Concept note »

Organizers of the Americas-Africa Business Forum

The Honorable Kamla Persad-Bissessar was born on the 22nd of April, 1952. As a little girl she was always interested in reading novels and was intrigued by the developing technologies of the time. Mrs. Persad-Bissessar graduated from Iere High School and went on to further her studies at the University of the West Indies, Norwood Technical College (England,) and the Hugh Wooding Law School. Consequently, she was awarded a B.A. (Hons.), a Diploma in Education, a B.A. of Laws (Hons.) and a Legal Education Certificate. In 2006 she obtained an Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) from the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, Trinidad.

On completion of her studies, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar entered the teaching profession. Her career history can be described as people-centered and one that has always focused her energy within the public’s eye. While in England pursuing studies, she worked as a social worker with the Church of England Children’s Society of London. She taught at the St. Andrew High School in Kingston, Jamaica and at the Mona Campus in Jamaica. Later, she taught at the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies in Trinidad. At the Jamaica College of Insurance she was also a Consultant Lecturer. Her next step was to lecture at a Tertiary Education institution. After lecturing for a total of six years, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar then became a full-time Attorney-at-Law.

In 1987 Mrs. Persad-Bissessar entered the political arena. From 1987 until 1991, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar served as an alderman for St. Patrick County Council. Representing the United National Congress in Opposition, she took the Oath of Allegiance at a sitting of the Senate on November 1, 1994. Since 1995 she has been the Member of Parliament for Siparia, serving as Attorney General, Minister of Legal Affairs and Minister of Education between 1995 and 2001. The United National Congress returned to the Opposition benches in 2002 and on April 26th, 2006, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar was appointed Leader of the Opposition, the first woman to ever hold that position in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Mrs. Persad-Bissessar was appointed Leader of the Opposition a second time on February 25, 2010, almost one month after she was elected political leader of the United National Congress.

On Tuesday May 26, 2010, two days after a victory at the polls, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar created history yet again, becoming the first woman to hold the office of Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Mrs. Persad-Bissessar is married to Dr. Gregory Bissessar and has one son.

Dr. Neil Parsan assumed the position of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America and The United Mexican States and Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the Organization of American States (OAS) on February 7, 2011. Dr. Parsan did his Undergraduate Medical Degree at the University of the West Indies, Faculty of Medical Sciences where he graduated with Distinction. After spending eight (8) years as a Lecturer/Tutor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences (UWI), he pursued a Master of Business Administration (MBA) where he graduated as Top Student with Distinction. He also holds a Registered Financial Consultant (RFC) Degree, a CACM from Harvard University School of Public Health and a Diploma in International Trade Management (Dip. ITM) from ITM Worldwide in Sweden. He was a Director in several Companies – locally and regionally. He is presently the Chairman of the Global Gas Council, a Director of the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business (GSB) Alumni Board and Vice President of the Private Hospitals Association of Trinidad and Tobago (PHATT). He has consulted on several Special Projects locally and internationally.

He has also been given the following recognition:

- Award for Leadership by the Cit of Philadelphia and Africa And Caribbean Business Council

- Statesman Award from Memorial of Congressman Payne

- The key to the City of Broward County, Florida

- Proclamation of 'Ambassador Dr. Neil Parsan Day' in the Cities of Boston, Hartford, Doral, Miami.

He is a Member of the Honorary International Committee on HIV/AIDS on Capitol Hill, Board of Advisors of the National Student Leadership Foundation of the USA, National Visitors Center International Program, American Red Cross Society (Gala 2012), Vice Chairman of the Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG) of the Summit of the Americas. Dr. Parsan currently serves as Co-Chair of the Ambassadors' Presidential Inauguration Ball 2013.

An avid runner and sports enthusiast, he does a lot of traveling and is fluent in Spanish as a Second language.

José Miguel Insulza was elected OAS Secretary General on May 2, 2005, and reelected March 24, 2010. The Chilean politician has an accomplished record of public service in his country. At the beginning of his five-year term as Secretary General, he pledged to strengthen the Organization’s “political relevance and its capacity for action.”

