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  • A Technology Entrepreneur's Journey with Sunny Dronawat, ECO of Samiteon

    A Technology Entrepreneur's Journey with Sunny Dronawat, ECO of Samiteon
    2025/10/13

    Episode 28: Today, podcast producer Jim Ray interviews Dr. Sunny Dronawat, Executive Chairman and Global CEO of Samiteon. Based in Louisville, Samiteon is a technology process and people innovation company, founded in 2006. They’ll discuss how the company began and how it is growing in the US, India and the UAE.

    So, from all of us at the World Trade Center Kentucky's This Global Trade Adventure podcast, remember, when you're ready, we connect businesses globally.

    To Learn More:

    Website: www.Samiteon.com

    Upcoming WTCKY EVENTS:

    · 11/05/25 – Tariff Strategies for Your Global Supply Chain

    · 11/11-13/25 – International Trade Certification Program

    The next episode of our podcast will launch on 11/10/25. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow This Global Trade Adventure on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.WTCKY.com/podcast.

    We hope you enjoyed this episode. Our schedule is to publish a new episode on the 2nd Monday of each month.

    Please consider sharing this with your colleagues. Until next time, thank you for listening and welcome to This Global Trade Adventure.
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    34 分
  • A Discussion with Colin Bird, Consul General for Canada in Detroit

    A Discussion with Colin Bird, Consul General for Canada in Detroit
    2025/09/08
    Episode 27: Today, podcast producer Jim Ray interviews the Consul General for Canada in Detroit, Colin Bird. He’s in town speaking with Kentucky businesses and government officials. He’ll return for the upcoming Global Executive Forum, on September 23rd, in Lexington. Today, we’ll discuss the very significant trade relationship Kentucky has with Canada. It might surprise you. Meet Consul General Colin Bird Colin is responsible for a regional area including Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. The role of a Consul General is to be the regional Canadian diplomat. He functions as a regional ambassador. Canada has multiple consuls general responsible for various regions, across the US. The night before recording this episode, Colin gave a presentation in Louisville to the Rotary Club on the state of the US-Canadian relationship. Colin is joined on this trip by Canadian trade diplomat, Jeff Burghardt. Colin and his team support the interests of Canadian businesses that are interested in doing business in this region of the US. They track approximately 100 Canadian businesses that have operations in Kentucky. The team also helps Kentucky businesses interested in doing business with Canada. How Much Business Does Kentucky Do with Canada? According to recent figures, provided by the Consul General’s office, Kentucky exports $9.3billion in goods to Canada, annually. This includes $5.4million in services. This is more than Kentucky exports to its next 2 export markets, combined. Kentucky imports $5.8billion in goods from Canada. Colin points out that we are trading a significant level of “intermediate goods” that are used as inputs into final products that are built or assembled in our respective countries. We typically receive finished goods from other global companies in China and Europe. However, 70% of the trade between Canada and Kentucky are for intermediate goods. Canada is the largest export market for the US, particularly with regard to Colin’s 4-state area of responsibility. The US and Canada have been growing its mutual trade relationship since WWII. Colin comments on how the recent tariff issues seems to be a significant change from that seamless, trade relationship. The situation is impacting factors that have contributed to the long-existing relationship. Both Kentucky and Canada have a strong Toyota presence. Trade Diplomacy is the Mission Colin is a trade diplomat. Previously, he lead the economic and policy team at the embassy in Washington DC. He was the senior trade official for the G7 and the G20. His has been a career that’s highlighted many of the reasons the US-Canada trade relationship is special. There is currently optimism that the current tension will level out and we’ll be able to recognize our mutual interest. Colin was directly involved in the USMCA agreement negotiations. The conversations behind the scenes tend to be extremely productive. Kentucky’s own Kelly Craft was also involved. She served as US Ambassador to Canada from 2017-2019 and was later confirmed as the US Ambassador to the United Nations. While the negotiations began fairly at odds, the focus on critical supply chain integrity and external strategic threats (e.g. critical minerals), worked to bring the parties into alignment. China was 10-15 years ahead on electric vehicles. Having a strong, North American manufacturing capability and base became the imperative. Five years ago, the USMCA was signed all three parties. From Colin’s perspective, the investments made have begun to bear fruit. Tariff policy is having an effect, but the advances in manufacturing have resulted in good paying jobs for all three constituents. Interestingly, 70% of the feedstock going into the refineries in our region come from Canada, at a discounted price. This helps to fuel manufacturing. Kentucky Is an Important Market for Canada There are multiple, Canadian sectors that benefit from exports to Kentucky. Agriculture has become a significant sector resulting from direct investment from Canada. There’s already a strong automotive parts trade between Canada and Kentucky. Kentucky’s strategic location is extremely advantageous. Having the UPS world hub in Louisville is a serious advantage. Colin mentions the new Canadian bridge that will tie into I-75 out of Toronto. It’ll include 6 new lanes and 35 customs booths. It’s an investment in infrastructure that will yield a tremendous advantage in years to come. Both Canada and Kentucky will soon have very large SK Blue Oval electric battery manufacturing facilities. Kentucky’s advancement, according to Colin, is in large part due to the abundance of raw and processed minerals being imported from Canada. One of Louisville’s Ford plants is changing over to produce more of the electric vehicles, while the Windsor Canada plant (across from Detroit) is building a new battery ...
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    32 分
  • Using AI to Scale Your Business Globally

