**The 1999 Sixth Annual******

**CIS and Eastern Europe**

# Business Forum

** **

***focusing on*******

** **

**Success in the CIS**

**and**

**Eastern Europe******

** **

**Saturday, November 13, 1999**

**8:30 am to 6:00 pm******

** **

** **

**with******

***Discussion & Networking Sessions*******

**Sunday, November 14, 1999**

**9:00 am to 12:00 noon******

** **

**and******

***Pre-conference Reception*********

**Friday, November 12, 1999**

**7:30 pm******

** **

** **

**University of Arizona McClelland Hall**

**1130 E. Helen Street, Room 208**

**Tucson, Arizona**

** **

** **

**Organized by The University of Arizona**

**Department of Russian and Slavic Languages**

 

 

**SUCCESS IN THE CIS & EASTERN EUROPE**

 

*  This symposium is designed to assist those who are planning to dobusiness in countries of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe or who arecurrently doing business there. The program includes case studies of successful businesses,presentations on support programs available, and analyses of current legal,political, cultural, and economic issues.***

               

   ***Session1. *The political and economicscene.**   **Linda Wetzel**,partner in the consulting firm Kinsinger, Wetzel & Associates and adjunctprofessor at the American Graduate School of InternationalManagement–Thunderbird,  willpresent a survey of the current business environment in Belarus, Moldova, andthe Caucasus.  Ms Wetzel willaddress such issues as the economic impact of Russia’s financial crisis onthose countries, the status and long-term implications of the internationalCaspian oil rush, and the political-psychological effects of NATO expansion,the Kosovo war, and other recent events.

 

   ***Session 2***.  **US Government support.**  A panel of US governmentrepresentatives will provide information about the following programs:   **BISNIS** (BusinessInformation Service for the CIS), which provides an assessment of businessopportunities as well as information on the latest regulations and legislationin the CIS;**SABIT** (Special American Business Internship TrainingProgram), the internship program for CIS managers whom you can train here inthe US to work for your business in the CIS;**CEEBIC** (Central and EasternEurope Information Center), which provides such services as economic,commercial, and financial information, trade leads, individualized businesscounseling, overseas networking, and reconstruction opportunities in Bosnia andthe Balkans.

 

 ** *Session 3***.  **Poland, Ukraine, Hungary.**  Presentations by **Boleslaw Meluch,**Consulfor Commercial Affairs, Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in LosAngeles, in charge of economic relations, exports and investment promotion andan expert in investment, privatization and finance; **Dr Yaroslav Voitko**,Chief of Trade and Economic Mission of Ukraine in the US Embassy of Ukraine,who will discuss business opportunities in Ukraine in the current political andeconomic climate; and **Tibor Zselinszky**, Trade Commissioner, HungarianTrade Commission, which promotes trade and investment relations between the USand Hungary.

 

 ** *Session 4***. ** Investment and privatization.**  Presentation by **Thomas J Volgy, PhD**,U of Arizona, who specializes in international politics, democratic processes,and domestic public policy.  Dr Volgy has been actively involved in the training of governmentofficials in the areas of democratic political developments in Russia,Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Estonia, Hungary, Romania, and Kyrgystan.  He will provide an overview of thepolitical and democratic process in Central Asia and Eastern Europe; and **SteveBataldin, PhD**, Arizona State U, co-director of Russian and East EuropeanStudies Consortium (REESC) which administers research, training, and outreachprograms involving the lands and people of Eastern Europe and Eurasia.  Dr. Bataldin will focus on investmentand construction opportunities in the context of restructuring andprivatization in the Balkans.

 

   ***  Session 5***.  **Case Studies.** Presentations by**Michael A Nardi, PhD**,president of Nardi Group, an international management consulting groupspecializing in strategic planning, business development and government relationswith extensive experience in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union; **M WWashburn**, president of Foodpro International, Inc, an engineeringconsulting firm to the food industry that established a food processing plantin Moldova.  He is currently involvedin several technology transfer projects in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, andTajikistan; **Bogdan  Caceu**,managing partner of Caal Brothers, an investigative consulting firm based inSan Francisco with international experience, who will offer advice on preparingfor international business transactions in the CIS and Eastern Europe, avoidingthe corruption so endemic in emerging markets and protecting assets andintellectual property;**John L McKenzie**, vice president of McKenzie& Rains, an international business and trade development firm specializingin Central Europe and member of TEC USA, a consortium of small firms. TEC USAhas developed and implemented a number of projects in Czech Republic andRomania; and **Lawrence Linson**, director of business development for theCIS and Eastern Europe for the Modular Mining division of Komatsu MiningSystems, who will focus on doing business in CIS in 1999 in the context ofcontinuing political instability in Russia and upcoming elections.