A lawyer by profession, he has a law degree from the University of Chile, did postgraduate studies at the Latin American Social Sciences Faculty (FLACSO), and has a master’s in political science from the University of Michigan. Until 1973, he was Professor of Political Theory at the University of Chile and of Political Science at Chile’s Catholic University. He also served, until that year, as Political Advisor to the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Chile. He became involved in politics during his student years and served as Vice President of the Student Association of the University of Chile (FECH), President of the Center for Law Students of the University of Chile and President of the Chilean National Union of Students of University Federations of Chile (UFUCH).

In the early 1970s, Insulza played an active role in Salvador Allende’s Popular Unity government and, following the coup that brought General Augusto Pinochet into power, he went into exile for 15 years, first in Rome (1974-1980) and then in Mexico (1981-1988). In Mexico City, he was a researcher and then Director of the United States Studies Institute in the Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE). He also taught at Mexico’s National Autonomous University, the Ibero-American University, and the Diplomatic Studies Institute.

Insulza was able to return to Chile in early 1988 and joined the Coalition of Parties for Democracy, the coalition that won the plebiscite against the Pinochet regime in October of that year. A member of the Socialist Party, he has held numerous high-level posts in several Coalition governments.

Under the presidency of Patricio Aylwin, Insulza served as Chilean Ambassador for International Cooperation, Director of Multilateral Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vice President of the International Cooperation Agency.

In March 1994, under the administration of President Eduardo Frei, Insulza became Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs and in September of that year was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 1999, he became Minister Secretary General of the Presidency, and the following year he became President Ricardo Lagos’s Minister of the Interior and Vice President of the Republic. When he left that post in May 2005, he had served as a government minister for more than a decade, the longest continuous tenure for a minister in Chilean history.

Insulza was born June 2, 1943, and is married to Georgina Nuñez Reyes. They have three children: Francisca, Javier and Daniel.

Albert R. Ramdin was reelected by acclamation for a second term as OAS Assistant Secretary General on March 24, 2010, Outlining his vision for this mandate, he called for greater unity in the Americas noting that “the only way we can move forward is if we dedicate ourselves individually and collectively to cooperate in advancing a positive common agenda that will foster meaningful progress.” Ambassador Ramdin has served as Assistant Secretary General since July 19, 2005.

The Surinamese diplomat has had a distinguished career in public service at the national and international level, serving before his election to the OAS as Ambassador at Large and Special Adviser to the Government of the Republic of Suriname on Western Hemispheric Affairs.

In Suriname, Ramdin served as Senior Adviser to the Minister of Trade and Industry, where he was intensively involved in restructuring the ministry and implementing an industrial development program. In the mid-1990s, he worked for two years in the private sector before returning to public service when he was appointed Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Finance.

In 1997, Ramdin became his country's Permanent Representative to the OAS, and two years later, he was also appointed to serve concurrently as Suriname's non-resident Ambassador to Costa Rica. As Ambassador to the OAS, Ramdin chaired the Permanent Council (January-March 1998) and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (1999), and coordinated the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ambassadors Caucus during Suriname's chairmanship of the subregional group.

In 1999, he joined the CARICOM Secretariat as Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations, where he was responsible for coordinating CARICOM's foreign policy and strengthening relations among its member states. He played a leading role in increasing cooperation with the Central American Integration System and the Andean Community. Ramdin coordinated CARICOM's technical preparations for the Third Summit of the Americas and was instrumental in ensuring that key issues were included in its Declaration and Plan of Action.

In 2001, Ramdin was named Adviser to the OAS Secretary General, with special attention to the Caribbean. He continued his close engagement with the situation in Haiti, dealt with issues of priority for small states, monitored the hemispheric trade agenda and briefed the General Secretariat on Caribbean concerns.

Born in Suriname on February 27, 1958, Ramdin received his education in Paramaribo and in The Netherlands, at the University of Amsterdam and the Free University, where he studied geography of developing countries with a specialization in social and economic problems of smaller economies in Latin America and the Caribbean.
 