    Using AI to Scale Your Business Globally
    2025/07/14
    Episode 26: Today, Omar Ayyash, President & CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky interviews Todd Schmiedeler, Senior VP of Zero Waste Manufacturing, as well as the Founder & CEO of Thumbprint Consulting. They are going to discuss issues related to using AI to scale your business globally. Meet Todd Schmiedeler Todd spends a considerable time thinking about growing businesses, partly in an effort to make sure his own kids have a thriving environment in which to grow and work. The more global business that being done in Kentucky means people living hear will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience without having to leave for other cities. Todd completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Louisville. He later earned his Master’s degree in business communications, as well as his doctorate in Leadership at Spaulding University. He worked at the Center for Women and Families, a Louisville, nonprofit organization. He later worked at Norton Healthcare’s Children’s Hospital and the Norton Healthcare Foundation. Later, he spent 10 years at Trilogy Health Services. Four years ago, he launched his own company and also ventured into the waste-to-energy business. Todd has become extremely involved in AI, especially from a business process and business growth perspective. The Impact of AI Omar asks Todd to discuss the impact on AI on Todd’s business, as well as the business with which he consults. Todd is extremely excited about the growth of AI domestically, as well as internationally. He admits that 9 months ago, he used AI similar to how he used Google and as an administrative assistant. A friend gave him a copy of The AI-Driven Leader, by Geoff Woods. It helped bring the potential into focus and now he spends considerable time helping friends and clients to implement AI technology in their respective businesses. Todd believes most people are significantly underutilizing the power of AI, if they’re using it at all. He admits he was, at first. He contacted Geoff and asked how he could learn more. Geoff was in the process of establishing The Leadership Collective (AILeadership.com), which he later joined. It meets quarterly in Austin, TX. It’s comprised of roughly 75 C-Suite leaders from across the world. Those leaders are incredibly savvy in business and implementation. It’s, in large part, how Todd began engaging in global business. Todd disagrees with the adage, knowledge is power. Knowledge is potential power. You have to understand how to apply it and how to access it. By itself, knowledge is only intelligence. Todd is taking this approach to AI and helping people with their individual businesses. The productivity AI offers should result in employees being able to better balance their objectives with their outside lives. Todd readily admits, he struggles in this area. He loves what he does, but would relish the opportunity to spend more time with his family, several of whom work with him at Thumbprint Consulting. AI is helping them tool the business for scale. They are focused on 10X-ing the business, each year. One of the people Todd interacts with in The Leadership Collective owns all of the Domino’s pizzas in China. He’s adding 500 stores per year. He’s using AI to standardize back-office data and report out all of the key financials, at the individual store-level, and roll them up into a more manageable reporting structure, for problem identification and decision making insights, across 2,000+ locations. Geoff Woods notes that AI can be your thought-partner. You still need to be the leader, but imagine the collaborative impact of AI, at your fingertips. Geoff has created an AI Board of Directors, based on AI personas from people like Steve Jobs, Warren Buffet, Jim Collins and other high-performing leaders. Todd shares how he uses AI to determine if words he uses in team communications could be misunderstood or misinterpreted by his team. He has a number of foreign nationals working for him. Colloquial terms may be challenges for people who do not speak English, natively. AI is a tool for improving the effectiveness of his communication. AI is about improving speed, accuracy and the integrity about what you’re trying to accomplish. On a regular day, Todd asks himself 2 questions: 1. How can AI help me? 2. Who should be doing this? Advice For Global Business Leaders Hesitant to Embrace AI An important question Todd offers is for leaders to consider, “Who do you want to be?” Is it about who you’ve been or maybe you’re only interested in becoming incrementally better. Better yet, if you want freedom of time, relationships and financial, you have to figure out how to scale. It’s difficult in an environment in which capital is thinning. The solution is to consider hiring AI staff members, at a fraction of the cost, able to work 24-7 and operating at an ...
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    40 分
  • The Rise of Bourbonism: An Interview with Eric Gregory

