GLOBAL UPSTATE CONFERENCE
ON INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS & WORLD AFFAIRS

Coming Soon: Learn Global, Network Local

Take a look at the unforgettable highlights from 2023 Global Upstate Conference below!

Sponsorships

Sponsor the 2023 Global Upstate Conference on International Business & World Affairs

Registration

Pre-Registration is required. No tickets will be sold at the door & will be available soon!

Schedule

Plan your conference & maximize the impact of your attendance.

Speakers

A diverse group of professionals representing global industries.

A Global Affairs Conference in South Carolina

Learn Global, Network Local

The 2023 Global Upstate Conference on International Business and World Affairs, presented by the World Affairs Council Upstate and hosted at the City of Greer Event Hall and the Cannon Centre, is an interdisciplinary event that will bring scholars and leaders together for serious and thoughtful discussions about the most pressing issues and opportunities facing the world.

Over the course of two days in October 2023, the conference will host representatives of different international companies, government agencies, national think-tanks, universities, the military, non-governmental organizations, and many more.

Engage

Discuss the most pressing issues and opportunities facing the world.

Connect

With a diverse group of professionals from global industries.

Plan

For future global impact with concepts from the conference.

Ignite

Instigate international change by applying solutions locally.

Conference Registration

[Open Dates Coming Soon ]

Pre-Registration is required. No tickets will be sold at the door.

2023 Speakers

Speakers & Panelists of International Note

From ambassadors to Foreign Service officials to presidential speechwriters, the Global Upstate Conference on International Business & World Affairs is bringing movers and shakers with worldwide impact to the Upstate of South Carolina to share their insights, tell their stories, and shed light on international trends.

Giving you details and context and personal experience which can’t be gleaned from newspaper headlines or cable news talking heads, the conference speakers and panelists listed below will give you a front seat to the most important trends, deals, and conflicts taking place in the world today.

Lawrence Wilkinson
Chairman of Heminge & Condell
View Bio →
Bob Chapman
Chairman & CEO, Barry-Wehmiller
View Bio →
Alexander Schad
Nedlloyd Lines & Chairman of the Board, Frederic Schad 
View Bio →
Chris Richardson
General Counsel and COO at BDV Solutions
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Christian Tschurtschenthaler
Vice President Technical Planning BMW Group Americas, South Africa
View Bio →
Katherine Palmer Kaup
James B. Duke Professor of Asian Studies and Politics and International Affairs, Furman University
View Bio →
Christian Hermann
Of Counsel at Ogletree Deakins
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Vladimir Maletic, MD
Clinical Professor of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science at University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia
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Rachel Hutchisson
Social Impact Leader
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Dr. Katie Brown
Founder & Chief Education Officer at EnGen
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Stephanie Buccolo
Chief Supply Officer (CSO) and member of the executive management team for AFL.
View Bio →
Mary Kay Magistad
Deputy Director of Asia Society’s Center on US-China Relations
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Marie Yovanovitch
View Bio →
Elizabeth Watson
Director of Research and Strategic Initiatives, Upstate SC Alliance
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Jennifer Stoner
View Bio →
Katie Ovenden
View Bio →
Tom Tyra
View Bio →
John Morrow
View Bio →
John Ling
View Bio →
Jacob Olcott
View Bio →
Lisa DeWaard
View Bio →
Byron Miller
View Bio →
Rachel Vanderhill
View Bio →
Brian Shea
View Bio →
James Partridge
Industry Practice Lead & Sales Manager
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Neil Burton
View Bio →
Maurie Lawrence
VP Sustainability, Associate General Counsel of Milliken & Company
View Bio →
Ani Agnihotri
View Bio →
Oliver Bilstein
View Bio →
Kacie Jackson
Industrial Sales & Leasing at Cushman & Wakefield
View Bio →
Lee Ferrell
View Bio →
Subodh Karnik
ManaAir, Chairman and Managing Member
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Ken Zwerdling
Founder & CEO, Global Expansion Inc
View Bio →
Sallie Turnbull
Director of Internships, Career Programming at API
View Bio →
Aaron Brickman
Senior Principal, U.S. Program at Rocky Mountain Institute
View Bio →
Bob Scalise
Managing Director, Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC
View Bio →
Carla Edwards
Manager of the International Trade Program at SC Department of Commerce Business Services Division
View Bio →
Charles Dunst
Deputy Director of Research & Analytics at The Asia Group
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David Olave
Associate and Trade Policy Advisor at Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
View Bio →
David Snepp
Senior Director, Head of Defense, Intelligence & Law Enforcement at Americas Moody's Analytics
View Bio →
Frank Davis
General Counsel
View Bio →
Hank McCullough
Senior Manager, Government & Community Relations at Piedmont Natural Gas
View Bio →
Hannah Terpack
Director of Career Management at the University of South Carolina Upstate
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Helena Harte
Political Science and History double major at Clemson University
View Bio →
Kevin Cassidy
Director & Representative to the Bretton Woods and Multilateral Organizations for the International Labour Organization
View Bio →
Lida Nadery Hedayat
Associate Director at Counterpart International
View Bio →
Maggi Whiston
Double Degree Master of International Business candidate at the University of South Carolina
View Bio →
Matthew Placek
Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of South Carolina Upstate
View Bio →
mutindi ndunda
Associate Professor in the Teacher Education Department at the School of Education, College of Charleston
View Bio →
Sonata Coulter
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
View Bio →
Srikanth Kodeboyina
Founder & Managing Partner, Blue Eye Soft/Blue Space
View Bio →
Susan Marx
Director of the Human Rights Program for the Carter Center
View Bio →
Tony Bartelme
Journalist at The Post and Courier in Charleston
View Bio →
Young Jin Bae
CEO & President at SE Green Energy
View Bio →