Bernadette Paolo was named President and CEO of The Africa Society in 2006, succeeding the deceased President and Founder of the organization, Leonard H. Robinson, Jr. Prior to assuming this position, she served as Vice President of The Africa Society and Vice President of The National Summit on Africa. She was also the Summit’s Director of Field Operations, responsible for organizing six regional summits throughout the United States, outreach and mobilization efforts, and serving as an in-house Legal Counsel. Ms. Paolo was also instrumental in the founding and development of The Africa Society, and in creating and executing its educational programs.

Ms. Paolo has more than 25 years of experience in international affairs that includes an extensive career of 12 years in the U.S. Congress. For more than a decade, she was a professional staff member on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, now the House International Relations Committee. During that time, her positions included Staff Director and Counsel for the House Subcommittee on Africa, Deputy Staff Director for the Subcommittee on International Operations, and Staff Consultant and Deputy Staff Director of the House Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations.

While on Capitol Hill, Ms. Paolo represented Congress in 43 countries in the roles of negotiator, investigator, election observer, and arbitrator. In addition to managing Subcommittee staffs, she was responsible for formulating strategies and policy determinations for Members of Congress, as well as writing key pieces of legislation, speeches, and articles pertaining to foreign policy issues.

Ms. Paolo also worked as an international consultant with a private law practice in Washington, D.C. for four years. During this period, she advised foreign and domestic clients on economic and policy issues, and provided analysis and research on a wide range of subjects, including human rights, international trade, and electoral procedures. She also served as a criminal defense attorney.

Her other work experience includes teaching English at the secondary and university levels, as well as writing professionally. A native of West Virginia, Ms. Paolo received her B.A. from West Liberty College, her M.A. from West Virginia University, and her J.D. from Antioch School of Law. She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the West Virginia Bar. She is also on the Board of the Women’s Intercultural Network.
 

Stephen Hayes is president and CEO of The Corporate Council on Africa. In his 13-year tenure as president, he has led CCA to become fully engaged in the most political and economic issues affecting commerce between the U.S. and Africa. These complex issues range from intricate trade legislation and small business development to workplace AIDS concerns. He promotes CCA’s mandate “to increase and support U.S.-Africa economic engagement,” while creating an organization that recognizes a “one world” concept through ongoing international forums. For his work at CCA, Hayes was awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce its highest award in 2008, The Ron Brown Award for International Leadership.

The international leadership qualifications of Hayes are lifelong, beginning with a 1968 volunteer stint in a Middle East refugee camp. Before coming to CCA, he was engaged in the international non-profit sector, including key positions in some of the world’s largest international non-profit organizations, including the World Alliance of YMCAs in Geneva, Switzerland, and the world’s largest student exchange organization, AFS International. Hayes founded in 1985 the American Center for International Leadership, which was funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, Ford Foundation and others.

A tireless advocate of U.S.-Africa trade, he has assembled a stellar multi-cultural, multinational staff at CCA. Hayes has traveled to more than 120 nations, underscoring his innate respect for peoples and cultures around the world. He has received other numerous awards for his international work and leadership ability. In 2008, the Africa Chamber of Commerce of the U.S. honored Hayes with its award for outstanding contribution to U.S.-Africa relations, following then U.S. Sen. Barack Obama as the previous recipient. In 2004, the Transnet Foundation, South Africa’s largest foundation, chaired by Bishop Tutu, presented him the coveted Phelophepa Humanitarian Award for his organization’s contributions to economic development in South Africa. Hayes was a principal founder of the Infant Formula Campaign, often popularly known as the “Nestle’s Boycott” the only successful global citizens’ campaign.

Outlook for the Americas and Africa in the Global Economy: High-Level Policy Debate

Mr. Donald Kaberuka is currently serving his second five-year term as President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB). He was first elected in 2005, becoming the seventh president of the Bank Group since its establishment in 1963.

He was re-elected in May 2010 at the AfDB’s headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, for a second five-year term. He took the oath for his second term in September of that year in Tunis, the Bank’s current temporary relocation city. The Bank moved temporarily from Abidjan in 2003 due to the security situation there.

