Go Global Conference Announces Keynote Speakers

February 19, 2010; 02:44 AM

ROCKFORD, IL (February 18, 2010)—The keynote speakers for the third annual Go Global conference are Grant Aldonas, Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies – Keynote:  Global Economy:  Negotiating a New Social Contract, and Darryl Scott, MajGen (ret), USAF, Corporate Vice President, Contracts and Pricing at The Boeing Company – Keynote:  Partnerships and Diversification.  Go Global will be held on April 21 – 22, 2010 at the Clock Tower Resort & Conference Center in Rockford, Ill.

Grant Aldonas holds the William M. Scholl Chair in International Business at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Previously, he had a distinguished career in law, business and international economic policy, including service at senior levels in the U.S. government.

Aldonas came to CSIS from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, where his practice focused on international trade, investment, corporate governance and corporate social responsibility. While at Akin Gump, he served as chairman of the U.S. arm of Transparency International. Before joining Akin Gump, he served in the Bush administration as the Commerce Department's under secretary for international trade from 2001 to 2005, where he was one of the president's principal advisers on international economic policy and managed a federal agency of 2,400 employees with offices in 80 countries and a budget of $350 million. In his role as under secretary, he also served as a member of the board of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and as executive director of the President's Export Council.

Prior to his service in the administration, Aldonas was chief international trade counsel to the Senate Finance Committee. During his tenure, Congress passed a number of significant trade bills, including the Trade and Development Act of 2000, Permanent Normal Trade Relations for China, legislation replacing the Foreign Sales Corporation provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and a series of tariff bills.

Darryl Scott is responsible for contracts and pricing policy, processes, operations and compliance.  Scott joined Boeing in 2009 after serving 34 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a Major General. In his last position, he served as Deputy Commander, Task Force to Support Business and Stability Operations in Iraq, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Business Transformation), and Deputy Director, Defense Business Transformation Agency, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Prior to that assignment, the general was Commander, Joint Contracting Command-Iraq/Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq. General Scott reported directly to Commander, Multi-National Force-Iraq, and was responsible for planning, executing and managing mission-critical contracting efforts supporting U.S. and coalition forces, security operations, humanitarian relief and the reconstruction efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. General Scott entered the Air Force after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

He served as a principal contracting officer for space; missile; aircraft; and command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. He commanded three times; served as Vice Commander, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins Air Force Base, GA.; and as Director, Defense Contract Management Agency, Alexandria, VA. He received a BS degree in Economics from the United States Air Force Academy, and a MS degree in Logistics Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology. The general is also a Distinguished Graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Active in numerous professional associations, Scott serves on the Aerospace Industry Association Procurement and Finance Council, and on the National Contract Management Association (NCMA)’s board of advisors. He also is a member of the Air Force Association.

In addition to the keynote speakers, the conference will feature a variety of respected industry experts who will help attendees explore the underlying benefits of partnering and navigate through the complex world of global trade.  Session topics will include information on current and pending legislation, the process of launching into the global market, identifying various sources of trade and finding resources for financial and legal assistance.  A full list of speakers and agenda is available at www.GoGlobalRockford.com. 

Registration for Go Global is also available at www.GoGlobalRockford.com.  An early bird rate of $100 is available until February 28. 

The conference is sponsored by RSM McGladrey and US Bank (Gold); SupplyCore (Reception); DRS Power, GE Aviation, Greater Rockford Airport Authority, Navistar Defense and the Rockford Area Economic Development Council (Silver); BAE Defense, Growth Dimensions and Hamilton Sundstrand (Bronze); the Rockford Chamber of Commerce (Workshop), and Winnebago County (Supporter). 

Planning partners for the Go Global conference include SupplyCore, Rockford Chamber of Commerce, Rockford Area Economic Development Council, Greater Rockford Airport Authority, US Bank and the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) Illinois-Wisconsin Chapter.

Go Global is a regional partnership of like-minded companies and organizations with a common goal to help support, strengthen and grow small- and medium-sized enterprises in the international marketplace. 

For more information on the Go Global conference, visit www.goglobalrockford.com or email info@goglobal.com.  

Kylie Crull

Account Executive

PR Etc., Inc.

(815) 282.9976 (Rockford office)

(608) 239.0745 (Madison office)

(262) 880.6324 (Racine office)