi River … We can get down to the Gulf of Mexico, we can get through the seaway, so from the East Coast there’s commodities tha…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Rural Export Center Director Heather Ranck highlights exporting opportunities and resources for rural companies. This North Dakota-based national research center is part of the U.S. Commerce Department, and focuses on assisting small businesses in rural parts of the country with market research and other su…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing and Productivity CEO Buckley Brinkman discusses how the center prepares businesses for exporting. He says the center’s ExporTech program helps manufacturers develop an exporting plan in 90 days that can be implemented immediately. “It’s really a strategic submersion, where…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Administrator Adam Tindall-Schlicht underlines the importance of Great Lakes shipping for the Midwest economy. He also highlights room for growth in the region, noting the amount of vessel traffic through these waterways could be doubled with “no operational impac…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Pawan Bhatnagar of Kasvu Consulting and Asian Insiders touts the strength of the Indian economy. He says India has “proven to be remarkably resilient in the face of the headwinds” facing global markets, pointing to inflation, the war in Ukraine and other factors. “India is on track to become the world’s thi…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” MI Group Senior Advisor Terry Dittrich discusses the path ahead for rebuilding infrastructure in Ukraine. While the war between Russia and Ukraine rages on, Dittrich says reconstruction planning has already begun, noting “if you wait, you’ll be too late.” He shares insights from a recent conference held in …

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Armada Corporate Intelligence Chief Economist Chris Kuehl discusses a recent shift in the global economic outlook. “If people were listening to the commentary even a few weeks ago, it was pretty doom and gloom,” Kuehl said. “It was looking at 2023 as a year of serious recession, maybe starting in first and …

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Rebekah Sweeney of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association discusses the “recipe for success” for dairy exports in 2022. Sweeney, the group’s senior director of programs and policy, says last year was “an outstanding year” for U.S. dairy with more than $9.6 billion in exports. “That represents a 25 percent …

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Orbis Corporation Senior Director of Global Logistics Mike Heindselman says trade compliance efforts need to be company-wide to be effective. “There’s no compliance without teamwork,” he said. “This can’t be one faction, or one department, or one functional area of a company that’s leading the charge on tha…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” recently retired Trek Bicycle Corporation executive Maureen Muldoon discusses industry trends and how the company weathered COVID-19. Muldoon, who was the vice president of international business development for the Waterloo-based bike maker, highlights the “bike boom” seen early in the pandemic. “They want…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Asia Society Policy Institute Vice President Wendy Cutler says it’s unlikely that tariffs on Chinese goods will be lifted anytime soon. She discusses the recent news that tariff exclusions on several hundred products have been extended for another nine months after being set to expire at the end of last yea…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company President Steve Wallace discusses challenges associated with growing the Milwaukee-based chocolate business. The company’s products are processed and produced in Ghana, one of the world’s largest producers of cocoa. “Overcoming history was difficult … the politics and the economi…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” former diplomat Andy Rothman of the firm Matthews Asia highlights the benefits of U.S. engagement with China and says an initially bumpy transition from strict COVID-19 protocols will improve next year. Rothman urges continued engagement, including international investment and trade, as well as academic exc…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Europartnerships Managing Director Mark Dodsworth says businesses in the United Kingdom “have been hit very hard” by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and Brexit. “These have caused a number of serious disruptions, which have led to, for example, 11 percent inflation as of today,” he said. “Rising interest r…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Trade Acceptance Group Principal Bruce Glaub outlines the benefits of export credit insurance. If an exporter isn’t paid by a client, the insurer will pay out a percentage of that unpaid amount, Glaub explained. That’s useful at the international level because exporters have fewer options for recouping thei…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Michael Best Strategies Principal Mike Dankler says a federal review of Section 301 tariffs on China could be “a sign of some tariff-liftings to come.” Federal officials recently opened a comment period on these tariffs, and Dankler says Michael Best Strategies has been encouraging clients to apply to submi…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Mark Rhoda-Reis of DATCP discusses another potentially record-setting year for Wisconsin ag exports. Rhoda-Reis, the director of the agency’s International Agribusiness Center, said the state set a new record with $3.94 billion in ag exports in 2021, marking an 18 percent increase over the prior year. “And …

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Cohen Group Associate Vice President Damian Felton explains the implications of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act on international commerce. The act aims to bolster U.S. prohibitions on importation of goods from the Xinjiang region of China, according to co-host Sandi Siegel of M.E. Dey & Co. Felton ex…

In the latest episode of "Talking Trade," Briggs & Stratton legal executive Jennifer Jin discusses the impact of trade sanctions on manufacturing supply chains. Jin holds the position of senior counsel, global compliance, contract and litigation for the Wauwatosa-based manufacturer. She shares her perspective with hosts M. E. Dey & Co. President Sa…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” attorney lawyer Ngosong Fonkem discusses the “seismic trade shift” in global supply chains caused by sanctions on Russia. Fonkem, a trade compliance specialist with Chicago law firm Page Fura, notes “this is the first time since the end of the Cold War that sanctions of this magnitude” have been levied on a…

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” energy specialist Emily Pickrell highlights industries and companies likely to benefit from the federal Inflation Reduction Act. Pickrell is a journalist and global energy scholar at the University of Houston and currently writes about energy, politics and technology for Forbes. She says the wide-ranging le…

China may view Joe Biden’s presidency as an improvement over the Trump Administration according to Talking Trade’s Kelvin Ma in his discussion of the recent election with WisPolitics.com’s Jeff Mayers.By WisBusiness.com

With President-elect Joe Biden developing his transition team, Talking Trade’s UW-Madison Prof. Ian Coxhead, and M. E. Dey & Co. President Sandi Siegel consider how Biden’s international trade policy might not follow his predecessor’s approach.By WisBusiness.com

After the world’s largest international trade pact was signed in November, “Talking Trade” hosts Prof. Ian Coxhead and M. E. Dey & Co. President Sandi Seigel explore the treaty and why the U.S. did not join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, dominated by the People’s Republic of China.By WisBusiness.com

With the Biden administration come new views on international trade as “Talking Trade” hosts Prof. Ian Coxhead and M.E. Day & Co., President Sandi Siegel consider how quickly any new approaches might arise.By WisBusiness.com

Talking Trade’s UW-Madison Prof. Ian Coxhead and M.E. Dey & Co., Pres. Sandi Siegel discuss changes afoot in east-west trade as Pres.-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office.By WisBusiness.com

Ian Coxhead, UW-Madison professor, and Sandi Siegel, president of M. E. Dey & Co. in Milwaukee, interview Joe Glauber, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute, about trends in U.S.-China agricultural trade affecting the Midwest.By WisBusiness.com

Adam Tindall-Schlicht, director of Port Milwaukee, talks with Sandi Siegel and Ian Coxhead of “Talking Trade” about new port developments. He also talks about the port’s role in Midwest trade and how possible rail mergers may impact Wisconsin.By WisBusiness.com

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” hosts UW-Madison Professor Ian Coxhead and M.E. Dey & Co. President Sandi Spiegel discuss this season’s U.S. crop production and exports. The show also features Mark Rhoda-Reis, bureau director for export and business development at the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.…