Conference Schedule

Plan your conference & maximum the impact of your attendance.

Tuesday - October 3, 2023

8:00 | Registration check-in, doors open, City of Greer Event Hall Lobby

8:30 | International Trade Breakfast Buffet, seating opens Cannon Centre – The conference opening event is an International Trade Breakfast with opening speaker then discussion with table leaders. (C suite executives and international consular corps representatives)

9:00 – 10:15 AM | International Trade Breakfast begins

10:30 – 11:45 AM | Morning Panel Sessions

  • Panel 1 – Global Trade in the Upstate – Infrastructure
  • Panel 2- Democracy, Authoritarianism, and Protests

12:00 – 1:45 PM | Lunch Panel / Presentation, Cannon Centre
Company Culture and Impact to Productivity

2:00 – 3:15 PM | Afternoon Panel Sessions A

  • Panel 3 – Global Trade in the Upstate: Supply Chain
  • Panel 4 – “A Smart Girl” – Education Restrictions and the Cost in Human Terms

3:30 – 4:45 PM | Afternoon Panel Sessions B

  • Panel 5 – Cybersecurity
  • Panel 6 – Preparing for the Global Workforce: Student Perspectives

5:00 – 7:00 PM | Keynote Dinner, Cannon Centre

Bob Chapman, CEO of Barry Wehmiller Companies

Wednesday - October 4, 2023

8:00 | Registration check-in, doors open, coffee

9:00 – 10:15 AM | Morning Panel Sessions A

  • Panel 1 – Integrating and Leveraging Immigrant Workforce
  • Panel 2 – Strengthening the University: Global Employer Relationship

10:30 – 11:45 AM | Morning Panel Sessions B

  • Panel 3 – India Today: Opportunities and Challenges
  • Panel 4 – The Future of Korea

12:00 – 1:45 PM | Lunch Panel/Presentation, Cannon Centre – Visionary Leadership

2:00 – 3:15 PM | Afternoon Panel Sessions A

  • Panel 5 – Ukraine / Russia: What Happens Next?
  • Panel 6 – Responsible Sourcing: Who are you doing business with?

3:30 – 4:45 PM | Afternoon Panel Sessions B

  • Panel 7 – China’s Influence on Business
  • Panel 8 – Climate Change – Energy Constraints and Economic Development

5:00 – 7:00 PM | Keynote Dinner and Networking Reception, Cannon Centre

Energy World Wide

Topics

The most pressing global issues & opportunities
  • Visionary Leadership
  • Company Culture and Impact to Productivity
  • Global Trade in the Upstate – Infrastructure
  • Global Trade in the Upstate – Supply Chain Trends and Regulatory Influences
  • India Today
  • Integrating and Leveraging Immigrant Workforce
  • Cybersecurity
  • Who are you doing business with? – Responsible sourcing
  • “A Smart Girl” – Girls Education restrictions and the cost in human terms
  • Ukraine – What happens next?
  • Instabilities and opportunities in Asia
  • Strengthening the University-Global Employee Relationship
  • Climate Change, Energy Constraints and Economic Development
  • Foreign Policy 2023

How can I sponsor the conference?

For information about sponsorship opportunities, reach out to Tracie Frese or Brianna Woodsby, our sponsorship coordinators.

