The United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA) welcomes you to “U.S. Trade Policy: What’s New and What’s Next.” We hope this symposium will provide you with critical information about upcoming government and industry changes that will affect the textile and apparel importing industry, as well as the opportunity to have your voice heard by the policymakers who affect your business.

TABLE OF CONTENTSAgenda Page 2

Speakers Page 3

Reception Information Page 13

Following the symposium, we will send by email copies of today’s slideshow presentations as well as the full list of attendees later this week. Be on the lookout for a message from info@usaita.com!

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AGENDA

TIME SESSION SPEAKERS8:30-9:30 AM Registration & Coffee

9:30-9:40 AM WelcomeMaureen Gray, Vice President of International Trade at Polo Ralph Lauren and USA-ITA Chair

9:40-10:10 AM What’s New and What’s Next for Trade Policy

Julia K. Hughes, President of USA-ITA, and David Spooner, USA-ITA Washington Counsel at Squire Sanders & Dempsey

10:10-10:25 AM Coffee Break

10:25-10:40 AM What’s New and What’s Next for Transportation

Hubert Wiesenmaier, Executive Director of the American Import Shippers Association Inc. (AISA)

10:40-10:55 AMUpdate on the Cotton Board and the Survey on Cotton Importing Preferences

Elizabeth King, Vice President of Importer Relations, The Cotton Board

10:55-11:55 AM What’s New and What’s Next for the Obama Administration’s Textile Policy

Kim Glas, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Gail Strickler, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles

12:00-12:50 PM Lunch Stacy Ettinger, Counsel for U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

12:50-1:10 PM U.S. Customs & Border Protection Keynote Presentation

Richard DiNucci, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, U.S. Customs & Border Protection

1:10-2:00 PM What’s New and What’s Next for Customs

John Pellegrini, USA-ITA Customs Counsel at McGuireWoods LLP; Jackie Sprungle, Branch Chief for Textile Policy at U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and Mary Jo Muoio, Senior Vice President of Trade Services at OHL Global Freight Management

2:00-2:45 PMNew Ideas for Duty-Free Trade Benefits and How to Fix Problems Like CPSIA

Matt Priest, President of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America; Ronald J. Sorini, Co-Founder and Principal of Sorini Samet & Associates; and BJ Shannon, Senior Associate at Alston + Bird LLP

2:45-3:00 PM Coffee Break

3:00-3:30 PM What’s New and What’s Next for Sourcing – An Update on SAFSA

Karen Kyllo, Deputy Vice President of Global Softlines at SGS USA, and Tanjila Islam, CEO of TigerTrade

3:30-4:15 PMWhat’s New and What’s Next for Free Trade: Colombia, Panama, and South Korea

Jon Fee, Partner at Alston + Bird LLP

4:30-6:00 PM Reception, New York Athletic Club Card Room, 9th Floor

Hosted by Squire Sanders & Dempsey

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SPEAKERS

Introductory Remarks

Maureen GrayVice President of International TradePolo Ralph LaurenChair of the USA-ITA Board of Directors

Maureen Gray joined Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation in July 1997 and is currently the Vice President of International Trade. Ms. Gray champions Polo’s regulatory Customs, Federal Trade Commission, and Fish and Wildlife Service compliance for all Polo Ralph Lauren

divisions – working closely with the Finance, Legal, Production/QA, and Distribution departments to ensure seamless and compliant international transactions. These responsibilities have grown over the last several years to include Europe, Canada, Greater China, Southeast Asia, and South America.

Ms. Gray received her Customs Broker License in 1989. Prior to joining Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, Ms. Gray was the Director of Customs Laws and Regulations at Barthco Trade Consultants in Philadelphia, PA where she advised clients on their regulatory import obligations and performed in-house audits of clients Customs procedures and records.

Ms. Gray served as Customs Liaison for the Philadelphia port community from 1993-1995. In 1995, Ms. Gray was elected President of the Philadelphia Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association and served in that capacity until joining the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation.

Ms. Gray has been affiliated with USA-ITA since 1998. In addition, she serves on the Government Relations Committee for the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) and as a charter member of the European Branded Clothing Alliance (EBCA). She has served on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Cotton Board since she was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture in 2002.

