Dates: January 2021
Location: Hosted Online
The Steering Committee welcomes 48 of the most experienced attorneys, in-house counsel and compliance professionals in the US defense industry to discuss shared challenges on the impact of government policy, regulations, and compliance with export regulation.
Using candid, seminar-style discussion at this annual meeting, the group examines trends and developments for meaningful dialogue on the most pressing export controls issues. During some of the Sessions, participants have the opportunity to obtain the perspectives of key USG officials.
The Steering Committee, comprised of experts in the field, personally nominates all invitees and develops the Agenda, which forms the basis of our discussions.
Mark J. Webber is Director, International Trade and Export Policy within Lockheed Martin’s Government Affairs organization, where he is responsible for managing a diverse portfolio of issues affecting Lockheed Martin’s global programs and business, including international trade, export control policy and sanctions, export financing and advocacy, global supply chain, foreign direct investment, and other international regulatory issues.
Before joining Lockheed Martin in 2011, Mr. Webber held several senior positions within the U.S. Government, including Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for South and Central Asia on the National Security Council Staff, and Special Advisor for National Security Affairs in the Office of the Vice President of the United States. Mr. Webber also served as the Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Industry and Security and as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Export Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Prior to serving in the U.S. Government, Mr. Webber worked under contract for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and the former U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency as an advisor on missile defense and strategic arms control issues. Mr. Webber received his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School and is a member of the Maryland State Bar. He earned his M.A. and B.A. in comparative politics from American University in Washington, DC.
Mr. Webber lives in Maryland with his wife and two sons.
Jeannette is a Managing Director and leads PwC’s Export Controls and Trade Sanctions practice in the United States. She leads a team of subject matter specialists in assisting U.S. and multinational companies with understanding and managing compliance risks relating to export controls, sanctions, embargoes, and antiboycott requirements.
Jeannette has led numerous export controls and sanctions assessments for multinational companies in the aerospace and defense, life sciences and industrial products sectors. The ECTS team also helps companies enhance compliance policies, processes and controls and remediate identified risks and gaps. Jeannette leverages years of government experience in helping clients address and resolve enforcement matters and navigate interagency processes relating to licensing and compliance.
Prior to joining PwC, Jeannette served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), US Department of Commerce where she worked on export control reform and foreign policy matters. Her public service career includes over 25 years of federal investigation and enforcement experience. From 2005 through 2010, Jeannette represented BIS as the Senior Export Control Attaché at the US Embassy, Beijing, where she conducted more than 250 on-site risk assessments at companies throughout China to assess the bonafides of recipients of US-origin controlled items and technology. She also negotiated a landmark agreement with the Chinese government to permit company visits by US government officials and established a high-level working group on export control cooperation.
Jeannette has been named by World ECR as “Highly Commended” in the category of “Export Control Practitioner of the Year 2016”. She brings deep knowledge of US and foreign regulatory requirements including the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) policies and regulations on trade sanctions and embargoes, as well as multilateral export control regimes. Jeannette speaks regularly on export controls and China business issues; she has served on the faculty for American Bar Association, the Practicing Law Institute, and the American Conference Institute, where she also serves on the Advisory Board for Export Controls and Sanctions. She also serves on the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section Working Group on Human Trafficking where she brings insights from more than ten years of enforcement experience with the former U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Jeannette received her BA in Political Science from American University in Washington, DC and speaks Mandarin Chinese.
LAWRENCE R. FINK is a Senior Assistant General Counsel and Vice President at
Leidos, Inc., formerly SAIC. As the Director of International Regulatory Compliance for
Leidos, he is responsible for ensuring corporate-wide compliance with U.S. import,
export, human trafficking, and anti-corruption regulations. Mr. Fink serves as an industry
representative on the Defense Trade Advisory Group or DTAG. Prior to his work in
international trade compliance, Mr. Fink served as an arms control and national security
analyst, providing implementation and compliance support to the Department of Defense
for strategic arms control treaties and agreements, including START II, the Cooperative
Threat Reduction Program, Nuclear Safeguards, and the Chemical Weapons
Convention. Mr. Fink is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and holds a masters
degree from Georgetown University in Russian studies. He received his law degree from
George Mason University School of Law and is a member of the Virginia Bar.
Corporate Vice President for Global Trade Compliance,
Leonardo DRS, Inc.
