BISNIS Outreach in Pittsburgh, PA on July 22, 2004

BISNIS Outreach in Pittsburgh, PA on July 22, 2004

BISNIS
June 21, 2004

Please Note: You are receiving this message as a BISNIS client located
in or close to PPittsburgh, PA as you may have an interest in meeting
with our representatives from Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Ukraine
and Washington, DC. To modify your profile, please see instructions
at the end of this email.

Center for Russian and East European Studies,University of Pittsburgh
and the U.S. Department of Commerce – BISNIS

With the support of

U.S. Commercial Service, Pittsburgh Office
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission

Invite you to a seminar

Exploring Eurasia: A Fresh Look at Armenia, the Kyrgyz Republic,
Moldova, and Ukraine – Export and Investment Opportunities

WHEN: Thursday, July 22, 2004
8:45 a.m. Registration
9:00-10:30 a.m. Presentations
10:30-12:30 p.m. One-on-One Meetings

WHERE: University of Pittsburgh
4D 56 Posvar Hall, University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260

MARKET TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED:
· Industries Sectors to be Covered: IT, Telecommunications, Construction, Agribusiness, Pharmaceuticals/Medical, Consumer Goods, and Banking/Finance.
· Countries Covered: Armenia, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Ukraine
· Presentations: Speakers will provide executive briefings on the business climate in their countries, and present trade and investment leads, as well as information on promising projects. A Q&A session will follow the presentations, and then an opportunity for one-on-one meetings with individual BISNIS representatives.
· Introductory remarks: Dr. Bob Donnorummo, Associate Director, Center for Russian and East European Studies,University of Pittsburgh, Lyn Doverspike, Director, U.S. Commercial Service, Pittsburgh Office.

For more information and to register, contact:
Desi Jordanoff, BISNIS
tel: 202-482-2709
email: [email protected]

Check Requested One-on-One Appointments: £ Armenia; £ Kyrgyzstan; £ Moldova; £ Ukraine
(Appointments shall be subject to availability.)

REGISTER DEADLINE: July 19, 2004!

Number of people attending Names of attendees

Company
Address: ____________________________________________________________________________
Phone: _____________________ Fax: __________________ E-mail: __________________________

WHAT IS BISNIS?
BISNIS (), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, was founded in 1992 to assist in the economic development and transition of the countries of the former Soviet Union by helping U.S. companies to export to and invest in the region. BISNIS has 20 representatives posted throughout Eurasia, including 11 in Russia. In addition, BISNIS has 10 trade specialists in Washington, DC. BISNIS mainly assists U.S. and Eurasia companies by identifying and disseminating trade and partner leads, preparation of regional overviews, commercial news updates, and industry reports, counseling U.S. companies interested in entering Eurasian markets, and referrals to U.S. government programs as well as sources of financing and other resources. Since 1992, BISNIS has helped U.S. companies generate over $3.2 billion of export and investment transactions. In FY03 alone, BISNIS facilitated transactions exceeding $204 million. In 2002, 2003, and 2004, BISNIS was recognized by Forbes Magazine as
“One of the Best of the Web” for information on Eurasia. The BISNIS website gets over 1 million hits per month.

PROGRAM SPEAKER PROFILES
· Desi Jordanoff has joined BISNIS in Washington, DC as an International Trade Specialist in May 2004. She currently serves as country manager for Ukraine, Russia-Urals, and Turkmenistan, covers the Medical Equipment and Services; Consumer Goods; and Tourism and Hospitality sectors for all of Eurasia. She previously worked as an International Trade Specialist at Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, Pittsburgh, PA and provided consulting and export assistance to small and mid-size companies in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Ms. Jordanoff holds a MBA degree from Katz Graduate School of Business and a Master of Public and International Affairs degree from GSPIA, University of Pittsburgh. Her Bachelor of Science is in Economics from the University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria. As a native of Bulgaria she speaks English, Russian and Bulgarian.

· Asel Sulaimanova – BISNIS Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic
Ms. Sulaimanova has worked for BISNIS in the Kyrgyz Republic since late 2002. Before joining BISNIS, she worked both in the private sector and for international donor institutions. Specifically, she was Project Manager for the European Union Program “Small and Medium Business Development” and an international consultant for several Asian Development Bank projects in the Kyrgyz Republic. Her commercial experience has been gained through working for several foreign companies doing different businesses in the Kyrgyz Republic. She graduated from Kazakh State Economic University in Economics and later received an MBA from the Bishkek International School of Management and Business in 1995.

