Welcome to the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council

STATE OF MARYLAND'S INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT AND TRADE DIVISION, OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, JOINS U.S.-UKRAINE BUSINESS COUNCIL (USUBC)

U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC)
Wash, D.C., Mon, May 18, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The State of Maryland’s International Investment and Trade Division, headed up by Bob Walker as Managing Director, of the Department of Business and Economic Development, has been approved for membership in the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC).  The announcement was made today by the USUBC executive committee on behalf of the over 100 companies and organizations who are members of USUBC. 

Through its main office in Baltimore and 10 offices around the globe, Maryland’s Division of International Investment and Trade works to stimulate foreign direct investment in Maryland, offers export assistance for small and mid-sized Maryland companies and coordinates international trade and investment missions and trade show opportunities for Maryland companies.

With growing interest in the emerging markets of the former Soviet Union, the State of Maryland expects to open an office in Moscow in the near future focused on Russia, Ukraine and other areas within the region. 

The principle industries of focus include the life sciences, green energy and emerging technologies, as well as linking federal procurement opportunities, including the ARRA or “stimulus” spending package, to potential foreign investors seeking to create jobs in Maryland and the USA. 

MANAGING DIRECTOR BOB WALKER
Managing Director Bob Walker previously served (1994-1997) as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Senior Policy Advisor to the Government of Ukraine for Food and Agriculture Policy, as well as the first USDA Trade Representative to Russia (1997-2001).  He also consulted for The World Bank on food policy reform in the former USSR and provided strategic advice to major Ukrainian food companies.  Walker has attended several USUBC meetings in 2009.  (Email: rwalker@choosemaryland.org)

CHOOSE MARYLAND
www.ChooseMaryland.org  is the web site for the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. Here you will find information about Maryland's outstanding business climate, as well as programs available to both small and large companies to ensure their success. It also includes information on financing, workforce training, exporting, trade and small and minority business assistance.

The department's mission is simple: to attract new businesses, stimulate private investment and create jobs, encourage the expansion and retention of existing companies and provide businesses in Maryland with workforce training and financial assistance.

The department promotes the state's many economic advantages and markets local products and services at home and abroad to spur development, international trade and tourism. Because they are a major economic generator for the state, the department also supports the arts, film production, sports and other special events.

The department continues to build on the state's prosperity by promoting its positive business climate and outstanding quality of life. In addition, DBED will ensure that all areas of the state share equally in its prosperity and will continue to promote Maryland as a leader in the New Economy. For more information, visit www.choosemaryland.org

Maryland is home to more than 500 foreign-owned companies and ranks as the second highest concentration of employed doctoral scientists and engineers among the states.  For the fifth years in a row, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation has been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as the top early-state venture capital investor in the nation, awarding the highest number of investments (19) to start-up companies in 2007. 

Baltimore is listed as sixth among major cities in Foreign Direct Investment magazine's North American Cities of the Future ranking.

USUBC MEMBERSHIP
USUBC is very pleased to have the State of Maryland's International Investment and Trade Division , of the Department of Business and Economic Development as a new member," said Morgan Williams, Director, Government Affairs, Washington Office, SigmaBleyzer Emerging Markets Private Equity Investment Group, www.SigmaBleyzer.com, who serves as President/CEO of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC).   I have known Bob Walker since he served in Ukraine in the mid-1990's and am pleased he has continued his interest in Ukraine.

"USUBC has increased its membership four times over the past 29 months and now has a membership base of over 100 companies and organizations which allows USUBC to provide its new members such as the International Investment and Trade Division, of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development as a new member," with a full-time operation and a significantly expanded program of work," according to USUBC membership director Iryna Teluk.

