HOW THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN DETERMINES TARIFF AND DUTY RATES IN THIS NEW GLOBAL CLIMATE

May 13, 2025

9:00 AM – 12:30 PM CT   

Would you like to understand how the country of origin assigned to your products determines tariffs and duty rates on your business imports and exports? .

Paul Jarzombek of LR International will provide the customs broker’s perspective on why tariffs have been adopted as a negotiation strategy and talking points between the USA and other countries on geo-political and global trade issues. Paul will also give some tips on the best way to know in advance what tariff amounts will apply to products purchased from other countries and strategies to manage the changes and increased customs duty amounts.

Courtney Heller, Director of Export Services at the U.S. Meat Export Federation is part of the association’s Technical Services Team, responsible for developing and implementing strategies for resolving market access issues and assisting companies with exporting red meat products to international markets. She is a Meat Scientist with a MS in Meat Science from Colorado State University, and a BS in Animal Science from Michigan State University. She raises sheep with her family on a farm in Michigan.  Courtney will speak to compliance opportunities and challenges with a perspective from the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

Who from your organization should attend: Executives in trade, import/export compliance practitioners, supply chain managers, and finance personnel.

Program Speakers:

• Courtney Heller, Director of Export Services at U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)
• Paul Jarzombek, Director and COO at LR International

Agenda:

• 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM       Registration & Refreshments
• 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM     Paul Jarzomek, LR International
• 10:30 AM – 11:45 AM    Courtney Heller, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)
• 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM     Luncheon and Networking

Cost of Admission:  ICE members: $65.00;  Non-Members: $95.00  Includes Breakfast Pastries & Lunch

Location: Marquette Business School, Dr. E.J. and Margaret O’Brien Hall, 1530 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53233

Program Flyer

Click HERE to register.  

February 26, 2025

TARIFF TERROR

9:00 AM – 12:30 PM CT  

Program Speakers:

• Byron Shoulton, Senior Global Economist with FCIA Trade Credit & Political Risk Division
• Mollie Sitkowski, a partner at the global firm Faegre Drinker specializes in import and export control and compliance

Location: Marquette Business School, Dr. E.J. and Margaret O’Brien Hall, 1530 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53233

Do you have Tariff Terror? Would you like to understand how tariffs promised by the new administration will impact Importing, Exporting and your business? We will have two speakers who will speak on this subject. Byron Shoulton, an economist from FCIA will give an overview of the economic ramifications of tariffs, good and bad. Mollie Sitkowski, a partner at the global firm Faegre Drinker specializing in import and export control and compliance, will give us a presentation on the operational effects of tariff regimes and retaliatory tariffs.

Byron Shoulton will discuss major economic/political trends likely to impact business decision-making in 2025 and provide an overview of key economies. The new U.S. Administration’s focus on high tariffs as a tool to force changes in U.S. trade relationships globally, and will examine likely consequences to members’ cross-border trade business.

Mollie Sitkowski will provide quick fundamentals on trade and then discuss proposed tariff actions. She will then give you tools on how to mitigate the proposed tariff actions using Contractual provisions, Valuation (transfer pricing, “first sale”, etc.), and Origin (moving manufacturing).

Who from your organization should attend: Executives in trade, import/export compliance practitioners, supply chain managers, and finance personnel.

November 20, 2024

INCOTERMS 2020

9:00 AM – 12:30 PM CT   

Program Speakers: Paul Jarzombek, LR International, and Jamie Munnik, Johnsonville Sausage

Location: Johnsonville Sausage Headquarters, N6928 Johnsonville Way, Sheboygan Falls, WI

Incoterms 2020- Have you attended a few Incoterm educational programs and gone through every term and what it means? That can be a useful exercise, but the Wisconsin International Credit Executives has a NEW and INTERESTING way to learn more about Incoterms. Join us on Wednesday, November 20th at 9:00 AM at the Johnsonville Sausage Global Headquarters in Sheboygan WI where Melissa Reichwald of Johnsonville Sausage and Paul Jarzombek of LR INTERNATIONAL discuss Incoterm case studies from actual transactions, and how the incoterm chosen made a huge difference.

