EACC: Where expanding cross-border trade & investments reign supreme

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In Summary: The East African Chamber of Commerce (EACC) 10th annual conference is almost here. It will take place at THE Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport (DFW) hotel, Irving, Texas from Thursday OCTOBER 5 to Saturday October 7, 2017. For the last decade, EXPANDING CROSS-border trade and investments has reigned supreme at the EACC. To be part of the historic celebration marking TEN years OF connecting business and communities, delegates are advised to register now before the curtains are drawn. Registration tickets for the entire conference including the Saturday dinner gala are available for individuals, groups, and organizations/corporate entities, such as students; members and non-members. To register, go to:

https://eacc.regfox.com/eacc-10th-annual-trade-conference?ct=t(EACC_NW_L_59_15_2017)&mc_cid=7cdfec1b8c&mc_eid=aeb9267e87

Throughout the conference, business to business (B2B) round table sessions will be held with key investors interested in specific projects and pairing will be based on one’s interests. The conference will climax with a celebration dinner gala highlighted by world class Entertainment and a Keynote Speech delivered by Dr. James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Bank Limited. From then, it will be all systems go; a spellbinding bash continuing into the wee hours of the morning. Be there or be square!

A cross-section of the EACC members at one of their many events in the past.

Irving, Texas—The East African Chamber of Commerce (EACC) 10th annual conference will take place at THE Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport (DFW) hotel, Irving, Texas from Thursday OCTOBER 5 to Saturday October 7, 2017, organizers announced here recently.  “For the last decade, EXPANDING CROSS-border trade and investments has reigned supreme at the EACC,” one of the founding members and treasurer Benson Kasue told the EADM Thursday. To be part of the historic celebration marking TEN years OF connecting business and communities, organizers of the event have advised delegates to register now “before the curtains are drawn on them”. Registration tickets for the entire conference including the Saturday dinner gala are available for individuals, groups, and organizations/corporate entities, such as students; members and non-members. To register, go to:

https://eacc.regfox.com/eacc-10th-annual-trade-conference?ct=t(EACC_NW_L_59_15_2017)&mc_cid=7cdfec1b8c&mc_eid=aeb9267e87

EACC Board of trustee member and Treasurer Benson Kasue

Throughout the conference, vending booths will remain open for vendors to exhibit their products and services while business to business (B2B) round table sessions will be held with key investors interested in specific projects and pairing will be based on one’s interests. The conference will climax with a celebration dinner gala highlighted by world class Entertainment and a Keynote Speech delivered by Dr. James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Bank Limited. From then, it will be all systems go; a spellbinding bash continuing into the wee hours of the morning. Be there or be square!

Dr. James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Bank Limited to deliver keynote address.

“We bring businesses and individuals in the same room with various ‘Very Important Persons’—East Africans & Americans overseeing different trades; CEOs, founders, innovators, Managing Directors, and others — individuals one would not easily meet without enduring a tortuous appointment process,” says Benson Kasue. “The EACC of Dallas facilitates its members to interact with world-class executives who have the RESOURCES and ABILITY to add value to businesses and enhance professions to newer heights without paying them consulting fees,” the EACC statement said.

Chairwoman Elsa Juko McDowell with some members of the EACC

The three-day 10th EACC international conference, running under the theme “expanding cross-border trade and investments”, will kick-off with a welcome reception on Thursday October 5 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM. One of the EACC founding members, the gregarious Benson Kasue Kioko will moderate the event at the Westin DFW Hotel. “Strategic business advertising opportunities are also available during the weekend-long international conference including prime placement of exhibit booth; full-page advertisement on the conference program booklet; display of a dual logo during the awards ceremony; premier signage during the event; advertisement on the EACC Web site for a year; and arrangement of VIP private business meetings and tours around the DFW Metro area,” a statement from the organizers said.

Renowned international and national speakers with a diversity of knowledge, expertise, and experiences in their respective fields have been lined-up to headline panels, forums, round tables, and B2B sessions, according to the program released by the organizers.

The ever green EACC Chairwoman Elsa Juko McDowell to highlight attained milestones and future aspirations

On Friday October 6, the EACC 10th annual conference will open with a CEO Power Breakfast from 7:00 AM to 8:50 AM during which the EACC chairwoman Elsa Juko-McDowell will make introductory remarks; welcome and introduce delegates and highlight key milestones attained by the chamber and those it aspires to realize in future. The ever green EACC chairwoman, Elsa Juko, the first woman to be elected to that position, is expected to introduce her executive, salute the conference sponsors, delegates, and members for making the event a success it will be. This will be followed with a Presentation; CoGoK, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Tanzania.

Kenya’s Ambassador to the United States Robinson Njeru Githae

The breakfast is expected to be graced with the presence of Kenya’s Ambassador to the United States Robinson Githae; Tanzania’s Ambassador to the US Wilson Masilingi; and the Global Diaspora attaché at the Rwanda embassy in Washington DC Mr. Daniel Murenzi. Between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, business to business (B2B) round tables will take place with key investors interested in specific projects; pairing will be based on individual interest.

Tanzania’s Ambassador to the US Wilson Masilingi

The Travel and Tourism forum will then follow suit from 9:00 AM - 10.00 AM   with the Ugandan Member of Parliament for Fort Portal Municipality Alex Ruhanda headlining the panel alongside Karl Evans of Dallas Safari Club. Mr. Alex Ruhanda is the vice chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Trade, Tourism and Industry and also a member of the Budget Committee in the 10th Parliament of Uganda.