The latest group of new USUBC members has included: 3M Ukraine; AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines; AGCO Corporation; Aitken Berlin LLP/ASIA; AnaCom, Inc; Asters law firm; CEC Government Relations; ContourGlobal Ukraine; Defense Technology, Inc.; Dunwoodie Travel Bureau, Ltd.; Edelman; Foyil Securities; IBM Ukraine; KPMG Ukraine; Kyiv Mohyla Foundation of America (KMF); Mars Ukraine; Microsoft; Pratt & Whitney - Paton; R & J Trading International; RZB Finance (Raiffeisen Group); SE Raelin/Cajo , Inc.; SoftServe, Inc.; The Washington Group(TWG); Ukraine International Airlines (UIA); Vasil Kisil & Partners law firm; Winner Imports Ukraine (Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, Porsche); Zurich Surety, Credit, & Political Risk; DRS Technologies, Inc., the International Services Corporation (ISC), and the Broad Street Capital Group.

USUBC MEMBERSHIP NOW OVER 100 AND STILL GROWING
Over One-Hundred Members, May, 2009, Membership in January of 2007 was 22. 
LINK: http://www.usubc.org/members.php

1.  3M Ukraine
2.  AeroSvit Ukrainian Airlines
3.  AES Corporation
4.  AGCO Corporation
5.  Air Tractor, Inc.
6.  Aitken-Berlin, LLP/ASIA
7.  ALICO/AIG Ukraine
8.  American Continental Group
9.  American Councils for International Education
10.  AnaCom, Inc.

11.  Anemone Group
12.  Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM)
13.  Asters law firm
14.  Atlantic Group
15.  Baker & McKenzie law firm
16.  Baker Tilly Ukraine
17.  Blufer & Associates
18.  The Boeing Company
19.  Bracewell & Giuliani LLP law firm
20.  Broad Street Capital Group
21.  Bunge North America
22.  Cargill
23.  Case New Holland
24.  CEC Government Relations
25.  Chadbourne & Parke LLP law firm
26.  Charles H. Camp, Law Offices of Charles H. Camp
27.  Cisco Systems, Inc.
28.  The Coca-Cola Company
29.  Commonwealth Energy Partners (CEP)
30.  ContourGlobal Ukraine
31.  Crumpton Group
32.  Deere & Company
33.  Defense Technology, Inc. (DTI)
34.  DHL International Ukraine
35.  Dipol Chemical International Inc.
36.  DLA Piper LLC law firm
37.  DRS Technologies, Inc.
38.  Dunwoodie Travel Bureau, Ltd. 
39.  Edelman Europe
40.  EPAM Systems

41.  Ernst & Young
42.  The Eurasia Foundation
43.  First International Resources
44.  Foundation for International Arts & Education (FIAE)
45.  Foyil Securities
46.  General Dynamics
47.  Halliburton
48.  Heller & Rosenblatt law firm
49.  Holtec International
50.  Horizon Capital Advisors, LLC-
            Emerging Europe Growth Fund
51.  IBM Ukraine
52.  IMTC-MEI
53.  International Services Corporation (ISC)
54.  International Tax and Investment Center (ITIC)
55.  Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson
            International Center for Scholars
56.  KPMG - Ukraine
57.  Kraft Foods Ukraina
58.  Kyiv Atlantic Group of Companies
59.  Kyiv Mohyla Foundation of America (KMF)
60.  Magisters law firm
61.  Marks, Sokolov & Burd, LLC law firm
62.  Mars Ukraine
63.  Maryland's Division of International Investment & Trade;
              Department of Business and Economic Development
64.  MaxWell
65.  Microsoft
66.  Nationwide Equipment Company
67.  Northrop Grumman
68.  Och-Ziff Capital Management Group
69.  Open World Leadership Center at the
               U.S. Library of Congress
70.  The PBN Company
71.  Pratt & Whitney - Paton
72.  Procter & Gamble (P&G)
73.  R & J Trading International Inc.
74.  RULG - Ukrainian Legal Group law firm
75.  RZB Finance (Raiffeisen Group)
76.  Salans law firm
77.  SE Raelin/Cajo, Inc.
78.  Shell Oil Company
79.  SigmaBleyzer Private Equity Investment Group
80.  Siguler Guff & Co, LLC
81.  Softline Company
82.  SoftServe, Inc.
83.  Squire, Sanders and Dempsey LLP law firm
84.  Sweet Analysis Services, Inc. (SASI)
85.  TD International, LLC
86.  The State Export-Import Bank of Ukraine
87.  The Washington Group (TWG)
88.  TNK-BP Commerce LLC
89.  Ukraine International Airlines (UIA)
90.  Ukrainian American Bar Association (UABA)

