Committees

International Committee

Mission Statement


The mission of NVTC's International Committee is to be the leading organization in enhancing and facilitating international business that is mutually beneficial to not only NVTC's membership but to the global community as well. Through meetings, events, and hosting foreign delegations, the NVTC International Committee keeps the Northern Virginia technology community current on global trends in technology policy and promotes the Northern Virginia technology community to an international audience.

This year's committee meetings feature senior-level technology executives as guest speakers. Recent speakers include Mike Daniels of SAIC, Bob Dinkel of FedResults and Bob Kahn of Corporation for National Research Initiatives, who discussed future trends and lessons learned in doing business in a global economy.

What's New

NVTC's International Committee Infused with New Energy


The NVTC International Committee, under the leadership of Committee Chair Randy Reade of Zipzone and NVTC Board Liaison Jim LeBlanc of the American-Kuwaiti Alliance, has been buzzing with new energy since launching its new mission and goals. The committee's executive committee met last summer to develop the mission statement and goals, which they've been executing with the help of new sub-committee chairmen: Outreach Sub-committee Chair David Giebink of Inscite; Programs Sub-committee Chair Lauri Rodich of Rose Financial Services; and Communications Sub-committee Co-Chairs Dawn Li of Data and Analytic Solutions and Camilo Correa of Microfinish-IT.

Building on the momentum from the successful launch a year ago of the online Global Resource Map (www.NVTCGlobalResourceMap.org), the International Committee hosted three high-level guest speakers at its fall 2007 meetings. NVTC Board Member Mike Daniels of SAIC encouraged an October audience to "think big and think globally" and to have focus, "but don't dabble or your business won't grow significantly." At the November meeting, NVTC Board Member Bob Dinkel of FedResults talked about his lessons learned while with Computer Associates as he dealt with his "biggest challenges"—localization issues such as translation, foreign cultures and country-specific laws. NVTC Board Member and a founder of the Internet Bob Kahn of Corporation for National Research Initiatives talked in December about his thoughts on the future of the Internet and its impact on global business.

The NVTC International Committee closed 2007 by hosting an intimate interactive roundtable dinner to facilitate dialogue among UK science, technology and investment concerns and Northern Virginia-based companies and technology CXOs interested in investment opportunities in Britain or establishing a presence there. Jim LeBlanc facilitated the discussion, and NVTC President & CEO Bobbie Kilberg was on hand to welcome the participants. The sponsors of the dinner were the South East England Development Agency and UK Trade & Investment.

With the recent launching of the "Embassy Initiative," the NVTC International Committee opened 2008 by contacting representatives from all the embassies with significant or emerging technology sectors. Plans are afoot to bring the embassy officials together for meetings throughout 2008 to discuss successes and hurdles in developing their countries' technology sectors. The committee also plans to facilitate and encourage these countries to learn from each other and form potential partnerships.

To learn how to be part of the NVTC International Committee, as well as to expand your business globally, contact Randy Reade at zltd@earthlink.net.


Middle East Working Group


NVTC's International Committee has created a "Middle East Working Group." The Working Group's mission will be to work with NVTC Members, Middle Eastern governments and business interests, and US technology companies to promote initiatives that would advance common business interests. The Middle East Working Group initiation is timely because:

  • The Middle East’s regional economy, and especially Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries, are growing very rapidly
  • The Middle East technology markets are growing at a CAGR of 19.7%
  • The GCC economy and investment fund reserves are in rapid rise
  • Investment funds based in the region are aggressively seeking technology investment opportunities
  • Governments, businesses, and investment funds are positively inclined toward US businesses and opportunities due to significant legal, financial, and political factors
The Middle East Working Group would raise awareness of the Middle East technology and systems integration market as one of the fastest growing region globally for technology use and penetration. The Working Group will bring together various companies and government business promotion entities to showcase the opportunities that exist for NVTC members in the Middle East.

The Working Group will initiate activities that would create a dialogue among NVTC members, US technology firms, US academia, and Middle Eastern businesses and ministries to showcase the various technology needs in the region. Additionally, the Working Group will explore the idea of supporting a delegation to several Middle East countries in the fall of 2008 to see first hand the opportunities and make high level contacts. Moreover, the Chair of the Working Group will be charged with helping to increase membership from foreign government representatives and businesses where possible.

The Chairman of the Middle Eastern Working Group is David H. Dastvar, Managing Partner of The InnoVest Group. All members of NVTC are welcome to participate in the Working Group activities.

For more information, please contact Randall Reade, NVTC International Committee Chairman at: zltd@earthlink.net.


Your Competition is Global
Shouldn't you be?

NVTC Launches Unique Web-based Resource:
The NVTC Global Resource Map

The Northern Virginia Technology Council launched a unique Web-based resource for the technology business community of Northern Virginia and beyond: the NVTC Global Resource Map (www.NVTCGlobalResourceMap.org). The goals of the map, geared for both technology companies with an established international presence and for those interested in "going global," are to facilitate international strategic business partnerships and educate companies about business in the global economy.

