Executive Committee

Daryl Bouwkamp  – DEC Chair
Sr. Director International Business Development & Government Affairs
Vermeer Corporation 

Daryl has 30 years of International business experience with Vermeer and directs its Government relations, issue awareness and advocacy.  From 19902006, Daryl helped develop and then led Vermeer’s sales, marketing and distribution development in Latin America and Asia Pacific.  From 20062012, Daryl helped organize and then served as Chairman of Vermeer China Ltd for six years while also starting Vermeer Government Relations efforts. 

Alongside government relations, policy, and business development, Daryl supports Vermeer’s CEO and the Chair Emeritus in their respective roles as members of key Government advisory councils, by serving as Deputy Chair B20 SME Task Force, Deputy B20 Education & Employment Task Force, and being their staff representative for the President’s Export Council (5 yrs), President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (3yrs), US-Brazil CEO Forum (3 yrs), and the US Ex-Im Bank Advisory Council (2yrs).  Daryl currently chairs the Iowa District Export Council and serves on the Greater Des Moines Partnership International Council, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Advocacy Council, the Iowa Advisory Council of the US Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC), as a Trustee of Dordt University, and on local school and church boards/councils.  Daryl is a graduate of Calvin University, Grand Rapids, MI, married, with four children.

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Tim Ng – DEC Vice Chair
Director
C K International, Ltd. 

Tim Ng has promoted Iowa agricultural products over the last decade.  CKI markets and promotes premium pork from value added hog programs including antibiotic free pork, specialty genetics, and specialty feeds.  CKI is also one of the leading US pigskin exporters, specializing in skins for leather goods.  Through lasting and sustained relationships, CKI increases the export and net value of US agricultural products.  Tim also serves on the Executive Committee for the Leather and Hide Council of America, that helps set the standards for US and global leather trading.  Tim is the Taiwan Country Chair for the Iowa Sister States relationship since 2014 and has been a member of the Iowa DEC since 2018.

Albert Liu – DEC Executive Secretary
Director
U.S. Commercial Service, Des Moines, IA

Albert Liu is the Director at U.S. Commercial Service in Des Moines assisting Iowa companies to enter international markets and expand exports globally.

Albert has about 30 years of accomplished international sales, marketing and business development experience in both public and private sectors specialized in turn-key system, capital equipment, high tech food processing, consumer goods, and consulting services. He served four of the very best exporters in Iowa: Townsend Engineering (Internationals Sales Manager – Asia/Pacific), Proliant Meat Ingredients (International Business Development Manager), Musco Lighting (Director of Asian Sales) and Kent Corporation (Director of International Business Development).

His customer base and market reach have covered over 40 countries in Asia/Pacific such as Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, in EMEA such as Albania, Austria, Benelux, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Malta, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, UAE and UK, and in Latin America such as Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru. Albert got his MBA degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, was a CPA in Iowa, and obtained International Trade Specialist Certificate from Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.

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DEC Members

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Ryan Carroll
Senior Director of Reginal Business Development
Greater Des Moines Partnership

Ryan is a veteran in the economic development industry with over 15 years of experience.  As International Trade Manager and Project Manager at the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Ryan is responsible for a variety of roles supporting existing industry business retention/expansion and international trade     management. He is currently leading the implementation of the Global DSM strategy created by Des Moines area business, community, education, and government leaders as a part of the Brookings Institution’s Global Cities Initiative (GCI).  Ryan also leads the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s international educational programming efforts in collaboration with public and private sector partners and serves on the Board of Directors of the International Traders of Iowa to promote trade in greater Des Moines. 

As Project Manager on the regional economic development team, Ryan supports the growth of existing companies in the Des Moines area by providing consultation in site selection, workforce development, and state/local incentive accessibility.  He also serves as the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s primary contact for freight movement/optimization and is currently engaged in a project that will bring a rail port to Des Moines.

Prior to joining the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Ryan worked in the economic development field at both the state and local levels in business recruitment and retention/expansion.     

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Thomas M. Dixon
Global Product Manager Hy-Line International 
Industry Specialization: Agribusiness

Hy-Line International is the world’s largest and oldest primary breeder of egg laying hens distributing product to more than 120 countries around the world with a 40% market share. I have held several positions with Hy-Line over the past 27 years. International Sales Coordinator, Regional Sales Manager to Latin America, Director of International Sales.  With my position at Hy-Line, I have travelled and conducted business in nearly all of the

Western Hemisphere countries, China, several Southeast Asia countries, Europe, North Africa and some Eastern Europe and Middle East.  I speak, write and read business fluency level of Spanish. Tom is an Iowa State University graduate with a degree in Business Administration with focus on Finance with minors in International Studies, Spanish and Economics.

