The Northern California District Export Council
The DEC is a private, non-profit organization that brings together experienced international business people who provide guidance and assistance in international markets.
DEC Members are appointed by the US Secretary of Commerce, based on their expertise in international business. Due to their commitment to Northern California exports, DEC members volunteer their time.
CHAIRMAN
David R. Socher
David R. Socher, Attorney at Law, PC
Mr. Socher is a civil law attorney focused on international business transactions, exporting goods and services and establishment and operation of foreign based entities.
Email: david@drsocher.com
Website: www.drsocher.com
Tel:(925) 962-9191
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VICE-CHAIR
Jeremy Potash
California-Asia Business Council (Cal-Asia)
Executive Director
Broad knowledge and awareness of business issues and conditions in developing East Asia and Japan, and the U.S. customs broker and forwarder industry. Awarded Northern Cal Dec/Department of Commerce Export Citizen of the Year Award in 1998 for work in promoting U.S.-Asia trade.
Email: jeremy.w.potash@calasia.org
Website: www.calasia.org
Tel:(415) 986-8808
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TREASURER
Thomas Neff
RINA Accountancy Corp.
Managing Partner
Mr. Neff is an international tax consultant and CPA whose work includes advising exporters on setting up IC-DISCs and foreign tax implications of establishing operations outside the U.S.
Email: tneff@rina.com
Website: www.rina.com
Tel:(510) 893-6908
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EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Rod Hirsch
U.S. Department of Commerce
Mr. Hirsch is the Director of the Oakland Export Assistance Center of the U.S. Commercial Service. Environmental Technologies | Food Processing & Packaging | Building Materials | Maritime & Port Development | Construction Equipment | Consumer Goods | Industrial/Commercial Equipment
Email: Rod.Hirsch@trade.gov
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Hon. Teresa Cox
County of Santa Clara
Senior Strategic Sourcing Officer
Teresa Cox is a Sourcing & Procurement expert specializing in international direct and indirect contracts covering goods and services and small, minority, women-owned business opportunities.
Email: teresacoxus@comcast.net
Tel:(510) 516-2899
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Dean Fealk
Former DEC Chairman
DLA Piper LLP
Chairman
Mr. Fealk is an attorney specializing in cross-border corporate, regulatory and tax matters.
Email: dean.fealk@dlapiper.com
Website: www.dlapiper.com
Tel:(415) 836-2521
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Candy Gage
Gage Ag Company
Vice President
Ms. Gage is Vice President of Gage Ag Company exporting dried fruits and nuts.
Email: candygage@me.com
Website: www.gageagcompany.com
Tel:(559) 285-4355
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David Haubert
Olymbuilder, Inc.
Mr. Haubert facilitates all forms of cross-border commerce, especially including exporting goods and services from the Unites States to China.
Email: davidhaubert@comcast.net
Tel:(925) 719-8735
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Carol Johnson
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
Sr. Asst. Director of Global Recruiting
20 years in the electronics industry in sales and product marketing, 15 years in recruiting and marketing in higher education. Current Chair, Study California Areas of Expertise: International education recruitment and marketing. Market knowledge; Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Taiwan and Turkey.
Email: carol.johnson@miis.edu
Website: www.miis.edu
Tel:(831) 647-4113
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Sung Wook “John” Lee
SW Logistics, Inc.
President
Mr. Lee is President of SW Logistics, a federally licensed OTI FF/NVOCC, and Customs Broker.
Email: swlee@swlogisticsinc.com
Website: www.swlogisticsinc.com
Tel:(510) 303-0895
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Susan Lin
La Canada Ventures, Inc.
CEO
Ms. Lin is the founder and CEO of a California company focusing on personal care and wellness products.
Email: drlin@susanlinmd.com
Website: www.md-factor.com
Tel:(650) 340-8688
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John McPeak
Biomarin
Mr. McPeak advances corporate compliance in the area of international logistics to insure brand protection, supply chain throughput, and strong government relationships.
Email: john.mcpeak@bmrn.com
Website: www.biomarin.com
Tel:(415) 475-5761
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Michael Obermire
William Jessup University
Academic Business Manager
Mr. Obermire is a Professor teaching at the MBA level, and a business manager, after completing 30 years in the business as an importer and exporter of various industrial products.