 

  ***Session 6***.  **Finance and technology transfer.**  Presentations by ** Tim Bruinsma**, an internationalbusiness attorney and head of the International Practice Group in the LosAngeles office of Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP, and founder and chairman ofthe California-Russia Trade Association. He has represented numerous clients, such as Kellogg, Walt Disney, andthe American Honda Motor Co., in CIS matters.  His discussion will focus on international project financein Russian (CIS)-American transactions; **Steve Packer**, vice president ofsales and marketing, Comtech Communication Corporation, a firm dealing withdataprocessing, data-, tele-, and satellite communications.  His extensive international businessexperience includes work for such companies as IBM, Honeywell, StorageTechnology Corporation, and others; **Ursula McLoughlin**, president ofCorona Hospitality, and **Emett McLoughlin**, president of Fair WindsTrading Co, with successful joint ventures in Kazakhstan and Georgia, willdiscuss plans to develop new markets encompassing 22 countries and 450 millionpeople in Eastern Europe through the International Business Club–Gaussig inEast Germany; and **Susan Weidner**, consultant, former executive directorof the Enterprise Initiatives group at Thunderbird in charge of AmericanBusiness Centers in Russia and senior commercial officer at the US Embassy inKazakhstan and Bulgaria.

 

 

**The 1999 Sixth Annual******

**CIS & Eastern Europe Business Forum******

**General Information**

 

     The symposium will take place on thepremises of  the University ofArizona McClelland Hall in Room 208, 1130 E. Helen Street, Tucson,Arizona.  It will open with areception on Friday, November 12, at 7:30 pm.  The schedule for Saturday, November 13, is as follows:

 

                                                      8:30            Session1          

                                                      9:00            Session2

                                                      10:30          Session3

                                                      12:00          LunchBreak

                                                      1:00            Session4

                                                      2:00            Session5

                                                      4:00            Session6

        

Discussions and Networking Sessions on Sunday,November 14, will be held as follows:                                         

                                                      9:00            Session1

                                                          10:30-12:00        Session2

                                   

     The registration fee of $115 is to be paid by **October15, 1999.**  Full-time studentregistration fee is $25.  You areencouraged to register early as space is limited.  Reservations for accommodations at the Marriott UniversityPark hotel may be made nationwide by calling 1-800-228-9200 by October 11.  The Marriott, a Four-Diamond “Jewel inthe Desert” hotel with 250 beautifully appointed guest rooms, is located nearthe University at 880 E. Second Street, Tucson, Arizona.  

 

*      Persons with a disability mayrequest a reasonable accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, bycalling 520-626-4007.  Requestsshould be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.*

 

     For further information, please call520-626-4007 at The University of Arizona Department of Russian and SlavicLanguages and ask for senior lecturer Roza Simkhovich or department head Dr.George Gutsche.  Last minuteprogram changes can be found on the conference Web site: go to   and follow the link to Business Forum 99.

 

 

*Partial support for this symposium has been graciouslyprovided by:*

*Nancy and Bill Edwards*

*Loews Ventana Canyon Resort*

*and Marriott University Park*

 

 

**Registration Form**

**CIS & Eastern Europe Business Forum**

**November 12-14, 1999**

 

Name    _______________________________________________________________

 

Title  ________________________________________________________________

 

Institution/Business ___________________________________________________

 

Address   ____________________________________________________________

 

City _________________________________________________________________

 

State____________________________________ Zip  ________________________

 

Office Phone _________________________________________________________

 

Home Phone (opt) ___________________________________________________

 

E-mail   _______________________________________________________________

 

Fax  _________________________________________________________________

 

I will attend reception on Friday   Yes _    No_

I will attend lunch on Saturday                       Yes _    No _

 

               Paymentinformation: Total Payment $                           

              _  Check enclosed, payable to UAFoundation

               _ Credit card:   _  VISA OR _  MasterCard   (ONLY)

 

               Acct#__________________________________Exp______________   

 

               Signature_______________________________Amount$__________      

 

(Note:registration fees are not considered a tax-deductible contribution to the UAFoundation)****

** **

*Please send this form with registration fee to:*

 

**The CIS Business Forum**

**Department of Russian and Slavic Languages**

**The University of Arizona**

**PO Box 210067**

**Tucson, Arizona 85721-0067**