· Andriy Vorobyov – BISNIS Representative in Ukraine
Andriy Vorobyov has worked for BISNIS in Kiev since October 2000. He has a background in agriculture, having graduated from the National Agricultural University of Ukraine. His previous work experience includes agribusiness and food processing, and work for the Department of Foreign Economic Relations at the Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture. His recent reports for BISNIS have covered the Ukrainian Construction Sector, Trade and Project Financing in Ukraine, Customs Procedures in Ukraine, and overviews of several Ukrainian regions. Last year, Mr. Vorobyov accompanied a delegation of 25 Ukrainian companies to the International Builders Show in Las Vegas, and he has organized a number of U.S. Product Literature Centers at the largest Ukrainian trade events, including construction, automotive, food processing, pharmaceuticals shows.

· Iulian Bogasieru – BISNIS Representative in Moldova
Iulian Bogasieru joined BISNIS in December 2000. His previous experience includes working with the Moldovan Agency of Enterprise Restructuring ARIA as a consultant for three years on World Bank and European Union projects. His responsibilities were analyzing markets and providing turnaround management consulting for Moldovan businesses. Mr. Bogasieru graduated from the Academy of Economic Studies, Chisinau, Moldova, with bachelor degree in foreign economic relations. He speaks English, Russian, Romanian and Italian. Among his achievements as BISNIS representative, he organized three catalog shows of U.S. products in Moldova, which resulted in U.S. export contracts.

· George Isayan – BISNIS Representative in Armenia
George Isayan has represented BISNIS in Yerevan, Armenia, since January 1998. During 1989-1992, he worked in Armenia’s Chamber of Commerce as the head of business information department. In 1992-1997, Mr. Isayan worked at a private export-import company in Prague, Czech Republic, covering the company’s financial issues. As BISNIS representative, Mr. Isayan accompanied delegations of Armenian companies at Comdex IT show in Las Vegas (2000), BILISIM IT show in Istanbul (Turkey) in 2001, International Builders’ Show in Dallas, Texas, in 1999 and 2000, and SviazExpoComm ICT show in Moscow, Russia, in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Mr. Isayan speaks Russian, Armenian, English, Czech, and Arabic fluently.

FEATURED COUNTRY OVERVIEWS

Armenia

Area: 29,800 sq. km. (11,500 sq. mi.); Population (est.): 3 million; GDP growth rate: 13.9% (2003)
Natural resources: Copper, zinc, gold, and lead; hydroelectric power; small amounts of gas and petroleum.
Agriculture: fruits and vegetables, wines, dairy, some livestock.
Industry: chemicals, electronic products, machinery, processed food, synthetic rubber, and textiles.
2003 Trade: Exports–$678.1 million (81.3% to countries outside CIS): diamonds, scrap metal, machinery and equipment, brandy, copper ore. Export partners–Belgium, Israel, Russia, U.S., Iran. Imports–$1.269 billion (73.6% from countries outside the CIS): natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds. Import partners–Russia, Belgium, Israel, Iran, U.S.

Approximately 70 U.S.-owned firms currently do business in Armenia, including such multinationals as Procter & Gamble, M&M-Mars, Xerox, Dell, and IBM. Recent major U.S. investment projects include the Hotel Armenia; the Hotel Ani; Tufenkian Holdings (carpet and furnishing production, hotels, and construction); several subsidiaries of U.S.-based information technology firms, including Viasphere Technopark, an IT incubator; a Greek-owned Coca-Cola bottling plant; petroleum exploration by the American-Armenian Exploration Company; jewelry and textile production facilities; a large perlite mining and processing plant; and the joint venture Jermuk, which produces one of the more popular brands of mineral water in Armenia.

Recent BISNIS efforts have facilitated U.S. sales to Armenian private firms of medical diagnostic equipment and construction materials equipment, as well as the signing of an exclusive dealer contract between Ford and an Armenia company.

