Export Stories Podcast

I always enjoy interviewing U.S. manufacturers with a long history of export because they are, in some ways, the heart of what Export Stories Podcast is all about. Today’s guest, Blanca Ramirez, works for one such remarkable company, and has some wonderful stories to share from her long experience in international trade.  Blanca is the Green Hydrogen Solutions Manager for Lectro Dryer, a Kentucky Company that serves international gases and liquids industries. I hope you enjoy this episode. After you’ve listened, we would love to hear your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages. 

In our last episode with Ohio State’s CIBER’s Dr. Michael Knemeyer and Dominic DiCamillo, they proudly referred to Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business’ National Center for the Middle Market.  Such an important resource center; so, I am delighted to have as today’s guest the Managing Director, Doug Farren.  We had a great discussion about the varied work that they do.  I know you will find it interesting. I hope you enjoy this episode. After you’ve listened, we would love to hear your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

Sixteen of the U.S.’s great academic institutions host what is called The Centers for International Business Education and Research (CIBERs), created by an act of Congress. Through my great fortune, and some effort, we are lucky to host the Ohio State CIBER, with Michael Knemeyer, Professor of Logistics, Marketing & Logistics and International Programs through CIBER, and Dominic DiCamillo, Senior Director, Office of Global Business/CIBER.We had a great discussion about their initiatives related to exports, global trade, and international logistics.  However, the Ohio State CIBER is unique in many ways. You’ll want to listen to learn more.I hope you enjoy this episode. After you’ve listened, we would love to hear your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

We’re back – finally - for year 7 of Export Stories Podcast.  I’m pinching myself.  Thank you for joining us.I was very determined that our first episode of 2025 would be about AI and exports.  I found the perfect guest for a ‘deep dive’ discussion.  He is Paul Edelblut, Vice President of Global Operations for Vantage Labs.  We are so honored to have Paul join us.  You’ll hear the voluminous questions that I had for Paul, and the ease in which he is able to discuss the technology and its relevance to the export community. And, of course, he shared some fascinating stories with us.I hope you enjoy this episode. After you’ve listened, we would love to hear your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

You have probably noticed that I keep coming back to the subject of agriculture on this podcast – for very good reasons – it is critical to the U.S. export economy.  And then it occurred to me – here, practically in my own backyard, in Shelby County, TN, we have the most amazing not-for-profit organization – Agricenter International. So, it is our good fortune that the President and CEO, John Butler, agreed to be my guest and enlighten us all about the Agricenter.  John’s background is both unique and fascinating.  I hope you enjoy our conversation.After you’ve listened, we would love to hear your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

What a great conversation we have lined up for you today!  Our guest, Andrew White, is the President of Comptus, a New Hampshire manufacturer and seller of commercial environmental sensors and controls. You will learn what they do and how they serve many important markets. Andrew earned his Bachelor of Arts in Government from Harvard University, and an MBA from Plymouth State University. When asked to be a guest on our podcast, he was happy to have a chance to share his success stories with other exporters or those new to exporting. That, of course, is what Export Stories is all about. Comptus is a fascinating business, and I hope you enjoy this episode. After you’ve listened, we would love to hear your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

It is a pleasure to have as our guest Chris Wingo, Founder and Managing Director of China Sage Consultants. A native of Southern California, Chris has been dedicated to helping businesses thrive in China since 1997. He is now considered an expert on SME strategies for China and Asia. I really enjoyed our conversation and, given his history and experience, I think you will be fascinated by his export stories. I hope you enjoy this episode. After you’ve listened, we would love to hear your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

I like to think of today’s episode as a sixth generation of this podcast.  That’s because I was introduced to today’s guest, Brian Genjian, by a guest from our 1st year’s podcast, C.J. Pinajian. (BTW, you can go back and listen to that episode through our website)Brian has a long, diverse career in international trade and logistics, and he shares many of these stories.  While we talk a little international logistics history, we cover many of the issues affecting today’s supply chain.I hope you enjoy this episode. After you’ve listened, we would love to hear your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