    The Rise of Bourbonism: An Interview with Eric Gregory
    2025/06/09
    Episode 25: Today, Omar Ayyash, President & CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky interviews Eric Gregory, President of the Kentucky Distiller’s Association discuss the Kentucky bourbon industry, its history, standards, and the challenges it faces in the global market. They explore the rise of bourbonism, the impact of tariffs on exports, and the importance of tourism in promoting Kentucky's bourbon heritage. The conversation highlights the collaborative spirit of the distillers and the economic significance of bourbon to the state of Kentucky. Meet Eric Gregory Eric is a born and raised Kentuckian, from Henderson County. He attended the University of Kentucky. He has a background in journalism, public relations and political consulting. He later became a lobbyist. In 2007, he became the President of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA). He considers it an honor and privilege to have played a role in the incredible rise in the popularity of bourbon and bourbonism during the past 10-15 years. What Is the Kentucky Distillers’ Association? Eric notes the KDA was founded in 1880. A group of distillers met at the Galt House in Louisville to discuss how they could better deal with the increasing taxes on bourbon. Labeling and whether a spirit was truly bourbon or not were other important themes, in the early years. The mission of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is to protect, promote and elevate Kentucky’s signature bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Over 100 Kentucky distilleries are members of the KDA. These distilleries produce 95% of the world’s bourbon. There is also a significant tourism arm of the KDA. In 1999, the KDA launched the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Experience. It’s focus is to promote bourbonism throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. What Makes Bourbon Different from Whiskey? To begin, all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. The KDA’s website has some very interesting FAQs about bourbon. There are actual federal standards that define elements which qualify a spirit to be called bourbon. Primarily, the spirit must be at least 51% corn and it must be aged in a brand new, charred oak container. Additionally, it can’t be bottled at less than 80 proof. It can’t go into the barrel if it exceeds 125 proof. To be called a Kentucky bourbon, it must be fermented, distilled and produced in Kentucky. Additionally, it must be aged in the Commonwealth for at least 1 year. If the label calls it a “straight bourbon,” that indicates it’s been aged for at least 2 years. If there is no aged statement on the bottle, that means it’s at least 4 years old. Eric points out that bourbon is the only indigenous spirit of the United States. In 1964, Congress passed a law requiring the whiskey to be made in the US, if it’s to be called a bourbon. Bourbon Is Steeped in Family Tradition Bill Samuels is a legend in Kentucky bourbon. He’s the son of the founder of Makers Mark. His godfather was Colonel Jim Beam. Many of the families behind some of the most recognized brands are related, along the way. Eric describes how many of the family names are iconic throughout the world, as it relates to distilled spirits. It’s important to note that the distilleries all get along with each other, based in part because of the 200-year family heritage. Through the years many of the distilleries have helped their competitors in times of emergencies, such as floods and fires. The Bourbon-Boom and the Global Phenomenon of Bourbonism While bourbon was popular in the 50’s, it experienced a decline during the 60s and 70s. It was no longer considered hip or cool. The consumer began demonstrating a preference for clear spirits. This trend continued into the 1980s. Eric points out that Kentucky had 8,000,000 barrels of bourbon in 1960s to 2,000,000 barrels or less in during that decline. In the 1980s, the distillers began producing single-barrel and small-batch bourbons. Blantons, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden and Booker’s are a few important examples. The quality of these product were very high. In the 1990s, international free-trade agreements (such as NAFTA and with the EU) contributed to the expansion of Kentucky bourbon. Tariffs were set at zero, enabling distillers and the KDA to sell to new markets that were unfamiliar with Kentucky bourbon. Other factors include the increase in bourbon tourism and the rise of the cocktail culture in the US. Bourbonism was surging and it began to reclaim that dominant image position, across the US and beyond. In 1999, as a state, Kentucky filled 455,000 barrels of bourbon. In 2024, it had risen to 3.2 million barrels. Production has substantially increased to meet the growing demand. Challenges and Opportunities Facing the Bourbon Industry Omar asks Eric to discuss some of the issues impacting bourbon sales both domestically and globally. The obvious ...
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    38 分
  • Interview with David Brulotte, Québec's Delegate General in New York