Before joining the African Development Bank, Mr. Kaberuka, 60, had a distinguished career in banking, international trade and development and government service A national of Rwanda, he was the country’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning between 1997 and 2005. During this period, he oversaw Rwanda’s successful economic reconstruction after the end of the civil war there.

He initiated and implemented major economic reforms and introduced new systems of structural, monetary and fiscal governance, laying special emphasis on the independence of Rwanda’s central bank.

These reforms led to the widely-recognized revival of Rwanda’s economy, and to the sustained economic growth that enabled Rwanda to obtain debt cancellation under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative in April 2005.

During his service at the AfDB, Mr Kaberuka has presided over a major redirection in its strategy for development and poverty reduction in Africa. To that end, the AfDB has placed increased emphasis on the private sector, and on the importance of major infrastructure developments in areas such as road, railways, power plants and communications, especially in their role in promoting regional integration in Africa.

During Mr Kaberuka’s period of office, the AfDB has become Africa’s premier financial institution. In 2009, in response to the global financial crisis, the African Development Bank Group made record approvals of loans and grants totaling more than USD 12.6 billion.

Donald Kaberuka was educated at universities in Tanzania and Scotland. He holds a PhD in Economics from Glasgow University.

Americas-Africa Partnership: Challenges and Opportunities

Jean Philippe Prosper is IFC’s, Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to this position he was IFC Director for Latin America and the Caribbean responsible for all of IFC's activities in the region.

Mr. Prosper joined IFC in 2000 as a Chief Investment Officer for Financial Markets covering West and Central Africa and a year later became Manager, Financial Markets for Sub-Saharan Africa, relocating to Johannesburg in 2003. Shortly thereafter, he relocated to Nairobi as Manager for East Africa. From July 2008 to August 2012, Mr. Prosper was the Director for Eastern and Southern Africa and a co-director of the Africa department. During Mr. Prosper’s tenure with the Africa department, IFC’s investment grew from $140 million in fiscal year 2003 to $4 billion in fiscal year 2012.

Prior to joining the IFC, from 1990 to 2000, Mr. Prosper worked for the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC), eventually holding responsibility for all operations in Mexico, the Andean countries, Central America, Belize, and Panama. Between 1986 and 1990, he worked at SOFIHDES, a private development finance company in Haiti, where he eventually became Managing Director. During this period, Mr. Prosper was also a professor of mathematics, statistics, and managerial and corporate finance at the State University of Haiti. In the early 1980's, Mr. Prosper worked as Advisor to the Minister of State of Haiti on Financial, Economic, and Industrial Affairs. He was in charge of all negotiations with multilateral organizations, including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Mr. Prosper is the recipient of the two most prestigious awards of the World Bank Group, the Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award in 2010 and the Good Manager Award in 2011. He holds an M.B.A. He is also a civil engineer with a degree in Mathematics.

Jean-Louis EKRA assumed his role as President and Chairman of the Board of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank or the Bank) in Cairo – Egypt in January 2005 after holding successively the positions of Executive Vice-President and Senior Executive Vice-President of the Bank. Under his leadership, the Bank was assigned an investment grade credit rating by 3 major international rating agencies (Fitch, Moody’s and S&P’s) and won many awards and Prizes for excellence given by various reputable organizations. He was re-appointed by Shareholders as President and Chairman of the Board for a second term in July 2010.

Before joining Afreximbank in 1996, he held senior positions in various institutions including: Vice-President in charge of International Financial Institutions at Citibank NA; Managing Director at Société Ivoirienne de la Poste et de l’Epargne (SIPE) which was the national Post and Savings institution of Côte d’Ivoire; Country Manager for the West African Economic & Monetary Union (UEMOA) region at Meridien BIAO sa. (Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire) and Partner at DKS Investment, a financial advisory firm in Jersey. He is currently Honorary President of the Global Network of Exim Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID). He holds a Master of Business Administration from Stern School of Business – New York University (NYU) and a Maîtrise en Sciences Economiques from University of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

In 2011, Mr. EKRA was listed among the 100 most influential people of Africa by New African, a leading pan-African publication.