Session #1: What’s New and What’s Next for Trade Policy

Julia K. HughesPresidentUnited States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA)

Julia K. Hughes is the President of the United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA). USA-ITA represents all segments of the fashion industry, from apparel brands to retailers to service companies. Ms. Hughes represents the interests of textile and apparel importers on trade policy issues to government officials, both in the United States and overseas. She has testified before Congress and the Executive Branch on textile trade issues. Ms. Hughes is also recognized as an expert in textile and apparel issues and is a frequent speaker at international conferences including the Apparel Sourcing Show, MAGIC, Foreign

Service Institute, National Association of Manufacturers, Cotton Sourcing Summit, USIA's Worldnet, the International Textiles and Clothing Bureau, Young Presidents’ Organization, World Trade Organization Beijing International Forum and others.   

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Ms. Hughes also served as the first President of the international Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) and is one of the founders of the Washington Chapter of Women in International Trade (WIIT).   In 1992 she received the Outstanding Woman in International Trade award and in 2008 received the WIIT Lifetime Achievement Award.

Ms. Hughes has an M.A. in International Studies from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.

David SpoonerWashington Counsel for USA-ITASquire Sanders & Dempsey

David M. Spooner focuses his practice on international trade matters, advising clients in trade remedy and safeguard proceedings, helping clients navigate the complex rules of international trade and representing clients before the legislative and executive branches of government.

Prior to joining Squire Sanders, Mr. Spooner served as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Import Administration. In that capacity, Mr. Spooner led government enforcement of trade remedy laws, principally the antidumping and antisubsidy laws. He administered the Foreign Trade Zone system; supervised the US Department of Commerce’s import safety initiatives;

oversaw apparel trade policy and the implementation of laws governing trade in apparel; managed trade remedy negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as dispute resolution proceedings at the WTO; and chaired US-China talks on macroeconomic reforms and the steel industry. His achievements include the first-ever application of the antisubsidy law to China and the negotiation of an agreement with Russia governing trade in uranium products.

Prior to his Senate confirmation as Assistant Secretary, Mr. Spooner served as the Textile and Apparel Negotiator and Transition Coordinator in the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR). While at USTR, Mr. Spooner was a principal negotiator for free trade agreements with Central America, the Dominican Republic, Singapore, Australia, Chile, Panama, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Colombia and Peru, principally negotiating customs enforcement, apparel and textile, origin and safeguard provisions. He was heavily involved in building support for congressional passage of the Bush Administration’s trade agenda. Mr. Spooner also negotiated a comprehensive apparel trade agreement with China and concluded bilateral customs and quota arrangements with several nations.

Before his appointment to USTR, Mr. Spooner worked on Capitol Hill, managing the Washington DC office and serving as the legislative director and press secretary for a member of Congress, serving as Communications Director for the US House Committee on Agriculture, and working for the US House Committee on Rules, which manages debate and amendments in the House of Representatives.

Session #2: What’s New and What’s Next for Transportation

Hubert WiesenmaierExecutive DirectorAmerican Import Shippers Association, Inc. (AISA)

A native of Germany, Hubert Wiesenmaier held executive positions in the international transportation industry in San Francisco and New York. From 1979 through 1986 he was an independent international transportation consultant to the U.S. importers and import trade associations.

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 Wiesenmaier testified before House and Senate committees, the Advisory Commission on Conferences in Ocean Shipping, and during Federal Maritime Commission hearings in connection with the 1984 Shipping Act. During the years leading to the adoption of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (ORSA) of 1998 he lobbied House and Senate committees on behalf of small and medium sized U.S. importers. Wiesenmaier established the model for commodity-focused import shippers associations to negotiate discounted ocean freight rates and other discounts based on the associations’ collective cargo volume. He was instrumental in the creation and management of the Footwear Retailers of America Shippers Association (FRASA), the Fashion Accessories Shippers Association (FASA), the Toy Importers Shippers Association (TOYSA), and the American Import Shippers Association (AISA), and has held the position of Executive Director of the American Import Shippers Association since the association’s formation in 1987.

Session #3:Update on the Cotton Board and the Survey on Cotton Importing

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Elizabeth KingVice President of Importer RelationsThe Cotton Board

Elizabeth King is Vice President Importer Relations for the Cotton Board. The Cotton Board is the quasi-governmental agency charged with oversight of the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. Ms. King has been with the organization since 1999 and in her current position since 2003 and serves as the primary liaison for the importer stakeholders to the Cotton Board.

Ms. King has helped develop and implement some of the Cotton Board’s flagship importer programs through its Importer Support Program including Cotton’s Sustainability Summits, Cotton’s Sourcing Summits, multiple trade missions to Africa, South America, Vietnam and India, education workshops and a scholarship program that awarded over $1 million to textile and apparel programs at colleges across the country this year.