    Interview with David Brulotte, Québec's Delegate General in New York
    2025/05/12
    Episode 24: Today, Omar Ayyash, President & CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky interviews David Brulotte, Québec’s Delegate General in New York. David and his team are touring various Kentucky companies and meeting with officials. Kentucky and Québec have significant, commercial relationships. Meet David Brulotte David explains his role is to promote and defend Québec’s interests in the US. The team in New York City consists of 30 people. This is their most senior team in the United States. In total, there are 9 offices in the United States. The province of Québec has 34 offices across 20 countries. The Ministry of International Relations of Québec leads the group. It consists of roughly 600 employees. Approximately 100 of them are in the US, with the remainder spread across Europe, Asia, South America and Africa. The New York office has responsibility for a region which includes Kentucky. At its core mission, David’s office focuses on expanding Québec businesses and exports throughout the region. The help to establish JVs, as well as, brownfield and greenfield investments. David’s team also helps US companies to grow and invest in Québec, with an emphasis on foreign direct investment opportunities. They foster government relationships at the city, state and federal levels. The promote Québec culture including artists, enterprises and universities. Québec’s Focus on Kentucky Both Québec and Kentucky are states. The Delegate General’s office has made previous trips to Kentucky. There are always new opportunities to be found and being on the ground is a great way to discover them. It also provides a the chance to establish personal relationships in the area. David will keynote this evening’s Global Executive Forum at the UK Gatton College of Business and Economics. The Role of Cultural Diplomacy Omar asks David to comment on the role of cultural diversity in his office. David notes that this is the core of his efforts on the international scene. It’s one of the reasons Québec has numerous offices across the world. Canada itself is a very decentralize country. The individual provinces have a great deal of jurisdictions and powers. For instance, healthcare and education are province-based jurisdictions. Québec has always had a proud cultural identity. They regularly promote their native artists, such as Cirque du Soleil. Additionally, they actively promote their businesses, the French language, etc. Three members of his 30-person team specifically focus on cultural promotion opportunities. David points out that cultural experiences help to create memories, which can be helpful when working through challenges in other areas of a common relationship. Those cultural experiences help to foster interests, which fortify the friendships and help to build bridges between two people, organizations or governments. Omar and the World Trade Center Kentucky was able to assist in setting up meetings for David’s delegation in Louisville, Bowling Green and Lexington. They’ve met with company leaders, elected officials, various chambers of commerce and more. It was a terrific opportunity to listen to the needs of companies regarding new suppliers in their supply chains or even new clients. Several companies in Kentucky already have Québec inputs. Several Québec companies have subsidiaries in various parts of Kentucky. It's also a good time to discuss how the tariff situation might affect companies sourcing from or exporting to Québec, and Canada at large. David and his team can convey messages to elected officials and to other businesses, on behalf of the various Kentucky companies. Omar notes how the World Trade Center Kentucky is unique in that it’s the only organization focused on both imports and exports. Many of the government entities you might think of are primarily export-focused. As often noted, Kentucky exported $42 billion in 2024. The WTCKY recognizes the importance of imports and works to help companies to build resiliency into their operations, including supply chain. On this same day, Omar will participate in a webinar focused on duty drawback, which is another tool Kentucky businesses can use to improve financial results. Québec Is a Logistics Hub While Kentucky boast the presence of UPS and DHL, Québec also is known as a logistics hub for North America and Europe. Québec encourages European companies to consider shipping product to Québec. This can help them to take advantage of the USMCA agreement. This may be more advantageous than attempting to ship directly to the US. Aerospace is an extremely competitive sector for Québec. There’s also a strong presence for AI, tech and battery manufacturing. The also have a significant SK battery investment near Montreal, which will enable them to work closely with the new Ford-SK battery plant, in Kentucky. Montreal and ...
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    24 分
  • Local to Global an Interview with Entrepreneur Ricky Mason

