Paul Beretz, CICE, is Managing Director of Pacific Business Solutions, a company he created in 1999. In addition, he is a founding partner of Q2C (Quote to Cash) Solutions.  He brings over 30 years of global, corporate experience and his expertise includes analyzing opportunities and providing resolutions in the order-through-collect cycle for worldwide companies. Additionally, Paul is a faculty member at St. Mary's College (CA) in the BA in Management and MA in Leadership programs and holds adjunct faculty positions at UC Berkeley and Michigan State University. In 2003, under the combined sponsorship of FCIB, Michigan State University and the U.S. Department of Commerce, he helped to create a course in international credit and risk management. Paul is the project manager and lead instructor in this online certificate program that was developed for professionals in countries wishing to export their products or services. Paul is a faculty member for NACM's GSCFM at Dartmouth College in international credit and risk management. In April of this year, Paul received the "Credit Executive of the Year 2008" award from CMA, the California affiliate of NACM.

Ken Cavanagh is a Senior Vice President at FCIA Management Company, Inc. and is chief underwriter for its trade credit insurance operations. Mr. Cavanagh has been with FCIA since 1980. He has a B.A. in Economics from Rutgers University and an M.B.A. in International Finance from the Stern School of Business of New York University.

Lori Martin has been in credit for 27 years in both high-tech and services industries, and for the past eight years has been Director, Global Credit & Collections at Juniper Networks.  During the previous 11 years, she was a credit manager in the staffing industry.  Lori was President of CFDD-New England 1992-1993, earned her CCE in 1993, was Credit Executive of the Year in 1999, was on the Board of Directors of NACM-New England from 1990 - 2002 and Chairman of the Board 1996-1998.  She has her Bachelor's of Science in Consumer Economics from University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

David Marsh, CBF, CICE has been Manager of Credit for Novus International, Inc. since the company was formed in 1991. With Novus, he travels frequently throughout Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Before Novus, Mr. Marsh was a division credit manager at Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis, and was corporate credit manager at Chromalloy American Corporation from 1971-1986. He started his career in 1963, working in agricultural and international credit at Monsanto Company, and then as a division credit manager for Textron in St. Louis. Mr. Marsh currently serves on the Board of NACM-St. Louis where he was named Credit Executive of the Year in 2002.

Fernando Mesia is Vice President of Corporate Banking at Trade Finance for Commercebank in Miami, Florida. Prior to Commercebank, Fernando was head of international corporate and correspondent banking for Banque Sudameris, a french-italian trade finance bank. He has more than 15 years of experience in trade finance, international lending and credit risk management.

Carmen Migues, CICP, is the Export Credit and Collections Manager for Federal Mogul Corporation, a leading global automotive manufacturer and supplier of quality products, trusted brands and creative solutions to the world's original equipment manufacturers, heavy-duty engine manufacturers and the automotive aftermarket. She has the responsibility of the Global Aftermarket Accounts Receivable portfolio of $40MM, which represents sales to 1300 active accounts in over 152 countries. Prior to joining Federal Mogul, Carmen spent over 3 years in Carrier Corporation, a leading company in the Air Conditioning Industry, as the Assistant Credit Manager, responsible for handling the domestic portfolio as well as assisting the Export Credit Manager. Carmen has over 11 years of experience in the credit field working for large corporations. Carmen Migues holds an MBA from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale Florida, with a specialization in International Business. Carmen has been an active member of FCIB since 2004 when she earned her CICP designation. She is currently mastering the Certified Credit Executive designation, CCE, through the GSCFM program, Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management, an NACM program held at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Laura Pedersen, Global Banking Officer for First National Bank of Omaha, has over 29 years in the international arena, holding a CDCS (Certified Documentary Credit Specialist) certification and a CICP (Certified International Credit Professional) certification. Laura attended the University of Nebraska, and for over 18 years managed the international department for a large manufacturing company, where she oversaw international credit and collections, international shipping and documentation, and international order entry and customer service. With Laura's extensive background in all aspects of international trade, Laura has been working with companies for over ten years now, helping them to facilitate their international transactions. Laura is currently a member of the FCIB Advisory Council. She is a past president, and current board member, of MITA (the Midwest International Trade Association), and as a Junior Achievement volunteer, Laura teaches classes on international business to many public and parochial school students. Laura regularly presents seminars and workshops, throughout the Country, on Letters of Credit, Incoterms, and Export Documentation and Procedures.  Laura also published a quarterly newsletter relating to international topics.

Walter Rebello is the Latin America Finance Manager and International Credit Manager with the Ravago Group, a company he's been with for almost twelve years. He previously worked for Dow Chemical Brazil and US for nineteen years in several positions including five years as the Credit Manager for Brazil based in Sao Paulo, where he was born and raised, and five years as Latin America Credit Manager in Coral Gables, Florida. Walter is a former FCIB Board Member and currently serves as the Chairperson and Board Member of NCCA – National Chemical Credit Association.

Ron Shapiro, Expert Negotiator, Sports Agent, Attorney, Educator, New York Times Bestselling Author, and Civic Leader, attended Haverford College and graduated Cum Laude from Harvard Law School in 1967. After moving to Baltimore in 1967 for a federal clerkship, he began teaching law school in 1968. From 1972 to 1974 Mr. Shapiro served as Maryland State Securities Commissioner and earned a reputation as one of the most effective state investment officials in the nation. In 1972 he founded what is now known as Shapiro Sher Guinot & Sandler, a prominent Baltimore law firm. Subsequently, in 1976 Mr. Shapiro founded Shapiro, Robinson & Associates, a sports management firm that developed a national reputation through its holistic approach to contract negotiation, sound financial management, and commitment to community involvement on the part of its clients. In 1995 he founded Shapiro Negotiations Institute, a negotiation seminar and consulting firm that has trained over 350,000 professionals in the art of negotiation, dealing with difficult personalities, and enhancing preparation and listening skills.

Scott Thomas is Global Credit Risk Manager, INVISTA Polymers & Resins. INVISTA is an independently managed but wholly owned by a subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc. INVISTA, formerly DuPont Textiles and Interiors (DTI), was merged with KoSa, a producer of commodity and specialty polyester fibers, polymers and intermediates. KoSa had been a Koch affiliate since it was spun off in 1998 from Hoechst Celanese. A graduate of UC San Diego in political science and having earned a dual Masters degree from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, Glendale, AZ and ESADE in Barcelona Spain, Scott’s first position was Manager at FCIB-NACM Corp. in 1983-84 when it was located in NYC. He since has worked for Celanese and its successors with positions in international credit, financial analysis, treasury, as a plant controller, and in international sales and business development. He has also been a part-time instructor of international business at Central Piedmont Community College and the University of North Carolina, Charlotte.

Rachel Skanson is Director of Intercultural Services at Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning in Denver, Colorado.  Ms. Skanson has over 10 years of experience managing a culturally diverse workforce both in the United States and abroad.  She currently designs and conducts training for domestic and international businesses on intercultural communication.  Ms. Skanson has an International MBA from the University of Denver, speaks Mandarin Chinese, and has spent over eleven years working, living, and traveling internationally.