A native of Montreal, Canada Ms. King started her career in sales at a textile agency and continued in positions in garment production and sourcing both in Montreal and New York. Ms. King is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick and lives in Maplewood, NJ with her husband and daughter.

Session #4: What’s New and What’s Next for the Obama Administration’s

Textile Policy

Kim GlasDeputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel International Trade AdministrationU.S. Department of Commerce

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Kim Glas, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel, oversees programs and strategies to improve the domestic and international competitiveness of the U.S. fiber, textiles, apparel, footwear, fur and leather goods, and travel goods industries. Ms. Glas also serves as Chairman of the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA), which supervises the negotiation and implementation of textile and apparel agreements.

Prior to joining the Department of Commerce, Glas served as Deputy Chief of Staff/Legislative Director for Representative Michael Michaud of Maine, where she was an advisor on trade and labor issues. Ms. Glas also worked for Congressman John LaFalce of New York during her tenure on Capitol Hill.

Ms. Glas earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the State University of New York at Geneseo. She lives with her husband Tim and son Oliver and daughter Abigail in Burke, Virginia.

Gail StricklerAssistant U.S. Trade Representative for TextilesOffice of the U.S. Trade Representative

Gail W. Strickler, AUSTR for Textiles and Apparel joined USTR after almost 30 years in the textile and apparel industry. Ms. Strickler is responsible for supervising negotiations affecting textile and apparel products, advising Ambassador Ron Kirk on textile and apparel trade policy matters and working to expand the industry's access to foreign markets.

Ms. Strickler worked for Saxon Textile Corp from 1980 -2007 serving ultimately as its President and CEO until it was acquired by Patriarch Group in 2007 and became a division of Duro Textile LLC., where she served as Vice President of the Global Apparel Division.

Prior to joining USTR, Ms. Strickler served as the Assoc. Director of The Institute for Textile and Apparel Product Safety (I.T.A.P.S.) at Philadelphia University (the former Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science) where she oversaw textile research and development programs for the Institute, and developed sustainability and environmental strategy programs for brands and retailers.

Ms. Strickler served as president of the Textiles Distributors Association for five years. She served on the board of directors of the National Council of Textile Organizations from its inception in 2004-2006 as a member of its Trade Policy committee. She has served on the USDA Cotton Board from 2002 - 2009, as Chairman of the Textile Research Committee. She has served on the board of directors at the Fashion Institute of Technology’s Education Foundation since 2004 and its executive committee for the past three years. Strickler received her B.A. from Clark University and completed coursework in Textile Technology and Textile Chemistry from the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Session #5:What’s New and What’s Next in U.S. Congress

Stacy EttingerCounselU.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

Stacy J. Ettinger is Counsel to United States Senator Charles E. Schumer.  In this capacity she advises the Senator and staff on policy and legislative initiatives on trade and international economic issues, intellectual property rights, customs matters, consumer financial protection matters, and food and product safety issues.

 

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Prior to her current position, Ms. Ettinger was the Associate Chief Counsel for Import Administration and Chief of Antidumping & Countervailing Duty Regulation at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where she served as a senior legal advisor for over 15 years.  Ms. Ettinger advised agency officials on the interpretation and application of U.S., foreign and WTO rules on trade, and represented the United States in WTO dispute settlement proceedings, as well as in multilateral and bilateral trade agreement negotiations, including the Doha Round, Free Trade Area of the Americas, U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement, and CAFTA-DR negotiations.  She also clerked for Judge Arlin M. Adams (3d Cir. retired), in the first Extraordinary Challenge under Chapter 19 of the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement.  Ms. Ettinger is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center.  She also serves as a Vice Chair of the ABA International Trade Committee, and on the board of the Trade Policy Forum.  Ms. Ettinger is the recipient of multiple Department of Commerce awards, including a 2004 Bronze Medal award for work on the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement, a 1997 Silver Medal award for work on regulations implementing the Uruguay Round Agreements Act, and the 1995 General Counsel’s award for unusually outstanding legal contributions.  Ms. Ettinger is a graduate of the American University, Washington College of Law and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Session #6:U.S. Customs & Border Protection Keynote

Richard DiNucciDeputy Assistant CommissionerU.S. Customs and Border Protection

Session #7:What’s New and What’s Next for Customs

John B. PellegriniCustoms Counsel for USA-ITAMcGuireWoods LLP

Mr. Pellegrini’s practice is concentrated on the regulatory and commercial aspects of international trade. He represents clients with respect to government regulation of the import-export trade, duty planning, admissibility requirements, litigation in the U.S. Court of International Trade, representation before the various federal agencies which regulate trade in the United States, and the commercial aspects of international trade.