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Dimi Doresca
Director
Institute of International Business
The University of Iowa

Dimy Doresca is a Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP), an International Business Specialist and Consultant, and an International Trainer in Entrepreneurship. He is the Director of the Institute for International Business, Associate Professor of Practice in International Business and Entrepreneurship, and International Recruitment Advisor at The University of Iowa.  He is also the Academic Director of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program at the University of Iowa.  

In the last 20 years his professional experience includes international market research, doing business overseas, risk analysis, strategic planning, budgeting, financial manag

Trevor Gingrich
Managing Director 
MiCS Agricultural Group
Motion Conveyance Solutions

Trevor Gingrich is the Managing Director of MiCS Agricultural Group, a division of Motion Conveyance Solutions, headquartered in Des Moines, IA. His responsibilities encompass oversight of sales and operations as well as providing strategic direction for the division’s domestic and international brands. 

The MiCS Agricultural Group services a diversified network of customers from Original Equipment Manufacturers to wholesale distributors and big box retailers with a focus on engineered rubber components and fluid conveyance products.  The MiCS Agricultural Group carries a global footprint with multiple locations across North America and a distribution hub in Beringe, Netherlands.

Trevor also serves as the President of the International Traders of Iowa, a 501(c)6 non-profit organization. International Traders of Iowa (ITI) is a member-based organization that serves its constituency and Iowa businesses in their pursuit of international trade through networking, advocacy, and the exchange of information.

Trevor holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Northern Iowa.

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Phil Harrington
Chief Executive Officer
Kuder, Inc.

Phil Harrington established Career Assessment Centers in 1997 to provide integrated assessment, career guidance, and education planning tools to all students and adults. Assembling a faculty of leading experts in career development theory, Phil directed extensive research among 100,000 key stakeholders throughout the United States to develop the first research-based, comprehensive career development system of its kind, the Kuder Career Planning System® (KCPS).

Under Phil’s leadership, the company – renamed Kuder, Inc. in 2007 – has become one of the most respected and innovative in the industry, serving as a leading voice and resource for issues surrounding education and career planning.

A sought-after speaker at industry events, Phil has conducted lectures, workshops, and seminars for the Qatar Foundation, the American Counseling Association, the National Career Development Association, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, among many others.

Personal Statement: “Most people become what they believe they can become!”

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Jamie Jackson
Vice-President of Sales
Percival Scientific, Inc.

Jamie has 6 years of international business experience with Percival Scientific and has been directly involved in international direct sales, distributor relations and contract negotiations during this period, with additional duties that include issue awareness, and both company and customer advocacy. He works directly with multiple independent, international sales distributors that have formal contracts with Percival Scientific as well as multiple international representatives that have “handshake” agreements with Percival Scientific as well.

Jamie has served as a volunteer on numerous groups that includes being nominated as the 2020 Democratic Party Union Precinct Central Committee Representative for Carroll County, IA, he is member of the Main Street Coon Rapids Group, where the group’s mission is to create a thriving downtown by nurturing businesses and economic development, serving on the Economic Vitality committee, as well as has coached local youth sports.  Jamie is married to his wife, Kristin, and has two children, Christopher, and Samantha. He is also an avid fan and stockholder of the Green Bay Packers.

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Aaron Johnson
Managing Director of International Business Development
MākuSafe Corp.

Aaron Johnson is the Managing Director of International Business Development at MākuSafe, a leading IIoT safety technology company based in Iowa. He is dedicated to helping global organizations improve employee safety, engagement, and productivity by leveraging datadriven workplace wearables.

Before joining MākuSafe, Aaron spent 18 years leading international marketing efforts for Accumold, a high-tech manufacturing company based in Ankeny, Iowa. His role involved expanding the company’s reach to new markets across three continents, educating international audiences on innovative technologies, and promoting the company’s focus on miniaturization for industries such as microelectronics and medical devices.

Aaron and his wife, Rebecca, have four grown children and enjoy spending time with their family. Alongside traveling the world, Aaron has a passion for community service, having served on the local school board, state-appointed commissions, and other boards and committees. Aaron holds a B.A. in Communications from Moody in Chicago and an MBA with a concentration in International Marketing from Northwest Missouri State University.

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Tony Josephay Hays
Founder and President
Joseph Int’l Freight Service

Joseph Int’l Freight Service is an international logistics provider licensed under the Federal Maritime Commission with agent offices globally.  In 1996 Tony launched Joseph Int’l Freight Service to be able to offer manufacturers solutions to their logistics needs. Tony has been working in logistics in the international markets for more than 20 years, and has developed relationships and partners in Asia, Europe, Middle East and Australia. Joseph Int’l Freight Service has been featured in the Shipping Digest Magazine because of their logistics work for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. 

