JMU group attends Virginia World Trade Conference

Pictured (L-R): Nick Conti, Kofi Odum, Alex Arce, Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Erik Hedstrom and Kelly Gooch

Four students from Marion White’s Management 340—International Management class attended the Virginia Conference on World Trade on Oct. 17 and 18 in Richmond, which was highlighted by a chance to meet former Governor Terry McAuliffe. JMU is one of the few schools in the state that attends the conference. Seniors Alex Arce, Nick Conti, Erik Hedstrom and Kofi Odom made the trip with Kelly Gooch, the assistant director of the Office of Experiential Learning. 

Now in its 70^th year, the conference recognizes that global commerce is important for Virginia’s prosperity, so it seeks to connect Virginia businesses with leaders who conduct international trade. This year’s two-day event featured panel discussions on doing business with Poland, optimizing supply chains and managing currency risk to lower costs, among other topics. The keynote speech was given by Governor Ralph Northam, and another panel featured a talk on spurring job growth in Virginia given by three former Virginia governors. Barry DuVal, the President of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, hosts the event and is a JMU alumnus.