His clients include multinationals, general merchandise retailers, importers, exporters, domestic and foreign manufacturers, commission agents, trade associations (United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel and the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America), and international marketing companies.

Mr. Pellegrini counsels clients in issues relating to: classification and appraisement of imported merchandise; questions involving the origin and admissibility of merchandise; drawback; warehouse and foreign trade zone issues; export licensing and export controls; defense of civil penalty and criminal investigations and prosecutions; foreign asset control restrictions; boycott compliance; and, legislative, judicial and administrative proceedings, including trade policy cases.

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Mr. Pellegrini’s practice areas include: business tax, international transactions, and consumer products.

Previously, Mr. Pellegrini was a Partner at Ross & Hardies in New York City. Prior to that, he served as Senior Attorney at U.S. Customs Service and Senior Attorney at J.C. Penney Company, Inc.

Mr. Pellegrini studied law at the New York University School of Law and Columbia University School of Law, and he received his undergraduate degree from Boston College.

Mr. Pellegrini is a member of the Bar of the State of New York.

Jackie SprungleBranch Chief for Textile PolicyU.S. Customs and Border Protection

Jackie Sprungle has 21 years of experience with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. She began her career as an Import Specialist at the Service Port of Cleveland, Ohio. For 10 of her 15 years in Cleveland, she was a team leader responsible for administering and enforcing tariff and trade laws for a wide range of commodities entering into ports located in Ohio, Kentucky,

Indiana, and Pennsylvania. In 2005, she accepted an Import Specialist position in the Textile Operations Branch of the CBP Headquarters Textile/Apparel Policy and Programs Division. She has been the Branch Chief of Textile Policy since April 2010 and is also currently the Acting Division Director.

As a member of the Textile/Apparel Policy and Programs Division, Ms. Sprungle helps formulate national textile policy. She has provided guidance both internally to CBP personnel and externally to the trade community regarding the importation of textiles and apparel. She has given training to foreign government representatives on rules of origin and has traveled to various countries as part of Textile Production Verification Teams, evaluating and validating foreign textile production capability and compliance with trade agreements and preference programs. In her capacity as Textile Policy Branch Chief, Ms. Sprungle participates in trade negotiations representing CBP as a technical expert on customs textile matters. She also provides technical assistance to other government agencies as well as internal CBP offices on the textiles portions of U.S. free trade agreements and legislated programs. Ms. Sprungle has a B.A. in English from John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio.

Mary Jo MuoioSenior Vice President of Trade ServicesOHL Global Freight Management

Mary Jo Muoio is Sr. Vice President, Trade Services, of OHL. Before assuming leadership of the consulting division, Ms. Muoio was a Senior Vice-President of Barthco International, Inc., a leading customs broker and forwarder acquired by OHL. Ms. Muoio has been with OHL for over 25 years. She is a licensed customs broker, having passed the exam with the highest score in the nation.

Ms. Muoio is currently serving as Chairman of the Board of the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America, Inc. a post she assumed after serving two terms as President. Before being elected as the first female president of this influential association, she served as Vice-President for several terms, Secretary and on the Board of Directors and various key Association committees. Ms. Muoio was recently appointed as a Director to the

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International Federation of Customs Brokers. Ms. Muoio served as Vice-President for Imports of the New York New Jersey Forwarders and Brokers Association for many years, recently resigning to focus her energies on the national level. She continues to serve on the Board of Governors. She is a Past-President of the Philadelphia Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association. Ms. Muoio served two terms on COAC, the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection and Related Functions and continues to serve on the Security Filing subcommittee and the represents the International Federation of Customs Brokers Association Private Sector Consultative Group Working Group on 10 + 2.

Ms. Muoio was recently appointed as a Trade Ambassador of the Trade Leadership Council and sits on the Trade Support Network Entry, Legal Policy and International Trade Data Systems committees. She lectures frequently here and abroad on US import requirements.

Before joining OHL, Ms. Muoio taught at the college level in Japan. She continues to pursue studies in the Japanese language. Ms. Muoio is a graduate of Saint Joseph’s University with a degree in International Relations.

In her spare time, she is active in the lives of her children and husband. Ms. Muoio serves as Chair of the Education Council at the school her children attend and founded the Facilities Improvement Team, which organizes volunteers and solicits corporate donations to enhance the aesthetics and learning tools for the school. Every once in a while, she gets the ironing done!