 Tony is very active in Muscatine and is a strong advocate for community service and believes in the spirit of giving. He puts those values into practice through his volunteering and service provided to the greater Muscatine area, and towards global humanitarian efforts and has served on the boards of multiple organizations. 

In May 2010, Tony Joseph was given the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Tony joseph is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Business Program March 2021- that enhance practical business education focused on business growth.

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Jonathan Kingsbury
President & CEO
Insta-Pro, International

Jonathan has been President & CEO of Insta-Pro, International since June of 2021.  He has nearly 20 years of working in sales, marketing, and management positions in international business. 

His first role internationally was at Ecolab as the Marketing Director for Latin America and Asia Pacific, allowing him to travel extensively in those regions.  That was followed by a 2-year stint living in Australia as a General Manager for one of Ecolab’s business units.  He followed that with other global product development roles for Ecolab before moving to Nilfisk, a Danish floor-cleaning equipment manufacturer, as VP of Distributor Sales.  That role was followed up with four years at a small manufacturer of car wash equipment based in Minnesota that expanded into Europe and Australia. 

At Insta-Pro Jonathan oversees a small but well-established business that has exported to over 100 countries in the past 50 years.  Insta-Pro utilizes a team of independent representatives located across the world to continue promoting its equipment for processing soy and corn into highly nutritious animal feed ingredients.  Originally from Waterloo, Iowa, Jonathan received his BA from DePauw University and MBA from the University of Minnesota.

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Li Madelbaum
President
China Iowa Group

Li is a native of China who spent 25 years there before living in Holland, the U.K. and the U.S. Combined with over 15 years of international trade experience, Li is considered one of the top China experts in Iowa. Li leverages her background and relationships to deliver exceptional results for her clients. Prior to founding China Iowa Group, Li held positions at Agricredit and De Lage Landen — subsidiaries of Rabobank Group, one of the largest agricultural banks in the world. Her previous work experience includes positions at a variety of international companies in China including New Oriental, Shanghai Phoenix Bicycle Import and Export Company, and American Greetings.

Li holds undergraduate and Master’s degrees in International Trade and Economics from Central South University in Changsha, China. She is the youngest board member of Bankers Trust community board and also sits on the Board of Trustees for Grandview University. Her accomplishments have been recognized by receiving the Passport to Prosperity Award, The Business Record’s Woman Business owner of the year, Forty Under 40, and the Governor’s Volunteer Award. She was also featured in the Des Moines Register’s “Feeding China”, an in-depth report exhibiting key players in China’s ever growing demand for food. She has been on CNBC’s “Closing Bell” and is also a frequent guest on Chinese overseas TV station CGTN.

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Mitch Malcolm
Vice President Global Sales
Irontite Products

Mitch has been with Irontite (formerly Kwik-Way) for 24 years.  Starting in domestic and national sales, he was promoted as International Managing Director.  Irontite sells to over 85 countries in the automotive service equipment market.  As Vice President,  I oversee domestic and international sales in the engine rebuilding aftermarket.   

Mitch is a member of the Iowa DEC board and a graduate of the University of Iowa with a BA in Political Science/ Global studies. He is  also on the city council of is home town of Belle Plaine, Iowa. Mitch is the President of the Belle Plaine Historical Society that manages the Belle Plaine Area Museum and The Henry B. Tippie Annex.   Mitch is currently single with a dog and passion for history!

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Bryan McNulty ​
Director of Global Events & Special Projects
Musco Sports Lighting 

Bryan began his career at Musco Lighting in 1993 as a developmental lighting design engineer. The developmental engineering team worked on high profile projects and special events. These included professional stadiums, racetracks, golf courses, and Olympics events. For the 2004 Olympics, Bryan took on the role of the senior designer for 23 competitions at 18 facilities. His technical background made for a fluid transition into sales management, where he has worked for the last 20 years asDirector of Global Events & Special Projects .  

Bryan has helped Musco build their international business profile in Asia, Europe, and Latin America, developing and maintaining business operations. Bryan has a passion for international development that allows him to bring Musco solutions to the world stage, and he enjoys learning from the many cultures and communities that Musco works with on a daily basis. Having spent over a quarter of a century supporting Musco’s international operations and project development in over 70 countries, Bryan has developed a strong understanding of the needs of organizations around the world.  Bryan is married with four children and eight grandchildren. Outside of work he enjoys scuba diving, wood working, hiking and vacations with his wife of 26yrs.  