Tracie Frese

Executive Director Upstate International and World Affairs Council Upstate

Brianna Woodsby

Chairman Global Upstate Conference

Past Conference Speakers

Samantha Spratt
Rhonda Gibby
Henrik Larsen
Philip S. Kosnett
Kevin L. Jackson
Robyn Grable
Ann Morrison
Burkhard Jaeger
Katherine Palmer Kaup
Grant Burns
Brian Dill
Trevor Rubenzer
Daniel Cutts
Christian Tschurtschenthaler
Frank Fisher
Paul Berg
David Manning
W. Robert Pearson
Alison Kosnett
Jennifer B. Floyd
J. Blackmon
Akan Malici
David Snepp
Reid Lohr
Donald Morrison
Ben Cubitt
Kevin Cassidy
Chung-Yean Chiang
Dorette Coetsee
Tom James
Greg White
Seán Adam
Chris Richardson
Christian Hermann
Steve Nail
John Herbst
Brian Kirk
Dave Edwards
Bill Clifford
Robert Blake

2023 Sponsors

Thank you for your support!

Grant Sponsor
Grant Sponsor
Venue In Kind
Business Track Sponsor
World Affairs Track Sponsor
International Trade Breakfast Sponsor
Corporate Sponsor
Special Panel Luncheon Sponsor
Special Panel Luncheon Sponsor
Panel Sponsor
Special Panel Luncheon Sponsor
Special Panel Luncheon Sponsor
Panel Sponsor
Panel Sponsor
Panel Sponsor
Panel Sponsor
Panel Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Engaging Student Sponsor
Engaging Student Sponsor
Engaging Student Sponsor
Engaging Student Sponsor
Engaging Student Sponsor
Engaging Student Sponsor
Engaging Student Sponsor
Engaging Student Sponsor
Engaging Student Sponsor
Engaging Student Sponsor
Engaging Student Sponsor
Promotional Partner
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Promotional Partner
Promotional Partner
Promotional Partner

Frequently Asked Questions

Get the answers you need

City of Greer Event Hall and The Cannon Centre

301 E Poinsett St, Greer, South Carolina

The Global Upstate Conference on International Business & World Affairs, co-sponsored by the World Affairs Council Upstate, is an interdisciplinary event that will bring scholars and leaders together for serious and thoughtful discussions about the most pressing issues facing the world.

For general conference inquires, please contact the Upstate International Office: 864-631-2188

For sponsorship information, please contact:

Tracie Frese

[email protected] or 864-434-2021

Brianna Woodsby

[email protected] or 864-590-5802

Putting on an event like this requires all kinds of skills and contributions. Whether you are student looking for an internship opportunity or whether you are a working professional simply wanting to help, we’d love to have you on board.

Email [email protected] with a description of how you’d like to contribute and include a copy of your resume, and we’ll reach out to discuss volunteering opportunities.

Sponsorships not only help bring world leaders to the Upstate of South Carolina, enabling South Carolinians to build connections across the globe, but they also expose business leaders and deal makers to your company’s name and mission.

You can download the sponsorship packages and benefits by clicking here.

Conference Leadership Team

Meet the team of educators and business leaders that are organizing the Global Upstate Conference on International Business & World Affairs.

Brianna Woodsby

Director of Compliance & International Trade, AFL

Heidi Wenninger

Global Marketing Director, BW Flexible Systems

Kyle Anderson, PhD

VP of Strategic Programming, Academic Programs International

Tracie Frese

Executive Director, Upstate International and World Affairs Council Upstate

Elizabeth Feather

Director of Research and Strategic Initiatives, Upstate SC Alliance

Cleve Fraser

Professor of Politics & International Affairs, Furman University

Aviva Freudmann

Retired Business/Economics Journalist

Nisha Godbole

Feature Team Lead, BMW Manufacturing Co.

Andrew Pyle

Associate Professor of Communication & Interim Director, Clemson University Honors College

José A. Sagarnaga Castill

Clinical Assistant Professor & General Management Area Coordinator Department of Management, Clemson University

Chole Buffalino

Legal Project Manager,
Campbell Teague

Blake Whitaker

Senior Vice President/Office Leader, Pinnacle Financial Partners

Alexander Lorenz

Director of Global Engagement & Assistant Professor of German Studies, University of South Carolina Upstate

C. David Esch

International Development & Consultant, Reshift

Reid Lohr

Senior Executive, Entrepreneur, & Foreign Affairs Advisor, EDI Advisory Group

Howard Steele

Director, Apex Global Sales at Apex Tool Group

Rachel Vanderhill

Department Chair, Government & International Affairs at Wofford College

Will You Be Next?

Contact [email protected] about opportunities.

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