Kyrgyz Republic

Area: 77,181 sq. mi; Population: 5.03 million: GDP Growth Rate: 6.7% (2003)
Natural Resources: coal, oil, natural gas, antimony, gold, tungsten, tin, mercury, uranium, zinc, lead, rare earth metals, copper, iron, bauxite, hydropower, water resources.
Agriculture: Tobacco, cotton, wheat, vegetables and fruits, berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool.
Industry: small machinery (electric motors, transformers); light industry (cotton and wool processing, textiles, food processing), construction materials (cement, glass, slate), shoes, furniture, mining, energy.
Trade (2003): Exports–$548 million: Cotton, wool, meat, precious metals, minerals, textiles, tobacco, hydropower, machinery, footwear. Partners: Switzerland, Russia, United Arab Emirates, China, U.S. 7.9%, Kazakhstan. Imports: $601 million: oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs. Partners: Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, China, US, Germany, Netherlands.

Major foreign investments: Hyatt Regency Bishkek Hotel (renovation), Metromedia International (cable TV venture), Marvel worldwide Ltd. (80 % of VLKSM Garment Factory), WimmBillDann (dairy, juices), Kumtor (gold mining), Coca-Cola (bottling), Philips (light bulb manufacture & equipment), Malaysian Company (semiconductor production plant)

Recent BISNIS efforts have facilitated establishment of an office in Bishkek for a small U.S. firm seeking contracts with the U.S. airbase in the Kyrgyz republic – the company has already won one tender and has additional projects in the pipeline for FY04, sales of restaurant equipment to Kyrgyzstan, assistance to a U.S. company to set up production in the Bishkek free economic zone.

Moldova

Area: 33,843 sq. km. (13,000 sq. mi.); Population: 4.4 million: GDP real growth (Jan.-Sept. 2003): 7.0%
Natural Resources: Lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone.
Agriculture: vegetables, fruits, wine and spirits, grain, sugarbeet, sunflower seeds, meat, milk, tobacco.
Industry: Processed foods and beverages, including wine and refined sugar; processed fruit and vegetable products, including vegetable oil; dairy and meat products; tobacco items; metal processing and production of machinery; textiles and clothing, shoes; furniture.
Trade (2003): Exports $790 million (of which 46% go to countries outside the former Soviet Union): foodstuffs, wine, tobacco, textiles and footwear, machinery, chemicals. Major export markets: Russia, Ukraine, Italy, Romania, Germany, Belarus, Spain. Import: $1,34 billion (of which 61% come from countries outside the former Soviet Union): gas, oil, coal, steel, mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemical products, textiles, foodstuffs, automobiles, and other consumer durables. Major suppliers: Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Germany, Italy.

U.S. companies active in Moldova include McDonalds, FoodPro International, Food Master International, Coca-Cola, Trans Oil Invest, Europharm, MetroMedia International, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, KPMG, Caterpillar, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Proctor & Gamble, John Deere, General Electric, and Apple Computer.

Recent BISNIS efforts have facilitated sales of U.S. telecommunications equipment and medical diagnostic equipment to Moldova, as well as assisted in the development of ties between North Carolina and Moldova and supported efforts of OPIC and TDA to find projects for possible financing.

Ukraine

Area: 603,700 square miles; Population: 48 million: GDP real growth (2003 est.): 5.5-6.0%
Natural resources: Vast fertile lands, coal, ironstone, complex ore, various large mineral deposits, timber
Agriculture: Products–Grain, sugar, sunflower seeds.
Industry: Types–Ferrous metals and products, coke, fertilizer, airplanes, turbines, metallurgical equipment, diesel locomotives, tractors.
Trade (2003): Exports–$18.1 billion: Ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products, mineral products, chemicals, machinery, transport equipment, grain, and textiles, food products. Major export partners: Russia, Italy, Turkey, Germany, China. Imports–$23.58 billion: Energy, mineral fuel and oil, machinery and parts, transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles, and paper. Major importers: Russia, Germany, Turkmenistan, Poland, Italy.

More than 300 U.S. companies are represented in Ukraine. Among the major U.S. companies are: Apple Computer, Avon Cosmetics, Automobile Group (Cadillac, Chevrolet, Hummer), Bechtel National, Inc., Citibank, Colgate-Palmolive, General Electric, Kraft foods Motorola, Monsanto, Mary Kay Ltd.

Recent BISNIS efforts have facilitated sales of U.S. machinery and machine tools, as well as medical, printing, and telecommunications equipment to Ukraine, as well as creation of joint projects in the financial services sector.