09/10/2026
It was an honor to represent World Trade Center Delaware at the 10th United States–United Kingdom Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) Dialogue in Cardiff, Wales.
The dialogue brought together leaders from government, business, manufacturing, and international trade to focus on opportunities and obstacles for SMEs in global trade, with important discussions around the future of manufacturing, AI and digital innovation, supply chains, investment, and strengthening U.S.–UK trade.
As President of World Trade Center Delaware, I had the privilege of speaking about SMEs and the future of manufacturing, an especially important conversation for Delaware, where manufacturing remains an essential part of our economy. Small and medium-sized businesses are not simply participants in the global economy; they are innovators, job creators, and increasingly important drivers of international trade.
A special thank you to Kate Maxwell and Dr. Christina Sevilla for sharing their expertise and perspectives and helping lead such an important conversation on the future of SMEs, manufacturing, and U.S.–UK trade. Their insights helped make the dialogue both meaningful and actionable.
One of the greatest outcomes of international dialogue is the relationships we build. It was a pleasure connecting with so many exceptional leaders, including Isabel Healy, Deputy Director, UK Department for Business & Trade; Bradley A. McKinney, Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration; William Bain, Head of Trade Policy, British Chambers of Commerce; Noreen Burroughes Cesareo, MBE, President of OWIT and Co-President of OWIT UK; Aaron Miller, Director of International Business Development, Virginia SBDC; Jeremy Bowen Rees, Ecosystem Relationship Manager, Business Wales; Madeleine Pindel, Director of Operations, Aerospace Wales; Mark John, Founder, Tramshed Tech; Fred Latupperissa, International Trade Advisor and President of ExIm20/20 Group; and Matt Helfrich, Project Manager and UK Branch Manager, LINK Strategic Partners; Anuj Shahay, International Business Investment, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority; Archie Breare, Trade Policy Manager, techUK; Mark O’Neill, Founder, TradeHarmonizer; Tony Cambas, Statewide Manager of International Trade, Mississippi Small Business Development Center; Bryant Trick, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle East, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; Carolyn Currie MBE MCBI, Chief Executive, Women’s Enterprise Scotland; Blanca Ramirez, Green Energy and Custom Solutions Manager, Lectrodryer; Clive Johns, Business Development Director, TOMOE Valve Ltd; Sharon Nichols, MBA, State Director, America’s SBDC Mississippi Network; John Calleja, Managing Director, Benson Clinical Viscometers; and Jamal Holtz, Chief of Staff & Executive Vice President, LINK Strategic Partners.