Greg is responsible for leading the company-wide trade
compliance program. He establishes the policies and
procedures the company employs in managing its global export/import operations.
Prior to joining DRS in 2008 Greg worked for several defense companies in export,
regulatory, international security cooperation, and technology release areas
including General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, and Anteon Corporation. Greg is
a member of the Defense Trade Advisory Group, a federal advisory committee to
the U.S. State Department on export matters, the Sensors and Instrumentation
Technical Advisory Committee, advising the U.S. Commerce Department on export
matters regarding infrared and laser technology, and is the vice chair of the National
Defense Industrial Association’s International Division, helping to identify and
resolve defense industry management and business problems associated with
government policies and practices related to the international defense community.
Greg holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the U.S. Air
Force Academy and a Master of Management degree from Troy State University.
William Wade
Vice President, Global Trade Compliance
William Wade (Bill) is the Vice President of Global Trade Compliance in the Washington, DC area. Bill is a retired Lt. Colonel from the United States Army with more than thirty years of military and civilian experience. His expertise is in export/import compliance and policy, along with extensive knowledge of The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulation (EAR) and Security Assistance Manual (SAM). He brings to the table his experience with private industry and with government perspectives in mind. Bill provides focused guidance, training and assistance regarding company export and compliance matters. Bill’s mission is to teach others to provide compliant, customer-focused Trade Control service to customers to ensure timely support of International business. Bill believes it is imperative as a Trade Practitioner to understand what is in your “toolbox” and then study and improve and utilize each tool for optimum compliance and customer service which includes, but not limited to, your company’s product, regulations, policy, training, and your experience. Bill is the L3HARRIS lead for the Global Trade Group (GTG) serving as lead Empowered Official. He serves as a Member of International Council, Aerospace Industries Association (AIA); He is the immediate past Chair of the Defense Trade Advisory Group (DTAG), Federal Advisory Council to the U.S. Department of State and served on the DTAG for over 10 years. Bill also serves on the Council for L3HARRIS’s Diversity and Inclusion as the Executive Sponsor the L3HARRIS AARG.
Prior to L3HARRIS Technologies, Bill worked at Raytheon and at Boeing. At Raytheon, he was a Senior Director providing advice and counsel to senior management in establishing direction, strategy, and policy along with developing a training and curriculum map to increase employee and staff career development. He served as the Lead for Export and Import (EX/IM) Operation, while enabling Subject Matter Expert (SME) guidance to personnel on export/import issues and trained personnel and license stakeholders in EX/IM. Bill is a “proven” leader – excelling in problem-solving and team-building skills. While serving in the Army he had 18 years of aviation experience, worked with systems integration, management of technical personnel, development of acquisition strategies and extensive work with contracting and procurement budget analysis.
He is a graduate of the Wharton School of Executive Leadership and Development. Bill is a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He has served in several positions of leadership to include District Director, Chapter President, Chapter Vice President and President of the Chapter’s 501 (c)(3) Scholarship Foundation.
Mandy is a graduated law clerk and has experience working within both the legal and oil & gas industry. She was an exchange student in 2006, through Rotary International, to Brazil and is fluent in Brazilian Portuguese. Mandy has returned to Brazil on many occasions to assist in the opening of a private English school and had the privilege to volunteer as a teacher within the school for six months. In her spare time, she enjoys learning other languages and spending time with her dog, Gus.
Built on genuine interactions and spontaneous connections, the Forum is an unparalleled learning and benchmarking opportunity for preeminent leaders on U.S. defense-related export control and trade policy issues.
"An invigorating experience. Open debate, critical analysis and benchmarking opportunities not available in any other setting. Ideas flow freely among the leaders in the field."
Michael Mellen Director and General Counsel Lockheed Martin Corp. Arlington, VA"The Forum experience offers a great opportunity for cross-collaboration among industry colleagues in a small group setting."
Christine McGinn President & Managing Director InterGlobal Trade Consulting Scottsdale, AZ"The Forum presents a unique opportunity to have high-level thoughtful discussion with the leaders of the international trade compliance community. This is the best investment of time and resources I have made on a conference. I hope to be able to come back year after year."
Jahna Hartwig Associate General Counsel, Director, International Trade Compliance Booz Allen Hamilton New York, NYHear how our participants describe the practical benefits of our forums.
Associate Forum Director