Our guest, Peter Clement, shares some very valuable financial information for exporters.  Peter is the Senior Vice President for International Financing at Rosenthal & Rosenthal, Inc., with Headquarters in New York, New York.   Peter specializes in providing expertise in trade finance for international corporations. Here’s a rhetorical question– what exporter does not need some kind of financial assistance to grow their export program, such as international factoring? Peter walks us through non-bank financing 101 and tell us about the types of options and services they offer.We had a wonderful discussion.   After you’ve listened, we would love for you to share your thoughts and comments, which you can post on the episode page at exportstoriespodcast.com or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.I want to thank Rosenthal & Rosenthal for their sponsorship of today’s podcast. Thank you very much for listening!

Welcome back to Export Stories Podcast 2024!There is a reason why Argentek was named Exporter of the Year in Delaware for 2023 by the U.S. Small Business Administration. And to explore what makes this exporter so special, we have the good fortune to be joined by Andres Molanes, Andy to his peers, the founder and CEO of Argentek.Their claim is ‘distributing the world’s most innovative tech’, but their story should resound with every exporter.We had a wonderful discussion.   After you’ve listened, we would love for you to share your thoughts and comments, which you can post on our episode page at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.I want to thank our wonderful sponsor of today’s podcast, Levy Commercial Realty, LLC, your long-term strategic real estate partner, from concept to completion. Thank you very much for listening! 

In today’s podcast, we visit with a Virginia company, and we get rather technical with you.  That’s because our guest, Kevin Speers, is CEO and Co-Founder of SPLICE, a technology company that has created a data sharing and translation system that automates processes.  Mouthful? yes.  Understandable?  Of course, because Kevin talks to us about his company, and explains the services they offer the export/import community. I hope you enjoy this episode. After you’ve listened, we would love to hear your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

With this episode, I’m going to introduce you to a company that offers products with such intriguing flavors as Rose Hip, Chrysanthemum Honey, Ginger, and Cranberry .  The company is Koval Distillery, and I had a marvelous conversation with our distinguished guest, Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart, co-founder and President.  Prior to opening KOVAL Distillery, one of the largest fully independent and woman-owned craft distilleries in the US, she spent over a decade as a full professor in both the United States and Germany.  In 2008, she gave up tenure in hopes of a different quality of life; one that would afford an opportunity for her to work with her husband, give up commuting, and return to the city she loved: Chicago. I hope you enjoy this episode. After you’ve listened, we would love to hear your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

Let me tell you a story about today’s podcast.  So, you are going along, growing your export business and it’s very exciting. And you are very pleased with yourself. The time comes to meet with your tax advisor. He or she explains what you need to do and what options you have, and then it’s the end of the presentation. Wait a minute? He or she never brings up the possibility of creating an IC-DISC?  It happens. But that’s okay, because you are going to listen to today’s guest, Amit Mathur, Co-Founding Partner of Quantitax, educate all of us about this beautiful, potential tax break known as the IC-DISC. And the next time you meet with your tax advisor, you will sound so darn smart! After you’ve listened, we would love to hear your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.

For this episode, we go to Ohio for a manufacturing story.  We explore the global oil and gas industry from an insider who knows the ropes. Our guest is Sandy Winans, Global Trade Compliance Manager for Altronic. You may not be familiar with Altronic if you are not connected with the industry, but they play an instrumental part (that’s a pun) in how pipelines run safely. We speak with Sandy specifically about how Altronic, over the years, has contributed to improvements in the oil & gas industry that have benefited the environment.  It’s quite fascinating.After you’ve listened, we would love to hear your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages. 

