Winter 2009/2010

Edward E. Potter, director of global labor relations with The Coca-Cola Company, is the new chair of USCIB’s Labor and Employment Policy Committee.  With extensive experience in international labor, workplace rights and employment law issues, Mr. Potter’s responsibilities include global labor and employee relations as well as the workplace social compliance of the business system and supply chain.  He has been closely involved with USCIB and the International Labor Organization, both at The Coca-Cola Company and at the law firm McGuinness & Williams, for over 25 years.

Business Leaders Sought for ICANN

USCIB members, please take note: the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is seeking nominations for leadership positions within the organization, including three ICANN board director positions that will be vacated in 2010.  Candidates need not have previous direct exposure to ICANN, but should be experienced in high-level business representation.  Christopher Martin, USCIB’s manager for marketing, ICTs and emerging markets, is serving on the ICANN nominating committee assessing candidate. Contact Chris at cgmartin@uscib.org for more information.  The application deadline is April 2, 2010.

USCIB Staff News

USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson has been re-elected to the board of NAFSA: Association of International Educators.  NAFSA is the world’s largest nonprofit professional association dedicated to international education. … Kate Whitelaw has joined USCIB’s policy and program staff as an intern, assisting Norine Kennedy and Adam Greene on various environmental, corporate responsibility and human rights issues.  Kate holds a B.A. in political science and religious studies from Queen’s University in Canada, and has worked with Oxfam Canada, the Clinton Foundation and the International Crisis Group.

New USCIB Members

We are delighted to welcome the following organizations as the most recent new members of USCIB:

• BP America
• Bingham McCutchen LLP
• Chaffetz Lindsey LLP
• McCarthy Tétrault LLP

To learn how your organization can benefit from USCIB membership, contact Alison Hoiem at (212) 703-5095 or ahoiem@uscib.org.

Victor Fung, Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce and Chairman/CEO of Hong Kong’s Li & Fung Group, was greeted warmly by USCIB members during a visit to New York City in early October.  Top left: Meeting with USCIB’s board to discuss the world business organization’s efforts to promote business views worldwide.  Top right: Mr. Fung spoke on Asia’s perspective on the multilateral trading system before members of USCIB, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and the Committee of 100, an organization of Chinese-American leaders.  Bottom: Mr. Fung, third from right, held a working breakfast with (L-R) USCIB Senior Vice President Timothy Deal, USCIB Chairman William J. Parrett, Eastman Kodak CEO Antonio M. Perez, McGraw-Hill CEO Terry McGraw and USCIB President Peter M. Robinson.  ICC plans a series of worldwide events to mark its 90th anniversary next year, and part of Mr. Fung’s visit centered on laying the groundwork for U.S. events to mark the occasion.

Other News:

Thanks and congratulations to Edward Regan, former chair of USCIB’s Information Policy Committee, who retired recently from J.P. Morgan Chase & Company following a 35-year career with the company. “Our organization is stronger for your support and leadership, and so are those of us who have had the personal privilege and pleasure of working with you over the years,” USCIB President Peter M. Robinson wrote Mr. Regan..… Ronnie Goldberg, Executive Vice President for Policy, has taken on a key role with the Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the OECD.  In August she was elected vice chair of the BIAC Employment, Labor and Social Affairs Committee.  BIAC Secretary General Tadahiro Asami wrote Ms. Goldberg that “we are pleased to be able to count on your experience and leadership in guiding this essential policy group.”

New USCIB Members – We warmly welcome the Financial Services Roundtable to USCIB.  To learn how USCIB membership can benefit your company, contact Alison Hoiem at 202-682-1291 or ahoiem@uscib.org.

USCIB Staff Appointments –Several new additions to USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service: Ashlee Temple as Administrative Assistant, Rohan Nanton as Issuing Representative and Christopher Frassetto as Foreign Claims Examiner. … Jessica Berti adds the position of Executive Assistant, Office of the President to her existing responsibilities as Program Assistant, while Alison Hoiem has joined USCIB as Membership Assistant.  Both positions were previously held by Kate Stout, who is now pursuing her master’s degree at Cornell University. … Erin Breitenbucher has joined USCIB’s Washington, D.C. office as Program Assistant.  Now filling that same role in New York is Justine Bareford, succeeding Debbie Siu, who is also off to graduate school, in this case George Washington University.