This interactive and descriptive format will captivate those in attendance and give everyone a real-world understanding of the impact of Incoterms, and why it is so important for global trade professionals to learn as much about Incoterms as possible. This program is a great fit for sales or business development colleagues from your company. The content-rich stories that will be told makes this a MUST ATTEND PROGRAM TO ROUND OUT YOUR GLOBAL TRADE EDUCATION FOR 2024!!!!!

September 24, 2024

Webinar: ELECTION 2024: How the outcome will affect the global business landscape

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CT   

The presidential election of 2024 is coming swiftly upon us. Each candidate has planned objectives that will impact businesses involved in overseas markets. Our goal with this program is to educate member companies on those objectives and discuss how to best prepare organizations for an uncertain future.

Pete Mento will give participants an unbiased overview of each candidate’s view on international and trade-focused issues. Pete is the Commercial Director of Customs and International Trade at DSV Global Transport and Logistics. He is a dynamic speaker and a subject matter expert on global trade.

We hope you join us for this special program to unpack the political landscape and see what effect the upcoming election may have on your company.

Program Speakers: Pete Mento, Commercial Director of Customs and International Trade at DSV Global Transport and Logistics

June 12, 2024

Keys to a Good Relationship between Sales & Credit

9:30 AM – 1:00 PM CT   

Program Speakers: Guy Kwaterski, Credit Manager at The Vollrath Company retiree and Paul D’Alberto, VP of International Sales at The Vollrath Company retiree

Sales vs. Credit … It’s the age-old dilemma!

Credits’ perception of Sales is “they just want to increase their sales and don’t care if we get paid or not.” Sales perception of Credit is “they are a bunch of tightwad who only make their jobs more difficult.” How do you work through it?

In this half-day program, Paul D’ Alberto, Vice President of International Sales, and Guy Kwaterski, Director of Credit, both retired from The Vollrath Company, will return to discuss how they worked together to overcome the obstacles to be successful.

Don’t miss this fun and informative opportunity to learn, and network!

March 21, 2024

Global Economic Overview

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM CT   Virtual Online Program

Program Speaker: Byron Shoulton

Please join ICE for a virtual program with Byron Shoulton on Thursday, March 21st at 11:00 a.m. CT for a Global Economic review that is a must for credit managers and your international trade team. He will focus on the recent developments in Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil and will discuss the economic causes of the migrant crisis and how they impact trade relations.

Byron Shoulton is FCIA’s Senior Global Trade & Political Risk International Economist and is the author of the monthly article Major Country Risk Development for FCIA Trade Credit & Political Risk.

ICE is thrilled to partner with Byron Shoulton and excited for him to share his business and economic insights. The takeaways from this webinar will empower you to make informed decisions about the future of your business.

Byron Shoulton’s 90-minute Global Economic Overview webinar is only $50 for ICE members and $75 for non-members.

February 20, 2024

LETTERS OF CREDIT

One of ICE’s most requested programs pertains to Letters of Credit. We aim to please in a big way! We understand that team players have various levels of experience with Letters of Credit. If LCs are new to you or if you need to improve your current knowledge, register today before it’s full.

This half-day program will be an excellent source of information for those who are new to LCs and/or wish to brush up on the fundamentals, or are indirectly involved with LCs and wish to have a better understanding of this longstanding and venerable trade payments instrument.

Commercial Letters of Credit

• Parties in the LC transaction
• Transaction flow
• Common documents
• Advising versus confirming (basics)
• Discrepancies
• Charges & who pays them
• Sight versus Time LC’s
• SWIFT – definition and importance
• Role of the Freight Forwarder
• INCOTERMS
• Expiry issues and collections
• Common discrepancies to avoid

Standby Letters of Credit

• Bid, performance, and advance payment
• Financial versus trade-related
• Cancellations/Expiry
• Affects on your company’s credit line
• Standard cost/benchmarking

Don’t miss this fun and informative opportunity to learn, network, and enjoy some good food for lunch!

