Are you a Lane County business owner looking to expand your reach and explore international markets? Join Collaborative EDO for an informative Lunch & Learn session where we’ll delve into the wealth of Federal exporting resources available to empower local businesses like yours!
This event promises an insightful discussion led by industry experts. Haisum M. Shah, International Trade Specialist with the U.S. Commercial Service in Portland, Oregon – part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration and Jim Newton, Export Finance Manager for the Office of International Trade at the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Haisum Shah is an International Trade Specialist with the U.S. Commercial Service in Portland, Oregon – part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. In his current role, Haisum assists Oregon and Southwest Washington-based companies with their exporting objectives in the Education, Environmental Technologies, Food and Beverage, Information Technology, and Construction/Infrastructure industries.
Prior to joining the Portland, Oregon office, Haisum was a Commercial Specialist at the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (2018-2020), and an International Trade Advisor for the U.K.’s Department of International Trade at the British Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (2011-2014).
His volunteer experience also includes roles at the United Nations, UNICEF, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, the Law Firm of Johnson and Pump. Haisum graduated from the University of California – Davis, with a degree in International Relations and while international trade is his career path, he is passionate about teaching and coaching guitar, soccer, and English as a Second Language (ESL).
He is a CELTA-certified ESL teacher and volunteered at ESL schools in Arequipa, Peru from 2016 to 2018. He also recently served as an Assistant Coach with Foothills Soccer Club in Portland, Oregon. He speaks Urdu/Hindi, Arabic, and Spanish, and enjoys sports, playing music, SCUBA diving, traveling, and the outdoors. He is a lifelong supporter of Manchester United F.C. (despite their form over the last few years).
Jim Newton has an extensive background in commercial lending, export finance, and risk management.
He joined SBA’s Office of International Trade in January of 2015. He currently serves as the Export Finance Manager for Oregon, Southwest Washington, Southern Idaho, Northern Nevada, Hawaii, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianna Islands providing small businesses with access to SBA’s Export Working Capital, Export Express and International Trade Loan Programs.
Prior to SBA, Newton was Director of Credit Portfolio Management for the Small Business Group at the Export-Import Bank of the United States. In that capacity, he served as Co-Team Lead for the development and implementation of the Global Credit Express (GCE) – Direct Loan Program as well as Acting Vice President of the Small Business Finance Division. Mr. Newton had previously served as a Financial Manager for FDIC, Team Lead for Bank of America’s National Margin Maintenance Team, and Director of the California Export Finance Office.
Altogether, he has 45 years of banking experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Oklahoma State University and has completed the coursework for the MBA Program at the University of Texas at Austin.
Join us at the stylishly designed Eugene HQ Coworking Business Lounge Event & Office Space for lunch and this engaging session!