Walter (Buddy) Baker has over 30 years of experience in international trade finance. In May 2009 he joined Fifth Third Bank as head of their Trade Services Sales team, based in Chicago. Fifth Third is one of the 20 largest banks in the US and provides a full range of risk mitigation and financing products for exports and importers. Prior to Fifth Third, Buddy worked for Atradius Trade Credit Insurance, ABN AMRO Bank, Bank of America, Wachovia Bank, and The First National Bank of Chicago.

Buddy is a recognized expert in trade finance and author of numerous magazine articles and the books Users’ Handbook for Documentary Credits under UCP 600, Documentary Payments & Short-Term Trade Finance, and The Regulatory Environment of Letters of Credit and Trade Finance. He makes frequent presentations for national associations of exporters, importers, bankers, and lawyers. Mr. Baker serves as a member-at-large of the National Letter of Credit Committee of the International Financial Services Association and to be actively involved in establishing national and worldwide standard practices for L/Cs. He acts as an advisor to the Wolfsberg Group, an international group that includes most of the largest banks in the world, whose purpose is to set standards for combating money laundering, and to the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice. Buddy also serves on the Advisory Council of the FCIB, a multinational association of export credit managers.

Buddy earned his undergraduate degree from Yale and his MBA from Northwestern.

LTG (Ret.) Daniel Christman is responsible for representing the U.S. Chamber before foreign business leaders and government officials and for providing strategic leadership on international issues affecting the business community. He oversees a team of policy analysts and program coordinators who are committed to global business engagement. He lectures extensively on foreign policy and national defense topics, including the ongoing war against international terrorism. His experience and his deep knowledge of foreign policy fuels each incendiary presentation.

Before joining the Chamber, Christman served for two years as the president and executive director of the Kimsey Foundation, where he helped launch a program on political reform in China in coordination with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Mona Ghazzaoui, CFA is senior vice president and North America head of Supply Chain Financing solutions at RBS. Based in Montreal, Canada, Ms. Ghazzaoui is responsible for developing RBS’s transaction banking franchise in Canada and the U.S. In this role, she oversees product development, positioning and sales strategy, pricing, training and delivery of the Bank’s account receivable purchase and supply side receivable purchase programs to corporate customers. Ms. Ghazzaoui was formerly responsible for trade services sales to large corporates in Canada.

Prior to joining the bank, Ms. Ghazzaoui worked at Banque de la Mediterranee in Lebanon. She was also a lecturer at Beirut University College.

Ms. Ghazzaoui holds both bachelor and master’s degrees in business administration.

Andre Python, Jr. is the Vice President and head of Multi-Buyer Underwriting operations at FCIA Management Co, Inc. FCIA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Great American Insurance Company, underwrites and services Great American's trade credit and political risk insurance policies. For 45 years, FCIA has offered an array of flexible coverages that insure companies and financial institutions against commercial and political non-payment risks.

FCIA’s Multi-Buyer Underwriting group is responsible for its core multibuyer business segment and handles all risk evaluation and related financial and credit analysis. In addition the group provides all policyholder servicing functions. Each policy is supported by a dedicated team of 2-3 underwriters who quote, write, and renew the policy during the life of the account.

Andre joined FCIA after receiving his B.A. degree in History from Manhattan College. He completed his M.B.A. in 1985 at Pace University. Since 1983 Andre has held a variety of underwriting positions and was elected Vice President in 1994. He is currently a member of FCIA's Senior Credit Committee and Business Development Committee.

Tina Sorrels, CICP joined AJC in 1978. She has built a very successful 33 year career in international business. Through her years at AJC, she has managed various global roles including Global Logistics, Documentation, and Credit.

As Corporate Secretary, Mrs. Sorrels resides at AJC's world wide corporate headquarters in Atlanta, GA is responsible for all Corporate Governance including Legal, Ethics & Compliance, and Documentation. In her role of Director, Global Credit she has responsibility for AJC's world wide accounts receivable and collection activities.

Dr. Jerry V. Teplitz' background is as unique as the techniques and approaches he teaches. He originally graduated from Hunter College and Northwestern University School of Law and practiced as an attorney for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Jerry then studied and received Masters and Doctorate Degrees in Wholistic Health Sciences, and over the last 32 years, has gained wide-spread acknowledgement for his expertise in helping others achieve their ultimate best in all areas of life.

The list of clients Dr. Teplitz has consulted for include such organizations as: Century 21, IBM, Holiday Inns, International Management Council, Young Presidents’ Organization, Sales and Marketing Executives, GlaxoSmithKline, EDS, American Bankers Association, American Society of Association Executives, American Accounting Association, plus over four hundred colleges and universities across the United States and Canada.