Agenda:

• 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM Registration & Refreshments
• 10:00 AM – 10:15 AM Welcome Announcements
• 10:15 AM – 11:00 AM Commercial Letters of Credit
• 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM Standby Letters of Credit
• 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Luncheon and Networking

Cost of Admission:  ICE members: $65.00;  Non-Members: $95.00  Includes Lunch

Location: Hilton Garden Inn Milwaukee Northwest Conference Center-  116600 W Park Place, Milwaukee, WI

Program Flyer

September 27, 2023

INTERNATIONAL EXPORT COMPLIANCE AND ECONOMIC OVERVIEW

ICE talked about all things Export Compliance at the campus of Globally recognized exporters and Wisconsin’s very own Johnsonville Sausage. We heard an update from Johnsonville on their business and then Paul Jarzombek of LR INTERNATIONAL and Sue Dragotta of WCTC broke down the “Best Practices” in export compliance and shared some case studies from real exporters and situations that warranted navigating tricky export compliance waters. Both presenters bring 30+ years of export experience and are well-known to ICE programs over the years.

• Economic Overview, Dan North – Click HERE to review his PowerPoint Presentation.
• Export Compliance, Sue Dragott – Click HERE to review her PowerPoint Presentation. Click HERE for more information on WCTC’s upcoming Export Compliance Program.
• Export Compliance, Paul Jarzombek – Click HERE to review his PowerPoint Presentation. Click HERE for the Top Most Important Export Compliance Actions.

Agenda:

• 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM Registration
• 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM Welcome! Johnsonville’s  Journey
• 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM Economic Overview
• 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM Export Compliance
• 11:45 AM – 12:30 PM Luncheon and Networking

Cost of Admission:  ICE members: $50.00;  Non-Members: $80.00  Includes Lunch

Location: Johnsonville Sausage Headquarters-  N6928 Johnsonville Way, Sheboygan Falls, WI

May 24, 2023

Bankruptcy Around the World

10:30 AM – 11:30 PM CT   Virtual Online Program

Program Speakers:

•  Romelio Hernandez, President, HMH Legal, Credit & Collections
• Harvey Chaitons, Partner, Chaitons LLP

Mexico and Canada

In 60 Minutes we will introduce you to the Insolvency Laws of Canada and Mexico, and provide you with a practical, credit-focused introduction to the insolvency systems of the two countries.

Bankruptcy and restructuring lawyers from Canada and Mexico will take part in a panel discussion about their respective countries’ insolvency systems—their laws, courts, and procedures—with particular emphasis on what trade creditors should be prepared to watch out for, including key parties, claims assertion and reconciliation, case exit options and claw back claims. Amid growing global economic uncertainty and the threat of a looming worldwide recession, this program is a “must-hear” for any professional with international exposure.

You will hear from bankruptcy and insolvency law experts from the following:

• HMH Legal – a Law Firm that focuses on creditor protection in Mexico and Latin America, with services of debt collection, litigation, secured transactions, and due diligence investigations.
• Chaitons LLP – a Toronto Law Firm that focuses on areas of bankruptcy and insolvency with particular emphasis on receiverships and corporate restructurings including insolvency litigation.

January 26, 2023

2023 Global Economic Forecast

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM CT   Virtual Online Program

Program Speaker: Chris Kuehl

Inflation! Interest Rates! A strong Dollar! A Soft Landing!  What does 2023 have in store for us?

Please join ICE for a virtual meeting with Dr. Chris Kuehl on Thursday, January 26th at 10:30 a.m. CT for a global economic review that is a must for credit managers and your international trade team. Chris is one of the most engaging – and funny – economists you will ever hear. He will take us on a review of the economic and political landscape both here and overseas to give you insight into how geopolitical events may impact your business in the coming year.

Dr. Chris Kuehl is a Managing Director of Armada Corporate Intelligence. He provides forecasts and strategic guidance for a wide variety of corporate clients around the world. He is the chief economist for several national and international organizations

Prior to starting Armada in 1999, he was a professor of economics and finance for 15 years – teaching in the US, Hungary, Russia, Estonia, Singapore, and Taiwan. He holds advanced degrees in economics, Soviet studies, and East Asian studies.