Business Opportunities: The Energy Sector

On June 27th 2011, Senator the Honorable Kevin Ramnarine was appointed the Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.  At 39 years of age, Senator Ramnarine is one of the youngest Minister’s of Energy in the world. Prior to this, he held the office of Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs from May 2010 to June 2011.

Senator Ramnarine was born in 1972 and grew up in the village of Cumuto in East Trinidad. He attended the Guaico Presbyterian School where his mother served as the Principal for 17 years.  He later attended Hillview College in Tunapuna. At Hillview, he developed a love for mathematics and the natural sciences. 

This love for the sciences led him to the UWI at St. Augustine where he graduated with a B.Sc. degree in Chemistry in 1994.  He also went on to read for and graduate with a M.Sc. degree in Petroleum Engineering from the UWI in 2002.

He would later work as an Energy Research Specialist at the South Trinidad Chamber of Industry and Commerce (now the Energy Chamber). In his time at the Energy Chamber he worked on a range of policy issues impacting the national energy sector including fiscal reform, natural gas reserves, local content, downstream development and the strengthening of the local energy services sector. During his years at the Energy Chamber he read for and graduated with an International MBA from the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. This MBA degree was awarded with distinction in 2008.

Following his stint at the Energy Chamber he went to work with the country’s second largest producer of natural gas, BG T&T. At BG T&T, he worked as a Lead Economist for the East Coast Marine Area (ECMA) – one of the most prolific gas producing acreages in Trinidad and Tobago.  His time at BG was extremely valuable to his professional development in terms of giving him an in-depth knowledge of the workings of a multi-national oil and gas company. At BG T&T, he was exposed to Production Sharing Contracts (PSC’s), natural gas pricing, project economics, production optimization, business planning, opportunity screening and determination of natural gas reserves.

While at BG, he continued his relationship with the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. This time his role was not that of student but that of lecturer. As a part-time lecturer in the International MBA programme, he helped establish the “Energy Management Elective” which seeks to give students the opportunity to specialize their MBA degrees in line with the business skills requirements of the national energy sector. He lectured the MBA elective course “Overview of the Oil and Gas Industry”.

While serving as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs, Senator Ramnarine served on the Standing Committee on Energy and the Public Sector Investment Programme Committee (PSIP).

Senator Ramnarine is married to Priya Rampersad-Ramnarine. His mother and father are retired from the teaching service and public service respectively.  He has two siblings, one a teacher and the other a medical doctor. His interests include economic history, philosophy, strategy, international affairs and globalization.

Eric Davenport is an international business executive with over 23 years experience in the oil and gas industry. As President and CEO of CIG Group, LLC, he manages the global distribution of industrial supply and equipment to sectors of Energy, Government, Oil and Gas, Mining, and Drilling. From the small town of Abbeville, LA to an established global entrepreneur, Eric Davenport has developed his expertise in Supply Chain Management through years of managing multi-million dollar commodity lines to companies such as Conoco Phillips, Shell, Waste Management, and BFI to name a few.

Currently, Eric Davenport serves as Chairman to CIGEP S.A. Board of Directors which he overseas CIGEP’s exclusivity of Total Source Procurement – the complete end to end supply chain management to the operators and sub contractors to Equatorial Guinea Hydrocarbon Sector. Eric Davenport provides support to Equatorial Guinea’s local content initiative to enhance its capacity building, wealth creation and business opportunities to the local population.

Eric Davenport is a leader with beliefs in high standards of ethics and continues to redefine himself through expanding his corporation.
Daryn Bozek title as President of SGP Energy Fund.  He is an engineer by trade with an extensive background in technical design, project management, marketing, and international finance. 

Daryn started in heavy oil and over the past 25 years developed an expert approach to conservation, demand side management and alternative energy.  His experience in green energy includes Deep-Well Geothermal, Biomass, Fluid Bed Incineration, Solar, Hydro and Wind.  He is always on the lookout for the next great technology and delivers an effective bottom line every time.  Mr. Bozek played a key role in developing the international consortium that is poised to deliver clean effective electricity production to all continents.  His project background includes the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, 3 Long Range Radar Bases in Canada’s Eastern Arctic, the automation of 450 cellular phone sites for Bell Canada, and the First Pond-Loop Geothermal Ice Arena in the World. 