    Local to Global an Interview with Entrepreneur Ricky Mason
    2025/04/14

    Episode 23: Today, Omar Ayyash, President & CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky interviews Ricky Mason, an entrepreneur who is earning a lot of visibility these days. From a stint with the CIA, to working on actual rockets to launching a new company, Ricky is making an impact on many in his orbit.

    Meet Ricky Mason

    Omar and Ricky met at an International Trade Certification course, sponsored by the WTCKY. Ricky later participated in the 2024 Trade Mission to Dubai.

    Ricky grew up in Louisville. He attended the University of Kentucky. He earned his Master’s degree at Johns Hopkins. Ricky spend time working for the Department of Defense as a weapons test engineer. He transitioned to a role at Cape Canaveral and helped to launch rockets. After a period of time, he took a role as a computer engineer for the CIA.

    Ricky eventually returned to the University of Kentucky and after speaking with the dean, he was able to leverage his experiences in a role that involved developing agriculture-related tech, including drone technology, applications involving the Internet-of-Things (IOT) and more. One of his projects benefits soybean producers.

    Recently, he returned to Louisville to develop and launch a new company, BrainSTEM University. This concept is meant to create a pipeline for students interested in pursuing STEM-careers.

    Ricky shares that while growing up, he didn’t have a mentor to encourage him to focus his abilities on STEM. BrainSTEM University provides schools and non-profits with a high-quality curriculum to help get students on a track toward a STEM-related career.

    To Learn More:

    Website: http://www.brainstemu.com/

    Upcoming WTCKY EVENTS:

    · 05/06/25 – Global Executive Forum: Navigating the Evolving Landscape: US-Canada Commercial Relations in a Changing World

    · 09/15-24/25 – Discover Ireland Trade Mission

    · 10/13-19/25 – Trade Mission to Dubai 2025

    · 11/11-13/25 – International Trade Certification Program

    The next episode of our podcast will launch on 05/12/25. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow This Global Trade Adventure on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.WTCKY.com/podcast.