91.  Ukrainian American Coordinating Council (UACC)
92.  Ukrainian-American Environmental Association (UAEA)
93.  Ukrainian Development Company (UDC)
94.  Ukrainian Federation of America (UFA)
95.  Umbra, LLC
96   UPS International Ukraine
97.  U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation (CRDF)
98.  U.S.-Ukraine Foundation (USUF)
99.  Vanco Energy Company
100.  Vasil Kisil & Partners law firm

101.  Vision TV LLC
102.  Westinghouse Electric Company
103.  Winner Imports Ukraine (Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, Porsche)
104.  WJ Agricultural Group
105.  Zurich Surety, Credit & Political Risk

USUBC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD
OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
For Year 2009 (http://www.usubc.org/excommittee.php)

Margarita Karpenko
Managing Partner
DLA Piper Ukraine LLC
Kyiv, Ukraine

Michael E. Kirst
Regional Vice President
Central/Eastern Europe and Russia
Westinghouse Electric Company
Brussels, Belgium

Paul Nathanson
Principal
Bracewell & Giuliani LLP
Washington, D.C.

Dr. Irina Paliashvili
President and Senior Counsel
RULG-Ukrainian Legal Group, P.A.
Washington, D.C./Kyiv, Ukraine

Andrew A. Pidgirsky
Chairman
Board of Governors
Ukrainian American Bar Association (UABA)
Houston, TX

Mara L. Sovey
Director, International Affairs
John Deere Public Affairs Worldwide
Deere & Co.
Washington, D.C.

Samir B. Sahgal
Director, International Operations
Washington, D.C. Operations
The Boeing Company
Arlington, VA
       Treasurer, USUBC

Patrick H. Sweet
President
Sweet Analysis Services, Inc. (SASI)
Alexandria, VA

Arnold F. Wellman
Vice President
Corporate Public Affairs
Domestic/International
UPS
Washington, D.C.

E. Morgan Williams
Director, Government Affairs
Washington Office
SigmaBleyzer Private Equity Investment Group
Washington, D.C. 
       Chairman, Executive Committee, USUBC
       President/CEO, USUBC

Van A. Yeutter
Vice President, Corporate Affairs
Cargill
Washington, D.C.

Jack I. Heller
Attorney at Law
Heller & Rosenblatt
Washington, D.C.
       Legal Counsel, USUBC

SENIOR ADVISORS TO USUBC- 2009
 
Dr. Anders Aslund, Senior Fellow
Peterson Institute for International Economics
Washington, D.C.
 
Andy Bihun, President
Global Trade Development, Inc.
Director, Business Development Forum
The Washington Group (TWG)
Washington, D.C.
 
Ariel Cohen, Ph.D, Senior Research Fellow
Allison Center for International Studies,
Davis Institute for International Studies,
The Heritage Foundation
Washington, D.C.
 
Keith Crane, Senior Economist
Rand Corporation
Washington, D.C.
 
Leonid Kozachenko, President
Ukrainian Agrarian Confederation (UAC)
Kyiv, Ukraine

William Green Miller
Woodrow Wilson Center Senior Policy Scholar 
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine

Washington, D.C.
 
Steven Pifer, Visiting Fellow
The Brookings Institution
Senior Advisor, Russia & Eurasia Program, CSIS
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine
Washington, D.C.
 
Dr. Edilberto Segura, Partner, Chief Economist
SigmaBleyzer Private Equity Investment Group
Chair of the Advisory Board of The Bleyzer Foundation
Kyiv, Ukraine
 
Keith Smith, Senior Associate
Europe Program, CSIS
Former U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania
Washington, D.C.