Daryn is an efficiency expert with a proven ability to expose, define and develop solutions for waste and inefficiency in all areas of revenue generation and loss recovery.  His vision is solid, congruent and focused.

Julián J. Nebreda is President for Europe, Middle East and Africa at The AES Corporation where he oversees the company’s operations in 10 countries. Mr. Nebreda has extensive experience in the power, legal and financial sectors particularly in the United States, Latin America, Europe and Africa. Prior to his current role, Mr. Nebreda held various senior leadership roles at AES, including Vice-President for Europe, Vice-President for Central America and the Caribbean, CEO of La Electricidad de Caracas, and President of AES Dominicana in the Dominican Republic.  Prior to joining AES, Mr. Nebreda held positions in the public and private sectors and served as Counselor to the Executive Director from Panama and Venezuela at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Washington, D.C. Mr. Nebreda holds a law degree from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in Caracas, Venezuela, where he graduated Cum Laude. He also holds a Master’s of Law in Common Law with Fulbright Fellowship and a Master’s of Law in Securities and Financial Regulations, both earned with honors, from the Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Business Opportunities: The Mining Sector

Dr. Enrique Segura has held top executive positions within the financial and service sectors for the past twenty years and has extensive experience working with governments and managing large international companies. Dr. Segura was the president of SWIPCO, U.S.A., an international company providing procurement services to governments. He has also served as president and chief executive officer of ICS Inspection and Control Services Ltd., a company established to provide governments with services designed to increase their customs revenues, and Pricesaroundtheworld.com, an Internet company that provides comparative price information, price research and data mining services to members through its Web site. He has worked as an economist for the Inter-American Development Bank and as a financial officer for industrial sector projects for the World Bank. Dr. Segura was also the chairman of the Trust for the Americas and, since 1996, the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Uganda in Argentina. He holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration and MBA.

Cassia Carvalho has over 20 years of experience working with economic development investments, sustainability issues, partnership building, and political and regulatory analyses in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe.  She joined Vale in January 2012 as a manager for Corporate Affairs globally, focused on political and regulatory affairs, risk assessment and mitigation, government and stakeholder engagement, particularly in Africa.

Prior to joining Vale, she served as Country Director in Mozambique (2007 – 2011) for the US Government´s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) US$507 million investment in economic and sectorial reforms, infrastructure development, land administration and agriculture. For MCC in Washington DC (2004 – 2007), she oversaw the Africa portfolio of over US$ 4 billion. She held several positions in the private sector and international NGOs, namely ADRA International, FINCA and Partners of the Americas.  Prior, she worked for Governmental Programs at IBM Corporation. 

She was a visiting scholar for Andrew University, Michigan, in the Master’s program for international development and the United Nations University in Turin, Italy.

Cassia Carvalho holds a Master of Arts in International Development and Economics from The American University in Washington DC and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Columbia Union College. 

Business Opportunities: The Agribusiness Sector

Michael Ranglin joined GraceKennedy in 1980 after a brief stint in the oil processing industry. He started his career at Grace Food Processors Meat Division in Westmoreland where he spent 12 years, moving from the position of Quality Control Technician to General Manager in 1984. From 1992 to 1998, he held the positions of General Manager – Manufacturing; Refrigerated Business Unit Manager; and Divisional Manager for the former Merchandise Division, now known as Grace Foods & Services Company. He was later promoted to General Manager of Merchandise in 1998 and, during his tenure, that organization underwent a major restructuring exercise in November 2000.

Mr. Ranglin’s reputation of solid achievement and leadership resulted in him breathing new life into the new Grace Foods & Services within a few months of restructuring. He was later promoted to the position of Senior General Manager – Domestic Business, in January 2005, a position he held in the Division prior to his appointment, as Deputy CEO - GK Foods.

He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Grace Foods UK Limited in February 2008, a position which he held until his recent appointment as Chief Executive Officer of GK Foods. He was appointed to the Board of Directors of GraceKennedy Limited on March 1, 2011.