The ICC International Court of Arbitration has hired two new Deputy Directors for Arbitration and ADR, Suzanne Ulicny and Victoria Shannon, working out of USCIB’s New York headquarters.  Ms. Ulicny holds a law degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, and she most recently served as a corporate associate at Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP.  Ms. Shannon holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and previously worked as an associate with the San Francisco office of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP.  Both succeed Nancy Thevenin.

Send your USCIB member news to news@uscib.org.

By William Martin

USCIB Senior Vice President for Development

USCIB covers a comprehensive set of international policy issues that truly makes us a “one-stop shop” for international advocacy. As such, we touch many different areas of a corporation, including departments such as government affairs, environment, health and safety, tax, legal and privacy. While you may be interested in one or two particular issues that we cover, it is important to note that other parts of your company can take advantage of your membership as well.

Late last year, we created a Corporate Counsel Subcommittee as part of USCIB’s Committee on Arbitration. The subcommittee, chaired by Roland Schroeder of General Electric, provides a forum at which corporate counsel can exchange ideas and gain a better understanding of arbitration and ADR, with a view to making it more cost- and time- efficient and responsive to business needs. The subcommittee provides a forum for members to provide direct feedback on the workings of the ICC International Court of Arbitration and highlights the particular advantages of arbitration under the ICC’s rules.

Besides developing targeted services and communication to corporate counsels, we also want to raise our profile within this community. As such, we are co-sponsoring an intellectual property conference this April in New York, organized by Argyle Executive Forum, at which senior corporate counsel will discuss how their companies are wrestling with global IP issues.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us to learn how you can get involved.

Alison Hoiem can be reached at (202) 682-1291 or ahoiem@uscib.org.

In Memoriam: Bill Eberle, Christopher Phillips

We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of William D. Eberle, the U.S. trade representative in the 1970s who later served as president of USCIB and remained actively engaged with us since then. Mr. Eberle passed away on April 3 at his home in Concord, Mass. at age 84.

A native of Boise, Idaho, Mr. Eberle served as an officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served two terms in the Idaho state legislature, then went on to co-found the pulp and paper company Boise Cascade, and later served as CEO of American Standard. President Nixon appointed him as special trade representative for the United States in 1971.

He was very active in the work of the International Chamber of Commerce, chairing its international trade commission, and serving on its executive board and finance committee. For many years, Mr. Eberle chaired USCIB’s Policy Coordinating Committee. At his death he was a USCIB Vice Chair and Trustee.

“Bill Eberle was an outstanding statesman in every sense of the word,” said USCIB President Peter M. Robinson. “He was steadfast in his commitment to open markets and free trade, and his personal dedication to organizations like ours that he chose to work with was nothing short of remarkable. He will be sorely missed.”

We also regret to announce the passing of another distinguished former president of USCIB, Christopher Phillips, who died on January 10 in Gloucester, Mass., age 87. Mr. Phillips was a career U.S. diplomat who served as executive head of the organization from 1965 to 1969. He returned to government service following his years with the Council, and he was named U.S. ambassador to Brunei under President Reagan.

Member News and Notes – At a March 13 dinner in Paris, Richard A. Johnson, senior partner with Arnold & Porter, LLP and chair of USCIB’s Biotechnology Committee, was presented with the BIAC Leadership Award by the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD. “Rick’s award is very much deserved,” commented BIAC Chairman Charles Heeter. Mr. Johnson also chair’s BIAC’s Biotechnology Committee. … USCIB’s board of directors, the Executive Committee, is pleased to announce the following elected appointments: Inge Thulin, 3M (Vice Chair); Ron Baukol (Senior Trustee); Jim Quigley, Deloitte (Trustee); Stephen Tritch, Westinghouse Electric Company (Trustee); Dick Crawford, McDonald’s (Executive Committee); Bill Sterrett, Roanoke Trade Services (Executive Committtee); Barclay Resler, Coca-Cola (Executive Committee).

USCIB staff news – Welcome to Bridgett Edwards, who joined USCIB as an Administrative Assistant for the Issuing and Marketing section of USCIB’s Carnet Department. Most recently Bridgett worked in the entertainment practice at the law firm Greenberg Traurig.