»Cross-Border: U.S. and Mexico Entrepreneurship Conference

NAFTA has successfully created a favorable cross-border economic and business environment for United States and Mexico entrepreneurs. The success of the bi-national relationship has led to increased efforts by individuals, investment groups and government agencies to further enhance the favorable environment by developing funding mechanisms and assistance programs to facilitate cross-border relationships. These changes have created opportunities for investors and agencies from both sides of the border to benefit and advance their businesses.

Many of the private efforts have been patterned after and often with the support of private U.S.-based incubators, angel funds, and mezzanine investment funds.  At the same time NAFIN, the Mexican government equivalent of the SBA, has worked with the SBA to understand and provide both financial and technical support to small- and medium-sized companies.  While NAFIN’s efforts have focused on Mexican companies, these funding and support mechanisms can be used to promote cross-border relationships through co-funding or otherwise partnering with small- to medium-sized U.S. companies that would use this support to establish research, development and/or production facilities in Mexico.

Alejandra García-Williams 
Mexico’s General Consul in Santa Ana

Alejandra García-Williams earned a degree in international trade from the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. She holds a post-graduate degree in finance and international policy from Oxford University in England. García-Williams is a member of the Mexican Foreign Service.

In 1990, she received the title of advisor to coordination of immigration, human rights and drug trafficking affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1994, she was assigned to the Mexican Embassy in the United States, serving in the Office of Immigration and Border Affairs. From 1998 to 2000, she was the advisor to the ministry of foreign affairs. Later, she was attached to the Mexican Embassy in France, during which time, she was responsible for domestic policy, human rights, and legal affairs. In that same responsibility she was Mexico's Delegate before the OCDE.

In 2007, she was the consul in charge for the Mexican General Consulate in San Francisco and was later assigned, for two years, as attached consul in that same representation.

Appointed in December 2009, she currently serves as lead consul for the Mexican Consulate in Santa Ana.

Company Panel: A roadmap to establishing and succeeding in cross-border business in Mexico.

Investor Panel: A showcase of companies with experience investing across the border.

Mexican Government Panel: Introduction to business support programs offered by the Mexican government.

US Government Panel: Details of export promotion programs offered by the government’s Small Business Administration.

Legal and IP Panel: Insight into the challenges companies face to ensure protection and rule of law.

Tax and Audit Panel: Real-life examples and lessons learned on tax and other liabilities with cross-border transactions.

Panelists

José Blanco, principal, Central Valley Fund

Giancarlo Ciscomani, regional director, NAFIN

David Josephson, Ex-Im Bank

Mario Juárez, general manager, ProMexico Los Angeles

Manuel Ramírez, president, RJI International

Lee Rand, general manager, Sun Mountain Capital

Arturo Rodrígez, vice president of business development, Vangtel Mexico

Martin Selander, US Export Assistance Center – SBA

Richard Swanson, Department of Commerce – Foreign Commercial Services

Paul Tambakis, Department of Commerce – Foreign Commercial Services

Barry Wilson, managing partner, Huntington Capital

Panel Facilitators

Daniel Campos, partner, London Consulting Group and TECMA President

Norma Guillen, associate and co-chair of the Latino Business Practice Group, Sheppard Mullin

J. Fernando Niebla, managing partner, International Tech Partners

Adalberto Quijada, district director, SBA Orange County

Richard Sudek, Ph.D., director, Ralph W. Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics, Argyros School of Business and Economics, Chapman University

CLICK FOR TICKETS

Early Bird - $65.00 
by September 15

Regular – $75.00
Breakfast, lunch and cocktail
reception included

Location

For more information on direction to The Chapman campus, campus map and parking, please visit out Maps & Directions page.

In Partnership with:

• The Ralph W. Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics
• The George L. Argyros School of Business and Economics
• Chapman University Wilkinson College of Humanities and Social Sciences 
• Chapman University

Co-Organizers

Sponsors

For information on sponsoring the Cross-Border Conference contact:

cbe-info@tecmaoc.org