Chris is the co-author of The Flagship and the Strategic Intelligence System – both publications from Armada. He is also an economist for the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association and responsible for the Credit Manager’s Index.

Needless to say, we are thrilled to partner with Dr. Chris Kuehl and excited for him to share his business and economic insights – all with a touch of humor. The takeaways from this webinar will empower you to make informed decisions about the future of your business.

Dr. Chris Kuehl’s 90-minute economic outlook webinar is only $50 for ICE members and $75 for non-members.

November 30, 2022

INCOTERMS with Silent Auction

What could choosing one term over another really mean to your International Transaction?

Incoterms are those pesky little 3 letter acronyms that are used by customers and vendors overseas when you are trying to sell or buy something outside of the USA. Ever wondered what all the fuss is about? Does it really matter which term you agree to in the end? Could you have the advantage of insisting on one of a couple of options when it comes to Incoterms?

Join us at ICE on November 30 as we do a deep dive into the 11 Incoterms that make up Incoterms 2020 and form the legal basis for who is responsible for what and how far on International transactions. Paul Jarzombek from LR INTERNATIONAL INC. a global freight forwarder headquartered in Chicago along with a panel of experts will break down the 11 Incoterms in detail and share real-world examples of when a particular Incoterm choice either helped or hurt in specific situations.

The morning will be spent on a deep dive into each of the 11 terms so they are all clearly understood with time for your questions. After lunch, The afternoon will see our panel providing examples of do’s and don’ts from real case studies of international transactions from their long tenures in global trade. Bring your questions as this group is committed to you feeling 100% confident regarding Incoterms as you leave for the day.

You will also have an opportunity to bid on and win some amazing prizes right from your phone as we hold our annual Silent Auction to support the ICE Scholarship fund. All processes will benefit the ICE Scholarship fund which in 2022 saw two recipients awarded funds sent directly to their higher education institution of choice to help with tuition expenses. PLEASE COME OUT TO THIS LAST ICE EVENT FOR 2022 and support our scholarship fund and interact with some amazing professionals on the topic of Incoterms 2020.

• 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM Registration
• 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Speaker Paul Jarzombeck, deep dive on Incoterms 2020
• 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Luncheon and Networking
• 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Panel of experts discuss Incoterms and answer your questions

• Ursula Wegrzynowicz, Export-Import Bank of the United States
• Bruce Glaub, Trade Acceptance Group
• Sue Dragotta, WCTC

July 12, 2022

The ICE Group, in conjunction with Madison International Trade Assn (MITA), held a joint educational seminar on July 12^th at the Milford Hills Hunt Club in Johnson Creek, WI.  The half-day session: Understanding & Managing US Trade Controls and Sanctions on China & Russia was attended by 40 and led by a three-member panel consisting of John Ohnesorge, George Young Bascom Professor and Director, East Asian Legal Studies Center at University of Wisconsin Law School; Ngosong Fonkem, Esq. from the Chicago law firm of Page-Fura PC and Claudia Wolske, Global Trade Compliance Export Manager for Rockwell Automation.  The session was sponsored by Sayari, headquartered in Washington, DC a venture-backed and founder-led global corporate data provider and commercial intelligence company.

Some general takeaways from the seminar were:

• Historically speaking it is unlikely China and Russia will become best of friends as memories of WWII remain.
• Companies having global manufacturing or sales operations must look at trade controls and sanctions globally and not just from a U.S.-centric perspective.
• For major importers and exporters, it is almost impossible to comply with trade controls and sanctions without investing in third-party technology.  Business ownership stakes by Russian oligarchs run deep and are difficult to trace!
• Multinational businesses are sensitive to how they close down Russian operations and treat those employees.  Major consideration is given to avoid the Russian government seizing the closed operation’s assets and nationalizing the business.

This very successful and informative seminar was the first ever joint ICE/MITA educational collaboration.