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Amber Rodger
Team Leader, International Trade Office
Iowa Economic Development Authority

Amber Rodgers has been announced as the new team leader for IEDA’s newly created Global Business team. Her background in economic development and marketing makes her the right fit for this important role. The Global Business team will oversee both IEDA’s business development and international trade activities. Amber previously served as Business Development Manager, joining IEDA in August of 2022. Her duties included developing and maintaining an individual caseload of active prospects and projects, assisting with domestic and global company recruitment and job creation efforts, and assisting with development and implementation of IEDA marketing efforts to position Iowa competitively.

She also served as Existing Industry Project Manager in western, central, and southern Iowa. Prior to joining IEDA, Amber worked as the director of the Wayne County Development Corporation and Wayne Community Foundation in south central Iowa and managed the IEDA Business Development account at a local marketing agency. She is a relationship-builder and passionate about advocating on behalf of Iowa’s economic development community and companies. Amber holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing from Drake University.

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Jason Ross
Shareholder
Dentons Davis Brown

Jason Ross is a business attorney with Dentons Davis Brown. With over 20 years of experience, he is a go-to resource for businesses engaging in crossborder transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and other commercial matters. Jason is a member of the Greater Des Moines Partnership International Council and the Iowa State Bar Association Council for the International Section.   He is currently the Vice-Chair of the Iowa District Export Council.

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Ryan Sempf
Executive Director, Government Affairs
Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce

Ryan has 8 years of experience leading non-profit government affairs programs, with a focus on business issues including taxes, workforce, and economic development policy. His role with the Quad Cities Chamber includes building partnerships between government and business, and educating members on opportunities to support entrepreneurs and develop new markets for goods. As a student at the University of Iowa he earned a B.A. in Political Science, and a B.B.A. in Economics from the Tippie College of Business. In addition to representing Quad Cities Region of Iowa on the Iowa District Exporters Council he also serves as a board member on the University of Iowa Political Science Alumni Board. 

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Jason White
Vice President of Business Services 
Greater Dubuque Development Corporation 

Jason White is an economic development veteran with over 20 years of professional leadership experience working for public/private nonprofit organizations. Jason is the Vice President of Business Services at Greater Dubuque Development. In this role, Jason collaborates with a team of professionals that helps businesses address issues and opportunities affecting growth, identify and recruit talent, while also working to attract new business investment to the area. 

Jason was the President/CEO of the Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation from 2015-2021. White was the organization’s founding CEO, guiding an inaugural multi-year, multimillion-dollar campaign, while also hiring quality staff and creating/executing a strategic plan. Jason’s chief role was to educate stakeholders about the value of a private-public economic development corporation. His efforts led to Oshkosh Corporation selecting Oshkosh to build a Global Headquarters, resulted in the construction of a new sports arena to serve as the flagship home of the Wisconsin Herd NBA G-League team, and launching several business finance funds to assist startups, second stage companies, and COVID-impacted businesses. Jason also worked to create Winnebago Catch-A-Ride, a ride program involving volunteers to take people with no means of transportation to (and from) work.  Including Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation, Jason led four economic development organizations prior to moving home to Dubuque County. Jason grew up on a farm near Worthington, Iowa, and graduated from Beckman Catholic High School before attaining high-level degrees from Loras College and the University of Iowa. Jason worked in the Iowa Legislature and managed political campaigns at the start of his professional career. 

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Dawn Wood
Dean, Global Learning
Kirkwood Community College

Dawn Wood serves as the Dean of Global Learning for Kirkwood Community College, located in the US state of Iowa. With over 20 years of experience in international education, she is responsible for forwarding comprehensive internationalization at Kirkwood Community College. The Global Learning department at Kirkwood requires her direction in the area of international strategic vision, international partnerships, international student services, English language learning, international admission and recruitment, study abroad programming, intercultural exchange, international grant management, immigrant services and international curriculum and faculty development. 

Ms. Wood graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in International Business and Psychology from the University of Northern Iowa. She also holds a Master’s Degree in International Management with an emphasis in International Education and Training from the School for International Training. She is currently a PhD candidate at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Centre for Higher Education Internationalisation in Milan, Italy pursuing research on the impact of intercultural experiences on diverse populations at community colleges.  Ms. Wood has experience living and working abroad in both Denmark and the Czech Republic and has travelled extensively throughout the world in her work. She has served as a leader and presented at many international conferences including involvement in several international education organizations such as NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Association of International Education Administrators, Phi Beta Delta, Professional International Educators Roundtable, StudyIowa, and Community Colleges for International Development and Global Education Network.

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