Session #8:New Ideas for Duty-Free Trade Benefits and How to Fix Problems

Like CPSIA

Matt PriestPresidentFootwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA)

Matt Priest is the President of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA), joining FDRA in February 2009.  Prior to his arrival at FDRA, Priest served as senior advisor to Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and deputy assistant secretary for textiles and apparel at the U.S. Department of Commerce.  As deputy assistant secretary he oversaw programs and strategies to improve the domestic and international competitiveness of the U.S. footwear, fiber, textiles, and apparel industries. Priest was also chairman of the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA), which determines when market-disrupting factors exist in the domestic fiber, textiles and apparel marketplace.

Previously, Priest served as senior advisor to the assistant secretary for import administration at the Commerce Department, where he advised the assistant secretary on textile and trade issues. Prior to his appointment, Priest served as legislative director for Representative Sue Myrick of North Carolina, where he was an advisor in the areas of textiles, trade and economic development.

Priest earned his BA in political science from North Carolina State University in Raleigh. He lives with his wife and three daughters in Northern Virginia.

Ronald J. Sorini9

Co-Founder and PrincipalSorini Samet & Associates

As Co-Founder and Principal of Sorini, Samet & Associates (SSA), Mr. Sorini implements and manages the firm’s business development, consulting and lobbying practice on international trade negotiations and legislation. He represents several major U.S. corporations and trade associations before the U.S. Government and Congress on international trade issues and legislation. Mr. Sorini’s unique combination of government, political and corporate experience enables him to provide well-rounded strategic advice and international market analysis to multinational corporations and foreign governments.

Prior to starting Sorini, Samet & Associates, Mr. Sorini, served as President of the Trade Negotiations and Legislative Affairs practice for eight years at an international trade law firm. Mr. Sorini created and developed this practice into a multi-million dollar business at that firm, where he managed the group’s client development, consulting and lobbying practice on international trade negotiations and legislation. Mr. Sorini also served on the operating committee of the firm.

Previously Mr. Sorini served as Senior Vice President for International Development & Government Relations at Fruit of the Loom for four years. At Fruit of the Loom, Mr. Sorini conducted an intensive study on the Chinese market, identified potential business partners and began negotiations on a manufacturing/marketing joint venture. Analyzed new locations for manufacturing facilities in Mexico and Central America and developed strategies for hedging in the cotton market. He developed and advocated company positions on trade, tax and regulatory issues before the U.S. Government. Mr. Sorini also started and managed the company's Political Action Committee.

Mr. Sorini has more than thirteen years of experience in high level positions in the Federal government at The Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

In 1989, Mr. Sorini was appointed by President Bush and confirmed by the Senate as Ambassador & Chief Textile Negotiator for USTR. Ambassador Sorini advised the U.S. Trade Representative, the Cabinet and the President on domestic and international economic issues. Developed and implemented policies to enhance the international competitiveness of the U.S. fiber, textile and apparel industries. Mr. Sorini chaired U.S. delegations in the negotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Uruguay Round and bilateral agreements with more than fifty nations. He developed U.S. negotiating positions, weighing the views of other government agencies, domestic industry, retailers and broader economic and foreign policy considerations. Opened foreign markets for domestic manufacturers and helped U.S. companies with trademark and design counterfeiting problems. Worked with U.S. Customs Service to identify and eliminate fraud and circumvention of U.S. trade agreements.

Mr. Sorini has an M.A. from Georgetown University in International Affairs and International Economics and a B.A. in Political Science and History from the University of Illinois.

BJ ShannonSenior AssociateAlston & Bird LLP

BJ Shannon focuses her practice on international trade regulation and policy and has experience in customs, export controls, trade remedies, product safety, and tax and customs transfer pricing. She represents clients in regulatory proceedings, enforcement actions, and litigation. She also works with clients to develop strategies and compliance procedures, seek rulings and licenses, and participate in legislative and rulemaking processes. 