Uganda’s Member of Parliament for Fort Portal Municipality Alex Ruhanda

Mr. Alex Ruhunda, a businessman and philanthropist, is a founder member of Mountains of the Moon University in Fort Portal, a board member of Rotary International, and is a founding chairperson of the Parliamentary Forum for Road Safety, among others. The forum is expected to attract a large number of participants since the travel and tourism sector is now the leading foreign exchange earner for most of the EAC member states.

A cross-section of members of the EACC at one of their meetings in Dallas

The forum will be moderated by the ebullient Bill Morgan, the Vice Chair of the chamber and CEO & consulting principal, Avistas. The choice of the highly inspirational Bill Morgan as the moderator suggests that the significance of the sector to the economies of both the EAC member states and the United States was not lost on the organizers.

 

EACC Vice Chair Bill Morgan and CEO & consulting principal, Avistas.

The health care forum, which will take place from 10:15 AM to 11:15 AM, will be moderated by the Dallas-based dental surgeon Dr. Daniel Juma.  Dr. Daniel Juma, a graduate of Baylor Medical school, operates two dental practices in the DFW area. The panelists will include Dr. Gary Barlow, a consultant oncologist and Director, Texas Center for Proton Therapy; Jayne Migraw – Professional Healthcare and Hospice; Clara Mainoo, MSN-Ph. BSC RN from the Texas Health Resources; and Dr. Josephine Ssenkungu, a Practicing MD in New Mexico.

Some of the members of EACC

The Fintech, Mobile money, Mobile banking, and Money Transfer panel will be headlined by Silpah Owich of Stanbic Bank; Patrice Kiiru of   Equity Bank and Violla Llewellyn of Ovamba. The panel, to commence from 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM will be moderated by Fareed Zein, a new EACC board member and a native of South Sudan, the youngest country in the world. Within the EAC member countries, mobile money transfer services have been credited for reaching out to the unbanked population and facilitated them to participate in the money economies of the six member states.

The EACC, during this year’s 10th annual international conference, in sticking to tradition, will host a working luncheon at which Mr. Wes Williams, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Hillwood, (A Perot Company) has been scheduled to headline the event. Moderated by Beth Plumlee, discussions during the working luncheon, planned to start from 12:45 PM to 2:00 PM will focus on best practices followed in in closing deals in the USA market.

Mr. Wes Williams, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Hillwood, (A Perot Company) has been scheduled to headline the event

The energy & infrastructure forum, to be moderated by Mart Nelson will be headlined by the VP of Greenway Innovative Energy, Pat Six; Business Development OPIC, Rashad Johnson; the CEO of Pioneer Green Energy, Charles Mutunga and The chief executive of Rise Africa Group, Alfred Achar. This event will take place between 2:15 PM and 3:15 PM. From 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM, the finance and real estate panel, moderated by senior attorney and EACC board member  Laban Opande will be addressed by Patrice Kiiru of Equity Bank; Farouk Sheikh, the CEO of Investec; and David Muthiani, an executive of Zuri Realty.

Pat Six, the VP of Greenway Innovative Energy, one of the panelists to the energy & infrastructure forum

The youthful Dr. Tana Juko, a recent doctoral graduate from the University of North Texas (UNT) will moderate the women's forum that will be addressed by prominent international women executives; scholars, entrepreneurs, politicians, and activists. In Dr. Tana Juko, a feminist scholar, a regular presenter and panelist at national conventions, a budding writer, and an award-winning teaching fellow at college, the women forum would never have had a more suitable moderator. 

The youthful Dr. Tana Juko to moderate the women’s forum

Headliners of the forum will include among others, the Ugandan Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, Dallas-based attorney and EACC board member Beth Plumlee, the CEO of Acari Jollyn Mwisongo, the VP of Jibu Franchising Kelli Schindelegger, and an Insurance specialist Betty Achapa. The women’s forum will run concurrently with a general networking session from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM ahead of a reception scheduled between 6:30 PM and 8:00 PM.

On Saturday October 7, Mr. Alex Karundu, managing director of Seagate Freight and president of the Kenya Diaspora Organization in the DFW area will moderate the panel of experts to discuss factors related to transportation, logistics and risk management.

Mr. Alex Karundu to moderate the forum

The event is slated to start from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM.  Panelists will include the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Integrity Financial Resources, Carol Maina; the VP for Global financial, Omar Sebite; the Chief Operations Officer (COO) TBS Services, Hailey Benton-Thomas; the Recruiting Manager for Amazon, Gregory Seller; and the executive of Integra Funding, Randy Wood.  

Hailey Benton-Thomas, the Chief Operations Officer (COO) TBS Services, one of the experts to headline the transportation, logistics and risk management forum

In the afternoon, organizers have set aside two hours between 12:00PM and 2:00PM to facilitate business to business (B2B) individualized closings. At the same time, throughout the day, leaders from the East African Community (EAC) member countries, ambassadors, and officials from the EAC secretariat are encouraged to arrange and hold meetings with their respective Diaspora communities as needed. The VIP meetings will end ahead of the conference finale, a celebration dinner gala with Entertainment and Keynote Speech to be delivered by Dr. James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Bank Limited. The climactic dinner gala will start 6:00 PM to the wee hours of the morning; 1:00 AM. Be there or be square!

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