Mr. Ranglin holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Chemical Engineering from The University of the West Indies, and an MBA in Technology Management.

Thad W. Simons, Jr. is President and Chief Executive Officer of Novus International, Inc. He has responsibility for overall company management and strategic planning functions. Novus is a privately held company. Mr. Simons joined Novus as general counsel in July 1991. In September 1993, Mr. Simons was asked to head the human resources function. In November 1995, Mr. Simons became responsible for business development and successfully led a number of new business initiatives. Then, since March 2001, Mr. Simons has led Novus in its growth into a global animal health and nutrition company with sales of nearly US $1 billion.

Mr. Simons is on the Board of Directors for the National Chicken Council, the World Affairs Council St. Louis, the World Agricultural Forum, the Japan America Society of St. Louis and the Boeing Institute of International Business of the St. Louis University School of Business. He is also a member of the Missouri and Georgia Bars, the American Bar Association and Licensing Executives Society. In 2001, he was recognized as the International Businessperson of the Year by the World Trade Center of St. Louis. In 2007, he was presented the International Visionary Award by the Boeing Institute of International Business at St. Louis University.

Charles Francis Hancock (Chuck) began his career with Sanderson Farms as Field Employee Relations Manager for Collins Processing in 1981. His keen problem solving abilities lead his carrier towards poultry processing. While Complex Manager for various processing locations within Sanderson Farms, Chuck was responsible for engineering and construction of new complexes in  Mc Comb MS, College Station, Texas, Moultrie, Georgia, and Waco, Texas.   During this tenure Chuck has added over 1 million head per day to Sanderson Farms daily slaughter.  Lead by Chuck, Sanderson Farms approaches $3 billion in annual sales. Most recently Chuck has served as Sr. Manager of Domestic & International sales.

Before beginning his distinguished career at Sanderson Farms, Chuck toured with his high school buddy Mr.  Stevie Ray Vaughn.  From 1970-1973 the musician toured The US and Europe as a drummer and percussionist.   A multi-talented man of the arts, Chuck graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and then obtained his Masters of Business Administration from Tulane. His Doctorate of International Business is held at Mississippi State University.  

Success has not only followed Chuck in his professional life, but also his personal. Married to Cindy Hancock, Chuck is the proud father of four daughters and one grand-daughter. Known as “Chuckles” by close friends and family members, he enjoys sailing, bowling, ballooning and listening to smooth jazz.

Dan Meagher is President, Global Animal Nutrition Solutions for Novus International, Inc. He is responsible for the company’s Livestock Sales and Distribution Business Unit, which includes Animal Research and Development, Global Sales, Technology, Marketing, Logistics and Local Manufacturing functions.

Previously, Dan served as Vice President, The Americas for Novus, and led the company’s diversification efforts to serve multiple market segments in the agriculture industry. He joined Novus in 2007 as World Area Director, North America. In this role, Dan helped guide Novus through a period of major expansion and acquisitions around the globe.

Dan has held prominent roles within the agribusiness community for over 25 years. Prior to joining Novus, Dan was President of the Shell Egg Further Processing business for MOARK, LLC, where he successfully engineered the consolidation of numerous acquisitions and positioned the business for a successful sales transaction under ownership for Land O’Lakes, one of the largest and most respected agriculture and dairy cooperatives in the world, in 2006.

He served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at MBA Poultry, LLC, where he directed the startup of the food processing company, strategically positioning and marketing the first air-chilled poultry product to consumers in the United States.

Dan began his career with Ralston Purina/Purina Mills, where he spent 17 years in roles of increasing responsibility, including Vice President, Income Management and Operations, and President, Golden Sun Feeds.

A native of St. Louis, Dan holds two bachelor degrees from St. Louis University; one in Finance and one in Accounting. Dan currently serves on the Board for the American Feed Industry Association, the World Affairs Council of St. Louis, the National Chicken Council and World Trade Center St. Louis. He has served as Chairman for the United Egg Association and on the Board for MBA Poultry LLC, Northern Colorado Feed, LLC and UEP Further Processors.