    We hope you enjoyed this episode. Our schedule is to publish a new episode on the 2nd Monday of each month.

    Please consider sharing this with your colleagues. Until next time, thank you for listening and welcome to This Global Trade Adventure.
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    34 分
  • The City of Ali Movie - Muhammad Ali’s Global Impact

    The City of Ali Movie - Muhammad Ali’s Global Impact
    2025/03/10

    Episode 22: Today, Omar Ayyash, President & CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky interviews Graham Shelby, who directed a documentary film about Muhammad Ali, “The City of Ali”. They’ll discuss how the idea got started, how it grew and the global impact the film is having.

    Meet Graham Shelby

    Graham is a writer and storyteller who’s lived in Louisville for the past 20 years. His role as director and the path of the film, itself, is fairly unconventional.

    Muhammad Ali passed away in 2016. The coverage of his funeral and its effect on the entire city of Louisville was watched worldwide. People came to Louisville from all over the world to pay their respects. Muhammad was buried at Cave Hill Cemetery, in Louisville. This is the city in which he grew up and began his boxing career. The celebration of his life and his mission in life was a special moment in Louisville’s history.

    At the time, Graham was serving as the speech writer for Mayor Greg Fischer. After the week-long celebration ended, Mayor Fischer told his team that they needed to capture what had just happened, so the experience could be preserved, and retold from a Louisville perspective.

    The City of Ali can be viewed on the Delta Airlines entertainment menu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Tubi and other streaming services. A teacher’s guide has also been developed for educators who wish to use the documentary in classrooms, at the middle school, high school and college levels.

    To Learn More:

    Website: http://www.CityOfAli.com

    Upcoming WTCKY EVENTS:

    · 02/25/25 – 02/27/25 – International Trade Certification

    · 10/13-19/25 – Trade Mission to Dubai 2025

    The next episode of our podcast will launch on 04/14/25. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow This Global Trade Adventure on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.WTCKY.com/podcast.

    We hope you enjoyed this episode. Our schedule is to publish a new episode on the 2nd Monday of each month.

    Please consider sharing this with your colleagues. Until next time, thank you for listening and welcome to This Global Trade Adventure.
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    30 分
  • Theresa Reno-Weber- Her Journey from Startup to Global

    Theresa Reno-Weber- Her Journey from Startup to Global
    2025/02/10

    Episode 21: Today, Omar Ayyash, President & CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky interviews Theresa Reno-Weber, CEO of GoodMaps, in Louisville, KY. They provide an innovative, indoor mapping and navigation platform. Omar and Theresa discuss a variety of topics including how GoodMaps was spun off from a non-profit and continues to experience rapid growth on global scale.

    Meet Theresa Reno-Weber

    Theresa was initially hired into GoodMaps as the COO, a later assumed the role of CEO. She began her career as an officer in the US Coast Guard. After serving our country, she transitioned into a consulting role with McKinsey & Company. She became Louisville’s Deputy Mayor during the Fisher administration, in Louisville. After the second term, she became the CEO of Metro United Way, serving a number of counties in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Theresa earner her Master’s in Public Policy from the Kennedy School at Harvard.

    To Contact Theresa Reno-Weber:

    Website: https://goodmaps.com/

    Upcoming WTCKY EVENTS:

    · 02/18/25 – Global Executive Forum: Navigating the Evolving Landscape and US-China Commercial Relations

    · 02/25/25 – 02/27/25 – International Trade Certification

    · 10/13-19/25 – Trade Mission to Dubai 2025

    The next episode of our podcast will launch on 03/10/25. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow This Global Trade Adventure on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.WTCKY.com/podcast.

    We hope you enjoyed this episode. Our schedule is to publish a new episode on the 2nd Monday of each month.

    Please consider sharing this with your colleagues. Until next time, thank you for listening and welcome to This Global Trade Adventure.
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    38 分