Email: mobermire@jessup.edu
Website: www.jessup.edu
Tel:(916) 250-9501
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Adithya Padala
UmeVoice, Inc.
President & CEO
Mr. Padala is the founder, President & CEO of a design, development and manufacturing institution making the world’s best noise canceling microphones and headsets.
Email: padala@umevoice.com
Website: www.umevoice.com
Tel:(707) 939-8607 ext.223
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Michael Parr
Wente Family Estates
Vice President of International Sales
Mr. Parr is Vice President of International Sales for Wente Family Estates (the oldest family owned winery in America) and responsible for delivering profitable growth in over 75 countries to which we export approximately 25% of our production.
Email: Michael.parr@wentevineyards.com
Website: www.wentevineyards.com
Tel:(925) 456-3209
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Jamal Qureshi
JQ American Corp.
Email: jamal@jqamerican.com
Exporting Business in Industrial Oilfield, Medical supplies. 15 years of International Experience in International Trade covering United Nations funded Projects, USAID, along with Major Oil & Gas and Petrochemical Industries in Middle East and Africa.
Email: jamal@jqamerican.com
Website: www.jqamerican.com, www.jqlab.com
Tel:(510) 512-5868
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Sean Randolph
Bay Area Council Economic Institute
Extensive experience in the U.S. Government, including the U.S. Congress staff (1976–80), and the White House staff (1980–81). He served as Special Adviser for Policy in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Deputy/ Ambassador-at Large for Pacific Basin affairs
(1981–85), and as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs. Dr. Randolph speaks frequently before business and government audiences, and writes for U.S. and international media on global, national, state and regional economic and policy issues.
Email: sean@bayareacouncil.org
Website: www.bayareaeconomy.org
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Thomas Riley
BrightSource Energy
Senior Adviser
Mr. Riley is Senior Adviser at Oakland-based BrightSource Energy, involved in developing large scale solar projects internationally, but with a special focus on India, the Middle East and Africa.
Email: triley@brightsourceenergy.com
Website: www.BrightSourceEnergy.com
Tel:(650) 799-2368
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Kenneth Rosenberg
Bridge Bank, a division of Western Alliance Bank
Senior Vice President
Mr. Rosenberg is Senior VP and Manager for an International Banking Group that provides export finance to Small and Medium Size Enterprises.
Email: ken.rosenberg@bridgebank.com
Website: www.bridgebank.com
Tel:(408) 556-6541
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Joseph Ryan
Top1 Oil Products Company
Mr. Ryan has been involved in the Export business for 43+ years; specializing in the automotive and industrial sectors managing his own brand of synthetic lubricants (TOP1 Oil Products) exporting to over 50 countries globally.
Email: joeryan@top1oil.com
Website: www.top1oil.com
Tel:(650) 347-3691
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Deep SenGupta
(Retired DEC Chairman)
DSG Global, LLC
CEO
Mr. SenGupta is CEO of DSG Global, LLC, a premier consulting firm specializing in international trade compliance, training and global business strategy.
Email: deep@dsgglobal.com
Website: www.dsgglobal.com
Tel:(415) 741-7256
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Susanne Stirling
California Chamber of Commerce
Vice President, International Affairs
(President’s E-Award Winner for Export Service)
Extensive international business resources online and in-print, with dozens of international events per year, including outbound missions and visits by heads of state and top government officials. Champion of good business environment for 15,000 large and small California businesses, ranging from companies such as Del Monte Foods and the Walt Disney Corporation to local companies with a handful of employees. Recipient of 2009 President’s E-Award for Export Service.
Email: susanne.stirling@calchamber.com
Website: www.calchamber.com/international
Tel:(916) 444-6670
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Janice Whitaker
Teledyne Technologies
Ms. Whitaker leads development, management and oversight activities related to a variety of global trade controls for commercial and defense programs to include: export/import compliance and licensing, integrating international regulatory requirements with operational business processes, and implementation of effective assessment methods to assure compliance in executing global business activities.
Email: Janice.whitaker@teledyne.com
Website: www.teledynemicrowave.com
Tel:(916) 384-0690