Welcome back to Export Stories Podcast 2023. This is the 2nd in a two-part series of Iowa episodes.  You may remember my lauded episode with Transagra. I am very excited to interview today’s guest.  He has received numerous accolades and awards for his success as an entrepreneur, developing new markets in Africa for U.S. products. His name is Eddy Djagou and he joins us from his company headquarters in Muscatine, IA.  His story is amazing.Eddy and I had a wonderful discussion. After you’ve listened, we would love for you to share your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.I want to thank our wonderful sponsor of today’s podcast, Levy Commercial Realty, LLC, your long-term strategic real estate partner, from concept to completion.Thank you very much for listening! 

Thank you for joining Export Stories Podcast 2023.  Speaking to us from Portland, OR is Richard Biggs, Director, North America for Trade Horizons. Richard is a global business development executive with a wealth of hands-on experience spanning diverse industries, economies, and cultures. His journey is a great story unto itself.  We had a marvelous discussion about his international market entry work; and, oh yes, I also had to ask him about his experience as a former international athlete.  I want to thank our wonderful sponsor of today’s podcast, Levy Commercial Realty, LLC, your long-term strategic real estate partner, from concept to completion.  Thank you very much for listening! 

Welcome back to Export Stories Podcast 2023.  Today, we travel virtually to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. This episode is our podcast podcast.  That’s right, we are speaking to a very experienced podcaster whose work includes exploring global business trends.  Our guest is Jeff Ostroff, Principal of Jeff Ostroff & Associates, LLC.Jeff is the creator of the Looking Forward podcast, which covers an extremely wide range of topics, and the Healthcare On the Horizon podcast, both of which have global content. From his experience as a podcaster and from his multi-faceted career as a marketing and communications professional, Jeff shares many surprising and inspiring stories.I want to thank our wonderful sponsor of today’s podcast, Levy Commercial Realty, LLC, your long-term strategic real estate partner, from concept to completion. Thank you very much for listening! 

Welcome back to Export Stories Podcast 2023.  South Dakota – home of the Badlands and Mount Rushmore – is also a prolific exporting state.In case this is surprising to you, just listen to what our experienced guest has to say about it.  We were honored to speak with Luke J. Lindberg, President & CEO of South Dakota Trade, an association responsible for strengthening the state’s competitiveness in the global economy.He has a long and varied experience in U.S. export policy, which makes him well suited to share his stories about South Dakota exports.We had a wonderful discussion.  After you’ve listened, we would love for you to share your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.I want to thank our wonderful sponsor of today’s podcast, Levy Commercial Realty, LLC, your long-term strategic real estate partner, from concept to completion. Thank you very much for listening! 

For this episode of Export Stories Podcast 2023, we visit a dynamic region of the country centered around Huntsville, Alabama, known for NASA and space related industries; but, of course, it is so much more. We are joined by two guests today, Anne Burkett of the North Alabama International Trade Association (NAITA), a non-profit business-driven membership trade association., and Deborah E. McGee, President & CEO of PZI Consulting, a unique international HR company from the region.PZI stands for People Zealously Connected, and you’ll find out why when we explore their services of Talent Globalization, Global Staffing & Recruitment, and Global Payroll Solutions.We also talk about the story of Huntsville where export business is booming.We had a wonderful discussion.  After you’ve listened, we would love for you to share your thoughts and comments, which you can post on our episode page at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.I want to thank our wonderful sponsor of

Welcome to our Intermodal episode of Export Stories Podcast 2023. Every exporter within earshot of this podcast has stories to tell about their logistics experiences. To make sense of current and future trends in the intermodal industry, we were honored to speak with Donna Lemm, the Chief Commercial Officer for IMC Companies. IMC is an influential logistics provider headquartered in Collierville, TN.Donna has been serving the international maritime industry for over 30 years. She has many relatable stories to tell and shares her insights on the current state of the Intermodal Industry. We had a wonderful discussion.  After you’ve listened, we would love for you to share your thoughts and comments, which you can post at https://www.exportstoriespodcast.com/ or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.I want to thank our wonderful sponsor of today’s podcast, Levy Commercial Realty, LLC, your long-term strategic real estate partner, from concept to completion. Thank you very much for listening!