Opening Ceremony Speech

Dean Robert Duncan
Dean of Broad College of Business

Panel 1: China's Emerging Market

China has gone through tremendous economic growth starting in the 1980's, economic growth that will only continue exponentially throughout this century. China’s economy has expanded an average of nine percent in the past twenty- five years resulting in an eight-fold increase since 1980. What has this growth meant to other countries and especially to the United States and the companies involved? Speakers will present us the consequences of China’s economic growth and what challenges they have had dealt with.

Moderator:

John Giles
Assistant Professor of Economics

Panel Speakers:

Kwok-Yin ("K.Y.") Cheng
Executive Vice President and Director of International Trade Banking for  East West Bank

James Nichols
Shell Lubricants, Executive Vice President of Supply Chain

Phil Pejovich
VP Product Business Teams, former GM of Whirlpool China

Panel 2: Trade Negotiations

During the year 2000, the U.S Congress approved permanent normal trade relations with Beijing, and China entered the WTO on December 11, 2001. China's member status has brought about numerous policy changes to promote trade openness. Recently the United States has shown concern over China’s currency and some of its policies. There also are political issues between both countries. During the forum, we hope that the Speakers are able to will present us with the problems and solutions they've encountered dealing with trade relations in China for their respective organizations. The solutions being formulated to solve existing problems between US and China trade will also be discussed by the panelists.

Moderator

Donald E. Conlon
Negotiations Professor

Panel Speakers

Tom Escott
President of Schneider Logistics

Scott Balfour
Alticor - Chief Legal Officer of Asia for Alticore

Luncheon Reception and Speaker

2nd Annual BIBF Scholarship Award Ceremony

Panel 3: The True Cost of Outsourcing

China is now one of the largest manufacturing countries in the world. In order to take advantage of low cost and highly skilled labor, many companies have set up operations in China to produce for foreign and local markets. Our forum would like to present our audience with the panelists’ experiences and ideas for outsourcing in China. At the conclusion of this panel, we would like to be able to have the speakers explain their benefits and problems for outsourcing in China.

Moderator:

David J. Closs
John H. McConnell Chaired Professor

Panel Speakers:

Christopher T. Gaechter
Supply Chain Consultant, Masco Corporation

Closing Remarks and Networking

Dr. Robert Nason
Chair of Marketing and Supply Chain Department