"While obtaining data for the map, NVTC was amazed to learn about the number and diversity of our member companies with international operations," said Jim LeBlanc, Member of the NVTC Board of Directors, founding Chairman and current Board Liaison to the NVTC International Committee, and Executive Director of the American-Kuwaiti Alliance. "This impressive international presence shows that Northern Virginia companies are an important part of the global technology economy. NVTC member companies of all sizes are realizing that their market and their competition aren't local-they are global. Companies that ignore this fact are at risk of being at a serious competitive disadvantage."

The site features an interactive world map where visitors can locate NVTC member companies doing business in countries all over the world. While listing on the map is a benefit of NVTC membership, anyone can access the map and its resources for free.

"Every company, no matter what size, needs to consider its global market and competition right from the start," said Randy Reade, Chairman of the NVTC International Committee and President of Zipzone Ltd. "The NVTC International Committee has a responsibility to educate NVTC members not only on how to develop an effective global business plan, but also on complex international trade agreements and policy issues that directly affect U.S. businesses in the global marketplace."

The NVTC Global Resource Map was the "brainchild" of the NVTC International Committee.

Click here to view the map.


Upcoming Events

To see the entire line up of NVTC Events click here.

Meetings

Committee Meetings - Northern Virginia Technology Council Committee Meeting:

To Be Announced

Archives

NVTC International Committee Hosts UK Science and Innovation Review Roundtable Dinner
Dinner Held to Encourage Dialogue Exchange Among UK Science, Tech and Investment Interests and Local Companies

On November 28th, the NVTC International Committee hosted an intimate interactive roundtable dinner to facilitate dialogue among UK science, technology and investment concerns and Northern Virginia-based companies and CXOs interested in investment opportunities in Britain or establishing a presence there. NVTC Board Member Jim LeBlanc, Executive Director of the American-Kuwaiti Alliance and Board Liaison for the NVTC International Committee, facilitated the discussion, and NVTC President & CEO Bobbie Kilberg was on hand to welcome the participants. The sponsors of the dinner were the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and UK Trade & Investment (UKTI).

Making the participants "work for their dinner," an entertaining contest that challenged the local participants to identify a number of innovative discoveries and products developed in the UK, such as the MRI, and the first modern locomotive, led off the evening's conversation. During the dinner discussion, Brian Ferrar, First Secretary, Science & Innovation, British Embassy in Washington, D.C.; John Womersley, Director of Science Strategy, Science and Technology Facilities Council, UK; Gayle Sellman, Vice Consul Trade & Investment, UKTI; and Amy Fitzgerald, Vice President, SEEDA, provided background on the innovation originating from academia, national labs, and the private science and technology sector in the UK, and the myriad opportunities for international investment. Ferrar commented that Britain possesses "an excellent science base" and a history of innovation. Currently seven out of the top 25 investments in UK R&D are from overseas interests, he said. Sellman provided an example of international collaboration among the private sector, government and academia, involving NVTC Business Partner SAIC. SAIC and the UK Biometrics Institute recently signed an agreement to collaborate on biometrics and identity projects.

Womersley said Britain is working to create a better collaborative environment among its universities, national labs and private industry to move research to market in an expedited manner. The UK also has created "Technology Gateway Centers," which are focal points for science and technology investment—and international investment in these centers is highly encouraged. He also briefed the dinner attendees on "The Race to the Top: A Review of Government's Science and Innovation Policies" released in October 2007.

Following up on a number of issues raised by Ferrar and Womersley, along with important questions about actually doing business in the UK, the participants enjoyed an informative and vigorous discussion that continued throughout the evening.


Bobbie Kilberg, NVTC President & CEO, welcomes attendees to the dinner. NVTC Board Member Jim LeBlanc of the American Kuwait Alliance, the facilitator for the evening's discussion, is at Kilberg's left.
(l-r) John Womersley of Technology Facilities Council, UK; David Green, Vice President, Research and Development, Command Information; and Limor Schafman, President, Keystone Tech Group, smile for the camera during the reception at the UK Science and Innovation Review Roundtable Dinner.


Business cards are exchanged by (l-r) Forrest Snowden, Senior Manager, Technology Integration, Deloitte Consulting, and Brian Ferrar of the British Embassy, Washington, D.C.

How to Join

To join and start receiving notifications of upcoming International Committee meetings and events contact the Committee Leadership.

For foreign delegations, please contact Nancy Rollman at nrollman@nvtc.org.

Committee Leaders

Chair:

Randall Reade, Zipzone Limited, (202) 543-5241, zltd@zipzone.net

Vice Chair: - EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2008, DAVID MITCHELL WILL BECOME THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIR

David Mitchell, Global Language Translation, Inc., (240) 401-6310, dmitchell@globalltinc.com

Board Liaison:

Jim LeBlanc, American-Kuwaiti Alliance, (202) 429-4999, jleblanc@american-kuwaitialliance.org

NVTC Liaison:

Nancy Rollman, International Committee Consultant, (703) 904-7878, nrollman@nvtc.org

Sub-committees:



Contact Us

All NVTC members are encouraged to join our committee and learn how to take your business global! Contact Randall Reade, zltd@earthlink.net.