The clients BJ advises are located in the United States and abroad, and include manufacturers, importers, exporters, trade associations, consultants, customs brokers, freight forwarders, and bonded carriers and facility operators. Their

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products include textiles and apparel, machinery, electronics, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and toys. Increasingly, their legal focus is not only on the taxation and licensing of goods in international commerce, but also on product safety, environmental regulation, and national security. BJ is a member of the District of Columbia and Georgia bars, and she is admitted to practice before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. Court of International Trade, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia. She is also a licensed customs broker. BJ’s community service activities include coordination of the Truancy Intervention Project’s DC pilot program and co-chairing DC Legal Aid’s Generous Associates Campaign in 2010 and 2011. Within Alston & Bird, BJ serves on the Pro Bono Committee and the Associates Committee. BJ received her J.D. in 2003 from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif. During law school, BJ worked on the Virginia Journal of Law and Technology and served as a legal writing teaching assistant in the Dillard Fellow program. She received a B.A., summa cum laude, in economics and German from Newcomb College of Tulane University in 1999. At Tulane, BJ was a Deans’ Honors Scholar and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Session #9:What’s New and What’s Next for Sourcing – An Update on SAFSA

Karen KylloDeputy Vice President of Global SoftlinesSGS USA

Dr. Karen Kyllo is the Deputy Vice President of Global Softlines for SGS. In her role at SGS, she is involved with helping to set and implement the global strategy and programs for the SGS group in softlines. Karen is responsible for strategy in the Americas as well as her global responsibilities. Karen has a Ph D in textiles from Purdue University, a MS from Kansas State University and a BS from Iowa State University. She is very active in both AATCC and ASTM and has held numerous positions in the organizations. Karen is a recognized speaker on textile topics and especially on U.S. regulations.

Tanjila IslamCEOTigerTrade

Tanjila Islam is the CEO of TigerTrade, a trusted partner network for global trade, connecting international buyers to manufacturers in Southeast Asia. TigerTrade works in the apparel, textiles, footwear, furnishings, and home accessories industries. With headquarters in New York and regional offices in Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, TigerTrade provides

international buyers with a boutique service that helps them explore new markets in Southeast Asia.

Ms. Islam is an international trade and economic development expert with experience working across a variety of industries, including apparel, textiles, and footwear. She has worked extensively across Asia, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, to promote trade, grow foreign direct investment, and create opportunities for economic growth. Ms. Islam has designed and managed multi-million dollar private sector development and trade promotion programs worldwide for clients such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, and the Asian Development Bank. Prior to founding TigerTrade, Ms. Islam served as Director for a

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USAID-funded trade promotion program in Afghanistan and as Senior Manager at Chemonics International, the largest U.S. development consulting firm.

Ms. Islam holds a B.A. from Columbia University, an M.A. from New York University, and a M.I.A. in International Economic Policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. She speaks Arabic, Bengali, English, and Spanish.

Session #10:What’s New and What’s Next for Free Trade: Colombia, Panama, &

South Korea

Jon FeePartner, Customs and International TradeAlston &s Bird LLP

Jon Fee focuses his practice on customs and international trade matters, with particular emphasis on preferential trade programs, free trade agreements and U.S. trade legislation. He has extensive experience in trade issues affecting textiles, apparel, aircraft, heavy equipment and electronics.

Mr. Fee is a licensed customs broker and teaches preparation courses for the national customs broker exam. He is a member of the American Apparel Producers Network, the United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel, the National Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association and the American Apparel and Footwear Association, for which he formerly chaired the Government Relations Committee. Mr. Fee has spoken frequently in the United States, Asia, Central America and Africa on U.S. trade policy and free trade agreements. He is active in community service and chairs the firm’s Washington, D.C. Pro Bono Committee.

Mr. Fee received his undergraduate degree in 1971 from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and his law degree from Emory University in 1974. He is a member of the American, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. Bar Associations, and admitted to practice in the Court of International Trade, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Mr. Fee is listed in The Best Lawyers in America. He is a board member and former president of the Atlanta Legal Aid Society and serves as President and Chairman of the [CAIR] Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition. He is also on the Executive Committee and a board member for Bread for the City, as well as a board member for the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia.

In addition, Mr. Fee: Successfully litigated against prior certification for duty-free imports under the Civil Aircraft Agreement and

authored the U.S. tariff schedule note on imports of civil aircraft and parts. Obtained short supply treatment of textile articles under NAFTA, CAFTA, and trade preference programs covering

sub-Saharan African, Caribbean and Andean countries. Counsel to a variety of importers in audits, investigations, seizures, penalties, protests and rulings.

RECEPTION

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4:30-6:00 pm

New York Athletic Club Card Room, 9th Floor

HOSTED BYSquire Sanders & Dempsey Consumer Products & Retail Industry Group

You’re invited to join us for networking and fellowship with USA-ITA, the Squire Sanders & Dempsey New York partners, and the event speakers and attendees before you leave the symposium!

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